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NetWellness is a global, community service providing quality, unbiased health information from our partner university faculty. NetWellness is commercial-free and does not accept advertising.
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
I`m a lifelong sufferer of asthma. I`m no 43 years old and have developed a severe upper respitatory viral infection. At first, my physician put me on prednisone. But after 3 days on it, my heart rate shot up. So he`s taken me off prednisone and gave me a cortisone shot.
Two questions: 1) What`s the difference between prednisone and cortisone? For some reason, I thought they were the same. 2) I`m trying to picture in my mind what the cortisone is doing inside my body. I tend to think of it keeping my airways open so I don`t develop pneumonia or have an asthma attack. Anything you can add to this or correct would be most appreciated.
Asthma is an inflammatory disease of the airways of unknown cause. The inflammation makes the smooth muscle surrounding the airways more susceptible to contraction. Prednisone and cortisone belong to a group of medications (often referred to as corticosteroids, glucocorticoids or `steroids`) that can reduce the extent of inflammation and lessen the susceptibility and magnitude of airway narrowing. Thus, glucocorticoids can indeed help `keep your airways open`. Although the various glucocorticoids used for asthma therapy have similar anti-inflammatory actions, their relative potencies and routes of administration can differ.
Dennis McGraw, MD
College of Medicine
University of Cincinnati | <urn:uuid:dce5d8a2-e428-4e0b-b820-4a8ab61a106c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.netwellness.uc.edu/question.cfm/26282.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00023-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.918344 | 349 | 2.25 | 2 |
Tent cities like Erie's can be found all over the country.
"It is distressingly common,'' said Steve Berg, vice president for programs and policy at the National Alliance to End Homelessness.
The alliance doesn't keep statistics on the number of tent cities, but he said, "It has gotten worse since the start of the recession.''
In Erie County, scattered tents have been reported intermittently at other places near the railroad tracks and behind big-box stores in the upper Peach Street shopping corridor.
But the tent city community just west of Erie's downtown is a relatively new phenomenon, said Mark Alexa, housing specialist for the Department of Human Services, the social services arm of Erie County government.
The occupants gave conflicting accounts about tent city's founding, but Alexa said that community outreach advocates didn't see it Jan. 27 when they conducted their point-in-time survey of the county's homeless population.
The advocates counted 439 homeless people -- 393 in shelters and 46 on the streets, Alexa said. That's an increase from 2011, when they counted 405, including 33 on the streets.
Across the U.S., advocates counted 636,017 homeless people in 2011, the latest national statistics available. That's a decrease of 13,900 from 2010, possibly due to a $1.5 billion federal stimulus program to get people into housing, the National Alliance reported.
But the homeless populations likely were undercounted, Alexa said.
"We're going to miss people if they don't want to be found on that night,'' he said.
Other statistics point to a greater problem.
The U.S. Housing and Urban Development's annual homeless assessment report showed that 1.65 million people spent at least one day in an emergency shelter or transitional housing program in 2010, the latest year for which those statistics are available.
"It's tough to get your head around that such a rich country can have such impoverished folks, and that they're so disenfranchised that they don't see any hope that things can get better for them,'' Alexa said.
"It's tough living that day-to-day life, in fear of, 'Is this going to be my last night on the street? Am I going to get robbed?' '' he said.
Homeless outreach workers are working with one tent city resident, and continue to reach out to others to get them into shelters, drug and alcohol treatment and other services, he said.
Many shelters, however, won't take people who are drunk or on drugs because of the disruptions they could cause, Alexa said.
One of the exceptions is the Erie City Mission, 1017 French St. Though sobriety is required for admission to the City Mission's emergency shelter -- it reduces the risk of arguments or altercations -- the agency offers a cot in the dining room for anyone under the influence, said the Rev. Rick Crocker, the City Mission's executive director.
JOHN GUERRIERO can be reached at 870-1690 or by e-mail at email@example.com. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ETNguerriero. | <urn:uuid:d180ae54-ff40-4fd7-92df-0de465bc9af9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.goerie.com/article/20120916/NEWS02/309169921/Homeless-in-tents%3A-%22Distressingly-common'' | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956257 | 656 | 2.109375 | 2 |
|Washington's failed war in Afghanistan
By Elan Journo
Unlike the seemingly endless war in Iraq, America's campaign in Afghanistan is widely considered a success in the "war on terror." We have nothing more to fear from Afghanistan, our policy makers tell us, because the war accomplished its two main goals: al-Qaida and its sponsoring regime, the Taliban, are long gone, and the country has a new, pro-Western government. But as the daily news from Afghanistan shows, in reality the war has been a drastic failure.
Legions of undefeated Taliban and al-Qaida soldiers have renewed their jihad. Flush with money, amassing recruits, and armed with guns, rockets and explosives, they are fighting to regain power. In recent months they have mounted a string of suicide bombings and rocket attacks against American and NATO forces; more U.S. troops have died in Afghanistan in the last 18 months than did during the peak of the war.
Taliban forces have effectively besieged several provinces in southern Afghanistan. Local officials estimate that in some provinces the "number of Taliban . . . is several times more than that of the police and Afghan National Army." Taliban fighters are said to amble through villages fearlessly, brandishing their Kalashnikovs, and collecting zakat (an Islamic tithe) from peasants. With astounding boldness, they have assassinated clerics and judges deemed too friendly to the new government, and fired rockets at a school for using "un-Islamic" books.
How is it that four years after the war began -- and in the face of America's unsurpassed military strength -- Taliban and al-Qaida fighters are once again threatening American interests?
Victory in Afghanistan demanded two things. We had to destroy the Taliban and we had to ensure that a non-threatening, non-Islamic-warrior-breeding regime take its place. But we did not think we had a moral right to do either.
Our military was ordered to pursue Taliban fighters only if it simultaneously showed "compassion" to the Afghans. The U.S. military dropped bombs on Afghanistan -- but instead of ruthlessly pounding key targets, it was ordered to gingerly avoid hitting holy shrines and mosques (known to be Taliban hideouts) and to shower the country with food packages. The U.S. deployed ground forces -- but instead of focusing exclusively on capturing or killing the enemy, they were also diverted to a host of "reconstruction" projects. The result is that the enemy was not destroyed and crushed in spirit, but merely scattered and left with the moral fortitude to regroup and launch a brazen comeback.
Even with its hands tied, however, the U.S. military succeeded in toppling the Taliban regime -- but Washington subverted that achievement, too.
A new Afghan government would be a non-threat to America's interests if it were based on a secular constitution that respects individual rights. The Bush administration, however, declared that we had no right to "impose our beliefs" on the Afghans -- and instead endorsed their desire for another regime founded on Islamic law. Already this avowedly Islamic regime has jailed an Afghan magazine editor for "blasphemy"; recently, Abdul Rahman, an Afghan convert to Christianity, faced a death sentence for apostasy. The new Afghan regime cannot be counted on to oppose the resurgence of Islamic totalitarianism. Ideologically, it has nothing to say in opposition to the doctrines of the Taliban (two members of the Taliban leadership are in the new government). It is only a matter of time before Afghanistan is once again a haven for anti-American warriors.
The failure in Afghanistan is a result of Washington's foreign policy. Despite lip-service to the goal of protecting America's safety, the "war on terror" has been waged in compliance with the prevailing moral premise that self-interest is evil and self-sacrifice a virtue. Instead of trouncing the enemy for the sake of protecting American lives, our leaders have sacrificed our self-defense for the sake of serving the whims of Afghans.
The half-hearted war in Afghanistan failed to smash the Taliban and al-Qaida. It failed to render their ideology -- Islamic totalitarianism -- a lost cause. Instead, at best it demonstrated Washington's reluctance to fight ruthlessly to defend Americans. How better to stoke the enthusiasm of jihadists?
America cannot win this or any war by embracing selflessness as a virtue. Ultimately, it cannot survive unless Washington abandons its self-sacrificial foreign policy in favor of one that proudly places America's interests as its exclusive moral concern.
Elan Journo is a junior fellow at the Ayn Rand Institute in Irvine, Calif. The Institute promotes Objectivism, the philosophy of Ayn Rand -- author of "Atlas Shrugged" and "The Fountainhead." Copyright © 2006 Ayn Rand® Institute. All rights reserved.
Get weekly updates about new issues of ESR! | <urn:uuid:13e787bd-3105-461f-bd5e-cc698864900d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.enterstageright.com/archive/articles/0606/0606afghanistan.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00063-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950818 | 1,009 | 1.976563 | 2 |
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03 November 2008
The School of Biosciences has launched a new Research Fellowship Programme for early career scientists, named in honour of its two Nobel Laureates.
Professor Sir Martin Evans and Professor Dr Robert Huber are both members of the School. Professor Sir Martin won the 2007 Nobel Prize for Medicine for his discoveries on stem cells while Professor Huber won the 1988 Prize for Chemistry for work on the three-dimensional structure of a photosynthetic reaction centre.
Now Cardiff School of Biosciences is launching the Martin Evans/Robert Huber Research Fellowship Programme, designed to give promising international-calibre researchers a jump start to their independent research careers.
The programme aims to provide young researchers with the best possible start to their independent science careers by nurturing them through this critical stage. The School of Biosciences offers a world-class research environment and a wide range of world-leading research. By providing initial financial support, the Martin Evans/Robert Huber Fellowship Programme will catalyse success in seeking major external funding and provide a headstart for the School’s next generation of bioscientists in their pursuit of personal research excellence.
The School will initiate the Programme with two research fellows, offering more Fellowships as funding becomes available. An international recruitment exercise is under way, looking for high-quality applicants across the full range of the School’s research interests. The first appointments are expected to be made in the New Year.
Professor Sir Martin Evans said: "The transition from being a member of a research team to leading a project of your own can often be difficult. I’m delighted that the School of Biosciences has introduced this Programme to help researchers make the leap."
Professor Dr Robert Huber, who is leading the development of Structural Biology at the University, said: "The School of Biosciences has an international reputation for the quality of its research. We look forward to seeing more world-class research projects develop as a result of this new Fellowship."
Rise in type 2 diabetes amongst young
Uniting to solve the mystery of mental illness
Preventing blood poisoning
Join The Conversation
This is an externally hosted beta service offered by Google. | <urn:uuid:ad7d744f-571a-4147-bb78-51a1c168a73f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/news/articles/search-for-the-scientists-to-follow-in-nobel-winners-footsteps-2176.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932833 | 460 | 1.523438 | 2 |
|NATIONAL PARKS QUICKLINKS|
Backpacker Magazine – October 2008
Which is the bigger backcountry threat, grizzlies or flash floods? Find out what should scare you–and how to survive it–with BACKPACKER's Terror Index.
The wilderness is a safe and peaceful place to spend a weekend, right? Almost always, yes. But hikers who venture into the woods without a healthy respect for natural hazards–bears, storms, rivers, snakes, and more–are asking for trouble. Of course, not all threats are equally dangerous–or deserve the nightmares we have about them. Hikers freak out about a few mountain lion attacks, but hypothermia kills a lot more people on the trail. To put the risks in perspective, we ranked the top 22 dangers with our exclusive Terror Index, a formula that measures prevalence, geographic distribution, average body count, and–most importantly–the level of suffering involved. To improve your odds, we also boiled the advice of numerous experts down to a few easy-to-recall tips for every threat.
Danger Drowning; getting pummeled against rocks, rag-dolled through flash floods, washed over waterfalls
Body count Water mishaps rank second among outdoor deaths, but slightly edge out falls on our index because of the prolonged panic of not breathing. Drowning involves excruciating pressure in your lungs as carbon dioxide builds to unbearable levels–but worst of all, you'll be fully aware that you're dying for the four to five long minutes it can take before you mercifully pass out.
Best defense Don't cross fast-moving rivers that are more than knee deep. Stay out of slot canyons when flood-producing heavy rains threaten. Never cross a frozen lake or river unless you're certain the ice is continous and at least four inches thick.
Danger Broken neck; brain and internal injuries
Body count Unroped falls are the outdoors' number-one killer, and the majority of victims are hikers, not climbers. A dayhiker falls almost every week in the backcountry; in national parks in Washington and California, accidental falls make up the biggest chunk of fatalities each year.
Best defense Stay in your comfort zone, and always ask yourself: What are the consequences if I fall here? Never climb something you can't get down, or let anyone push you beyond your limits. | <urn:uuid:abf8c22b-656b-429e-9127-55f77e7d8ac6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.backpacker.com/natural_born_killers/nature/12597 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.919922 | 493 | 2.25 | 2 |
Joyce Kilmer Park (, Bronx)
Grand Concourse and E 161 St
This park, bounded by the Grand Concourse, Walton Avenue, 164th and 161st Streets, is named after Joyce Kilmer (1886-1918), poet, journalist, and soldier. Kilmer was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey and attended Rutgers from 1904 to 1906, graduating from Columbia College in 1908. He began his writing career in New York in 1909, contributing freelance articles and poems to a number of publications before he joined the staff of the New York Times. He is most famous for his poem, "Trees," written in 1913, which has been learned by millions of schoolchildren. While stationed in France during World War I, Kilmer wrote for Stars and Stripes, the Army weekly. On July 30, 1918, he was killed in action on the Western Front.
The park was formerly called Concourse Plaza from 1902 until the Board of Aldermen renamed it for Kilmer in 1926, two years after it was acquired by Parks. It was completely redesigned in 1936, at which time its two monuments, the Louis J. Heintz statue and the Lorelei fountain, were placed in their present locations. The Heintz statue by Pierre Fietu was dedicated in 1909 in honor of the Bronx’s first commissioner of street improvements who pioneered the construction of the Grand Concourse.
The Lorelei fountain celebrates the German poet, Heinrich Heine (1797-1856), author of an ode to Die Lorelei -- a siren from German mythology who lured sailors to their deaths on the Rhine. The fountain was created by German sculptor Ernest Herter for the poet's home city, Dusseldorf. However, political groups opposed to Heine's Jewish origins and political views blocked its installation there. The fountain was finally erected in the Bronx in 1899, thanks to a subscription led by Americans of German ancestry. After years of deterioration caused by weathering and vandalism, the Lorelei fountain and the surrounding landscape were restored in 1999 with $1.87 million in funds allocated by the mayor, the city council and the borough president. In 2004, the playground was restored with $1.784 million in funds also from the mayor, city council and borough president.
Subway: B,D to 161 St - Yankee Stadium
View on Google Maps | <urn:uuid:47bf055b-5118-4147-8a3c-1792ed0a08d4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://rooftopfilms.com/2011/venues/joyce-kilmer-park/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.982051 | 491 | 2.5625 | 3 |
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Writing explicitly for an audience that is already familiar with international affairs, Codevilla (The Character of Nations) draws on examples from ancient Greece through the Iraq War to provide a road map for future foreign policy in this accessible but didactic book. In a series of chapters arranged thematically around concepts that include the language of politics and the effectiveness of diplomacy, the author takes issue with the realist, liberal nationalist and neoconservative schools of thought and their "ruinous counsel" that dominates contemporary international politics, instead advocating a commonsense approach that emphasizes mastering the basic skills of diplomacy and statecraft. Codevilla appeals to the Monroe Doctrine and 19th-century American approaches to foreign affairs while condemning contemporary policy that he believes has failed to secure a lasting peace. Codevilla writes intelligently on topics as diverse as the affect of economic sanctions on Iraq in the 1990s and contemporary relations between Russia and Georgia, but his highly critical style can sometimes be abrasive. (Feb.)Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. | <urn:uuid:4f94adad-d39b-411e-b1c8-47b96e433207> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/advice-to-war-presidents-angelo-codevilla/1100923296 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940642 | 222 | 1.945313 | 2 |
EUROPE's politicians are often berated for an excessive focus on austerity. And it seems likely that there is a huge problem with several countries pursuing austerity simultaneously. One cannot switch the economy from domestic consumption to exports, if all your neighbours are trying to do the same. Canada's success in the 1990s occurred during the great boom of its biggest trading partner, the US.
But it is worth remembering that Europe's growth problems did not start in 2010. As the table shows, real growth rate in the six European countries featured above has been slower in each successive decade (on average); the drop between the 1960s and the noughties was a staggering 54 percentage points. The US, which is shown for contrast, saw fairly steady growth from the 1970s to the 1990s before dropping off this century.
This is what makes the debt crisis so difficult (and we are talking here about the totality of debt in the economy; consumer, finance sector and corporate, as well as government). The best way to eliminate a debt problem is to grow the economy rapidly but Europe seems to have lost the knack. And the demography is not encouraging because the workforce is likely to stagnate or shrink. Indeed, there was something perverse about taking on so much debt in the first place; debt requires confidence, on the part of the lender or the borrower and ideally both, that the borrower's income is going to grow. But Europeans piled up the debt even as the growth rate slowed, rather like a 64-year old going on a spending spree before retirement.
A company can borrow to invest and a society can too. But there is not much evidence that the debt has been used to finance productive investment; it seems to have gone on speculation and consumption. We have "borrowed from the future" and are suffering accordingly.
It may well be that European economies would perform better collectively if austerity programmes were relaxed. But it is a stretch to believe that Europe can return to the growth rates seen in the 1960s or even the 1970s. And those rates might be needed to make the debt problem go painlessly away. | <urn:uuid:9117b160-1ff2-41d7-ba19-88364707c387> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.economist.com/comment/1804557 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97778 | 429 | 2.46875 | 2 |
First of all, what is "drag racing"? In the simplest terms, drag racing is a sport where two vehicles compete side-by-side in an acceleration contest. Both drivers race in a straight line from a standing start to a finish line 1/8 mile away. The first to cross the finish line wins the race. Competition is part driver and part machine.
Drag races are conducted on a dragstrip according to a set of safety and performance based rules. The dragstrip is designed and constructed to allow racing to be done under the safest possible environment for both the drivers as well as spectators. The track surface, guardwalls, fences, staging lanes and return road are arranged according to strict standards. Race procedures must conform to long established industry standards. Insurance carrier and sanctioning body guidelines must also be closely followed to ensure a safe, fair and fun racing experience for all that attend or participate.
Drag racing is a sport
Each side of the "tree" has two small yellow bulbs at the top that signals a driver when the vehicle is on the start line. The first bulb lights when the vehicle is almost on the line, "pre-staged", followed by the next bulb lighting as the vehicle moves forward to "staged" position on the line.
The "tree" has three larger amber colored bulbs on each side followed by a green bulb and then a red bulb. Once both vehicles are staged, the "tree" is activated and the first amber colored bulbs on both sides of the tree light up. Then ½ second later the next amber bulb lights up while the first amber bulb goes out. Another ½ second later the last amber bulb lights up. And one-half second later the green bulb lights up signaling the drivers to start the race. If either vehicle leaves the start line before the green bulb lights up, the red bulb will light up instead. This indicates a foul start for that vehicle thereby giving the other driver an automatic win.
While both vehicles may leave together on the green light, a driver's reaction time from when the green comes on will become a factor in the race. If one vehicle remains on the starting line after the green comes on, the other vehicle will gain an advantage making it possible for the slower vehicle to win the race.
More About Reaction Times
The total time of the race for each lane is recorded and announced as the elapsed time, or E.T., followed by the top speed for each vehicle. The clock starts when the vehicle leaves the start line, not when the green comes on. The reaction time is recorded separately to show how long a vehicle waited to leave while the E.T. shows how long the race was. Adding these numbers together as a "package" will show the mathematical winner every time.
The E.T. is displayed on finish line scoreboards in seconds, tenths and hundredths. The top speed of the vehicle displayed in full numbers followed by tenths and hundredths. Example: E.T. = 9.43 (seconds) at 88.31 (miles per hour).
The Finish Line
The Return Road
The basis of competition is in the performance numbers. Drivers perform as consistently as possible while tuning their machines for optimum performance.
Street racing is not drag racing | <urn:uuid:0d6c4eea-85d3-4950-b4d6-d5f1dfee366e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://irwindalespeedway.com/dragstrip/howto.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00053-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942978 | 665 | 2.859375 | 3 |
VENTURES AFRICA- As speed becomes increasingly relevant in the exchange industry; Africa’s largest bourse, Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), has upgraded its trading platform yesterday by launching the “Millennium Exchange” equity trading system.
The Millennium Exchange is expected to attract more business from hedge funds and avoid the system glitches that have undermined the reputation of the trading platform. Apart from this, the new trading platform will be used to attract investors who rely on increasingly sophisticated automated trading strategies.
The new platform which is also used by the London Stock Exchange (LSE) for its cash market will reduce glitches and speed up trading by enabling traders execute transactions at nearly 400 times the previous speed.
According to the Director of the JSE, Leanne Parsons, the adoption of Millennium Exchange could have a significant impact on trading volumes by attracting a greater share of high frequency trading when collocation and the appropriate billing models are in place.
“There is anecdotal evidence to suggest that when exchanges increase their trading speeds they also boost levels of trading. This is important in order to deepen a market,” Parsons affirmed.
As part of its upgrading, JSE will move its equity trading systems engine from London to Johannesburg to mininmise technical glitches. This will put an end to a decade of having the trading engine in London.
The local bourse stated that the relocation would make it less dependent on the transatlantic cable connecting it to the London Stock Exchange and minimise outages.
“By moving the engine to Johannesburg, we eliminate this problem and are able to offer our clients improved service availability and stability,” the bourse said.
“The handful of incidents that we have had requiring the equity market to be halted, have been related to our international connectivity links. Clearly these have had reputational impacts. By moving the engine to Johannesburg, we eliminate this problem and are able to offer our clients improved service availability and stability,” parson said.
The JSE has faced connection problems in the past which has caused embarrassing glitches that sometimes stop trading activities for hours between the Johannesburg and London office.
The seamless migration from the previous TradElect platform follows Borsa Italiana’s identical switch last week.
JSE TradElect was licensed from the London Stock Exchange and maintained and operated by the London bourse.
However, the new equity trading platform was improved by MillenniumIT, a Sri Lanka based technology group with over a decade of experience in building technology solutions for the capital markets. The company under its flagship product, Millennium Exchange, is known for its speed and scalability.
Meanwhile, data from the World Federation of Exchanges revealed that as at May, the JSE has a market value of $775 billion leaving it at par with the Spanish bourse.
The value of equities traded stands at $147 billion for the year to May, according to the data, substantially behind European exchanges, as well as emerging markets such as Turkey, Reuters reported. | <urn:uuid:0ba8b452-c724-45e4-b67a-8d593227ae5b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ventures-africa.com/2012/07/africa%E2%80%99s-largest-bourse-improves-trading-speed/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00051-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953459 | 621 | 1.570313 | 2 |
According to the Washington Post, “the contours of a deal to avert the ‘fiscal cliff’ are becoming increasingly clear.” That deal would consist of three elements:
First, tax rates on the “wealthy” would increase, as President Obama insists they must, but by a bit less than he proposes and perhaps with a more realistic definition of who is wealthy. Some deductions would also be limited, as Republicans have proposed, in order to raise additional revenue. As to the amount of revenue to be raised, the parties would compromise between the $1.6 trillion Obama wants and the $800 billion the Republicans have agreed to (and that Obama talked about until he pulled his “bait and switch”). The compromise number would likely approach $1.2 trillion.
Second, the parties would also compromise on the amount of savings to be realized from entitlement programs. Obama would move up from $350 billion over a decade and Republicans would move down from Boehner’s proposal of $600 billion from health programs and $200 billion from reducing cost-of-living adjustments in Social Security.
Third, The parties would agree to additional savings, presumably from spending cuts, sufficient to postpone the $100 billion in across-the-board cuts.
Actually, these “contours” have always been “clear.” But there are several problems with them. For one thing, while they would avoid, for now, the “fiscal cliff,” they would do little to avert the more important “debt cliff.” The revenue/savings numbers are far too small.
That aside, because of time constraints, only the raising of tax rates is a real component of this deal. There isn’t enough time before the end of the year to agree to specific revisions in the tax code or to improve the solvency of Medicare and Social Security.
And “time” isn’t the only problem. As the Post acknowledges, coming up with specifics regarding tax code revisions and alterations to entitlement programs “could kill any chance of passage.” Actually it would kill any such chance.
Since that’s the case, no reason exists to believe that the core elements of the contemplated deal, from a Republican perspective, will come to fruition later. So, agreeing in principle to these elements is meaningless.
In short, the contemplated deal, should Boehner strike it with the president, will be a very tough sell to Republican members of Congress. And so it should be. | <urn:uuid:47ae2299-7630-485c-ad4c-f34f3f61e826> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2012/12/deal-or-no-deal.php?tsize=small&tsize=small&tsize=large | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967748 | 526 | 1.679688 | 2 |
This map was given to Harriet Hacker when she visited her family in France for the first time. It explains the area around St. Cloud where her family lives including especially how to get to the Metro station.
1998-04-00 : St. Cloud, France : Harriet Hacker
This map was drawn by Joelle Hacker explaining how to drive to the Allenberry Resort Inn, a point on the Yellow Breeches river near Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania. The Yellow Breeches is a popular fly fishing destination named because of a legend that the water stained the uniforms of British soldiers during the revolutionary war.
2004-00-00 : Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania, United States : Harriet Hacker
This entry is missing a description.
2007-10-00 : Stars over Pennsylvania : Harriet Hacker | <urn:uuid:c9a031f3-7955-4220-aafe-1edcffdc6a05> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://handmaps.org/contributor.php?ID=harriet_hacker | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.922379 | 159 | 1.65625 | 2 |
As we going aged the most of the problem rises with age. One of the most common rises now a days is Osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a condition that makes your bones weak and it generally lead to breaking og bones. This condition occurs when bones lose minerals like calcium. It further causes bone thickness.
Osteoporosis is one of the disease that can affect people of any age. The most common bones are sufferd from Osteoporosis are spine, ribs, hip, upper arm and wrist. This disease usually has no signs and symptoms until a fracture happens. This disease often called as silent disease.
Risk factor of Osteoporosis includes
1) Being small and thin
2) Taking certain medicines
3) Having osteopenia, which is low bone mass
4) Getting older
5) Having a family history of osteoporosis
6) Being a white or Asian woman
Signs and symptoms of osteoporosis:
1) Curve in the back
2) Back pain
3) Protruding abdomen
4) Sloping shoulders
5) Height loss
6) Hunched posture
Treatment for Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a bone disease that may cause weakness in bones which can further cause breaking of bones. For the treatment of Osteoporosis there are various medicines available in the medical store for the treatment of Osteoporosis. Food and Drug Administration has also approved various medicines and boniva 150 mg is one of the medicine used for the treatment of Osteoporosis. The main ingredient of this medicine is Ibandronate sodium. Boniva prevents the resorption of bone. It is used to treat osteoporosis mainly in post menopausal women. It reducs the bone reduction and helps gaining the bone mass. Boniva is available in the form of tablets and solution for injection.
Precaution before taking Boniva 150 mg
1) Do not use this medicine if you are allergic to boniva 150 mg or to its ingredient.
2) This medicine should not be used in children younger than 18 years of age.
3) People who are unable to sit or stand straight for at least an hour should not take this medicine as it may cause some stomach problems.
4) People taking Boniva medicine should be evaluated for calcium and phosphate levels.
5) Boniva medication should be used cautiously in patients suffering from severe renal impairment.
6) If you are suffering from kidney problem, stomach ulcerations or are deficit in Vitamin D.
Please note that if you are pregnant or breastfeeding you should not use this medicine as use of this medicine without doctor recommendation as use of this medicine may cause harm to unborn baby or nursed child. You should inform your doctor if you are taking any prescription, non prescription and herbal medicine as use of boniva 150 mg with any other drug may cause drug interaction. For best and better result take this medicine as presribed by the doctor. Do not increase or decrease the dose of the medicine on your own as it may lead to serious side effect. The medicine should be taken with a glass of water at least 60 minutes prior to the first meal of the day. The tablet should not be sucked or chewed. Keep all medicines away from reach of children and pet. | <urn:uuid:3be3b966-78f3-42a0-99f4-7c6612e03937> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://medicine.ezinemark.com/osteoporosis-the-mian-problem-that-rises-with-ageh-7d303fc12c1e.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00066-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.920238 | 691 | 2.96875 | 3 |
I’ve lived in New Zealand for over ten years now and I’m still learning the language. Shortly after moving here I actually went to get my hearing tested. I told the technician that I couldn’t understand what people were saying to me.
My hearing checked out fine—I just needed time to adjust to the accent and pacing of the way the locals spoke. I’ve since gotten used to that but I’m still learning some of the more interesting phrases and terms in use down here. I’m providing a sampling, with translations.
Bach, n. – Not the composer. The word is pronounced batch and it means a small holiday home. I’m told that the term is short for “bachelor” because originally baches were places just the men would go to fish and party, as in “Fancy a trip to the bach this weekend?”
Bring a Plate – You might see this on an invitation and it doesn’t mean that the host is short of crockery. It means that it’s a potluck and you are supposed to bring some food along. I’ve heard believable accounts of some literal minded people actually just bringing a plate.
Bob’s Your Uncle – Yes, people actually say this. It is used to denote completion or wrapping up of a (generally) complicated task. So if your car won’t start, the panelbeater (see below) might say, “We’ll just hook up the jumper cables, give it a start and Bob’s Your Uncle.
Bugger all – Surprisingly a n. and not a v. It means not much or nothing. “What did you do today?” “Bugger all.”
Caravan, n. – Not a group of wandering gypsies but rather a house trailer or mobile home. When not at home, you stop at the caravan park.
Cark it, vt. – Go on, take a guess. It means to die and I apologize but I always laugh when someone uses it. As in, “How’s Grannie?” “She carked it.”
Chock-a-block, adj. – Completely full and overflowing. Often shortened to chockers, as in “I couldn’t find a park, the car park was chockers.”
Chuffed, vt. – Happy or thrilled. “I was really chuffed when the neighbor’s dog carked it.”
Chunder, vt. – To vomit. I’d love to know the origin of this term. But I don’t.
Crikey dick, int. – I really have heard people say this. It is a term of amazement. So a spectacular feat of chundering might elicit an awed Crikey dick.
Crook, n. – Ill or under the weather. As in “I had the flu. I was crook for a week.”
Dag, n. – An essential part of your vocabulary. Know that “dags” refers to the soiled wool surrounding the back end of a sheep. “Rattle your dags,” means to move faster because presumably the dags on a running sheep rattle. Use your imagination. So anything daggy is basically undesirable. However, for some reason dag can also mean a funny story or person. So be careful.
Dodgy, adj. – Dubious or questionable. “Did you buy that used car?” “No, there was something dodgy about the salesman.”
Dummy, n. – Not what you think. A dummy is a baby’s pacifier. I don’t expect most readers of this blog to have use for such a term, but it’s important to know that this word forms part of an important Kiwi phrase. When a baby has a tantrum, the pacifier flies out of their mouth, so the term to denote an immature loss of control is “spit the dummy.” In fact, in the debates before the national elections last year, one politician said that his opponent “spat the dummy,” over something.
Flannel, n. – Not your pajamas (which are called pyjamas down here, by the way). A flannel is a wash cloth. “The dog was so filthy I took a flannel to him.”
Flash, adj. – Upmarket or in good shape. This word is important because it can be used to describe anything under just about any circumstances. For example, “I wasn’t too chuffed about driving my flash car over this daggy road. It’s not too flash.”
Ice block, n. – Not a block of ice. Well, maybe, technically. An ice block is a popsicle. What’s your favorite flavor?
Jandals, n. – Flip-flops in the rest of the world. Standard Kiwi footgear. The name is a contraction of “Japanese sandals,” which flip flops supposedly resemble.
Knackered, adj. – I love this word, partly because it has a funny sound and partly because, like flash it has amazing utility. It primarily means no longer useful, broken or tired out with a connotation of beyond repair. As in, “my hard drive crashed and my computer is knackered.” But it also is a term that you say when you don’t intend to exert further effort as in “Forget about it, I’m knackered.” Where does the word come from, you ask? Farm animals past their prime but not suitable to be slaughtered for meat are sent to the knacker yard. I don’t know about you, but that’s as much as I want to know.
Legless, adj. – Extremely drunk. Often associated with chundering.
Metal road, n. – A road paved with gravel. It’s called a metal road because gravel is called metal. But if you don’t know that you wonder, don’t you? By the way, if you are driving on a metal road and the car in front of you throws up a piece of metal and it dings your windshield, you have what is referred to as a puckered screen.
Munted, adj. – Broken or damaged. “I dropped my phone. It’s like totally munted.”
No worries – A term of agreement. When your teenaged son asks “Can I borrow the car?” You might say “No worries,” to mean yes, even though you have lots of worries about the proposition.
Panel beater, n. – Originally a body shop. Fenders are referred to as panels down here, so when you have a prang, and your panel is dented, the panel beater pounds it back into shape, I guess. Generic term for mechanic.
Serviette, n. – A napkin. Don’t ask for a napkin in a restaurant because napkin means face towel and you don’t want that, unless you’ve spilled something. And if you are in the kitchen, you don’t use a dish towel—it’s a tea towel.
Squiz, vi. – To check out or observe. So if your car is making a funny noise, you might ask the panel beater to “have a squiz” at it.
Suck the kumara, vt. – A kumara (pronounced koom ra) is a cross between a yam and a potato. To suck the kumara is the same as to cark. Don’t ask me why. Someone once told me that their Air New Zealand flight was cancelled because, in the words of the pilot, “One of the engines has sucked the kumara.”
Sweet as – A universal term denoting approval or quality. As in, “How’s the weather?” Sweet as. Incidentally, it is common to append as to just about any adjective to intensify it. As in, “Look at that spider. It’s big as.” Or. “Turn on the heat. It’s cold as.” Or. “Have you had a squiz at John’s new car? It’s flash as.”
Shout, n./vt. – To pick up the tab. You say “my shout,” or “I’m shouting,” and everyone loves you.
She’ll be right – An all purpose phrase meaning everything will be OK. “John, there’s water leaking into the boat.” “I’ve got the pump going. She’ll be right.”
Tea, n. – Another simple term that can trip you up because of its multiple meanings. Yes, it means the drink (black, green, iced, etc.). But it also means a coffee break. A break in the morning is “Morning tea,” and one in the afternoon is “Afternoon tea.” But wait, there’s more. It also means the evening meal. So if someone invites you to tea, you might want to clarify what’s going to happen because you could get tea and biscuits or a whole meal.
Throw a sickie, vt. – To call in sick when you aren’t
Turn to custard – Refers to plans that don’t quite work out. I wanted to throw a sickie but it was raining so that turned to custard.
Zed, n. – The last letter of the alphabet. Don’t say “zee.” No one will know what you are talking about. Really.
Now I hope you won’t have any trouble when you come down here and hire a caravan and go out to the bach, put on your jandals and do bugger all. Go easy on the piss because you don’t want to get legless and chunder.
Also, don’t hire a car from a dodgy dealer, because it might be munted and you’ll have to take it to the panelbeater if it decides to suck the kumara. Don’t worry about driving on metal roads—she’ll be right.
If some locals invite you for tea, be sure to ask what time to come and ask if it’s their shout or if you should bring a plate. If you stay at a flash hotel, they’ll have a flannel in the loo and tea towels and serviettes in the kitchen. But it’s more fun to stay in a caravan park. If it’s not peak summer they usually aren’t chock a block, but sometimes the facilities are a little knackered. And don’t spit the dummy if all you can get at the shop is an ice block.
I’m sure you’ll be chuffed when you have a squiz at all the beautiful sights down here. But it’s so far away that you will definitely be knackered from the flight back. But it will be sweet as if you can throw a sickie, but make sure your boss doesn’t figure it out or it will turn to custard on you. Crikey dick, I think I’ve covered it A to Zed. And Bob’s your uncle. | <urn:uuid:fb1a8d20-28dd-4d90-a61c-b965e671a7fe> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://testazyk.com/2012/05/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953333 | 2,508 | 2.109375 | 2 |
Cherokee County commuters have a lot riding on the proposed TSPLOST since more than 75 percent of the residents drive out of the county each day to work, most of those heading south.
But even so, voters here appear poised to reject the plan, along with the rest of the region. Maybe it’s the fear of another layer of government or the emphasis on rapid transit, or maybe it is just that people are fed up with paying so many different taxes.
Some local leaders continue to promote the tax, including Cherokee Board of Commission Chair Buzz Ahrens. Woodstock Mayor Donnie Henriques, who now represents the county’s cities on the Atlanta Regional Commission, has pointed out how valuable the improvements Cherokee County could expect to get would be to local residents. Cherokee would get $190 million for road improvements for Highway 140, $7 million for a new bridge over Little River on Bells Ferry Road, and another $71.5 million for the county and cities to use for local projects at their discretion.
But most residents seem to think there are better ways of getting more road “bang” for Cherokee’s tax dollars than the project list now on the table.
As with many SPLOST proposals, this one has awakened spirited opposition. Opponents of the tax warn the tax would not cover maintenance and operational costs of proposed rapid transit included in the project list, and that taxpayers would be on the hook for them essentially forever.
They also point out that even if passed, the TSPLOST would have a negligible effect on commute times.
While congestion on state Highway 140 would be relieved for commuters headed in that direction, the plan does little or nothing for the I-575 corridor.
Meanwhile, the TSPLOST has metamorphosed from a transportation initiative into a stimulus program. Instead of congestion relief, the main reason to vote for the TSPLOST is that it would translate to more jobs and development, say those who are still touting it.
Many of its original supporters in Cherokee have changed course from their earlier support, including Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers, who now calls the TSPLOST ridiculous and a total waste of money. Local Tea Party members have been especially loud in blasting the transportation tax, and almost every political debate on the local level has seen all candidates sporting anti-TSPLOST stickers.
EVEN TSPLOST SUPPORTERS now concede the project list will not cure congestion in Cherokee or the metro region — or even reduce it significantly. They admit that if it’s built “the other guy” will ride the rail cars or buses, thereby reducing congestion for you on the highway. And what was initially portrayed to the public as a visionary transportation initiative has now metamorphosed into a grandiose public works program. A “stimulus” program, if you will.
There’s no question that we have severe transportation challenges in this area, and no doubt that the TSPLOST would provide plenty of jobs in coming years as the new infrastructure was added. But would those jobs be the best use of tax dollars? No. Taxpayers don’t mind paying for public works projects when they fulfill an obvious need. Yet despite our traffic problems, most Cherokee residents are yet to be persuaded that most of the projects that would be funded by the TSPLOST — especially the big-ticket items, like the “premium” bus service and the possible rail line — are truly needed.
ONE OF THE MOST frequently heard arguments made on TSPLOST’s behalf in recent days was “It’s not the perfect project list, but …” That’s hardly a ringing endorsement. In fact, it’s like saying that of one’s future bride that, “She’s not the wife I had hoped for, but …” And we suspect that by Tuesday evening it will be abundantly clear that this was not the transportation fix that Cherokee residents wanted and is not a tax they want to pay … and pay … and pay. | <urn:uuid:7678306f-8a64-47be-a8d8-f07b8f1843ef> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://cherokeetribune.com/view/full_story/19615140/article-The-TSPLOST?instance=secondary_story_bullets_left_column | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957906 | 844 | 1.554688 | 2 |
Patron of babies, blacksmiths, cows and dairy workers, Ireland, midwives, poets, sailors, scholars, and travelers
Also known as St. Bridget, St. Bride, and Mary of the Gaels
According to legend, Brigid was born into slavery, the natural daughter of a Christian slave and the pagan chieftain who was her master. Renowned for her generosity, Brigid eventually won her freedom after her father grew tired of her giving away his belongings to beggars and lepers. In another story, it is told how Brigid prayed that her beauty might be taken from her, in order to deter any suitors seeking her hand in marriage. Her prayer was answered, but her beauty was restored after she took her nun's vows.
Many other unverifiable anecdotes about Brigid also tell of her charity and happy temperament. What is known for certain, however, is that she founded the first religious community for Irish women, at Kildare, and seems to have occupied a privileged place in the Irish church even in her own time. After her death at Kildare, her remains were supposedly moved to Downpatrick, where she was reburied with St. Patrick and St. Columba. With them, she is considered a patron saint of Ireland.
Information Please® Database, © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. | <urn:uuid:583de847-6182-4af6-b279-3d147952afe0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.infoplease.com/spot/irishsaints4.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00067-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.988602 | 281 | 3.40625 | 3 |
- About Us
- Visiting the Park
- The Perfect Venue
- Seeking Knowledge
Park at a Glance
The word Wanuskewin (Wah-nus-KAY-win) is Cree for “living in harmony” or “seeking peace of mind”. It is an appropriate name for a place to which people have returned for thousands of years to learn from others about the land and its sacred relationship with the people; share stories, teachings and ceremonies; and to hunt the great bison of the Northern Plains.
Wanuskewin engages your imagination as soon as you enter its gates. Your first stop is the Park’s striking interpretive center, perched on the valley edge, overlooking Opimihaw Creek.
Upon arrival, you will experience the bison hunt as you pass through a series of stone cairns which mark a drive lane from centuries past. A woman and man maneuver the bison diverting them towards one of the buffalo jumps that are part of the park. Inside there are life-size mounted bison that walk with you towards the culmination of the hunt.
The gift shop and restaurant features high quality crafted items produced by local First nations artisans such as moccasins, horn jewelry, paintings, pottery and stone sculptures. The restaurant features a dining experience unique in itself. Its traditional First Nations cuisine focuses on bison prepared in various dishes, from stew to steak. The wild rice salad, bison sliders and freshly baked bannock are a must to sample.
There are two galleries on either side of the bison and there is a wall of screens that show vignettes of Wanuskewin. In the common area are two smart boards that have trivia games which will engage you while teaching you about First Nations people’s history. The galleries are ideally suited for travelling art and artifact exhibitions of all genres. A major fundraising campaign will be started in the near future to bring more exhibits to the Park and showcase an evolving culture of the Northern Plains people.
Across from the gift shop is the theatre that shows several videos including a 20 minutes video of Wanuskewin’s history and highlights some of the different aboriginal languages. The theatre can hold up to 60 people and this is where the orientation of the Park takes place. Just past the gift shop is the Great Wall with a 40 foot projection screen that has multi-projectors capable of showing video/audio content and slideshows of First Nation stories and presentations for various functions.
As you pass the Theatre and the Art Gallery, you will come upon an activity room where the visitor services staff holds a multitude of hands-on cultural programs for children of all ages. These activities, including children’s programming and storytelling, have been developed with our Elders over the last two decades with more new programs being added this year.
Next to the program room is the access doors to the trails and an outdoor ampitheater that holds up to 300 people with an audio system for many occasions such as the dance presentations in the summer. This amphitheatre is ideally suited for outdoor gatherings of various sizes and can be rented out for your own activities.
It is also at this point that the main trail, the Path of the People, provides a trail structure that leads into three other trail systems that encompass over six kilometres of the Park. The interpretive story focuses on the everyday lives of the First Peoples of the valley and of the prairies. As the trail winds its way down into the valley, you will find an outdoor activity area that hosts several tipis and a camping area known to be located here for many centuries. Just as our people would have utilized this sheltered area for so many centuries, this tipi village and outdoor programming area is available year round.
The Trail of Discovery leads north off the main trail. This trail focuses on the science of archeology and what it tells us about the way the First Nations people lived in the past. It is along this trail that you will come across the archaeologists from the University of Saskatchewan that do field research every year. They have unearthed a treasure trove of artifacts from 5,000 year old arrowheads to 3,000 year old bison bones that all speak of the history of this valley. If you are lucky enough to visit when the archaeologists are busy working in their most recent excavation site, called the Dog Child Site, they do take the time to answer any questions you might have and maybe let you hold an artifact that could be up to 6,000 years old. To this date there have been 21 pre-contact sites excavated within the valley.
The Trail of the Buffalo heads up onto the East prairie and offers people a magnificent view of the land and the South Saskatchewan River. Down below, where the Opimihaw Creek meets the South Saskatchewan River, you can imagine the fire-lit camps, hear the children playing, dogs barking and smell the evening meal the women are busily preparing. The experience of this trail is the interpretive story.
The Circle of Harmony begins in the valley and heads onto the South prairie and leads you to the circles of the tipi rings and the Medicine Wheel site. The importance of the circle and respect for Mother Earth are two of the stories being told here. Along the trails, encampments encourage people to imagine living on this land hundreds or thousands of years ago. Benches and appropriate signage further compliment the visitor’s outdoor experience.
The interpretive program tells five major stories: hunting, gathering, social lifestyles, archaeology, and reconnection. These inter-related stories and their subthemes are oriented around the four seasons. The program setting include the ampitheatre, the outdoor activity area and the trails themselves.
Back inside the building and next to the trail access doors is the Circle Area. This is where the Tipi raising program is conducted and currently the dance presentations are performed. This is a good time for question and answer time when visitors are able to ask questions about culture, dance, origin of the dancer’s regalia, what age the dancer started to dance and anything else you might be curious about. The dance presentations are different from day to day and range from Traditional dancers to Hoop dancers.
As you pass the Circle Area, there is a small bistro where you can have your lunch and watch the performances or just enjoy the scenery. There are many types of animals in the valley and deer have been known to come right up to the window and look in. There is also a large topographical model located between the circle and the bistro which details the four trail walking system.
Next to the bistro are five meeting rooms that can hold from 20 – 160 people. Some features of the meeting rooms are removable walls, audio visual compatibility, smart board rental, catering services and floor to ceiling windows with spectacular year-round views of the valley.
Wanuskewin offers a variety of experiences to the visitor. You can watch the archaeologists hard at work in the valley. You can learn how to set up a tipi. You can take leisurely walks where the bison once stood and smell the sage growing at your feet. How about a bison burger out on the patio while you enjoy the mid-afternoon sun. What ever your choice is, Wanuskewin is a special place because our shared experiences brings us all closer to Mother Earth, to other people, to ourselves, and to the Creator.
Come, join us in celebration and be part of this special place. | <urn:uuid:5debb97a-8398-48e5-be24-85bdcf4869e4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wanuskewin.com/visiting-the-park/park-at-a-glance/ | 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 | 0.953957 | 1,549 | 1.703125 | 2 |
ALBANY Officials from University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business say 2012 will see high unemployment and that Georgia will remain less competitive than other parts of the country.
Speaking to more than 100 local business and government leaders, the panel said that 2012 will see a high risk of a recession and slow growth, but predicted that when the federal spending bubble does burst, Georgia will fair better than the rest of the country.
Robert T. Sumichrast, dean of the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia, told those in attendance Thursday that the recession did far more damage to Georgia on the whole than many other states throughout the nation and that damage could take a decade or more to fully repair.
Sumichrast said that Georgia is behind the curve nationally when it comes to righting the unemployment ship, saying that many states have successfully made the turn and are adding jobs to their local and regional economies, while Georgia has largely stopped the hemorrhaging of jobs but has yet to find a way to add jobs to the mix.
Sumichrast believes that Georgia is likely to replace the 365,000 jobs lost during the recession by 2020 assuming that there isn’t a significant economic event between now and then, a prospect he says isn’t likely.
“So in terms of 2012, we might see more slow growth; we might see more of the recession; and unemployment will remain very high,” Sumichrast said.
Sumichrast did say that Georgia was likely to close the production gap between it and the national average by 2013, which is a positive thing and said that Georgia is in good position when it comes to individual tax burden saying that, per capita, it’s at its lowest point in the last 20 years.
That being said, Sumichrast told the crowd that it is vital that the state adopt policies and procedures to shift the tax structure to one that is based more on consumption-based taxes such as user fees and sales taxes, from the current income-based system in order to promote job creation.
When it comes to creating jobs, the panel said Albany is bucking the state’s trend. While the area’s overall unemployment numbers remain some of the highest in the state, Albany managed to do something that the state as a whole failed to do last year, add jobs.
Beata Kolchut, a research analyst with the Terry College of Business, said that Albany added 1,000 jobs in 2011 and that predictions are that the area will continue to see small gains in the number of jobs throughout next year as the unemployment rate slowly begins to recede.
As Georgia works to shrug off the effects of the recession, it faces a real challenge in terms of remaining competitive against states who are fairing better.
“We’ve lost the edge that we had from the 1960s through the 1990s and if we ever hope to ever more than an average state again, we must change our economic policies,” Sumichrast said.
Sumichast said that the staples that the state has relied on in the past to turn its economic engine — increasing population and relocation of industries — likely won’t be enough to pull it out of the economic doldrums.
To fix it, Sumichast said the state needs to invest in research and development that promotes science and math-related fields, boost venture capital for emerging businesses so that they don’t get bought by established businesses out-of-state and find ways to put together incentive packages that allow it to “close the deal” with prospective companies so that a recent situation where Tampa, Fla., snagged a 500-job prospect from Atlanta doesn’t happen again. | <urn:uuid:0d6400e4-5d4b-48e7-b8ca-7703a36d0749> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.albanyherald.com/news/2012/jan/19/economic-experts-predict-dismal-2012-georgia-econo/?business | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962433 | 764 | 1.75 | 2 |
A drop in property crimes may be unexpected during a recession, as there is some correlation between unemployment and property crimes. However, a drop in violent crimes in such a period should not surprise anyone, as there is no significant correlation to begin with. People do not commit rape and murder because they are in financial need; they do it because they are evil.
Preliminary FBI crime figures for the first half of 2009 show crime falling across the country, even at a time of high unemployment, foreclosures and layoffs. Most surprisingly, murder and manslaughter fell 10 percent for the first half of the year.
"That's a remarkable decline, given the economic conditions," said Richard Rosenfeld, a sociologist at the University of Missouri-St. Louis who has studied crime trends.
James Alan Fox, a criminal justice professor at Northeastern University, said he was not surprised by the overall downward trends.
"The popular wisdom is wrong," said Fox. "If a law-abiding citizen loses their job, they don't typically go on a crime spree."Fox argued the decline is partly due to the graying of America. As the over-50 population grows, he said, crime goes down, even while other social costs, like health care, go up.
I often disagree with Fox, but he is right on this point as far as he goes. We shouldn't be surprised by the numbers, and "graying" is indeed a factor.
There is another factor, though, not mentioned in the story. We have no way of knowing if the experts interviewed didn't mention it or if they did but the reporter decided not to print it. I suspect it is the former.
Year-to-year fluctuations don't tell us much. The long-term trends are that violent crime went way up in the 60s, 70s, and 80s, dropped sharply in the 90s and generally continued dropping at a slower rate in the decade now ending (the 00s?). Demographics are part of that, as Fox says, but the fact that we went soft on crime in the 60s and 70s and then toughened up in the late 80s is also a factor.
But we mustn't mention that, you see, because so many people are so heavily invested in telling us that it would be "smart on crime" to repeat the mistakes of the 60s.
Elephant? What elephant? I don't see any elephant.
Doug Berman has this post at SL&P with excerpts from and links to a couple of other stories on the subject. | <urn:uuid:41a00499-3950-41a0-bd61-eee94b014f53> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.crimeandconsequences.com/crimblog/2009/12/the-elephant-in-the-crime-stats-living-room.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00064-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.981684 | 528 | 1.90625 | 2 |
Credibility Of The U.S. Bullion Depositary And The Possible Price
Credibility Of The U.S. Bullion Depositary And The Possible Price Of Gold
In the classic 1964 movie Goldfinger, James Bond tries to prevent the main villain, Auric Goldfinger, from detonating a dirty nuclear bomb inside Fort Knox. While in Fort Knox, Bond says:
Well, if you explode it [the bomb] in Fort Knox, the… the entire gold supply of the United States would be radioactive for… fifty-seven years.
Goldfinger is only a work of fiction. Fort Knox wasn’t under the threat of a nuclear explosion (then again, who knows?). Nonetheless, it has been argued that it wouldn’t really make difference if the gold in the fort were radioactive – nobody has seen much of it since the 1950s. On December 4 and December 12, 2012 in our two-part story on gold and the U.S. dollar, we highlighted two possibilities: the dollar collapses, gold goes up like crazy or the dollar doesn’t collapse, gold still appreciates. In those commentaries, we analyzed the possibilities of gold appreciating and tied possible price levels with a number of factors, for instance with U.S. gold reserves as presented on the chart below.
Read more: http://1goldinvestment.com/credibility-of-the-u-s-bullion-depositary-and-the-possible-price-of-gold/ | <urn:uuid:f1c9624d-9870-40d6-ad48-7e203b91f37d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nowpublic.com/tech-biz/credibility-u-s-bullion-depositary-and-possible-price?comment_sort=recent | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00052-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.916228 | 316 | 2.296875 | 2 |
Table 3 summarizes the recommendations for FY 2000 funding and overall funding commitments. For each project, the first column indicates the overall project rating, as described earlier in this report. The second column shows the amount of FY 1998 and prior year funds that have been obligated by each project, and the third column shows any unobligated amounts. The fourth column shows the amount of funds available as a result of the FY 1999 DOT Appropriations Act (adjusted for the oversight takedown). The fifth column shows the FY 2000 funding recommendations contained in the Presidentís budget request, and the sixth indicates the maximum amount of outyear funding remaining for those projects under FFGAs. Finally, the last column sums the first five columns and shows the total amount to be made available over the life of the project from Federal transit major capital investment funds.
Please note that a rating of "recommended" does not translate directly into a funding recommendation; rather, it is an indication of overall project merit. Note also that project evaluation is an ongoing process, and ratings may change as project development continues and new information becomes available. Finally, no rating is shown for projects with existing FFGAs, as the Federal commitment had been made before TEA-21 established the requirement for overall ratings.
A Word About Full Funding Grant Agreements
Section 5309(e)(7) specifies the Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) as the means by which new starts projects are to be funded. The FFGA is also the principal means used by FTA to manage the new starts caseload. FTA also has the discretion to use an FFGA in awarding Federal assistance for other major capital projects.
The FFGA defines the project, including cost and schedule; commits to a maximum level of Federal financial assistance (subject to appropriation); establishes the terms and conditions of Federal financial participation; covers the period of time for completion of the project; and helps to manage the project in accordance with Federal law. The FFGA assures the grantee of predictable Federal financial support for the project (subject to appropriation) while placing a ceiling on the amount of that Federal support.
An FFGA also limits the exposure of FTA and the Federal government to cost overruns that may result if project design, engineering and/or planning is not adequately performed at the local level. FTA is primarily a financial assistance agency; it is not directly involved in the design and construction of new starts projects. While FTA is responsible for ensuring that planning projections are based on realistic assumptions and that design and construction follow acceptable industry procedures, it is the responsibility of project sponsors to ensure that proper planning, design and engineering have been performed.
Additional information and guidance on developing FFGAs is contained in FTA Circular C 5200.1, Full Funding Grant Agreements Guidance, dated July 2, 1993, and the FTA Rule on Project Management Oversight (49 CFR Part 633). | <urn:uuid:0b08965d-2aaf-4493-a1d4-9cba51a6224e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.fta.dot.gov/printer_friendly/12304_2857.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932819 | 580 | 1.601563 | 2 |
QUEER AFRICAN READER - CONCEPT PAPER
Fahamu’s Pambazuka Press will be publishing a Queer African Reader [working title] in June 2011, in response to the increasing homophobia and transphobia across the continent which aims to silence the voices of African Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) people.
The Queer African Reader seeks to make a timely intervention by bringing together a collection of writings, analysis and artistic works that engage with the struggle for LGBTI liberation and inform sexual orientation and gender variance. The book seeks primarily to engage an African audience and will focus on intersectionality while including experiences from a variety of contexts including rural communities, from exile, from conflict and post-conflict situations as well as diverse religious and cultural contexts. The book seeks to explore issues ranging from: identity, tactics for activism, international solidarity, homophobia and global politics, the feminist movement and LGBTI rights, religion and culture, reconciling the personal with the political.
We are using an alternative framework for the book based on a participatory model in which we seek prospective contributors and the broad queer activist community to discuss possible topics to be included that will push analysis and thinking within this distinct and diverse movement across the continent. Through collective, participatory discussion from the queer African community, to the extent that we were able to access the community with limited resources (we will mostly use multi-media platforms such as a wiki, email, listserves, social networking sites and discussion forums to spark contribution), we will identify themes with potential topics within each and put out a call for abstracts to potential collaborators.
Significantly we will hold a two week writers' retreat once abstracts and first draft contributions have been selected so that ten African LGBTI leaders, thinkers and activists can use the space to reflect, share their ideas and writing, peer review each other’s work, have access to sources and resources provided by prominent academics. The writing retreat will be fully sponsored and contributors will be provided an honorarium for their writing, which will enable them to take the time away from their activities to put together a critically reflective piece.
Along with the critical analysis from the continent contributed from ten African activists, the book will include personal stories, creative writing, poetry, photography and other art forms from the African LGBTI community. In addition, we will select five pieces of reflective work from the African Diaspora.
To amplify African LGBTI voices.
To strengthen analysis on issues related to African LGBTI rights.
To strengthen African LGBTI activism through the development and exploration of themes of relevance.
Enhanced writing skills, knowledge and access to learning for LGBTI activists.
Contribute to the documentation and historic archiving of African LGBTI life experiences, thinking and positions.
A strengthened LGBTI movement able to articulate its frame in an African context and through African experiences.
CALL FOR ABSTRACTS - QUEER AFRICAN READER
Project Consultant: Sokari Ekine
Proposed Editors: Sokari Ekine, Hakima Abbas
We are writing to invite you to participate in the publication of an African LGBTI / Queer Reader [The Reader] to be published by Pambazuka Press in June 2011. The Reader is being published in response to the increasing homophobia and transphobia across the continent which aims to silence the voices of African Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender and Intersex people.
The African LGBTI / Queer Reader [Working Title] seeks to make a timely intervention by bringing together a collection of writings and artistic works that engage with the struggle for LGBTI liberation and inform sexual orientation and gender variance. The book seeks to engage with primarily an African audience focusing on intersectionality and will include experiences from rural communities, post-conflict situations, religious experience as well that of immigration and displacement.
We are proposing an alternative framework for the book based on a participatory model in which we ask prospective contributors and the broad queer activist community to discuss possible topics to be included that will push analysis and thinking within this distinct and diverse movement across the continent writing from the standpoint of both personal stories and experiences as activists. We feel this is important because of the multi layered issues which exist historically, regionally and politically with regards to sexual orientation and gender variance in Africa as well as the overall struggle for African liberation.
We hope to facilitate the writing of key African LGBTI leaders, activists and thinkers by providing a two week retreat where activists can create the space to reflect, share their ideas and writing, peer review each other’s work, have access to sources and resources provided by prominent academics and the institution. The writing retreat will be fully sponsored and contributors will be provided an honorarium for their writing which will enable them to take the time away from their activities to provide a critically reflective piece.
Submissions can be any of the following: essays, personal stories, poems, art work, photography, short stories.
Possible Topics - not including personal stories, poems, stories
We have identified eight themes which are listed below with a brief summary of each. We are suggesting each of you think about the theme[s] that interest you and suggest specific topics on which you could write or would like to see addressed.
1. WHAT’S IN A LETTER:
We repeatedly use the terms lesbian, gay, bi-sexual transgender and intersex but what do these mean in your own experience, your own community and country? How limiting or inclusive are these labels? Are they appropriate and do they reflect your own experiences? Does the identity cause more problems than the behavior? Does gender variance provide a more appropriate entry point for discussion in Africa given silence around all sexualities? How do we organize across definitions? Why should we?
2. RESISTING OPPRESSION - TOWARDS LIBERATION:
What kind of strategies have been used or could be taken up to resist / challenge queer oppression?
Should the struggle for LGBTI Rights be framed within a Western construct which sees Rights as instruments and legislation or should the struggle for rights be constructed within a framework of movement building around which the oppressed organise?
How has the reliance on the NGO Industrial complex supported or hindered movement building? If the latter, what possible alternatives are there to organising and fund raising? How can we move towards more collaborative and collective ways of working which support movement building? What kind of strategies have been used or could be taken up to resist / challenge criminalisation and homophobia including that coming from religious institutions and the media?
3. PINK COLONIALISM AND WESTERN MISSIONARIES:
What are the problematics of internationalising campaigns and how do we work with allies in the West? How do we overcome donor dependence as a movement? Do the donors and bilaterals save us from ourselves? How do we measure victory e.g. in Malawi and Uganda?
3. A CHANGING WORLD: SOUTH AFRICA AND THE BRICS:
Does South Africa have a particular role to play in supporting queer liberation in Africa? Does the shift in global power create opportunity or threat for African queer liberation? What other geo-political factors determine the course for queer liberation?
5. AFRICAN QUEER LIBERATION AND CLASS STRUGGLE:
What are the intersections between the broader social justice movement in Africa and the movement for queer liberation? Why should one care about the other?
6. ARE GAY MEN FEMINISTS?
What political frames are useful in our movement building? While LBT activists have tended towards feminism does it exclude GT men? How do we address patriarchy and sexism in our movements and personal relationships even among women-identified folks? Why do many straight identified African feminists resist taking on queer issues as a feminist issue in Africa?
7. GOD AND QUEER – INCOMPATIBLE OR INSEPERABLE IN AFRICA
Does the movement have to come from a secular space? Given that many African queer folks identify as religious how do we overcome fundamentalism? The US right wing church are using Africa as a battleground for queer bashing – why is this effective? What of countries with majority Muslim populations or Islamic law for queer liberation?
8. RECONCILING THE PERSONAL WITH THE POLITICAL:
What particular role has been / can be played by those engaged in activism through the creative arts? What has been / is the personal cost to working as social justice activists often working in relative isolation and in hostile environments? How can we better balance our lives as social justice activists with that of social people and the need to care for ourselves? | <urn:uuid:e224188f-289e-46c4-88cb-4279ae52d969> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.equality.org.za/index.php/article/index.php/component/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=34&Itemid=11&limitstart=20 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937023 | 1,770 | 1.625 | 2 |
|Handwriting is a complex process of managing written language by coordinating the eyes, arms, hands, pencil grip, letter formation, and body posture. The development of a child's handwriting can provide clues to developmental problems that could hinder a child's learning because teachers depend on written work to measure how well a child is learning.
Occupational therapists can evaluate the underlying components that support a student's handwriting, such as muscle strength, endurance, coordination, and motor control, and parents can encourage activities at home to support good handwriting skills.
What can an occupational therapist do?
- Demonstrate proper posture to supports the proper use of the arms, hands, head, and eyes.
- Measure the level of physical strength and endurance.
- Analyze fine motor control, such as the ability to hold a writing utensil.
- Determine visual and perceptual ability that influences a child's ability to form letter and shapes using a writing utensil.
- Help develop and evaluate handwriting curriculums and collaborate with teachers on effective strategies.
- Suggest home activities that promote the development of skills needed in good handwriting.
What can parents and families do?
- Encourage children to participate in sports and games that could improve visual, motor, and coordination skills, such as playing ball, jacks, marbles, and outdoor sports.
- Require children and teens to use silverware when eating to develop hand grip.
- Provide an activity that exercises the hands, such as cutting pie dough or pizza and using cookie cutters.
- Encourage writing handwritten letters to grandparents and friends.
Need more information?
A child's inability to master good handwriting skills could indicate a more serious problem such as developmental or learning disabilities. If you would like to consult an occupational therapist about your child's handwriting, talk to your child's teacher about whether a referral to occupational therapy is appropriate. Your physician, other health professionals, and your school district's director of special education may also be able to help.
Occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants are trained in helping children with a broad range of issues in addition to the development of handwriting skills, such as proper computer use, proper backpack use and behavioral problems.
Copyright 2002 American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This page may be reproduced and distributed without prior written consent. | <urn:uuid:6b435e3f-f443-42ad-91f5-03d7fb8b3ba3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://aota.org/Consumers/consumers/Youth/Handwriting.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00044-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932322 | 476 | 3.546875 | 4 |
Collin Slattery is taking a break from Facebook and Twitter. Could you survive a month-long fast from social media?
I am a product of the digital age. I got my first computer at the age of 6; I was on the internet at the age of 8; and I was doing social media by the age of 14. Our social interactions have increasingly moved online and for many millennials, it is the primary way we socialize with other people. It is also a source of great stress, anxiety, and feelings of depression. Most of us cannot even comprehend what life is like without status updates, check-ins, and tweets.
I am about to find out. For the next 30 days I will not be using social media. That means no Facebook, no Twitter, no Foursquare, no Google+, and the rest. I will attempt to see how to have an analog social life as opposed to a digital one. The rules I will be following for the challenge are as follows:
- No Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, or other usage of social media allowed. The exception will be use of my corporate Facebook and Twitter accounts for work.
- Direct one-on-one communication through digital mediums is allowed (i.e. text messages, AIM conversations, e-mails)
- Use of Meetup to facilitate real life socialization is allowed.
How will this change my perception of socializing? Will I have less social anxiety? Will I feel more engaged as a member of society or more isolated? Will I feel more or less lonely? What will I be able to learn about modern society and our digital interactions? This is truly uncharted territory for me, but I am interested to see what happens.
Check back for updates throughout Collin’s experiment and afterward, for updates and reflections on how taking a break from social media affects his mental states, emotions, and social calendar. Will he miss the instant gratification of reading his friends’ status updates? Or will this experience change his habits for good?
Read more of Collin’s experiment:
30 Days Without Social Media: Two Weeks In (coming soon)
—Photo credit: GOIABA (Goiabarea)/Flickr | <urn:uuid:18c94ef5-e3d7-4c19-be90-e917f9b5f526> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://goodmenproject.com/featured-content/the-good-life-30-days-without-social-media/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00037-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932514 | 461 | 1.71875 | 2 |
“I love my mother as the trees love water and sunshine – she helps me grow, prosper, and reach great heights.” – Terri Guillemets
In the following touching video we see 2-year-old Cooper react wonderously as he hears his mom’s voice for the very first time. The toddler was being equipped with a cochlear implant during the taping. As you could imagine, when Cooper realizes what he’s hearing it’s a very special moment and one worth sharing.
The video has been around for a while but has just recently went “viral” thanks to the folks over at The Chive sharing it. In the original (seen above), one of Cooper’s parents explains the details behind the implant.
My son just got his cochlear implants after 2 years of excruciating waiting. This is his initial response after first getting turned on. It just made us melt!
Cooper was diagnosed as profoundly deaf, therefore he can’t hear a thing. What usually happens with CI implants is that the child picks up on environmental sounds first (cars honking, birds chirping, telephone ring) before understanding and processing speech sounds. Therefore, when the child is first activated usually respond to taps on a table before responding to someone speaking. We just got lucky.
The video is reminiscent of the moving footage of Sloan Churman, a 29-year-old woman, and her tearful reaction to hearing her own voice for the very first time.
As for the power of a mother’s voice, in a 2010 study girls age 7-12 reacted nearly the same to merely hearing their mother’s voice over the phone than they did to actual physical contact like hugging. It’s an interesting read if you have the time. | <urn:uuid:1aee1bb9-9346-4a4f-ab36-7750e1cb75d0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://starcasm.net/archives/158767 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00049-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96732 | 378 | 2.359375 | 2 |
Pro-Life Open Forum
Dr. George Delgado answers:
I read about a woman in Ireland who died because she was denied an abortion -- can you comment on this?
Is it true that life insurance policies will not take the survivors of people who committed suicide? Can you discuss this in relation to assisted suicide?
What is the Catholic Church’s position on my will which says I don’t want to be hooked up to breathing or feeding machines?
Everyone in my family is depressed and thinks the pro-life movement is in a downward spiral because of the election -- what can we do at this point?
Is IVF against Catholic teaching?
My sister-in-law was recently diagnosed with a condition where a sack was developing but there was no baby inside -- if life begins at conception, how is this possible?
Could you explain why the bishops are against the HHS Mandate? How does it affect the average Catholic?
A crash course in the theology and biology of human sexuality, guaranteed to teach you something you didn’t know about God’s design for married love and procreation. | <urn:uuid:edb138a6-df01-4e95-a910-db71b0b6b6f2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.catholic.com/radio/shows/pro-life-open-forum-7671 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965922 | 231 | 1.648438 | 2 |
There has been a lot of buzz on the streets of New York City surrounding Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s efforts to ban sugary beverages larger than 16 ounces, at food providers regulated by the New York City Health Department. The recurring question is whether or not the government is overstepping its boundaries when it regulates what we can and cannot put into our bodies.
The short answer? There has never been a time that our government or municipalities did not regulate what we consume. In fact, legislations such as the Farm Bill even detrimentally contribute to obesity by subsidizing the mass production and inclusion of high fructose corn syrup — which many medical studies critcize for the addictive effects it has on nervous systems — into virtually everything that we eat.
The real questions that New Yorkers should be asking are: (1) Is this ban effective? And (2) Why aren’t the higher powers in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) fulfilling their role of addressing the public health of our nation?
Public health has always been and will always be a public issue that requires the government’s intervention. HBO’s highly-acclaimed documentary Weight of a Nation effectively draws attention to the role that policy has on the two-thirds of Americans who are either obese or overweight. From the USDA’s regulation of what counts as a vegetable serving in school lunches (french fries and pizza), to reevaluating the marketing and deceptive health claims made by manufacturers of sugary products (such as most cereals). It is no secret that the government has a stronghold on what is in our kitchen and stomachs. Instead of arguing over sodas, Americans should be more appalled that the government has mostly failed in its commitment to keep our nation healthy, thus driving up the cost of health care.
As it currently stands, the soda ban is toothless. If anything has been made clear by the rising costs and sin taxes on cigarettes, it is that people who are already hooked will cough up the money and find different ways to indulge themselves. A ban on a 32 ounce Coke bottle only means that the advent soda drinker will buy two 16 ounce drinks, creating an even greater incentive for stores to stock their refrigerators with bottles of sugar. Another shortcoming of the proposed policy is that corner grocery stores — which are most rampant in inner-city communities that are plagued by health issues and are subject to the brunt of unhealthy food marketing — are exempt. If someone does not want to pay for a McDonald’s meal that only comes with a 16 ounce beverage, then all they have to do is walk down the block to their nearest corner store and pick up a 2-liter Coke for the whole household.
Shortcomings aside, Mayor Bloomberg is still bold enough to do his job and take on public health issues that others shy away from. All Americans must confront the lack of urgency observed by the federal government when it comes to addressing nutrition and obesity. When big agriculture companies are getting money for the mass production of commodities with the use of questionable business tactics that hinder the success of family farms, it is rather befuddling how anyone could be sidetracked by debates over the size of a soda bottle in New York City. It is already established and undisputed that sugary drinks, including the "fruit" juices that often contain just as much added sugar as the demonized Coke bottle, are linked to the rise of obesity in America. In fact, sugary beverages account for the majority of our intake of added sugars. Instead of redefining the wheel, Americans need to educate themselves about the regulations and bodies that got the wheel rolling. Until obesity becomes as archaic of a public health issue as measles and mumps, the status quo must be challenged. America’s livelihood depends on it. | <urn:uuid:0a323d3d-17cc-4a87-bafe-b94c346a68bb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.policymic.com/articles/9074/mayor-bloomberg-s-ban-on-sugary-drinks-works-where-the-feds-failed/143026 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966268 | 771 | 2.65625 | 3 |
Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)Terry Barfoot
6 Wiener Sonatinen (1786): No. 1 in C major [10:15]; No. 2 in A major [9:28]; No. 3 in D major [5:58]; No. 4 in B flat major [8:28]; No. 5 in F major [7:27]; No. 6 in C major [11:52]
Meiko Miyazawa (piano)
rec. Antwerp, 2010
TALENT DOM 2929 04 SACD [53:54]
Mozart’s ‘Vienna Sonatinas’ K439b are arrangements of original pieces written for musician friends in Vienna, and in particular the clarinettist Anton Stadler. As such they were conceived on an informal scale, for performance among friends rather than for an audience in a larger auditorium. The exact circumstances surrounding these compositions and these arrangements remain shrouded in mystery, however, although the nature of the music is hardly in doubt, nor its characteristic personality.
Meiko Miyazawa’s performances are nicely recorded and tastefully turned in tempo and phrasing. Perhaps more characterful nuances of expressive shading could be found in this music, but in truth these slight pieces do not benefit if they are heard one after another in sequence. The recorded piano tone is somewhat bland and in this repertoire a smaller instrument or even a fortepiano might have been preferable in order to achieve that fusion of intimacy, tenderness and fluency that is unique to this composer.
Nicely recorded and tastefully turned. | <urn:uuid:4b7580f8-adfa-40d5-a8fc-e3ae3b800fbc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2012/Feb12/Mozart_Sonatinas_DOM292904p.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00043-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941929 | 342 | 1.585938 | 2 |
The computer package that your company sells includes a one-year service warranty. Typically, only every third customer needs to send his or her computer in to be serviced. The cost of servicing the computers averages about $45 in parts and labor per servicing. If the retail price of the computer is $370.99, about what percentage of that cost goes to paying for the warranty?
In order to help you decide which car to buy, the sales associate gives you some information on the two models that you are most interested in. Among other things, she tells you that the sedan gets about 28 miles to the gallon of gas and has a 12 gallon tank, while the station wagon gets about 22 miles to the gallon and has a 15 gallon tank. You live very far from the gas station and therefore are considering buying the car that you have to fill up the least. Which car will it be?
|B)||The station wagon|
|C)||There is no difference|
|D)||Not enough information|
You are working for a new cellular phone company. You have a list of the names and phone numbers of 340 people that are cellular phone users. You call the people on the list and forty-five percent of them are willing to change cellular phone companies. If your company will make $35 a month per customer, how much profit will be made in a year?
As a representative for business-to-business sales at a health insurance company, you are meeting with clients to discuss employee health benefit options. Businesses can chose from either the full coverage option, which costs the business $225 per individual and $580 per family, or the catastrophe insurance option, which costs $110 per individual and $450 per family. If a business employs 23 people with families and 15 single people, how much can the business expect to pay for each coverage option?
|A)||$16,715 for full coverage and $12,000 for catastrophe insurance|
|B)||$13,875 for full coverage and $12,000 for catastrophe insurance|
|C)||$8,550 for full coverage and $4,180 for catastrophe insurance|
|D)||$13,875 for full coverage and $9,280 for catastrophe insurance|
A sales associate at The Garden Shop is trying to determine a customer’s need for the tulips he is admiring. He says that he would like to plant one bulb every square foot in his gardens. He will be planting in two different flowerbeds: one is 23’ by 20’ and the other is 14’ by 17’. If there are a dozen tulip bulbs in each package, how many packages of bulbs will he need?
A customer has made an objection to the price of CD player that you are trying to sell her. Your boss has authorized you to offer her a discount of one third off the original price. If the CD player will cost her $80 with the discount, what was the original price?
You are interested in buying a bed but you cannot afford to pay the full cost of $1,367 today. The salesperson suggests that you put the bed on layaway. You tell him that you can pay $500 today and can come in and pay $150 a week until the bed is paid off. How long will it take you to pay for the bed, and how much will you need to pay during the final week?
|A)||5 weeks, $100 in the final week|
|B)||6 weeks, $117 in the final week|
|C)||10 weeks, $17 in the final week|
|D)||5 weeks, $117 in the final week|
The electronics store down the street is having a special on digital cameras. The cameras usually cost $349, but the store is offering an immediate $30 discount and a $50 mail-in rebate. If there is 5.5% sales tax on the camera, how much will you end up paying for the camera?
Today you are working at the check out counter at the retail store where you work. A customer is buying the following items: 6 pairs of socks that are $9.99 for 3 pairs, 4 T-shirts for $11.95 each, and 1 pair of pants that are $54.99 for 2 pairs. If there is 6% sales tax, what will the total be for these items?
You just received the merchandise that your company ordered last month. However, you notice a mistake on the invoice, and it shows a different total than you remember discussing on the phone with the sales representative. What should the total be?
|Item Description||Quantity||Unit Cost||Total|
|Ream of paper||14||8.45||118.30|
|Box of pens||9||4.99||49.90|
|Box of staples||6||2.95||17.70|
|Sub-total|| || ||185.90|
|Tax (7.4%)|| || ||13.76|
|Total|| || ||$199.66| | <urn:uuid:9835ab31-139c-4fc7-9585-49b3a98b898b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://glencoe.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0078612578/student_view0/unit5/math_workout.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94686 | 1,064 | 1.804688 | 2 |
Office of the Attorney General
Governor Beshear and Attorney General Conway take action to protect Kentucky consumers from price gouging
In response to the dramatic spike in gas prices overnight, Gov. Steve Beshear today signed an executive order declaring a state of emergency to prevent price gouging in the commonwealth. Under this order, the governor can apply Chapter 367 of the Kentucky Revised Statutes to implement provisions of the law aimed at protecting the citizens of Kentucky from predatory pricing by unscrupulous providers, including but not limited to gasoline and building supplies.
“I am outraged by the voracious practices of price gouging we are seeing,” said Gov, Beshear. “Today, I have taken an extraordinary step to protect the consumers of the commonwealth from these predators.”
The emergency declaration, issued before Hurricane Ike hits the coast, triggers several consumer protection measures. Among them, it empowers the Attorney General to investigate and prosecute, where appropriate, those who sell gasoline, building supplies and other goods for predatory pricing in a time of disaster.
Gov. Beshear and Attorney General Jack Conway have partnered to make aggressive consumer protection a priority, launching an investigation earlier this summer into high gas prices in Louisville.
“Today, I formally requested that Gov. Beshear implement the price gouging protections of Kentucky’s Consumer Protection Act as they apply to gasoline and other goods and services. We have received an overwhelming influx of reports from across Kentucky regarding gasoline price spikes and even rationing. I felt it was important to get the price gouging protections in place as soon as possible to protect the commonwealth’s consumers and businesses,” General Conway said.
Due to the overwhelming call volume they are experiencing, the Attorney General’s Office encourages anyone with specific information regarding the activities of particular gasoline stations or other retail outlets to contact them at email@example.com.
Click here to view Attorney General Conway's letter to Governor Beshear and the Governor's Executive Order. | <urn:uuid:a413a1bd-eb37-467b-8d8c-c859dc47c241> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://migration.kentucky.gov/newsroom/ag/pricegougingexecutiveorder.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00030-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.926016 | 418 | 1.828125 | 2 |
An exceptional historical piece, this map was published in February 1942. It includes natural features, time zones, ship routes, distance by air and rail, and naval basesmaking it a valuable map for collectors and those interested in World War II. This version is laminatedfeaturing a "write and wipe" surface and durable plastic covering.
Not available outside of the U.S.
Please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery
27" x 21"
National Geographic is a renowned authority in cartography. For 120 years the Society's maps have helped spread geographic knowledge around the globe. A vast database allows National Geographic to combine the latest data gained by space-age technology with innovative digital mapping techniques to create state-of-the-art political, physical, and thematic maps. The Society's meticulous research and attention to detail have established a standard of achievement that is unparalleled. | <urn:uuid:c9645796-45c5-4654-88b0-e3f88585ed5d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://shop.nationalgeographic.com/ngs/product/maps/wall-maps/classic-maps/1942-theater-of-war-in-the-pacific-ocean-map%2C-laminated | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.911857 | 178 | 2.625 | 3 |
After several years designing public and corporate landscapes, Vancouver-based Ron Rule began working with newly arrived Asians who wanted estate gardens. As their connections to the land were very strong, integrating the garden with its surroundings was pivotal to these clients, who valued their gardens every bit as much as their homes; they wanted them to look natural and simply could not relate to linear, symmetrical, man-made landscapes. Those experiences, along with his trips to Europe and his inspiration from gardening books, had a powerful influence on Rule’s design aesthetic. His goal is to design gardens that perfectly reflect the home, the land and the people who live there.
Furthermore, Rule believes water features—be they pools, ponds or fountains—are the strongest single element in a garden because the look, sound and movement of water has a profound effect on our senses. “Of all the great gardens I’ve toured,” he says, “I’ve only loved one that didn’t have a water feature—and it needed one.” They become the centrepiece of the landscape and, as such, Rule believes they must blend in with the rest of the features, looking as if they’ve always been there.
1. Work with, rather than against, the natural landscape.
2. Safety is more important than sun exposure in locating a new swimming pool. If you have children, try to install it so it is visible from the house (especially the kitchen area).
3. Rectangular pools have good proportions (approximately five by 10 metres) and fit with most garden styles. However, if you have a very small area, a fountain will provide the sound and movement of water without taking up much space.
4. If you have a larger garden, experiment with something more organically shaped. When possible, Rule tries to make his pools look like fountains with infinity edges, or adds cascading effects. | <urn:uuid:47f501b7-af54-4cbd-aebc-dd6500a986aa> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.canadiangardening.com/design-and-decor/landscaping/10-tips-for-adding-a-water-feature-to-your-garden/a/22727 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00070-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975214 | 398 | 2.03125 | 2 |
Jean-Baptiste-Marie Vianney, a French parish priest, was born in 1786 and died on August 4, 1859. His parents were forced to drive great distances to attend Mass in the countryside, since it was illegal in France at the time. His education had been interrupted by the French revolution, and he twice failed the exams required before he could be ordained.
As a priest, he was named pastor of a small church in the remote French hamlet of Ars. There his saintly example, his inspired preaching and his persevering ministry in the Sacrament of Confession brought souls to Christ, and his entire community was radically transformed. News of his ministry spread, and people from around the world sought his counsel in the confessional. As many as 20,000 pilgrims a year traveled to Ars, hoping that the saint would hear their confession; and he spent 12 hours a day (and 16 hours a day during the summer months) in the confessional.
It is believed that occasionally, the bodies of certain saints have been preserved by God from decay. St. John Vianney died in 1859, and the confessor’s body was exhumed and found incorrupt in 1904. His body remains on display in a glass casket above the main altar in the Basilica of Ars.
Prayer of St. John Vianney
I love You, O my God,
and my only desire is to love You
until the last breath of my life.
I love You, O my infinitely lovable God,
and I would rather die loving You,
than live without loving You.
I love You, Lord
and the only grace I ask is to love You eternally…
My God, if my tongue cannot say in every moment that I love You,
I want my heart to repeat it to You as often as I draw breath. | <urn:uuid:93d64b69-a874-4c1a-804d-a086aa7cd4fa> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.patheos.com/blogs/kathyschiffer/2012/08/st-john-vianney-pray-for-us/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00050-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.984731 | 389 | 2.203125 | 2 |
From THE MAIL:
A new biography of the Queen reveals for the first time her despair over the divorce of Prince Charles and Princess Diana, and the Monarch’s fears that her eldest son was about to ‘throw everything away’. In "Elizabeth The Queen," by Sally Bedell Smith, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Carey, recalls the moment that the Queen finally confronted the problems in her son’s marriage. He reveals she was terrified that history was about to repeat itself – that Prince Charles would give up his place in the line of succession for Camilla, just as King Edward VIII gave up the throne in 1936 to marry his mistress, Wallis Simpson.
Lord Carey says: "There was a moment when we were talking very candidly about divorce. I remember her sighing and saying, 'History is repeating itself.' I saw despair. What she was talking about was the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. She was concerned that if they divorced, Charles would marry Camilla. She thought Charles was in danger of throwing everything out of the window by rejecting Diana and forging another relationship."
But Lord Carey advised the Queen that Prince Charles’s relationship with his wife was beyond repair. He says: "The personalities were so different. The Queen understood that. She could offer support and put them into her prayers."
COMMENT: Erm? Isn't there something about priests and confidentiality. Heck, surely it's required of any professional, especially those in caring occupations. | <urn:uuid:ea635611-2907-48af-b5cf-dd1a9f45ea59> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://revjph.blogspot.com/2012/01/archbishop-blabbermouth.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00072-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.986336 | 305 | 1.945313 | 2 |
|Oh Deer, Look What’s Become of Me! detail|
I love to teach this class not only because I love to paint, but also because I love seeing peoples amazement when they are able to do things they never thought they could. People are hesitant to try painting, because they have this misguided notion that certain people have an “artistic gift” that they themselves do not possess, so they don’t even try.
|Learn to use freezer paper masks and painting backgrounds|
Well I am here to tell you that is baloney, painting is a skill, consisting of various techniques that with practice you can perfect, the more you practice the more natural it will become. The reason some people are so good at painting is because they do it a lot and you need to keep in mind it’s never too late to start.
|Learn to paint smooth gradations|
Painting on fabric is unlike painting on canvas though, with canvas the paint sits on the surface and you can push it around and manipulate it. On fabric the paint sinks in and stays, so there are different techniques you need to learn to cover large areas smoothly, avoiding blotchiness and keep the paint from bleeding.
|Learn what tools and techniques to use to control the paint more effectively.|
The consistency of the paint is one of the first things we talk about in class, it is such a simple thing that can make the act of painting so frustrating for people. Too thick and the paint is hard to spread on the surface evenly, too thin and it bleeds in places you don’t want it to go.
|Learn to paint smooth gradations, work with transparent glazes and paint fine details.|
Besides learning different painting techniques for creating gradations, glazing paint to create more visual depth and painting smooth lines, you’ll also learn about different types of paint, how each affects the hand of the fabric, increasing value contrast in your work to create more dynamic imagery, basting a painted surface for quilting and non traditional binding methods.
This is an information packed class geared to help you feel more confident working with paint on your next textile project. | <urn:uuid:1c85489e-d2d4-4350-8e48-00fce7baf269> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.judycoatesperez.com/have-you-always-wanted-to-paint-but-dont-know-where-to-start/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955107 | 452 | 2.171875 | 2 |
Last modified: 2008-12-26 by ivan sache
Keywords: brugge | bruges | lion (blue) |
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Municipal flag of Bruges - Image by Arnaud Leroy, 13 April 2005
The municipality of Bruges (116,982 inhabitants; 13,840 ha) is made since 1970 of the former municipalities of Bruges, Assebroek (in Brugs dialect, Assebroeke), Dudzele (Dizzêle), Koolkerke (Kôolkerke), Lissewege, Sint-Andries, Sint-Kruis (Sinte-Kruus) and Sint-Michiels (Sinte-Machiels).
The name of Bruges comes from old Icelandic Brucciam, meaning "pier";
the town was mentioned for the first time in a text dated 892. Bruges
was then an earthen fortress built between the two arms of river Reie by
Count Baudouin I of Flanders against the Norseman invaders. Once the
Norsemen were expelled from the area, the town developed and the Count
attracted merchants. In the 11th and 12th century, the high tides of
the North Sea could reach the town.
From 1180 onwards, the sea opened the New Zwin channel and reached the town later called Damme. The Count of Flanders built there the first lock in Europe. Bruges was linked to Damme by a canal diverted from the Reie. Goods were transshiped in Damme, and later in Sluis, located on the Zwin (today in the Netherlands).
Bruges was the last sea port used by the Hanseatic League before
sailing on the English Channel, and was also the outcome of the
coasters coming from La Rochelle and Bordeaux (France). It was therefore the
main point of meeting of the merchant fleets from Northern and Southern
Europe. The town developed rapidly and was enclosed in stone walls.
From 1127 to 1300, the intra muros area increased from 86 to 460
hectares. In the 12th and 13th centuries, the merchants and
clothiers of Bruges constituted guilds and traded on the fairs of
London and Champagne. In the 12th century, Bruges was the starting and
ending point of the land road linking London to Cologne via the Duchies
of Brabant and Limburg and the Holy Roman Empire. Genoese ships moored
in the port of Bruges for the first time in 1277, followed by ships
from Venice and Eastern Spain. The merchants prefered to use the sea
road because King of France Philippe le Bel had annexed Champagne. The
ships brought alum, silk, strains and spices. Italian moneychangers,
then the bankers of the Holy See, set up in the house of the Van der
Buerze family the first stock exchange (in Dutch, beurs; in French
bourse) in Europe.
The magistrat (Mayor) and the échevins (Municipal Councillors) of Bruges were in permanent struggle against the Count of Flanders and his suzereign, the King of France. They were progressively awarded legal and financial rights. In 1302, the Flemish uprising against Philippe le Bel was mostly funded by the merchants of Bruges. In the 14th and 15th century, Bruges fought a fratricidal war against the town of Ghent. The main beneficiaries of the increasing insecurity were the prince (the Duke of Burgundy from 1384 to 1482 and then the Hapsburgs) and the English cloth industry.
In the 15th century, real-estate speculation by the rich abbeys and
merchants caused the silting of the Zwin, as stressed in an official
report released in 1470. In 1484, Bruges revolted against Maximilian of
Hapsburg, who was jailed for a while in the town. Bruges lost all its
privileges and the foreign merchants moved to Antwerp. The town had
then 35,000 inhabitants but started to decline. Bruges missed the
developemnt of trading capitalism in the 16th century and the
industrialization in the 19th century. No industry developed either in
the 20th century, and the town was nicknamed Bruges-la-Morte
(Bruges-the-Dead) by the Symbolist writer Georges Rodenbach
(1855-1898), who published the novel of the same name in 1892.
At the end of the 19th century, King Léopold II opened the Baudouin Canal between Bruges and Zeebrugge, achieving a project already imagined by Napoléon. During the First World War, the Germans used Zeebrugge as a port of call for their submarines; the English sunk ships loaded with cement in April 1918 in order to block the port. During the Second World War, Zeebrugge was bombed by the Allied air force and completely destroyed by the Germans in 1944. The port was fully revamped and new basins were opened in 1960 because of the increasing car-ferry traffic with England. In the 1970s, the port was increased in spite of the opposition of Antwerp and Ghent. Zeebrugge is today the terminal of the gas pipeline (Zeepipe) delivering Norwegian gas to Western Europe. More than 11,000 ships moor each year in Zeebrugge, which is among the 20 most importants ports in the world.
Bruges is mostly renowned for its civil architectural heritage: belfrey
and market (c. 1300), town hall (1376), civil clerk's office (1537),
justice court (1727), St. John's hospital (rooms , 13-14th
centuries); and its religious architectural heritage: Our Lady Church (in
Scheldtian Gothic style, 13-14th centuries, showing a Madonna by
Michelangelo and the tombs of Mary of Burgundy and Charles the Bold),
St. Savior Cathedral (16th century), St. Ann church (12th
century), St. Walburgius church (in Jesuit style, 1642) and the
Beguine convent (17-18th centuries).
The town has also kept rich houses in the so-called Brugian or Flemish style and rich museums showing paintings by the Flemish primitive painters (Van Eyck, Van der Goes, Memling...)
Source: Guido Peeters. Bruges. Encyclopaedia Universalis.
Ivan Sache, 31 August 2008
The municipal flag of Bruges is horizontally divided into eight
white-red-white-red-white-red-white-red stripes with a blue lion in the
middle. The lion has a yellow crown and necklace with a small yellow
cross and red claws.
According to Gemeentewapens in België - Vlaanderen en Brussel [w2v02], the flag was adopted by the Municipal Council on 26 October 1982, confirmed by the Executive of Flanders on 1 July 1986 and published in the Belgian official gazette on 3 December 1987.
The flag is a banner of the municipal arms, which were granted by (Dutch) Royal Decree on
20 October 1819 and confirmed by (Belgian) Royal Decree on 26 February 1842.
The oldest known seal of Bruges dates from 1199. It shows a fortress and some fleurs-de-lis. A second seal shows a similar composition. The arms first appeared on a third seal, known since the late 13th century. The seal still shows a fortress or city gate, but in the base of the seal is a small shield with the bars and lion. In the seal from 1289 the number of bars was increased form six to eight. The meaning of the bars, however is not known.
The arms were first officially granted by the Count of Flanders in 1304. The lion is most likely derived from the lion of Flandersshown in a different colour (blue instead of black). The colours are known since the XIVth century.
Source: International Civic Heraldry website, by Ralf Hartenmink, quoting Servais' Armorial de Belgique [svm55], and information given by the municipal administration.
The blason of the coat of arms in Brugs is Gedwarsbolkt in acht stikken van zilver en keel, 'n klimmenden leeuw van azeur, getoengd en genageld van keel, met 'n 'olsband van goud met doran 'n kruustje van goud en gekroand van goud.
Ivan Sache, 31 August 2008
Former municipal flags of Bruges, c. 1900 - Images by Ivan Sache, 12 June 2005
Nouveau Larousse Illustré, Dictionnaire Universel
Encyclopédique (7 volumes, published in Paris, 1898-1904) [f9rXXa] shows the flags of the main Belgian towns, then based on the traditional colours of the towns.
Two flags are shown for Bruges, both horizontally divided red-white-blue but differing by the proportions of the stripes, 1:6:1 and 1:1:1, respectively.
Jan Martens & Ivan Sache, 12 June 2005 | <urn:uuid:497ec858-1a7c-46fb-8e26-3361f3d4ccb7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.fotw.us/flags/be-vwvbr.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.929865 | 2,051 | 2.859375 | 3 |
A river in the southwestern United States, forming part of the Mexican boundary and flowing from the San Juan mountains in southwest Colorado to the Gulf of Mexico.
(AOG - 3: displacement 4,142; length 310’9”; beam 48’6”; draft 15’4”; speed 14 knots; complement 133; armament 4 3”; class Patapsco)
Gasoline tanker Rio Grande (AOG-3) was laid down 30 June 1942 by Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Co., Seattle, Wash.; launched 23 September 1942; sponsored by Mrs. R. D. Kirkpatrick; and commissioned 10 April 1943, Lt. Comdr. Lawrence J. Hasse, USNR, in command.
Following shakedown Rio Grande was assigned to the Pacific Fleet as a unit of the mobile support group and carried petroleum products to help provide the lifeline of fuel for the fighting ships of the fleet in their advance toward Japan. After the end of World War II, she continued to operate with Service Force, Pacific Fleet until she decommissioned 28 June 1946.
In April 1948, she was transferred to Norfolk, Va., and placed in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet. Rio Grande recommissioned 12 October 1950, Lt. Milton L. Elchinger in command. Early the next year she resumed her mission of providing petroleum logistic support in the mid-Pacific. In September 1952 she began 7 months of service in the western Pacific, supplying gasoline and diesel oil to U.N. forces in Japan and Korea, with an occasional run to French Indochina. She returned to Pearl Harbor in May 1953 and resumed her fueling duties there. The following March she sailed for Alaskan waters and 7 weeks of service transporting fuel between Shemya Island and the Alaskan mainland before returning to the mid-Pacific.
Rio Grande decommissioned at San Diego, Calif., 6 January 1956. On 30 June 1960 she entered the Maritime Administration Reserve Fleet at Puget Sound, Olympia, Wash., where she remained until sold on 7 February 1972 to General Metals, Tacoma, Wash.
29 September 2005 | <urn:uuid:627ebe77-ab9b-4767-824b-22339956c4eb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/r6/rio_grande.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950827 | 439 | 2.203125 | 2 |
In January 1864, the Protestant pastor and novelist Charles Kingsley reviewed an English history book for Macmillan’s Magazine. The review began innocently enough. Kingsley critiqued the author’s handling of English figures like Mary Tudor and Queen Elizabeth. However, it quickly devolved into potshots against Catholicism in general, and against one of its most ardent supporters, John Henry Newman. Newman was confused and hurt by Kingsley’s remarks, especially this one:
“Truth, for its own sake, had never been a virtue with the Roman clergy. Father Newman informs us that it need not, and on the whole ought not to be.”
To translate into modern parlance, Kingsley basically said: “All priests are liars and Newman is the worst.” Or into leetspeak: “Newman’s a n00b.”
So how did Newman respond? Well, the same way any of us would. The internet is flooded with slander and personal attacks—if you doubt that, go on Facebook and comment on any religious or political issue—and the typical response is to fight fire with more fire. If they dish it out, you serve it right on back. Newman was of the same mindset, so here’s how he responded:
Dear Mr. Kingsley,
Your amateur review, which contains unneeded and demonstrably fallacious accusations, hardly deserves a reply. The charges within are no mere error—they’re simply idiotic. They betray your lack of intellect more than my lack of virtue, as a simple reading of any of the Church’s most Holy Scriptures—you do read, don’t you?—would affirm the primacy of Truth. I can only assume your density precludes such understanding, or it may be your arrogance which renders comprehension impossible. Whatever the source, be assured that you have my deepest sympathies and prayers. I can only hope the smoke of Satan stops clouding your already pitiable intellect.
Your dear brother in Truth and charity,
John Henry Newman
Newman’s response would have sailed right along the modern stream of vitriol which flows through our comboxes, Facebook discussions, and Twitter diatribes.
But there’s only one problem.
That’s not exactly how Newman responded. His actual reply was much more kind and humble. Here’s the actual letter, which was directed not toward Kingsley but to the editors of Macmillan’s Magazine:
Dr. Newman to Messrs. Macmillan and Co.
The Oratory, Dec. 30, 1863
I do not write to you with any controversial purpose, which would be preposterous; but I address you simply because of your special interest in a Magazine which bears your name. That highly respected name you have associated with a Magazine, of which the January number has been sent to me by this morning’s post, with a pencil mark calling my attention to page 217.
There, apropos of Queen Elizabeth, I read as follows:
“Truth, for its own sake, had never been a virtue with the Roman clergy. Father Newman informs us that it need not, and on the whole ought not to be; that cunning is the weapon which Heaven has given to the saints wherewith to withstand the brute male force of the wicked world which marries and is given in marriage. Whether his notion be doctrinally correct or not, it is at least historically so.”
There is no reference at the foot of the page to any words of mine, much less any quotation from my writings, in justification of this statement.
I should not dream of expostulating with the writer of such a passage, nor with the editor who could insert it without appending evidence in proof of its allegations. Nor do I want any reparation from either of them. I neither complain of them for their act, nor should I thank them if they reversed it. Nor do I even write to you with any desire of troubling you to send me an answer. I do but wish to draw the attention of yourselves, as gentlemen, to a grave and gratuitous slander, with which I feel confident you will be sorry to find associated a name so eminent as yours.
I am, Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
John H. Newman
I think we can learn a few things from the way Newman handled his critics:
1. Don’t feed the trolls. Instead of taking Kingsley’s bait and returning one personal attack with another, Newman answered through a gracious open-letter to the Magazine. The letter eventually bloomed into Newman’s classic memoir, Apologia Pro Vita Sua, his book-length defense of Catholicism against Kingsley’s arguments. Newman understood that sometimes the best way to diffuse antagonism is to battle it on your own terms, not to sink down to the critic’s own nastiness and venom.
2. Compliment vigorously. It’s hard for people to hate you when their fire is chilled with kindness. Note the warmth and unwavering charity in Newman’s letter. Next time you get into a combox debate, find something in your interlocutor’s position to compliment before you begin a critique.
3. Assume the best. Newman clearly gave the magazine the benefit of the doubt. He praised its “highly respected name” and repeatedly referred to the editors as “gentleman.” These words were not passive-aggressive taunts. They were marks of true sincerity, signs that Newman was totally uninterested in slander or ad hominem attacks.
What else do you think we can learn from Newman’s reply? | <urn:uuid:14a91398-b271-4072-826e-5d0e6fa618a4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ignitumtoday.com/2012/11/26/newman/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953907 | 1,198 | 1.609375 | 2 |
Photos and VideosMore Photos and Videos
After sliding through the summer, President Barack Obama’s job approval ratings have leveled out, settling in the low 50s and comfortably next to those of recent presidents.
Obama’s polling position going into the fall is a far cry from the spring, when he was cruising in the mid-60s. But despite his summer plunge, a number of top pollsters say that Obama’s 52 percent average approval rating in Gallup’s September survey is well within the expected range in the first year of a new administration.
Presidents Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter and Richard Nixon all settled into the 50s by this time in the Gallup Poll. Dwight Eisenhower averaged a 61 percent approval rating during his first September as president.
The only recent presidents with approval ratings in the 70s at this point in their terms were John F. Kennedy, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush — though the younger Bush’s rating was strongly influenced by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in 2001.
Obama “is certainly doing as well as, or better than, Reagan or Clinton,” said Frank Newport, editor-in-chief of the Gallup Poll. “He looks like he is holding his own compared to other presidents at this point.”
“His problems with his falling numbers at one point were being overwritten,” added Andrew Kohut, president of the Pew Research Center. “He’s doing reasonably well considering that we are in a country where unemployment is approaching 10 percent and we’re in the middle of a highly contentious debate.”
There has been virtually no movement in the president’s approval rating since the end of August — regardless of the poll — even as some have consistently shown Obama a few points higher or lower than the rest.
“It has flattened out after basically dropping all year. After Labor Day, there has been no discernible movement,” said Mark Blumenthal, editor of Pollster.com. “When you look at all the polls, you see the same trend.”
Gallup’s daily presidential tracking poll has shown Obama’s approval rating at 51, 52 or 53 percent every day since Sept. 5. Over the same period, Rasmussen’s daily tracking poll has tacked between 48 and 52 percent. And in the Internet-based Zogby poll, the president’s approval rating has stood at 49 percent in two surveys this month.
Even partisan polling firms show the same trend.
In two national polls this month by Democratic firm Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research, Obama’s approval rating changed by only a single percentage point, from 51 percent to 52 percent, over a two-week span. And in polls conducted this month by two Republican firms, the president’s approval stood at 55 percent with OnMessage and 51 percent with Public Opinion Strategies.
At the White House, spokesman Josh Earnest said that “while Washington insiders are focused on tracking the latest polls, the president has put polls and partisan politics aside to confront the challenges that Washington has ignored for too long, including health insurance reform.”
“We’re confident that as long as the president continues to put the interests of America’s families first,” Earnest said, “then the polls will take care of themselves.”
Pollsters interviewed by POLITICO could not point to any single reason for the president’s newly solidified numbers. Rather, they cited a series of possible explanations, ranging from the White House’s taking a more assertive role in the health care debate to a natural settling of public opinion after the burst of the post-Inauguration bubble.
“It’s very difficult in this business to make a prediction about what is going to happen in presidential approval,” Newport explained. “I would think the Obama White House would say that it should have gone up, while Republicans probably would have expected it to go down this month. But the surprising thing among all this activity is that it hasn’t moved significantly.”
“The real free-fall was heading into the summer, and it got close to the bottom in July. It has since then started to stabilize,” added Scott Rasmussen, CEO of Rasmussen Reports. “This all has to do with the dynamics with the electorate. In February, Republicans started to voice their displeasure with the president, and that hasn’t really changed.”
Rasmussen suggested that Obama’s approval is tied to health care reform, pointing out that until the president’s central issue is resolved, he’s not likely to experience much of a bump or drop.
Charles Franklin, a political scientist at the University of Wisconsin at Madison who’s an authority on polling, also identified the health care debate as the reason Obama’s numbers have steadied. But unlike Rasmussen, Franklin pointed to the president’s recent actions on the issue, crediting the White House for stemming the tide.
“He’s back from his August vacation and saying things the administration is pushing hard,” Franklin said. “Health care reform stopped moving away from him and started moving toward him.”
Franklin also said that many of those who have turned on Obama do not seem to have taken a permanent stance against him.
Among voters who identify themselves as strong Republicans or strong Democrats, Franklin said, “we see the same polarization we saw in the Bush administration, but reversed.”
But for voters who merely lean toward one party or the other, Franklin contended that there’s “a more fluid group that could move up and down, depending on Obama’s performance.”
Others see the recent trend as less tied to the health care debate than to a more natural evolution in the views that Americans have of their leaders.
“Obama’s really in a very solid position,” said Tom Jensen, a Democratic pollster for Public Policy Polling. “If he had to stand for reelection, there is probably a better chance that he would win with 400 electoral votes, rather than 300 electoral votes.”
“People who voted for Barack Obama still approve of him, and people who didn’t don’t approve of him,” Jensen added. “The health care issue hasn’t damaged Obama’s long-term political prospects. It has just brought him back down to earth a little.”
Kohut, though, pinned the president’s approval rating to the overall state of the nation’s economy and voter confidence.
“If he would have continued to go down, it would have suggested a much bigger problem than he really has,” Kohut said. “His decline in approval ratings from the mid-60s to the low 50s reflects that people are unsure of conditions.”
“What will move these numbers up or down will be the direction of unemployment and where this health care debate goes,” he concluded. | <urn:uuid:a9c6a054-f365-4fad-9efc-22566b1d61b5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/politics/Obama_s_approval_ratings_level_out-62552662.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00074-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965571 | 1,489 | 1.507813 | 2 |
LONDON — The head of the European Central Bank signaled Thursday that the institution might be willing to take more-aggressive steps to stem the region’s debt crisis, but only if the 17 nations that share the euro unite behind a plan that could tame years of runaway spending.
While falling well short of a pledge to attack Europe’s debt turbulence with the same vigor the Federal Reserve used against the U.S. financial crisis three years ago, the statements Thursday open the door to a potentially critical shift in policy that could provide a long-elusive fix to the region’s fiscal woes.
Swapping dollars for euros
Dec. 1 (Bloomberg) -- Kelvin Tay, the Singapore-based chief investment strategist at UBS Wealth Management, talks about central banks' monetary policies, China's decision to cut banks' reserve requirements, and the potential impact of the moves on the global economy and financial markets. Six central banks led by the Federal Reserve made it cheaper for banks to borrow dollars in emergencies in a global effort to ease Europe's sovereign-debt crisis.
What would euro collapse do to our economy?
To date, the ECB has held back from using more financial firepower to fight the debt crisis, fearing that doing too much would rob the incentive from indebted countries such as Greece and Italy to change their profligate ways and force through deep economic policy changes. But citing heightening economic risks, the ECB’s president, Mario Draghi, hinted that the bank could act to contain the crisis if euro-area nations quickly embrace a historic fiscal pact.
European leaders are scrambling to rush forward such a deal for unveiling at a summit late next week, one that could ultimately see nations such Italy, Spain, France and Germany effectively forfeit full independence over national budgets and potentially give their neighbors the right to slap penalties on big spenders. French President Nicolas Sarkozy said Thursday that Germany and France would present their vision for an agreement Monday.
In the parlance of central bankers, whose words are read like tea leaves, Draghi said that a pact is “definitely the most important element to start restoring credibility.” He suggested that “other elements might follow” if a deal were reached, which observers took to mean more-aggressive bank action, such as a program to reduce borrowing costs for troubled nations and relax lending rules for ailing banks.
If Draghi is marking a policy shift, it could put the central bank on a collision course with its largest member, Germany. A bloc of nations, including France, is in favor of using an agreement to help clear the way for more-aggressive ECB action. But fiscally conservative Germany has remained steadfastly opposed to a more ambitious role in the crisis for the ECB, an independent body governed by an executive board made up of delegates from nations that share the euro.
In an address to supporters Thursday, Sarkozy acknowledged that the ECB must remain independent. But, he added, it also must live up to its responsibilities to help fight the debt crisis. In a hint that the bank may have already decided to accelerate aid for troubled governments, he said, “I am certain the bank will live up to its responsibilities. In fact, I am happy to say it already has.”
ECB action is considered key to a speedy solution to a crisis that European leaders have failed to quell for more than two years. Though a fiscal agreement could solidify the foundations of the euro in the long run, putting one together will take longer than the weeks or months the region might have left to calm jittery investors and prevent a full-scale economic collapse in countries such as deeply indebted Italy. The ECB, meanwhile, could act fast. | <urn:uuid:688455f1-9a33-4cab-a527-0414fddc55cd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/dramatic-move-by-central-banks-cannot-solve-europes-debt-woes/2011/12/01/gIQAR69AGO_story.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950688 | 758 | 1.84375 | 2 |
There are various methods to keep a healthy topsoil in your garden, however, which way you choose will depend entirely on the quality of the topsoil in the first place.
One of the most useful things for the gardener to learn is to understand the workings of what is known as topsoil balance. The balance of topsoil is a great way to learn about the chemical and physical properties of topsoil. This also means that topsoil chemistry and physics as well as biology are learnt about further ensuring that nutrients and structure are perfectly balanced.
One system that ensures topsoil balance is correct is known as the Mikhail system. Using this system of topsoil management gives the soil friability and helps living organisms and to survive giving better soil composition and structure. Rather like the human body, it requires a good skeleton on which all the other physical attributes can be held together. Topsoil needs essential chemical elements such as Hydrogen, Potassium, Sodium, Magnesium and Calcium.
Biology and nutrients are kept in order within the topsoil by use of the Mikhail system. The structure then also needs to be balanced. Plant life needs the following vital elements for nutrition; Potassium, Sulphur, Nitrogen and Phosphorous. Fertilisers can be added to provide a needed nutrient boost once the topsoil structure has been improved. The most common fertiliser is known as NPK, and most general fertilisers actually consist of these chemical elements. Trace elements are also important to topsoil.
Testing the topsoil is the best way to discover exactly what is missing, what isn’t and how improvements can be made. This can be done using testing kits for soil, which will provide the necessary information for the gardener. All that’s then required is to purchase and administer the necessary fertiliser, add soil improving materials and lime to the soil, as and when the tests suggest. | <urn:uuid:c59ba97b-2bb2-408d-bf8a-37670899eb58> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://thegardenbook.com/gardeningblog/tag/physical-attributes/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951596 | 400 | 3.40625 | 3 |
Conditions of Use
mass and weight
Mass is the quantity of matter contained in a body, while weight is the forse by which the body is pulled to the earths center of gravity.
Article posted April 24, 2012 at 01:20 PM •
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Correct! So in Science weight is a measure of force so mass has to be what you measure without the force of gravity. That's why you have to balance masses so that gravity doesn't make a difference.
Comment Posted on April 26, 2012 at 08:37 AM by | <urn:uuid:8d4bc297-49b2-4fca-a9f5-f55fca4f779f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blog_id=1445119&mode=comment&blogger_id=352733 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00030-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944268 | 128 | 3.21875 | 3 |
Head Start programs throughout Northern New York stand to lose more than $300,000 under federal sequestration.
While directions from the regional Head Start office in New York City or the national office Washington, D.C., have yet to trickle down to Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties, local agencies know their programs will be cut 5 percent.
Were starting to brainstorm, said Norma S. Cary, executive director of the St. Lawrence County Community Development Program. We certainly dont want to lose children served. We put some things in the budget like a part-time nurse, but we wont hire that individual now.
The Community Development Program runs the St. Lawrence County Head Start program, which serves 351 children each year. That program would lose about $142,000, since it is funded at just over $2.8 million. The Jefferson County program, which is overseen by the Community Action Planning Council of Jefferson County, may lose about $110,000, as it is funded annually at $2.2 million.
Lewis County Head Start, Lowville, will lose at least $50,000, since it is funded annually at just over $1 million. Several attempts to reach Sandra Roberts, Lewis County Head Start executive director, were unsuccessful.
Marie E. Ambrose, Head Start/prekindergarten director of the Community Action Planning Council, said that since the agency already is into the fifth month of its 2013 fiscal year, it would have to cut $110,000 from its budget by October.
Ive been with the agency for 27 years and I dont remember a cut like this, she said. Its our hope we will not have to reduce enrollment or staffing, but thatll be very difficult to do.
One option being considered is ending the current Head Start school year one week early, and starting the 2013-14 year a week later. Nothing will be decided until after information is presented, and then reviewed by CAPCs policy council.
Mrs. Ambrose said she hopes Congress is able to come up with a deal to prevent program devastation because low-income children are the most vulnerable in the nation.
Head Start is a federal program that promotes school readiness of children from birth to age 5, from low-income families. A majority of programming in the north country is for 3- and 4-year-old children. A 5 percent cut nationwide means 70,000 children will lose access to Head Start, according to the national programs website.
Just four years ago, according to the national office, more than 64,000 slots for Early Head Start and Head Start programs were added through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. | <urn:uuid:c4044980-eee3-495d-a5b1-cf4466827ff0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20130308/OGD01/703089836/1261 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00058-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964375 | 541 | 1.648438 | 2 |
Blueberries are trickier to grow. Naturally at home in peat bogs, the hardy, shallow-rooted bushes must have acidic soil to thrive: a pH of 4 is not too low, with 5 being a bit high. Since this is well below the range of most gardens, a blueberry bush grows best when planted in a large container of acidic mix. A half wooden barrel (or equivalent size) is ideal and should be filled with 40 per cent peat moss, 40 per cent coir and 20 per cent perlite, with a cup of soil sulfur stirred in to further lower the pH. The half-barrel can then be left out in the open air or buried up to its rim in the ground. Most bushes are hardy to Zone 3, but if the container is free-standing, protect the plants’ roots with some bags of leaves heaped around the base in fall.
Blueberry bushes produce best when properly pruned each year in March or early April. In year one remove flower buds. As you prune, aim for an open plant of younger stems by cutting out very low branches and any that overlap or cross. Prune away some of the oldest canes annually and all weak, spindly or damaged shoots. Head back the most vigorous upright shoots to force branching. Don’t be shy: removing up to a fifth of last year’s growth is not too much.
- ‘Chippewa’: At maturity expect 1.5 to three kilograms of large berries on a bush that reaches a height of 60 to 120 centimetres per bush; two plants ensure better cross-pollination and more fruit.
- ‘Northcountry’: Very hardy, vigorous and productive, a well-grown bush yields up to four kilograms of medium-sized fruit with a sweet wild blueberry flavour; does better than others as a single plant and foliage turns bright red in fall.
- ‘Northblue’: Large, dark, flavourful berries on a shorter self-pollinating bush described as a real workhorse, a very reliable cropper, and with vivid fall colour.
- Other blueberry cultivars of note are ‘Ka-Bluey’, ‘Northland’ and ‘Healthy Rubel’. | <urn:uuid:6f917b79-c38b-4eca-a4f2-c67b23ad393a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.canadiangardening.com/gardens/fruit-and-vegetable-gardening/create-a-berry-patch-in-your-garden/a/42291/3 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.92848 | 479 | 3.046875 | 3 |
This week’s article is inspired by the index of the Guru Granth Sahib as found on the ‘Sikhitothemax’ download version. The first folder is called ‘Beginning’ and is followed by 31 folders, one for each rág in which most shabads are arranged.
The first shabad in the ‘Beginning’ folder is Japji Sahib. Japji Sahib is a beautiful spiritual poem, meant for reciting, not for singing. The second and third entries are Rahras and Sohila, both compilations of shabads in different rágs. These are usually recited but can also be sung.
Each shabad in Rahras and Sohila appears twice in the Guru Granth Sahib, once in these compilations and once under their respective rágs.
Why did Guru Arjan separate these out ? Japji Sahib is a very special composition by first Guru, Guru Nanak, and discusses many of the basic teachings of Sikhí. It fully deserves its position as the first spiritual poem of the Guru Granth.
I think that by publishing Japji Sahib, Rahras and Sohila on the first 13 pages, Guru Arjan, who compiled the first version of the Guru Granth (the Ádi Granth), instructed the Sikhs to recite these every day.
I have of course no authority to change the Rahit Maryada. According to the 1945 Sikh Rahit Maryada we have to read Japji Sahib, Jaap Sahib and the ten Svaye starting with ‘Srávag Sudh’ in the morning. In the evening we should read an extended Rahras and then before going to bed an unchanged Sohila.
Mostly this leads to speed reading, or listening to recorded versions while doing other things. Reading Japji Sahib with full attention should at least take half an hour. Follow that by some simran and you have a very nice opening of your day. Similarly for Rahras, a beautiful collection of shabads, very well balanced and full of important teachings.
Most Sikhs, encouraged by Taksal and AKJ, want to read more, not less. But what is often practised is either speed reading or listening to a recording via iPod or computer. Listening to recordings is not bad, but after having listened to Japji Sahib or Jaap Sahib our minds have problems concentrating on more input. Does not Guru prefer quality over quantity ?
Any suggestions from Sangat ? | <urn:uuid:a67b0fd0-a612-48b8-b54d-89787b11b7ec> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://maninblue1947.wordpress.com/tag/rahras/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00045-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940756 | 537 | 1.90625 | 2 |
I am working on Rubinsteins IBT and use the following paper to implement this into excel:
the original paper can be found here:
I am stuck in the last step: I calculated the path probabilities, denoted by "Q". In the paper "Implied Binomial Trees in Excel without VBA" page 7 and 17.
So I have now the results of Panel B on page 17. These are the Q at the last node, now I calculate the Q at the nodes before with $Q=Q^+ + Q^-$. So I have the resulting path probabilities Q shown in the uploaded and attached picture (the numbers are a bit different from the paper, because my excel solver was not that accurate, but the numbers should be the same).
So now I want to calculate the "R". These are the cumulative returns. In the paper it says on page 7: $R=(qR^+ + (1-q)R^-)/r$.
I know that the small qs are the up probabilities, calculated by $q=Q^+/Q$. Ok, the small r is a discounting factor, ok. But what are the $R^+$ and $R^-$. Where do I get them? Are these just the original prices form the CRR binomial tree?
Thanks a lot!
(in the excel file which can be downloaded, this step is not implemented)
It should be in the paper, though, for example "a 20% growth in the underlying gives R = 1.20"
My underlying, values u and d calculated by CRR? So the values of the underlying are:
@ Freddy Could you please use my example and do an example calculation? The comment is to general and not specific enough.... | <urn:uuid:8600b10e-d503-444b-89e4-5e18c28e536a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://quant.stackexchange.com/questions/4918/rubinsteins-implied-binomial-tree-how-to-calculate-the-cumulative-returns | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933342 | 370 | 1.859375 | 2 |
Cholesterol is a fatty substance in the body that is used for many different purposes. It is manufactured by the body and also found in animal products, such as red meat and dairy products.
Cholesterol is found in all parts of the human body. It plays an essential role in the production of hormones and other functions. Cholesterol is a key element in the cell membranes of mammals, and it aids in the production of adrenal and sex hormones and vitamin D. Cholesterol comes from the foods you eat, and is also produced by the liver.
Doctors divide cholesterol into high density lipids (HDL), low density lipids (LDL), and triglycerides. Having too much LDL cholesterol in your blood is a risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Having high levels of triglycerides can also put you at risk of heart disease if you have diabetes. Very high levels of triglycerides can increase your risk of pancreatitis. Figure 01. The excess buildup of cholesterol in the blood is referred to as hypercholesterolemia, which simply means "high cholesterol." Atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, occurs when cholesterol collects and hardens on the walls of the arteries, causing them to thicken and narrow. This narrowing prevents adequate blood supply from reaching the heart. Both diet and medication can help control high cholesterol levels, thereby reducing risk factors for heart disease. Elevation of cholesterol and/or triglycerides is also referred to as hyperlipidemia.
Figure 01. A normal artery and an artery with cholesterol buildup (plaque)
Because fat is not soluble in water, the cholesterol needs a carrier to travel through the blood, a liquid that primarily consists of water. Cholesterol must be transported on fat carrying proteins known as lipoproteins.
There are two different kinds of lipoproteins that you may be aware of that have direct relation to the risk of heart disease: Low density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad cholesterol") and high density lipoprotein (HDL or "good cholesterol"). Both vary in the amount of lipid they carry. Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) often referred to as the "bad cholesterol" carrier, carry about 60% of the cholesterol in the bloodstream. High levels of LDLs can ultimately lead to heart disease because they are the major cause of buildup and blockage in the arteries. At every stage of atherosclerosis (plaque formation in the arteries that can lead to heart attack), high LDL cholesterol worsens the condition. On the other hand, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) may prevent oxidation of LDL and helps prevent the LDLs from sticking to the walls of the arteries and thus prevents the buildup of cholesterol plaque. The lipoprotein carries cholesterol away from the arteries to the liver and adrenal glands. Thus, the goal is to keep the LDL cholesterol low and the HDL cholesterol high.
Elevated cholesterol may be due to genetics. In some individuals, elevated LDL cholesterol levels are due to heredity. These genetic disorders are referred to as familial hypercholesterolemia, familial combined hyperlipidemia, familial defective apolipoprotein B, and polygenic hypercholesterolemia. These disorders are linked to a defect in the way your body handles LDL cholesterol, which leads to high LDL levels.
A diet high in animal fat diet is a major cause of elevated blood cholesterol. Dietary cholesterol plays a large part in raising blood cholesterol levels. This is especially true in North America and Europe, where the diet is heavily based on animal foods, such as meat, egg yolks, poultry, seafood, and milk products. Almost all food from plants, however, such as fruits, vegetables, vegetable oils, grains, cereals, and nuts, do not contain cholesterol. Individual persons, however, vary considerably in their response to a diet high in cholesterol. Some respond with marked increases in total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol. Others do not respond significantly at all. Currently, we do not have a way to determine the underlying cause of such responses other than observing a trial on a low cholesterol, low saturated fat diet. Very high intakes of dietary cholesterol may be harmful even though blood cholesterol levels do not vary much.
- Why Doctors Prescribe Cholesterol DrugsGet the facts about high cholesterol and drugs that can lower it.
- The Risks of Not Taking Your Cholesterol MedicationFind out what happens if you miss a dose and when is the best time to take cholesterol-lowering drugs
- How Drugs Can Lower CholesterolDiscover how cholesterol-lowering medications work in your body to bring your cholesterol numbers down to ideal levels. | <urn:uuid:d2533183-282e-49e4-9588-b73fb7331f6c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.pdrhealth.com/diseases/cholesterol | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.923798 | 949 | 3.921875 | 4 |
The July 2011 independence of South Sudan dealt a blow to Sudan’s economy, which lost three-fourths of its oil resources. To bolster economic growth, USAID-supported experts will conduct economic analysis and encourage qualitative improvements in public dialogue on important economic policy issues affecting the performance of the agriculture sector in Sudan, particularly in marginalized areas. Topics may include land tenure, irrigation and water resource efficiency, trade, pricing, tax, credit, subsidies, major export crops and foreign investment.
USAID continues to provide targeted economic support to vulnerable populations in the marginalized regions of Sudan. In Muglad, Southern Kordofan, for example, USAID sponsored the construction of a building to house the main meat and produce market, following consultations with the local community. The town is an important point along a major north-south thoroughfare that sees significant traffic and the seasonal migration of livestock between Sudan and South Sudan. Trade among groups from the area has proven to be an important bridge and incentive for peaceful relations, and the new market bolsters Muglad’s position as an important economic center. Increased access to goods and commodities for people in the region will ease economic pressures on residents and provide them with new livelihood opportunities.
Last updated: May 10, 2013 | <urn:uuid:4361bbea-248b-465f-a6ab-8dcad9119a46> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.usaid.gov/sudan/economic-growth-and-trade | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00075-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937805 | 254 | 2.859375 | 3 |
Institute of Noetic Sciences
exploring how we know what we know
The Apollo 14 mission to the moon in 1971 provided astronaut Edgar Mitchell with the stimulus that led to the creation of the Institute of Noetic Sciences.
On the way back to this planet, Mitchell says he was "engulfed by a profound of universal connectedness" as he saw the Earth floating is the blackness of space. "The presence of divinity became almost palpable, and I knew that life in the universe was not just an accident based on random processes.... The knowledge came to me directly." In the years following his moon mission, Mitchell tried to convey this sense of wonder and knowing to others without much success. Ultimately, he decided to form an organization to further his investigations and research.
As the IONS website states, "the word 'noetic' comes from the ancient Greek nous, for which there is no exact equivalent in English. It refers to 'inner knowing,' a kind of intuitive consciousness — direct and immediate access to knowledge beyond what is available to our normal senses and the power of reason."
By looking at "the nature and potentials of consciousness using multiple ways of knowing — including intuition, feeling, reason, and the senses, the noetic sciences explore the 'inner cosmos' of the mind (consciousness, soul, spirit) and how it relates to the 'outer cosmos' of the physical world."
IONS' approach includes subjective (personal), intersubjective (dialogue, community, global), and objective (physiological, scientific) research into "transformative understanding" and "collective wisdom." At the website, you can read former IONS president Willis Harman's article, What are Noetic Sciences?, for a better understanding of these concepts.
IONS is a membership organization that provides a rich website; travel-and-learning opportunities; seminars, workshops, and retreats at its new 200-acre nature-focused campus near Petaluma, California; community groups based around the globe; regional, national, and international conferences on a variety of themes and issues; extensive scientific research projects; a quarterly journal, Shift; and many more online connections and in-person resources. | <urn:uuid:a3f25a7e-17c5-41ca-acce-e64c0cfb1ccf> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://showcase.netins.net/web/jjjensen/websites/web13_ions.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00062-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936994 | 447 | 2.671875 | 3 |
I come from a big Indian family, where meal times are loud, chaotic affairs.
If you think Jesus could feed the masses with fives loaves of bread and two fish then you haven’t met my mother. She can put together a dinner for large numbers of people in an insanely short period of time and will always triple the quantities to make sure that the table creaks under the weight of the food and no one goes home hungry.
Where I come from lots of food equals tons of hospitality. Food is not something to analyse – it’s there to be eaten. There was just one rule to follow – if you’ve taken it, you eat it. And if you didn’t, you were subjected to the “think about the starving children in India” speech.
So I was wholly unprepared for all this to get turned on its head when I came to Switzerland ten years ago.
In this country it is not the quantity of food on offer that matters. So it is widely acceptable to invite people over for a cheese fondue, where the only two ingredients on offer are melted cheese and bread. Needless to say my mother almost passed out when she first heard that we were serving only this to our dinner guests one evening.
When you’re not having a fondue, meals come in courses and wine is ‘paired’ with dinners and desserts. And if the wine is corked (it took me a few years to learn how to detect this) it is sent back to where it came from – even if it is in your own house. I soon learnt that what is considered rude in one country is regarded as good taste in another.
And yes, Swiss precision also spills over into the kitchen, particularly when cooking a piece of meat, which is studied before cooking and then studied some more when it’s on your plate. Cooking times and temperatures can take up a lot of conversation at a dinner table in Switzerland.
If you’ve cooked a meal featuring too much cauliflower and have placed it on a white plate, you need to know to throw in some broccoli for colour. Colour – particularly a balance of colour on your plate – is important because when you eat, you also eat with your eyes.
But it was these two golden rules that were the most difficult to remember:
- Don’t begin eating before you’ve wished everyone a ‘Bon Appetite’
- Don’t even think of taking in any wine until you have wished everyone at the table good health as you look them straight in the eye while you clink your glass with theirs.
As a new bride, trying to make a good impression on my in-laws and my husband’s friends, I found all this mealtime etiquette extremely overwhelming.
More than 10 years and many meals later, I find myself rather enjoying all the fuss and I’ve realised that food is often the way people around the world choose to love and affection towards each other.
An Indian mother, grandmother or aunt spends hours in the kitchen slaving over the most labourious of recipes because they’re pleased to have you among them. A Swiss German mother will fuss over a piece of meat until it is cooked to perfection because the people coming over for dinner are important to her.
I’ve also learnt that there is comfort in ritual and the act of coming together – even around a single pot of melted cheese – is pleasurable especially after a long day or week of work. It’s one of the few moments during the day when you can really take a load off and have a relaxed conversation with other people.
And yes, I will even admit that food that is beautifully presented is so much lovelier to eat than slop on a plate. And when it is paired with the perfect bottle of wine, there’s some kind of magic that happens in your soul.
It almost makes me want to get into the kitchen some more… | <urn:uuid:2414148d-976d-49ab-a199-a4aa017b9bc6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://chickstravelflicks.com/author/chickstravelflicks/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00044-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974991 | 829 | 1.757813 | 2 |
Interchange is a fee paid by the merchant bank (acquirer) to the cardholder's bank (issuing bank) in relation to a payment transaction to compensate the issuing bank for a portion of the risks and costs it incurs to maintain cardholder accounts. MasterCard has the authority to define default cross-border and intra-country (domestic) interchange fee programs. Consistent with its approach to setting interchange fees elsewhere in the world, the goal of MasterCard in setting default interchange fees is to ensure both the wide-spread issuance of MasterCard cards by licensees and the wide-spread acceptance of MasterCard cards by merchants.
MasterCard is leading the industry in bringing transparency to the interchange system by posting Intra-EEA and MasterCard-set intra-country POS (point of sale) interchange fees for EEA countries as well as rules documents on its corporate website.
Important Information & Links
Rules, Interchange & Unblended Pricing
Effective 1 April 2010
MasterCard is leading the industry in bringing transparency to the interchange system by posting all MasterCard-set intra-country POS (point of sale) interchange fees for EEA countries. | <urn:uuid:cbef195b-9f0b-462b-97b6-ea08ec456a8c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mastercard.com/global/merchant/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00073-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.911814 | 238 | 2.15625 | 2 |
SilverSort - A sorting lab in Silverlight
Note: This page needs Silverlight 4 installed.
Sorting is a very basic programming task and there are lots of ways of doing it. It is also one of the areas where getting it right matters.
SilverSort is a sorting lab designed to allow you to see how a sort actually moves data around. You can use it to try out three variations on a bubble sort, a shell sort and finally a quick sort.
If you want to know how the program was constructed then see:SilverSort a sorting lab.
Registered users can also download the code from the CodeBin.
As long as you have Silverlight 4 installed you should be able to see the buttons and the blank graph ready for you to generate some data.
Click the Generate and shuffle buttons followed by any of the sorting buttons to see the program in action. You can click the shuffle button as many times as you like before re-sorting.
If you are using IE and the grid doesn't appear - move your mouse over the area. Yes it's a bug in Silverlight IE support
Sorting in Silverlight
(may take a few seconds to load) | <urn:uuid:9782c2e7-426c-41df-b715-7a4e485ad128> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.i-programmer.info/professional-programmer/resources-and-tools/1444-silversort.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00046-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947418 | 246 | 2.84375 | 3 |
The community of the Annunciation has a longstanding tradition of education and catechesis. Our founding fathers and mothers established our community in an effort to establish the foundations for a brighter future for their children and grandchildren. This included a strong appreciation and understanding of the teachings and values of our Orthodox faith.
We offer catechetical programs for both children and adults. In this way, we help plant the seeds of our faith in the hearts of our little ones and reinvigorate and revitalize this spark in our adults.
Our children are taught and gently guided by dedicated teachers. Children have lessons on Sundays, in a traditional "Sunday School" model. However, our approach to catechism is unique because our children are also introduced to different aspects of our faith through field trips and a "hands-on approach."
Along with catechetical program for our youth, our community offers numerous opportunities for adults to expand their appreciation of the Orthodox Church. There are weekly lectures and Bible-study classes led by our parish priest, and we have special presentations made by other distinguished clergymen and theologians throughout the year.
Youth catechism classes are taught on Sunday's during the Divine Liturgy, starting immediately after Holy Communion. The teachers lead the students out of the Nave and to the classrooms. This is not a "drop-off" class. Parents are required to remain in the building during the class. The classes run for 30-45 minutes, and the children are returned to their parents in the Demas Hall during the "coffee hour."
There is no need to pre-register for the youth catechism. Simply find the teachers sitting in the first pew during Divine Liturgy, and introduce your child to a teacher.
Learn more about our catechetical ministry by clicking one of the links below, or send an email to firstname.lastname@example.org. | <urn:uuid:4658c34b-ce7a-45b4-a3d4-00c6891b6464> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.annunciation-nyc.org/catechesis-education | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963637 | 397 | 2.046875 | 2 |
Kebab MateMath brain teasers require computations to solve.
Mad Ade regularly plays chess with his best friend, Dim Dave McLoweyecue. They play just one game per day and the loser must give the winner a kebab. After a period of time Mad Ade had bought Dim Dave 5 kebabs whereas Dim Dave had bought Mad Ade 21 kebabs. So how many games were played in total if there were no tied matches?
AnswerDim Dave McLoweyecue received 5 kebabs and won 5 games. Mad Ade received 21 kebabs and won 21 games.
Thus, the total number of games that they played was 26.
See another brain teaser just like this one...
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Back to Top | <urn:uuid:48d82cd3-1183-4b6b-af4e-f0de30defb0a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.braingle.com/brainteasers/5961/kebab-mate.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.982485 | 197 | 2.109375 | 2 |
Bengal Tenancy Act
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promoted by Indian Association
...was disadvantageous to Indian candidates; and in 1878 it objected to the Vernacular Press Act, which stifled the Indian press. It advocated local self-government and tenant rights, and, when the Bengal Tenancy Act was finally passed in 1885, it demanded representative government. After the Indian National Congress was founded in 1885, the association gradually lost ground; it was not heard...
What made you want to look up "Bengal Tenancy Act"? Please share what surprised you most... | <urn:uuid:8faa6ed3-0a21-4fef-872e-1f57271e5fdf> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/60770/Bengal-Tenancy-Act | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00028-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94203 | 152 | 3.21875 | 3 |
Fighting corruption worldwide.
Active in over 90 countries.
In his past life as head of the World Bank’s office in Nairobi, Peter Eigen witnessed first-hand the devastating and pervasive effect of systemic corruption on development initiatives throughout East Africa. Recognizing the limited capacity of governments and international institutions to regulate, shape and control the increasingly globalized world economy - lending corruption an apparent ‘inevitability’ - the organization he founded, Transparency International, is committed to raising awareness, lobbying for reform and devising practical strategies to expose and fight this practice in all its forms.
In less than 20 years, Transparency International has put corruption on the map, via a coalition-led approach bringing together governments, businesses, civil society actors and the media. At the time of the organization’s inception in 1993, it was still legal in most countries to pay bribes abroad. Taking the fight to the OECD, Transparency International scored an early victory in ensuring that all member states now have national anti corruption legislation. Similarly, Transparency International has been instrumental in the passage and drafting of all three major international agreements on corruption currently in force.
The organization’s work in the public domain has also been credited with catalyzing a normative shift globally – its annual publication, the Corruption Perceptions Index, has become the leading comparative measure of corruption worldwide.
(Photo © Transparency International) | <urn:uuid:5af001a6-a35e-4a50-9f9d-3e106d8e059a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://theglobaljournal.net/article/view/495/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.928229 | 281 | 2.21875 | 2 |
19 Aug. 1793–27 June 1857
See also Elisha Mitchell , from the Tar Heel Junior Historian
Elisha Mitchell, educator, geologist, Presbyterian minister, and explorer, was born in Washington, Conn., the oldest son of Abner, a farmer, and Phoebe Eliot Mitchell. Abner was a descendant of Matthew Mitchell, who had emigrated from Yorkshire to Massachusetts in 1635 and then moved to Connecticut in 1637. Mitchell's maternal great-grandfather was Jared Eliot, the prominent minister, intellectual, and scientist whose family had also lived in Connecticut since the 1630s. Prepared for college by the Reverend Azel Backus at his school in Bethlehem, Conn., Elisha Mitchell was graduated from Yale University in 1813 in the same class as George E. Badger , Thomas P. Devereux , and Denison Olmsted . At Yale he studied under Professor Benjamin Silliman, who later published a number of Mitchell's scientific articles in the American Journal of Science and Arts , which Silliman edited from 1818 to 1838.
After leaving Yale, Mitchell taught first at Union Hall Academy, conducted by Dr. Lewis E. A. Eigenbrodt in Jamaica, Long Island, and then served as principal of Union Academy in New London, Conn. In 1816 he returned to Yale as a tutor, and the following year he took a brief theological course at Andover, Mass. He was licensed to preach by the Congregationalist Western Association of New Haven County, Conn. Also in 1817 the Reverend Sereno E. Dwight, son of Timothy Dwight of Yale and chaplain of the U.S. Senate, recommended Mitchell for a teaching position in Chapel Hill to William Gaston , then serving both in the U.S. House of Representatives and on the board of trustees of The University of North Carolina .
In January 1818 Mitchell arrived in Chapel Hill to take up his duties as professor of mathematics and natural philosophy. At the same time his former classmate at Yale, Denison Olmsted, was appointed professor of chemistry, geology, and mineralogy. When Olmsted returned to Yale in 1825, Mitchell was chosen to take his place; he taught chemistry, geology, and mineralogy at the university for the next thirty-two years. He also took over and completed the geological survey of North Carolina that Olmsted had begun.
In 1821 Mitchell was ordained by the Presbytery of Orange in Hillsborough; he continued to combine preaching with his education and scientific interests for the remainder of his life. His theological views were clearly expressed in 1825 in a controversy with John Stark Ravenscroft , first bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina, in which Mitchell supported Calvinist doctrine, arguing that Scripture was the only source of religious truth and rejecting the use of tradition as an aid to religious interpretation.
At Chapel Hill, Mitchell's students apparently found him a witty and challenging lecturer and enjoyed his courses. In addition to his teaching, he officiated at chapel services, both on week nights and on Sundays; served as bursar and accountant for the university; and, after 1835, acted in place of President David L. Swain when Swain was away from Chapel Hill. As bursar, Mitchell was in charge of grounds and buildings belonging to the university and worked to increase the variety of flowers, shrubs, and trees on the campus. He also complained that he had more than his share of responsibility for discipline because he lived closer to the college buildings than other members of the faculty. The University of Alabama awarded him an honorary doctor of divinity degree in 1838, and he was a corresponding member of the Boston Society of Natural History.
Mitchell expressed definite opinions on the issues of his day. His journal indicates his distaste for Jacksonian democracy, and in North Carolina he supported the efforts of those who were determined to overcome the Rip Van Winkle image the state had acquired and to promote material progress. In 1834 he urged North Carolinians to support the establishment by the state of a tax-supported system of common schools, not only because he believed that educated citizens were essential to the improvement of society, but also because such schools would provide jobs for women as teachers. Mitchell's interest in the education of women is also evident from the classical education he prescribed for his own daughters.
Having been appointed by Governor William A. Graham to survey a turnpike westward from Raleigh to Buncombe County , Mitchell reported in 1846 that such a turnpike was necessary to encourage trade, increase travel, and connect the eastern and western sections of the state. He also supported the temperance movement and the organization of temperance societies as a means of achieving social progress. His belief in the importance of material improvement was also evident in his descriptions of the mountain regions in western North Carolina, which he visited while working both on the geological survey and on his own research. He deplored the isolation in which mountain people led their lives, which, he argued, led to male laziness, female degradation, and economic stagnation. He looked forward to the day when improved transportation, education, and the development of villages and towns would bring the benefits of civilization to the area.
On the question of slavery, he supported the southern point of view. After coming to Chapel Hill, he acquired slaves himself and, in 1848, preached a sermon arguing that slavery was a system of property holding under God's law and as such was no worse than any other form of property ownership.
Mitchell is best known for his measurement of the Black Mountain in the Blue Ridge and his claim that one of its peaks was the highest point in the United States east of the Rocky Mountains. He first noted in 1828, in the diary he kept while working on the geological survey, that he believed the Black Mountain to be the highest peak in the area. In 1835 and again in 1838 he measured the mountain, showing the highest peak to be higher than Mount Washington in New Hampshire's White Mountains. In 1844 he returned with improved instruments and measured the highest peak at 6,708 feet, 250 feet higher than Mount Washington. By that time local people were referring to the peak as Mount Mitchell . However, Mitchell's claim was challenged in 1855, when Senator Thomas Clingman , arguing that Mitchell had measured the wrong peak, insisted that the one he had climbed and measured stood at 6,941 feet. As a result of the ensuing controversy, Mitchell returned to the Black Mountain in 1857 in a final attempt to prove Clingman wrong and justify his own previous measurements. On 27 June, leaving his son and guides, he started out alone, was caught in a thunderstorm, and apparently fell down a waterfall and drowned in the pool below.
Elisha Mitchell was buried first in Asheville on 10 July 1857. The following year arrangements were made for reburial on top of Mount Mitchell, and on 16 June 1858, with formal ceremonies and addresses by the Right Reverend Bishop James H. Otey of Tennessee and President David L. Swain, Mitchell's remains were buried on the peak. Today his grave is marked by a memorial plaque and observation tower, and the surrounding area has been established as a state park.
In 1881–82 the U.S. Geological Survey upheld Mitchell's measurement of the highest peak on the Black Mountain and officially named it Mount Mitchell. In 1883 the Elisha Mitchell Scientific Society was founded in his memory at The University of North Carolina.
On 19 Nov. 1819 Mitchell married Maria Sybil North, of New London, Conn., whom he had met when he was teaching at Union Academy in 1815. They had seven children: Mary Phoebe (m. Richard J. Ashe), Ellen Hannah (m. Dr. Joseph John Summerell), Margaret Eliot, Matthew Henry (died in infancy), Eliza North (m. Richard S. Grant), Charles Andrews, and Henry Eliot (died in infancy).
Photographs are available in the photographic files of the Division of Archives and History, Raleigh, and in the North Carolina Collection at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Samuel A. Ashe, ed., Biographical History of North Carolina, vol. 1 (1905).
Kemp P. Battle, History of the University of North Carolina, vol. 1 (1907).
Hope Summerell Chamberlain, "Life Story of Elisha Mitchell, D. D., 1793–1857," 1945 (typescript, North Carolina Collection, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill).
Charles Phillips, ed., A Memoir of the Rev. Elisha Mitchell, D.D. (1858).
Raleigh Register, 3 Nov. 1835.
David Lowry Swain Papers (North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh).
"Elisha Mitchell 1793-1857." N.C. Highway Historical Marker N-38, N.C. Office of Archives & History. http://www.ncmarkers.com/Markers.aspx?sp=Markers&k=Markers&sv=N-38 (accessed January 30, 2013).
Otey, James Hervey. A memoir of the Rev. Elisha Mitchell ... : together with the tributes of respect to his memory, by various public meetings and literary associations, and the addresses delivered at the re-interment of his remains. Chapel Hill : J. M. Henderson. 1858. http://archive.org/details/memoirofrevelish00otey (accessed January 30, 2013).
Madden, Bridget "Elisha Mitchell: A Man, His Watch, and a Mountain." North Carolina Miscellany (blog). March 30, 2009. http://www.lib.unc.edu/blogs/ncm/index.php/2009/03/30/elisha-mitchell-a-man-his-watch-and-a-mountain/ (accessed January 30, 2013).
Blythe, John. "The Short Lived Monument to Elisha Mitchell" North Carolina Miscellany (blog). June 27, 2011. http://www.lib.unc.edu/blogs/ncm/index.php/2011/06/27/elisha_mitchells_monument/ (accessed January 30, 2013).
Ashe, Samuel A. "Elisha Mitchell." Biographical history of North Carolina from colonial times to the present. Greensboro, N.C.: C. L. Van Noppen. 1905. 384-391. http://archive.org/stream/cu31924092215437#page/n531/mode/2up (accessed January 30, 2013).
Elisha Mitchell Papers, 1816-1905 (collection no. 00518). The Southern Historical Collection. Louis Round Wilson Special Collections Library. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/inv/m/Mitchell,Elisha.html (accessed January 30, 2013).
Mitchell, Elisha. Arguments for temperance : a sermon addressed to the students of the University of North Carolina, March 13th, 1831, and published by their request. Raleigh [N.C.]: Printed by J. Gales & Son. 1831. http://archive.org/details/argumentsfortemp00mitc (accessed January 30, 2013).
Mitchell, Elisha. A lecture on the subject of common schools: delivered before the North Carolina Institute of Education, at Chapel Hill, June 26, 1834. Chapel Hill [N.C.]: Printed by Isaac C. Patridge. 1834. http://archive.org/details/lectureonsubject00mitc (accessed January 30, 2013).
Mitchell, Elisha. Diary of a geological tour by Dr. Elisha Mitchell in 1827 and 1828, with introduction and notes by Dr. Kemp P Battle, LLD. Chapel Hill [N.C.] The University. 1905. http://archive.org/details/diaryofgeologica00mitcrich (accessed January 30, 2013).
"Photograph, Accession #: H.19XX.331.66 ." 1900-1920. North Carolina Museum of History.
"Photograph, Accession #: H.19XX.328.3 ." 1928. North Carolina Museum of History.
"Photograph, Accession #: H.1946.14.192 ." 1900-1920. North Carolina Museum of History.
1 January 1991 | Watson, Elgiva D. | <urn:uuid:bcfdc2bf-3d9b-45eb-80b9-e31c7ad196cc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ncpedia.org/print/6635 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964384 | 2,651 | 2.609375 | 3 |
Student Government Associations used to be reserved for the few students who could win an election, but now many Broward County schools are making SGA available to more students through leadership classes and public forums.
Most SGAs are dedicated to improving school spirit and getting as many students as possible involved in school life.
But SGAs also participate in the Broward County Association of Student Councils service projects. Through these programs, students can earn volunteer service hours and develop leadership skills.
FOR THE RECORD - CORRECTION PUBLISHED SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2003.
A photo caption on Page 1 of the Sept. 24 edition of Community News incorrectly identified Plantation High School student government members. Pictured, from left, are Hamza Shaban, Diane Davis, Amanda Schneider and Elyse Kotkin.
One of the largest service activities is the annual Beach Clean-Up, which attracts students from all over the county. Other projects include: Babes in Bookland, where students collect books for the needy; Gift of Sight, where students collect discarded eye-glasses to send to Third World countries; and the Wacky Olympics, in which students raise money for the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis. Then there is the Fight to Feed Challenge, in which schools compete to raise money to feed the needy.
Much of what SGAs do involves promoting school spirit and making student life more enjoyable.
What would high school be without pep rallies, homecomings and school spirit?
It may not be as much fun and students might not learn as much. And this is where people like Sarah Boucher enter the picture. She is president of the Student Government Association at Hallandale High School.
"Once a month, we have an SGA meeting that is open to any student," said Boucher, a senior from Davie. "We run many of the service projects here and organize events. Right now we are working on homecoming. Soon we will be organizing the beach cleanup and we will also be running a talent show. My goal is to encourage school spirit."
SGA and class officers take a leadership class at Hallandale High. There, they learn how to work on group projects and how to motivate others to work hard to achieve a goal.
The idea of playing a leadership role at Hallandale High appeals to Whitney Frazier, 17, of Hollywood. She is the historian of the senior class and is taking the leadership class for SGA officers and people who want to be more active. "This program gives me a chance to be a leader. I enjoy attending meetings and giving my input," she said.
Pedro Rivero, who serves as the SGA advisor at Hallandale High, said the program gives students a first chance at real leadership. "These students run most of the functions here," he said. "If they can motivate the rest of the school to follow them, they can achieve a higher level of success."
Mike Roland is a Volunteer Student Activities Liaison for the Broward County School System and advises school SGAs. Roland is a retired Broward educator who developed the concept of open student councils at Plantation High School.
"All sorts of studies show that students who are part of school activities achieve success later in life," Roland said. "They learn how to work together on projects and how to compromise with one another."
David Volz can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.org | <urn:uuid:90408172-7972-447a-9108-6de66725fb93> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2003-09-24/community/0309190580_1_school-spirit-leadership-class-sga | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962107 | 705 | 1.851563 | 2 |
Reviewing and Scoring Video Games
I've been considering writing a few game reviews for my blog, which inevitably leads to thinking about scoring systems. Assigning a concrete score to any creatively produced work isn't something to take lightly. If a grade is assigned, it naturally creates an aura of objectivity and carries the weight of perceived authority. In many cases, the grade assigned carries more weight than the content of the review itself. The final score also opens the critic to criticism as well. If the critic desires the air of authority that concrete scores engender, he must take as much responsibility for the score assigned as he does for the content of his review.
It is for all these reasons that a critic should think carefully about any scoring system that he adopts. It is vital that the system used is consistent with the critic's philosophy of judging the medium in question. For me, the act of assigning a score of some sort is important because I believe that works of art CAN be judged objectively. I wouldn't bother with criticism at all if I didn't feel that this was the case. The challenge is to devise a scoring system which is informative enough to allow readers with their own varying predilections to make their own interpretations of quality without sacrificing the objectivity and finality of assigning a 'final' score. It is difficult to do this with a single, one dimensional metric.
In the old days game magazines would rate games on graphics, sound, difficulty, etc. Breaking the score down to this level of granularity is problematic for a couple of reasons. First, I might not be an expert in every category I might determine is necessary to judge. I feel much more qualified to judge a game's graphical quality than I do its sound design, for example. Second, it is important for a critic to take a stand on excellence, to make a final judgment. A myriad of small judgments certainly doesn't carry the same weight as one definitive score. And finally, the metrics used to describe one work's greatness may not paint an accurate picture of another.
Speaking of video games specifically, academics in the field of game studies can be roughly divided into two different camps, the narrativists and the ludologists(the wikipedia entry for ludology has a brief description of the differences for the uninitiated). I have yet to see a game scoring metric which synthesizes the current academic discussion on games. Therefore, I am proposing the use of a system which consists of two scores, one measuring the game's excellence from a ludological perspective and the other rating the narrative as it applies to the game. For lack of better terminology I will refer to these as the L-Score and N-Score, respectively. I am personally more of a ludologist, but that doesn't obviate the importance of narrative elements. After all, people play games for different reasons.
The L-Score is the score which is most closely related to the uniqueness of the medium. I have argued before that games are different from art because they aren't simply admired, they are also played. It is the interactive nature of games which ludologists emphasize, and so one can think of the L-Score as a metric for gameplay and game design. Mechanics, systems, and level design are the key components measured by the L-Score.
If the L-Score is a measure of a game's design, then the N-Score is a measure of its artistic achievement. The narrative, in this case, is defined rather broadly. It consists of the game's music, writing, visual style, sound design, overall setting, etc. All of these factors influence the player's involvement in the game and are therefore important even if they don't have much of a direct impact on the actual gameplay.
There may be some overlap between the components measured by the L-Score and the N-Score. For instance, the sound design in a first person shooter may provide an increased level of information and awareness to the perceptive player. Such a feature could be considered relevant to both the N-Score and the L-Score. Likewise, in an exploration intensive RPG interesting environments may be necessary to realize the goals of the game's design, making those environments important from a design perspective as well as an artistic one. Despite any overlap between what is being measured by the two metrics, each metric is still able to stand on its own.
All games are scored relative to what they are trying to achieve, with the very highest scores reserved for true innovation. The traits that make a good RPG are simply quite different from those of an action game, and so the game's concept must of course be in mind when considering the quality of the game's design. Similarly, when judging a game's narrative it would be silly to expect the same level of exposition from a shmup as from an RPG. The narrative of a shmup is less about plot and more about evoking a certain feeling through music and visual presentation. Genres which are more narratively focused will in some ways be judged to a higher standard. The fact that many story-focused RPGs require 40+ hours to finish places a huge burden on developers to create a consistently strong narrative and interesting setting. A five stage shmup should not be punished for having less content(unless more content would make for a better shmup.)
There has been a lot of debate recently concerning game review scores, with several print magazines altering or eliminating their review scoring system(EGM and Play, respectively.) I believe the main reason for dissatisfaction with most current game review metrics is that they no longer accurately reflect gamers' increasingly sophisticated view of the medium. Games are simply more complex than other forms of consumer entertainment, and as video game consumers continue to become more sophisticated they will demand more sophistication from video game critics. The solution is for video game critics to draw from the emerging field of game studies. My proposed L/N scoring system is the first step toward applying game studies research to video game review scores. | <urn:uuid:8a6cfd99-069b-44fc-842d-a1cfd848cd61> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://taipeigamer.blogspot.com/2008/06/reviewing-and-scoring-videogames.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00063-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970611 | 1,226 | 1.523438 | 2 |
AUGUSTA, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- One day after a Canadian court ordered a temporary halt to protests by lobstermen in New Brunswick, lobster shipments from Maine are apparently back to normal. Maine Marine Resources Commissioner Pat Keliher says he believes all shipments arrived at New Brunswick processing plants on schedule, and without any interference.
The week-long protest in New Brunswick caused a lot of worry in Maine's lobster industry, and has renewed interest in expanding lobster processing here in Maine. Owners of two of the state's three major processors met with the Governor and his staff in Augusta today to talk about the need to expand processing.
The Governor wouldn't talk after that meeting, but Commissioner Keliher and the plant owners agreed the first step in expanding lobster business is to expand marketing of Maine lobster -- so more people will want to buy it. Keliher says the state won't be paying for the marketing, and that lobster fishermen are now talking about raising additional funds to provide the support for lobster promotion.
Both plant owners, Linda Bean of Linda Bean's Perfect Maine, and John Hathaway of Shucks Maine Lobster, said they don't want state government to subsidize processing companies, and say the Governor agreed with that. They also agreed that the industry needs to make those investments. But Bean suggested
There should be discussion of a tariff on imported Canadian processed lobster, because the Canadian government provides subsidies and other financial advantages to processors in that country. | <urn:uuid:24d68484-f8df-4d80-b4bc-d902bad5958a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wcsh6.com/rss/article/210278/2/Lobster-processors-meet-with-LePage | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961359 | 297 | 1.679688 | 2 |
Climategate was named after Watergate and like its namesake the cover up is amplifying the disgraceful behavior of the original disclosure. The most bizarre to date is the fact that the University of East Anglia hired Neil Wallis of Outside Organization to handle the fall out from the emails leaked from the Climatic Research Unit (CRU) in November 2009. Wallis, a former editor at the News of The World was arrested in connection with the phone hacking scandals that led to the resignation of London Metropolitan Police Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner as well as Andy Coulson, Prime Minister Cameron’s press secretary.
Phil Jones, CRU Director, advised the world and the police that their computers were hacked. This was important and possibly done on advice. Involving the police froze disclosure of information and implied a crime was committed. Calling it a hacking reinforced this with implication for future legal action. Reportedly, hacked material is not admissible in court, unlike information disclosed by a whistleblower. Apparently a special police unit was assigned, but nothing has emerged since. It is critical beyond the CRU because its members dominated and controlled the major portions of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Reports.
Few are aware that the first leak was to Paul Hudson, meteorologist reporter with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). He sat on the material for five weeks, likely concerned about the implications learned from previous interactions with the CRU gang. When Hudson, a former Met Office employee working at the BBC, wrote an article that questioned the CRU science Mann wrote,
We may do something about this on RealClimate, but meanwhile it might be appropriate for the Met Office to have a say about this, I might ask Richard Black what’s up here?
It appears Richard Black did speak to — and intimidate — Hudson, because he never released them. The “leaker” was apparently determined to have the material out before the Copenhagen Conference that planned to perpetuate the Kyoto Protocol. He sent them out through a Russian IP that reportedly prevented a trace. The BBC continues its biased work on the climate issue with attempts to “muzzle climate sceptics”.
The leaked emails triggered a shock wave reflecting the degree to which climate science was politicized; therefore, it required the top political spin-doctors. University spokesperson Trevor Davies said it was a “reputation management” problem, which he claimed they don’t handle well. Apparently, telling the truth was not considered.
George Monbiot of The Guardian actively sold the scientific rubbish produced by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) whose major scientists were members of the CRU. This makes his reaction more telling. He was shocked by the emails, and said,
…why was CRU’s response to this issue such a total car crash.
George, the answer is because they were deceiving you, the politicians, and the public. Meanwhile, you were attacking scientists who knew what was going on and dared out speak out.
The spin-doctors put in place two investigation panels that separated out the science and limited their investigation with terms of reference. The University of East Anglia (UEA) and Muir Russell both said the Lord Oxburgh inquiry would examine the science. At a press conference on February 11, 2010, Muir Russell said,
Our job is to investigate scientific rigor, the honesty, the openness and the due process of CRU’s approach as well as the other things in the remit and compliance with rules. It’s not our job to audit CRU’s scientific conclusions. That would require a different set of skills and resources.
The Lord Oxburgh investigation was doomed from the start.
A member of the House of Lords appointed to investigate the veracity of climate science has close links to businesses that stand to make billions of pounds from low-carbon technology.
The cover-up was easily detectable. Clive Crook, Senior editor of the The Atlantic, wrote a searing indictment of the whitewash.
I had hoped, not very confidently, that the various Climategate inquiries would be severe. This would have been a first step towards restoring confidence in the scientific consensus. But no, the reports make things worse. At best they are mealy-mouthed apologies; at worst they are patently incompetent and even wilfully wrong. The climate-science establishment, of which these inquiries have chosen to make themselves a part, seems entirely incapable of understanding, let alone repairing, the harm it has done to its own cause.
Worse, they concluded that what went on was within normal patterns of interchanges and activities between a group of scientists. It’s inconceivable that any reasonable person reading the emails can reach such a conclusion. Meanwhile, we still don’t know who leaked the material. The public is aware of the everyday behavior anomalies of the CRU group, but is still unaware of the extent of the problems with the climate science. Emeritus Professor Garth Paltridge said:
Basically, the problem is that the research community has gone so far along the path of frightening the life out of the man in the street that to recant publicly even part of the story would massively damage the reputation and political clout of science in general. And so, like corpuscles in the blood, researchers all over the world now rush in overwhelming numbers to repel infection by any idea that threatens the carefully cultivated belief in climatic disaster.
They’ve gone so far along the path because climate science was used to frighten people for a political agenda. But this is not surprising because the first IPCC Chairman, Sir John Houghton said,
Unless we announce disasters no one will listen.
That is why they used political operatives for the cover up that continues apace – and, like Watergate, will be their undoing. | <urn:uuid:fe9bc99c-df82-466d-9c96-9de658866c0d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://drtimball.com/2011/climategate-cover-up-continues-with-cru-hacking-saga/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970772 | 1,204 | 2.140625 | 2 |
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After serving more than a year in prison in his native Azerbaijan, pro-democracy activist Bakhtiyar Hajiyev MPP 2009 is once again a free man. Hajiyev was released from custody on June 2, on the eve of a visit to Baku by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
"My former Harvard classmates, Harvard community members, former colleagues and a group of young Azerbaijanis started a wide international campaign for my release," Hajiyev wrote. "My release would not have been possible without their extraordinary efforts."
The circumstances of Hajiyev's arrest and conviction remain nebulous, but several prominent human rights groups defended his actions and pressured the government to set him free.
Secretary of State Clinton met with Hajiyev at the U.S. Embassy in Baku on June 4, telling reporters that she hoped Hajiyev "will be able to continue his work without interference."
"Her decision to meet me two days after my release sent a message to Azerbaijani society that the United States of America stays committed to supporting democratic reforms," Hajiyev wrote. "I thanked her for her help and expressed my hope that positive, constructive approach to democratic reforms in Azerbaijan will have its results."
Hajiyev says that he tried to use his time in prison as constructively as possible.
"In our prison facility there were up to 800 inmates; most of them were uneducated and did not know their rights. I used my time to give them legal consultations, helped them to write their appeal applications," he wrote. "I've tried to continue my public service in prison as a prisoner and understood that when an individual is committed to public service, prison is also a great place to help others."
Under the terms of Hajiyev's release, he is to remain in Azerbaijan for the next nine months, during which time he plans to renew his pro-democracy efforts.
"I will continue my activism by motivating and mobilizing young leaders to build a strong civil society," he stated. "Our people deserve a democratic society and a democratic Azerbaijan will make a better partner for the free world."
Hajiyev says he remains committed to the goal of democratic reforms in his country.
"Azerbaijan is a great country with wonderful people. My country realizes huge energy projects, but we still need democratic and economic reforms for sustainable development. A new generation of young citizens of independent Azerbaijan will help to demand, push and realize these reforms. It is hard, it is risky, but we want to be on the right side of history," he wrote.
Hajiyev meets with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Baku on June 4
"I will continue my activism by motivating and mobilizing young leaders to build a strong civil society," Hajiyev stated. "Our people deserve a democratic society and a democratic Azerbaijan will make a better partner for the free world."
Hajiyev at Harvard Commencement, June 2009 | <urn:uuid:5b45e51a-52c5-4ac8-a8c8-5c68b422a8b4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.hks.harvard.edu/news-events/news/alumni/hajiyev-release | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00064-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.982335 | 621 | 1.648438 | 2 |
(CNN) -- Two of Paraguay's most important neighbors, Brazil and Uruguay, said Sunday they were pulling their ambassadors from the country in the wake of the impeachment of Paraguay's president.
Brazil's foreign ministry said the action was "due to the breakdown of democracy in Paraguay," and vowed to take up the impeachment with the regional blocs Mercosur and Unsur.
The moves follow the lightning-quick removal from office of President Fernando Lugo on Friday.
The impeachment procedures appear to have been carried out in accordance with the Paraguayan Constitution, but some Latin American presidents are calling it a coup d'etat and refuse to recognize the new president, Federico Franco.
Lugo went from president to disgraced leader in less than 48 hours.
The former Catholic bishop was unpopular with lawmakers, and many had concerns about his credibility after he he admitted to fathering at least two children while still in the priesthood. In all, four women claim they had babies by Lugo while he was bishop.
But nine days ago, there was no reason to believe that Lugo would find himself out of a job before his term ended in August 2013.
Then Paraguay impeached its president so fast that its neighbors needed a few days to figure out how to react.
By Sunday, Brazil and Uruguay were expressing deep concerns.
"The Brazilian government condemns the expedited removal" of the president, the foreign ministry said in a statement.
"The imposition of a new president under these conditions is not consistent with fundamental democratic practices that we must preserve in the region," the office of Uruguay's President Jose Mujica said via the foreign ministry.
There had been calls in the past for the impeachment of Lugo, but the scandals did not rock his position too much.
That changed on June 15, when police and landless peasants clashed in eastern Paraguay, resulting in 17 deaths.
Peasants fired on police who were trying to evict them from private property, initiating the deadly confrontation, local authorities and state-run media said.
The violence occurred in Curuguaty, a remote community about 240 kilometers (150 miles) northeast of the Paraguayan capital, Asuncion, near the Brazilian border.
In response to the incident, Lugo replaced his national police chief and interior minister. The country's liberal party, which backed Lugo, were incensed to learn that the new minister was from another party.
As the outcry over the deadly clash continued, the liberal party announced Thursday that it was withdrawing its support of Lugo, and an impeachment vote was heard in the lower chamber of congress that day. The vote in favor of impeachment was 76-1.
The next day, Lugo's defense team had two hours to defend Lugo from what it call vague charges of incompetence. The Senate impeached the president in a 39-4 vote.
That was it.
Lugo said Paraguayan history and democracy had been "deeply wounded."
Other Latin American countries expressed concern.
"If indeed it is recognized that the impeachment process happened according to the procedure established in the Paraguayan Constitution, Mexico considers that the process did not offer President Lugo the space and time for a proper defense," Mexico's foreign ministry said.
The presidents of Venezuela, Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador and the Dominican Republic said they will not recognize Franco's administration, and Argentina on Saturday withdrew its ambassador to Paraguay.
Brazil and Uruguay followed suit on Sunday.
Bolivia "will not recognize a government that does not rise from the ballot box and the will of the people," Bolivian President Evo Morales said.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said, "I have no doubt that President Fernando Lugo was not given a right to his defense, it happened from one day to the next, and the sentence was decided before the trial."
As of Friday night, not a single international leader had called him to congratulate him on his being sworn in as president, Franco told CNN en Español.
"Of course it worries me. I am aware that I am assuming the presidency in an unfavorable condition," he said.
Franco reiterated that the impeachment happened within the parameters of the constitution, and pointed to the large margins by which Lugo was voted out of office.
"It means that here we have a unanimous position. The Paraguayan people, I think, are satisfied with this decision," he said.
Despite the cold shoulder from neighboring countries, Franco said he will reach out and explain the legality of Lugo's ouster and seeks to have good international relations.
His goal is for Paraguay to be recognized internationally by the time he hands the government over to the next president next year, he said.
"I have the duty and the responsibility to initiate a process that the next government can continue," he said, especially when it comes to important domestic issues such as security and family agriculture.
Most of the countries opposed to Franco's presidency belong to the Union of South American Nations, known as UNASUR. The foreign ministers of that regional body were in Paraguay to study the issue.
The UNASUR ministers "have an attitude of respect for the sovereignty of Paraguay, but also an attitude of respect for democracy," Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff said.
Brazil is one of Paraguay's most important neighbors, and Rousseff declined to give a strong position one way or another over the recent events.
"From this situation I am sure there will be a consequence," is all she said.
In a news conference Saturday, Franco said he hopes relations with Brazil will remain "harmonious," according to Brazil's state-run Agencia Brasil news agency.
The United States also weighed in a more neutral manner.
"We urge all Paraguayans to act peacefully, with calm and responsibility, in the spirit of Paraguay's democratic principles," State Department spokeswoman Darla Jordan said. | <urn:uuid:20bd2ef4-c779-47a3-b1b8-f7ff3b346846> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wibw.com/home/internationalnews/headlines/Brazil_Uruguay_Pull_Envoys_After_Paraguay_Dumps_President_160173255.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977085 | 1,220 | 1.640625 | 2 |
According to St. Thomas, God is the author of the spiritual sense and the literal sense. In point of fact, St. Thomas suggests that the literal sense may signify more even than the human author comprehends, since even the literal sense relies primarily on that signification which God intends (ST I, q.1, a.10). Needless to say, the spiritual sense, it seems, always pertains exclusively to the divine intention and must always go beyond the comprehension of the human author whose powers are unable to signifying things with other things.
Yet, it may be questioned whether, in the case of a metaphor, the thing literally signified is the metaphorical object, the thing figured, or both. St. Thomas contends that the figure (the metaphorical object) is not that which is signified, but rather the thing figured is alone signified according to the literal sense. It must be remembered that metaphor is contained in the literal sense of the text—poetry and metaphor use words to signify things under figures, but this is still far short of signifying a thing with another thing.
St. Thomas’ fundamental teaching regarding the spiritual sense is that it is always founded upon the literal and proceeds from it (Quaestiones de quolibet VII, q.6, a.1). A second theme regarding the spiritual sense is that the truth signified by the spiritual sense in one place - insofar as that truth is necessary to the faith - is signified according to the literal sense in some other place (ST I, q.1, a.10). As the spiritual sense is always founded on the literal sense, so too any essential truth signified by the spiritual sense is also signified according to the literal sense of some other passage.
Most importantly, St. Thomas’ method of literal interpretation is marked by his careful study of each word of the text—each word is studied in itself, in relation to the rest of Scripture, and in relation to truth as presented more generally through science, philosophy, and theology. It is this focus on the meaning of each word which characterizes the literal interpretation of Scripture - since the literal sense is that by which the words themselves signify things.
In contrast to St. Thomas’ position, modern scholarship places the literal sense entirely in the intention of the human author. Thus, the literal sense is no longer directly associated with the manner in which words communicate truth, but rather with the intention of the human author of the text. Thus the Pontifical Biblical Commission in The Interpretation of the Bible in the Church defines the literal sense as follows: “... the precise meaning of the texts as produced by their authors...” (IBC, II, B. 1) Referring to “authors” in the plural, it is clear that the Commission intends the human authors and not the divine author - who is, in fact, the primary author. Moreover, this is made explicit when the Commission again defines the literal sense as “that which has been expressed directly by the inspired human author.” In what appears to be an after-thought, the Commission adds that “this sense is also intended by God.”
It is obvious that the Thomistic understanding is very different from the modern approach. For St. Thomas, the literal sense refers to the meaning of the words, which meaning is intended by God as the primary author. For modern Scripture studies, the literal sense is that meaning which the human author intends. Thus, much of what St. Thomas would classify as the literal sense (for example, many of the prophecies of the Old Testament are considered to literally refer to Christ), modern biblical scholarship would consider the “spiritual sense”. It seems difficult to reconcile this modern approach with the teaching of the fathers and doctors of the Church. | <urn:uuid:6fc072be-f3b7-401b-b76b-a93319111a72> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://newtheologicalmovement.blogspot.com/2010/02/literal-sense-of-scripture.html?showComment=1265890339675 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957053 | 787 | 2.953125 | 3 |
The Jewish Foundation for the Education of Women (JFEW) is devoted to the professional education of women. Rabbi Mychal B. Springer, director of the Center for Pastoral Education, says, “The Jewish Foundation for the Education of Women recognizes that chaplaincy is an under-developed branch of the rabbinate and cantorate and that many more women could become certified in this field with proper support. Their commitment to the students at JTS will be part of ensuring that people who are suffering will get the expert care they need and that the next generation of women rabbis will be able to become leaders in the field of pastoral care.”
The Center for Pastoral Education was established in 2009 with the goal of teaching seminary students—Jewish and non-Jewish—and rabbis and ordained clergy of all faiths the art of pastoral care. Accredited by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education as a satellite of New York-Presbyterian Hospital, the Center for Pastoral Education at JTS turns day treatment programs for the mentally ill, drug and alcohol rehabs, nursing homes, hospitals, and the housing of the homebound elderly into actual classrooms.
This is the second grant from the JFEW to JTS. Earlier this year, JFEW awarded JTS a one-year, $42,000 grant for stipends for women engaged in 2010 summer CPE programs.
JFEW is a private, nonsectarian organization that provides scholarships to women with financial need who live in the New York City area. JFEW has been supporting women in attaining their educational goals and becoming economically independent for almost 130 years. JFEW helps women of all backgrounds and all ages. | <urn:uuid:9c2772ee-a135-4206-879c-3b318d7421ff> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.jtsa.edu/News/Press_Releases/JFEW_Grant_to_CPE.xml | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962848 | 347 | 1.84375 | 2 |
Headquartered at Hubli
, South Western Railways is a part of Indian Railways. It serves Karnataka
and parts of Tamil Nadu
, Andhra Pradesh
. It covers 3,074 kilometers of rail. About 395 major and minor stations, including halt stations, come under the South Western Railways. Facilities provided by the railways include tourist information centers, computerized reservation system and interlocking system.
The main freight centers of the South Western Railways are Hospet, Bangalore,
Mandya and Mysore. The main railway stations under the administrative control of South Western Railways are Bangalore City Junction Railway Station, Hospet Junction Railway Station, Mysore Junction Railway Station and Vasco Da Gama Railway Station. Many areas that fall under this service oriented organization are popular tourist destinations. | <urn:uuid:9c747b67-d31a-4eae-8756-fff3b53499af> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.india9.com/i9show/-Karnataka/Bellary/South-Western-Railways-51265.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.921349 | 164 | 1.6875 | 2 |
Drawing from nature
11 October 2006
Rich in archaeology, geology, history, royalty and wildlife - trying to capture all the features of Holyrood Park in one piece of artwork could prove decidedly tricky. However, each element does fuel the artistic imagination, and on Sunday October 15, visitors will be invited to utilise their creative talents and take part in ‘Big Draw Nature’ at Holyrood Park Education centre, an event which is part of the nationwide Big Draw weekend.
From 10.00am – 2.00pm, visitors will work with local artist, Jessica Lloyd Jones creating drawings and sculptures using the volcanic rock in Holyrood Park as their inspiration. A variety of different art techniques will be used to create the volcanoes, so visitors should come prepared to erupt with ideas!
Bob Tevendale, Interpretation Officer for Historic Scotland, "The Park is a favourite landscape for both local people and visitors, a real treasure in the heart of our city. Artists often come to draw here, not just because it is peaceful, but because the landscape is really varied and interesting.
The Park’s link with a volcanic past gave our artist the inspiration to concentrate on this theme. People are always interested and fascinated in volcanoes, and so we are sure they will enjoy creating their own!"
Holyrood Park ‘Big Draw Nature’ is on Sunday 15 October, between 10.00am and 2.00pm. The event is free and suitable for the whole family.
Also this Sunday, rangers at Holyrood Park will be taking visitors on a journey into the wild! Meeting at 1.00pm, and suitable for adults and older children, ‘Holyrood’s Harvest’ is a guided walk looking at wild plants and their uses. A great way to get out on a Sunday and discover what nature’s harvest has to offer – it beats Sunday dinner any day! The walk lasts around two hours and places can be booked at 0131 652 8150.
Notes for editors
- ‘Big Draw Nature’ is on Sunday 15 October, from 10.00am - 2.00pm in Holyrood Park Education Centre. Entry is free.
- The Big Draw weekend is designed to encourage more people to get involved with art. To find out more visit www.thebigdraw.org.uk .
- Other Historic Scotland sites staging events open to the public as part of The Big Draw are Stirling Castle, Skara Brae and Fort George.
- ‘Holyrood’s Harvest’ is a separate event also on Sunday 15 October 2006. This guided walk with a Historic Scotland Ranger starts at Dunsapie Car Park at 1.00pm and will take around two hours. Visitors are advised to wrap up warm and wear stout footwear. Places can be booked at 0131 652 8150.
- One of Edinburgh’s most famous and popular historic landmarks, Holyrood Park encompasses a 5-mile radius of land and has probably been a Royal Park since the 12th century.
- Holyrood Park is in the care of Historic Scotland which is responsible for maintaining the natural environment and presenting the Park for the enjoyment of the local community and visitors. The Ranger Service based at Holyrood cares for this unique historic and natural attraction and provides a range of important educational services.
- Historic Scotland cares for 345 splendid properties and sites throughout Scotland – from prehistoric dwellings and stone circles, to castles and palaces, abbeys and cathedrals. | <urn:uuid:3ad224be-9348-42cf-916e-e98d76c65c94> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/largertext/news_search_results.htm/news_article.htm?articleid=17641 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942413 | 734 | 2.171875 | 2 |
BEIJING, June 15 (Xinhuanet)
-- China is attempting to list its centuries-old folklore
story "The Butterfly Lovers", also known as "China's Romeo and Juliet", as
intangible world heritage, with a formal application expected to be
submitted to UNESCO in 2006, CRIENGLISH.com reported Monday.
The plan was announced at a meeting concluded last
Saturday in Ningbo city with representatives from six Chinese cities claiming to
be the place of origin of the "Butterfly Lovers" story.
The most popular love story in China tells the legend
of two 4th century Chinese lovers who could not marry due to different family
backgrounds. After the hero dies of a broken heart, the heroine leaps on his
grave and the two turn into a butterfly couple after their deaths.
For centuries, the story has been adapted into
traditional operas, movies and TV plays. A modern concerto adapted from the
story has now become a music classic repeatedly played by world-class masters. | <urn:uuid:699081d5-d381-4c46-b8ce-395238d424c4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-06/15/content_1526831.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00041-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956003 | 218 | 2.453125 | 2 |
UNAIDS launches "Believe it. Do it." action campaign to help end new HIV infections among children by 2015
GENEVA, 8 May 2012—The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) today launched a new campaign, "Believe it. Do it.", aimed at bringing attention and action to the global goal of ending new HIV infections among children by 2015 and ensuring mothers living with HIV remain healthy.
Each year, about 390 000 children become newly infected with HIV and as many as 42 000 women living with HIV die from complications relating to HIV and pregnancy.
In 2011, world leaders at the United Nations High Level Meeting on AIDS committed to ending new HIV infections among children by 2015 and saving mothers’ lives. A bold new global plan was adopted and action is underway.
“We have an amazing opportunity to change the world,” said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “We have the commitment of world leaders but the clock is ticking and we cannot get from 390 000 to zero without you.”
UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassadors Naomi Watts and Annie Lennox are among the personalities adding their voices and commitment to “Believe it. Do it.” In addition, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Whoopi Goldberg joined Blair Underwood, Denis O’Hare, Alexandra Wentworth, George Stephanopoulos and Sujean Rim to create a public service announcement for the campaign with the message “I believe children everywhere can be born free from HIV—Believe it. Do it.”
Under the premise that ‘every day is Mother’s Day!’ UNAIDS also teamed up with artist Sujean Rim to create a series of e-cards celebrating families. Through public service announcements, an interactive web site and social media outreach, the campaign asks the public to take three simple actions:
- Get the facts about ending new HIV infections among children
- Send a message about the issue and the actions people can all take
- Support a mother through one of the great organizations working with families
The campaign will be featured ahead of Mother’s Day on 11 May on the American morning television show Good Morning America and the 30-second public service announcement will appear on CNN International, CNN Domestic (U.S. market) as well as other media outlets.
For more information visit http://www.unaids.org/believeitdoit/ | <urn:uuid:0b4800e2-0a04-4bd5-bee6-bd47cd800e55> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://unaids.org/en/resources/presscentre/pressreleaseandstatementarchive/2012/may/20120508prmothersdayeverydaycampaign/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.930122 | 509 | 2.390625 | 2 |
The concept of the runner's high has been around forever, but the New York Times is reporting that, for the first time, scientists have validated the claimed euphoria that follows a run.
Researchers in Germany, using advances in neuroscience, report in the current issue of the journal Cerebral Cortex that the folk belief is true: Running does elicit a flood of endorphins in the brain. The endorphins are associated with mood changes, and the more endorphins a runner's body pumps out, the greater the effect.
Of course, the real runner's high euphoria is more likely to come with more intense, longer workouts, but I can guarantee running a marathon should get you there. If you've been trying to motivate yourself to get out and run more, the idea of chasing that runner's high might help. If you've got firsthand experience with the runner's high, let's hear about it in the comments. | <urn:uuid:582e6e86-4275-45e5-8720-3b2eff2b88fb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://lifehacker.com/373017/running-for-the-high | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00055-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961465 | 189 | 2.34375 | 2 |
Year after year, Singapore is one of the most prime and thriving economy’s in Greater Asia. Given its centrally situated geographic location, Singapore possesses a competitive economy for investments, as well as numerous business opportunities for a vast variety of service industries. If your company is considering doing business in Singapore, an understanding of the Singapore’s employment and labor laws are essential.
In Singapore, the Employment Act, the Industrial Relations Act, and the Retirement Act are the three key statutes governing employment law. Additionally, other statutes, include, Trade Unions Act, Trade Disputes Act, Work Injury Compensation Act, Retirement Age Act, Workplace Safety and Health Act, Central Provident Fund Act, the Factories Act, and Employment of Foreign Manpower Act. In the absence of relevant statutory authority, common law applies and English cases are highly regarded and persuasive in Singapore.
Who Is Covered Under the Employment Act:
The Employment Act covers every employee (regardless of nationality) who is under a “Contract of Service” with an employer, except (1) persons employed in a managerial or executive position, (2) seamen, (3) domestic workers, and (4) persons employed by a Statutory Board or the Government.
In establishing a workforce in Singapore, the biggest area for a company is determining if an employee falls within a “managerial or executive” position. Positions regarded as “professional positions” or requiring and necessitating specialized training, skills, and knowledge (e.g. accountants, doctors, dentists, lawyers) are deemed to be in a managerial or executive position. However, with the exception of high level executives, the majority of business positions fall within a gray area. As a rule of thumb, managers and executives are defined as employees with executive or supervisory function, which include the: (a) authority to make decisions or influence issues of recruitment, hiring, discipline, termination, assessment of performance; (b) involvement in the formulation of strategies and policies of the company or enterprise, or (c) the involvement in overall operations and management of the company or enterprise. Depending on the position (e.g. lower level managers, executives), the specific duties and responsibilities engaged by the company to perform, and the salary negotiated, a position can be deemed partially covered by the Employment Act and partially not covered. Therefore, if a position falls within a gray area, it is ideal to consult with an attorney to make an educated and well-informed decision before proceeding to ensure compliance with Singaporean laws, including statutory law as well as case law.
What Is A Contract of Service?
In Singapore, a Contract of Service is an agreement, oral or written, that provides the terms and conditions of employment. A Contract of Service ideally must include certain information, including: (1) commencement of employment; (2) job title and scope; (3) hours of work; (4) benefits; (5) termination; and (6) code of conduct. It is noteworthy that any terms or condition less favorable than the provisions required under the Employment Act is considered illegal, null and void, and the Employment Act takes precedence over any particular contractual term or provision that is less favorable.
Firstly, the Contract of Service should at the very least state the commencement of employment or the employment period if possible. If an employee accepts a job offer agrees to a Contract of Service, but fails to appear for work, the Employment Act does not apply because the length of an employee’s service is calculated from the date on which the employee commences work and not the date of confirming acceptance. Secondly, the Contract of Service should state the specific appointment, meaning the job title and job scope describing the duties and responsibilities. For best business practice, the more detail in this provision the better for the employer to ensure effective communication with the employee, and for purposes of evaluating performance and termination due to substandard performance. Thirdly, the Contract of Service should state the hours of work, the probationary period (if any), and remuneration. Fourthly, the Contract of Service should detail the employee’s benefits (e.g. sick leave, annual leave, maternity leave). Employers should be mindful that maternity leave is highly regarded in Singapore and employers must comply with the well codified requirements under the Employment Act. Fifth, the Contract of Service should state the method in termination of the employment relationship and also state the notice period required. Lastly, but not least, an ideal Contract of Service explains the code of conduct expected from the employee (e.g. punctuality, performance, professionalism in the work place, etc.). A provision explaining that misconduct (e.g. dishonesty, theft, disorderly or immoral conduct, willful subordination, etc.) will be investigated thoroughly, and disciplinary action up to termination can and will be effectuated, should be included.
The employer may terminate a Contract of Service without waiting the notice period to expire by paying the other party a sum equal to the salary that would have been earned by the employee during the required notice period. Contracts that require employees to pay a monetary amount (in addition to notice pay) to the employer for terminating the contract are not governed by the Employment Act, and civil court remedies must be sought to determine the outcome. Employers must be mindful that an employee may terminate an employment relationship with justification without giving notice if the employer (1) fails to pay the employee’s salary within seven (7) days after salary is due or (2) if the employee is called upon to engage in work activities outside the scope of the terms of the contract.
What Is the Difference Between Contract of Service vs. Contract for Service?
In Singapore, there is a clear and distinct difference between a Contract of Service and a Contract for Service. A Contract of Service (as described above) is an agreement whereby a person is employed and agrees to serve his employer as an employee, and the employer contributes to the Central Provident Fund and provides the employee with benefits (.e. sick leave, annual leave, etc.).
A Contract for Service, however, is comparable to circumstances when a person is engaged as an independent contractor. As such, the person is a self-employed person or outside vendor engaged for a fee to perform and carry out an assignment(s) or task(s) or project(s) for the company. Under such a work arrangement, there is no employer-employee relationship, and the person is not covered under the Employment Act. To determine if a Contract of Service or a Contract for Service applies, companies need to take into consideration the degree of control over the person’s performance of work, ownerships of factors of production (e.g. tools, equipment, work place, materials, etc.) and economic considerations (e.g. if the person is engaged in business for the company or for his/her own account). It is ideal to consult with an attorney to make an educated and well-informed decision before proceeding to ensure compliance with a Contract of Service or a Contract for Service.
What Laws on Employment Discrimination Are Applicable in Singapore?
The only type of employment discrimination codified in Singapore is with regard to age. The Retirement Age Act prohibits dismissals of any employee who is below the retirement age of 62 on the grounds of age. Unlike the Employment Act, the provisions of the Retirement Act applies to all employees including executives, managers, and professionals. Any employer found liable for age discrimination is held liable for a civil fine and potential imprisonment.
Although Singapore does not have equal opportunities legislation codified for other protected categories (e.g. gender, race, etc.) or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, its Constitution provides for entitlement to equal protection under the law and that their should be no discrimination based on religion, race, descent or place of birth. As a result, although rare but increasing, challenges can be brought under constitutional grounds. Under these circumstances, civil courts look to English law for constructive guidance and permit moral persuasion. Based on Singapore’s work-friendly culture and it’s extremely low unemployment rate, it is essential for companies to ensure a respectful and fair work environment in order to prosper in Singapore’s economic and business climate.
Are Contract of Service Employer Friendly?
Companies engaging in Singapore’s thriving business economy must keep in mind that the employer-employee relationship is governed by the Contract of Service. Case law demonstrates that the Contract of Service has more weight then employee handbooks or other materials detailing company policies and procedures. Hence, the Contract of Service is essential in employing and managing employees effective. If implemented and utilized properly, Contracts of Service can be an effective tool in building your global workforce and enhancing productivity in Singapore. | <urn:uuid:9f9c4ea8-ffeb-4d54-b1d2-0f9fdf620209> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/how-to-establish-a-spectacular-global-wo-48695/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941882 | 1,786 | 2.109375 | 2 |
Question: What do the Euro 2012 football tournament, ABBA and
Queen Elizabeth II have in common?
Just ahead of the Euro 2012 and the Olympic Games, the European Audiovisual Observatory has just released its latest IRIS plus report entitled:
Exclusive rights and short reporting
Author Peter Matzneller of the Saarbrücken-based Institute for European Media Law (EMR), opens his lead article by underlining the increased revenues from the grant of transmission rights by organisations such as the FIFA. Indeed, the sale of World Cup transmission rights generated 84 million EUR in 1998, a figure which rose to 1.79 billion EUR in 2010.
Moving on to look at barriers to exclusive rights in EU law, the author explains that EU legislation prevents the sale of exclusive transmission rights for this type of content on three levels. Firstly, basic EU competition law forbids the granting of an entire package of rights to only one provider. Secondly, the principle of the free movement of services (Articles 56 ff. TFEU) can lead to restrictions on granting exclusive territorial licences. And lastly, the revision of the AVMSD in 2007 obliges member states to ensure that for the purpose of short news reports any television broadcaster has access to events of high interest to the public that are transmitted on an exclusive basis.
Matzneller then goes on to examine the provisions of European law relating to the right to short reporting. He explains that the right to short reporting is enshrined in the law of the Council of Europe, to be more precise in the European Convention on Transfrontier Television (ECTT), and in the law of the European Union, namely the AVMSD. He then provides a useful summary of the main provisions of both legal instruments before looking at the transposition and application of the provisions of European law in European states. This detailed, country by country analysis takes in parameters such as the definition of an “event” which is “of high public interest” (and therefore concerned by the right to short reporting), questions of cross-border access, what constitutes a “short extract” or indeed a “general news programme” during which they may be broadcast.
The author concludes that “in the great majority of the countries studied, no significant problems or disputes are detectable regarding the practical application of the right to short reporting, which leads to the conclusion that there is trouble-free co-operation between licensees and broadcasters reporting on events.” However, Matzneller notes an increasing tendency of broadcasters to favour the short reporting of events for which they hold the exclusive rights and concludes that “this practice may essentially be due to competition interests: on the one hand, they create a desire in their own audience to view their “own” sport and, on the other hand, they avoid arousing any interest in a sports event broadcast by a competitor.”
The related reporting section of this new report covers the transposition of the AVMSD into the legislation of countries such as Slovenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and the UK territory of Gibraltar. This chapter also reports on detail on the adoption of short reporting legislation in France, Belgium, Austria and Italy.
The final Zoom section provides an invaluable table of references to the relevant national legal text concerning short reporting of events deemed to be of high public interest in 36 countries as well as an overview table of the provisions contained in each national text.
Just before the summer of sport is upon us – what do we actually have the right to watch on television? And who says so? And why…?
Journalists, for a free press copy of this publication, please contact:
Alison Hindhaugh, Information and Press Officer, Tel.: +33 (0) 3 90 21 60 10 - E-mail: email@example.com
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To take out a subscription to IRIS plus or purchase an individual issue, click here or contact firstname.lastname@example.org.
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email@example.com - firstname.lastname@example.org | <urn:uuid:1af318fe-a47d-43bf-b03e-c9effff67335> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.obs.coe.int/about/oea/pr/irisplus2012-4.html.en | 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 | 0.919208 | 906 | 2.0625 | 2 |
Mad World: Rule the (Hot) Air
Verizon doesn't exactly have a reputation for being an organization that's empowering its users. After all, it is Verizon that's leading the fight against net neutrality, which would amount to an Internet that is basically the opposite of user-friendly. Perhaps that's why they've launched a new ad campaign designed to convince us that, through powerful transmitters, Verizon is on our side in the fight against prejudice. (I know, right?)
This campaign is worth discussing for many reasons. First of all, it's clearly hypocritical, since Verizon's whole jam lately has been to try and take control away from users by fighting net neutrality. Second, the slogan here, "Rule the air," just flat-out doesn't make sense. Are they trying to sell us air? Aren't we technically supposed to own those already? (I get that they are selling cell phones, obviously, but I still don't like the slogan.) Third, this campaign is co-opting the tenets of feminism and other social justice movements in order to get us to equate Verizon's cell reception with fighting oppression. Notice the use of anti-oppression rhetoric about fighting prejudice and refusing to be silenced—what exactly does this have to do with cell phones, again?
This whole "empower yourself by embracing our brand" idea is nothing new, of course. (If you want to read more on that topic, Naomi Klein's No Logo includes a great discussion about the way big corporations appropriate rebellion in order to increase customer loyalty.) However, Verizon is taking things to a level of faux-empowerment I've rarely seen. Their billboards feature women and people of color, and include language about being powerful and strong. I couldn't find the one I've seen on I-5 that shows a young black woman shouting, but I did find this one on the right so that you could see what I mean. See? She's a young, strong, Latina woman who is exercising her right to express herself... by using a Verizon cell phone. You know, the very company who is trying to rig things so that people like her have to pay more for better Internet access.
Another aspect of this campaign that irks me—and probably makes it more effective, sadly—is the interactivity. Not only does Verizon want you to associate self-expression and empowerment with their particular brand of corporate cell phones, they are cementing that association by encouraging you to "create your own signal." Develop a signal as unique as you are and share it with the world, reads the copy. Then you are encouraged to upload a photo of yourself and choose one of several pre-written "unique" taglines to accompany the photo. The end result looks something like this screenshot (I used a photo of my dog Edith, who doesn't care much for cell phones):
Again, this type of rhetoric is not surprising. However, the fact that this particular campaign is coming from Verizon, and that it appears to be targeting mainly marginalized populations (people of color, women, young people) makes it stand out even in the sea of corporatized "empowerment." Does Verizon think that if they appeal to people who long to have the freedom to express themselves without prejudice that they can make us forget that they are working to take those freedoms away? Also, why are they trying to sell us air? If air is truly free, why do we need Verizon to market it to us? I think the answer is simple: we don't.
This project was made possible in part by a grant from Oregon Humanities (OH), a statewide nonprofit organization and an independent affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, which funds OH's grant program.
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anonymous (not verified) | <urn:uuid:9fba064b-907a-4c52-8b46-6b7979d4d228> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://bitchmagazine.org/post/mad-world-rule-the-air | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971565 | 816 | 1.625 | 2 |
Dr. Eric Page, University of San Diego
"Infused Photonic Crystal Fibers: Using Light to Investigate Cancer-Linked Proteins"
Abstract: The interaction of light with biological systems and materials is a vibrant field which has shown strong and sustained growth over the last two decades. Our lab focuses on this interaction in photonic crystal fibers (PCFs), a new class of optical fiber containing a large number of small, symmetric holes running the length of the fiber. Protein solutions are infused into the holes of the PCFs, and the output spectra and laser modes are investigated to learn about the infused protein state. Currently, we are exploring tumor suppressor protein p53, a protein known to be important in many types of cancer. This talk will focus on the background of optical fibers in biological physics, our current work with p53, and especially how undergraduate students are driving and involved in this research.
Biography: Dr. Eric Page is currently an Assistant Professor of Physics and director of the Biophysics Program at the University of San Diego (USD). Dr. Page completed his undergraduate degrees in Physics and Humanities and Arts (Music) at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts, and his Ph.D. in Physics at the University of Rochester in New York. His thesis work focused on the interaction of light with gravity using optical fibers, as well as some work in Physics Education Research. At USD, Dr. Page has continued work in both optical physics and physics education, with biological optics research based on the detection of protein states in infused photonic crystal fibers and education work in epistemology and Web 2.0 applications to physics education. | <urn:uuid:c24a73f5-e2ea-4751-8f9f-13e262dd1fc3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.uscga.edu/academics2.aspx?id=266&ekfxmen_noscript=1&ekfxmensel=eeb11f836_38_79 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00059-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948281 | 338 | 1.960938 | 2 |
Horseshoe crabs were misnamed centuries ago, when mariners thought the odd creatures' sloped shells resembled horse's feet.
Related to Long-Extinct Trilobites
But horseshoe crabs aren't actually crabs. They're chelicerates, the zoological classification that includes spiders, scorpions and mites. In fact, the 500 million-year-old animal is more closely related to long-extinct trilobites than to any living creature.
Horseshoe crabs can walk along the sea bottom on six pairs of legs, or swim upside down or right side up depending on where they're trying to go.
Schaller is here because Shipyard Point boasts the world's most northerly breeding population of the creatures. The Taunton Bay group is tiny compared to the hundreds of thousands of horseshoe crabs massing on the beaches of Cape Cod and Delaware Bay this month, but that's what makes it an ideal research site. The small population creates the possibility that every individual animal can be tagged and studied.
Horseshoe crabs are rare in Maine because the Atlantic is so cold and the rocky coastline provides few of the shallow, sandy estuaries in which they prefer to spawn, Schaller said.
Last summer, she visited 15 such pockets of horseshoe crab habitat scattered throughout the central and south coast of Maine. With the help of more than 70 volunteers, she began to count individuals and was surprised at the size and health of Maine's population. At the Damariscotta Mills site, 275 crabs were spotted on a single day.
"As you walk along, you don't necessarily see lots of animals, but there are more than we thought," she said.
Crabs Tagged With Plastic Markers
Taunton Bay is the only site where survey animals are being tagged, by drilling a small hole in the shell's outer edge and attaching a plastic marker. More than 1,300 crabs were so identified last summer.
Schaller believes the population could be much larger. Only a quarter of the animals counted this summer sported the bright yellow research tags.
"We're not getting a lot of returns, and we don't know where they're going," she said.
This year's survey was reduced from 15 to seven key sites, because funding from the Maine Outdoor Heritage Program was not renewed. Funded or not, Schaller hopes to continue the survey indefinitely, and answer some of the big questions about horseshoe crabs that have confounded researchers for decades.
Schaller, a former U.S. Fish and Wildlife biologist, has already proved that horseshoe crabs possess the rare ability to regenerate lost body parts in a manner similar to starfish.
In Massachusetts, Delaware and even southern Maine, horseshoe crabs are in high demand as bait in eel pot fisheriesa U.S. $70 million business according to the Atlantic Marine Fisheries Commission.
The crabs are also harvested for their blood, a valuable commodity for medical researchers. A substance extracted from horseshoe crab blood is used in hospitals to detect the presence of bacteria in biomedical equipment.
Commercial harvesters have generally overlooked eastern Maine's small, scattered populations.
Fishing regulations are virtually unheard of, and federal research suggests that larger horseshoe crab populations may be in decline. However, the knowledge of a horseshoe crab's life history, which would be essential for drafting good regulations, just doesn't exist.
With her living laboratory in Taunton Bay, and the ongoing efforts of local volunteers, Schaller hopes to provide that key information.
"It's a backwater kind of place that people don't value, but for wildlife and for fisheries, it's one of the treasures of the coast of Maine," said Steve Perrin, a Bar Harbor naturalist and president of the Friends of Taunton Bay conservation group. "It's kind of an honor to have such an ancient being come here and choose this bay."
Copyright 2002 Bangor Daily News | <urn:uuid:74e43ff5-08dc-4399-bfac-89330bad034e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/06/0621_020621_wirehorseshoecrab_2.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949945 | 832 | 3.65625 | 4 |
Feinstein Desert Bill Attempts to Reconcile Landscape Protection, Clean Energy
New York Times
When Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) announced a sweeping desert preservation bill last month, it garnered national attention for placing nearly 1 million acres of Mojave Desert off-limits to development -- a move that some believe would derail a dozen proposed solar-power projects.
But a close reading of the "California Desert Protection Act" reveals a nuanced piece of legislation that includes several proposals to encourage renewable energy in the Mojave Desert and across the Southwest.
Among them is a mandate that the Defense Department review several million acres of military lands in California, Arizona and Nevada, and identify suitable sites where wind farms, solar arrays and other renewable resources could be developed. The Pentagon would then conduct environmental impact statements to ensure projects move quickly through the permitting process.
The bill would also require the Bureau of Land Management, the largest federal land management agency with 253 million acres in its portfolio, to locate parcels suitable for renewable energy development, giving the agency 12 months from the date the bill is enacted to complete the task. The Forest Service, which oversees 193 million acres, must complete a similar effort in 18 months.
The bill would also attempt to break up the logjam of pending renewable-energy project permits, particularly in California, by setting firm deadlines for project applicants to conduct feasibility and environmental studies or risk having their lease thrown out.
The aim is to not only speed up renewable energy development but place projects in locations that do not create environmental harm or disrupt recreational activities, officials familiar with the legislation said.
In a strongly worded statement announcing the bill's introduction Dec. 21, Feinstein said the federal government "has failed to focus wind and solar development on appropriate lands where it can be readily permitted," and she criticized BLM for being "slow to direct development towards disturbed lands or to discourage proposals on lands acquired for the purpose of conservation."
Feinstein added, "Bottom line: the permitting process is broken. It is not facilitating solar and wind development where it belongs. This legislation intends to fix that."
Yet the bill has been widely perceived as having a chilling effect on solar-power development in the California desert, which contains some of the best solar resources in the nation. BLM is currently reviewing applications for 120 solar and wind-power projects in the region. About a dozen of those projects would be scrapped under Feinstein's bill.
The Solar Energy Industries Association declined to comment on the legislation, saying officials still had not fully evaluated the sprawling bill. But Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a national environmental activist and partner with a venture capital firm that has invested in solar energy, told The New York Times last month that the Mojave Desert area in question "is arguably the best solar land in the world" and that Feinstein "shouldn't be allowed to take this land off the table without a proper and scientific environmental review."
One project in the cross hairs of Feinstein's bill was a proposal by Houston-based Tessera Solar on roughly 12,000 acres of the Mojave that would be placed off limits to development. The company cancelled the project early last month, "partially in response in what we anticipated the senator might do," said Sean Gallagher, Tessera's vice president for market strategy and regulatory affairs.
However, the company has two other solar projects planned for sites outside Feinstein's proposed conservation area totaling 1,600 megawatts -- enough to power nearly 500,000 homes. Construction on those projects could begin later this year, according to Gallagher.
And even though Tessera opted to ditch one piece of its Mojave development plan as a result of the bill's protected area requirements, Gallagher said his firm remains optimistic about other aspects of the bill. "We do think some of the provisions ... that are intended to speed renewables development do look promising," he said.
BLM has conducted inventories of suitable sites for wind and geothermal power projects and is in the middle of a detailed study of 24 "solar study zones" in six Western states that should help identify the best locations for industrial-scale solar plants, said John Dearing, a BLM spokesman in Sacramento.
Carl Zichella, director of Western renewable programs for the Sierra Club in Sacramento, said Feinstein's bill is another example of the federal government pushing to develop renewable energy the right way.
"Fusing the conservation and renewable energy development together makes it a little awkward, but this is a real attempt at balance," Zichella said.
Vast potential on military lands
One priority of the Feinstein bill is to identify the renewable energy potential on the 25 million acres overseen by the Defense Department, including significant desert acreage in California, Nevada and Arizona. DOD would then conduct a blanket environmental impact statement (EIS) for parcels in those three states.
The overall goal is to identify "zones where renewable energy production is in the public interest and where environmental approval of renewable energy projects can be expedited," according to the bill summary.
Jerry Hansen, the Army's senior energy executive, said last month that the Army has already issued a directive that each base perform surveys to identify areas that are suitable to support renewable energy projects. And the Defense Department has a goal to produce 25 percent of its power needs from renewable energy sources by 2025 (Land Letter, Dec. 3, 2009).
To meet that goal, the Pentagon has embarked on several recent major renewables projects, including a 500-megawatt concentrated solar facility at Fort Irwin, near Barstow, Calif., in the high Mojave Desert. The $1.5 billion project is a joint venture with Clark Energy Group and Acciona Solar Power and could be producing at full capacity by 2022, according to the Army.
Industry observers and government regulators regard the use of military land as critical to achieving the dramatic expansion of renewable energy being pushed by the Obama administration. The reason is simple: Military sites, particularly in California and Nevada, "have thousands of disturbed acres which cannot be used for training and may be good places for renewable energy development," according to the bill summary.
As a result, the Pentagon could help resolve what has become the leading obstacle to expanding renewable energy -- opposition to the siting of power plants in sensitive or pristine landscapes.
"By requiring the military to evaluate the impacts of a program to develop its solar resource, the legislation ensures that all available public lands are properly considered for renewable energy development," Feinstein told Congress last month.
Responsible renewable development
The Feinstein bill also calls for expanding transmission infrastructure needed to move electricity from remote wind farms and solar arrays to population centers where the power is needed.
The bill calls for establishing loan guarantees and grants to develop "new technologies" that allow for the expansion of electric transmission capacity "without requiring the permitting and construction of massive new towers," according to the bill summary.
The Obama administration has made the upgrade and expansion of tens of thousands of miles of transmission lines a centerpiece of its plans to expand the use of renewable energy. Six-and-a-half billion dollars provided under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is aimed at providing tax breaks and other incentives to build out the infrastructure necessary to move that "green power" from rural production areas to market.
Most of the nation's high-voltage transmission lines have operated for decades with relatively little maintenance or upgrades, and many were never designed to transport electricity over great distances. Federal officials and industry experts say that transmission projects currently in the development pipeline will carry an additional 13,000 megawatts of electricity across the region by 2018, enough to power more than 10 million homes.
But, as with the siting of the renewable energy projects themselves, finding suitable places to build transmission lines has been a major problem.
The grants and guaranteed loans referenced in Feinstein's bill would aid in the development of underground transmission lines, reducing impacts to sensitive species like the greater sage grouse and alleviating the visual punch of large transmission projects in certain pristine locations.
One problem is that underground transmission technology remains very expensive. An alternative approach -- developing high-tech power lines that could carry additional electricity along existing rights-of-way -- also needs more development, officials close to the legislation said.
According to the bill summary: "By providing support for these innovations, grants and loan guarantees would help prove these emerging technologies in a cost effective public-private partnership." | <urn:uuid:79bc04ae-3e7b-4b2c-9be5-9548e2ae0a22> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://votesmart.org/public-statement/477392/new-york-times-feinstein-desert-bill-attempts-to-reconcile-landscape-protection-clean-energy | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940604 | 1,703 | 2.0625 | 2 |
News tagged with parenting styles
When is it time for parents to back away? A new study shows that college students with overcontrolling parents are more likely to be depressed and less satisfied with their lives. This so-called helicopter parenting style ...
Psychology & Psychiatry Feb 12, 2013 | not rated yet | 0
Being a good partner may make you a better parent, according to a new study. The same set of skills that we tap to be caring toward our partners is what we use to nurture our children, researchers found.
Psychology & Psychiatry Dec 07, 2012 | 5 / 5 (1) | 0 |
Fostering independence and life skills: For children with developmental disabilities, parenting style matters
(Medical Xpress)—Positive parenting can be particularly effective in helping young children with developmental disabilities become more independent and cooperative, a Brigham Young University study found.
Psychology & Psychiatry Nov 13, 2012 | 4 / 5 (2) | 0
A study by researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and The University of Minnesota indicates that a parent's weight change is a key contributor to the success of a child's weight loss in ...
Health Mar 14, 2012 | not rated yet | 0
Children with disruptive behavioural problems and their parents can benefit from peer led parenting classes, claims a study published today in the British Medical Journal.
Psychology & Psychiatry Mar 13, 2012 | not rated yet | 0
Children who are persistently aggressive, defiant, and explosive by the time they're in kindergarten very often have tumultuous relationships with their parents from early on. A new longitudinal study suggests that a cycle ...
Psychology & Psychiatry Oct 26, 2011 | 5 / 5 (1) | 0
When it comes to rearing children, just about any parent will say that what works with one kid might not work with another. Parents use all sorts of strategies to keep kids from being cranky, grumpy, fearful or moody, while ...
Psychology & Psychiatry Aug 01, 2011 | 5 / 5 (1) | 1 |
The best teacher for a young mother is her baby, contend experts who train social workers to interact with first-time moms.
Psychology & Psychiatry May 02, 2011 | not rated yet | 1 | | <urn:uuid:62408ccc-98f2-4d97-be15-27857de82a72> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://medicalxpress.com/tags/parenting+styles/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9342 | 464 | 2.046875 | 2 |
Using Ice and Cold Packs
Ice and cold packs can relieve pain, swelling, and inflammation from injuries and other conditions, such as arthritis.
Types of ice and cold packs
Using an ice or cold pack
Apply an ice or cold pack to the injured or sore area at least 3 times a day for as long as you have pain, swelling, and inflammation. For the first 72 hours, ice for 10 minutes, once an hour. After that, use ice for 15 to 20 minutes, 3 times a day: in the morning, in the late afternoon after work or school, and about one-half hour before bedtime. Also, ice after any prolonged activity or vigorous exercise.
Always keep a cloth between your skin and the ice pack, and press firmly against all the curves of the affected area. Do not apply ice for longer than 15 to 20 minutes at a time, and do not fall asleep with the ice on your skin.
Commercial cold packs are too heavy and bulky for use on or around the eye. Be careful around the eye to prevent a chemical burn to the eye if a pack leaks.
eMedicineHealth Medical Reference from Healthwise
To learn more visit Healthwise.org
Find out what women really need.
Pill Identifier on RxList
- quick, easy,
Find a Local Pharmacy
- including 24 hour, pharmacies | <urn:uuid:10eb2382-7962-4e19-80db-ff5002f31263> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.emedicinehealth.com/using_ice_and_cold_packs-health/article_em.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.913125 | 280 | 2.03125 | 2 |
Automobiles: Past, Present, and Future.
Automobiles have played an important part of history. Richard Trevithick built the first steamed powered automobile called the Puffing Devil in 1801. Even then, people never believed it could beat a convention horse pulled wagon. Now there are over 590 million cars in the world, showing that the simple Steam powered car went to amazing places.
The Puffing Devil
four stroke car was made by Karl Benz in 1885. He was (and still is)
of modern automobiles. Even though Benz was situated in
Many cars in the present use the four stroke engine made my Karl Benz. Over 590 million people in the world own one. People believe now that is the leading cause of CO2, or Carbon Dioxide, a cause of global warming. Much more modern type of cars is now hybrids, meaning that they run on vegetable oil.
I believe in the future people will have reusable-energy powered cars, which works on sunlight, wind, or vegetable oil. Its not a far stretch to think futuristic cars will be able to fly, hover or go into oceans. In the future, cars may cease to exist, since teleporter technology might exist.
A futuristic car(concept)Bibliography: "Automobile." Wikipedia. 1 Apr. 2008 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automobile. | <urn:uuid:bbef5457-87e5-4d81-a9d6-01b179439d17> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://library.thinkquest.org/07aug/01386/cars.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937229 | 282 | 2.734375 | 3 |
- About UVM
- Student Life
The Rubenstein School consistently looks beyond the campus to the state of Vermont, the nation, and the world. The School has long encouraged intensive field courses and study abroad for students and provides many opportunities for students to learn outside the campus and thoughout Vermont, the United States, and internationally. Faculty lead courses, consult, and conduct research in locations around the globe. To address global climate change, members of the School community have vowed to reduce our collective carbon footprint in a Global Climate Change Initiative.
Resources and Links
Rubenstein School Global Climate Change Initiative
Log air miles (for RSENR faculty, staff, and graduate students only)
During January and March breaks and summer sessions, many students take intensive Rubenstein School travel courses throughout the United States and all over the world to study a variety of environmental issues. Faculty have led courses to Belize, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Florida, Ireland, Israel, Tanzania, Texas...
"I'm trying to get students to look in a way that they've never looked before — to see much more than a tourist ever will."
Rubenstein School students have completed study abroad programs all over the world in places such as Argentina, Australia, Botswana, China, Ethiopia, Greece, Italy, New Zealand, Mexico, Peru, South Africa, Thailand, Zimbabwe...
The School maintains a direct exchange with the University of Western Australia, and UVM's Office of International Educational Services helps students match their interests with study-abroad programs...
"We were asked to apply our knowledge to real issues that affected communities, individuals, families, and businesses... I bring a lot of that experience back with me to help with problems here at home."
Over three-quarters of our Rubenstein School faculty members have international experience in over 50 countries around the globe.
"Environmental research is inherently international since we are constantly trying to think of science and policy at a planetary scale and appreciate all the connections between societies and ecosystems." | <urn:uuid:d4f88786-409d-4bbd-8900-329a79dd4bc1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.uvm.edu/rsenr/global-connections | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00053-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95275 | 406 | 1.921875 | 2 |
|Portable Welders: Necessary, but Deadly on the Farm|
|Library of Articles - Farm Safety|
On many farms they are integral to keeping equipment repaired and functional, but on other farms they are death lurking at the end of a frayed cable. Portable welders in good condition and used properly are valuable allies in reducing down time in the press of fieldwork. But many farmers and farm workers have not only suffered debilitating shocks, but electrocution from welding equipment that is not maintained and should have been replaced long ago. Safe Electricity, a program of the Energy Education Council, strongly urges farmers to keep welding equipment in good repair as a matter of course.
On a hot July day when a rotary mower required repairs, a 43 year-old Michigan dairy farmer plugged in a 240 volt portable arc welder to fix a broken stone guard. The ground wire on the plug was broken off, both welder cables had exposed wiring, and the ground clamp wiring was almost completely exposed according to national safety inspectors who investigated the death. They reported the victim had been electrocuted because of the overall poor condition of the welding equipment, which was bought used about 40 years before the accident and caused the mower to be energized.
Such avoidable tragedies happen periodically in rural America, where welding equipment is frequently found in farm shops. Many farmers either learned welding in high school vocational agriculture classes or are self taught, and have respect for the danger created when using welding equipment. However, most safety concerns focus on the potential burns from welding rods, hot metal, or the electrical arc, as well as fire potential from sparks, but not necessarily of electrocution. In the case of the dairy farmer, welding was a routine task, but the worn cables and broken grounding plug were responsible for the electrocution.
Safe Electricity recommends maintaining equipment in good operating condition as well as the protective personal equipment that should be worn.
Specifically, farmers are urged to ensure that grounding plugs are completely functional, and groundless adaptors should not be used. Welding cables and grounding clamps should be completely insulated because of the danger that results from broken insulation.
Another welding fatality occurred when a 44 year old Michigan farmer connected a second set of welding cables to enable him to reach a wagon that was being repaired. A 240 volt, 90 amp, portable welder had been turned on, and the victim crawled under the wagon to begin welding. The combination of his perspiration, damp soil, and the bare connectors caused a fatal electric shock according to authorities, even though he was 10-12 feet away from where the connectors were lying on bare ground.
Safe work procedures need to be developed for welding, such as using extended reach cables if the welder cannot be placed adjacent to the worksite. Connect the grounding clamp as close as possible to the area being welded, and ensure it is in good condition, as well as the grip for the electrode
Properly sized ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI), which shut off power instantly if there’s a problem, should be used. In the second accident, a GFCI would have shut off the circuit when electricity was leaking into the ground because of frayed or worn cords between the welder and the outlet box. | <urn:uuid:e2f9bf54-8810-4205-87b6-67c56bc7c5ed> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.safeelectricity.org/index.php/information-center/library-of-articles/english-articles/46-farm-safety/284-portable-welders-necessary-but-deadly-on-the-farm | 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 | 0.968516 | 671 | 2.5625 | 3 |
Preventive Maintenance & Oil Changes
Motor oil lubricates the moving parts of the engine, reducing friction and wear. It also helps to cool the engine, while cleaning dirt and sludge. But remember, engine oil breaks down with time and should be replaced regularly for optimal effectiveness. Rest assured, at Midas we adhere to manufacturer's guidelines, ensuring the right services for your vehicle at the right time.
Midas mechanics can select the right oil for your vehicle, inspect your car's air filter and check the levels of vital fluids for brakes, power steering, automatic transmission and coolant/antifreeze.
And that’s important. Because taking care of your car’s oil, filter and fluid needs is one of the simplest, most effective and inexpensive ways to help keep it running smooth and strong.
One of the simplest, most effective and inexpensive ways to help protect the life of your car, especially its engine, is to change the oil and the oil filter regularly.
Oil is the lifeblood of your engine. It reduces friction, lessens wear, provides lubrication, forms a seal between the pistons, rings and cylinder walls while helping to cool engine parts. Without the cleaning action of new oil, carbon and varnish buildup would be toxic to the engine. And engine oil even dampens the shock and noise of moving parts.
Small wonder, engine oil and filter service is the car engineers' most frequently recommended service. And with our oil change, or any other service, you can request a Midas TouchT Courtesy Check. We'll look inside, outside, under the hood and underneath the car, then explain the findings and give you a written report.
Most cars on the road today use multi-grade oil - one that can work efficiently in cold and hot weather. A multi-grade oil is rated by two numbers, such as 15W-40.
About the oil classification system
Each motor oil comes with a classification indicating its viscosity, which is its friction or resistance to flow. In a multi-grade oil, the first number indicates how the oil will flow when it is cold. The lower the number, the lighter the oil and the better it will perform at lower temperatures. The second number indicates the thickness of that same oil at high temperatures. For example, a 15W-40 oil will flow as a 15-weight oil at zero degrees Celsius and as a 40-weight oil at 100 degrees Celsius.
Why viscosity is a concern
During cold starting, a small amount of oil is present in the upper parts of engines. To lessen the friction when upper engine parts, such as the valve train, pistons, overhead cam and cam bearings, scrub against each other, a low viscosity allows the oil to reach the components more quickly.
Why 5W-30 oil is so popular
Many vehicles today leave the factory with 15W-40 engine oil. Vehicle manufacturers recommend it because it is a lighter oil that performs well in a range of temperatures and improves gas mileage.
Not all motor engine oils are petroleum-based. Synthetic oils, which are chemically compounded lubricants, are also available. They provide:
- Higher viscosity stability over a wider temperature range
- Reduced oil thickening
- Reduced wear and increased load-carrying ability.
Which oil is right for your car?
The simplest and safest way to find out is to check your owner's manual...or talk to your Midas mechanic.
Oil filters are designed to trap foreign particles suspended in the oil and prevent them from getting to the engine bearings and other parts.
Your vehicle relies on a variety of fluids to operate its brake, steering, transmission, engine cooling and other systems. When these fluids become degraded or are at incorrect levels, damage to other components may occur...so always follow the manufacturer-recommended service schedule.
Automatic transmission fluid
This is an oil used in a transmission that lubricates and cools the transmission and shifts gears automatically.
This is the hydraulic fluid used to transmit pressure through the brake lines in a brake system.
This is the mixture of water and antifreeze used in an engine cooling system to maintain the engine's temperature throughout its operating range.
Starting & Charging
The battery starts your car, powers on-board computers and supplies emergency power needs. A weakened battery causes stress on alternators and starters, especially during extreme temperatures. Let Midas inspect your battery regularly.
Clean air filters can increase engine performance, boost fuel mileage and reduce engine wear. Cabin air filters can minimize airborne contaminants in the passenger compartment and improve heating/cooling efficiency.
Midas TouchT Courtesy Check
Ask for the Midas Touch Courtesy Check. It's fast, efficient and covers many items on your vehicle's preventive maintenance plan. We'll conduct a visual check, looking inside, outside, under the hood and under the vehicle, then create a written report.
Belts & Hoses
A series of belts and pulleys drive engine accessories such as the alternator, water pump, fan, power steering pump, air conditioning compressor and air injection pump. Hoses and steel lines transfer coolant, brake fluid and fuel throughout the vehicle. Over time, these parts may crack, rust or leak. So, protect yourself by following the factory maintenance schedule.
At Midas, we follow the manufacturers’ service guidelines for all maintenance services, including belt and hose replacement. Our shops have access to factory maintenance schedules for most makes and models on the road. So, when you visit us, we retrieve your car’s schedule and print it out for your review.
These are toothed, reinforced belts used to drive the camshaft via a sprocket to a crankshaft. They ensure the synchronization of the engine's camshaft, crankshaft and distributor.
Signs of trouble: Engine backfires or stops
These belts transfer power from the crankshaft to all of the engine accessories. When this single belt breaks, it can cause damage to the engine through overheating, loss of the charging system or loss of power steering.
Signs of wear: Cracking, splitting, slipping and squealing
These are hoses that transfer antifreeze throughout the engine cooling system, including the radiator and the heater core.
Signs of wear: Cracking, splitting and brittle or soft spots
Lights, Wipers, & Accessories
See and be seen while out on the road. We can improve your visibility by inspecting wiper blades, headlights, turn signals, brake lights and filling your windshield washer fluid.
Headlights typically come with dual beams, which allow you to use the high-beam mode, when no other cars are in view, and low-beams, which are used for city driving.
Headlamps mostly come in two varieties — the conventional sealed beam type, which produces a maximum 150,000 candlepower, and the halogen capsule, which produces a 25 percent higher output of whiter light on the same amount of power as a conventional headlamp.
In addition to headlamps, other lights available from Midas include:
- Tail, park, and brake lights
- Turn signals
- Interior lamps
- Hazard flashers
How they work
Light bulbs, often called lamps, have filaments through which electricity flows. The filament provides a resistance to electron flow, so it heats up, causing light.
Midas Touch™ Courtesy Check
Don’t forget to ask for the Midas Touch Courtesy Check. We’ll conduct a visual check, looking inside, outside, under the hood and under the vehicle, then create a written report. It’s fast, efficient and covers many items on your vehicle’s preventive maintenance plan, including lights and wiper blades.
Remember, this is a safety issue. Why wait for the police to pull you over because a light bulb is out when you can take care of that problem proactively at Midas? | <urn:uuid:ab74e981-34e0-4d7c-997f-2b76cb474667> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.midasnz.co.nz/Midas/Auto-Education-Preventive-Maintenance-Oil-Changes.asp | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00062-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.926489 | 1,651 | 2.265625 | 2 |
© 2005-2012 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). All rights reserved worldwide.
To help doctors give their patients the best possible care, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) developed evidence-based recommendations on the usefulness of laboratory tests (called assays) to find out if a cancer might be resistant or sensitive to a specific chemotherapy treatment before it is offered to a patient. In 2011, this guideline was reviewed due to new research; this research continued to support the 2004 recommendations. This guide for patients is based on ASCO's most recent recommendations.
- Chemotherapy sensitivity and resistance assays are laboratory tests that have been studied to help predict how well chemotherapy may work.
- However, these tests should not be used to determine treatment options for an individual patient.
- Instead, the choice of chemotherapy should be based on the research on the drugs being considered and the patient's health and treatment preferences. | <urn:uuid:9e771659-2c64-4a39-b26b-59420458d436> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cancer.net/publications-and-resources/what-know-ascos-guidelines/what-know-ascos-guideline-tests-help-choose-chemotherapy | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00028-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.931839 | 191 | 2.578125 | 3 |
Hello, I'm designing a hexa to carry a 1.5 kg load. I'm trying to create the absolute lightest configuration possible, so it's mostly made from CF. My question is around CG. My intuition tells me that for horizontal stability, the CG should be as low as possible. I would also think that the motion sensors would be most effective if they were as close as possible to the thrust plane. Can of any of you that have built or modified multicopters educate me on whether my assumptions are correct? My current diameter from arm-to-arm is 675mm.
I plan on using my copter for aerial video so to compensate for the weight hanging underneath, I plan on putting the battery on top. Basically keeping the CG as close to the center of the airframe as possible. I'm not sure if this is correct or not, but I will be testing this weekend. I'll try a few scenarios of CG and report back.
I plan to use my GoPro Hero2 as well as my Canon T2i. I would think that balancing the hexa is a similar problem to balancing a waiter's tray in your hand. If I stack stuff up on it, it becomes very difficult to balance. If I hang the same weight underneath it, it balances itself. Being that every copter I see appears top heavy, I must be missing something.
Everyone here is sorta on the right track, except that we're relying on automated fast control response to stabilize the craft. My experiments prove there is no way to ever get the response fast enough for manual piloting without either variable pitch or an inertial feedback system (both would be ideal, but the complexity of the former ought to give one pause). Of course, I am far from alone in this conclusion.
Therefore, the goal for a multicopter design is fast response, not necessarily inherent stability. Reducing rotational inertia of the entire airframe about the control axes is of paramount concern. A center of mass, (and as much of the mass as possible) nearest the pitch and roll axes intersection, or perhaps slightly below, is the ideal design target. Dr. Paul Pounds does a good job of providing the mathematical justification for this in the following paper (if you don't mind staring at a bit of calculus):
Thank you very much, that makes a lot of sense. It supports my desire to eliminate fancy (read heavy) motor mounts and move the ESC's to the center vs. out along the arms. It would also support why heavy lifters with big motors and props appear not to be as stable when flying without their loads.
i made a large hexacopter and kept all esc in the centre making a clean airframe this was very stable and this is flying on a cheap 20 pound kk board:
If you're getting the idea that there are quite a few variables involved here, you're absolutely right. :-)
Moving the CG away from the lifting plane will slow everything down, but as the paper attempts to illustrate, there is a point where control oscillations are likely to occur. If a large lifter appears more stable with a slung payload, it is because the control system is tuned for it (perhaps a larger P that will overcompensate with no load).
Having the ESC as electrically and physically close to the battery as possible is a good thing for many reasons. Keeping parasitic inductance to a minimum is essential when switching such large currents, so keep the wires between the ESCs and the battery large, short, and preferably twisted. | <urn:uuid:d7ad1839-af18-4422-b6d5-d62d4f76a0d4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://diydrones.com/forum/topics/hexa-center-of-gravity?commentId=705844%3AComment%3A797712 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00044-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967259 | 728 | 1.789063 | 2 |
The National Association of Drug Court Professionals called a Drug Policy Alliance report on drug courts "recklessly irresponsible" in a preliminary response released yesterday.
The DPA's report had slammed drug court programs, asserting that research demonstrating their success has been biased and that they can be more punitive than incarceration.
Entitled "Drug Courts Save Time and Money: And for that they are attacked by decriminalizers," the NADCP response alleges that DPA is attacking drug court in an attempt to further its drug legalization agenda.
"For decades, drug decriminalization and legalization advocates took steady aim at the so-called War on Drugs because of its emphasis on mandatory sentencing and incarceration...Drug Courts prove that drug abuse can remain illicit without necessitating a costly and draconian punitive response," the NADCP report states. "We can hold people accountable for their dangerous actions, while at the same time providing them with needed treatment and other services they need to change their lives. So now Drug Courts have become the new bogeyman of the drug decriminalization/legalization movement."
Members of the NADCP were joined by various national legal, behavioral health and anti drug associations in speaking out against the DPA report at Tuesday's congressional hearing presentation, a NADCP press release states.
NADCP argued that DPA based its assertion that drug court causes more arrests on a 1990 article about one drug court in Colorado, and that it ignored research disproving its claim that drug courts discriminate against minorities. Socioeconomic rather than racial factors, in addition to more prevalent use of crack cocaine, caused African Americans to graduate from a Missouri drug court at a lower rate than Caucasians in a study DPA cited, NADCP's response argues. A study done by The Sentencing Project in Washington DC also found that drug courts actually reduced the sentencing disparities between African American and Caucasian offenders, according to the NADCP response.
Finally, NADCP called DPA "recklessly irresponsible" for distributing their study independently instead of submitting it to a journal that would subject it to peer review.
"There's different kinds of reports out in the world, right," DPA report contributor and Deputy Director Margaret Dooley-Sammulk says of that accusation. "This is a review of the literature - we looked at the full range of impact drug courts have had."
Dooley-Sammulk tells SFR that NADCP's response was an ad hominem attack that seemed to misunderstand the DPA's report.
"I expected their response to be hostile, even though I firmly believe there are many areas of agreement," Dooley-Sammulk says. "It's as if they're responding to claims we haven't made."
Although titled "Drug Courts Are Not the Answer," DPA's report does not argue that drug court is never an appropriate form of alternative sentencing. DPA objects to sending first-time offenders and people convicted only of drug violations to drug court, but agrees with using drug court as an alternative to prison for repeat offenders who are addicted to drugs and committing crimes against people or property. Dooley-Sammulk tells SFR that there needs to be more options for offenders besides prison and drug court, and it's hoped that policymakers reading DPA's report will recognize that need. Furthermore, drug court policy won't be optimized by treating drug courts as a sacred cow that can't be critiqued, she says.
"To say something shouldn't be criticized is a real red flag for us," Dooley-Sammulk says. "To not even be exposed to critique can only lead to bad policy."
New Mexico Drug Court Coordinator Peter Bochert tells SFR he was surprised to see the DPA report's "broad attack on drug courts" because his agency has worked well with DPA in New Mexico. He notes that New Mexico drug courts focus on high-risk offenders, rather than the first-time offenders DPA argues shouldn't be put in drug court.
Update, 5:10 p.m.
NADCP CEO West Huddleston tells SFR that he doesn't know why DPA would want to find common ground with drug court advocates after attacking them publicly. He says the common beliefs that DPA and drug court advocates hold have been recognized for the past four years, and the report doesn't add to the conversation in that respect."[At the hearing] this graduate stood up and said, 'I was in prison for 10 years, I was a homeless prostitute, heroin-addicted...the drug court in Kalamazoo, Michigan took me in and it saved my life. I'm five years clean and sober...I'm healed'," Huddleston says. "The representative from the DPA said, 'I congratulate you on your success, but for every one person that succeeds in drug court, there are 100 who fail and go to prison.' It's that kind of tearing down of drug court with made-up stuff that we just can't stand by and allow to happen." | <urn:uuid:d573be83-7f5c-473d-992a-a75b4658ba13> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sfreporter.com/santafe/blog-2755-accusations-slung-in-drug-court-debate.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00041-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972307 | 1,020 | 1.625 | 2 |
Quote Of The Dayby Brad Warbiany
Pretty much sums up one of the main problems with modern democracy:
In a widely quoted book entitled The End of History, Francis Fukuyama wrote about the intellectual and practical triumph of democracy as a system of government. No further political paradigm shifts would be required. Democracy was the omega end point of the historical process of human sociopolitical evolution. Great reading, perfect for the 1990s when American triumphalism and the Washington Consensus reigned supreme. But Fukuyama seems to have overlooked the tendency of modern democracies with universal suffrage to glacially move towards bankruptcy by promising their voters entitlements that these governments cannot afford.
Democracy is the rule of the popular, not necessarily the just. And voting yourself goodies from
yourself the public purse will always be popular. | <urn:uuid:b88b8279-31bf-452c-9da9-51d5727c02e0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thelibertypapers.org/2010/05/19/quote-of-the-day-148/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.934827 | 167 | 1.6875 | 2 |
"That luxury jet that came with the office... I put it on eBay!"
It's one of Sarah Palin's favorite lines on the campaign trail, repeated with such frequency that it has already become a catchphrase of the general election. As Governor of Alaska, she rid the state of an unnecessary jet using a creative and cost-effective online measure.
What is left unmentioned is that Palin didn't come up with the idea to sell the plane using eBay in the first place. Moreover, because of the unique purchasing terms of the aircraft -- which required the state to make payments amounting to $20,000 per month even if the jet wasn't in use -- the decision not to hire a broker to help sell the property appears in hindsight to have been a costly mistake.
Before the Alaska Republican took office, it was something of a standard operating procedure for the state to try to sell such big-ticket items using the online auction site. Officials had been doing it since at least 2003, three years before Palin became governor.
"It was the practice of the state to dispose of items such as this via eBay prior to listing the jet," Vern Jones, Alaska's Chief Procurement Officer, acknowledged on Tuesday.
Despite being a normal state procedure and, in the end, a costly one, Palin has highlighted her decision to put Alaska's luxury jet on eBay in every speech she has given since being chosen as McCain's vice president. It is a significantly abridged version of what happened.
By the time she was elected, there were many state items being offered on eBay. As the Anchorage Daily News reported on December 13, 2006, nine days after Palin took office and the day she announced the jet posting, the state was "auctioning 38 items on the site, including three aircraft -- two Super Cubs and a Cessna... Other items for sale included two sets of used helicopter floats ($300) and King Air exhaust stacks ($500)."
Back in 2003, the state sold an old ferry, The Bartlett, for $389,500. As Jones noted in a Daily News article at that time, "it [was] not unusual for Alaska to sell big-ticket items on eBay because the site is cheap and has a big audience."
The state jet, in contrast, was not a good fit for eBay. Palin never actually sold the aircraft online (though, unlike John McCain, she never claimed that to be the case). But more important, while the jet sat unsold, Alaska was on the hook to pay $62,492.79 every three months as part of the initial purchasing deal.
In other words, if the state wasn't going to use the aircraft, there was an imperative to get rid of it. And as her administration waited for a bidder to match its minimum offer, those payments added up.
Twenty days after putting the jet online, the Palin administration had to reissue the listing. The minimum bid had not been met. By April, the jet still had not sold despite three additional attempts. Eventually, Palin signed a contract with an Anchorage aircraft broker to help succeed where eBay couldn't. In August 2007, eight months after it was first put on sale, the jet was sold to an Alaskan businessman for $2.1 million -- $600,000 shy of the purchasing price.
"The eBay thing didn't work out very well," Dan Spencer, director of administrative services for the Department of Public Safety (the individual charged with trying to get rid of the plane) told the Anchorage Daily News in April 2007. "I am [tired of dealing with it]," he added. "I don't know about anyone else." | <urn:uuid:260ff419-a7c3-46a3-9622-d045325ae3bc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/10/palins-ebay-story-what-ac_n_125361.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.982565 | 749 | 1.515625 | 2 |
"It was like the end of the world,” said Sean P. Cassidy, my dad, who was a first responder on 9/11 and is a detective for Nassau County Police Department.
It was not until recently that I finally had the courage to ask my dad, what happened that day, 11 years ago. It wasn’t that we didn’t discuss the tragic events that took place in our backyard. But it was almost as like asking a war veteran to speak about their time during battle. It’s a no-go zone for a conversation around the dinner table.
On 9/11, I was in the sixth grade at Chippewa Elementary School, which is in Sachem School District. I was 11-year-old and rumors were spreading around the small school that there was an emergency taking place. A few kids mentioned the “World Trade Center” but I was confused and did not understand. At the time, I had only known the pair of buildings located in downtown Manhattan as the “Twin Towers,” from previous visits not that many months prior.
In 2001, Detective Cassidy held the position of crime analyst in the eighth percent of the NCPD. His position did not require him to report to Ground Zero as a first responder. But being the brave man he is, he could not sit in an office and file paper work while people were dying. While wives were losing husbands, sons were losing mothers and fathers were losing daughters.
The eighth precinct of the NCPD was heading towards downtown Manhattan in a mega bus the following day, September 12, 200. There was a checklist for officers that were assigned to be first responders and “Sean P. Cassidy” was not listed. But my dad's stubbornness and passion for his career did not allow him to take "no’’ for an answer.
“Let me on that bus,” he said to his Sergeant. But it was against policy. If an officer's name was not on the “First Responder” list, he or she was not permitted to report to Ground Zero. Detective Cassidy slowly walked back into the building and when his foot was about to enter the doorway his Sergeant yelled towards him, “Cassidy, you have thirty seconds to get on that bus!” And he ran to the bus and reported to duty.
When the first responders of the NCPD arrived, the mega buses had to be parked nearly 20 blocks uptown due to road blockage the entire downtown of Manhattan. Detective Cassidy walked downtown along side nearly 80 officers from his bus alone to Ground Zero.
The officers were met with a mob of people at the police blockades. Desperate mothers, brothers, wives and daughters looking for their missing loved ones.
“They were tugging on our shirts,” he said. “Pleading with us to look for ‘Johnny.’ Handing us photographs of their loved ones. But there was nothing we could do but take the photographs and keep walking toward Ground Zero.”
The work my dad was assigned was to search the rubble across Ground Zero for any sign of life. He saved a dog. Poured water into his hands and let the dog drink from it. He and his crew saved no one else. Which seemed like a hard fact to admit while my dad was recalling his memories. But his face lit up when he said that they found and identified countless number of victims’ DNA. Allowing the families of those victims to have a bit of closure from this dreadful day, 11 years ago.
The first responders and volunteers at Ground Zero received criticism for not identifying the victims and fragments of DNA that were found. But my dad told me he witnessed that any fragment of DNA, no matter how small or large, the victim was fully identified. And the family was informed immediately. The work ethic among first responders was something remarkable, my dad recalled. How people from New York and across the country came together to search through massive amounts of rubble for anyone, for anything.
There were auxiliary cops directing traffic and pedestrians near the surrounding blocks of downtown Manhattan.
“I noticed one of the cop cars was unrecognizable,” he said. “I asked the cop where he was from. He said he was a cop from a small town in Texas. ‘We have two patrol cars at our precinct. And we brought one here to help out,’ he told me. That really is amazing to me.”
It amazed me that my dad was one of the US citizens who came together to help find life at Ground Zero. But I will never take for granted that I was one of the luckiest daughters who had the extreme relief to watch my dad walk through our door unharmed.
I had drawn him a picture. With my 11-year-old art techniques, I used my Crayola crayons to draw an image of my dad, who was dressed in his blue police officer uniform, and me in front of the World Trade Center. Maybe I did not understand full what had happened on September 11, 2001. But my preeteen mind was able to interpret in a way my words could not.
My dad. My hero. And a hero to thousands of others. | <urn:uuid:ee32483c-c14d-46a2-b8bb-9e08a038cd93> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://threevillage.patch.com/groups/siobhan-cassidys-blog/p/bp--my-dad-first-responder-relives-911-eleven-years-later | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.990812 | 1,094 | 1.875 | 2 |
Posted: February 4, 2013
Listen to NPR's Carrie Kahn on All Things Considered
The country's attorney general said an electrical fault had caused a spark that detonated the leaking gas. He said an investigation found no evidence of explosives in the blast at PEMEX headquarters that killed 37 people.
Last week's deadly explosion at the headquarters of Mexico's national oil company was caused by a buildup of gas in the building's basement, the country's attorney general said Monday.
Here's more from The Associated Press:
"Jesus Murillo Karam says an investigation by Mexican, Spanish, U.S. and British experts found no evidence of explosives in the blast that collapsed several lower floors of the Petroleos Mexicanos administrative building on Thursday afternoon.
"He said Monday that the experts believe that an electrical fault had caused a spark that detonated the leaking gas. There was scant evidence of the burn marks typical in a bomb blast, he said. There was also no sign of a crater like that typically left by an explosive device."
The death toll from the explosion is 37. As NPR's Carrie Kahn reported on Monday's All Things Considered, over the weekend crews pulled three more bodies from the PEMEX headquarters.
Here's more from Carrie's story:
"The oil monopoly has been plagued for years by a horrendous accident record, widespread corruption and antiquated infrastructure. Oil output at the state monopoly has been falling and some experts say without the infusion of foreign investment, Mexico, one of the world's largest oil producer may be importing oil by 2018."
Please follow our community discussion rules when composing your comments. | <urn:uuid:f7e69352-7082-463a-8848-09efab1f6dff> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ideastream.org/news/npr/171120837 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963871 | 330 | 1.6875 | 2 |
Buckskin Council, along with the ASI’s (All Terrain Safety Institute), primary goal is to promote the safe and responsible use of ATV’s, thereby reducing accidents and injuries that may result from improper ATV operation by the rider.
About Buckskin's-ASI's Rider Course Training
The ASI, hands-on-weekend, ATV RiderCourse is conducted by licensed ATV Safety Institute Instructors. The course offers students an opportunity to increase their safety knowledge and to practice basic riding skills in a controlled environment under the direct supervision of a licensed Instructor. The RiderCourse includes pre-ride inspection, starting and stopping, quick turns, hill riding, emergency stopping/swerving and riding over obstacles. You'll also learn about protective gear, local regulations, places to ride and environmental concerns. Meet new friends to ride with while enjoying the trails of Hatfield & McCoy.
Taking an ATV RiderCourse
-Improves riding skills
-Gets kids started right
-Is a great way to meet other riders
-Teaches how to Tread Lightly
-And much much more!!! | <urn:uuid:610487aa-d41e-4b0b-9844-b43ab0a0a0d6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://buckskin.org/Council-Activities/ATV-Rider-Course.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00050-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.916384 | 233 | 1.828125 | 2 |
Tunisian Protests Result in Massive Online Crackdown. On December 17th, a young unemployed university graduate, Mohamed Bouazizi, burned himself to death in Sidi Bouzid to protest the economic situation for young people. His death inspired large protests and resulted in the government killing of three protesters so far.
With a non-existent media, Tunisians took to the internet to share information on the protests. This resulted in a savage censoring backlash by the Tunisian government. Anonymous, the 4chan-allied, Wikipedia-defending hacker group, subsequently targeted the government's official site and that of the prime minister, shutting both down.
Tunisians are being supported by bloggers around the world, especially in the Arab world. It has been absent, however, in the western media. This should, alas, be no great shock. On the plus side, as DemocracyWorks notes, are the development of the anti-censorship protest song in Tunisia, and protest hip-hop.
Saudi Arabia to increase official online repression. Two months after banning Facebook for "religious reasons," the kingdom, already one of the most repressive places on the planet, is introducing new rules. They include mandatory licensing for all blogs and websites, as well as government-approved editors. Anyone wishing to start an online publication will need "documents testifying to their good behaviour." It's almost funny. Almost.
Taiwan restricts free expression. One of the trends we predicted, that of democracies aping restrictive countries like China, is in full flower. The latest to join the Shutup Club is Taiwan. In a unique combination of direct government pressure on the media and government-funded advertising, Taiwan's media is becoming more docile. Freedom House has downgraded the country's free speech rating. Whether this will inspire a flowering of alternative online expression or muzzle it as well remains to be seen.
The Golden State is Tin. California's "mellow vibe" has never seemed quite real to anyone who's spent any time there, and the latest legal moves in the state should dispel the notion of a live-and-let-live state for good.
If you are arrested now in California, the police may, pursuant to a California Supreme Court verdict, seize and root through your cell phone without a warrant. Not satisfied with that, the CA legislature has also passed Senate Bill 1411, a law making "epersonation," masquerading as someone else online, a crime that can send you to jail for a year.
Bolivia makes racism-based censorship more palatable. Bolvia's "anti-racism" law, a cheap screen for censorship against troublesome journalists, has been criticized widely. Disappointingly, Reporters Without Borders has praised the change in language of the new law. Yes, it's more specific. But the real issue is that speech is being punished, it's aimed at media organs and it still provides a handy tool for prosecution of uncooperative newspapers, websites and broadcast stations.
Racism should be argued down with words and with actions - if a publication is a racist rag, withdraw your patronage, your advertising, your cooperation. But send a government (you know - the guys with the guns?) against it and you'd best start practice throwing your hands up over your head and remaining perfectly still - you'll find that yourself racist the minute you disagree with the reigning regime.
China arrests blogger for being a dirty bird. Given that China arrested a bride on her wedding day for a seven-word retweet, no one should be surprised that the country's government is as humorless as it is repressive. But as if to make 100% certain that no one is, China has arrested Lin Chenglong, a Guandong resident who wrote a blog called "Eating, Drinking, Whoring and Gambling." Please note: Lin was not arrested for soliciting a prostitute. Neither prostitutes, pimps nor madams were arrested. You can make a very good case that prostitution is deleterious for all participants (if you want). But that's not why Lin was arrested. He was arrested for "spreading obscene material on the internet." He was arrested, in other words, because China's leadership are a bunch of repressive grannies. | <urn:uuid:970d75a2-7124-4493-ba33-f0cc0ebf632a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://readwrite.com/2011/01/06/crackdown_in_tunisia_this_week_in_online_tyranny | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959048 | 873 | 1.546875 | 2 |
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Fake grass plan for picturesque Cotswold village
12:20pm Thursday 13th September 2012 in Evesham
ARTIFICIAL grass could be installed on Bourton-on-the- Water’s village green in a bid to combat wear and tear caused by crowds of tourists.
Parish councillors have voted to trial the fake grass on a 30 square metre patch, which was wearing away on one of the verges between the path and the river, as well as other areas in need of running repairs.
The council spends about £1,000 every autumn to patch up the grass which has worn away during the summer when thousands of tourists from across the globe descend on the picturesque Cotswold village.
Speaking at a parish council meeting, Councillor Richard Johnes said it was something they wanted to try as a couple of areas were looking threadbare.
“If this is successful we are not intending to returf the whole green with artificial turf,” he said. “We returf every year.
We’re throwing about £1,000 on some of these patches.
“This is a material that’s used quite widely nowadays. You’ll find it at Wimbledon. It’s now quite accepted as a possible alternative to grass that wears out quickly.”
He said the rest of the returfing was due to be carried out next month.
Coun Helen Macklin, who was in favour of the proposals, said: “In Australia it’s used all the time. It’s fantastic.” | <urn:uuid:6e12cad3-d0c9-4334-bcee-e847a1032933> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.eveshamjournal.co.uk/news/evesham/9926929.Fake_grass_plan_for_picturesque_Cotswold_village/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00030-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970959 | 363 | 1.703125 | 2 |
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Campaign to save Southampton's cardiac unit reaches Downing Street
Daily Echo reporter Melanie Adams (far right)and campaigners take the Have A Heart petition to Downing Street
ARMED with 232,733 signatures, the Daily Echo and an army of campaigners have taken the fight to save children’s heart surgery at Southampton to the doorstep of Number 10.
At 1pm we knocked on the famous door and delivered ten boxes packed with Have a Heart petitions, with the hope of driving home the message to the Prime Minister and his government that the future of Southampton General Hospital’s specialist unit must be saved.
But this does not mean that the fight is over.
There are still nine days to go before the end of the consultation and our MPs have vowed to keep fighting in the corridors of power to ensure the right decision is made at the end of this year.
Just 24 hours after we drop off the petitions to David Cameron, the MP for Winchester and Chandlers Ford, Steve Brine, has secured a three-hour debate in the House of Commons, into the review.
Mr Brine said: “MPs across the House are worried about this process and it is excellent that the issues will be debated in full on the floor of the House of Commons itself.
“I hope the review team will listen very carefully to the arguments put forward and act appropriately to ensure public confidence is not further eroded.”
Also at Downing Street was Caroline Nokes, MP for Romsey and Southampton North, who believes it is imperative that she and her colleagues ensure that government are aware of the campaign.
She said: “A total of 232,000 signatures is a phenomenal number but it is not just about the support, it is also about the individual stories and how strongly parents and former patients feel about this unit.
“It is imperative that we as MPs today, Thursday and in the final few days of the consultation process, convey the message that if surgery at Southampton is stopped it would be a ludicrous conclusion of a review that is supposed to be about safety.
“Every time we see the Prime Minister and the Health Minister we are all pushing this message.”
Despite being ranked the second best in the country our paediatric heart unit is under threat as health chiefs look to cut the UK's 11 centres down to six or seven.
Southampton was featured in just one of four options which will be put out for public consultation, before the Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts (JCPCT) makes its final decision.
If Southampton closed, families would be forced to get life-saving treatment in London or Bristol, at units which experts say fell below the “exemplary”
standards that the city boasts.
John Denham, MP for Southampton Itchen, added: “The petition is hugely important but I am going to continue to bombard ministers with different aspects of the case, telling them why so many people are unhappy about the way the consultation has been conducted, to ensure all factors have been properly taken into account.
“This is not a selfish attitude.
We are not just fighting this because it happens to be in Southampton, this about making sure that children right across the country have got the chance to be treated at one of the best hospital units in the country.”
• Since this story was first printed, more signatures have been received by the Daily Echo, taking the final total to over 250,000. | <urn:uuid:20f1e97b-8641-42f1-a28c-e70a2de3ac14> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/campaigns/have_a_heart/9097442.Heart_campaign_reaches_Downing_Street/?ref=rss | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95412 | 736 | 1.515625 | 2 |
Rising tide of trade to sink Pacific
by Adam Wolfenden
Despite the interest in the lead up to the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders meeting in Cairns, the decision to commence trade negotiations barely made a mention in the news in the wake of the meeting.
As the Leaders’ meeting approached it was looking like a Fiji-shaped spanner was going to derail Australia’s trade ambitions. Fiji had contested its exclusion from PACER-Plus discussions on legal grounds, a position that was supported by the Solomon Islands and to a less extent, the Melanesian Spearhead Group.
Four days out from the Leaders’ Meeting, Australia’s Trade Minister Simon Crean tried to use a little bit of legal mumbo-jumbo to side-step Fiji’s legal challenge and ensure that the Pacific Leaders would agree to launch trade negotiations. Addressing a public forum on the Pacific Mr Crean explained that when he talks about PACER-Plus he means a completely new agreement, distinct from PACER. Despite the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade website directly connecting the two, Mr Crean argued that legal rights for countries under PACER don’t apply under PACER-Plus.
This was a new angle on the problem that was met by looks of disbelief. For all the officials, ministers and leaders in the crowd who had engaged in discussions on PACER-Plus on the basis of commitments under PACER this was somewhat shocking. Mr Crean however empathised, “I recognise the similar names - PACER and PACER Plus - has the potential to be confusing”. What was confusing was why Australia had all of a sudden changed its defence for Fiji’s exclusion from being based on a decision by leaders at last years Pacific Islands Forum, to a semantic, legally dubious name game.
With the benefit of Mr Crean’s legal “clarity” the Pacific Islands Leaders (excluding Australia and New Zealand) met to discuss a whole range of issues among themselves prior to the full leaders meeting. The contrast between what was said when the Pacific Islands Leaders met and what was said after the meeting when Australia and New Zealand were present was stark.
At the press conference following the meeting of Pacific Islands Leaders (and before the full meeting), when pressed on the topic of trade negotiations the Premier of Niue Toke Talagi responded: "We have decided that we will continue with the pace that we want to develop this partnership” and that “we needed time to consider the implications as well as the consultations with our countries before we proceed to final negotiations".
The Solomon Islands Prime Minister added that the Pacific Islands Leaders still felt that negotiations should not start until 2013, the original timeline proposed by the Island Countries.
Two days later at the conclusion of the full leaders meeting Prime Minister Rudd, when asked about PACER-Plus, said that negotiations would start “a very robust soon”. The Leaders, in spite of their earlier misgivings, agreed to support the recommendations from their trade ministers to launch negotiations immediately as well as resolve the issues on timelines, consultations and capacity building. What changed the minds of the Pacific Leaders remains unknown. With Australia and New Zealand being the biggest aid donors in the region one can see the political implications of biting the hand that feeds. Did I mention the $26 million Australia pledged in sporting facilities for the region?
With consultations and negotiations now about to be put on a timeline, the real impacts of PACER-Plus will start to come into play. One study has already forecast the loss of thousands of Pacific manufacturing jobs, three quarters of the entire employment in the sector. Another study has raised the loss of government revenue that Pacific countries are set to experience from the lowering of their import taxes. The other issue that is raising some concern in the Pacific is the loss of government policy space to regulate that would come with a free trade agreement.
The recent report released by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) has outlined the dangers that free trade poses for such countries, five of which are in the Pacific. The report highlights the need for LDC’s to refrain from further trade liberalisation in order to preserve their financial bases, to support the expansion of domestic industries and ensure that policy space is retained to follow a development model that meets the unique needs of each country.
What’s currently being talked about for PACER-Plus does nothing to support the recommendations from the UNCTAD report, in fact it works against them. The lowering of tariffs on Australian and New Zealand imports will see them flood into the Pacific, becoming the lion’s share of forecast increases in trade under PACER-Plus. A Pacific free trade agreement will also bind and inhibit the level of regulatory space that governments have to nurture and develop their infant industries, ensuring that the one-size-fits-all free market model that gave us a financial crisis continues.
The Australian push for negotiations is actively undermining the ability of Pacific Islands to have the critical discussions that they need to have about how they want to economically engage with Australia. Ni-Vanuatu Member of Parliament Ralph Reganvanu has highlighted the importance of the traditional economy in not only providing food and shelter for Pacific peoples but also for insulating from the impacts of the global economic crisis. The unique role of the traditional economy needs to be considered in relation to PACER-Plus not only for the impact that PACER-Plus will have on it but also for the alternative that it promotes.
With a meeting of trade ministers coming up in November to decide upon the timetables for PACER-Plus it’s unclear whether or not there will time for these discussions. With neo-liberal, free market theory hitting its high tide mark and now receding, it’s time for the Pacific to explore the sea of new options. | <urn:uuid:05f0b961-774b-4618-aca1-f414e1ed71bf> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ourworldisnotforsale.org/en/article/pacific-conference-churches-launches-pang-report-australian-and-nz-power-politics-launch-pac | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00029-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961644 | 1,214 | 1.507813 | 2 |
From Annapolis to New Orleans, Maryland History Day Participants Honored
On Monday, January 28, nine students and two teachers were honored at the Maryland General Assembly in Annapolis for their accomplishments at National History Day 2012. These outstanding middle and high school students from across the state, as well as Teachers of the Year Curtis George of Matapeake Middle School in Queen Anne’s County and Michele Bingham of La Plata High School in Charles County, received resolutions in the House of Delegates and in the Senate.
Senate President Thomas V. “Mike” Miller, Jr.—a longtime History Day supporter—spoke to the group as they were honored in the Senate; Delegate David Rudolph and House Speaker Michael Busch addressed them in the House of Delegates. The group also met with Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown prior to the session, and some students had the opportunity to interact with their individual elected officials. The Maryland Humanities Council is proud to coordinate this annual tradition in the State House. (Pictured L to R: Delegate David Rudolph, History Day students, teacher Curtis George from Queen Anne’s County, House Speaker Michael Busch, and MHC Executive Director Phoebe Stein Davis.)
Ethan McComb of Calvert County was one of the nine students celebrated in Annapolis. Ethan’s Junior Individual Exhibit at National History Day 2012 focused on civil rights during WWII. He won the Salute to Freedom prize, which took him to New Orleans in January. He represented Maryland at the grand opening of the US Freedom Pavilion: The Boeing Center at the National World War II Museum, along with middle and high school students from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Each of the students researched ways their state contributed to the war effort, and their work is now published on the Salute to Freedom website.
- Click here to access Ethan’s Salute to Freedom page about the U.S. Naval Academy.
After his trip to New Orleans, Ethan said, “The museum was a captivating and informative display of the events and people of World War II. During the opening ceremony at the U.S. Freedom Pavilion, I had the honor of escorting a World War II veteran to his seat. After the ceremony, I continued to talk to the veteran I escorted, as well as others and heard their stories and lessons from the war. I also had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Roscoe Brown, a Tuskegee airman who was part of my NHD project. The experience taught me a great deal about World War II and the men that fought in it. I am extremely grateful for this opportunity; it is one I will never forget.”
The 2013 Maryland History Day State Contest will take place on April 27 at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. If you are interested in volunteering as a Maryland History Day Judge, click here to learn more. | <urn:uuid:d6b33274-1a8a-4eff-8c18-3ac6b53c090e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mdhc.org/blog/?p=912 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00048-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968262 | 592 | 2.328125 | 2 |
Photo: Police tape
Two Brazilians arrested in Bolivia on suspicion of murder were pulled from a jail cell and burned to death by a lynch mob, Bolivian media said.
The suspects were detained following a triple-homicide in San Matias, a town on the Bolivian side of the countries’ shared border.
Once news of the arrests spread, hundreds of residents filled the streets of San Matias to demand vengeance.
Police deployed tear gas to break up the protest, but the mob overwhelmed the officers and occupied the station, where the vigilantes dragged the two suspects from their cell, doused them with gasoline and set them on fire.
Uno television broadcast images of the burned bodies lying on a street next to the police station.
Prior to the lynching, San Matias police chief Edwin Rojas identified the subjects as Rafael Max Diez, 27, and Jefferson Castro da Lima, 22.
The preliminary investigation indicated that Diez shot Pablo Paraba, Wanderley Costa and Edgar Suarez during an argument over the price of some motorcycles the Brazilians were trying to sell, Rojas said. | <urn:uuid:38a69403-b248-4612-aef8-434f44a5053d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.hispanicallyspeakingnews.com/latino-daily-news/details/angry-bolivian-mob-kills-2-brazilians-suspected-of-murder/17863/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944656 | 230 | 1.578125 | 2 |
Teaching the next generation and keeping them healthy are essential to tomorrow's strong, vibrant societies. Mercy Corps works with communities to shelter and nurture children and youth through innovative education, sports and job training programs.
Through the power of sports, community service and vocational training, we empower young people to make smart life choices and find a productive place in the changing global economy.
Our signature Comfort for Kids program focuses on helping children process trauma after natural disasters and conflict. See our expert's recommendations for how parents and caregivers can help children through times of crisis ▸
All stories about Children & Youth
Lebanon: Foundations for a strong future: Youth in Lebanon and Jordan promote cultural heritage December 2, 2009
Daily life in Lebanon and Jordan means contending with a large number of social and economic pressures and many young people — who make up the vast majority of the population — have lost sight of their cultural heritage.
Liberia: Every child should be in the picture November 16, 2009
In Parker Town, Gbarpolu County, in the north of Liberia where Mercy Corps has a number of agriculture programs, I rounded up these children for a group portrait.
Liberia: These children play with nothing, anything, everything November 14, 2009
Liberia: 'How da body?' November 13, 2009
Pounding rain, deep red mud...and a hundred smiles.
Indonesia: Lasting change November 7, 2009
Behavior is hard to change. I know. I’ve tried. Even with support, it’s still extraordinarily difficult to change. To learn new skills. To give up character flaws. To be a better person.
Jordan: Youth in Jordan promote cultural heritage October 27, 2009
“Foundations for a Strong Future: Youth in Jordan and Lebanon Promote Cultural Heritage” is a project implemented by Mercy Corps Jordan and Lebanon. The project is funded by the European Union in the framework of the Euromed Heritage Programme and managed by Mercy Corps.
Kyrgyzstan: Getting creative with nutrition for Kyrgyz kindergarteners October 20, 2009
Colombia: Video: Kids enjoy peace for one day in Santander October 19, 2009
Indonesia: A happy moment amid the ruins October 9, 2009
I was busy overseeing the distribution of hygiene kits for 167 earthquake-affected households in Surantiah village when I was suddenly attracted by the sound of laughter from outside the hall where we were handing out supplies.
Uganda: The resilence of children September 30, 2009
Today I learned about the true resilience of children. | <urn:uuid:1144c708-b322-402c-b234-ca21a4a66e0e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mercycorps.org/children-youth?page=26&source=13262&gclid=CPnCkJem7KwCFcGCDgodvioSKQ | 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 | 0.927286 | 532 | 2.203125 | 2 |
Northrop Grumman-built Triton unmanned aircraft system completed its first flight May 22 from the company’s manufacturing facility in Palmdale, Calif. Northrop Grumman Photo
The Navy held the first test flight for its next-generation surveillance unmanned aerial vehicle, Northrop Grumman’s MQ-4C Triton.
Wednesday’s 80-minute flight, from a Northrop Grumman’s in Palmdale, Calif., will mark the start of flight testing for the Navy’s Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) system that will bear the bulk of the Navy’s long-range reconnaissance mission into the 21st century. Read More
Artist Concept of a DDG-51 Flight III. Lockheed Martin Photo
A congressional committee is calling into question the Navy’s plan to adapt an almost 30-year old hull design to be the centerpiece of the service’s future ballistic missile defense strategy.
Included in the mark from the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection forces, is a requirement for the Navy to create a report on the Flight III Arleigh Burke-class (DDG-51) guided missile destroyer. Read More
House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces issued their mark on the Pentagon’s Fiscal Year 2014 budget request, “which designates essential funding and sets priorities for the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force,” read a statement from subcommittee chair Rep. Randy Forbes (R- Va.) and ranking member Mike McIntyre (D-N.C.) on Tuesday.
“Having recently received a 30 Year Shipbuilding Plan from the Navy with no basis in reality, our mark requires a detailed roadmap for how the service will reach its shipbuilding goals under likely budget scenarios,” Chairman Forbes said. “We have laid the groundwork to ask difficult questions of the Navy about the cost overruns on the Ford-class aircraft carrier, while also ensuring the Navy has an additional Virginia-class attack submarine each year. And we have made investments in technologies like the UCLASS carrier-launched unmanned vehicle, which will ensure the viability of the Carrier Air Wing for decades to come,” Forbes said in the statement. Read More
Coast Guard Commandant, Adm. Robert Papp, in front of a map of Barrow, Alaska during a recent trip. US Coast Guard Photo
The U.S. Coast Guard has unveiled its new strategy for the Arctic outlines a ten-year roadmap for patrolling the last great maritime frontier, in a Tuesday presentation by Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Robert Papp in Washington, D.C.
“The Arctic Ocean is rapidly changing from a solid expanse of inaccessible ice fields into a growing navigable sea, attracting increased human activity and unlocking access to vast economic potential and energy resources,” Papp said in a speech in conjunction with the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Read More
From the executive summary of the United States Coast Guard’s Arctic Strategy released on May, 21 2013: As arctic ice recedes and maritime activity increases, the Coast Guard must be prepared to administer and inform national objectives over the long-term. The United States is an arctic nation, and the Coast Guard supports numerous experienced and capable partners in the region. The aim of this strategy is to ensure safe, secure, and environmentally responsible maritime activity in the arctic. This strategy establishes objectives to meet this aim and support national policy. framed with a planning horizon of 10 years, it delineates the ends, ways, and means for achieving strategic objectives while articulating factors that contribute to long-term success. Read More
A sailor works with a bottlenose porpoise before a night training exercise at Point Loma, Calif. US Navy Photo
Two Navy dolphins discovered a more than hundred year-old relic of the service’s past buried in the muck off the coast of Southern California, Navy officals told USNI News on Monday.
On a routine training mission in March, Navy dolphins Ten and Spetz, “discovered an almost completely buried object that was quite rare, Chris Harris, operations supervisor for the Navy’s Marine Mammal Program, told USNI News. Read More
Parade Magazine is apologizing for a design flub that paired a Nazi battleship with an award winning U.S. Navy chef, the magazine’s top editor told USNI News on Monday. Read More
An X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) demonstrator conducts a touch and go landing on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77). US Navy Photo
Less than a week after its historic launch off the deck of the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77), the Navy’s X-47B demonstration aircraft performed a so-called “touch and go,” landing off the carrier on Friday, Navy officials told USNI News.
The 44,567 pound X-47B hit Bush’s deck and then powered off the end of the carrier. The operation at sea is one step closer for the ultimate goal of the Unmanned Combat Air System Aircraft Carrier Demonstration (UCAS-D) — landing on a moving carrier. Read More
SEALs train at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story in 2012. US Navy Photo
A SEAL from the Naval Special Warfare Group Two at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story was killed Wednesday in a training accident at Army installation Ft. Knox, according to several press reports. Five other sailors were injured in the accident. Read More
Former under secretary of the Navy Bob Work. US Navy Photo
Bob Work — the chief executive officer of Center for a New American Security and former under secretary of the Navy— gave Pentagon leaders advice on how the services should innovate in a time of austerity in Thursday remarks at the EAST: Joint Warfighting 2013 symposium in Virginia Beach, Va.
Work said the greatest threat to U.S. security would be not taking advantage of the current drawdown in resources to create a force structure that makes sense for security threats. The second greatest threat was the current climate of political indecision in Washington. Read More | <urn:uuid:ff3b37da-416f-449f-a986-6c6338ad3ee3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://news.usni.org/topstories | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00052-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.915939 | 1,308 | 1.554688 | 2 |
BLACKSBURG, Va., April 17, 2006 – About midway through his first year at Virginia Tech, University Honors student Brian Skinner had earned enough credits to be classified as a junior.
And while most freshmen spent their first winter break catching up on much needed R and R, Skinner was busy writing code for a project on the physics of traffic he had embarked on with Beate Schmittmann, a professor of physics in the College of Science at Virginia Tech.
“Brian brims with ideas and is not afraid to throw himself into a project,” Schmittmann said. “He is highly motivated, very bright, and truly independent in his thinking.”
Skinner’s time and talents have paid off in a big way, as he has been awarded a highly competitive Barry M. Goldwater scholarship for the 2006-2007 academic year. He is among 323 Goldwater scholars chosen this year from an applicant field of 1,081 undergraduates nationwide in engineering, science, and mathematics.
Goldwater scholars are selected for academic merit and each is awarded up to $7,500 per year for tuition, fees, books, and room and board. Congress established the scholarship program in 1986 to honor the late Sen. Goldwater and to encourage outstanding students to pursue careers in mathematics, the natural sciences, or engineering.
Skinner is the son of Kristian and Carolina Skinner of St. Anthony, Idaho. He is double majoring in physics and mechanical engineering and plans to pursue a Ph.D. in theoretical physics and eventually conduct research and teach on the university level.
Skinner has been involved in several physics-related research projects. Last summer, he was a member of the MIT Quantum Computing Group, a small team of graduate and undergraduate students whose work included mathematical modeling, programming, and use of an NMR spectrometer. At Virginia Tech, Skinner has worked with professors Schmittmann and Royce Zia to create and analyze computer models for the dynamics of pedestrian traffic and parasite-host interactions.
“The more I am exposed to different fields of scientific research, the more I am motivated to pursue a research career,” Skinner said. “Scientific research is so fascinating because it is a process of perpetual revolution, whereby we recognize the limits of our own understanding and challenge the assumptions we have made about the universe around us.”
Skinner has also worked as a research assistant with Bruce Vogelaar, associate professor of physics, in experimental particle physics. As part of Vogelaar’s research team, Skinner helped develop diamond-like coatings made with a Class IV excimer laser to transport ultra-cold neutrons. These coatings are a critical part of the team’s research that is being conducted at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico.
“There is no doubt Brian will prove to be a scientist of note as he progresses in his career,” Vogelaar said. “His resume already speaks to his broader understanding of the world at large and its intrinsic challenges and a scientist’s social responsibilities.
Skinner has won departmental scholarships in physics as well as scholarships in the College of Science and College of Engineering, a National Merit Scholarship, and a Presidential Campus Enrichment Grant. He is also an active tutor in high school physics and mathematics.
Skinner is Virginia Tech’s 33rd Goldwater scholar since the program began in 1986.
The College of Science at Virginia Tech gives students a comprehensive foundation in the scientific method. Outstanding faculty members teach courses and conduct research in biology, chemistry, economics, geosciences, mathematics, physics, psychology, and statistics. The college is dedicated to fostering a research intensive environment and offers programs in many cutting edge areas, including those in nanotechnology, biological sciences, information theory and science, and supports the university’s research initiatives through the Institute for Critical Technologies and Applied Sciences, and the Institute for Biomedical and Public Health Sciences. The college of Science also houses programs in pre-medicine and intellectual properties law. | <urn:uuid:ed15a6cd-9845-463f-8841-35769a715a53> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.vtnews.vt.edu/articles/2006/04/2006-215.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00030-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962049 | 840 | 1.898438 | 2 |
Mindfulness is a topic that has always interested me.
Today I had a chance to participate in a brief presentation by Judith Lies from Seeds of Mindfulness on mindfulness-based stress reduction.
Mindfulness is being in the present moment, having our mind and body in the same place at the same time.
The Chinese character "nian" for mindfulness is composed of "jin" (now) and "xin" (heart, mind). It means to "reflect, think; to study, learn by heart, remember; recite, read" – to live in the now, with heart and mind.
When we are engaged in a hobby, when we are focused on doing something we really like, we often forget the time. That’s when we are practicing mindfulness.
Mindfulness means our mind is focused on the present, not on the past or the future. We live in the present without judgment and expectation, without being in the fight or flight, reactive mode which causes stress in life.
During the presentation we spent a few minutes on meditation. It resulted in a relaxed and peaceful feeling.
I wish I could spend some time every day practicing mindfulness meditation. That will be really good for my body, mind and spirit. | <urn:uuid:484a1c4c-a520-4200-b6e5-f00891115f39> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://onmymind.areavoices.com/2010/01/26/mindfulness/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961857 | 253 | 1.789063 | 2 |