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|:: esl resource center ::
Activity type: A role play based on a very old idea in which students have to act as criminals and police people.
Level: Pre-intermediate and above
- Tell the whole group about a crime which has recently been committed, for example:
Last night between 6pm and 9pm a diamond was stolen from a store on the main street of our town. The diamond was priceless. Nobody knows exactly when the diamond was stolen but it was certainly taken between 6pm and 9pm. Two people were seen outside the shop last night and have been taken in for questioning by the police. At present, they are the prime suspects and unfortunately they are in this very room!
- Point out two ‘suspects’ in the group. Choose the most confident students who do not mind being suspected of a crime. Make sure that they feel suitably surprised! Ask the students what needs to happen now i.e. that they need to be interrogated and that they need to have a strong alibi. Actually they have to think of one story i.e. that they were together and they need to think, in detail, what they did between 6pm and 9pm.
- They might say, for example, that they went to a restaurant, they ate fish, they shared the bill and that they went home on the bus. The stories MUST be identical. If the stories are not the same, they are ‘GUILTY’
- Tell the two students to leave the room and to think of an alibi; it must be watertight.
- Tell the remaining students that they are police people and what they are going to do is to interrogate the suspects. Arrange the classroom so that you have two equal groups and put one group on one side of the room and the other group on the other side of the room. Ask them to think of questions that they would like to ask the suspects. Tell them that they need to find differences between the two suspects’ stories.
- After a few minutes preparation, allow the two suspects back into class. Seat one suspect in front of one police station and the other in front of the other police station. Tell each group to interrogate the suspect with their prepared questions. After 10-15 minutes (this will depend on the group), swap the suspects over i.e. move one suspect to the other police station and move the other suspect to the other.
- Allow time for the new interrogations.
- After both police stations have spoken to both suspects, ask the stations to confer as to whether they think the suspects are guilty or not i.e. were there any differences in their stories.
- As a follow-up, you can do error correction, ask the students to write up a report of what happened and also decide on an appropriate punishment!
Note: You can have more than two suspects e.g. three suspects and three police stations or four and four police stations. The amount will depend on your class size. Always make sure that you have the same number of stations as suspects because they all need to speak to each suspect.
This is a very good review of the past simple and past continuous.
This activity can take up to an hour possibly over that. | <urn:uuid:d63002b1-1417-4fad-8a9e-4f415fcf471b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.eslsite.com/rd/Drama-Role_Plays/alibi.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.98243 | 675 | 3.6875 | 4 |
Campbell River: Gateway to the Inside Passage, Including Strathcona, the Discovery Islands and the Mainland Inlets by Ian Douglas
Reviewed by Catherine Marie Gilbert
Campbell River, Gateway to the Inside Passage offers a fresh look at the Campbell River area, mainly seen through the lens of Boomer Jerritt, whose striking images comprise a large portion of the book. The text is written by Ian Douglas, a resident of Quadra Island. If the intention of the book is to be a combination travel guide/coffee table book as opposed to a scholarly work, then it succeeds very well. Douglas’s prose is light and entertaining and moves quickly without dwelling on too much detail. Except for a few lengthy sentences that may have benefitted from more careful editing, the text is pleasing without being pedantic. Douglas has a vast territory to cover; not only does he describe the city of Campbell River, but covers the region between Oyster River and Sayward in the first chapter alone, and Quadra Island, Cortes Island, and some of the outer islands in the remaining chapters. The chapters are nicely divided into sections that, generally, take the reader from south to north both geographically and by topic.
While the stories of early Campbell River pioneers like Fred Nunns and the Thulin brothers have been well documented elsewhere, Campbell River contains some vital new material. Most refreshing are Douglas’s first-hand experiences of fishing for Tyee and participating in a traditional potlatch ceremony.
One or two facts are misleading. On page 53, Douglas states that “the last Strathcona mine is scheduled to expire in 2012.” It is uncertain where he found this information since the book lacks footnotes or endnotes to indicate sources. In any event, employees of the mine have had no forewarning that this is to be the case. Also on page 85, marine gas is listed as one of the amenities offered at the Kelsey Bay dock, but there is no fuel depot at the dock.
In his treatment of Quadra Island, Cortes Island, and lesser-known islands like Maurelle, Douglas truly hits his stride and presents updated material that offers a glimpse into current island life and the economic challenges faced by island dwellers today. It is heartening that he gives exposure to modern day pioneers like Rob and Laurie Wood, who carved out their own place in the BC wilderness both as homesteaders and as wilderness outdoor leaders.
The images used in the book are quite beautiful and for the most part serve to augment and enhance the text. However, the section on First Nations history would have been enhanced with archival photos of First Nations villages or people; the two-page photo spread of Landslide Lake in Strathcona Provincial Park seems excessive; and the photograph used on page 49 to illustrate Canada Day was recently used on the cover of the Campbell River regional tourism guide and perhaps has been over exposed.
Many readers are sure to treasure this book as a memento of Campbell River and its nearby communities. It also marks the end of an era. Since, as Douglas states throughout the book, the primary industries driving the economy of the Campbell River area like pulp and paper and commercial fishing are now part of the past, the region must look to tourism to maintain its economy. Hopefully, this book will induce more visitors to come and see this exceptional region for themselves.
Campbell River: Gateway to the Inside Passage, Including Strathcona, the Discovery Islands and the Mainland Inlets
Ian Douglas (text) and Boomer Jerritt (photographs)
Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Publishing, 2010 144 pp , $34.95 Hardcover
BC Studies, no. 173, Spring 2012. | <urn:uuid:42c8215d-1969-4487-a278-285b2f225730> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://bcstudies.com/reviews.php?id=838692 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00051-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952499 | 768 | 1.90625 | 2 |
An insider's view into the dark world of marketing and how to design code with the right side of your brain.
PHP and Design
Having started out as a designer and ended up in PHP coding, I thought I was an unusual breed. It turns out that's a path many took to PHP. My reasons were simple when I was deciding which web technology to learn- I had a Mac. At the time (2001) Mac OSX had just come out, and, being based on Unix, PHP was the language to learn.
It was a good choice. PHP has matured and grown to be one of the top server-side languages on the web. I find a large percentage of job postings on the web are for PHP coders. The demand is outstripping the supply.
...I'm not complaining ; )
As a designer/coder, my skillset allows me to float between print layout, illustration, web design, coding and web application design/build- quite a broad spectrum. Having this ability, and lack of 90 hours in a day, I can get frustrated in what task to prioritize. Having a passion for both camps, I feel reluctant to give one up completely. I will always be a designer and I will always be a toolsmith- when I leave one for too long, I always want to go back to the other.
You are now looking at kevinbruce.com v4. I've had kevinbruce.com up and running since 2000 and it's running on the BCllc site engine that I created over the course of 5 years.
The BCllc site engine is built on PHP5 but is
not OOP. I am currently planning out a complete rewrite in OOP based on frameworks I have yet to choose. ZEND, CakePHP, Symphony or CodeIgniter. I'm looking at all of these. If anyone has an opinion, I'd like to hear it! | <urn:uuid:b15cba21-83ba-42ff-905a-b3ac04342cc3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.kevinbruce.com/Blog?area_id=6&blog_id=3&startdate=1199163600&enddate=1230786000 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00071-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.979215 | 401 | 1.515625 | 2 |
The Nature Conservancy undertook restoration of the Williamson River Delta Preserve with a primary goal "to restore and maintain the diversity of habitats that are essential to the endangered [Lost River sucker (Deltistes luxatus) and shortnose sucker (Chasmistes brevirostris)] while, at the same time, minimizing disturbance and adverse impacts" (David Evans and Associates, 2005). The Western Fisheries Research Center of the U.S. Geological Survey was asked by the Bureau of Reclamation to assist The Nature Conservancy in assessing the use of the restoration by larval and juvenile suckers. We identified five obtainable objectives to gauge the habitat suitability for young-of-year suckers in the permanently flooded portions of the two most recently restored sections (Goose Bay and Tulana) of the Williamson River Delta Preserve (hereafter referred to as the Preserve) and its effects on the distribution and health of larval and juvenile suckers. Several of these objectives were met through collaborations with The Nature Conservancy, Oregon State University, Oregon Water Science Center, and Leetown Science Center.
Our findings were in concurrence with those of The Nature Conservancy, who found that the Preserve supported young-of-year suckers at least as well as adjacent lake habitats (Erdman and others, 2011) despite the prevalence of non-native and piscivorous species in the system. The Preserve was recolonized by all fishes in the regional species pool, both native and non-native, between the time each portion of the Preserve (Goose Bay and Tulana) was inundated in autumn and the following spring. A large number of fish capable of preying on endangered larval suckers and a few fish that could prey on juvenile suckers were captured in the Preserve, but these species were no more abundant in the Preserve than in adjacent lakes.
Larvae and age-0, age-1, and age-2 juvenile Lost River and shortnose suckers were captured in the Preserve, Upper Klamath Lake, and Agency Lake, indicating that these species reared in restored and unaltered lake habitats. We captured too few larval suckers to examine patterns in spatial or temporal distribution. Once endangered suckers transitioned into juveniles, as defined by morphological development, they continued to disperse from shallow to deep water throughout the Preserve and into adjacent lakes. Age-1 and age-2 suckers captured throughout the Preserve and in adjacent lake habitats, especially in spring, show continued use of restored habitat by these species.
Quantitative examination of habitat use by age-0 juvenile suckers that accounted for imperfect detection indicated the portion of habitat used increased throughout July and August each year until the entire study area was used by one or more age-0 juvenile suckers by the end of August. Our rigorous evaluation showed both restored Preserve and unaltered lake habitats were equally used by age-0 juvenile suckers. Although all sampled habitats were used, multi-state occupancy models indicated that more age-0 suckers occupied shallow rather than deep habitats within the range of depths we sampled (0.5–4.3 m).
We were unable to compare health and condition of juvenile suckers among habitats, due to their movement among habitats. However, documentation of length-weight relationships, afflictions and deformities, and histology indicated juvenile suckers captured in all habitats maintained a similar level of health among the 3 years of our study. | <urn:uuid:137bf795-b525-43fc-8322-e4abae2c3b46> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/ofr20121098 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956478 | 717 | 3.21875 | 3 |
Urinals in public restrooms are often considered awful primarily because of the unhygienic restrooms. To break this and to make urinals in public toilets more welcoming and pleasant, an innovative idea has been put forth. By setting up the restroom in pod format with 4 urinals on every pod, the users can enjoy more space and privacy. This system as well paves way for both peeing and watering the plants. Approved by a professor of toxicology, the project employs 3 processes. The urine thus collected is filtered, which is then used for the plants. Peeing, besides being a waste process becomes a nurturing one, which appears to be a great advantage here. This idea will certainly make the very notion of urination a better experience.
Designer : Eddie Gandelman
Tuvie has received this project from our ‘Submit A Design‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their design/concept for publication. | <urn:uuid:b0fdca40-4ddf-45f6-8466-bb653454ccf6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.tuvie.com/when-nature-calls-public-toilet-design-by-eddie-gandelman/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00041-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956935 | 193 | 2.453125 | 2 |
The Innovation Process
Getting the most out of Idea Spotlight
Idea Spotlight provides businesses with idea software and innovation management tools to better access and manage the innovation within their business. This web-based solution is accessible by everyone within a community and provides the social and collaboration tools to ensure that all ideas are given a voice. The goal is to help foster a culture of open innovation, with all community members encouraged to contribute: where feedback is open and honest, good ideas are nurtured and talent recognised.
However, our innovation software is only as good as your business processes and engagement with the tool. We want you to succeed, here’s how…
This initial phase should be used to define what the business wants to achieve by using Idea Spotlight and to establish what needs to be done to make this happen. Ask questions such as: Who should be involved? Should there be a phased deployment of the system? Are there any technological considerations?
- Download our Useful Resources Guide
This is the next phase of scoping and should be the first stage of engagement with key individuals. Now is a good time to start defining user groups, gathering use cases and outlining challenges.
Idea capture and filtering
In this phase you will start crowd-sourcing ideas, encouraging employee engagement with Idea Spotlight and then begin to filter the ideas that are coming through the system. As a business you need to decide how to manage this idea process – by setting gate processes and limits, when to involve decision-makers and moderators and managing feedback.
- Download our guide Getting started: The First 90 Days of Idea Management
- Read our guide to Writing a Great Idea Brief
Start selecting winning ideas and tracking their progress. Decision-makers should be signing-off ideas and the decisions should be fed back to the crowd and assigned appropriate owners. Create an integrated implementation process that incorporates realistic timelines and goals.
- Read our guide to Giving Meaningful Feedback
Use the data and metrics tools to analyse the ideas that are coming through Idea Spotlight. Find out which topics generate the most ideas, who your key contributors are, at which stage ideas spend most of their time and start tracking ROI. Don’t forget to recognise and reward your key innovators and contributors!
Want to learn more about Ideation and Idea Management Software? Download our free Guides and Ebooks. Download
Subscribe to our monthly mailing on industry insights and innovation tips.
The use of game design techniques and mechanics to solve problems and engage audiences. | <urn:uuid:914c81c9-4a5e-42aa-a1ce-9d5f87003771> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wazoku.com/resources-old/the-innovation-process/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.906041 | 505 | 1.632813 | 2 |
What You Need to Know About a Kitten's First Months
By: Karen Commings
Read By: Pet Lovers
When kittens are born, they are 4-ounces of wet, wiggling fur balls that you would be hard put to identify as part of the feline species.
A female cat usually delivers four or five kittens at a time, sometimes as long as a half hour apart. They may have little resemblance to one another because a female cat can mate with more than one male during heat. Whatever their appearance, mom cat will wash them immediately to remove all vestiges of the birthing process and to induce breathing.
A newborn kitten is unable to hear, see or walk. His eyes are shut, and his ears are folded over his head. His tiny claws will not retract, and he lacks coordination and strength. His mother pushes him toward her belly to begin nursing. Her milk supplies needed antibodies, which help protect him from disease. He depends on his mother for food, warmth, washing, waste elimination, his safety and well-being.
A Week in the Life
During the first 6 or 7 days, the kittens huddle in a mass close to mom to stay warm, taking time out from their busy napping schedule only to nurse. Kittens nurse about every 3 to 4 hours, kneading their paws to stimulate milk flow. As adults, cats substitute their favorite humans or favorite blanket in the kneading process to remind them of one of their favorite kitten pastimes. After dinner, the mom cat licks the kitten's anal area to stimulate waste elimination.
Week Two and Counting
During the next 7 days, a kitten will become stronger and more coordinated, although the grace and elegance for which cats are known will still elude him. He pads around the birthing area, exploring his tiny world in wonder and amazement.
At 8 to 10 days, a kitten's eyes open, but his ability to see and focus is still poor. All kittens' eyes are a deep blue color. As the kitten develops, his blue eyes will change to a lifelong color - any of the shades of copper, amber, hazel, green or azure – that depends on breed and genetic history.
He begins teething with a tiny first set of teeth that break through his gums. For the first week, it's best to let the mom cat do the bulk of the work for the kitten, but feel free to talk to her and the kittens. During the second week, you can handle the kittens gently and gingerly for a few minutes at a time.
At about 2 weeks, a kitten begins fearlessly exploring, giving rise to the feline equivalent of the "terrible two's." You may observe the mom cat pulling back her kittens if she sees them straying too far or potentially getting into trouble.
At 5 or 6 weeks, kittens will begin wanting what mom is eating. Naturally curious, even at this young age, a kitten will check out mom's food dish or one filled with room-temperature kitten food that you provide. Weaning should occur without much difficulty, as the mom cat, having grown tired of a multitude of kittens suckling from her, will help the process along by pushing kittens away when they try to nurse.
The kittens will begin to imitate their mother by using the litter box. At this tender age, clay litter is preferable to clumping. Because young kittens are often messy and wet, clumping litter granules stick to them and can get lodged in their digestive tracks when they wash.
The Age of Reason
Kittens should be at least 10 weeks old before going to a new home. "This critical time allows a mother cat to finish the job of raising her kittens," says Susan Easterly, author of "The Guide to Handraising Kittens," (TFH, 2000). "It allows kittens to gain confidence and learn key social skills from siblings, such as how to control their claws and jaws."
Often, breeders require that kittens be 14 to 16 weeks old before placing them. At the more advanced age, it's easier for breeders to determine which kittens conform more closely to breed standards and will head for the show ring.
Kittens may develop health and behavior problems if adopted at a very young age. "They may not get the interaction, exercise or socialization they need for healthy feline development," says Easterly, "and they may have trouble bonding with other animals and people, or become fearful or unfriendly." | <urn:uuid:55ba5d77-4d44-4fe4-8ed1-3b301bc321b5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.petplace.com/cats/what-you-need-to-know-about-a-kitten-s-first-months/page1.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00059-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964083 | 927 | 2.875 | 3 |
v. 1. Darwinism and politics ; The principles of state interference -- v. 2. Darwin and Hegel -- v. 3. Natural rights -- v. 4. Studies in political and social ethics ; Plato -- v. 5. Philosophical studies -- v. 6. Miscellaneous writings..
Structural realism is an attempt to balance the competing demands of the No Miracles Argument and the Pessimistic Meta-Induction. In this paper I trace the development of the structuralist idea through the work of one of its leading advocates, John Worrall. I suggest that properly thought through what the structuralist is offering or should be offering is not an account of how to divide up a theory into two parts—structure and ontology—but (perhaps surprisingly) a certain kind of theory of meaning—semantic (...) holism. I explain how a version of structural realism can be developed using Davidson’s theory of meaning and some advantages this has over the Ramsey-sentence version of structuralism. (shrink)
Orthodox physicalism has a problem with mental causation. If physics is complete and mental events are not identical to physical events (as multiple-realisation arguments imply) it seems as though there is no causal work for the mental to do. This paper examines some recent attempts to overcome this problem by analysing causation in terms of counterfactuals or conditional probabilities. It is argued that these solutions cannot simultaneously capture the force of the completeness of physics and make room for mental causation.
Over recent decades there has been a growing interest in the question of whether computer programs are capable of genuinely creative activity. Although this notion can be explored as a purely philosophical debate, an alternative perspective is to consider what aspects of the behaviour of a program might be noted or measured in order to arrive at an empirically supported judgement that creativity has occurred. We sketch out, in general abstract terms, what goes on when a potentially creative program is (...) constructed and run, and list some of the relationships (for example, between input and output) which might contribute to a decision about creativity. Specifically, we list a number of criteria which might indicate interesting properties of a program’s behaviour, from the perspective of possible creativity. We go on to review some ways in which these criteria have been applied to actual implementations, and some possible improvements to this way of assessing creativity. (shrink)
This study examines the relation between firms’ corporate philanthropic giving and their performance in three other social domains – employee relations, environmental issues, and product safety. Based on a sample of 384 U.S. companies and using data pooled from 1998 through 2000, we find that worse performers in the other social areas are both more likely to make charitable contributions and that the extent of their giving is larger than for better performers. Analyses of each separate area of social performance, (...) however, indicate that the relation between giving and negative social performance (cited concerns) only holds for the environmental issues and product safety areas. We find no significant association between corporate philanthropy and employee relations concerns. In general, these findings suggest that corporate philanthropy may be more a tool of legitimization than a measure of corporate social responsibility. (shrink)
Increasingly, the role of health research in improving the discrepancies in health outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations in developed countries is being recognised. Along with this comes the recognition that health research must be conducted in a manner that is culturally appropriate and ethically sound. Two key documents have been produced in Australia, known as The Road Map and The Guidelines, to provide theoretical and philosophical direction to the ethics of Indigenous health research. These documents identify research themes considered (...) critical to improving the health of the nation’s Indigenous peoples. They also provide values that, from an Indigenous perspective, are foundational to an ethical research process. This paper examines these research themes and values within the context of a current longitudinal birth cohort study of Indigenous infants and children in south-west Sydney: the Gudaga Study. Considerable time and effort have been invested in being true to the values stated in these documents: reciprocity; respect; equality; responsibility; survival and protection; and spirit and integrity. We have learnt that it is vital to be true to these values when conducting Indigenous health research—to quite literally “walk the talk”. (shrink)
The author contends that overworking residents cannot be ethically justified. There is evidence that overwork is detrimental both to the resident and to the patient. In addition, thu argument that working long hours is essential to maintain medicine's status as a profession is analyzed. The claim cannot be supported by definitions of professionalism. Although Flexner's definition does specify altruism as an essential component, it does not justify long working hours for residents. Altruism is obligatory in some limited cases, but only (...) when it is required to fulfill some contractual obligation. Keywords: professionalism, altruism, residency, medical education CiteULike Connotea Del.icio.us What's this? (shrink)
The author discusses conceptual problems in psychiatry, illustrated by a debate over inclusion of a new disorder, masochistic personality disorder, in DSM-III-R, the manual of psychiatric diagnoses. While the DSM committee has attempted to avoid assumptions about theory and values in an attempt to be scientific, this has proved impossible, as theory is an integral part of scientific observation and values are a prerequisite for any judgment. The foundation for psychiatry cannot be theory – it can only be patient need. (...) Keywords: psychiatry, diagnosis, disease, illness, mental illness, women CiteULike Connotea Del.icio.us What's this? (shrink) | <urn:uuid:3e2a1c31-1278-49a2-8659-29e9d422bd65> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://philpapers.org/s/Jennifer%20Lundin%20Ritchie | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00071-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938612 | 1,168 | 1.992188 | 2 |
In Tariffville, locals are known to hold old-fashioned community cookouts or head to the Farmington River for tubing, kayaking, or rafting. But despite its many pleasures, few people outside Connecticut have ever heard of it. "This place has sort of been forgotten over the years," says Chet Matczak, president of the Tariffville Village Association. "That's one of the things that make it such a nice place to live." The neighborhood of just 320 families is a pocket of Simsbury, about 11 miles northwest of Hartford. Thanks to its small-town New England charms, top-notch schools, and die-hard dedication to historic preservation. Simbsury was included on the National Trust for Historic Preservation's exclusive "Dozen Distinctive Destinations" list in 2010. And Money
magazine recently named it one of the Best Places to Live in America. We thought we'd add to the list by naming Tariffville one of the best neighborhoods to buy an old house, too. The Houses
Greek Revivals and Gothic Revivals in Tariffville date back to the 19th century, while the late 1800s and early 1900s produced a whimsical array of Folk Victorians. Prices range from $180,000 for four-bedroom homes in disrepair (but with plenty of motivating character) to about $400,000 for large houses in beautiful condition. Why Buy Here?
Tariffville is one of the few places where you can find a five-bedroom home for under $200,000. It's an affordable hamlet for old-home lovers who want bang for their buck and for families buying for the first time and looking for access to quality education.
Among the best for: The Northeast
, Family Friendly
, First-Time Buyers
, Small Towns
, Outdoor Activities
, Easy Commute | <urn:uuid:63fc9671-1081-4644-a744-72c50aa681d9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,20469474_20916691,00.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956218 | 382 | 1.710938 | 2 |
Anti-smoking efforts pay off in East Texas county
Jefferson County has initiative. The East Texas county has 20 middle and high schools involved in the Texas Department of State Health Services' (DSHS) Tobacco Prevention Initiative (TPI). TPI aims to keep young people away from cigarettes and tobacco and seems to be stubbing out the area's youthful tobacco use.
"Jefferson County showed a significant result in [lowered] tobacco use," said Darah Waldrip of DSHS.
TPI began as a pilot program in 2000. From 2000 to 2004, Jefferson County's middle schools showed a 21 percent decline in the number of students using tobacco, while high schools showed a 41 percent decrease. High schools across the state that did not use the comprehensive approach used in Jefferson County showed a 9 percent decrease in the number of students using tobacco, while use in middle schools rose 2 percent.
Comprehensive programming included media campaigns, school presentations, help from local law enforcement and the American Cancer Society's (ACS) toll-free "Quit Line."
Testing the waters
The 1999 Texas Legislature established the pilot study and funded it with $9 million from the state's $17.3 billion tobacco settlement, Waldrip said. Funding fluctuated after the pilot wrapped up. The 2005 Legislature appropriated $6.9 million for TPI for fiscal 2006 and about $7 million for fiscal 2007.
The pilot program targeted 18 East Texas cities and counties, selected due to high rates of lung cancer and other tobacco-related diseases as well as demographics targeted by the tobacco industry, according to DSHS. The agency used different combinations of the anti-smoking message in different areas.
"Some got education, some got education and media, some got heavy media," she said.
Harris, Fort Bend and Montgomery counties also originally received comprehensive programming with results similar to those in Jefferson County, but the program's 2006 budget does not allow that to continue, Waldrip said.
"It is important to note that we still do have a media presence there, but not as much as we did," she said.
Movin' on up
Nelda Brown coordinates TPI's comprehensive efforts in Jefferson County through the Region 5 Education Service Center.
"We have funds and stipends for [the schools] to help them," she said. "But we have meetings with them, and they use their own creative juices to come up with ways to get the point across."
Brown arranges speakers and presenters--often stepping in and speaking herself--for school assemblies and presentations. She has contacts who have suffered from life-changing diseases due to tobacco use and, more on the "cool side," she said, motorcycle groups that come, bikes in tow, and speak on the power of choosing a tobacco-free road.
Comments from a May 2006 conference with local educators tell her they're making a difference.
"Just the other day, someone told me about the talk they hear amongst the kids in the hall and how what we do is making a difference in their decisions," she said.
Where DSHS' tobacco prevention efforts go in the future is unclear, Waldrip said.
"We're continuing to do as much as we can [in Jefferson County], as well as trying to be more creative in our efforts around the state," she said.
DSHS places media "buys" in different areas of the state to keep the message out there, Waldrip said. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend the state spend $3 per person on tobacco prevention and cessation, but DSHS only has enough funding to spend the full $3 per person in Jefferson County, Waldrip said.
The volume of calls to the ACS Quit Line increased after the program began, and DSHS will continue to fine-tune its efforts, Waldrip said.
"Each year we look at our media campaigns and try and decide where we can get more creative with our efforts," she said. "You have to do the best you can to look at things in a creative way." | <urn:uuid:9b1d29a1-3120-467c-81c5-f3be8003f8a5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://window.state.tx.us/comptrol/fnotes/fn0607_08/smoked.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00043-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966479 | 829 | 2.125 | 2 |
The purpose of this book is to extend the foundation and application range of 'Tao Te Ching'. The reasons for this are as follows. Firstly, we are willing to point out that 'Tao Te Ching' already has some limitation, because many questions we are interested in cannot be answered within 'Tao Te Ching'. For example, 'Tao Te Ching' basically discussed the matters in China, however considering all possible situations it should matter in foreign countries as well, i.e. the "global village". This was impossible in Lao Tzu's time. Secondly, if the original "Tao Te Ching" is regarded as "Positive Tao Te Ching", its opposite is "Negative Tao Te Ching", while the intermediate or compound state is "Neutral Tao Te Ching". Thus, our book presents the way to extend the original "Tao Te Ching" in various neutrosophic interpretations.
Comments: 210 pages. English-Chinese Bilingual
[v1] 18 Feb 2011
Unique-IP document downloads: 153 times
Add your own feedback and questions here: | <urn:uuid:9dde330d-a41f-4686-bd3b-85eafa5f5e7e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://vixra.org/abs/1102.0029 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00048-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.930009 | 231 | 2.09375 | 2 |
10. George Foreman
76 W, 5 L, 68 KO – born January 05, 1949. This fighter has always been haunted by his own ghost. After his triumphal rise to fame, his crashing defeat in the hands of Ali has left him devastated more on the spirit than on his physical side. He has named all five of his sons George because: “In this career, you have to prepare for long term brain damage.”
9. Sugar Ray Leonard
36 W, 3 L, 1 D, 25 KO – born May 17, 1956. He is an epitome of a scientific fighter and a genius on top of the ring. He can get into the minds of his opponent to inflict the most serious jabs to bring them to submission. One of the most memorable of all is the infamous “no mas” episode with Roberto Duran.
8. Marvin Hagler
62 W, 3 L, 2 D, 52 KO – born in Newark, New Jersey, May 23, 1954. Because he felt that he did not receive enough credit for his accomplishments, Hagler legally changed his name to Marvelous Marvin Hagler. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest middleweights of all time. Later in life he moved to Italy, where he made low budget movies.
7. Archie Moore
181 W, 24 L, 9 D, 1 NC, 145 KO – December 13, 1913 – December 9, 1998. If only for his impressive and superhuman career record, the Old mongoose could well have been the greatest. His fighting career spanned all four decades and has knocked out more fighters than any of the other great fighters in this top 10 list.
6. Roy Jones
49 W, 3 L, 38 KO – born January 16, 1969. His selection may raise not a few eyebrows as there are a lot of skeptics on the circumstances of his being propelled to championship status. Jones started his rap music career in 2001 with his successful album, titled Round One: The Album and the debut single, “You all Must’ve Forgot”.
5. Joe Louis
68 W, 3 L, 54 KO – Joseph Louis Barrow born May 13, 1914–April 12, 1981 nicknamed the Brown Bomber, he is considered to be one of the greatest in boxing history. Among his numerous victories Louis coined two of boxing’s most famous quotes: “He can run, but he can’t hide” and “Everyone has a plan until they’ve been hit.”
4. Julio Cesar Chavez
104 W, 5 L, 2 D, 80 KO – Julio Cesar Chavez was born on July 12, 1962 in Ciudad Obregon, Mexico. He is the ultimate Mexican champion of all time. He began boxing as an amateur at the age of sixteen and had demolished practically all the top fighters during his time. He went on to fight for 13 years with a unblemished record.
3. Henry Armstrong
150 W, 21 L, 101 KO – Henry Jackson Jr., born December 12, 1912 was the only boxer to hold three world championships at the same time. These titles included the Featherweight, Lightweight, and Welterweight crowns. He also defended the Welterweight championship more times than any other fighter.
2. Muhhamed Ali
56 W, 5 L, 37 KO – born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., January 17, 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky. He had an unorthodox style for a heavyweight boxer relying on foot speed and quickness to avoid punches and carried his hands low. Muhammad will come down in boxing history as one of the greatest human being that has fought in the square canvas.
1. Sugar Ray Robinson
179 W, 19 L, 6 D, 2 NC, 109 KO – born Walker Smith Jr., May 3, 1921 – April 12, 1989 made his professional debut on October 4, 1940. Sugar Ray Robinson is admittedly the hands down choice of top boxer of all time and to this date, no one comes close of surpassing or even equaling his achievement as a boxer. | <urn:uuid:d238b79f-27e0-4e08-a076-d1646c9e6cbc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.worldsbiggests.com/2010/02/top-10-boxers-of-all-time.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 | 0.980184 | 849 | 1.507813 | 2 |
Quickly Create Revit Projects Using Price Models
Price Revit Smart Parts is a library of products manufactured by Price in .RFA format. The files
are meant to be used by design engineers so system layouts that include Price products can be quickly
Compatibility - The .RFA files were created in Revit MEP 2009 and intended for use in Revit 2009
Accessing the files - Drawings are now organized in same format as the Price Online Catalog to make
it easier to locate the model required.
Each family has options that are currently available built in as parametric instance parameters to
allow flexibility within the project while maintaining file sizes smaller than recommended by Autodesk.
Once the family is downloaded on to your computer, you may copy and paste the contents of the folder
to a location on your local hard drive of your choosing. Then simply insert the file of your choosing
directly into your project file.
Price Smart Parts are now available to be downloaded through the Price All-in-One Software. We are
continuing to create models to add to the largest HVAC catalog of Revit Smart parts in the industry
with all Price products being available by April 2011.
Click Here to Visit the Revit Download Page. | <urn:uuid:1c6324cf-2820-41d9-8846-d3906584631c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.price-hvac.com/Software/Revit/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00041-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.91469 | 256 | 1.570313 | 2 |
In the wake of the devastating Gulf of Mexico oil spill — among all the dead sea life — the importance of conservation of the oceans is highlighted. The Chinese, Japanese and Russians will not support a world measure to stop overfishing sharks and the United Nations will not unanimously protect the endangered Atlantic bluefin tuna. So now it’s up to the citizens of our planet to help nature.
Fish is an important source of low-fat protein and vitamins; omega-3 fatty acids are brain food. Research shows omega-3 reduces heart attacks and strokes and slow the symptoms of arthritis and osteoporosis in humans.
Since the 1850s, overfishing has changed life under the sea. Northern cod, North Sea skate, marbled rock cod of Antarctica and bluefin tuna are fished out, like the great whales before them, and they are not recovering.
Sharks, rays and sea horses are on the road to extinction. East Coast cod has declined 96 percent over the past 150 years.
Researchers from the University of New Hampshire believe that haddock, herring, mackerel, yellowtail flounder and winter flounder have also declined as much as cod populations. Since the mid-19th century, more than 90 percent of the pre-industrial population of large, spawning fish has vanished.
Fish biologists at the University of British Columbia discovered that the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, which has reported global catches, yearly since 1950, began to see the problem in the 1980s. Yet, it took 12 more years for this to become public.
The FAO reported 44 million tons of catch in 1950 and by the early 1990s it was 88 million tons. The trend continued despite the Newfoundland and Grand Banks collapses in the early 1990s. The total world harvest rose to 110 million tons by 2000.
The reason for the enormous and grossly unsustainable numbers was due to false reporting by China. Since 1988, the actual decline has been at least 700,000 tons a year.
Essentially, the sea is becoming empty of older fish and older fish are vitally important for reproduction. For example, plaice is harvested by the time it reaches 6 years old, yet they are able to live for 40 years.
Extreme fishing pressures on cod and haddock have resulted in breeding one year earlier — a rare example of human-induced evolution.
Fishing technology today enables fishermen to hunt anywhere with a high accuracy of catch. Over the past 30 years, humans have begun hunting greater than 3,300 feet into the ocean. Now ling, tusk, Greenland halibut and blue whiting are all fair game. As a result, all known commercial deep-sea fish populations have fallen to around 20 percent of the 1970s levels.
One of the most prized and rare fish left on the globe is bluefin tuna. It accelerates faster than a Ferrari and warms its blood through an ingenious heat exchange system. Eastern Atlantic bluefin is an endangered species and western Atlantic bluefin is worse off; it’s listed as critically endangered.
The FAO estimates that there are about 1,556 long-line fishing vessels of larger than 99 tons with freezing capacity catching tunas around the world. At almost 4 million tons of tuna harvested annually the populations are all set to crash.
Conserving the oceans resources is clearly the only way forward in this century.
An innovative, sustainable approach to harvesting fish in Iceland and elsewhere is that of individual transferrable quotas, which enable boats to own shares of the overall quota determined by scientists.
The Marine Stewardship Council certification of sustainable fisheries that McDonald’s (which serves over 275 million fish sandwiches in North America annually), Unilever and Wal-Mart have adopted is helping to protect the oceans from piracy.
Satellite monitoring, naval and marine support with harsh penalties including enormous fines and stiff jail sentences will reduce the large pirate fleets from Spain and Russia.
Underwater reserves in New Zealand, New England, St. Lucia, Florida and the Bahamas clearly show the awesome ability over time of the ocean to regenerate its fish populations. Fish biologists predict that 50 percent of the ocean will need to be placed in reserves in order to feed 10 billion people by 2050.
Each of us can make a huge difference with our buying habits. As voters and consumers, we can exercise a unanimous voice for the conservation of all wild fish stocks and life within the ocean.
— Reese Halter is a conservation biologist at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, public speaker and founder of the international conservation institute Global Forest Science. Follow him at twitter.com/DrReeseHalter. | <urn:uuid:7eb38542-d70f-4ac6-a217-818acc23fa0a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.vcstar.com/news/2010/may/08/bountiful-oceans-require-conservation-plan/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00065-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939966 | 950 | 3.5 | 4 |
Social weavers are small birds that live in communes, building joint nests for up to 300 pairs. The nests up can be as large as 25 feet wide, 5 feet high, weighing over one ton, and with an individual room for every couple. One known colony is over 100 years old.
Sometimes the trees they are in collapse and die from the weight.
Thanks to telephone poles, and power lines, the social weavers are expanding their range.
Twigs, coarse grass and straw are the main building materials. Nest interiors are lined with fur, feathers and soft plants. They offer a stable micro climate for hot days and cold nights in the Kalahari desert. The birds use them for sleeping as well as breeding.
They enter from the bottom.
Another sub-species of the weaver bird weaves intricate individual nests.
The best weaver birds have the ability to tie dozens of different shaped knots and loops for which they use their feet as well as beaks.
Designs and neatness of construction vary widely among the different species of weaver birds. Some are simple and scruffy, with a small tube and roundish nests. Other species build much more elaborate nests, with the strands of grass carefully interwoven to form a well-defined structure. The main part is a hollow sphere, lined with nesting material, accessed through a long tube which has a small entrance hole. The nests are usually tough and well-secured so a high wind will not blow them down.
1) First the male flaunts his brilliant blue feet with an exaggerated high-stepping silly-looking strut. Then they spread their wings and tilt their bills upwards while they whistle and groan (see below, including video).
2) The male presents nesting materials to the female like twigs and grass, but then she lays the eggs in a shallow depression on flat ground.
3) The female lacks the extra skin birds have to fold over eggs and keep them warm—So she uses her blue-webbed-feet which have extra blood flow to incubate them.
4) Once hatched, the female balances the chicks on top of her feet for one month while both parents feed them. | <urn:uuid:5a727f0e-56ec-45cb-b58c-083d27b51d4b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.duskyswondersite.com/tag/bird/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00042-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961542 | 452 | 3.28125 | 3 |
No one has ever cited an example of a government that taxed, borrowed and spent its way to prosperity. Yet President Barack Obama continues to impose discredited economic theories and practices on an accelerated and gargantuan scale hoping to change the outcomes.
One definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
More troubling is the president’s notion that government is the only solution to every problem. After Katrina, New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin announced 314 public rebuilding projects. Over two and a half years later, just six were completed. Wal-Mart on the other hand, had 110 of 126 damaged stores up and running within ten days.
In the 1980s, New York City spent $12 million dollars and could not get the Wollman Skating Rink built in six years. Donald Trump spent $2.25 million dollars of his own money and built it in six months.
In April of this year, an access road to Hawaii’s Kauai Island State Park was damaged due to flooding. The government estimated the repair to take two years at a cost of $4 million dollars. The business owners and residents completed the repair in eight days for free.
Our engine of prosperity has always been free men creating, producing, and supplying our needs in a free market economy protected by the Constitution. The government produces nothing; it only redistributes what it has taken from those who do.
Ever wonder what will happen when the engine of prosperity stops and there’s nothing left to take? Atlas will shrug. | <urn:uuid:9af39715-1e4c-482f-b686-becfe278d628> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.greenpointstar.com/pages/full_story/push?article-Too+much+spending%20&id=5042073 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965256 | 316 | 1.929688 | 2 |
Two dreadful, tunnel-vision articles in the New York Times suggest the “paper of record” must rethink how it covers the most important issue of our time.
Yes, the NYT has the biggest climate team, but their reporting by stovepipe (rather than by team), renders that staff largely useless. Indeed, it may be less than useless, as these articles make clear.
Let’s start with today’s front-page story “Severe Drought Adds to Hardships in California” on the state’s record drop in snowpack and rainfall. Even though there is abundant science that both impacts are precisely what we would expect from human-caused climate change, reporter Jesse McKinley never mentions the subject at all. Quite the reverse, he opens the piece:
The country’s biggest agricultural engine, California’s sprawling Central Valley, is being battered by the recession like farmland most everywhere. But in an unlucky strike of nature, the downturn is being deepened by a severe drought that threatens to drive up joblessness, increase food prices and cripple farms and towns.
So not only does McKinley ignore a likely contributor to the drought and snowpack loss, he attributes the whole damn thing to “an unlucky strike of nature.”
No wonder the public is not terribly concerned about global warming and fails to understand that humans are changing the climate now. The only surprising thing is that the NYT itself is surprised that the public is underinformed (see “NYT‘s Revkin seems shocked by media’s own failure to explain climate threat“).
The NYT did not make this mistake when it reported on Australia’s drought — because it used team-based reporting (see CNN, ABC, WashPost, AP, blow Australian wildfire, drought, heatwave “Hell (and High Water) on Earth” story — never mention climate change). I will return to this point at the end.
Moreover, the impacts California is experiencing are not some obscure or distant prediction of climate change — they are so well-known and well accepted that even that bastion of climate denial, the Bush administration, not only acknowledged them in a December 2008 U.S. Geological Survey report, Abrupt Climate Change, but warned they may be just around the corner (see USGS stunner: SW faces “permanent drying” by 2050):
In the Southwest, for example, the models project a permanent drying by the mid-21st century that reaches the level of aridity seen in historical droughts, and a quarter of the projections may reach this level of aridity much earlier.
Indeed, these impacts in California should be incredibly well known to the media now that Energy Secretary Stephen Chu has spoken out about them (see Chu: “This is a real economic disaster in the making for our children, for your children”):
In the pessimistic scenario, the snow pack will decrease by 70 to 90 percent…. You’re looking at a scenario where there’s no more agriculture in California.
So in spite of the fact that the New York Times has expanded its climate team, it continues to be guilty of the same kind of reporting it has (mal)practiced for years:
- The NY Times Blows the Wildfire Story
- The NY Times Blows the Drought Story, too.
- The New York Times blows the bark beetle story
Now let’s turn to equally flawed reporting related to climate policy and economics. On Thursday, the NYT published a story by John Broder “E.P.A. Expected to Regulate Carbon Dioxide.” I will excerpt it at length to highlight its serious flaws:
The Environmental Protection Agency is expected to act for the first time to regulate carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that scientists blame for the warming of the planet, according to top Obama administration officials.
The decision, which most likely would play out in stages over a period of months, would have a profound impact on transportation, manufacturing costs and how utilities generate power. It could accelerate the progress of energy and climate change legislation in Congress and form a basis for the United States’ negotiating position at United Nations climate talks set for December in Copenhagen.
The environmental agency is under order from the Supreme Court to make a determination whether carbon dioxide is a pollutant that endangers public health and welfare, an order that the Bush administration essentially ignored despite near-unanimous belief among agency experts that research points inexorably to such a finding….
Ms. Jackson knows that she would be stepping into a minefield of Congressional and industry opposition and said that she was trying to devise a program that allayed these worries.”We are poised to be specific on what we regulate and on what schedule,” Ms. Jackson said. “We don’t want people to spin that into a doomsday scenario….”
That is not likely to assuage critics, including many Democrats from states dependent on coal-generated electricity and manufacturing jobs, where such regulation could significantly increase costs. Representative John D. Dingell, the Michigan Democrat who has long championed the interests of the auto industry, said that the regulation of carbon dioxide emissions by the E.P.A. would set off a “glorious mess” that would resonate throughout the economy.
Senator John Barrasso, Republican of Wyoming, warned Ms. Jackson during her January confirmation hearing that she should not undercut Congress’s authority by using the agency’s regulatory power to address global warming. Mr. Barrasso called the use of the Clean Air Act to regulate carbon “a disaster waiting to happen.”
Many environmental advocates, however, said the E.P.A.’s action was long overdue, but added that it was only as a stopgap until Congress passed comprehensive climate change legislation.
“It’s politically necessary, scientifically necessary and legally necessary,” said David Bookbinder, chief climate counsel at the Sierra Club, a plaintiff in the Supreme Court case….
Jeffrey R. Holmstead, the former head of the agency’s office of air and radiation, said that a finding of endangerment from emissions of heat-trapping gases did not initiate immediate regulation but started a clock ticking on a process that typically took 18 months to two years.
“Potentially, it’s a huge mess, not only for E.P.A. but for state regulatory agencies, because the Clean Air Act is second only to the Internal Revenue Code in terms of complexity,” said Mr. Holmstead, now director of environmental strategies at the law firm Bracewell & Giuliani.
He said that under the clean air law any source emitting more than 250 tons of a declared pollutant would be subject to regulation, potentially including schools, hospitals, shopping centers, even bakeries, which has prompted some critics to call it the “Dunkin’ Donuts rule.”
But Mr. Bookbinder and other supporters say the regulations can be written to exempt these potential emitters. Ms. Jackson said that there was no timetable for issuing regulations governing carbon emissions and that her agency would not engage in “rash decision making.”
But she also said that the Supreme Court decision obliged her to act….
That’s right, the New York Times published an entire article on the plans by the Environmental Protection Agency — the agency charged with protecting humans and the environment from pollution — to obey the Supreme Court ruling and regulate greenhouse gas emissions, but never once mentioned a single benefit to the environment or human beings from regulating greenhouse gases. In short, the NYT left out the point of the entire effort.
[It's also lame (but typical) that they put the Sierra Club in opposition to congressional opponents of action, rather than, say, leading proponents of action in both houses.]
But, as you can see, Broder catalogued at length a variety of presumed costs of action identified by opponents — including absurd ones like the supposed Dunkin’ Donuts rule. It is pretty damn hard for readers to do a mental cost-benefit analysis of EPA greenhouse gas regulations if the media repeatedly discuss costs but never mention a single specific benefit.
This article is particularly egregious since it comes on the heels of a study that leading U.S. journalist Eric Pooley wrote for Harvard critiquing the media for this precisely this mistake (see How the press bungles its coverage of climate economics — “The media’s decision to play the stenographer role helped opponents of climate action stifle progress”). Pooley analyzed dozens of media articles on last year’s climate debate in the Senate and concluded:
The press failed to perform the basic service of making climate policy and its economic impact understandable to the reader and allowed opponents of climate action to set the terms of the cost debate. The argument centered on the short-term costs of taking action–i.e., higher electricity and gasoline prices–and sometimes assumed that doing nothing about climate change carried no cost.
The NYT‘s coverage of climate is media malpractice. And if the reporters are stuck in their silos and unable to see the big picture — if NYT reporters act as if having a big climate team means they don’t to explain key issues fully to the reader since that’s someone else’s job — then the weight of this flawed coverage falls on the head of the editors.
THE NEED FOR TEAM-BASED REPORTING (AND BETTER EDITORS)
As I wrote earlier this month (here), the NYT”s own reporting on Australia was much better than their earlier AP-inspired stories on the subject, no doubt because “Andrew C. Revkin contributed reporting from New York.” The story noted:
The firestorms and heat in the south revived discussions in Australia of whether human-caused global warming was contributing to the continent’s climate woes of late — including recent prolonged drought in some places and severe flooding last week in Queensland, in the northeast.
Climate scientists say that no single rare event like the deadly heat wave or fires can be attributed to global warming, but the chances of experiencing such conditions are rising along with the temperature. In 2007, Australia’s national science agency published a 147-page report on projected climate changes, concluding, among other things, that “high-fire-danger weather is likely to increase in the southeast.”
The flooding in the northeast and the combustible conditions in the south were consistent with what is forecast as a result of recent shifts in climate patterns linked to rising concentrations of greenhouse gases, said Kevin Trenberth, a scientist at the United States National Center for Atmospheric Research.
That is how it is done — though even here, the editors buried the story is on page A9, the paragraphs cited are at the very end, and the headline (again, typically written by an editor) is “Australia Police Confirm Arson Role in Wildfires.”
Apparently, the editors believe that blaming individual bad guys is the best way to frame the story, not blaming us all for all our contribution to human-caused global warming. But I digress.
In the past, I think the media and scientists felt they had to bend over backwards not to attribute any single weather event 100% to human-caused global warming — but today there is no excuse whatsoever for a senior reporter at a major newspaper not reporting that what is occurring now is precisely what climate science has been predicting would happen.
In particular, the NYT reporting today — “There’s been no meaningful precipitation since last March,” and “Last month, California officials estimated the snowpack in the Sierra, a primary source of water for the state when it melts in the spring, at 61 percent of normal” — is not about short-term weather events, but rather major climate events — ones predicted to become increasingly common thanks to human emissions of greenhouse gases.
Indeed, I think we can now safely say the media can’t responsibly attribute any major climate event predicted to become more common because of global warming — like a lengthy drought or loss in snowpack — 100% to an “unlikely strike of nature.”
The NYT editors seem no better than their Washington Post counterparts (see “The day DC journalism died: Washington Post is staffed with people who found ZERO mistakes in George Will’s error-filled denial column“).
The bottom line: Once again, if you want to find the best journalism now on climate — the most science-based, the most fact-based, the most integrated and comprehensive, the most relevant to your lives and the lives of your children and the people you care about and indeed all of humanity — you must go to the web, specifically the blogosphere.
- NYT editors confused about Arctic warming
- What if the MSM simply can’t cover humanity’s self-destruction? | <urn:uuid:cd4a0297-4d38-44ef-a5ea-ce5b5195f0a8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2009/02/22/203590/is-the-new-york-times-coverage-of-global-warming-fatally-flawed/?mobile=nc | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948381 | 2,695 | 2.109375 | 2 |
- CERT 12
- 1 HR 38 MINS
When 12 year-old Chanda and her family learn of an unpleasant rumour that spreads through their village like wildfire, her mother is forced to seek refuge from the prejudice of her superstitious neighbours. Chanda soon begins to suspect, however, that things might not be as they seem: fearing for her mother’s safety and unable to trust even those closest to her, she sets out to uncover the truth.
'Life, Above All' is an emotional and universal drama about a young girl (stunningly performed by first-time-actress Khomotso Manyaka) who fights the fear and shame that have poisoned her community. Directed by South African filmmaker Oliver Schmitz ("Mapantsula", "Paris, je t´aime"), it is based on the international award winning and best-selling novel “Chanda’s Secrets” by Allan Stratton.
Drama, Family, World Cinema
Contains moderate language and sex references
1 hour 45 minutes | <urn:uuid:44af2bda-ca00-470b-bd2c-3ce2ef1d1b9d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.blinkbox.com/Movies/37307/Life-Above-All | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00056-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957815 | 217 | 1.53125 | 2 |
We all know about the raft of allegations and lawsuits for intellectual copyright infringement aimed at Forever 21, Top Shop, H&M, and other discount retailers. (Fashionista regularly features sharp-eyed notes about the proliferation of such copies.) Because these retailers replicate print patterns, dress styles, et cetera, major designers claim cheap manufacturing and mass distribution degrades the “originality” of their creative output.
This is, of course, the rehearsal of what Walter Benjamin called “the aura” in his essay, “The Work of Art in an Age of Mechanical Reproduction. This “aura,” he argued, was first derived from art’s original value in religious ceremonies and rituals, and later from the Renaissance’s secularization of art as singular works of individual genius. This produced the notion of “art of art’s sake,” of art as transcendent and of the artist guided by a privileged insight into capital-T truth, in the 1800s, against the rapid industrialization and urbanization of “culture.”
We can see this at work in claims by major designers against Forever 21 and its cheap cohort of retailers. At the same time, major designers buying vintage and copying these pieces include Jill Stuart, Anna Sui, Jean Paul Gautier, and of course Marc Jacobs, who is seen browsing vintage stores in New York City for just this purpose in his new documentary. Some of these same designers are part of copyright lawsuits against Forever 21 and other discount retailers – and a few are finding themselves at the other end of such lawsuits.
Famed Belgian deconstructionist designer Martin Margiela was recently dinged for only slightly, –very, very slightly– modifying a copyrighted t-shirt design featuring an ominous sky full of thundering white horses and a barren mountain cliff. Reproduced on an asymmetrically draped and padded cotton shirt, and sold out at the designer’s Beverly Hills boutique, the almost exact image’s copyright belongs to British artist David Penfound, who sells reproduction rights to the painting for as much as one of Margiela’s shirts.
TOP: Margiela’s version from the S/S 08 collection, BOTTOM: Penfound’s original from a $20 t-shirt.
Margiela’s representatives say the graphic is a “collage of nostalgic images compiled in-house.” Nevermind for a moment that there is pretty much no “collage” effect at all in the copy. This invocation of nostalgia is telling because it suggests a fashion-backwardness, a temporal anomaly, brought forward into the future at the behest of the fashion-forward. This nostalgia for a certain set of images, however, is nonetheless contemporaneous; a particular aesthetic imagined to be still alive and, as many observers have noted, representative of a series of degraded cultural touchstones: “Midwestern gas station,” “trailer trash,” and “cheap and ugly souvenir.” (This chain of associations is no accident.) One fashion blog commentator wrote, “I picture the original on someone buying an extra-large order of nachos and a foot-long hot dog.“
These aesthetic judgments of the original design are called upon in both defenses and denunciations of Margiela. In the first, such judgments suggest that the original design was of such poor aesthetic quality that Margiela’s replication of the design only elevated something that was otherwise cultural detritus. Which is to say, Margiela’s transformation of the design (in the details and drape) can and should be regarded as the design’s alienation –not as isolation but as repudiation—of the original. In the second, such judgments argue that the original design is too ugly to redeem, too “cheesy” to rip off.
So what sort of aura is it when major designers copy cheap and derided –in no uncertain terms of economic and cultural capital— thrift store and vintage items? How are discourses of art and originality distributed unevenly, unequally, here? How do certain ideas about other peoples’ styles travel, and inform (or not!) the clothing options and choices for the consumers of these styles? How do these same ideas inform the clothing options and choices for consumers of these styles when they are “transformed” in other contexts – whether Urban Outfitters’s array of vintage reprints for the college crowd, or Martin Margiela’s vintage rip off for the wealthy?
Consider feminist media theorist Judith Williamson’s seminal essay, “No Woman Is an Island:” “It is currently ‘in’ for the young and well-fed to go around in torn rags, but not for tramps to do so. In other words, the appropriation of other people’s dress is fashionable provided it is perfectly clear that you are, in fact, different from whoever would normally wear such clothes.” Written in 1986, it seems this still applies.
Meanwhile, 55 year-old Swede, Göran Olofsson, has been compensated an unknown amount for the scarf that Marc Jacobs blatantly plagiarized for Louis Vuitton. The scarf had been designed and created by Olofsson’s father Gosta in the 1950s as part of a line of tourist souvenirs for the Swedish small town of Linsell, and the print on Jacob’s silk scarf was a near exact copy. (He replaced the name of the town with the tagline, “Marc Jacobs since 1984.”) (Mimi) | <urn:uuid:e6a3ae5e-52ef-4b31-a3c4-3ecd3aa0bc6e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://iheartthreadbared.wordpress.com/category/cheap-chic/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938762 | 1,183 | 1.601563 | 2 |
Carved in the bark of every tree in the garden of God are the words, "If it dies it bears much fruit" (John 12:24). Three words are branded into the flesh of every Christian: "YOU ... HAVE ... DIED" (Colossians 3:3). And the heartfelt confession of every believer is, "I have been crucified with Christ" (Galatians 2:20).
But what does this mean? Who died when I became a Christian? Answer: my "flesh" died. "Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified THE FLESH" (Galatians 5:24).
But what does "flesh" mean? Not my skin. Not my body. That can be an instrument of righteousness (Romans 6:13). The "works of the flesh" are things like idolatry and strife, and anger and envy (Galatians 5:20f.) —attitudes, not just immoral acts of the body.
How the Bible Defines "Flesh"
The closest thing to a biblical definition of the flesh is Romans 8:7-8, "The mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law, indeed it cannot; and those who are in the flesh cannot please God."
So the flesh is the old "me" who used to rebel against God. In the flesh I was hostile and insubordinate. I hated the thought of admitting I was sick with sin. I defied the idea that my greatest need was a Good Physician to make me well. In the flesh I trusted my wisdom not God's. So nothing I did in the flesh could please God, because "without faith it is impossible to please God" (Hebrews 11:6). And the flesh does nothing from faith.
So "the flesh" is the old self-reliant, faithless me. This is what died when God saved me. God clamped the arteries on my old unbelieving heart of stone. And when it died He took it out and gave me a new heart (Ezekiel 36:26).
'What's the difference between this new heart that lives and the old one that died? The answer is given in Galatians 2:20. It says, "I have been crucified with Christ. . . and the life I now live, I LIVE BY FAITH in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me." The old heart that died trusted in itself; the new heart banks on Christ every day.
Fight Sin By Trusting Jesus
This is the answer to our first question: How do dead people do battle with sin? They do battle with sin by trusting the Son of God. They are dead to Satan's lie, which goes like this: 'You will be happier if you trust your own ideas about how to be happy instead of trusting the counsel and the promises of Christ." Christians have died to that deceit. So the way they fight Satan is by trusting that the paths and promises of Christ are better than Satan's.-
This way of doing battle with sin is called the "fight of faith" (1 Timothy 6:12; 2 Timothy 4:7). The victories of this fight are called the "works of faith" (1 Thessalonians 1:3; 2 Thessalonians 1:11). And in this warfare Christians "become holy by faith" (Acts 26:18; 2 Thessalonians 2:13).
Let's think then about this fight of faith. It is not like war games with rubber bullets. Eternity is at stake. Romans 8:13 is a key verse: "If you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live." This is written to professing Christians, and the point is that our eternal life hangs on our battle with sin.
It does not mean that we earn eternal life by killing sin. No, it is "by the Spirit" that we fight. He will get the glory, not us. Nor does Romans 8:13 mean that we fight with an anxious sense of uncertainty about winning. On the contrary, even as we fight we have confidence that "He who began a good work in us will complete it at the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6). Nor does Romans 8:13 mean that we must be perfect now in our victory over sin. Paul renounces the claim to perfection (Philippians 3:12).
What God Requires
The demand in Romans 8:13 is not sinlessness but mortal combat with sin. This is utterly essential in the Christian life. Otherwise we give no evidence that the flesh has been crucified. And if the flesh has not been crucified we do not belong to Christ (Galatians 5:24). The stakes in this battle are very high. We are not playing war games. The outcome is heaven or hell.
How then do dead people "put to death the (sinful) deeds of the body"? We have answered, "By faith!" But just what does this mean? How do you fight sin with faith?
Suppose I am tempted to lust. Some sexual image pops into my brain and beckons me to pursue it. The way this temptation gets its power is by persuading me to believe that I will be happier if I follow it. The power of all temptation is the prospect that it will make me happier. No one sins out of a sense of duty when what they really want is to do right.
So what should I do? Some people would say, "Remember God's command to be holy (1 Peter 1:16) and exercise your will to obey because he is God!" But something crucial is missing from this advice, namely, FAITH. A lot of people strive for moral improvement who cannot say, "The life I live I live BY FAITH" (Galatians 2:20). A lot of people try to love who don't realize that, "What counts is FAITH working through love" (Galatians 5:6).
The fight against lust (or greed or fear or any other temptation) is a fight of faith. Otherwise the result is legalism. I'll try to explain how we fight sin with faith.
Fighting Sin By the Spirit
When the temptation to lust comes, Romans 8:13 says, "If you kill it by the Spirit you will live." By the Spirit! What does that mean? Out of all the armor God gives us to fight Satan, only one piece is used for killing—the sword. It is called the sword OF THE SPIRIT (Ephesians 6:17). So when Paul says, "Kill sin by the Spirit," I take that to mean, Depend on the Spirit, especially his sword.
What is the sword of the Spirit? It's the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17). Here's where faith comes in. "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God" (Romans 10:17). The Word of God cuts through the fog of Satan's lies and shows me where true and lasting happiness is to be found. And so the Word helps me stop trusting in the potential of sin to make me happy, and instead entices me to trust in God's promise of joy (Psalm 16:11).
I wonder how many believers today realize that faith is not merely believing that Christ died for our sins. Faith is also being confident that His way is better than sin. His will is more wise. His help is more sure. His promises more precious. And his reward more satisfying. Faith begins with a backward look at the cross, but it lives with a forward look at the promises. Abraham grew strong in his FAITH ... fully convinced that God was able to do what He had PROMISED" (Romans 4:20f.). "Faith is the assurance of things HOPED for" (Hebrews 11:1).
When faith has the upper hand in my heart I am satisfied with Christ and his promises. This is what Jesus meant when he said, "He who BELIEVES in me shall NEVER THIRST" (John 6:35). If my thirst for joy and meaning and passion are satisfied by the presence and promises of Christ, the power of sin is broken. We do not yield to the offer of sandwich meat when we can see the steak sizzling on the grill.
Satisfaction Slays Sin
The fight of faith is the fight to stay satisfied with God. "By faith Moses. . . forsook the fleeting pleasures of sin ... He looked to the reward" (Hebrews 11:24-26). Faith is not content with "fleeting pleasures." It is ravenous for joy. And the Word of God says, "In God's presence is fullness of joy, and in his right hand are pleasures forevermore" (Psalm 16:11). So faith will not be sidetracked into sin. It will not give up so easily in its quest for maximum joy.
The role of God's Word is to feed faith's appetite for God. And in doing this it weans my heart away from the deceptive taste of lust. At first lust begins to trick me into feeling that I would really miss out on some great satisfaction if I followed the path of purity. But then I take up the sword of the Spirit and begin to fight. I read that it is better to gouge out my eye than to lust (Matthew 5:29). I read that if I think about things that are pure and lovely and excellent the peace of God will be with me (Philippians 4:8f.). I read that setting the mind on the flesh brings death, but setting the mind on the Spirit brings life and peace (Romans 8:6).
And as I pray for my faith to be satisfied with God's life and peace, the sword of the Spirit carves the sugar coating off the poison of lust. I see it for what it is. And by the grace of God, its alluring power is broken.
This is the way dead people do battle with sin. This is what it means to be a Christian. We are dead in the sense that the old unbelieving self (the flesh) has died. In its place there is a new creation. What makes it new is FAITH. Not just a backward-looking belief in the death of Jesus, but a forward-looking belief in the promises of Jesus. Not just being sure of what he did do, but also being satisfied with what he will do.
With all eternity hanging in the balance, we fight the fight of faith. Our chief enemy is the lie that says sin will make our future happier. Our chief weapon is the Truth that says God will make our future happier. And faith is the victory that overcomes the lie, because faith is satisfied with God.
The challenge before us then is not merely to do what God says because He is God, but to desire what God says because he is good. The challenge is not merely to pursue righteousness, but to prefer righteousness. The challenge is to get up in the morning and prayerfully meditate on the Scriptures until we experience joy and peace in believing "the precious and very great promises" of God (Romans 15:13; 2 Peter 1:4). With this joy set before us the commandments of God will not be burdensome (1 John 5:3) and the compensation of sin will appear too brief and too shallow to lure us. | <urn:uuid:cec83205-0200-45cf-8e75-be5e0b1a0862> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/articles/how-dead-people-do-battle-with-sin | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953092 | 2,398 | 1.9375 | 2 |
Same-sex couples celebrate first legal weddings
New era for marriage in Maryland
Katie Dongarra, 33, left, and Sharon Dongarra, 37, right, with their two year old daughter Lucy, plan to be legally wed after midnight on New Year's Day at their home in front of this clock, with friends and family gathered around them. They have been together for 17 years, and had a symbolic marriage ceremony in 2006. (Amy Davis, Baltimore Sun / December 31, 2012)
The couple has shared nearly every experience that can bond two people, except for one. Until today.
But just after midnight, the two women pledged themselves to each other yet again in their Towson home, becoming one of the first same-sex couples to be legally married in Maryland.
"After 17 years, we might as well do it the very moment we can," said Sharon Dongarra, 37, a chiropractor.
New Year's Day marks the culmination of years of work by gay and lesbian Marylanders and their allies to persuade state legislators, and later voters, to support full marriage rights for same-sex couples. The General Assembly approved same-sex marriage in 2012, only to have opponents petition it onto the ballot in the November election.
The Dongarras — Katie legally changed her last name to Sharon's a couple years ago — were exuberant when Maryland, along with Maine and Washington, became the first states in which voters approved extending marriage rights to gay and lesbian couples.
The next day, Sharon Dongarra recalled, she got teary-eyed watching Katie help their daughter, Lucy, into the car. "I remember thinking, 'She will not remember a time when her moms were considered second-class citizens in Maryland,' " she said.
The couple was one of dozens planning a New Year's Day wedding ceremony. Partners of 29 years exchanged vows on the roof of their Harborview home as fireworks rocketed over the Inner Harbor. The doors of Baltimore's City Hall opened just after midnight to host the weddings of seven couples. And an Eastern Shore inn was preparing to host 50 weddings throughout the day — including one for the inn's owners.
John Kyle and Pete Satten planned to mark their 23rd anniversary as a couple with an intimate wedding at a Brewers Hill restaurant. The pair had posted a sign in support of Question 6 — the ballot question that authorized same-sex marriage — in front of their stone house in Bolton Hill months ago and planned to affix a "Just Married" sticker on it after the ceremony.
Even as couples were arranging flowers and cupcakes for their ceremonies, others were planning protests. The ultra-conservative Westboro Baptist Church, known for picketing high-profile funerals with signs saying "God hates" gay people, has received permits to rally in front of courthouses in Towson and Annapolis on Wednesday, police said.
Meanwhile, parishioners of St. Anne's, the 300-year-old Episcopal church across from the Annapolis courthouse, were planning a counter-protest the same day to "bear witness to the good news of God's unconditional love."
"We will not engage them. But we will speak our message of love more loudly," Joe Pagano, the associate rector of St. Anne's, wrote to parishioners. "Come and join us and let us show the world that the love of Jesus is more powerful than hate."
For those who came of age during earlier eras, the fact that same-sex marriage could be legal in Maryland — and nine other states — seems nearly too good to be true.
When Michael Williams, 53, and Clifton Scott, 61, met on Feb. 4, 1984, the two men never dreamed that they would one day marry — or that they would be together 29 years later. Williams and Scott were at a bar in Indianapolis when Michael Jackson's "Thriller" — the year's top song — began to play.
Scott asked Williams to dance, and the two men instantly felt a powerful bond.
"I knew as soon as I met him," said Scott, a human resources director. "Did we even date? We were very committed from the beginning."
Williams, a neurologist, said the couple's exuberance was tempered by his family's reluctance to accept that he was gay.
"My parents came down to Indianapolis the summer after we met," he said. "It was very hard for them. My mother cried. My dad got mad and stayed mad for a couple years."
But in time, Williams' parents grew to embrace Scott. The couple attended holiday gatherings and family vacations together. Their nieces and nephews, born after the men fell in love, think of them as inseparable. | <urn:uuid:78663d43-264a-4550-af08-1792c72f58fe> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.southbendtribune.com/bs-md-first-same-sex-marriages-20121231,0,4402487.story | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975457 | 980 | 1.804688 | 2 |
TheCommon.org is an online tool that helps meet needs and connects people to serving opportunities. It does this by matching projects with user profiles. Each registered user creates a profile for serving based on his or her skills and abilities, selecting from a list of categories [For example, "I can do yard work" and "I can paint"]. Along with this, facilitators and users on TheCommon.org load projects related to Mars Hill serving initiatives and local community needs [Such as, "I need a ride to work" and "A refugee family needs furniture"]. Each project is categorized by the types of service needed—when a need in a project matches an ability in a user profile, TheCommon.org notifies that user, giving him or her the option to get involved.
Registering with TheCommon.org puts serving opportunities at your fingertips, connecting you with needs and giving you a chance to help meet them. It also provides a place to express need and ask for help from among the Mars Hill community, all with just a few clicks of a mouse. | <urn:uuid:89a0829c-6c51-46ea-b0fc-8070394ab2cf> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://marshill.org/serving/thecommon/about-thecommon/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00035-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960195 | 218 | 1.570313 | 2 |
A "Healthier" Girl Scout Cookie?
The Girls Scouts' newest confection, Mango Crème with Nutrifusion, may leave cookie lovers with a bad taste in their mouths. The description sounds fairly simple: vanilla, coconut, a tangy mango-flavored crème--everything you would expect in a cookie. Until you realize they are enhanced with vitamins. The cookies contain 15 percent of your reference daily intake (RDI) of Vitamin B1, and 5 percent RDI of Vitamins A, C, D, and E.
According to the ABC Smart Cookies site, the "nutrifusion" part of these treats come from a concentrated blend of cranberries, pomegranates, oranges, grapes, strawberries, and shitake mushrooms—yikes! No offense to the little ladies who peddle these sweet treats, but with 180 calories and 8 g of fat in just three cookies, there are healthier ways to get fruit in your diet.
The lesson here: It's okay to settle your sweet tooth with a cookie once and a while, but vitamin-enhanced cookies are no replacement for the natural nutrients found in fruit—which can be just as and tasty.
||Log In With Facebook to post a comment| | <urn:uuid:4e571e63-6dbf-4bb3-a360-d2668e9e721d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://fitbie.msn.com/2013/01/15/healthier-girl-scout-cookie?blog_cat=625 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00075-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.910681 | 257 | 2.15625 | 2 |
“Advocacy in a Globalized World: From the Classroom to the Frontline”
2013 Sam and Marilyn Fox ATLAS Week Program
DATES: April 8th - 12th, 2013
The 2013 Sam and Marilyn Fox Atlas Week program will be held the week of April 8th. The theme for the 2013 Atlas Program is "Advocacy in a Globalized World: From the Classroom to the Frontline". One of the main goals of the Atlas Program is to increase awareness of the global issues that confront us today in an effort not only to promote discussion, but also to inspire and inform action. It focuses on what we as global citizens can do to contribute to a better life for all people now and in the future. The Atlas Program is unique in that for one week of the year, it brings together members of the University community to focus on the global challenges that confront us in the 21st century. Atlas Week will open with an Interfaith Prayer Service on Monday, April 8th in St. Francis Xavier College Church.
John Prendergast will deliver the Keynote Address, "Conflict Resources and Conflict Prevention: The Case of Congo, The World's Deadliest War" at the Atlas Week Signature Symposium on Thursday, April 11 at 5:30 p.m. in the Wool Ballrooms of the Busch Student Center. Prendergast is a human rights activist and best-selling author who has worked for peace in Africa for over 25 years. He is the co-founder of the Enough Project, an initiative to end genocide and crimes against humanity. John is a board member and serves as Strategic Advisor to Not On Our Watch, the organization founded by George Clooney, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, and Brad Pitt. Prendergast will serve as a Visiting Peace Practitioner for two days at SLU (April 10th and 11th) and participate in several other organized events.
In addition, please join John Prendergast for a book signing from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m., before the Signature Symposium in the Busch Student Center, Room 170. Prendergast's books will be available for purchase during this time.
PARADE OF NATIONS AND BILLIKEN WORLD FESTIVAL
On Friday, April 12th, the Parade of Nations and the Billiken World Festival will be held. Both food and non-food booths will be available for departments and student groups who want to participate. The deadline to reserve a booth is February 28, 2012.
If you are interested in reserving a booth at the Billiken World Festival, the forms for food booths and informational booths are available on this website. See the menu to the left.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
If you have any questions, please contact Michelle Lorenzini at email@example.com or 314-977-3243. | <urn:uuid:ff2d3358-06e4-4338-8c38-2f26b1a966a1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://slu.edu/x29390.xml | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935911 | 599 | 1.625 | 2 |
National Mill Dog Rescue
Invite friends and colleagues to share their experiences with this nonprofit
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December 7, 2012
This organization WAS a great organization several years ago, but the director has lost sight of the original goals of the organization. Theresa has become much more interested in photo ops and news and magazine stories than about the adoption side of her business. Within the past year, there have been at least two cases of sick and/or damaged dogs that died almost immediately after being chased around a kennel or a yard by a person with a video camera to create a video for fund raising purposes. These dogs died from shear fright--all for fund raising purposes. Very unethical! Recently, a person was approved to adopt a particular dog and arrangements were made for her to pick up her dog. In a rare event, Theresa came in, said she had promised the dog to someone else (not following their own rules), and instructed her adoption coordinator to call this woman and say that NMDR had decided the dog "would be too big for her." This was a total lie. A short time later, one of the puppies of the dog she wanted was returned, and this woman was called and told to come and get THIS puppy. I guess, now she can handle a big dog. These things should NEVER happen. Honesty is important for any business; but it is certainly a problem for this one. One could also make a strong case for this organization being discriminatory. Very few volunteers are non-white, very few adopters are non-white, and the locations where adoptions events are held in "desirable zip codes." There is also no logic to the adoptions of the dogs. Some families have adopted 8 dogs and do not have to follow the rules, while other people are turned away for absurd reasons, or for no reason given. It is impossible to question them because they never answer the phone and will not answer emails if they are being questioned. Their 501(c)(3) category is still listed as N60 Sports rather than D20 Animal Welfare. In the past 1 1/2 years, NMDR changed their adoptions contract so that it now says that you do not actually own your dog. You must agree that NMDR may come AT ANY TIME IN THE FUTURE to double-check the home you are providing and they may reclaim your dog! Everyone seems sure NMDR would never do this, but their partner group, North Shore Animal League has done exactly that and re-sold the dog. DO NOT assume NMDR would not do the same. NMDR also refuses to release the contact information on the puppy mills with which they have formed "relationships." This one step would bring about the closure of puppy mills faster than anything other action. Note: I am not saying there is anything wrong with the volunteers of this organization. They are devoted people who work very hard. However, very few of them are even aware of what is going on around them. It is the Top Level of this group that has lost course. The comment someone made about food was right on. I was told when I asked about how large a room full of food would last and I was told "over a year." I also noticed that there are many different companies donating food on a regular basis several times a year; and yet there were two requests to the public for "badly needed" dog food within just a few weeks. The veterinary comment someone else mentioned is also true. Very few vets in the area will work with this group. If fact, a different non-profit has taken on as their charity the responsibility of paying NMDR's vet bills. Foster homes often have to pay vet expenses themselves. Unfortunately, most people see only the top surface of this organization and do not look deep enough to know the full story. NMDR has hired a PR person to build Theresa's exposure, which means, if you donate, you are probably paying that person salary--not helping a dog. I also just saw and ad saying NMDR needed more volunteers. This is something NMDR never had to do before and it is not because they are taking in more dogs. In fact, they only have one kennel now. (They used to have two.) If you are looking for a group to support financially, this group should only be considered for donating items the dogs can use--not money. Or, donate your time as a volunteer--and keep your eyes and ears open. You will be surprised at what you see and hear. Most people do not know that NMDR has won several "contests" this past year because so many volunteers call in to web sites on all of their computers to register "votes" These awards have had large cash awards--I'm not even sure what their total has been, but I saw one award of $50,000 and another of $25,000. I will be checking to see how these get recorded on their taxes. This group can use you as a volunteer, but there are more financially needy organizations that are certainly more ethical.
How does this organization compare with others in the same sector?
How much of an impact do you think this organization has?
Will you recommend this organization to others?
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
Previous | Next | <urn:uuid:a916c5b4-611f-4e6a-af30-bef84e07927c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://greatnonprofits.org/reviews/national-mill-dog-rescue/role:3/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.985985 | 1,080 | 1.59375 | 2 |
UM Health Expert: New SARS-like Virus Carries Similar Risks
Ten years ago, the world was in the midst of a deadly pandemic. The viral respiratory illness SARS had spread to dozens of nations worldwide.
Now health experts are looking at a new SARS-like virus, the World Health Organization refers to as novel coronavirus.
The national health community first started warning the public about the virus last fall. There have now been 10 confirmed cases, five of those people have died.
All of the cases have links to the Middle East. Five cases came out of Saudi Arabia, two originated in Qatar and two came out of Jordan. The most recent case, the first in 2013, is a U.K. Resident who recently visited Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
The new virus is a member the coronavirus family, the same group as SARS.
"It would have all the same potential frightening elements to it. Meaning that it surely could be highly transmissible, it could be a virus that could cause very serious illness and require intensive care hospitalization and the first 10 cases surely give us that evidence," said Dr. Michael Osterholm, Director of the University of Minnesota's Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.
Experts believe bats are the original source. Bats may have infected other animals, which then passed the virus onto humans.
It is possible the virus may also be transmissible person to person.
"After enough human infections the virus adapts enough so that actually people can spread it to each other. That's when you see potential for a global pandemic because today with modern transportation, this virus could be around the world overnight," Osterholm said.
At this stage the virus is unpredictable.
"Is it in fact going to really just die out, is it going to have these sporadic occasional infections occur, or is it going to actually blow, as we would say, and develop the ability to be transmitted by humans. And if that were to occur, then we really would be on the edge of a global pandemic," Osterholm said. | <urn:uuid:8d390a44-725e-43b3-b76a-ef2f61d6759b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://kstp.com/news/stories/S2928295.shtml?cat=127 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00075-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965429 | 431 | 3.1875 | 3 |
Now these are the generations of Aaron and Moses, in the day when the word of the Lord came to Moses on Mount Sinai.
These are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the oldest, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests, on whom the holy oil was put, who were marked out as priests.
And Nadab and Abihu were put to death before the Lord when they made an offering of strange fire before the Lord, in the waste land of Sinai, and they had no children: and Eleazar and Ithamar did the work of priests before Aaron their father.
And the Lord said to Moses,
Make the tribe of Levi come near, and put them before Aaron the priest, to be his helpers,
In order that they may be responsible to him and to all Israel for the care of the Tent of meeting, and to do the work of the House;
And they will have the care of all the vessels of the Tent of meeting, and will do for the children of Israel all the necessary work of the House.
Give the Levites to Aaron and his sons; so that they may be his without question from among the children of Israel.
And give orders that Aaron and his sons are to keep their place as priests; any strange person who comes near is to be put to death.
And the Lord said to Moses,
See, I have taken the Levites out of the children of Israel to be mine in place of the first sons of the children of Israel;
For all the first sons are mine; on the day when I put to death all the first sons in the land of Egypt, I took for myself every first male birth of man and beast. They are mine; I am the Lord.
And the Lord said to Moses in the waste land of Sinai,
Let all the children of Levi be numbered by their families and their fathers' houses; let every male of a month old and over be numbered.
So Moses did as the Lord said, numbering them as he had been ordered.
These were the sons of Levi by name: Gershon and Kohath and Merari.
And these are the names of the sons of Gershon, by their families: Libni and Shimei.
And the sons of Kohath, by their families: Amram and Izhar and Hebron and Uzziel.
And the sons of Merari by their families: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites in the order of their fathers' houses.
From Gershon come the Libnites and the Shimeites; these are the families of the Gershonites.
Those who were numbered of them, the males from one month old and over, were seven thousand, five hundred.
The tents of the Gershonites are to be placed at the back of the House, to the west.
The chief of the Gershonites is Eliasaph, the son of Lael.
In the Tent of meeting, the Gershonites are to have the care of the House, and the Tent with its cover, and the veil for the door of the Tent of meeting,
And the hangings for the open space round the House and the altar, and the curtain for its doorway, and all the cords needed for its use.
From Kohath come the Amramites and the Izharites and the Hebronites and the Uzzielites; these are the families of the Kohathites.
Those who were numbered of them, the males from one month old and over, were eight thousand, six hundred, who were responsible for the care of the holy place.
The tents of the Kohathites are to be placed on the south side of the House.
Their chief is Elizaphan, the son of Uzziel.
In their care are the ark, and the table, and the lights, and the altars, and all the vessels used in the holy place, and the veil, and all they are used for.
Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, will be head over all the Levites and overseer of those responsible for the care of the holy place.
From Merari come the Mahlites and the Mushites; these are the families of Merari.
Those who were numbered of them, the males of a month old and over, were six thousand, two hundred.
The chief of the families of Merari was Zuriel, the son of Abihail: their tents are to be placed on the north side of the House.
And in their care are to be all the boards of the Tent, with their rods and pillars and bases, and all the instruments, and all they are used for,
And the pillars of the open space round it, with their bases and nails and cords.
And those whose tents are to be placed on the east side of the House in front of the Tent of meeting, looking to the dawn, are Moses and Aaron and his sons, who will do the work of the holy place for the children of Israel; and any strange person who comes near will be put to death.
All the Levites numbered by Moses and Aaron at the order of the Lord, all the males of one month old and over numbered in the order of their families, were twenty-two thousand.
And the Lord said to Moses, Let all the first male children be numbered, and take the number of their names.
And give to me the Levites (I am the Lord) in place of the first sons of the children of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites in place of the first births among the cattle of the children of Israel.
So Moses had all the first sons among the children of Israel numbered, as the Lord said to him.
Every first son from a month old and over was numbered by name, and the number came to twenty-two thousand, two hundred and seventy-three.
And the Lord said to Moses,
Take the Levites in place of all the first sons of the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites in place of their cattle; the Levites are to be mine; I am the Lord.
And the price you have to give for the two hundred and seventy-three first sons of the children of Israel which are in addition to the number of the Levites,
Will be five shekels for every one, by the scale of the holy place (the shekel is twenty gerahs);
And this money, the price of those over the number of the Levites, is to be given to Aaron and his sons.
So Moses took the money, the price of those whose place had not been taken by the Levites;
From the first sons of Israel he took it, a thousand, three hundred and sixty-five shekels, by the scale of the holy place;
And he gave the money to Aaron and his sons, as the Lord had said. | <urn:uuid:27bdeefd-f41e-479c-abf6-2f7ee7460b9e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.biblestudytools.com/bbe/numbers/3.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00051-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974589 | 1,469 | 1.890625 | 2 |
How the Occupy Movement Helped Americans Move Beyond Denial and Depression to Action
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While the term liberation psychology is less commonly known in the United States than in Latin America, the spirit of liberation psychology has been embraced by U.S. Occupy participants.
Liberation psychology, unlike mainstream psychology , questions adjustment to the societal status quo, and it energizes oppressed people to resist all injustices. Liberation psychology attempts to discover how demoralized people can regain the energy necessary to take back the power that they had handed over to illegitimate authorities.
The Occupy movement has tapped into the energy supply that many oppressed and exploited people ultimately discover. We discover it when we come out of denial that we are a subjugated people. We discover just how energizing it can be to delegitimize oppressive institutions and authorities. And when these oppressive authorities react violently to peaceful resistance, their violence validates their illegitimacy—and provides us with even more energy.
With liberation psychology, we no longer take seriously the elite’s rigged games that had sucked us in and then sucked the energy out of us. We move beyond denial and depression that the U.S. electoral process is a rigged game, an exercise in learned helplessness in which we are given the choice between politicians who will either (1) screw us, or (2) screw us. We begin to engage in other “battlegrounds for democracy.”
Corporate-collaborating journalists, politicians and other lackeys of the elite ask, “What are the goals of the Occupy movement?” They are deaf to the answer no matter how loud we yell. If they did understand, they would then have to stop being lackeys. But their elite bosses do understand that the Occupy movement is a demand for economic fairness—a frightening prospect for the elite. The elite then divide into two camps: (1) throw the demonstrators a bone so they go away, but give them no power; or (2) give them nothing, just destroy them. This is not news to liberation psychologists.
Origins of Liberation Psychology
Ignacio Martin-Baró (1942–1989) was both a Jesuit priest and a social psychologist in El Salvador, and it is he who should be given credit for popularizing the term liberation psychology . As a priest, Martin-Baró embraced liberation theology in opposition to a theology that oppressed the poor, and as a psychologist, he believed that imported North American psychology also oppressed marginalized people throughout Latin America.
Martin-Baró’s liberation theology, his liberation psychology, and his activism for the people of El Salvador cost him his life. In the middle of the night on November 16, 1989, Martin-Baró, together with five colleagues, their housekeeper, and her teenage daughter, were forced out to a courtyard on the campus of Universidad Centroamericana José Simeón Cañas, where they were murdered by the US-trained troops of the Salvadoran government’s elite Atlacatl Battalion.
Many liberation psychologists, including Martin-Baró, have gleaned much from Paulo Freire (1921-1997), Brazilian educator and author of Pedagogy of the Oppressed . Freire stressed the importance of conscientização—critical consciousness and awareness of the effects of trying to operate within an alienating and dehumanizing social structure. Freire recognized a certain psychology of oppression in which the downtrodden become fatalistic, believing they are powerless to alter their circumstances, thus becoming resigned to their situation.
With critical consciousness, individuals can identify both external oppression and self-imposed internal oppression. Critical consciousness is aimed at ending fatalism so that one can free oneself from self-imposed powerlessness. It is a process in which changes in one’s internal world result in taking actions to change one’s external world, and taking actions changes one’s internal world.
Critical consciousness cannot be learned in a top-down manner. It is essentially a self-education process among equals. Liberation from fatalism and powerlessness is a process in which participants are not mere objects of instruction or of treatment. Instead of being acted upon, they are taking actions, learning, and then taking even more powerful actions. These are defining characteristics of the Occupy movement. | <urn:uuid:b9623106-76ee-4cd5-babf-f4e458373846> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.alternet.org/story/153269/how_the_occupy_movement_helped_americans_move_beyond_denial_and_depression_to_action | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00070-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95601 | 889 | 2.5 | 2 |
TUSTIN – Tustin High School dedicated its new science center Wednesday night with an open house.
"The building opened the first day of school for teachers and students, but today we are officially celebrating its opening," Principal Jonathan Blackmore said.
A rendering shows the new $12 million science center at Tustin High School.
COURTESY OF TUSTIN UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
The building, located near the football stadium, stands two stories tall, contains about 48,000 square feet and holds 15 classrooms. It includes biology, chemistry and physics labs, earth science and physical science classrooms, and restrooms, storage and prep rooms.
Brent Shenton, a senior and the Associated Student Body representative to the school board, believes that the new science center makes students more excited to go to class.
"It's a lot more hands-on and interactive," he said." The lab itself is a lot easier to access and a lot of teachers are taking advantage of it and having more labs during class time."
Randy Reta, a biology honors and advanced placement teacher, is pleased with the new science center.
"It's a state-of-the-art facility with the latest technology, wireless Internet, smart boards, flex cameras and document cameras," he said. "We can run college labs like DNA extraction and separation of DNA."
The Science Center was designed by NTD Architecture and built by Balfour Beatty Construction.
"When going through the master plan, we were trying to recall the original architecture from the 1930s. That's what you see in the detailing, with the arches and towers," said Jay Tittle of NTD Architecture.
The Science Center broke ground in April 2010 and was completed fall 2011. The project's total cost was $12 million, funded through the Measure G campus modernization program. Measure G was passed by voters in 2002 to repair and renovate the district's 20 oldest schools.
Abbey Zinsser, a chemistry and geometry teacher, likes that she can incorporate different learning styles into her teaching methods.
"We have the eno board that lets us write on the board with a pen and save it on the computer," she said. "It lets the students have a more visual and auditory way of learning." | <urn:uuid:e8777e9d-f5d5-4287-ac24-701e6323a929> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ocregister.com/news/science-325219-center-new.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00068-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971071 | 470 | 2.171875 | 2 |
Since human growth hormone was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2003 to treat unusually short but otherwise medically normal children, a great deal of research has gone into trying to prove why a couple of extra inches are crucial for an undersize kid. As endocrinologist Alan Rogol put it, “Short stature became a disease when unlimited amounts of growth hormone became available.” Last week, a story in the New York Post added some class frisson to the issue, reporting that “at least” six sophomores at the exclusive Dalton School were taking HGH to augment their height. The family of 16-year-old (and five-foot-seven) Jeffrey Stern was reportedly suing the family’s insurance provider for not paying for continuing treatment—nearly $30,000 a year—in order for Jeffrey to reach, in the words of his mother, Margot, “the height that’s owed to him.” The Post argued that HGH treatments “are being used increasingly by wealthy parents looking to give their children a leg up.”
When Eli Lilly applied for FDA approval for using HGH to treat kids with “idiopathic short stature,” meaning at or below the 1.2 percentile on the growth chart, the widespread assumption among doctors was that short stature is a psychological disability and that adding inches increases psychological well-being. Indeed, the company strove mightily to produce data showing that short children who used HGH had a measurable improvement in their psychological “quality of life.” The thing is, Eli came up empty.
A consensus document approved last year by the pediatric-endocrinology community acknowledges that there’s no evidence that growth hormone enhances quality of life in short but medically normal kids. One European study compared adults who had used HGH as short children against others who were similarly short in childhood but hadn’t used the drug. They ended up essentially the same psychologically in adulthood—except that, oddly, the HGH users were less likely to have romantic partners than nonusers.
I was a 59-inch, 82˝-pound quivering mass of delayed manhood when I entered high school. That put me in the first percentile in the growth chart during the worst stretch of persecutorial life span imaginable. For a while, I felt that every shortcoming—no girlfriend, no athletic glory, no swagger—stemmed from being short. But even after ending up about five foot six, I eventually realized that height didn’t matter much—not to romantic partners, not in terms of gaining the esteem of work colleagues, and ultimately not to my own sense of self.
Maybe I had to work harder. But, as David Sandberg, a psychologist at the University of Michigan, has long argued, short kids do fine in the long run—finer than some of their peers, in fact, because of the adversity they’ve experienced and the resilience they’ve developed. Conversely, he wonders what messages children internalize when their parents perceive physical size as a problem.
Which isn’t to say that short kids have it easy. A number of studies have confirmed the social bias against the undersized. And the height-to-salary correlation has been so strong in some studies that several years ago, economists based at the University of Pennsylvania argued that the use of HGH treatment for 16-year-olds could be justified as an economic decision. But greater happiness and psychological well-being? Definitely … not. | <urn:uuid:b0559065-ed2c-403c-bff7-987f28af23f1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://nymag.com/news/intelligencer/60309/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969517 | 728 | 2.046875 | 2 |
A former Yadkin County resident has written her debut novel, “The Ballad of Jessie Pearl,” possibly the only novel to be set in East Bend.
Shannon Hitchcock was raised on Rockett Road in Yadkin County, attending Fall Creek Elementary and graduating from Forbush High School. After she married, she and her husband became travelers due to his career.
“He’s the chief financial officer for Syniverse Technologies, and we’ve lived all over the country during our marriage,” Hitchcock said.
They’ve settled in Tampa, Fla., and Hitchcock has taken up her passion: writing.
“I have always loved reading and writing,” Hitchcock said. “Much of the credit goes to two special elementary school teachers.”
Hitchcock said that her education began at a tumultuous time with the integration of Yadkin County Schools. The county’s first African-American teacher, Pauline Porter, was a life-changing influence on her.
“In 1967, the year I started school, children were divided into three reading circles,” Hitchcock said. “The blue birds were the most accomplished readers. The red birds were in the middle, and the yellow birds were the readers most in need of improvement. I was a yellow bird and ashamed of myself.”
Hitchcock said that her teacher didn’t let her reading status define her and encouraged her to look past the label and try her hardest.
“Mrs. Porter patiently taught me to read,” Hitchcock said. “She disliked labels and believed that every child has the potential to become a blue bird. I still remember her voice: it had rhythm, like a poem.”
Another Yadkin County teacher challenged Hitchcock to develop a passion for reading for enjoyment.
“The other teacher who most influenced me was Mrs. Barbara Hutchens,” Hitchcock said. “She held a contest to see which student could read the most books during the school year. I won the contest and became a lifelong reader.”
Since then Hitchcock has become a parent and through a history project assigned to her son she started to learn about history in her family that she never knew.
A story about her great-grandmother’s sister who died of tuberculosis leaving behind her ten-month-old baby and a letter planning her funeral caught Hitchcock’s attention and she became fascinated.
She was inspired to take her family’s past and turn it into a young adult novel to share her roots.
“I started [researching] by talking to my parents. Both grew up on North Carolina farms and have great memories,” Hitchcock said. “I also read novels set in the 1920s, North Carolina history books, memoirs written from sanatoriums, and doctors’ accounts of tuberculosis.
“A particularly fascinating memoir is called ‘Neighbors and Us’ by Yadkin County’s own Irma Matthews Robertson,” Hitchcock continued. “From Miss Irma’s book, I discovered what it was like to attend a Christmas service lit by oil lamps, folk remedies, and old time wheat threshing.”
The result of her research is “The Ballad of Jessie Pearl.” The novel is set in East Bend in 1922 and focuses on Jessie, a young girl who has to put her life plans on hold to help her family maintain their home and farm during a tuberculosis epidemic. All the while she finds love and reevaluates what she was so sure she wanted before.
Hitchcock said that she knew she wanted to write her novel in the young adult genre.
“When I became a mother, I rediscovered children’s literature,” Hitchcock said. “I read a library full of books to my son and dreamed of writing my own stories. I’m hard at work on another novel, but would like to try my hand at picture books.”
Hitchcock said that she has had stories featured in Highlights for Children, Cricket, Ask, Pockets Children’s Writer and other magazines.
She says that she has several books that she’s already written that are also set in Yadkin County but she is unsure which one will be released next.
“It just depends what gets picked up by publishers,” Hitchcock said.
Hitchcock said that “The Ballad of Jessie Pearl” can be purchased by going online at Amazon.com or Barnesandnoble.com. Yadkin residents can also contact Hitchcock’s mother, Carolyn Williams, at 336-961-3786 to purchase the book directly.
“Schools and libraries can order my book through Ingram’s catalogue and my website has a free curriculum guide for teachers that adheres to the new common core and essential standards,” Hitchcock said.
Hitchcock says that she does not currently have plans to return to Yadkin County to promote her book but she does have a place to contact her on her website for a free 20 minute Skype visit and Q&A session for classrooms and book clubs.
“I don’t have any plans to return to Yadkin to promote the book at this time but I’d love to be invited,” Hitchcock said.
Reach Lindsay Craven at 679-2341 or at firstname.lastname@example.org. | <urn:uuid:35ae9265-22f4-4d6e-9eab-d71520f5d4b6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.yadkinripple.com/pages/home/push?class=next_page&x_page=24&per_page=5&rel=next | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00071-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.980507 | 1,140 | 1.539063 | 2 |
Going green ‘about future, not ROI’-A A +A
By Mia A. Aznar
Sunday, June 24, 2012
IF entrepreneurs expect a return of investment for going green, an architect wants it known that they won’t get it.
Architect Gene Arthur Go, who spoke on sustainable green design for retail spaces during the Cebu Regional Retail Conference last Friday, said the decision to go green should not be to expect a return of investment.
“When you go green, you are not doing it for the ROI. You are doing it for your children and your children’s children,” Go told participants.
Go admitted that most clients want to be sustainable but suddenly back off when they see the bill.
When building sustainable retail spaces, Go said that elements to be considered are the circulation, lighting, materials used, visual branding, ambience and the market being targeted.
He noted that most think that going green is more of a public relations stunt but want to start changing plans when they learn being sustainable means it could cost more.
Go said that sometimes, there is no other way around it.
For retailers to go green in their shops, Go said they did not have to invest in solar-powered items or embark on complicated projects. He said the simple way is to be conscious of how energy is being consumed.
For shops that are not in malls, Go suggested investing in solar air conditioning, which is available online from companies based in China, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Though it could cost more, Go said it can save the user 40 to 50 percent of standard power charges.
In building a retail space, using recycled, eco-friendly materials creatively can go a long way.
Stores, he said, can use LED lighting and use recyclable packaging for starters. He also showed photos of retail shops abroad using reclaimed wood, old shipping containers and volatile organic compound paints. He noted that stores need not use new
materials and stuff from an old house can be given a fresh new look.
As for building green structures, Architect Joy Onozawa of Environment Design said going green does not have to be about technology or an expensive lifestyle.
Onozawa, in another discussion on green building at the Emerging Industries Forum, said going green just means being connected to the natural environment and remembering that people have to co-exist with nature.
She said it should not be treated as a trend.
In designing a building, Onozawa said architects should take full advantage of the light, make sure heat is kept out by adding awnings and balconies, collecting rain water and bringing it back to the ground, take note of the wind flows and try not having any waste.
Like Go, she said creativity plays a part in designing green spaces.
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on June 25, 2012. | <urn:uuid:6a7f08b2-69f7-4451-8ff4-930e52daee13> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/business/2012/06/24/going-green-about-future-not-roi-228493 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960986 | 599 | 1.765625 | 2 |
Posted by terrepruitt on October 7, 2010
There is a book about Nia. The Nia Technique Book authored by Debbie Rosas* and Carlos Rosas**. When I first thought of teaching Nia I bought it. I think I have said before that I thought Nia was a little too “woo-woo”. When I read the book it helped me see that Nia is based on the science and the design of the body. I often refer to my book. I have little tabs stuck on almost every page and that gets bothersome.
While the book has a table of contents it is sparse and it does not have an index. I always find myself searching and flipping and going back and forth in the pages because I can’t find what I want and I know it is there. Last week when planning the Nia Playshop I just flipped back and forth one too many times. So I created an index.I created an index of all the things I want to look up and arranged in alphabetically. I also arranged it so that there are subsections within the index. But then that seemed so long so I did an index with just the main sections and a separate index below of the subsections. So, yes, I have the index arranged three different ways so that you can have a choice on how to look at it. It’s on my site HelpYouWell.com.
One of the “bothers”, cat eating tabs.
If you would like a copy of the Excel format just let me know.
*now known as Debbie Rosas Stewart
**now known as Carlos AyaRosas
Posted in Nia | Tagged: Carlos AyaRosas, Carlos Rosas, Debbie Rosas, Debbie Rosas Stewart, Debbie Stewart, design of the body, helpyouwell.com, Index, Nia, Nia Playshop, Nia Technique, Nia Technique Book | 3 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on October 5, 2010
I teach Nia in the San Francisco Bay Area. One thing I am trying to do is increase awareness of Nia and also, at the same time, increase my class sizes. So recently I hosted a Playshop in San Jose at the studio in Willow Glen where I hold my Nia classes. My topic for the Playshop was some of the 52 Moves of Nia. It was a success. I felt good about it, even though I put my students to work.
I had spent a day and a half or so preparing what moves I wanted to go over in the Playshop and what Nia katas from the various Nia routines I wanted to use in the Nia Class. I wanted the class routine to include all the various moves we explored in the Playshop. I spend a couple of days between doing other things reviewing to make certain I was comfortable with my presentation and to make certain I could get through it within the allotted time. So I was confident the Playshop and the Nia Class would go smooth. What I was nervous about was being able to get in and set up.
If you are a teacher of almost anything, you know that here is time needed to set up. Showing up early to set up and be ready to greet your students is not always possible with the time allowed in between workout classes. In exercise class situations sometimes there is NO time in between classes. They are scheduled to end on the hour and start at the same time. So I had scheduled 15 minutes in between, but there was still things that needed to be done and I wasn’t wanting to rush the class before us out.
So I came up with an idea . . . . now, I would bet I am not the only one to come up with this and I bet if I were to do minimum research I would find all the “Planning a workshop” information to tell me exactly this, but I am still going share it.
I realized that I could put my students to work! So I did. Most of the time people are more than willing to help. One of my students showed up really early—before me even. So I knew she was ready to do something. So I set her on one task. Then two of my students who I had been plotting to do this work all along were assigned tasks.
This assigning of tasks can also be connected to my post about “If You want something done right“. Because I had to be willing to “let go” and let my students do the tasks. And I have to say they did them beautifully. I was so proud. I was proud of myself for having thought of having them do it and I was proud of myself that I just let them do it. And I was especially proud that they did it so well. I believe they did better than I could have–it was awesome.
It was a great learning experience for me.
My hubby (thanks, Hubby!) also came to help. With him mopping the floor and some of my students setting up the room, I was able to concentrate on the participants coming in that needed to sign waivers and get settled. All of this allowed us to start on time . . . which allowed us to end on time — for the Playshop at least. The Nia routine I put together was a little longer than an hour so we went over on that. But all-in-all it was my students that allowed me to have a successful Playshop.
Posted in 52 Moves (of Nia), Nia | Tagged: exercise class, katas, Nia 52 moves, Nia class, Nia exercise, Nia exercise class, Nia katas, Nia participants, Nia Playshop, Nia routines, Nia San Francisco, Nia San Jose, Nia students, Nia Teacher, Nia Willow Glen, Nia workout, Nia workshop, San Francisco Bay Area Nia, San Francisco Nia, San Jose Nia, San Jose Nia class, SFBay Nia, Willow Glen Nia, working students, workout class | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on October 2, 2010
I really think water is a vital part of our diets. I believe that people should drink water. I believe that all water from bottled water, filter water, purified water, to tap water probably has some good things and bad things in them. There are some waters that I think of as designer water. So I would not ever really think to buy it. Recently I was a guest at a party where they were serving Voss water.
I had seen it before because I have seen other people drinking it. I thought it was a designer water. Since it was there and it was the only water I was gonna drink it. I don’t know what I was expecting, well, honestly I was expecting bubbles because someone had said, “be careful the water is carbonated”. I took a sip and was thinking that it was very odd for carbonated. I had grabbed a “still”. There was “sparkling” and “still”. Carbonation makes me burp and so I don’t tend to drink it, but I wanted to try that to. As I am writing this I am laughing because I don’t know what I was expecting.
It tastes like water. I can’t tell it from the other water I buy. It is said to be from pure springs and be pure, but I really can’t TASTE a difference. The bottle is nice. I like it. It is heavy though. The information I am seeing stats that the company is committed to a reducing their carbon footprint. The company wants to run as pure as the water. I am just saying I can’t taste a difference between this water and the other brand I buy.
Do you know about this water? Have you tried it? I just thought I would share my experience.
Posted in Water | Tagged: bottled water, carbon footprint, carbonated wate, designer water. sparkling water, filtered water, purified water, still water, Voss water | 22 Comments » | <urn:uuid:c94f018b-ad17-4882-89a0-13ae3d528d51> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://terrepruitt.com/2010/10/page/2/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.983609 | 1,713 | 1.6875 | 2 |
This week on CounterSpin: The evils of earmarks. Barack Obama signed a spending bill "stuffed with earmarks," the media tell us--despite the fact that he campaigned pledging to reform that practice. The assumption is that Congressional earmarks are bad; but are they? We'll ask Melissa Harris-Lacewell, associate professor of politics and African-American studies at Princeton University.
Also this week: The International Criminal Court's indictment on March 4th of Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir was cheered by the media and by some progressive Darfur groups. But not everyone thought the indictment was wise or well-timed. We'll talk to Harvard scholar and former advisor to the African Union's mediation team on Darfur, Alex de Waal about the indictment and what it might mean for the fragile peace in the region.
— In Defense of Earmarks, by Melissa Harris-Lacewell (Kitchen Table, 3/9/09)
— Uncharted Waters, by Alex de Waal (Making Sense of Darfur, 3/5/09) | <urn:uuid:07debe9b-8bca-4ba7-9021-f211c0c9a8ac> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://fair.org/counterspin-radio/melissa-harris-lacewell-on-earmarks-alex-de-waal-on-bashir-indictment/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00046-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95518 | 225 | 1.59375 | 2 |
April 20, 2012
Scapegoating Our Soldiers in IraqBy Elise Cooper
The case of Lt. Michael Behenna has all the intrigue and suspense of a Brian Haig political thriller, with the main character a JAG defense attorney. Unfortunately, this is not a novel, but instead a true story of injustice. According to those interviewed and documents viewed by American Thinker, Lt. Michael Behenna was set up for failure by a series of events and people.
On April 21, 2008 while returning from a patrol, a vehicle in Lt. Behenna's platoon triggered an IED. Those killed included the platoon interpreter, a local citizen, and Army specialists, including a good friend of the lieutenant who was literally cut in half. Ali Mansur was later identified as an al-Qaeda operative and as one of those responsible for the attack. Fourteen days later, while searching Mansur's house, Behenna took Mansur into custody and turned him over to Army Intelligence for interrogation. At no time did Behenna harm the terrorist responsible for this horrific attack.
After the incident, Michael was described as being distraught, unable to sleep, and not eating well. His mother, one of the Timothy McVeigh prosecutors, told American Thinker that all Michael wanted was to come home on leave to be with his family and friends.
There were four interrogations of Mansur with Behenna present. Instead of trying Mansur for murder, someone ordered his release, even while knowing he was a terrorist involved in the killing of U.S. soldiers. To this day, no one has said who ordered the release and why.
What is inconceivable and unimaginable is that Michael was ordered by his captain to return Mansur to his home, an event that set Michael up for failure. There is a reason why police directly isolate a detective from being involved with a suspect who hurt or killed the policeman's partner. Who in his right mind would ask Michael to escort this terrorist, only three weeks after the IED attack?
Michael took with him an interpreter and a staff sergeant. He had every intention of following the order, but he had decided to first interrogate Mansur to get additional information about Mansur's terrorist cell. He used supposedly common interrogation techniques for the time, including stripping the terrorist and pointing his Glock gun at him. Because the terrorist's hands were drawn behind his back, the cuffs were taken off to be able to strip him. Michael testified that while turning his head to speak to his interpreter, Mansur charged him and reached for his gun. Michael fired two shots that killed Mansur. Charles van Heck, an expert on this case, noted how ironic it was that the U.S. government issued a kill/capture order three days later.
After returning from a two-week leave, Michael was charged on July 31, 2008 with premeditated murder, assault, and making a false official statement regarding the death of the Iraqi detainee. Perhaps the lieutenant set himself up for failure. He disobeyed an order, yet was never charged for this offense. By taking off the cuffs, he put himself in a position for the terrorist to attack him, and he never personally came forward about the events leading to the killing of the terrorist. A former Army major commented, "There must be good, order, and discipline in the armed forces. A military officer's responsibility is to have law and order on the battlefield. Obviously, Michael's judgment was faulty, but his motivations were sincere."
Behenna's court-martial began on February 23, 2009. The prosecution based their case on two primary eyewitnesses: Harry the interpreter and Staff Sergeant Hal Warner. The sergeant negotiated a plea bargain and agreed to plead guilty to assault, mistreatment of a subordinate, and making a false statement in exchange for the dismissal of the charge of premeditated murder. He also agreed to testify against Behenna.
These two witnesses also set Michael up for failure by making inconsistent and contradictory statements during the trial. In his testimony, while being questioned by the prosecutors, Warner stated that Behenna's actions of interrogation were not normal procedures. He also testified that he saw his lieutenant pull the trigger and fire the second shot while Mansur was in a sitting position, and that Behenna ordered him to throw a thermite grenade at the terrorist.
During intense cross-examination by the defense attorney, Jack Zimmerman, Warner retracted a lot of his comments. Van Heck points out to American Thinker that Michael's pistol, a Glock, has a hidden hammer, so it would have been impossible for Warner to see him pull it. In addition, he noted that Warner was approximately 50 yards away at the time of the first shot and had to run downward on sand in full body armor. However, that would also be impossible, since a consensus of those involved in the trial determined that two to four seconds passed between shots.
The interpreter, Harry, told the prosecutors in court that Mansur was shot by the lieutenant while seated and that he was lying on his side when he was shot by the second bullet. During cross-examination, Zimmerman established Behenna's intent for pointing his gun at Mansur. He was able to get Harry to admit that he did not think his lieutenant was going to actually kill the terrorist, but instead was just trying to scare him to get answers. More importantly, Zimmerman had Harry admit, "No, I didn't see exactly" what happened right before the gunshot. Harry also stated that Behenna did not issue an order for Warner to throw the grenade -- on the contrary, Warner did it of his own accord.
By failing to disclose information to the defense, the prosecution team also set Michael up for failure. Charles van Heck noted that seven months before the court-martial began, the defense sent a letter to the prosecution requesting all exculpatory evidence. During the course of the trial, the prosecution were reminded of their legal obligation to disclose any and all evidence. The prosecution alleged that Mansur was shot execution-style with two shots, the first one to the head and the second one under the arm.
Dr. Herb MacDonell was chosen by the prosecutors to be a forensic science rebuttal witness. During a meeting, he discounted their theory: "The only things I could come up with consistent with all of the facts as I know them would be that he probably was shot in the side with his arm up, in the chest or side, and then as he dropped straight down the bullet went straight through his head because he passed in front of the muzzle at the exact moment[.] [T]hough extremely unlikely, that's what happened." The following day, Michael testified on the sequence of events culminating in Mansur's death. As MacDonell was hearing this testimony, he could not believe that it was exactly the same scenario he had given the prosecution the day before, based on the forensic evidence: the condition of the retrieved bullet, the bloodstain pattern, and the pathology. As he was leaving the courtroom, he told Zimmerman that he would have made a good defense witness. Once again, the prosecution team denied having any exculpatory evidence.
On Friday, February 27, 2009, Michael was found guilty of unpremeditated murder and sentenced to twenty-five years in prison, which was later reduced to fifteen years. MacDonell sent an e-mail to the prosecution and copied the defense, stating, "[I]t is quite important as possible exculpatory evidence so I hope that, in the interest of justice, you informed Mr. Zimmerman of my findings." Unfortunately, this did not arrive until Saturday, after the trial had concluded.
Vickie Behenna, in speaking to American Thinker, tried to take off her mom hat and limit herself to being a prosecutor. She angrily commented, "The evidence showed the trajectory of the bullets were horizontal and parallel. As a prosecutor, I would have questioned how that can happen if Mansur was seated. After hearing that the prosecution did not disclose exculpatory evidence, I felt like I was going to throw up. I was furious. This can affect the way people look on the justice system. I promised Michael that as long as I am alive, even if I have to do it one person at a time, I will tell his story."
Today, with the impact of TV shows like CSI, jurors require over-the-top evidence. Why would the jury convict Michael without the prosecution putting on the stand a forensic witness, instead relying solely on eyewitnesses? American Thinker was told of five possibilities:
First, MacDonell explained, "[y]ou can lead a truth to a jury, but you can't make them believe it. In all probability, the prosecution's theory is impossible: Mansur is first shot in the head, as the prosecution alleges, while sitting, then falls over on the ground with his armpit exposed, where a second shot hits him in the side. How could the second bullet have the same trajectory as the bullet to the head?"
Second: The defense called to the stand a psychiatrist as an expert witness, who testified that in his opinion, Behenna was suffering from Acute Stress Disorder at the time he shot Mansur. Did this hurt Michael when the jury deliberated? A former JAG prosecutor noted, "The UCMJ includes the affirmative defense of lack of mental responsibility. If the defendant was unable to appreciate the wrongfulness of his or her act, it can be used as an affirmative defense. PTSD, combat stress, and other mental health related issues can certainly be raised, but defense must ultimately show that the claimed condition rendered the defendant unable to appreciate that what he did was wrong."
Third: A former Army major also felt that the jury might not have believed the self-defense argument since "[t]he jury could have possibly thought, Michael expressed the desire to kill Mansur, puts himself in the conditions that caused Mansur to attack him, and now has an excuse for executing him. In addition, he covers up and does not report what happened. This is damning evidence in a courtroom. Any attempt to cover up is an indication that the accused committed the crime."
Fourth: Vicki Behenna believes that "[o]ur government wanted to show to the Iraqi government that they prosecute soldiers who are perceived of doing bad things. This was within a year of Abu Ghraib and the Blackwater killing of Iraqi civilians. Maybe they wanted to send a message that in combat zones, you cannot do things like this."
Fifth: In responding to a juror's question (in a military trial, they are allowed to ask questions) -- "Which is more reliable: eyewitness testimony or a forensic specialist?" -- the judge answered, "Eyewitnesses are more reliable than people who are not there at the time the shooting occurred."
The judge also set up Michael for failure by denying a mistrial. Vickie explained that the judge's instructions improperly limited Michael's right to self-defense. She felt that the technical issue involved the judge's implication that there was an assault by Michael even though the issue was never presented at trial. She also could not understand the judge's thinking that the withholding of MacDonell's evidence did not cause Michael prejudice or harm. He based his decision on the jury's verdict; therefore, MacDonell's testimony was irrelevant. Many of those interviewed wonder: if a terrorist were on trial and the prosecution withheld evidence, would a mistrial be called immediately?
On Monday, April 23, the U.S. Court of Appeals For the Armed Forces will hear the appeal to grant Michael a fair trial based on the above arguments.
Michael has been in prison for three years, accused of killing an al-Qaeda operative. He will be middle-aged by the time his sentence as it stands is served. This is a waste of a life for someone who by all accounts is a good person, a caring officer, and someone who worked to build bridges with the Iraqi people, including by learning some Arabic. Not only should he be allowed a new trial, but he should be released on time served. If not, there is the appearance that this trial and the events preceding used Lt. Michael Behenna as a scapegoat.
FOLLOW US ON | <urn:uuid:a81aea98-4cf0-47bb-a627-57fbc5966866> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.americanthinker.com/2012/04/scapegoating_our_soldiers_in_iraq.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00075-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.985214 | 2,521 | 1.570313 | 2 |
|Sister Helen Prejean, C.S.J.|
Sister Helen Prejean in 2006
April 21, 1939 |
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S.
|Known for||Opposition to capital punishment|
Sister Helen Prejean, C.S.J., (born April 21, 1939) is a Roman Catholic religious sister, a member of the Congregation of St. Joseph, who has become a leading American advocate for the abolition of the death penalty.
Death row ministry
Her efforts began in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1981. In 1982 an acquaintance asked her to correspond with convicted murderer Elmo Patrick Sonnier, located in the Louisiana State Penitentiary. Sonnier was sentenced to death by electrocution. She visited Sonnier in prison and agreed to be his spiritual adviser in the months leading up to his execution. The experience gave Prejean greater insight into the process involved in executions, and she began speaking out against capital punishment. At the same time, she also founded Survive, an organization devoted to counseling the families of victims of violence.
Prejean has since ministered to many other inmates on death row and witnessed several more executions. She served as National Chairperson of the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty from 1993 to 1995.
Dead Man Walking
Dead Man Walking, an autobiographical account of her relationship with Sonnier and other inmates on death row, served as the basis for a feature film, an opera, and a play. In the film, she was portrayed by Susan Sarandon, who won an Academy Award. Although Prejean herself was uncredited, she made a minor cameo as a woman in a candlelit vigil scene outside Louisiana State Penitentiary.
In addition to Sonnier, the account is based on the inmate Robert Lee Willie who, with his friend Joseph Jesse Vaccaro, raped and killed 18-year-old Faith Hathaway on May 28, 1980, eight days later kidnapping a Madisonville couple from alongside the Tchefuncte River in Louisiana and driving them to Alabama. They raped the 16-year-old girl, Debbie Morris (née Cuevas), who would later become the author of her book Forgiving the Dead Man Walking and then stabbed and shot her boyfriend, 20-year-old Mark Brewster, leaving him tied to a tree paralyzed from the waist down.
Campaigns, book, and awards
In 1999, Prejean formed Moratorium 2000, a petition drive that eventually grew into a national education campaign, The Moratorium Campaign, initially staffed by Robert Jones, Theresa Meisz, and Jené O'Keefe. The organization Witness to Innocence, composed of death row survivors who were convicted for crimes they did not commit, started under The Moratorium Campaign.
Prejean's second book, The Death of Innocents: An Eyewitness Account of Wrongful Executions was published in December 2004. In it, she tells the story of two men, Dobie Gillis Williams and Joseph O'Dell, whom she accompanied to their executions. She believes that both men were innocent. The book also examines the recent history of death penalty decisions by the Supreme Court of the United States and looks at the track record of George W. Bush as Governor of Texas.
In 1998, Prejean was given the Pacem in Terris Award, named after a 1963 encyclical letter by Pope John XXIII that calls on all people of good will to secure peace among all nations. Pacem in Terris is Latin for "Peace on Earth."
Prejean now bases her work at the Death Penalty Discourse Network in New Orleans and spends her time giving talks across the United States and around the world. She and her sister Ann Antrobus have been deeply involved at a center in Nicaraugua called Friends of Batahola.
Awards and recognition
- 2013: Robert M. Holstein 'Faith Doing Justice' Award from the Ignatian Solidarity Network
- 1998: World Pacem in Terris Award
- 1996: Pax Christi USA Pope Paul VI Teacher of Peace Award
- "CHURCH NEEDS TO AID KILLERS AS WELL AS VICTIMS' FAMILIES, NUN SAYS." Chicago Tribune. January 19, 2006. Metro Chicago 8. Retrieved on September 1, 2010. "It was at St Thomas in 1982 that an acquaintance asked her to write to Elmo "Pat " Sonnier, a stranger on Death Row."
- Trivia for Dead Man Walking
- Forgiving the Dead Man Walking: Only One Woman Can Tell the Entire Story
- LOUISIANA: A Murder, a Movie AND a Wink
- Sister Helen's website
- Helen Prejean on Facebook
- Helen Prejean on Twitter
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- Helen Prejean at the Internet Movie Database
- Works by or about Helen Prejean in libraries (WorldCat catalog)
- The Dead Man Walking School Theatre Project
- Angel on Death Row Newspaper accounts of the crimes and executions of Patrick Sonnier and Robert Lee Willie, Public Broadcasting Service
- "Sister Helen Prejean: The Real Woman Behind Dead Man Walking", by John Bookser Feister, American Catholic, April, 1996
- Would Jesus pull the Switch? by Sister Helen Prejean, C.S.J., Salt of the Earth 1997
- Conversation with Sr. Helen Prejean by Marilyn Rodrigues, The Catholic Weekly August 17, 2003
- The National Review and Sr. Helen Prejean, C.S.J., August 1, 2006
- Blood on our Hands: An Interview with Helen Prejean, by Shannon Presler, The Other Journal.com January 19, 2009
- "Walk the Talk Show with Waylon Lewis:Sister Helen Prejean of Dead Man Walking Fame", May 2009 | <urn:uuid:e20b51d4-3b6d-4fbb-9731-96f62af38635> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Prejean | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00063-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932226 | 1,244 | 2 | 2 |
Placencia is a gorgeous emerald peninsula in southern Belize with 16 miles of sandy beaches. The Caribbean sea is to the east and the charming Placencia lagoon lies to west looking to the mountains on the mainland. Placencia is essentially divided into two parts: south of the airport and north of the airport. The entire peninsula can be easily covered on a a beach cruiser bike. The busy part of Placencia in in the south where the visitor will find the greater concentration of coffee shops, bistros, internet cafes, the harbor, guest houses, and local restaurants.
The northern portion of Placencia includes the Garifuna village of Seine Bight, is less densely populated and has many of the more expensive resorts. Because of its distance from the reef – it also has “real’ though not very high surf. The water is clean and clear; the trade winds gentle and cooling. There are few sights more calming to the spirit than a Belizean sunset on a deserted Placencia Peninsula beach. A visitor on her first visit to Belize had this to say about Placencia:
“All the fears of going to Belize were unfounded. I had friends tell me I was crazy for going to an obscure Central American country that they had never heard of! They envisioned rebel infested jungles at every turn. And the thought of me being susceptible to snakes, crocodiles, scorpions and a various array of insects sent them into a incoherent and somewhat amusing frenzy, I am so glad I did not heed their unwarranted objections.
“What I found in Placencia was simply, Paradise. A warm and caring people and an unsurpassed tropical haven. I have traveled to several tropical destinations and I have never found such beauty.
I chose Placencia because of its proximity to the Reefs and The Rainforest and my limited amount of time, only 6 days. I was not disappointed. I have never been to a place as lovely as Placencia. The people of the village are a caring, gracious and insightful people. They care for each other and their beautiful surroundings.”
The Spaniards that traveled the southern coast of Belize gave Placencia its name. It was once named Punta Placencia (Spanish) or Point Pleasant (English).
Placencia used to be primarily a fishing village but it has now become a major tourism and resort area offering many attractions and entertainment ranging from kayaking, snorkeling, diving, saltwater fly fishing, whale shark watching during the full moons between April and July of each year, light tackle saltwater fishing, and an annual Lobster Fest. Some images here courtesy of the Inn At Roberts Grove.
The Beaches At Placencia
The beaches along the Placencia Peninsula are dotted with small resorts that can easily arrange dive and snorkel trips to the reef, which is about 17 miles away. They can also arrange day trips to many small, idyllic cayes, such as Laughing Bird Caye, a mini-atoll that offers protected snorkeling and swimming, a white sand beach and many cooling palm trees for beach girls to cool off (it even has hammocks!).
Laughing Bird Caye is also a favorite camping site for reef kayakers who base their expeditions in Placencia. A hotel can also arrange deep sea or reef fishing trips, or day sailing on a 36-foot catamaran.
There are many places to stay in Placencia – from low-cost lodging to all inclusive Belize Resorts such as The Inn At Roberts Grove and Chabil Mar Villas and others. Snorkelling is easiliy accessible from virtually any point from the beach. The waters are clear and shallow meaning it is often a few steps from your hotel room to find an excellent snorkel spot.
Placencia Now Major Tourism Attraction
Placencia is now one of the country’s main tourist destinations, especially for those stopping over on their Caribbean cruise in the southern part of the country, and it is also well visited by Belizeans from across the country on local holidays. Placencia has many restaurants, some of which are set up in the patios of private homes along the path between the beach and the lagoon. You can get a delicious plate heaped with stewed chicken and rice and beans for about US$4.
There are several small gift shops, a post office and some night life. Nearby Mango Creek-Independence Village also has a disco and weekend activity, as well as a big football field which is home to one of Belize’s top football clubs. A trip to nearby Seine Bight, a traditional Garifuna village a few miles north of the peninsula, provides a chance to sample Garifuna cooking and music (including traditional drumming and modern Punta Rock). The Maya ruins of Nim Li Punit and Lubantuum, as well as the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Preserve are a day trip from Placencia.
The Placencia Lagoon is an important breeding area for saltwater crocodiles, marine turtles and the rare and endangered manatees; there are also numerous species of birds. The Placencia Lagoon has dolphins, rays (the Lagoon is a nursery for some species of rays), mangrove forests, birding by canoe or kayak, fishing (juvenile tarpon, snook, barracuda), and extensive wetlands.
The Placencia Placencia is about a two hour drive from Belmopan, capital of Belize. The once bumpy Placencia road is now fully paved. A modern airport has just been built and this makes for easy access to the peninsula. Placencia is located at 16°30′50″N 88°22′0″W (map opens in new window).
Thirty years ago the area was a quiet fishing village with a narrow meandering sidewalk that served as its main street. Today this destination retains its traditional charm while offering first class amenities. A few docks jut out from the shore leaving an uninterrupted view of the Caribbean Sea and unimpeded routes for walking. Dozens of islands off the Placencia coast make for exotic day trips and romantic overnights. Below the surface whether by snorkel or scuba, divers will discover forests of coral and schools of colorful fish including the biggest of them all the majestic whale shark.
Fly fishers search for the picky permit in search of a Grand Slam while hardly kayakers paddle from one postcard island to the next. For more leisurely island hopping climb aboard a luxury catamaran complete with Captain and catering staff.
Watch Belize Placencia Video – A Bike Ride Through The Village
Those seeking inland adventure can take the new Placencia road to the country’s most towering rainforests and its seldom visited rivers, pools and waterfalls. The Placencia Peninsula runs for 12 miles and is home to the villages of Placencia, Maya Beach and Seine Bight and smaller concentrations of new residential and luxury Belize real estate developments. Accommodations on this spectacular ribbon of land range from luxury resorts to basic beach houses to everything in between.
The people of Placencia remain its greatest asset. A microcosm of the nation at large, in Placencia you would find every ethnic group including Latinos, Garifunas, Creoles, Maya,, Mennonite, East Indian and Chinese. For the visitors this means an experience that is unabashedly authentic. In Placencia no one remains of stranger for very long. From your first very first of footstep in the sand you are a welcome member of the community.
Things To Do In Placencia
Laughing Bird Caye National Park. The diving and snorkeling off this long narrow island is no laughing matter. As a protected area within the World Heritage site the waters around the caye are full of colorful and amazing marine life. Its close proximity to Placencia Village, only 11 miles, has made it a popular tourist destination.
Dive with the whale shark. During the months of April and July prime specimens of the biggest fish in the sea, the Belize Whale Shark, are easy to spot near Gladden Spit. Swimming beside these gentle creatures is a serene experience. Look for a special dive packages offered by resorts in the area.
Sailing. Several Placencia-based companies offer all the conveniences of a resort while sailing catamarans and monohulls. Guests can enjoy stunning sunrises and breath taking sunsets while guides navigate through mangrove and white sand islands. You can choose a personal crew or a barefoot charter.
Fishing. Spend the day drop fishing for Snappers or trolling for Kingfish and Wahoo in some of the best fishing grounds in Belize. As an added treat beach barbecues are included in most tours. After you’ve tasted seafood cooked minutes after it’s been pulled from the water you will be hooked for life.
Monkey River Tour. This tour starts off with a boat ride to the mouth of a jungle river. The mangrove you will see are home to iguanas and numerous birds while their roots shelter turtles, fish and juvenile marine life. When the boat stops at the bank you will take a nature trail to search for Howler Monkeys, which is how the nearby Monkey River Village got its name.
Placencia Inland Excursions – Wild Cats, Exotic Birds, And Fantastic Flora
At Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary – a short drive from Placencia – all five of the wild Belizean cats, jaguar, jaguarundi, margay, ocelot, and puma, prowl the 128,000-acre jungle preserve. Human interlopers can feel the cats watching, even when they cannot see them. Canoe the preserve or hike its trails, some leading to waterfalls. The village of Maya Centre, on the Southern Highway, marks the entrance. Admission is US$5. To the west, Victoria Peak towers over the park.
Nearly 300 avian species invite bird watchers to flock to the Cockscomb preserve. Birders also enjoy Red Bank, in the foothills of the Maya Mountains. Scarlet macaws roost in the area from late December to March, flying in formations of up to 40 birds.
Near Monkey River Town — a Creole fishing village on the mainland 12 miles south of Placencia — rare birds, black howler monkeys, and prehistoric iguanas present fabulous photo opportunities during boat trips. Covered in a lush canopy, the river shore provides great habitat for the animals. To stay awhile, seek accommodations at the new beach front inns now established there. Licensed tour operations can take you to areas such as Monkey River, Cockscomb Basin, manatee watching, and cave tubing.
From the docks at Placencia, boats take visitors across the lagoon or across the Gulf of Honduras. Each weekend, the Gulf Cruza sails to Puerto Cortes, Honduras. It leaves Friday morning, arrives about four hours later, and returns Monday afternoon. Tickets are US$50 each way and available at the tourism center.
Just across the Placencia lagoon, the Creole village of Independence sits at the center of citrus, banana, and mango plantations. On the lagoon, behind the gas station, the ferry leaves several times a day, starting at 6:45 a.m. At the Placencia Peninsula Arts Festival, each Valentine’s Day weekend, more than 50 artists show their paintings, sculptures, glass, furniture, embroidery, music, and dancing, starting at the Point and running up narrow Main Street.
Rent a bike for exercise, exploring back streets, or transportation. Rentals run US$7.50 for a half day or $12.50 for a full day. Some resorts offer free bicycles, kayaks, and sailboats. A taxi from the airstrip to the village is US$5 for one or two people. Check at the tourism center for details on travel schedules, tours, and hotels; email firstname.lastname@example.org or email@example.com; or call 501-523-4045. The center also sells maps and guide books. Log on to www.placencia.com or read the Placencia Breeze newspaper at www.placenciabreeze.com
Placencia and Cruise Tourism
The villagers and tourism community have recently rejected a plan by the government and Royal Caribbean to bring cruise tourism to the peninsula. They feel it would have undesired effects on the pristine environment and status that Placencia currently enjoys.
About twenty years ago, the Village started becoming popular with tourists looking for something a bit different – good snorkeling, diving and fishing, nice beaches and an unspoiled environment — all in an authentic Belizean Creole village where it was easy to meet and make friends with local people — to be able to visit their homes and get to know their families.
Over the years, more and more people heard about and decided to experience the charms of Placencia and nearby attractions such as Laughing Bird Caye, whale sharks at Gladden Spit, Mayan ruins such as Lubaantun and Nim Li Punit, the Garifuna village of Seine Bight, Monkey River and Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary (aka Jaguar Jungle).
But, Placencia kept its soul and focused its growing tourism on retaining the qualities that initially attracted visitors – the beauty of its natural environment, the friendliness of its people and its history and culture.
More information on a few members of the the Placencia Community’s attempts to confront Cruise Tourism In Belize. | <urn:uuid:115a1b30-da35-44d0-8e5c-900feebe1b92> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.belize.com/placencia-belize | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00057-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939237 | 2,872 | 1.695313 | 2 |
Get involved: send your pictures, video, news and views by texting TANEWS to 80360, or email
Education cash boost welcomed
Education remains one of the basic building blocks of a successful society, and it is one which governments cannot afford to ignore, whatever their political persuasion.
Sadly, education in Bradford has had a chequered history, including the Whitehall intervention which saw it taken out of local authority control and into the hands of a private company and back again after ten years.
While there has been some improvement in our schools over that time, Bradford, by and large, remains stubbornly low in the league tables. But more than mere placings on tables, the greater concern is that some children are not achieving their potential and are leaving school hindered by poor results.
So the injection of cash that will allow struggling pupils to get extra help and tuition to bring them up to scratch in the early days of their secondary education is to be greatly welcomed.
Bradford has been given a greater share of the Government cash than any other West Yorkshire authority, which signals just how serious the problem is. The money will be used to help those children who didn’t attain the desired levels in their final year at primary school and hopefully enable them to catch up to their classmates before the serious business of secondary education begins in earnest.
It is vitally important that children leave school with the necessary qualifications – be they academic or vocational – to allow them to enter into and compete in the job market. Allied with Bradford’s commitment to creating more apprenticeships in a bid to boost youth unemployment, this financial help can only be a good thing. | <urn:uuid:667406cd-7f4c-4910-ad08-c15a2af87925> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/news_opinion/featuresourview/10200564.Education_cash_boost_welcomed/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00073-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965699 | 338 | 1.851563 | 2 |
* There are no harsh, hard dividing lines in nature. Glaciers blend with the snow and the snow blends with the thin invisible breath of the sky. So there are no stiff, frigid, stony partition walls betwixt us and heaven. There are blendings as immeasurable and untraceable as the edges of melting clouds. Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, etc., is applicable here, for earth is partly heaven, and heaven partly earth.
John Muir, John of the Mountains: The Unpublished Journals of John Muir, ed. Linnie Marsh Wolfe, Univ. of Wis. Press.
* The world, we are told, was made especially for man - a presumption not supported by all of the facts. (p. 354)
* Why should man value himself as more than a small part of the one great unit of creation? (p. 356)
John Muir, A Thousand Mile Walk to the Gulf; ed. William F. Bade, Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1917. | <urn:uuid:a854531d-43ae-4826-8b05-87c69d753707> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.burningbushadventures.com/wilderness-wisdom.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.915718 | 218 | 2.21875 | 2 |
Microsoft is planning to open four specialist learning academies in the Black Country as part of a scheme to train 35,000 people.
It is hoped that 160,000 jobs will have been created by 2033
The government is backing the multi-million pound strategy and officials said the project will have an impact on the area's future.
Under the plans, people will also be trained at 130 learning centres.
Akhtar Badshah, a Microsoft director, toured the area in a helicopter before meeting business and community leaders.
Over the next three years, Microsoft will contribute at least £14m to the region, and offer access to programmes, its global network and support and advice.
The academies will be set up in each of the four local authority areas, with 35 learning centres up and running in 2008, growing to 130 by 2010.
The investment is part of a 30-year strategy for the area which has been prepared by the Black Country Consortium (BCC) and the West Midlands Regional Assembly.
During this time, the BCC hopes that 160,000 jobs will be created.
'Change people's lives'
About one million people live in the Black Country, which is seen as a deprived area, with around one third of the population living in "needy neighbourhoods", according to the regeneration group.
Mr Badshah said: "We see our partnership with BCC as revolutionary. There are exciting times ahead for the Black Country.
"At Microsoft we believe that access to technology is only part of the answer.
"It is equally critical to provide IT skills training, tools and guidance to help people discover what technology can do for them, and what they can do with technology."
Sarah Middleton, chief executive of the BCC said they now had the power to "change peoples' lives" and help those who missed out on education and training, ethnic communities and older learners.
"We'll also be tackling the productivity gap by encouraging enterprise and business formation, supporting our bid to create 900 new business start-ups every year," she said. | <urn:uuid:24988737-d40a-48f1-9ec9-e973fe25c336> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/west_midlands/6475387.stm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00035-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96225 | 422 | 1.859375 | 2 |
Mob Pirates: Menace or Myth?
In the latest public relations strike in the war on copyright infringement, the music and film industries are sowing fears that content piracy, like drug trafficking before it, is being taken over by organized crime syndicates.
The problem is that the evidence -- so far, at least -- is lacking.
The mob-piracy meme began spreading in earnest last month, when the Recording Industry Association of America announced in a press release that piracy and organized crime were so intertwined that the entire counterfeit CD production business in the eastern half of the United States "is now dominated by organized criminal syndicates intent on monopolizing the illicit market."
Organized crime's entree into the content business was inevitable given the economics, says Warner Music spokesman Craig Hoffman.
"The markup for a kilo of heroin is 200 percent," Hoffman says. "The markup for pirated CDs and DVDs is 800 percent."
"The business model is similar to dealing drugs," says Chuck Hausman, deputy director of anti-piracy for the Motion Picture Association of America. "The technology makes it easier -- cheap burners, color laser printers and scanners (for high-quality disc art and packaging). It's low cost to entry and they're (CDs, DVDs) easy to hide."
This line of reasoning helped fuel an exponential increase in the federal government's efforts against intellectual-property violations last fall. In October, the Department of Justice established the Intellectual Property Task Force and published an 80-page report (.pdf) detailing the agency's plans to combat piracy domestically and globally. The report noted the potential for large criminal groups to cash in on the illicit content business.
"While the harmful consequences of intellectual-property theft may seem frightening, it is also disturbing to learn who is benefiting from many of these crimes," the report reads. "Intellectual-property theft has been linked to organized crime and, potentially, may fund terrorist organizations attracted by the profitability of these offenses."
In fact, links between large gangs and piracy are well-documented in China and Russia, along with other developing countries. But U.S. cases invariably target more run-of-the-mill outlaws, like download site operators and theater camcorder pirates.
Asked to cite actual U.S. convictions involving organized crime, the RIAA and MPAA instead presented a handful of pending piracy cases against warez networks, commercial replicators, a few members of street gangs and a smattering of individual drug dealers -- but no John Gotti or Tony Soprano.
"It's not organized crime families, as in 'the mob,'" admits Bradley Buckles, head of the RIAA's anti-piracy unit and former director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. "But large groups engaged in organized criminal activity are involved."
"Each link in the chain is organized -- the manufacturers or burners, the distributors who collect the discs from the burners and the peddlers who get the discs from the distributors," says Bill Shannon, the MPAA's anti-piracy director on the East Coast. | <urn:uuid:baea4065-30e9-4953-8afd-a7dafd0e92de> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wired.com/entertainment/music/news/2005/08/68490 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00064-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940778 | 634 | 1.789063 | 2 |
With the Paste 2012 conference on mine tailings just a few weeks away in Sun City, I’ve pinched this title from a question posed at the 2008 conference in the paper Surface disposal of paste and thickened tailings – A brief history and current confronting issues. So thank you to the authors (M. Williams, K. Seddon, and T. Fitton) for putting that insightful paper together.
For those less familiar with the terms paste or thickened tailings, an impressive visual summary of these materials can be found here with a focus on pipeline design. I am always impressed by photos of slumping tailings. The fact that they retain some statuesque form due to their increased strength is an achievement in itself – a long way from sculpture, but an achievement of materials engineering nonetheless.
Another very illustrative piece of work can be found here, where the authors focus on innovative ways to measure the geometry of paste and thickened tailings deposits. Yes, you too could use personal hover craft or Light Detention and Ranging (LIDAR) to learn more about deposits of paste and thickened tailings.
These last two pieces, however, masterfully avoid the subject of distinguishing between the two supposedly distinct materials – paste tailings and thickened tailings.
The paste and thickened tailings expert will rightly tell you that these materials are but elements of a continuum that starts all the way back at watery, segregating tailings, transitions to non-segregating, thickened tailings, then to paste tailings, and finally arrives at solid cakes of filtered tailings. While there is some distinction based on density and rheology (yield stress, namely), each process engineer, rheologist, and tailings person will have their own “thresholds” on which they base decisions for pump selection, pipeline design, deposition planning, etc.
Most will agree that there is an overlap between the two flavours of tailings, and that the name adopted will likely depend on the continent you’re visiting and the person you’re speaking with. A safe bet might be to stick with thickened tailings, as much as addressing a square as a rectangle is acceptable to some, but we should be aware that paste tailings have the potential to have uniquely strange and wonderful behaviours. To learn more about these materials and their applications, pick up a copy of the Paste conference proceedings, or get yourself to Sun City in April.
Let me know if you have come across better definitions, or if you’ve coined your own terms. There’s room for creating new vocabulary when we create new materials – just don’t expect Merriam, Webster, or Oxford to jump on your band-wagon right away. | <urn:uuid:88d205ed-a079-4f0e-b6a4-09d4ad5f8fab> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ithinkmining.com/2012/03/22/whats-in-a-name-thickened-vs-paste-mine-tailings/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941815 | 568 | 2.140625 | 2 |
NOTE: The following is just in from Ancestry.com. All inquiries should be addressed to firstname.lastname@example.org
Ancestry.com Sees Second Major Surge in User-Uploaded Content, More Than 1 Million Family Photos Added to Family Trees
Revolutionary Online Family Tree-Building Fuels Massive User Uploads and Sharing; During the Past Ten Months More Than 1.7 Million Family Trees Created, 257 Million Names Added and 18 Million Historical Records Linked
PROVO, Utah, April 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Ancestry.com, the world's largest online family history resource, today announced that more than 1 million family photos have been uploaded since the site's new tree-building and sharing features launched in July 2006. In fact, users are now uploading photos at a rate of 10,000 per day. Over this same period, users have also created more than 1.7 million new family trees, added an estimated 257 million names to their trees, sent 316,000 invitations to share their family tree and attached 18 million family history documents directly from Ancestry.com's 24,000 historical records collections.
Ancestry.com's tree-building tools enable family members to build multimedia family trees together whether living next-door or across continents. Families can upload photos, write stories, enter life events and names on a shared family tree -- all for free.
"The new features on Ancestry.com are gaining incredible momentum, and our users are uploading photos at an unbelievable rate, demonstrating the power of online family history collaboration," said Tim Sullivan, CEO of The Generations Network, parent company of Ancestry.com. "We couldn't be more pleased that so many people are preserving and safeguarding these priceless, personal records by uploading and sharing them through Ancestry.com. While we continue to grow the world's largest online collection of family history documents by acquiring, digitizing and indexing original source documents, we're even more excited by the scope and potential of the personal content now coming from individual families all over the world. Every single one of these 1 million photographs is a precious memory now preserved for future generations and sharable with invited family members, as well as distant cousins yet to be discovered through Ancestry.com."
These visual portraits of history are organized into specific categories on the site for easy searching including, Portrait/Family Photo, Place, Object, Historical Event, Headstone, Document/Certificate, Map, and Transportation.
The site's easy-to-use tools, combined with an increasing interest in family history, are bringing together a worldwide audience in a secure and family-friendly environment. With sites in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Canada and Australia, Ancestry.com's users from across the globe are working together in creating and sharing their family trees with Ancestry.com's advanced collaborative tools.
Improved tree-building tools, designed for enhanced searching, storing and sharing, allow subscribers to discover their past with the site's extensive databases of more than 5 billion searchable names, including the entire digitized and indexed U.S. Federal Census collection from 1790 to 1930, all readily available U.S. ship passenger list records from 1820 to 1960 and other historical records collections.
To view a sample of these one million unique family photos added to Ancestry.com go to www.ancestry.com/memberphotos
With 24,000 searchable databases and titles, Ancestry.com is the No. 1 online source for family history information. Since its launch in 1997, Ancestry.com has been the premier resource for family history, simplifying genealogical research for millions of people by providing them with many easy-to-use tools and resources to build their own unique family trees. Ancestry.com is part of The Generations Network, Inc., a leading network of family-focused interactive properties, including MyFamily.com, Rootsweb.com, Genealogy.com and Family Tree Maker. In total, The Generations Network properties receive 9.6 million unique visitors worldwide and over 380 million page views a month ((C) comScore Media Metrix, February, 2007)). | <urn:uuid:1c55c0e5-f520-473a-8a25-a4d04a54ee80> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.dearmyrtle.com/2007/04/ancestry-users-add-1-million-photos-257.html?pfstyle=wp | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.929772 | 851 | 1.601563 | 2 |
Recounting an enjoyable trip
Forty years after his death, two of Bruce Lee's siblings reminisce about their famous brother's life and a legacy that is inspiring a whole new generation of fighters. Jo Baker reports.
Sometimes after you have been on a school trip or a holiday, you might want to write about it. In this sort of writing, you are retelling what has happened. That means using the past tense. The events you talk about should be in chronological order just as if writing a story. When planning your story, it helps to think about these: who, what, where, when and why. Read this retelling and answer the questions.
Trip to the Peak
Last week my brother Cedric, my friend Alvin and I decided to go to the Peak. We had never been there before, so we were excited. We got a No 10 bus from North Point to Happy Valley and then we walked up to the terminus of the Peak tram. I paid the fare and we sat in the back seat. The track was very steep and Cedric was frightened. When we arrived at the top, the view was magnificent. It was a sunny day; there was no pollution so visibility was good. We could see lots of Hong Kong Island, the harbour and all the way over to Kowloon. As we were thirsty, we went to a shop to buy a cold drink. Then we decided to watch the fountain for a while. The water sprays up when you least expect it.
There were lots of people. The Peak is a popular place. We enjoyed guessing who was a tourist and who lived in Hong Kong. Some tourists were walking around in a group following a guide who was carrying a flag.
Alvin asked if we could go and visit the wax museum. I agreed. Inside there were wax models of famous people including Bruce Lee and Kelly Chen Wai-lam.
After we came out, a strange thing happened. A small boy was crying and shouting for his mother. He was lost. I stayed with the boy while Cedric and Alvin looked for his mother. They found her near the fountain, and she was so pleased that we had helped find her son, she gave us some money to buy ice cream.
It was beginning to get dark so we decided to get the No 15 bus down the hill. It had been a good day. We all agreed we would go to the Peak again, and very soon.
terminus (n) - a place where public transport (buses, boats and trains) begins and ends journeys
fare (n) - money you pay to travel on public transport
visibility (n) - how far you can see
pollution (n) - dirt and waste that spoil the environment
fountain (n) - a device that sprays water into the air
popular (adj) - liked by a lot of people
1. Who went to the Peak with the person who wrote the recount?
2. Why did they all go to the Peak?
3. When did they go?
4. How did they get to the Peak?
5. Where did they go to see Bruce Lee and Kelly Chen Wai-lam?
6. What did they buy when the boy's mother gave them some money?
Be a writer!
Recounts have a definite structure. Use the template below to write your own recount. It could be a visit to a relative or a museum. Perhaps you could write about a recent holiday. The main thing is to enjoy your writing.
Set the scene: Write a few sentences about where you went and why.
Write about events: Write about what happened in order. Usually four or five things are enough.
Write a closing statement: It could be something like, 'When I got back I told my father what had happened'.
An anagram is when the letters of a word are in the wrong order. Tourists come to Hong Kong from all over the world. Here are some anagrams of some of the countries. Re-arrange the letters to find out where they are from.
Work out which famous city each clue below represents. Choose the correct answer from the list and write it in the grid.
List: Beijing, Bangkok, London, Paris, Rome, Sydney, Tokyo
1. There is a famous opera house in this city
2. The city near the Great Wall
3. Thailand's most famous city
4. The Eiffel Tower is a landmark there
5. The river Thames runs through this city
6. The capital of Japan
7. The Vatican is a famous building in this city
1. Cedric and Alvin; 2. They had never been there before; 3. last week; 4. by bus and the Peak tram; 5. the wax museum; 6. ice cream; 7. France; 8. America; 9. Australia; 10. Russia; 11. Africa
1. Sydney; 2. Beijing; 3. Bangkok; 4. Paris; 5. London; 6. Tokyo; 7. Rome | <urn:uuid:2a1ee752-9a0d-4c76-a050-f6e77d80c268> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.scmp.com/article/473756/recounting-enjoyable-trip | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00063-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.979771 | 1,048 | 1.5625 | 2 |
CHAPTER 5: The Compagnies Franches de la Marine of Canada
A Canadian Military Elite is Born
A sort of Canadian military elite was therefore emerging. In 1683, all the officers were French; by 1690, however, about a quarter were born in Canada. This proportion rose to about half in the 1720s and finally to three-quarters in the early 1750s. In addition, those officers who were born in France generally remained in the colony, thereby swelling the numbers of this military elite.
Their place of birth is, in fact, a less than perfect criterion for judging the "Canadianization" of the officer corps. Should one really consider as foreigners those French officers who came to Canada, established roots here, had families and adopted the customs of the country, before finally being buried in the land where they had spent so much of their lives? This seems illogical when one considers that their own sons, born in the colony, made up most of those who bolstered the official numbers of Canadians in comparison with French. The "Canadianization" of French officers proceeded in another way as well. By the end of the seventeenth century, they were clearly learning and adapting very well, as their years of service increased, to the art of war as practised in Canada. Thus, it could easily be argued that the officer corps was almost entirely Canadian by the 1720s, in essence if not by birth. | <urn:uuid:4d62e5e6-e137-4e96-aec7-cc202cdf5ddc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cmhg-phmc.gc.ca/cmh/page-67-eng.asp | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.991142 | 290 | 3.265625 | 3 |
“They will do some kind of fiscal solution, but it won’t happen before Jan. 1. They will take six to nine months to do some fiscal reform,” Dhawan, director of the Economic Forecasting Center at Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business in downtown Atlanta, said during Wednesday’s quarterly Economic Forecasting Conference on campus.
Unlike the previous three years, when each American family got average payroll tax cuts of about $1,000, he said there won’t be any this Christmas.
“Santa Claus comes every year, so why don’t I get my gift this year?” Dhawan said. “I wrote [these predictions in] my booklet before the election was over, on Election Day.”
As for the overall U.S. economy, Dhawan estimates the gross domestic product will rise only 0.9 percent in the fourth quarter of this year and only 1.0 percent during the first quarter of 2013 and a total of 1.5 percent next year. The country will create 115,000 jobs per month in 2013 and 160,000 the following year, he said. In Georgia, 55,300 jobs will be added in 2013 and 77,300 the following year, he added.
Regarding the fiscal cliff, Dhawan said the country is going over the precipice.
“It will take down investment spending by firms, wreck consumer mood and affect retail sales in the first quarter of 2013,” he said. “Then the Congress does its magic by retroactively doing changes in March, buys another six months to do the first down payment on reducing deficits by 2013 year-end.
“We tell Congress: ‘Get the goodies [pet projects]. Then control spending.’ If we get No. 1 but not No. 2, we’re OK with it. That’s the problem. We created this system.”
As for foreign markets and their effect on the U.S., Dhawan said, “Europe is in a funk.”
German Chancellor Angela Merkel is up for re-election in May, an event likely will affect the European economy, he said.
During a question-and-answer session following Dhawan’s speech, one audience member asked, “What happens if Congress takes care of the [debt] problem?”
Dhawan was skeptical it would happen. “We have only one more year until the European markets’ [problems] come to us,” he said.
Another guest asked, “How much is a little to quantify a debt down payment?”
“My person opinion is $200 billion,” Dhawan said, adding later he hopes Congress cuts spending instead of raising taxes, arguing it is better for the economy.
Regarding income tax breaks, Dhawan said during his speech, “Everything is in play — health insurance, your retirement savings and other issues.”
Then he asked the room of about 200 attendees, “How many of you are willing to give up one of those things?”
Three people raised their hands.
“Next year your taxes are going up one way or another,” Dhawan said. “The question is which way.” | <urn:uuid:793d0e96-af57-4286-beb1-7df67e1d6e11> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://neighbornewspapers.com/pages/full_story/push?article-Dhawan-+Post-election+economy+includes+higher+taxes%20&id=20837877&instance=all | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95507 | 695 | 1.726563 | 2 |
By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
February 22, 2012
I was stuck by Michael Narine’s post, “Culture is a ploy for more state money” and Newsday’s headline “Calypso gets $1M.” With that came a justification from Dr. Hollis “Chalkdust” Liverpool: “This is good for calypso. Calypso is the father of all different genres of music, so they must ensure that calypso gets a good prize. All these other genres of music: chutney, soca, they came out of calypso, so it’s only fair that calypsonians get a good prize.” I will not argue with the doctor’s thesis except to say that at the beginning of the 21st century we may have to revise our accepted concepts of the genre, its influences and the musical forms it has spewed.
Narine says: “More and more I am seeing the word ‘culture’ to mean the arts, entertainment, and national days of celebration. In fact, the term is used as a strategy by entertainers and promoters to demand more money from the state.” While I agree with his observation I am not inclined to see calypsonians as mere entertainers. At their best, they can be seen as educators and reflectors of the social and political scene.
Narine argues further that “we are losing sight of the fact that culture also refers to attitude, behavior, beliefs, values, expectations, and practices of the society. To transform the country, we have to effect cultural change.”
Again Narine may be correct but to speak about the influence of culture in the 21st century we have to talk about the commoditization of almost everything (including culture) and the impact it has had on distorting (or certainly changing) “values” which inform our responses to our society.
About a month ago I read an illuminating book, The Spirit of the Game by Mihir Bose, an Indian writer who examined the evolution of sports from a game that was played for recreation in the nineteenth century with the aim of shaping society for the greater good to a money-making machine in the 21st century, typified by FIFA and which explains Jack Warner. The commoditization of sports has not confined itself to FIFA and soccer but has also wrapped its arms around cricket, car racing and every other sport.
Carnival and calypso began just as cricket, soccer and other sports began: people doing it just for the fun of it. Here’s a report of carnival (and I presume calypso) in the 1820s in Carlton Ottley in Slavery Days in Trinidad: “In the gay 1820s everybody, young and old, black and white, royalist and republicans, danced…While the French and Spanish upper and middle classes cut capers at Mrs. Bruce’s, the rest of the population to whom dancing and singing were the acme of their social life, spent their evening whether in the country or the town around the flambeau in the clearing between their houses, recreating for themselves the songs and dances of their ancestors.”
Ottley then quotes from a visitor to the island. “One night, hearing a horrible drumming on the tum-tums, I followed the sounds, and in the suburbs of the town came to a very characteristic scene-a Negro ladies’ ball. A narrow entry led to a spacious shed, rudely thatched with palm branches; from the joists of which hung a clumsy wooden chandelier, and at intervals, stuck upon high poles, serving as candelabras, were large tallow candles, casting a fitful glare over the place.
“At the head of this dingy salon de danse were five huge Negroes, thumbing might and main on casks, the tops of which were covered with parchment. Ranged on one side were twenty Negresses roaring a chorus, each being in motion, turning half around alternatively without moving from the spot. These dingy damsels, of whose features nothing but their rolling eye-balls and brilliant teeth were visible, raised their voices to a pitch that would have satisfied the King of Ashantee” (my italics).
We are also aware that the earliest calypsoes, rendered in an African language, were sung at religious ceremonies, harvest festivals, and displays of martial arts. One of the earliest calypsoes, “Ja Ja Romey Eh/Ja Ja Romey Shango,” was sung at the calinda or stickfights, an African martial art form that was associated with Shango. According to Atilla, this song was handed down and interpreted “wherever the ritualistic ceremonies of the Shango cult are practices [as] ‘I am coming to the dance of the Gods.’” Atilla tells us that one of the earliest calypsoes described the massacre of hundreds of Africans in Marabella in 1838.
This was the 1820s, the 1830s and the visitor’s description I believe was made in the 1850s. It doesn’t take much imagination to understand that we have moved a long way from such a time and setting to the modernity of the present. Needless to say, within the setting of a salon de danse where the patrons saw the artist working up close he or she also participated in the making of the meaning of such artistic productions. Patron and artist were one.
Today, things are different. The inspiration is different; the motives are different; the devotion is different and everything seems to be a big hustle. As a result, I don’t know if a first prize of two million dollars would do much to transform the calypsonian’s performance or his commitment to his art. With carnival bands such as Tribe (approximately 6,000 patrons), Island People (about 4,000); Fantasy island (about 3,000) etc. with each masquerader paying an average of $5,000 to play dey mas then, like soccer, cricket and car-racing we realize how money has invaded the realm, how little room there must be for cultural creativity and innovation.
There is no way we can go back to the old days which leads us to ask Mr. Narine how can we “stay focus[ed] on the true meaning of culture” when so much around us has become the victim of how much rather than how good?
Perhaps we need a new model and certainly a different way of talking about culture and carnival in the 21st century. | <urn:uuid:b70756cc-71a2-4967-af77-bc835d2a86db> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.trinidadandtobagonews.com/blog/?p=6177 | 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 | 0.970875 | 1,405 | 2.140625 | 2 |
69. Power supply cables for portable electrical equipment shall be placed clear of areas used for vehicles unless adequate protection for the cables is provided.
70. Electrical appliances and tools shall be constructed and used in accordance with the Canadian Standards Association specifications or with any other specifications acceptable to the Board.
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
71. The personal protective equipment referred to in sections 72 to 74 shall comply with the Canadian Standards Association specifications for that equipment or, where a higher standard is required by a provincial authority having jurisdiction over the use of that equipment, the higher standard required by that authority.
72. Every person employed in an area where there is danger of injury to the feet from falling or moving objects shall wear safety shoes or boots, which shall be made available by his employer.
73. Every person employed in an area where there is danger of injury to the head from falling or moving objects shall wear a safety hat or helmet fitted with a chin strap.
74. Every person shall wear a buoyancy aid that is not dependent upon manual control to produce its buoyancy when
(a) required to work over water; or
(b) transferring between a ship and a tow.
75. Except as provided in section 74, every person shall wear a life jacket
(a) when crossing between a ship and the shore during the berthing or docking of the ship; and
(b) when crossing between one ship and another ship, where one or both of the ships are not moored.
76. Every person who is required to work on unmanned barges shall have two strips of reflective tape, each of which is not less than 19 mm wide by 230 mm long, attached to both front and back of his exterior jacket or coat when darkness or a dimly lighted condition exists in the working area.
- SOR/79-632, s. 7.
77. (1) A person employed in welding or burning operations shall wear eye protection designed to protect his eyes from the glare of the operations.
(2) A person employed in rivetting, drilling, grinding or chipping operations shall wear eye protection designed to protect his eyes from flying particles.
(3) Every person exposed to a threat of danger to his eyes from flying grit, chips or excessive heat or light shall wear suitable eye protection.
78. Every employer shall provide the appropriate protective clothing and respiratory equipment to an employee required to work with a substance or in an atmosphere that may adversely affect the employee’s health.
79. Every person who is required to work at a height greater than 3 m, on a mast or at the edge of any other structure that is not provided with guard rails, shall wear a safety belt fitted with a safety line that is rigged so as to limit the free fall of a person to not more than 1.2 m.
- SOR/79-632, s. 8.
- Date modified: | <urn:uuid:2548446d-2e64-4074-89f5-2f0ca5f1c0f5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://laws.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/C.R.C.,_c._1467/page-10.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00029-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939766 | 605 | 1.8125 | 2 |
Four Maple Grove Junior High students were hurt, one with serious burns, when their teacher lighted methanol in class.
Dane Neuberger was front and center when the classroom science experiment blew up, setting his face on fire.
"I was on fire," said 15-year-old Neuberger, who is being treated at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis for second-degree burns to his face, neck and right hand. "People were screaming, and everyone just ran out."
Three other students treated for burns at the hospital were released.
Thursday morning, ninth-graders in the second-hour science class at Maple Grove Junior High School had turned their desks toward the science table where teacher Matthew Achor conducted experiments for the class final.
The first time the teacher dropped a match into a jug of methanol, Neuberger said the experiment seemed to work. "It made a loud boom and a little flame," he said. "Everyone thought that was cool and clapped."
Neuberger looked down at his paper to begin writing down his observations. "I'm pretty sure he was starting it up to do it a second time," Neuberger said. "And the next thing I know I'm on fire."
"The whole thing was confusion," he said. "It hit my face and my chest. ... I felt the heat of the fire on my face."
Neuberger said Achor immediately threw a fire blanket on him, extinguishing the fire on his face. Neuberger pulled off his long-sleeve shirt, which was still on fire.
"It must have been a pretty big explosion because even papers around the room were on fire. Kids got their hair burned. Yeah, it was terrible," he said. "It was chaos. It was scary."
Another science teacher came to the students' aid, taking Neuberger to nurse's office while they waited for the ambulance to arrive. Neuberger said Achor talked to him, saying, "'I'm so sorry." And then he tended to another injured student.
Achor, 61, couldn't be reached for comment.
Neuberger said he was in shock when the fire hit him so he didn't feel a lot of pain. But as he waited for the ambulance, the pain overtook the shock. "It was unbearable. It just hurt so bad," he said. "It felt like I didn't have my lips."
Dr. Ryan Fey, a burn surgeon at the medical center, says it appears Neuberger suffered mostly second-degree burns. Doctors will continue to observe him in case the burns evolve into more serious injuries that would require skin grafts. If the burns heal normally in the next 10 to 14 days, scarring should be minimal, he said.
"Burns hurt," Fey said. "They're quite painful."
Neuberger's parents sat on each side of his hospital bed Thursday.
His father said the family is focused on his son's recovery and not how the school handled the situation or any possible missteps made by Achor.
"I'm sure he feels bad, he's obviously a teacher; he likes kids. We're not looking for blood from him," Gus Neuberger said. "But perhaps I think some policy changes and safety issues need to be addressed."
Maple Grove Fire Chief Scott Anderson said there was a "flash fire and it went out" as the students "were doing an experiment they've been doing year after year."
The flames on the students were extinguished with a "fire coat," said Barbara Olson, a spokeswoman for the Osseo School District. The burning papers were put out with a fire extinguisher. The room was undamaged, and no sprinklers or alarms went off.
Anderson said that by the time firefighters crossed the street to the school from the station, "there was nothing for them to do other than ventilate a little bit of smoke."
With friends surrounding him in his hospital room, Dane Neuberger talked about the fire's aftermath. "I'm going to have to shave my head tomorrow," he said, pointing out that his hair is "all scorched." On Thursday, he missed his first wrestling meet of the season and likely will miss a few more.
For now, he's not too keen about seeing himself in the mirror. "It's kind of scary looking," he said. His swollen lips make it difficult to eat.
And that, he said, "sucks." | <urn:uuid:f40b48b0-cb27-4ba6-a27c-425651ef3863> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.startribune.com/local/134841058.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.989435 | 936 | 2.1875 | 2 |
"There is nothing more rewarding than taking a pack of 40 dogs to the beach for a pack walk," says Cesar Millan of his work with canines.
A typical day at work for Cesar Millan might include putting on his running shoes and taking a four-hour jog though the mountains with 40 dogs—dogs large and small, young and old, and none of them on leashes.
Amazingly, most of those dogs belong to him. The rest are at the heart of his work; they are troubled dogs sent to Millan to learn good behavior.
Obviously Millan, star of the National Geographic Channel's show Dog Whisperer and author of the best-selling book Cesar's Way, has a special gift for working with these animals.
Growing up on a farm in Mexico, Millan knew he wanted to work with dogs. His first job, at age 15, was helping a veterinarian.
He was so good at calming scared dogs and handling all kinds of situations, people started calling him el perrero, Spanish for "the dog boy." Since then, he has built a rewarding career around his favorite animal.
"My grandfather taught me at an early age not to work against nature," he explains. In nature, dogs are pack animals. They form a group and follow one leader. Millan's specialty is teaching people to be pack leaders for their dogs instead of letting the dog have the run of the home.
Everyone in the family should lead, he says. The dogs in his pack respect his wife, Ilusion, as well as his sons, Andre, 11, and Calvin, 7.
Studying dogs on the farm where he grew up, Millan realized they need lots of exercise to be calm. He explains his approach: "Exercise and discipline first, and then affection!"
He says a lot of people get it backwards because they don't realize what dogs really need. So the Dog Whisperer doesn't just train dogs; he trains owners to understand that their pets need rules. He's helped big celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and movie star Will Smith and everyday people too.
At his Dog Psychology Center in Los Angeles, California, Millan also works with dogs whose dangerous behavior has prevented them from finding homes. He teaches them to be loving, gentle pets.
On the TV show The Dog Whisperer, viewers can actually see the change in dogs with troublesome behavior. Some dogs go crazy when visitors arrive, for example, while some have more unusual problems. "Like Kane," says Millan, "who was afraid of shiny floors, and a sheltie who barked at the toaster."
To find the right career, Millan encourages kids to do what they enjoy. "A lot of people don't realize I've been working with dogs for more than 20 years—long before my TV show or book. Success followed me because I was following my dream of being the best dog trainer in the world."
Millan offers this advice: "You can always find a job. (I washed cars and worked as a dog groomer.) But I find that happiness comes when you follow your passion."
- The term "Dog Whisperer" is a take-off on a term for people with a special ability to communicate with and train horses: "horse whisperers."
- To understand dogs, you need to understand how they "see" the world, says Millan. Nose first, then eyes, then ears. According to his book, human's have only about 5 million scent receptors in our noses, while the average grown dog has 220 million!
- Lots of hard work goes into helping dogs at Millan's Dog Psychology Center. Just feeding all those hungry hordes means dishing up 50 pounds (22.7 kilograms) of food a day.
- To read Cesar's Way, visit your local library.
- To see the show Dog Whisperer, check your local cable listings for the National Geographic Channel.
Text by Catherine Clarke Fox | <urn:uuid:fc06e993-a38a-46cd-85e4-7fe5cbab047e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/stories/animalsnature/dogwhisperer/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00044-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973397 | 825 | 2.046875 | 2 |
If given the choice of living in today's LA or the Los Angeles of a generation ago, which would you choose? I'll stick with today's Southern California.
For the glass is half-empty crowd, let's start with the common complaints — many of which aren't as bad as they seem at first glance.
Take gas prices. As much as they hurt, UCLA researchers note that we pump a smaller portion of our incomes into our cars than we did in the 1980s.
What about LA's smoggy reputation and awful air quality? The California Air Resources Board finds the number of days that LA has exceeded the 1-hour ozone standard has dropped from 192 in 1975 to 75 last year—an impressive 61 percent drop.
And then there's the crime. Outsiders often regard LA as one giant playground for gangs, but the serious crime rate has been cut in half since 1980.
Sure, Los Angeles' economic performance hasn't been as robust as we might have liked, but the local economy is more resilient than many realize. Recall that LA has shaken off defense cuts, the '92 riots, the Northridge earthquake, and more. And despite all that, since 1979, median household income is up more than 140 percent. Business services jobs grew by 58 percent and the Milken Institute notes that in 2004, with telecommuting and technology helping entrepreneurs, LA reached a new peak in residential employment.
Some worry about income inequality, but even if the gap between rich and poor widens, that tells us little about the actual state of economic opportunity because the faces that comprise income groups keep changing. Such comparisons over time are particularly misleading in LA, where immigration constantly swells the ranks of the poor. We're fortunate that ours is a rather fluid society, in which the dynamics of a relatively free market help those at the bottom make their way up the economic ladder.
From faltering public schools to the housing crunch, plenty of problems remain in Southern California and some have gotten much worse. Traffic congestion, for instance, has gotten 150 percent worse since the early 80s. It's gone from just an irritant to a force that squeezes much of the economic vitality from the local economy, costing Angelenos $11 billion each year just in wasted gas and time.
And, of course there are the heavy hands of state and local government. Many a business has recently escaped the squeeze of high state taxes and onerous regulations by heading to Nevada, Arizona, and Texas. Bureaucracy is booming in LA, as local government now accounts for the county's largest employment sector. No wonder Forbes recently named LA the nation's most expensive place to do business.
And yet, the good still edges out the bad. One often-overlooked aspect of progress is the degree to which falling prices have improved living standards.
When measured as the amount of time someone must work to make enough money to buy something, the price of nearly everything has fallen dramatically. Buying a dozen eggs requires only about a quarter of the time an American from 1920 had to invest. What to buy a car? You'll only have to work about a third as long as your early-century counterpart.
The nationwide homeownership rate stands at nearly 70 percent, a historic high. Yet restrictions on building permits, a sluggish approval process, inclusionary zoning and other local policies have constricted housing supply in LA, catapulting home prices to new heights. Thankfully, cheaper cars make it easier for people to live in more affordable areas outside of LA and still travel into LA's economic orbit.
The bottom-line is clear: when market forces flourish, Americans enjoy more for less.
A 1970s IBM mainframe cost over $3 million, but today's consumer need only pay about $500 to buy a computer that's a thousand times faster — and better. Deregulation has lowered air fares, allowing average folks more opportunities to visit loved ones or explore faraway lands. Medical science continues to give new hope to those with age-old ailments. Laser eye surgery gives the blind sight and cochlear implants let the deaf hear. Many advances we take for granted haven't been around that long and, thanks to research in fields like genetics and nanotechnology, many more are on the way. Indeed such progress is a global phenomenon, with LA playing its part.
Los Angeles offers unlimited opportunities for entrepreneurs and consumers. We may pay more than folks in North Dakota do for a lot of things, but instead of yearning for days gone by, give me today's digital LA—with its explosion of films and state-of-the-art movie theaters, funky shops, fantastic restaurants, inviting beaches, and updated maps to the stars' homes. | <urn:uuid:ff70e791-619e-4817-b30f-245b30c258a8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://reason.org/news/printer/thanks-to-flourishing-market-f | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961482 | 961 | 1.859375 | 2 |
1. In Surabaya ... one of the largest cities in Indonesia, the first cases of child deaths from malnutrition were registered last year. Food Crisis: Malnutrition in Indonesia on the rise
2. "At least 21 toddlers have died of malnutrition in East Nusa Tenggara in eastern Indonesia in recent months due to a food shortage that threatens the lives of thousands more children, a local health official said on 12 June 2008.
"An additional 116 youngsters have been admitted to clinics and hospitals in critical condition." Malnutrition kills 21 Indonesia toddlers - Boston.com
According to the Jakarta Post, 16 June 2008, most national newspapers ignored the news completely.
"Perhaps they felt it was not worth a mention because it is now a daily occurrence in Indonesia, and there is nothing we can do about it.
The insensitivity "of the central government and politicians in Jakarta, who are probably too busy preparing for elections next year, is tragic if not to say disturbing." - Jakarta Post, 16 June 2008.
An activist pointed to "a Rp 15 billion (US$1.6 million) ongoing rehabilitation project of the Kupan municipality governor's official residence and a Rp 2 billion allocation for a project to prevent malnutrition.
"If the malnutrition fund was distributed to the 512,407 toddlers suffering from malnutrition in the province, they would receive .... 42 US cents each." - Jakarta Post, 16 June, 2008.
3. In the Indonesian half of the island of Timor ... 60 percent of the two million children are under-developed due to inadequate nutrition and 13 percent are in a worrying condition
Food Crisis: Malnutrition in Indonesia on the rise
Malnutrition in the Indonesian half-island of West Timor to levels "higher than in Africa," aid group Church World Service has said.
A survey of 4,800 households by the group found 61.1 percent of children under five in the region were stunted due to chronic malnutrition, while 13.1 percent of children were acutely malnourished. - Malnutrition in eastern Indonesia 'higher than in Africa': aid group
4. The situation has worsened with the rise in global food prices, including the price of rice and soya, the staple foods of the poor within the Indonesian population. Food Crisis: Malnutrition in Indonesia on the rise
Indonesia could be considered the classic new world order state.
Indonesia has an increasing number of billionaires and an increasing number of starving people.
It was the USA that put the military into power in Indonesia in 1965, and the military still pulls the strings.
The Indonesian elite increasingly use militarism and religious FUNDAMENTALISM to keep the FEUDAL SYSTEM in place.
Andre Vltchek, at Japan Focus (here), has written an excellent article about Indonesia:
"The New Face of Indonesia’s Islamic Fundamentalism: Pornography Ban Ignores the Starving"
"While the nation was off guard, distracted by soaring food prices, a collapsing road system and general hopelessness, the House of Representatives on March 25th 2008 passed a bill banning all pornographic websites, threatening to jail users and providers who will now face up to three years in prison or a substantial fine...
"At dark intersections, street children are begging, some offering themselves to exhausted motorists. Women carrying infants are begging next to the exhaust pipes of the cars...
"Several parts of the country have introduced Islamic sharia by-laws banning unaccompanied women from leaving the house after sunset. Muslim women are ordered to wear headscarves...
"Fully covered little girls are now a common site in some Jakarta neighborhoods as well as in many rural areas of Java...
"Of course the fight against corruption has stalled. It is too much to expect Indonesian Representatives to fight against graft, considering that many if not most amassed their own fortunes illegally.
"It is easier to attack images of lovemaking or sex than powerful people who are robbing the poorest of the poor...
"Just a few days before the bill was passed, I drove through the crowded and depressing streets of Jakarta. Howling sirens pushed me to the curb.
"Several escort vehicles and motorbikes drove by, protecting a brand new Porsche Cayenne 4WD. It was a vehicle of a legislators, a man who should be saving for a Honda Civic on his official salary. A few feet away, street children were playing barefoot in the gutter, one of them showing clear signs of malnutrition. Forgive me, but I call that pornography.
"While the government is fighting Internet porn, tens of millions of Indonesian women are forced by poverty and hopelessness into the countless brothels in Surabaya, Batam and Jakarta.
"Millions of women who are raped or get pregnant out of wedlock are abandoning their infants and children, some of whom are left in the garbage bins or on the street.
"Country girls go or are sent by their families as 'maids' into sexual slavery in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere in the Middle East. As they leave Indonesia, they wear headscarves, so the state need not worry about their fate..."
(Andre Vltchek—novelist, journalist, filmmaker and playwright—is a Japan Focus associate. His recent novel – Point of No Return –shows the New Order through the eyes of war as a correspondent.)
Photo of Billionaire Indonesian government minister Bakrie
In 2006, Aburizal Bakrie was number 6 on the Forbes list of Indonesia’s richest people ( he was worth $1.2 billion )
Bakrie is a government minister. He is the Co-ordinating minister for the Peoples’ Welfare.
Now, in 2007, Bakrie is Indonesia's richest person.
Aburizal Bakrie and family (Bakrie Group): $5.4 billion
Sukanto Tanoto (April and Asian Agri): $4.7 billion
R. Budi Hartono: $3.14 billion
Michael Hartono (Budi and Michael Hartono, part owners of Djarum and BCA): $3.08 billion
Eka Tjipta Widjaja and family (Sinar Mas Group): $2.8 billion
Putera Sampoerna and family (Sampoerna Strategic): $2.2 billion
Martua Sitorus (Wilmar International): $2.1 billion
Rachman Halim and family (Gudang Garam): $1.6 billion
Peter Sondakh (Rajawali Group): $1.45 billion.
Eddy William Katuari and family (Wings Group): $1.39 billion (Sources: Aburizal Bakrie 1 forbes )
Mysteriously, the Suharto family does not appear on the list.
In 2004 Bakrie was Indonesia's chief economic minister.
Bakrie was accused of nepotism. In 2005, he became the Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare.
In May 2006 a drilling hole at Porong, Sidoarjo that was constructed without protective casings by PT Lapindo Brantas, a mining company of the Bakrie conglomerate, started a continuous release of hot mud that made many people homeless and threatens the local economy in East Java.
The May 1998 riots in Jakarta, apparently organised by the CIA and elements of the military, changed very little in Indonesia.
In 1998 Suharto stepped down and elections were held.
But, the generals, and families like the Suhartos, still pull the strings.
Indonesia's President Yudhoyono is a former Suharto general.
Melody Kemp, at onlineopinion.com, 10 January 2008, has an utterly brilliant article on Indonesia entitled:
The good, the bad and the hopeful - reflecting on Indonesia
The old town known as Kota (in Jakarta) ... is now a no-go area where violence and drug taking have escalated...
Toll roads still owned by the Soeharto family, are groaning with cars...
People look more stressed than before. As the cost of living hikes leave more and more poor behind, crime and meaningless jobs multiply alongside each other...
And the rich are richer... We stayed at the very popular Novotel... The hotel is now surrounded by multimillion dollar homes. Huge mansions bristling with stainless steel three-storey high windows and doubtless, an alarming number of bathrooms. I wondered hopefully if the owners paid taxes.
For the first time an Indonesian, the Minister for Social Welfare, made the list of Forbes 100 richest men. He is at the centre of the case of the ongoing destructive mud eruptions in East Java that have made life misery for many Indonesians. And for which the good Minister for Social Welfare refuses to take any responsibility.
Indonesia’s problem is not poverty but distribution. And the powers-that-be continue to refuse to acknowledge this - as do aid donors, including Australia. Policies that favour the rich, such as education fees, are still promulgated by the World Bank, eager it seems to live up to its reputation as an instrument of blind capitalism...
The World Bank, we were told by one of their consultants, had earmarked a US$800 million loan, ready to go.
Apparently no planning guidelines, or projects had been identified, nor guidelines for disbursal, monitoring or evaluation. It was simply a “give ‘em the loan and saddle ‘em with debt” strategy...
Soeharto, in effect, turned Indonesia into one huge franchising operation from which he and his family profited; and continue to do so.
The recent Bali Climate Carnival was held in Soeharto-owned hotels. While Sadam killed thousands and was hanged, Soeharto stole from and killed millions, and lives on. Justice is not a notable feature of Indonesia, or of American patronage...
The ABC Asian news services recently trumpeted that Jema’ah Islamiya had a membership of 9,000 ... What they failed to add was that in a population of 260 million, 9,000 does not represent recruitment success.
Repeatedly Islamic parties do poorly in the elections. Radical Islam is less popular than Family First.
But that could change. Officials in the Ministry of Religion are beginning to acknowledge that Indonesia could soon be an Islamic state given current Western inspired wars, impoverishment of Muslim communities, ongoing judicial corruption and mismanagement of community conflicts and misdirected aid...
Islamic schools are free and are used increasingly by the poor in the wake of user-pays education cost rises...
Indonesian’s major complaint to me was that user-pays education excludes the poor ...
Into this come the Muslim carpetbaggers from Malaysia and Saudi Arabia using Syhari’a principles to influence Indonesian children to take up the puritan form that they espouse.
I noticed a greater number of swathed heads and long gowns as well as an increase in the number of tragic threadbare beards...
But the message is the Saudi influence is biting.
The way to combat radical Islam is not by weapons, spies and training police, but by supporting the majority of moderate Muslims who want a good education for their children to open the doors of opportunity for which they don’t have the key.
There are lots of palatial new mosques being built in Indonesia, the world's biggest Moslem country.
Meanwhile state hospitals and state schools are as neglected as any in the Congo; the rich grow richer and the poor grow poorer.
Indonesia is a democracy and its government opposes Islamic extremism?
Indonesia's President, Susilo Bangbang Yudhoyono, was one of Suharto's generals. Yudhoyono was trained in America.
Suharto married a Catholic and some of his key generals were Christian.
Suharto used the Islamists to do his dirty work, frustrate democracy and help keep the elite in power.
Suharto sided with the orthodox Moslems against the pro-democracy moderate Moslems.
President Yudhoyono, friend of America, may be little different from Suharto.
"In 2004-06, there was a spate of attacks by hardline Islamist militias, such as the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI)... The FPI’s 2005 march on the Liberal Islam Network headquarters and verbal threats to their leadership was not prosecuted by the state...
"Jemaah Islamiyah, the regional terrorist group, is not a proscribed entity in Indonesia. Mere membership in JI is not a crime and many JI leaders, such as Abu Bakar Ba’asyir and Muhammad Iqbal Rahman (Abu Jibril), freely proselytize..." - Islamist Thuggery and Official Complacency Challenge Secular ...
The British military, the American military and the Indonesian military have long used the Moslem extremists to promote their right-wing agenda.
"Cabinet papers show that British spies, including MI6, supported Islamic guerrillas in order to destabilise Sukarno." (Revealed: Healey admits role in British dirty tricks campaign to overthrow Indonesia's President Sukarno, By Paul Lashmar and James Oliver, The Independent - 16 April 2000) The Secret State: MI5 (Home Office/MoD), The Security Service and ...
Indonesian special forces regiment Kopassus is trained by the Americans.
Kopassus 'set up a Moslem terror group called Komando Jihad.'
According to Dr Damien Kingsbury, head of philosophical, political and international studies at Deakin University: "Kopassus... has engaged in... hostage rescue missions. The first was in 1981, when a Garuda aircraft was hijacked.... Kopassus... set up the Islamic organisation Komando Jihad that hijacked the plane in 1981 and which has since emerged as Jemaah Islamiah." We must not get back in bed with Kopassus - theage.com.au
Jakarta human-rights activist Bonar Naipospos told Asia Times Online: "General Suparman is one of the generals who was behind the extremist Jihad groups. He set up militias composed of gangsters and religious fanatics to counter student demonstrations in 1998. One of these militias, Pram Swarkasa, became the embryo of Laskar Jihad." Asia Times We must not get back in bed with Kopassus - theage.com.au
According to a news story in the Sydney Morning Herald, November 2, 2002:
"Some time around the 30 October 2002, senior officers in the Indonesian military HQ gave a piece of information to a military attache from a Western embassy in Indonesia -the source of explosive used in the October 12 bombing in Bali was the head of the counter-terrorism unit with the army's special forces."
The father-in-law of the officer concerned is Hendropriyono, Indonesia's spy chief.
Allegedly, Kuwaiti citizen Omar Al Faruq played a part in the Bali bomb plot. Al Faruq was arrested in Bogor on June 5, 2002 and handed over to US authorities. Al Faruq was able to escape from custody.
Former Indonesian State Intelligence Coordinating Board (BAKIN) chief A.C. Manulang was quoted by Tempo as saying that Al-Faruq was a CIA-recruited agent.
The airline manifest of Garuda airlines shows that at least two generals from Jakarta visited Bali three days before the bombings and that they returned to Jakarta one day before the Sari Club was blown up. This was confirmed by armed forces chief General Sutarto, who claimed that General Djaja Suparman was on vacation, while General Ryamizard Riyacudu, chief of staff, was said to have gone to Bali for health reasons.
Malnutrition you may not get to hear about in the ... | <urn:uuid:2423c5a7-11cb-445c-b1e2-e56f1df42418> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://aangirfan.blogspot.com/2008/06/increasing-deaths-from-malnutrition-in.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00052-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9528 | 3,312 | 2.671875 | 3 |
Frequently-Asked Questions about CKD
When people are told they have chronic kidney disease (CKD), the first questions they often have are "How long will I live?" and "How well will I live?" This section answers these and other questions about CKD, while also presenting thoughts from patients.
- How long can I live with chronic kidney disease?
- How good will my life be with CKD?
- Can I still have a good life if I need dialysis?
- I'm tired all the time. Is there a treatment for fatigue?
- How can I keep my kidneys working as long as possible?
- Should I keep working?
- What questions should I ask my doctor?
- Where can I find out more information about chronic kidney disease?
Q: How long can I live with chronic kidney disease?
A: Many people think that if their kidneys fail, they will die. Right away. This used to be true—50 years ago. Back then, there were not enough dialysis machines to go around and medical knowledge about kidney disease was limited. It is no longer true today.
How long you can live with CKD depends on your age, other health problems, and how involved you become in your care. Most people with early CKD will never have kidney failure. Others will reach kidney failure and may live for decades with dialysis or kidney transplants.
There are major advances in today's healthcare. We have better drugs, know more about how to slow down kidney failure, and have updated dialysis machines. But the most important factor is still the person who has the disease. Research shows that people who become partners in their care live longer. So, ask questions, and explore with your doctor and care team the best way for you to help manage your disease.
Q: How good will my life be with CKD?
A: How good your life can be with CKD depends on YOU! In the early stages, CKD may have symptoms that are so subtle you may not even notice them. In later stages, fatigue, itching, loss of appetite, and other symptoms can reduce your quality of life—if you don't act. How? All of these symptoms can be treated.
Learn what to watch for and tell your doctor, so you can get the help you need. You can also keep a good quality of life by following your treatment plan. For example, taking your medications in the right doses at the right times may help slow your kidney disease. Your quality of life with CKD depends on your attitude, and how you accept the changes and take control of your health and your life.
Q: Can I still have a good life if I need dialysis?
A: Yes, you can live long and live well with dialysis. Many people—even those with loved ones on dialysis—don't know that there are many types of dialysis. You can choose a treatment that lets you keep doing all or most of the things you value.
People who are very sick before they start dialysis are often surprised to find that they feel much better a few weeks or months later. The unknown you imagine is often much scarier than the reality. Learn all you can, and talk to people who are doing well—like people who do their treatments at home, or while they sleep. You'll see that you can have a good life on dialysis.
Q: I'm tired all the time. Is there a treatment for fatigue?
A: Even healthy people complain of being tired. But people with CKD can be so exhausted that they fall asleep during the day—even after 8 to 10 hours of sleep at night. One reason for fatigue can be anemia, a shortage of oxygen-carrying red blood cells. People with CKD often have anemia because damaged kidneys make less of a hormone called erythropoietin (epoetin, or EPO). EPO tells the bone marrow to make new red blood cells. Without a fresh supply of red blood cells, the body has less oxygen. This makes you more tired and cold, and less able to focus and fight disease. If your fatigue is due to anemia, your doctor may prescribe iron and injections of a man-made form of EPO.
Q: How can I keep my kidneys working as long as possible?
A: There are a number of treatments, including medications and lifestyle changes, that may help keep your kidneys working longer. People can even get transplants before having dialysis, especially if they have a willing living donor. Ask your doctor what would help you. To learn more about possible treatments, see Chronic Kidney Disease: What You Can Do.
Q: Should I keep working?
A: Yes! Most people find that disability pays much less than working—but their bills don't go away just because they're ill. If you have CKD and a job, try to keep it if you can, or find a new one. Work can make you feel like you're still you, and that you are still helping to support your family. Work may also be a vital part of your social life. If your job comes with a health plan, it can also help you get good care and pay for prescription drugs.
If you find that you feel too tired to work, see your doctor! Fatigue can be caused by anemia, which can be treated. Ask your employer if you need an accommodation—more breaks, a different shift time, or energy-saving devices to keep your job. You can find helpful information about employment support programs, laws, and resources to help people with disabilities on the Social Security website.
Q: What questions should I ask my doctor?
A: No two people are alike. Asking questions is the best way to find out about your health. On this Life Options website, you can download a Patient Interest Checklist that will help you figure out what to ask.
You'll also find a few basic ideas below, and you can add your own. If you write your questions and show the list to your doctor, you may be more likely to get them answered. Write down the answers, too—or have someone come along to help you remember the answers.
- What percent of kidney function do I have now?
- What is the cause of my kidney problem?
- What are my lab test results right now?
- What can I do to keep my kidneys working as long as possible?
- What treatment can I get for my symptoms? (List symptoms)
- What are the next steps for my treatment?
- Will I need dialysis or a transplant? If so, how long might it be until I do?
Q: Where can I find out more information about chronic kidney disease?
A: Asking questions and getting them answered—by a healthcare professional or in a book or other reliable source—is a key part of doing well with any chronic disease. Here are some thoughts:
- Ask your care team to teach you about your condition and to give you any information they have. Never feel shy about coming to a clinic visit with a list of questions—and write down the answers.
- Visit the Medical Education Institute's FREE Kidney School—16 modules of self-paced learning on kidney topics from nutrition to anemia to lab tests and much more.
- At this Life Options website, we have a long list of kidney links and many booklets and fact sheets about kidney disease that you can read or download.
- The library is another option.
- Visit the National Kidney Foundation (NKF)
- Join the American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP)
- Learn more about transplant from the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS)
- Depending on the cause of your kidney problem, there may be another organization to help you—type your diagnosis into Google to learn more. | <urn:uuid:f1d627eb-89a7-4ee1-9314-af8ca9e89394> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://lifeoptions.org/kidneyinfo/ckdinfo.php?page=4 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00030-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966964 | 1,633 | 2.390625 | 2 |
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- Community Links
Under the direction of 6th Grade Social Studies teacher Linda Hawkins, 3 students from Rattan Elementary were presented cash awards for their entries in the Patriot's Pen Essay Writing Contest sponsored by the VFW Post 8316. Ira Taylor received 1st place, Triston Tuck received 2nd place, and Kaleigh Kopp received 3rd place for their literary response to the theme, "What I Would Tell America's Founding Fathers." Pictured presenting the cash awards are Mrs. Hawkins and Representatives from VFW Post 8316. | <urn:uuid:1825d52e-a720-4ea5-99b1-423cc60c7a90> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.theantlersamerican.com/content/winning-students-awarded-patriots-pen-essay-contest?quicktabs_2=0 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964374 | 115 | 1.710938 | 2 |
Take a stand for Trayvon Martin
Three weeks ago, Trayvon Martin was walking to his father’s home in a gated community. The black 17-year-old was returning from an errand from a nearby convenience store, carrying only a cell phone, a bag of skittles and a can of iced tea. While driving in his car, neighborhood watch leader George Zimmerman spotted Martin; alarmed, Zimmerman immediately called 911, reporting a black male in a dark hoodie with his hand in his waistband. Against the instructions of the 911 operator, Zimmerman got out of his car and followed Martin; Martin ran for his life, pleading for help, but Zimmerman silenced him with a nine-millimeter bullet in the chest.
Only in the last few days has Martin’s death warranted national attention. 911 calls from neighbors had captured the scuffle leading up to his death, and news broadcasters jumped on Martin’s story as soon as the tapes were released. Martin’s death inspired thousands of people across the country to sign the petition created by his parents, urging Florida officials to arrest and prosecute Zimmerman.
Numerous concerns arise from this story. There are issues of racism, racial profiling, Florida’s gun laws, and the police’s refusal to arrest an identified killer. Hundreds of thousands across the country are fired up and angry. They are organizing marches, holding rallies, attending meetings, signing petitions, listening to speeches. But on this campus, hardly anyone is talking. This silence, Washington University, is a problem.
Where is the outrage? Silence, to me, is just as bad as committing the crime because speechlessness condones Martin’s death. Saying nothing implies that it’s okay that a young man is dead while his killer is free. We can’t say that Martin’s murder doesn’t affect us because we don’t know him. Nor can we plea indifference because it didn’t happen in our family.
As students at this university, we are a privileged group. Although we work more than we sleep and over-commit ourselves to the point of exhaustion, overall we have things pretty good. Our major complaints are that Professor X hasn’t posted grades on Telesis yet, or our printing credit is running dangerously low, or we lost our meal card and have to pay for a new one. Sometimes, we don’t have time to peek outside the bubble to check up on the outside world. I am certainly guilty of this behavior and am embarrassed to say that there have been times, recently, when I have failed to address certain issues because I didn’t think they concerned me. I’ve decided, however, that I’m not going to let my privilege blind me to happenings of the outside world, and I urge you to do the same.
All the way in St. Louis, Mo., Martin’s murder is our business because we do not stand for injustice. As members of the Washington University community, we have voices and power. Sympathizing about Martin’s murder won’t bring justice for his family. Shaking our heads at the Sanford police won’t cajole them to arrest George Zimmerman. Anger alone won’t send him to prison. Wash. U. students are capable of more. It is our responsibility to speak out against Zimmerman’s wrong. I implore all of you to step up to the plate and make Trayvon Martin’s family proud.
Take a stand for Trayvon Martin at change.org/petitions/prosecute-the-killer-of-our-son-17-year-old-trayvon-martin
Kelsey Times is a sophomore in Arts & Sciences. Write to Kelsey Times at [email protected] | <urn:uuid:f5636df3-7ee4-41ca-b9a5-dcea2070d6c5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.studlife.com/forum/op-ed-submission/2012/03/22/take-a-stand-for-trayvon-martin/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9677 | 792 | 2.125 | 2 |
|This page describes the SPECIAL implementation in Fallout 3.|
At birth the player chooses the player character's name, gender and appearance. Later, as a child in Vault 101, the PC receives a book titled "You're S.P.E.C.I.A.L.!," whereupon the player can set the PC's seven primary character points. Later in life during the teen years the PC's performance on the G.O.A.T. determines which skills of the PC are tagged (tagged means raised by fifteen points); the player can also choose which skills to tag manually via choosing particular dialog options with Edwin Brotch
The S.P.E.C.I.A.L. system should be familiar to Fallout veterans, though there are significant differences from past games. The player's S.P.E.C.I.A.L. attributes default at 5 points per attribute, with an additional 5 points for distribution for a total of 40 points. Individual attributes cannot score lower than 1 or higher than 10, regardless of equipment, chems or ailments.
S.P.E.C.I.A.L. stands for:
Derived statistics are attributes of a character which are based on (or derived from) the character's primary statistics or attributes which the player cannot influence directly.
The following derived statistics exist in Fallout 3:
- Action Points
- Carry Weight
- Critical Chance
- Damage Resistance
- Fire Resistance
- Melee Damage
- Poison Resistance
- Radiation Resistance
- Unarmed Damage
Skills in Fallout 3 determine the player's effectiveness in a variety of situations. As in the previous games, the player chooses three Tag Skills out of thirteen to be the character's specialties. Tagging a skill only grants the player a 15 point bonus to that skill. Your S.P.E.C.I.A.L. points affect certain skill points for a one time bonus of 2 points per score (except Luck, which is 1/2 point per score for all skills).
There are 13 skills in Fallout 3:
- Combat skills: Big Guns, Energy Weapons, Explosives, Melee Weapons, Small Guns, Unarmed
- Active skills: Lockpick, Medicine, Repair, Science, Sneak
- Passive skills: Barter, Speech
Perks are special elements of the level up system which grant special effects and abilities. In Fallout 3, you gain perks every level. Many perks have an attribute requirement, for example the Mysterious Stranger perk requires a Luck of 6 to become an option. Other perks have attribute and skill requirements. A perk's S.P.E.C.I.A.L. requirements cannot be met by equipping items or using drugs (with the exception of the Lucky 8 Ball).
For a list of perks, please see Fallout 3 perks.
Changes from previous Fallout games
Players who are accustomed to the rigid attribute and skill mechanics of the previous games may be happy to know that the new systems in Fallout 3 are much more flexible and allow for more changes during a character's development. For instance, tagging a skill no longer increases the rate of a skill's development, but skills gain their maximum effectiveness (and cap out) at 100. Additionally, while the Gifted trait (along with all traits) has disappeared, primary attributes are simultaneously less important and easier to acquire as your character grows.
Players who played the previous two games should also keep in mind that the SPECIAL system in Fallout 3 is much more forgiving when compared to the first two games: Low ability scores penalize the player less, while high ability scores do not grant as much of a benefit. Where in the first two games lowering a SPECIAL stat to 3 or lower could be a risky move regardless of your character type, characters in Fallout 3 can get away with SPECIAL scores of 1 in particular stats. For example, a character with 1 Intelligence will find most character interaction in the first two games impossible, while in the 3rd you simply sacrifice a few Intelligence dependent conversation options and some skill points.
Traits were removed completely, with some traits from previous games having their negative effects removed and being changed into perks.
- It is possible for the player to get all of their SPECIAL up to 10 without cheating if the player has Broken Steel. Once the player gets to level 30, if they choose the Perk Almost Perfect, all of their SPECIAL lower than 9 will be raised to 9. If they then proceed to collect the 7 SPECIAL Bobble heads, each of which permanently increases the stat by 1, they will have maxed out their SPECIAL to 10 in each category. If they player obtains the 7 Bobble heads before they choose the Almost Perfect Perk, they will only be able to get that category to 9 (unless it was at 10 before the perk).
- Another possible way to obtain all 10 points in their SPECIAL is by fully using all the points available in the level Baby Steps and using the Intense Training perk until all your points are maxed out. You can collect the Bobble heads. They will give you an advantage and they save you from using the Intense Training perk until you have reached Level 30. Broken Steel is required for this. | <urn:uuid:96413b4d-6d89-47b5-a32d-c1f21ae547bc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Fallout_3_SPECIAL?oldid=1711902 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.931135 | 1,073 | 1.820313 | 2 |
Consumers Call for More Healthy Menu Items, May Not Order Them, Finds Technomic
CHICAGO, Nov. 18, 2010 - The question of the moment for restaurant operators: Are the winds of healthy change truly blowing, or is it only so much hot air? Technomic’s newest study finds that half of Canadian consumers want healthier menu items, but only about a quarter of them actively consider nutrition when dining out.
“There is often a disconnect between consumers’ intentions and their actions,” says Technomic EVP Darren Tristano. “Many consumers are actually making substantial changes to their overall habits, even basing which restaurants they frequent in part based on their impressions of the healthfulness of the brands. However, as many of us know from personal experience, diners do not always follow through on their intentions once it is time to order.”
The 2010 Canadian Healthy Eating Consumer Trend Reportwas developed by Technomic to help restaurants, manufacturers, and suppliers stay on top of consumer attitudes and trends as they relate to healthy eating. Interesting findings include:
— Only 17 percent of Canadian consumers feel that food described as
“healthy” on the menu does not taste as good as other options. Contrary
to previously-held beliefs, it appears more consumers today feel that
foods labelled as healthy can still be satisfying.
— More Canadians than Americans report maintaining a generally healthy
diet. 48 percent of Canadian consumers say that their overall eating
behaviour tends to be very healthy, compared with just 40 percent in the
— Cost is the main deterrent for consumers who indicate they never consume
natural, local, organic or sustainable foods. 77 percent of consumers
who never eat organic foods cite cost as the primary reason.
The 2010 Canadian Healthy Eating Consumer Trend Reportprovides an in-depth look at how the Canadian foodservice industry can offer healthy options that still meet the needs and expectations of consumers. MenuMonitor Canada, Technomic’s exclusive online trend tracking resource was analyzed to show how leading, emerging and independent restaurants position menu items as healthy and how this positioning has shifted in recent years. Additionally, an online survey of 1,000 Canadian consumers explores how consumer attitudes toward health shape their foodservice usage and purchasing behaviour.
This report is now available on Technomic’s Consumer Access Canada, the industry’s premier consumer research application for busy foodservice professionals. To purchase or learn more, please visit Technomic.com or contact one of the individuals listed below.
Technomic provides clients with the facts, insights and consulting support they need to enhance their business strategies, decisions and results. Its services include numerous publications and digital products, as well as proprietary studies and ongoing research on all aspects of the food industry.
Web Site: http://www.technomic.com/ | <urn:uuid:33d7bdfd-9fa6-42ef-8646-1fea00bd8af6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.hospitality-industry.com/index.php/news/comments/consumers_call_for_more_healthy_menu_items_may_not_order_them/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.922872 | 581 | 1.75 | 2 |
Giles v. Heysinger - 150 U.S. 627 (1893)
U.S. Supreme Court
Giles v. Heysinger, 150 U.S. 627 (1893)
Giles v. Heysinger
Argued December 7, 1893
Decided December 18, 1893
150 U.S. 627
When, in a suit in equity for the infringement of letters patent, the court below makes an interlocutory decree in plaintiff's favor, and then entertains a motion for a rehearing and receives affidavits in support of it, and denies the motion, this Court does not feel itself at liberty to consider those affidavits.
The first claim in letters patent No. 218,300, issued August 5, 1879, to William Mills and Christian H. Hershey, for an improvement in haircrimpers, viz.:
"A hair-crimper consisting of a nonelastic metal core C, and braided covering A, said covering A being cemented to said core C throughout its entire length, substantially as described,"
is void for want of novelty.
This was a bill in equity brought by Heysinger and one Christian H. Hershey, now represented by the administrator of his estate, against the appellants, trading under the name of Noyes, Smith & Co., to recover damages for the infringement of letters patent No. 218,300, issued August 5, 1879, to William Mills and Christian H. Hershey, for an improvement in hair crimpers.
In their specification, the patentees state that
"this hair crimper is intended to be applied to the hair in the manner of the crimping papers formerly in common use, the ends being turned under out of sight, and the hair retained by the folds thus made."
"It consists essentially of a strip of soft, nonelastic metal, preferably flat, covered with a fibrous coating, cemented thereto, so that when cut into proper lengths for use, the ends
will not fray out, but remain the same into whatever number of pieces the crimper may be divided, thus rendering it specially adapted for use with children, where crimpers of different lengths are often required, while at the same time greatly simplifying and cheapening the cost of manufacture."
The crimper consists of a core of what is known as "gardeners' lead," which is passed in long strips through a liquid cement known as "dextrine" and is then wound about by a braid of fibrous covering, and the adhesive material taken up in the passage through it of the leaden core is thus interposed between the fibrous covering and the soft metal core, making an adhesion between them, while leaving the outer surface of the braid soft and unsaturated.
"Were the fibrous surface thoroughly saturated with adhesive matter, the crimper would be comparatively useless, as the least moisture in the hair would cause its adhesion thereto."
The article is manufactured in long strips, which are laid away and dried, after which they are run through a cutting machine, which cuts the strip into pieces of equal length, laying them out in dozens, which are then bundled and boxed for the market.
The first claim of the patent -- the only one charged to have been infringed -- reads as follows:
"A hair crimper consisting of a nonelastic metal core, C, and braided covering, A, said covering, A, being cemented to said core, C, throughout its entire length, substantially as described."
Upon the hearing in the court below, a final decree was entered for $360.85, with costs, from which decree defendants appealed to this Court. | <urn:uuid:b0be5cbf-e0e1-4a57-95f3-2c9cbdfa8937> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/150/627/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00068-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963356 | 767 | 1.601563 | 2 |
At Coralz.net, absolute privacy and security are not just conceptual;
They are guaranteed...
Our website is fully PCI Compliant, and our customer security is top-notch.
In fact, your sensitive information, such as Credit Card data, is never stored on, or even transmitted through our servers.
Shop with Peace of Mind
That's more than a promise... It's a fact.
How can we be so sure?
Simple. Before initiating a payment, you are redurected to a secure Paypal or Google Checkout page. As such, your credit card information is transmitted only via these systems' servers; it never so much as crosses Coralz.net's network. Not for a second, not for a thousandth of a second, not at all.
In fact, your sensitive information never even touches a network without a multi-million dollar security setup. Theoretically, it is impossible for ANY computer system to be unhackable beyond even a shadow of a doubt. However; if ever there were a 100% safe network, it would be our payment processors' networks.
Here are just a few of the security features that would have to be overridden to breach these networks:
• Among the best network security in the world
As of 2011, PayPal alone was processing more than $315 million per day in transactions... That kind of money is good cause for them to invest heavily in security. After all, a network breach would mean millions of lost customers, and quite likely be the end of whichever multi-billion dollar corporation was the victim. Because of this, these companies invest millions upon millions of dollars into security. They have more incentive than literally any company in the world, and as such, have security measures that far surpass those of even US Government networks.
• Data Encryption
These networks employ data encryption so advanced, not even the NSA could decrypt and view the data even if they WERE to gain control of it. If you'd like to research this, I suggest looking into Paypal's data encryption standard.
• On-Site Security
Well... Someone could break in and steal the data, right? Wrong. Even if they knew where to look, they would have to make it past a multitude of guards and anti-theft systems... These places are built like fortresses. Oh, and then there's that pesky little virtually un-breakable data encryption.
Although, as I stated, no computer network can ever technically be deemed "100% safe", the payment networks are as close as humanly possible.
By all practical means, the Paypal and Google Checkout payment networks can be conidered 100% safe. | <urn:uuid:0f4e97eb-a9b2-4415-b6fd-9657377a7724> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.coralz.net/security/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00028-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951129 | 551 | 1.640625 | 2 |
Congress is back from recess and ready to start fighting. The Senate is expected to vote on the “Buffett Rule”—the proposal that people who make more than $1 million a year will be required to pay 30 percent in federal taxes. The bill is expected to fail under Republican filibuster. Over in the House, Republicans are preparing to vote on a bill that raises deductions for businesses with fewer than 500 employees. It, too, is expected to fail.
On The Hill Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP Photo | <urn:uuid:2e1bd672-7133-4ae5-97d6-03d559cc1607> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheats/2012/04/16/congress-preprs-for-tax-battle.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00056-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960379 | 106 | 1.679688 | 2 |
Armed with sophisticated cameras, radar and electronic listening devices, the large, unmanned balloons – tethered at over 2,000feet – send live film footage to forward operating bases.
The ‘aerostats’, costing GBP 5 million each, are also used to eavesdrop on insurgents’ mobile phone and radio calls from several miles away.
Images and audio evidence captured by the balloons are sent electronically through secure systems to a mobile monitoring station operated by a Light Electronic Warfare Team (LEWT).
The information is then processed before being sent in encrypted messages to Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) for analysis.
“The Taliban are starting to realise that these barrage balloons can see and hear everything, so the enemy can run but they cannot hide,” The Daily Mail quoted a senior source, as saying.
“Where these have been used, we have seen a reduction in the threat. An added benefit is that the local community feel safer as we quickly make them aware of the balloon’s capabilities.”
“Thus, the aerostat has a deterrent factor on potential adversaries and develops a sense of security among the population, as it watches the area with an unblinking eye – constantly watching areas of suspected insurgent activity,” the source added.
When asked about the technology, a Ministry of Defence (MoD) spokesman said: “We cannot comment on specific intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance systems, but we are always striving to provide our troops on the front line with the best technology to help them bring security to Afghanistan.”
London: British troops are reportedly using 60 feet-long ‘barrage balloons’ to spy on Taliban fighters in Afghanistan.
First Published: Sunday, September 26, 2010, 17:07 | <urn:uuid:22e226e3-7f09-4466-8c29-7fea82f78d69> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://zeenews.india.com/news/south-asia/uk-troops-using-barrage-balloons-to-spy-on-taliban_657744.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939099 | 369 | 1.945313 | 2 |
Menino Vetoes Boston City Council's Redistricting Map
Council voted, 7-6, in favor of the submitted redistricting map on August 23.
Boston Mayor Thomas Menino vetoed the redistricting map submitted by the Boston City Council, saying the map "concentrates our many citizens of color into too few districts, and in doing so may limit their equal opportunity to elect candidates of their choice."
In his letter to the Boston City Council, which was received by City Council President Stephen Murphy today, Menino outlined his suggestions for improving the map. (The letter is attached to this article.)
The Boston City Council contentiously approved the redistricting map, 7-6, on August 23. The mayor has to approve it to become law, but several city councilors voted against the map due to the same concerns Menino has now voiced.
Redistricting is required every 10 years based upon the US Census. | <urn:uuid:2b66270c-717c-42ca-a823-6106272d5c1b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://backbay.patch.com/articles/menino-vetoes-boston-city-councils-redistricting-map-aa82c671 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00055-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974995 | 189 | 1.71875 | 2 |
view a plan
No Taxation Without Representation
For Jeff Reed, a 4th grade teacher at Sag Harbor Elementary School, KIDS DISCOVER isn’t just a tool for reading and learning– it’s a catalyst for innovation in the classroom. When Jeff approached us with his idea to hold a classroom trial of King George III using KIDS DISCOVER American Revolution and KIDS DISCOVER The Constitution as his students’ sole resources, we were thrilled. We were also curious enough to come visit Jeff’s class and watch the mock trial unfold.
Watch the video:
The students embraced the project and were excited to actively take part in history– or, rather, “mock” history. The students were first split into 3 groups: Loyalists, Revolutionaries, and Jurors. Then, using facts and information from KIDS DISCOVER, both the Loyalists and the Revolutionaries were able to build their respective cases. Jeff found that the format of KIDS DISCOVER enabled students to find the information they needed to form and support their arguments. “When the child gets to hone in on what interests them, it means they are taking control of their own learning,” Jeff told us. “That’s what I love about this format. No matter where the students were, I never had to say ‘Did you guys read pages 14 through 15?’ They were already there.” The students were energetic and inquisitive throughout the day, and were genuinely happy to be applying — not just memorizing — what they had learned.
King George III was ultimately found guilty by the jurors, and the students erupted into applause as the verdict was announced. It was a memorable day not just for Jeff and his class, but for everyone here at KIDS DISCOVER. Our special thanks goes out to Sag Harbor Elementary for allowing us to be a part of such an exciting project, as students and teachers like them inspire us to create content that’s engaging, educational, and fun. | <urn:uuid:f4078f80-3ba7-494d-b53b-fa031e8c666e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://lessonplanspage.com/no-taxation-without-representation/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00030-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.980195 | 424 | 3.453125 | 3 |
Simon Johnson is the Ronald A. Kurtz Professor of Entrepreneurship at the M.I.T. Sloan School of Management and co-author of “White House Burning: The Founding Fathers, Our National Debt, and Why It Matters to You.”
The fundamental assumption of modern bank regulation is that nations need to coordinate, and they negotiate the relevant international standards in the Swiss city of Basel, home to the Bank for International Settlements, under whose auspices such negotiations are held. The United States has an important seat at the table, but so do the Europeans and others. These negotiations are shaped by three main forces: the United States, Britain and the euro zone, with Japan often siding with the euro zone. (It’s one country, one vote, so this can easily go against the United States.)
Perspectives from expert contributors.
This week the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, as it is known, let us down – once again. Faced with renewed pressure from the international banking lobby, these officials caved in, as they did so many times in the period leading to the crisis of 2007-8. As a result, our financial system took a major step toward becoming more dangerous. (A visual representation of the Basel Committee’s centrality to all key regulatory matters is clear on this organizational chart, as well as in its charter.)
Why did this happen? Must Basel always let us down? And is there any alternative?
You will no doubt have noticed that very large banks with a global span have an unusual degree of political influence. In particular, they have the ability to threaten the economic recovery. Their line is: if you don’t give us what we want, credit will not flow and jobs will not come back.
Policy makers in Washington are often impressed by this line, although less frequently than they used to be. More and more, managers have begun to understand that the people who run large banks have distorted incentives. Because they receive downside protection from the public sector – the too-big-to-fail phenomenon – bank executives want to take a great deal of risk. When things go well, they get the upside; when things go badly, that is largely someone else’s problem.
How does that desire for risk manifest itself? The banks lobby for the ability to fund themselves with more debt and less equity, and they also want to be less safe on other dimensions, including holding fewer liquid assets.
The Basel Committee this week agreed to water down its liquidity requirements. Felix Salmon of Reuters has a good explanation of why this is a bad idea. Writing in The Atlantic, Jesse Eisinger and Frank Partnoy have a very nice article about continued fragility of banking, because investors think the banks are hiding trouble in the published balance sheets. Confidence in the system is not restored by relaxing regulation.
The deeper problem with the Basel Committee is it overrepresents the euro-zone Europeans. Not only is the euro zone in great difficulty because of economic mismanagement, but its leaders are hoping to get out of their current predicament in part by relaxing bank regulation.
The idea that the Basel process is all about expertise – or smart people working out the right answers – is exploded by Sheila Bair’s book, “Bull by the Horns.” Read Chapter 3, in which she describes in convincing detail the fight over the Basel II agreement during the mid-2000s (and Chapter 4, which is more about how some United States agencies play against in each and on behalf their clients, the big banks).
What we saw before 2007 and what we see now is not officials applying some sort of optimization procedure or sensible independent thinking. Rather, this is about an industry that wants to take more risk because that is how it gets larger subsidies. And this industry is expert at playing the regulators off against each other, including across borders. The Europeans are again the patsy.
Unfortunately, some United States officials are so captured or captivated by the ideology of modern banking that they want to play along. For example, as Ms. Bair mentions, the most dangerous “advanced approaches” of Basel II were developed by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York – not surprising, given how close many people at that institution are to Wall Street. Those advanced approaches let the banks set their own risk-weights on assets, essentially using complex math to determine what was risky and what was relatively safe. Of course, they were almost completely wrong, and Basel II was a dismal failure.
Thank goodness Ms. Bair and her colleagues at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation resisted the full implementation of Basel II. Their insistence on simpler safeguards, including a tough cap on debt relative to bank size, helped make our financial crisis less severe than it would otherwise have been. The Europeans drank the Basel II Kool-Aid, and their banks loaded up on poorly understood risks. They will lose a decade of growth partly for this reason.
Now we have moved on to what is known as Basel III, and again the Europeans want to double down by letting the banks do want they want. The stock price of European banks jumped on the news of the latest Basel Committee relaxation of the rules – you should interpret that as a larger expected transfer from taxpayers to bank insiders and (perhaps) stockholders.
The United States must go it alone. Basel agreements should be a floor on our bank regulation (including bank capital, leverage and liquidity), not a ceiling. If our tighter rules induce dangerous banking activities to leave the United States, that is fine. In fact, we should offer to help them pack.
We need a financial sector that works for the real economy – not a continuation of the dangerous, nontransparent government subsidy schemes that have brought the Europeans to their knees. | <urn:uuid:af470cc3-f66a-45c2-8830-611ab654d324> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/10/betrayed-by-basel/?ref=baselcommitteeonbankingsupervision | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962325 | 1,204 | 1.890625 | 2 |
Every Friday, KBIA's Health & Wealth Desk talks about the week's most interesting articles and reports on rural health, wealth and society issues.
'Redneck reality' and rural portrayal in cable television
Entertainment newspaper The A.V. Club muses on A&E's popular reality show Duck Dynasty, saying the show is the 21st century incarnation of old rural-themed sitcoms that once dominated network television. Think Petticoat Junction, The Beverly Hillbillies, and Hee-Haw. It's an interesting read, but we were especially interested with the author's take on ways the television shows have to negotiate the rural-urban political disparities.
While the rural-themed programming of days gone by tended to depict the small Southern town as a bucolic haven for good-hearted folk, redneck reality is more apt to acknowledge the social and economic ills of the subcultures it depicts. These shows are sanitized for the protection of viewers with blue-state sensibilities; when they occur at all, political discussions tend to center on generalized platitudes about freedom and family, rather than specifics that might turn off half the potential audience.
Did headlines about death rates at rural hospitals tell the wrong story? The Daily Yonder is killing it with their opinion pieces this week.
Case in point: A new report made headlines last week, saying death rates are rising at rural, geographically isolated hospitals. But an opinion writer for the Yonder says news reports are not telling the real story of these so-called critical access hospitals:
The patients in the small rural hospital with heart attack, heart failure or pneumonia have become a select population. A large proportion has decided that they are through paying all the human costs of the miracles of modern medicine. They have made the decision to stay in familiar surroundings near home and family.
The researchers found that 13.3% of the patients at critical access hospitals with one of the three conditions died, compared to 11.4 % of the medical center patients. Given all the terrible tools that modern medical centers have to work with, I’m amazed they only manage a small difference in patient survival over the most basic, little country hospitals in America.
In his proposed budget, President Barack Obama wants to delay cuts to federal payments to hospitals, keeping the payments intact for an extra year. That could affect the debate over expanding Medicaid in Missouri.
Through what’s called the disproportionate share hospital payments or DSH payments, the federal government gives money to hospitals that provide a lot of free care to patients who are uninsured and can’t afford services. The Affordable Care Act, though, includes significant cuts to DSH payments.
Governor Jay Nixon says he could support the House Republicans’ alternate Medicaid proposal, but only if some crucial changes are made. He met with the GOP caucus today to discuss his Medicaid expansion proposal and their plans to reform the system. Nixon told reporters that any proposal still needs to expand Medicaid to 138 percent of the federal poverty level. | <urn:uuid:33a9592a-5ddd-44b0-a0b0-d2601a26699b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.kbia.org/term/affordable-care-act?page=2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947814 | 614 | 1.710938 | 2 |
Fisherman's Wharf is a historic wharf in Monterey, California, United States. Used as an active wholesale fish market into the 1960s, the wharf eventually became the tourist attraction it is today as commercial fishing tapered off in the area.
Fisherman's Wharf was built by the Pacific Coast Steamship Company in 1870 for the loading and unloading of passengers and goods. The wharf was also used by other commercial operations, and the city of Monterey took ownership in 1913. The wharf was expanded through 1920.
The Wharf was constructed in 1926. After World War II, the sardine population in Monterey Bay collapsed. With the fall of the fishing industry, Old Fisherman's Wharf reoriented its business focus toward tourism.
Fisherman's Wharf is now lined with great seafood restaurants ranging from casual, open-air clam bars and fish and chip shops, to formal indoor dining with incredible views of the bay. Along with Cannery Row, Fisherman's Wharf is one of the few areas in Monterey that sells souvenirs, so the restaurants are interspersed with gift shops, jewelry stores, art galleries, and candy shops. Whale watching tours and fishing trips leave from the wharf, and sea lions often sleep on the pilings and are seen frolicking in the water.
Old Fisherman’s Wharf is a short 10 minute walk from The Stage Coach Lodge. | <urn:uuid:0501335c-efab-4d77-ab57-c6aac362a3cb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.montereystagecoachlodge.com/monterey/old-fishermans-wharf | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00067-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971013 | 298 | 2 | 2 |
Bailey, William Henry
22 Jan. 1831–13 June 1925
William Henry Bailey, lawyer, attorney general, code commissioner, county attorney, and state representative, was born at Mt. Pleasant on Little River, Pasquotank County, the son of Judge John Lancaster and Priscilla Brownrigg Bailey. In the early 1840s the family moved to Hillsborough, where the elder Bailey began the practice of law. The son attended William Bingham's school and Caldwell Institute in Hillsborough and was licensed by the county court in 1851 to practice law. He joined his father's firm briefly but moved to Yanceyville in 1852. There, on 20 Oct. of that year, he was married to Annie Chamberlayne Howerton. In December 1856 he was appointed attorney general of the state to fill an unexpired term extending through 1857. He was elected county attorney for Caswell County in 1858, but in 1860 he removed to Black Mountain and taught law there briefly. On 24 Apr. 1861, he enlisted for six months as a private in the Bethel Regiment, First North Carolina Volunteers. He later returned to his law practice and toward the end of the war moved to Salisbury, where he joined the firm of Boyden and Blackman. In 1870 he moved to Charlotte and formed a partnership with Judge William M. Shipp.
Bailey was made code commissioner of North Carolina in August 1870 and served until the commission was abolished in 1873. In 1882 he was elected to the state house of representatives from Mecklenburg County and appointed to the Judiciary Committee. In the legislature, he was considered a liberal and an independent, although he most often voted Democratic.
He was the author of a number of books and articles, including The Effect of the Civil War upon the Rights of Persons and Property (1867); The Onus Probandi, Preparation for Trial and the Right to Open and Conclude (1868); "Provincial Reminiscences of Colonel Benjamin Hill, . . . , John Campbell, . . . , Joseph Montfort, . . . , the Montfort Family and Alexander McCulloch" (1889–90); "The State of Religion in the Province of North Carolina" (1890); "Battle of Great Bethel Church" (1895); The Detective Faculty, As Illustrated from Judicial Records and the Actualities of Experience (1896); "The Regulators of North Carolina" (1895, 1896); and The Genealogy of the Latham, Hill, Montford, Littlejohn, McCulloch, Campbell and Brownrigg Families (1899). He was also editor of Fifth North Carolina Digest (1897), a continuation of W. H. Battle's Digest (1866).
Bailey removed to Houston, Texas, in 1891, where he spent the remainder of his life.
William Henry Bailey, Genealogy of the Latham, Hill, Montfort . . . Families (1899).
Charlotte City Directory, 1891/92.
Jerome Dowd, Sketches of Prominent Living North Carolinians (1888).
J. S. Tomlinson, Assembly Sketch-Book, Session 1883 (1883).
Who's Who in America, 1901–1902 and 1908–1909.
William H. Bailey in WorldCat: http://www.worldcat.org/search?q=au%3ABailey%2C+William+H.&qt=hot_author
William H. Bailey in the Internet Archive: http://archive.org/search.php?query=creator%3A%22Bailey%2C+William+H.+%28William+Henry%29%2C+b.+1831%22
Bailey, William H. (William Henry), b. 1831. The Battle of Great Bethel church. [Columbus, Ohio : Blue & Gray Enterprises]. 1895. http://archive.org/details/battleofgreatbet00bail (accessed March 6, 2013).
1 January 1979 | Maynard, Suzy | <urn:uuid:34f0116c-8048-4185-804d-ee8701d79f0f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ncpedia.org/biography/bailey-william-henry | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935543 | 852 | 2.359375 | 2 |
More than half a century ago, Erwin Schroedinger, nobel laureate in physics, claimed that it is 'impossible to carry out experiments on single molecules or atoms'. Today, the detection, tracking and study of single molecules and atoms has become an omnipresent tool in biology, chemistry and physics alike. For example, sequencing DNA one base pair (or letter) at a time currently provides the most likely solution to fulfill the quest for a $1,000 human genome. Nevertheless, observation of a single molecule, especially with standard light microscopes requires a good deal of laboratory skills. This is mostly due to the fact that a single molecule only gives a miniscule amount of detectable signal. In fact, people using light as a probe have relied exclusively on the use of fluorescence, the emission of lower energy light following absorption of radiation at a certain energy. In this scheme, the signal from the molecule of interest can be easily separated from residual excitation light or background fluorescence simply by filtering the detected light spectrally and only detecting the color that is emitted by the molecule. In this way, it is possible to suppress unwanted signals from the billions of other molecules that are in the vicinity of the molecule of interest. As powerful as this approach has been, it also has one major limitation: it is only possible to study molecules that are highly fluorescent, i.e. emit lower energy light with high efficiency. Scientists from the ETH Zurich have recently demonstrated a major step towards the detection and study of single molecules in absorption.
In recent years, great progress has been made in the synthesis and application studies of hybrid nanomaterial systems involving carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Efforts involve the alteration of physical properties of CNTs via the use of organic, inorganic, and biological species to produce functionalized CNTs for further applications. In one such hybrid system, aligned CNT templates serve as a natural 3D scaffold ('CNT forests'). Preferential assembly of nanoparticles onto targeted locations in this 3D scaffold creates novel hybrid nanomaterial systems with a unique architecture comprised of different functional components. For example, these CNT forests could serve as a template for controlled assembly of various semiconducting nanoparticles such as quantum dots. The resulting hybrid nanomaterial has the effect of changing both optical and electronic properties of the CNTs.
A quantum dot (QD), also called a nanocrystal, is a semiconductor nanostructure that can be as small as 2 to 10 nm. The usefulness of quantum dots comes from their peak emission frequency's extreme sensitivity - quantum mechanical in nature - to both the dot's size and composition. QDs have been touted as possible replacements for organic dyes in the imaging of biological systems, due to their excellent fluorescent properties, good chemical stability, broad excitation ranges and high photobleaching thresholds. By contrast, conventional organic dyes cannot be easily synthesized to emit different colors and have narrow excitation spectra and broad emission spectra that often cross into the red wavelengths, making it difficult to use these dyes for multiplexing. QDs hold increasing potential for cellular imaging both in vitro and in vivo. Researchers have now used QDs for in vivo imaging of embryonic stem cells in mice. This opens up the possibility of using QDs for fast and accurate imaging applications in stem cell therapy.
Recent developments in spectroscopic techniques allow highly sensitive image detection both in vitro and in vivo on the individual cell level. These methods depend on nanometer-size particles as detection probes. One class of such particles, so-called nanocrystals or quantum dots (qdots), is very popular for constructing detection probes for biolabeling. Scientists have discovered that these nanocrystals can enable researchers to study cell processes at the level of a single molecule and may significantly improve the diagnosis and treatment of diseases such as cancers. Qdots are either used as active sensor elements in high-resolution cellular imaging, where the fluorescence properties of the qdots are changed upon reaction with the analyte, or in passive label probes where selective receptor molecules such as antibodies have been conjugated to the surface of the dots. Qdots could revolutionize medicine. Unfortunately, most of them are toxic. Ironically, the existence of heavy metals in qdots such as cadmium, a well-established human toxicant and carcinogen, poses potential dangers especially for future medical application, where qdots are deliberately injected into the body. As the use of nanomaterials for biomedical applications is increasing, environmental pollution and toxicity have to be addressed, and the development of a non-toxic and biocompatible nanomaterial is becoming an important issue. Researchers are now proposing the use of nanoscale diamond particles as a non-toxic alternative to heavy metal qdots.
A quantum dot (QD), also called a nanocrystal, is a semiconductor nanostructure that can be as small as 2 to 10 nm. The usefulness of quantum dots comes from their peak emission frequency's extreme sensitivity - quantum mechanical in nature - to both the dot's size and composition. QDs have been touted as possible replacements for organic dyes in the imaging of biological systems, due to their excellent fluorescent properties, good chemical stability, broad excitation ranges and high photobleaching thresholds. However, the main drawback of QDs is their toxicity and therefore their application is problematic. If this toxicity problem could be addressed, QDs may one day be safely utilized in many areas. For instance, cadmium telluride (CdTe - which is toxic) QD based nanocomposites can be used as fluorescent probes for biological imaging, they can also be utilized to monitor targeted drug delivery and for controlled modification of structural and functional properties of intracellular components. Scientists in Ireland have been using gelatin during the production of CdTe QDs thereby reducing the toxicity of the particles. Their approach could be useful for the development of other nanoparticle composites with low toxicity as well.
Nanocrystals, also called quantum dots (QD), are artificial nanostructures that can possess many varied properties, depending on their material and shape. For instance, due to their particular electronic properties they can be used as active materials in single-electron transistors. Because certain biological molecules are capable of molecular recognition and self-assembly, nanocrystals could also become an important building block for self-assembled functional nanodevices. The atom-like energy states of QDs furthermore contribute to special optical properties, such as a particle-size dependent wavelength of fluorescence; an effect which is used in fabricating optical probes for biological and medical imaging. So far, the use in bioanalytics and biolabeling has found the widest range of applications for colloidal QDs. Though the first generation of quantum dots already pointed out their potential, it took a lot of effort to improve basic properties, in particular colloidal stability in salt-containing solution. Initially, quantum dots have been used in very artificial environments, and these particles would have simply precipitated in 'real' samples, such as blood. These problems have been solved and QDs are ready for their first real applications.
Semiconductor photonics, electronics and optoelectronics infrastructure is at the core of the information society. As the length scales of electronic devices continue to shrink, the cost of traditional approaches to device fabrication involving lithography is becoming excessive. It is regarded that self-assembled growth methods are a solution to the problem of fabricating smaller devices at a lower cost. Self-assembled quantum dots (QDs) are providing the possibility of new devices for this infrastructure in the short, medium and long term. QDs are ideal for the study of the fundamental properties of nanostructures, which is applicable across the nanotechnology and nanoscience sector. Research in self-assembled semiconductor QDs is therefore characterized by a remarkably well-matched combination of the two main motivations for scientific research, namely academic interest and the potential for industrial applications. As a consequence, there is an intense scientific activity in materials growth, structural characterization, optical and transport spectroscopy, device engineering and computational modeling. The field of self-assembled semiconductor nanostructures started in 1985 in Europe by a French group at the Centre National d'Etudes des Telecommunications - CNET.
Individual quantum dots (QDs) have been widely investigated for the past 15 years, showing their potential applications in quantum computing. However, individual QDs are not enough for practical applications, but preparing and characterizing groups of QDs with controllable crosstalk (quantum dot molecule) is very challenging still. University of Arkansas researchers discovered a simply way to fabricate QD pairs, the most simple QD molecule. This provides a unique opportunity to study carrier interaction among QDs, one step further towards quantum computing. | <urn:uuid:6650d179-e5d7-4b98-a856-34f7a2dee4bf> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nanowerk.com/category-spotlight.php?page=3&cat=dots | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00023-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.934299 | 1,822 | 3.40625 | 3 |
Ted Frank analyzes the weird world of crazy lawsuits. An excerpt:
For a mom-and-pop immigrant dry-cleaner to defend against Roy Pearson’s consumer-fraud claim demanding tens of millions of dollars over an allegedly lost pair of pants cost nearly six figures and nearly drove the Chung family out of business, which is why they were willing to settle that meritless case for $12,000. And the case still isn’t over, even after a trial victory. A loser-pays rule would hypothetically compensate the Chungs, except it is unlikely Pearson could ever pay the $83,000. Judges need to do more to throw cases like this out early: there is no reason the Pearson case had to go to trial and run up the bill for the Chungs. A recent Supreme Court case, Bell Atlantic v. Twombly, gives more freedom to judges to discard cases without plausible theories of recovery earlier in the process. | <urn:uuid:5018eec9-bfeb-41ea-adfa-56b47b637202> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.execupundit.com/2007/08/dismissed.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00035-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956453 | 196 | 1.523438 | 2 |
An Interview with DPW Director Ed Reiskin
This interview originally appeared on the SFBC's blog.
San Francisco is experimenting with a number of innovative ideas to help create more public space to hang out and enjoy the city. New parklets and street plazas are sprouting on streets around the city, welcomed by local businesses and neighbors. The process of thinking about streets differently and making public space benefit everyone is only in its infancy in San Francisco, but like a healthy baby it’s growing fast right before our eyes.
At first guess, the Department of Public Works might not seem like the place to look for innovation, but San Francisco has a different approach. DPW’s website spells out a particularly environmental and community-minded mission: “The Department of Public Works is committed to making San Francisco a beautiful, livable and sustainable city. We design, build, operate, maintain, green, and improve the city’s infrastructure, public rights-of-way, and facilities with skill, pride, and responsiveness, in partnership with the San Francisco community.”
I had the opportunity to sit down with Ed Reiskin, the Director of the Department of Public Works recently, to talk with him a bit about the way he sees our city. The Department of Public Works has special relevance for people who regularly walk and bike as the keeper of our streets.
What is your experience bicycling in the city?
“As the guy who’s responsible for the city’s streets, there is no better way to get a flavor of the condition of the streets than to be on a bicycle. I think every Public Works Director should have to ride around their city on a bike. It’s a great way to know your roads.”
“I enjoy biking because it’s the best way to get around. Last week on my day to do kid drop-off I took my five-year-old on the back of my bike. And she was really excited: ‘can we do this every morning?’ But as we rode in, my wife and her sister (who works at the school) were also driving in. We all left at the same time—and the bike got there first on top of how pleasant it was.”
“I’ve also started to use bikes for meetings during the day—there’s a bike for use by employees at City Hall. After this I’m going down to our maintenance yard at Cesar Chavez and I’m going to bike.”
What do you see as the key to getting more people on bikes?
“My main job is to make the streets smooth so they’re safe. We work to get bike routes re-paved as soon as possible. I want to encourage anyone who’s seen something to call 311 or send a direct message to twitter: sf311. If you want to report a pothole, anything—we can’t fix it if we don’t know.”
“The implementation of the bike plan is really important and we support other departments on this. Separated lanes or demarcated lanes help, like the one on Market Street.”
“Perhaps, bike sharing, like in Paris—I wish I could run down the steps at City Hall and hop on a bike—not deal with stairs and locks and everything. And I wish I could bike to work more often but do it just one-way. When I’m doing multiple kid drop-offs on the bus in the morning, I could use a bike to get home at night, just one leg of the journey. So, more flexibility.”
“And we need more public realm improvements to make the city generally more welcoming for people so it’s less that the city’s built for cars and everyone else is an afterthought. We want to flip that around. The more this happens the more welcoming it will be for bikes. It will all slow traffic and improve safety for everyone—it’s indirect but that’s the long-term change.”
How can you continue to make public space a priority?
“When I sit and talk with Nat Ford (Head of Muni) and John Rahaim (Head of City Planning), we’re all coordinating well and we’re all interested in this stuff. The Board and the Mayor too. There’s critical mass (no pun intended). And the Castro plaza pilot and the parklet in front of Mojo Café: these are all attempts to create innovation on the fly and on the cheap leveraging the community’s expertise. And now by all accounts it works so now it’s a great candidate for other funding.
“My goal is to get the process right so it’s easier and simpler to do a lot more. I see these projects as part of a spectrum from block party permits to parklets to Sunday Streets to Pavement to Parks to public space to the Streetpark program—putting these all in a coherent framework and having the city processes to support them. Right now a lot of these are kind of one person or a small group busting their butts to make it happen. So to regularize that and to even re-think permitting it so people can easily request it, it’s not a hassle. That is the next step. Institutionalizing it.”
Are there other cities you look to for inspiration?
“New York is the inspiration for lots of this—Janette Sadik-Kahn is incredible. She gave a talk not too long ago and all the San Francisco department heads just said “there’s no reason we can’t do this.” Sometimes we all think new things are difficult to get done in San Francisco. The best ammunition I have is, well—you think we can’t shut down fifty feet of 17th street and Mayor Bloomberg has shut off Broadway in Midtown Manhattan? I would love to be able to do more projects along these lines.”
“I was just in DC and that city has a ton more bike lanes than when I was last there. They’re also doing this incredible streetscape project where they’re putting in light rail along a pretty run down street in a low-income community — it’s going to be serving folks who generally don’t benefit from these improvements.”
How about repaving Market Street—what will happen there?
“Well it seems like everyone was kind of scared to touch Market because it’s such a challenge—a big job and disruptive to work on it. It needs to be repaired but it would be crazy not to improve it while we have it torn up too. I don’t know what the answer is but it has to be done right. Pulling together all the folks, Muni, fire stuff, sewer work—infrastructure but really we have to figure out how to serve everyone who uses it to commute, to move around the city. Nobody seems to think it works now: we’ve got to put it back together much improved.”
What are your markers of success in this job?
“A lot more people enjoying the public realm, that the infrastructure is solid and that the city’s neglect of the infrastructure over the past many years is turned around. Better coordination of all of the work and projects: departments, commissions. But it all comes back to the public realm.” | <urn:uuid:59990429-ce6e-4bfb-a5d9-9e43bda61db2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://sf.streetsblog.org/2010/07/09/an-interview-with-dpw-chief-ed-reiskin/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960271 | 1,582 | 1.640625 | 2 |
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WHAT IS IT?The freeze stat is a safety switch that is used in almost all commercial and industrial air-handling units, cabinet unit heaters, unit ventilators, and blower units that have chilled water and/or hot water coils.
This switch will open or close its contacts when the temperature across the water coil drops below a preset setpoint. That setpoint typically is 38?F.
The freeze stat may also have more than one set of contacts in itself. Those contacts do not always have to be normally open (NO). They can be normally closed (NC).
The freeze stat is easy to understand on paper, because it is nothing more than a switch that will open if the air moving across the water coil should drop below a given setpoint. But there are so many brands and types of freeze stats, it is important that you understand them and how they are wired into the circuit to function properly.
A LITTLE HISTORYLet’s take a walk back in time and try to envision how the first freeze protection devices worked. Back when pneumatic controls were king, we used low-limit thermostats that passed the signal air pressure if the air across the water coil dropped below the adjustable setpoint. Notice, it was the signal air that passed; when that happened, the other pneumatic controls would all be affected.
How? All control systems are designed to fail and they always will. We don’t wish for it to happen, but it does. When the low-limit thermostat (freeze stat) passed air, because the discharge air across the coil was cold, the hot water valve would lose pressure, which would cause it to open the full flow of water to the coil.
Can you picture that happening? The low limit passed air and the hot water valve went full open. Add more to your picture, the cold water valve is going to close off flow to its coil and the outside air dampers and return air dampers are all going to lose their signal air, as well as the pneumatic relay located in the starter for the fan motor.
When this happened:
All of this happened because when the controls were installed, they were done this way in case the system failed.
These low-limit stats are still in use. In fact, most government facilities still have pneumatics, so they still have low-limit controls.
You may be a bit confused because the low-limit sensor only has one pneumatic line to it. That pneumatic line is just “teed” into the signal line. That is all that is needed. We want it there to pass the signal air in case the mixed air or discharge air should become cold enough to possibly freeze the water coils.
THE PRESENTFast forward to today’s controls and the use of electric freeze stats. We now have electrical contacts that close or open when the air temperature across the water coil should drop below an adjustable setpoint.
A simple freeze stat can have only one set of contacts that are normally closed (NC). You wire this freeze stat into your safety circuit to shut the system down should the air temperature drop below the setpoint in the freeze stat.
One very important thing to remember about all freeze stats is that their sensors are averaging sensors, not remote bulb. The sensor may look like a bulb-type sensor, but it is very important that you install all of the sensor into the airstream against the water coil. Why? Because it is an averaging sensor, which means that if you only put half of the sensor into the unit airstream and leave the other half out of the unit, all coiled up nice and neat, if there is a problem, your coil will freeze and the freeze stat will never know it. Only half of your sensor was in the coil or airstream, while the rest was outside the unit, nice and warm.
Today, most freeze stats have more than one set of contacts, which can be either NO or NC. It is far cheaper to install one multi-contact freeze stat into your unit than to install several single-pole freeze stats because you need the contacts. With current control systems and the way they are wired, the freeze stat is an efficient safety control to install in any type of unit.
Picture this: You have an air handler with hot and cold water coils.
Now picture this: You are doing your start-up on this unit and its controls.
One final note: The freeze stat may have more than two sets of contacts — they can have several — and like a relay, those contacts could either be NO or NC. So, always remember to truly understand how the freeze stat you are about to use works.
Contributed by John Williams Jr., CM. Williams is a controls technician for Carrier Corp. He can be reached at email@example.com (e-mail).
Publication date: 07/23/2001 | <urn:uuid:6875f427-c9b8-458c-b367-682a8b4a42bf> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.achrnews.com/blogs/17-opinions/post/tech-page-the-freeze-stat | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949942 | 1,080 | 2.734375 | 3 |
In the past few days a very strong opposition to a woman’s right to cover has been vocalized. We have been accused of marginalizing the plight many women face in the Middle East who are forced through violence to cover while in public. It has been suggested that a woman living in the Western world should not cover her hair as it means that we too are oppressed. Worst yet, we have been accused of supporting the oppression of women by choosing to wear a head scarf.
Let me be very clear about this: It is not the scarf that oppresses but people that oppress.
Covered in Light is fully aware of the atrocities preformed against women in parts of the world which include the forced wearing of a covering. We abhor these actions and the actions of the enforcers and stand behind our Sisters in hopes of ending the tyranny. No woman should be forced to wear a piece of clothing that she has not chosen for herself. We feverently wish that we had the power to help our Sisters who are forced to cover against their will.
The goal of International Covered in Light Day is to bring to light the issues women who cover by choice endure in their lives: profiling by the TSA, spat upon in public, called a terrorist, made to take of their scarf at work, bullied at school. In the 21st century, this should not be happening. We cannot change the minds of religious extremists a world away, but we can change the minds of the citizens in our respective countries.
What has gotten buried in the debate of covering is that this is not an Islamic issue, this is a Woman’s-Right-to-Choose issue. We have the right to wear a piece of cloth on our head if we so choose without being fearful of backslash. By trying to take that right away from us by using violence, humiliation, and guilt the message is that women must dress a certain that pleases society or she will be punished accordingly for daring to exert her individualism. This is an issue that extends into all faith groups, nationalities, ethnicities, cultures, traditions, socio-economic backgrounds, education levels, sexual orientation, and gender identification.
The hijab is not the only option a woman has, but seems to be the only one that gets the attention. Most Sisters prefer the traditional Jewish tichel, others use wide headbands, snoods, bandannas, and a very few wear the traditional Anabaptist kapp. None of these covering options actively oppress a woman. The adoption of the hijab in the Western culture by no means is done to marginalize this paramount human rights violation. When a woman steps out in public she does so mindful of the oppression of women in other parts of the world.
Women who have been called by their Deity to cover do not take this matter lightly. We have spent our time struggling with the implications, wrestled with the fear of public judgement, but in the end, we have put our trust and faith in our Deity to guide us.
The Sisters Covered in Light ask our opposition to stop spewing accusations and start learning the facts. Stand up with us and be part of the solution.
We are, as always, covered by choice, covered in Light. | <urn:uuid:252c544a-087a-49be-8104-5725899905ce> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://coveredinlight.org/2012/07/17/clearing-up-some-misconceptions/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00072-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973034 | 667 | 2.09375 | 2 |
|Measuring complex shapes and areas really couldn’t be made simpler. Used in conjunction with a digitiser board (supplied separately) Digico provides all the required measurements in a mere fraction of the time it would take by hand.
Digico offers the user all the standard measurement tools together with many enhanced capabilities including automatic perimeter lengths when measuring areas, scientific calculations, roof measurements, angles and circles calculations.
During measurement a graphical representation of the items measured is generated on the screen, a copy of which can be printed to accompany the measurements obtained.
At any time during the measurement process the quantities generated can be transferred via the clipboard to any other Windows software.
Masterbill are also able to supply solid state digitiser boards, which are fully compatible with the Digico software. | <urn:uuid:def4b1a3-377a-4fae-9faf-03332c61f740> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.masterbill.com/1/default.asp?zoneID=16&leveloneid=59&leveltwoid=65 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00053-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.930576 | 160 | 1.75 | 2 |
There’s been a rash of people talking about “strong female characters” for a while. The phrase really grates on my sensibilities because many have used it to describe the fact that their characters are feminist. And then my head explodes.
Descriptors are adjectives on a character write-up. Class: Barbarian. Sex: Female. Primary trait: strong. So yes, in that case the character is strong and female. Whoopie. In order for her to be feminist or strong or whatever, she’d have to be characterized as such. Ah, grasshopper, therein lies the crux of my description problem: character traits versus characterization. No character has internal strength that’s visible to the reader unless they are thrown into a scenario where that shines through that scene or set of scenes. But, even then, there’s a character arc that follows through the story that provides her with the opportunity to change. So some characters may start out as “weak” and wind up “strong” through the heroic journey. We may not like change in real life but a story has to have it. Has to. Conflict of all sorts is what drives the characters to go forth and do.
Feminism, on the other hand, has been grossly misrepresented in my opinion. In recent years, this term has come to mean “a fierce, independent woman.” This, cats and kittens, is NOT what feminism is. Let me quote this definition from the Feminist Majority Foundation: “Feminism n. the policy, practice or advocacy of political, economic, and social equality for women.“
So how exactly is a “strong, female character” a feminist? She’s not, because you can have a strong character who doesn’t give a flying fig about feminism nor does she live up to those ideals. The woman who stands by her misogynistic man can be strong. A female character who subjugates other women to save herself can also be characterized as “strong.” A woman who believes in the precepts of feminism but doesn’t really do anything that speaks to her ideals can be strong, too.
The nature of strength, like any other internal attribute, is relative. The term is about as useful as saying a character has blonde hair. What I feel is “strong” may be different from what another author or reader does. This (like the treatment of women) can also be cultural depending upon where you live, what family you hail from, etc. This is where the story becomes crucial to shape a character, regardless of whether or not she’s iconic.
That’s not to say I ever want to be antagonistic about the use of the terms “strong, female characters” or “feminism” — especially within the context of fiction. What I’m trying to convey is that perhaps talking about strong, female character types warrants more discussion about feminism, and not be simply thrown into a line to placate the crowd based on a common perception. (Though, for as much as I am complaining about the misuse of language, we’ve come a loooooooong way baby. Try reading or listening to a chronological progression of fiction featuring female characters through the twentieth century some time. It’s an ed-u-cation.)
Personally, I think it’s a disservice to any reader to lump all male, transgender, and female characters underneath the same banner. (Same goes for ANY class of human beings, really, whether its based on religion or race or profession or age, etc.) Instead of putting guilty labels on characters, I’d love to see more discussion about what an author is doing within the boundaries of that specific story. Maybe by identifying how an author is characterizing a particular character others will start learning what feminism really is — if that is their goal. Otherwise, I’ll just chalk up “strong, female characters” to what they really are: the modern-day woman.
- Mood: Pulp-y with a side of OJ
Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: In recovery. (SERIOUSLY.)
Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: Walk.
In My Ears: Screaming dust bunnies
Game Last Played: Battle Nations
Movie Last Viewed: Indiana Jones marathon
Latest Artistic Project: Crystal Cluster bracelet in gold
Latest Release: “Don’t Ignore Your Dead” included in Don’t Read This Book for the Don’t Rest Your Head RPG | <urn:uuid:618da51e-2987-48f5-9935-fdbb9e8568d8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mlvwrites.com/2012/05/on-the-words-strong-female-characters.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946811 | 961 | 2.34375 | 2 |
CAMBRIDGE -- The most recent survey on home-remodeling activity from Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies suggests that a strong rebound will occur in 2013.
According to the Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity, national household spending on remodeling is expected to be about $127 billion in the current quarter, up 10.6 percent from the first quarter of 2012, which totaled $114.8 billion.
The study goes on to find that second- and third-quarter remodeling spending is expected to be $134.4 billion and $145.5 billion, respectively. Those figures are 16.8 percent and 19.7 percent higher than the second and third quarters of 2012, respectively.
"It's encouraging to see the residential sector finally contribute to growth in our economy," Eric Belsky, managing director of the Joint Center.
However, colleague Kermit Baker, who is director of the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center, warned that there are "many external economic and political risks that could derail this remodeling recovery." | <urn:uuid:86e5b110-ee2c-45ba-8ca9-68c418421a78> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_22393268/harvard-study-remodeling-recovery-under-way?source=rss | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942764 | 220 | 1.890625 | 2 |
UN’s IPCC Releases 900-Page Renewable Energy “Bible”
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) publishes its first-ever comprehensive review of low-carbon energy sources and potential, a 900-page “Bible” on renewable energy.
Word snuck out last week that the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) had undertaken a massive, unprecedented review of renewable energy studies and potential. The IPCC reviewed 164 renewable energy scenarios and written up a 900-page report on this, the Special Report on Renewable Energy Sources and Climate Change Mitigation, which was published today, May 9, in Abu Dhabi (UAE), the home of the new International Renewable Energy Agency.
Some of the key findings are:
1. technically, renewable energy could easily supply all of the world’s energy needs (and much more) by 2050.
2. politically, up to 77% of global electricity demand could be satisfied by power from renewable energy sources by 2050.
3. costs of renewable energy are projected to decrease significantly in coming years and significant deployment is projected.
4. governments need to pursue the more aggressive policies and growth path in order to keep greenhouse gas concentrations below 450 parts per million, a critical necessity according to climatologists.
The report, unfortunately, left out a relatively new WWF report, The Energy Report, which detailed a plan for a 100% renewable energy future by 2050 — the report was too new to be included in the review. Thus, it discounted what’s possible. Additionally, it did not lay out a clear plan for how to go about achieving the cleanest energy future. “IPCC delivers a landmark report that shows the rapid growth, low-cost potential for renewable energy – but unfortunately does not endorse a 100% renewable energy pathway until 2050,” said Dr. Stephan Singer, Director for Global Energy Policy for WWF International.
Nonetheless, this is a groundbreaking, influential report that shows the world the a renewable energy future is ours if we take the appropriate steps.
Clean Energy Future Not Just about Climate Change
The IPCC report clearly shows that beyond the clear climate benefits of a renewable energy future, renewables offer many other benefits and advantages over fossil fuels and nuclear energy, such as:
1. health benefits
2. security of energy supply
3. creation of jobs and economic stimulus
4. they can provide electricity to over 2 billion people who currently don’t have electricity or have very erratic electricity access
Strengths and Weaknesses of 30-Page Summary for Policy Makers
All IPCC reports include a summary for policy makers that must be agreed to line by line and word by word by every member country, quite a task. This was completed in the very early morning on May 9 after several days of learning about and discussing the report.
There are weaknesses of such a process — it generally weakens the statements and recommendations of the full report. “Unfortunately, the Summary for Policy Makers is only a feeble outline and does not in the least match the high quality of the full report,” said Dr. Singer. “One needs to turn to the full report to understand the massive job the IPCC has managed to achieve.”
On the other hand, it binds all governments and report scientists to the final, published findings. This strengthens their reputability.
Article by Zachary Shahan, appearing courtesy ecopolitology.
|Tags: electricity demand energy needs Energy Report energy supply greenhouse gas Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change||[ Permalink ]| | <urn:uuid:4c6cbc74-1870-4343-991d-0216beefa381> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.cleantechies.com/2011/05/10/un-ipcc-releases-renewable-energy-bible/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.931041 | 740 | 2.984375 | 3 |
In a cornfield within eyesight of Carleton College's (Minn.) campus stands a towering sleek, stark-white structure that looks like the Mercedes-Benz logo. But it's hardly an advertisement for the luxury car brand. Rather, it's a 240-foot-tall wind turbine designed to produce up to 1,650 kilowatts of energy--enough to meet the yearly electricity needs of 600 homes or 40 percent of the university.
Energy derived from wind is considered clean and "green" because its source is inexhaustible and nonpolluting. While the energy generated from the turbine is not directly used to power the college, it does flow directly into the electrical grid of Northfield, Minn., where the college is located. From there it is sold and used locally.
"The Iraq war brings home that we should be more sufficient fuel-wise," says Richard Strong, Carleton's director of facilities. "The turbine is a way for Carleton to take responsibility for its energy production and feel that it is contributing to the nation's conservation efforts."
Carleton pursued the wind turbine project after being approached by a local wind advocacy group in 2002. But students also influenced this decision. For the last two years, the student government had been lobbying for cleaner energy sources. They had actually agreed to pay higher student fees to offset the expected higher costs of producing green energy. This option was explored but it proved too costly for the college. Buying just 10 percent of green energy from the college's utility company, Xcel, would have cost them a premium of about $30,000 a year, Strong says.
"We had to ask ourselves: What would be the value of that stream of payment over time? It just seemed more cost effective to finance a wind turbine, produce our own green energy and then sell it back to the utility," he says. Both parties benefit from this agreement. Carleton sells 100 percent of its green energy to Xcel for 3.3 cents a kilowatt and Xcel sells its energy to Carleton at 5 cents a kilowatt. Unfortunately, the school cannot directly use the energy generated from its turbine because it is located too far from campus. Turbines built in the future--Carleton is currently considering building two more--will hopefully have this interconnectivity, Strong says.
But Carleton isn't getting rich off of Xcel's payments. In fact, the $1.8 million turbine is only slightly profitable if not break-even right now. But thanks to the state of Minnesota, the college receives a production credit of 1.5 cents per kilowatt-hour for a 10-year period. The Minnesota Department of Commerce has also chipped in by bestowing the college a $150,000 grant.
Over the next 20 years, the predicted life span of the turbine, Strong predicts that the college will earn anywhere from $250,000 to $750,000. But he also says it will take 10 to 12 years to pay back costs. "The economics here were important. Without proving that this could be a break-even operation, the trustees would not have supported this," Strong explains.
Nestled in the heart of the abundantly windy Midwest, Carleton was a fitting candidate for a wind energy solution. On a wind scale of 1 to 7 that measures wind speed distribution, Northfield is considered a 4. "We've acknowledged that in this part of the world it's possible to use wind energy," Strong says. "We want to make an example of our turbine to encourage others in the area to explore this option." Several IHEs from western Minnesota to Iowa to North Dakota have already expressed interest in mirroring Carleton's progressive ways. St. Olaf College, located nearby, has already picked a site for its new turbine, and Gustavus Adolphus College, just a few hours away, has already started fundraising for the two turbines it would like to construct.
This wind turbine fever is partly due to the recent advances in wind power technology. "Two or three years ago, it wouldn't have been feasible to put up a turbine," Strong says. "The turbines are now larger and the blade lengths are longer, which allows the turbine to pick up more area and catch more wind."
Wind energy has also become one of the best solutions to air pollution. Since the turbine started spinning last September, the college has already reduced some 2,000 tons of carbon dioxide from being emitted into the air, Strong says. It is estimated that in the life span of Carleton's turbine, the college would reduce CO2 emissions by 1.5 million tons. A coal-fired power plant, in comparison, must emit 360 times more sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxide, and carbon dioxide to generate the same amount of electricity over the turbine's lifespan, according to the Danish study of the Ministry of the Environment.
Despite the documented environmental benefits, there was still some early skepticism about the turbine. "Some people would ask: Well, if it's such a good idea then why hasn't someone else done it?" Strong says. "Our answer is: Sometimes somebody has to be the first." There were some initial concerns about turbine noise and bird kills, but neither has posed a problem. "You can't hear the turbine unless you're 100 feet away and it's more likely that birds will be killed by a picture window than a turbine," Strong says.
The University of South Carolina boasts a large-scale green project of a different kind. It opened its first "green dorm" last November, a 172,000-square-foot, $30.9 million complex known as the West Quad. It is said to be the largest green residence hall in the world. "But you wouldn't know it," says Michael Koman, environmental protection manager for University Housing at USC. "It's not some big fancy spaceship. It has a traditional Georgian style and blends in nicely with other buildings," he says. "It has actually turned out to be one of the prettiest buildings on campus."
Green nuances include special light shelves in the windows that deflect natural light into the rooms and reduce the heat of direct sunlight. There are interior lights with motion sensors that detect when someone enters and exits a room and turn lights on and off accordingly. In addition, a hydrogen fuel cell generates partial power for the building's 9,000-square-foot learning center, and there are low-flow plumbing fixtures, and high efficiency washers and dryers. There is even a turf roof that absorbs heat and reduces rainwater runoff. And the building houses a cafe that sells health foods and environmentally aware products.
Remarkably, the university did not have to spend additional funds to accommodate these green features. "Most of us thought there would be a 25 to 30 percent premium," says Gene Luna, director of Student Development and University Housing. "But we have been able to demonstrate that you can accomplish sustainability without premium cost." Luna says the upfront cost of the building is comparable to a traditional building of its size. He expects to see up to $50,000 in energy savings.
Of course, savings can only be accomplished with the help of the 500 students who live in the complex. "There was an important educational element in teaching the students about this facility," Koman says. "We have tried to make students aware of the impacts of their decisions and encourage them to make the right choices."
To encourage students to conserve, USC has created a variety of attractive incentives. Students can see how much energy they are using via three interactive touch screen displays located in the lobby. They can also access this information on the web. And those students who use less energy than the student average are eligible for award money of $100 to $150. And since students have full control of the temperature in their rooms--each room has its own thermostat--they can save easily on cooling and heating.
The West Quad also boasts a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification, which means that it has met the criteria for building a high-performance sustainable building according to the U.S. Green Building Council. "I pushed for LEED to be used on the project because it gave us a blueprint for greening a building," explains Koman. "Without a standard to follow, we would have had some green aspects but limited consistency and quality."
LEED, which provides a third-party verification rating system for facilities, has certified 10 higher ed projects, and has about 134 higher ed institutions registered. "Our service prevents people from green washing," says Sabrina Morelli, a LEED program coordinator, referring to the act of presenting false claims about a building's environmental benefits. An example, she says, would be to label a building green only because it has a turf roof.
Middlebury College (Vt.) boasts a handful of environmentally friendly buildings, none of which are LEED certified. "The certification is purely for publicity," says Dave Ginevan, executive vice president of Facilities Planning at Middlebury. "I don't believe in spending the money to get a score or a rating or an OK from an outsider. We'd rather spend the money on hiring energy and environmental consultants who can help us build good buildings."
Middlebury has accomplished this with its McCardell Bicentennial Hall, a 22,000-square-foot, $47 million structure that opened in 2000. It features triple glazing in windows to add more insulation, a ventilated "cold roof" design for energy efficiency, a six-inch air/insulation space between the shell and structural exterior walls for effective drainage, solar-powered lights, porous paving to filter runoff and return water for aquifer recharge, and local green-certified wood used for paneling. "In some cases our sustainable design exceeds LEED's," says Nan Jenks-Jay, director of environmental affairs and professor of Environmental Studies at Middlebury. "We can address things that are important to us in our region of the Northeast that LEED can't.
LEED is a one-size-fits-all approach." For example, 70 percent of wood used in the building was provided by Vermont Family Forests, a Vt.-based organization committed to ecological sustainable forestry. "We were a catalyst for the state of Vermont to support the fledgling industry of green-certified wood," Jenks-Jay says. The Northeastern Loggers' Association awarded Middlebury with the 2003 Outstanding Use of Wood Award.
While Middlebury is chock-full of high-tech green innovations, there are also ways to incorporate green practices on a smaller scale. Tim Carter, a doctoral student at University of Georgia, is proving this point with the creation of the university's first vegetated, or turf, roof, on the Science Library-Boyd Hall Graduate Studies building. Lined with thin layers of living plants, veggie roofs control storm water runoff, erosion, pollution, create wildlife habitat, and conserve energy. "Roofs are often considered unusable space, but roofs actually provide an ideal green space," Carter says. Urban areas, such as downtown Athens, can especially benefit from them. "Space is at such a premium that the city isn't going to knock down a building to build a park or make room for green space." As a result, storm water runoff doesn't get absorbed and in turn pollutes water sources.
Carter's project, which was completed last October, has already revealed some of the roof's benefits. He found that depending on the intensity and duration of the storm event (and there are many storms in this part of the Southeast), the green roof retained 42 to 92 percent of the rainfall. This is partly because many of the roof's plants are drought-resistant, and thus absorb and retain water easily, Carter says. He has also noticed more stable temperatures inside the building. This is due to the soil and vegetation that are absorbing solar energy and preventing its transfer into the building.
Given the early success of the veggie roof, administrators are already talking about implementing them on other university buildings. "We're taking baby steps," says Dexter Adams, director of the grounds and campus landscaping at UGA. "People are still threatened by the idea of change. They worry about the integrity of their roofs. But this shows them that this isn't some crackpot radical idea and that there can be advantages and that it doesn't create a lot of extra work or money." Green roofs can range anywhere from $9 to $40 a square foot; Carter spent about $14 to $16 a square foot, covering about 459 square feet of space.
There's also an aesthetic benefit to these roofs. "I don't know many people who would rather look at gravel," Carter says. Besides, this technology is not new. Green roofs have been utilized all across Europe, especially in Germany. But before North America, let alone its colleges and universities, can follow Europe's lead, "the educational learning curve must be overcome," says Carter. "Through education we can hopefully institutionalize this practice all over the private sector."
While the more visible green initiatives tend to get the most attention, more discreet green practices, such as green cleaning, also deserve recognition. Green cleaning refers to the use of cleaning products "that cause less toxic pollution and waste, conserve resources and habitats, and minimize global warming and ozone depletion," according to the website of Green Seal, an independent nonprofit organization that promotes green products. "We're cleaning with as many green chemicals as we can. Not only is it better for the environment, but it's better for the health of our cleaning staff and those who use our facilities," says David Fowler of University of Maine's Department of Facilities Management. Fowler switched to green cleaning about eight months ago after putting out a bid for a green vendor. "I keep a pretty close tab on what other schools are doing and I just felt that it was time to go green," he says. Butcher's Inc., based in Massachusetts, won that bid. They currently provide all the cleaning products (all of which are certified by Green Seal) for U of Maine. These include carpet cleaners, floor cleaners, and window washing liquids. "We could easily use Windex or Benzene-containing carpet cleaners--they work fine. But they're harmful to the environment," he says.
Fowler assures that the quality and cost of these green products are comparable to what he used in the past. It currently costs $200 per month for supplies for a basic cleaning of an average-sized 50,000-square-foot building. What's different is the versatility of these green chemicals. "We used to have 15 chemicals in our janitor closet to clean 140 buildings, including dorms, dining halls, and lecture halls. Now we only use three. That's consolidation," Fowler says.
In addition to using eco-friendly chemicals, green facility maintenance also plays an important role in conservation on campus. "You always think of greening in conjunction with construction projects," says William McKenna, project manager at Eckerd College (Fla.), who oversees the college's facilities operations. "But we think of greening as a day-to-day operation affecting everything from sanitation and recycling to the types of chemicals you use for preventive maintenance."
Many of Eckerd's environmental strides are a result of its partnership with UNICCO, an integrated facilities services outsourcing company. McKenna says that UNICCO's contract is performance-based and that it must meet stringent benchmarks in terms of energy consumption.
Through UNICCO, Eckerd intends to reduce energy consumption by 30 percent via changing air filters more frequently, managing the central chiller system that generates cold water (thus, reducing the amount of energy needed to cool a building), and moving all of their mechanical equipment to digital control systems.
"With a digitized system we can have more accurate control of the temperature and airflow and the time of day when they're used," McKenna says. Under the arrangement with UNICCO, Eckerd also uses 100 percent reclaimed water, which is water that is sent to the sewer, treated, and then recycled back into the campus. "We're a campus of 188 acres, so you can imagine how much water we use for irrigation. This is a great water-saver," he says.
Previously, Eckerd had outsourced through a different company, one that McKenna says was not committed to green cleaning. "Eckerd has always been environmentally oriented given the nature of our campus and location," he says. "We're kind of immersed in the environment, as we are located at the edge of the water. Ecological issues are part of our culture. It just made sense to switch to a greener vendor." | <urn:uuid:96714148-53c8-4b61-8408-acc71e1ed096> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://universitybusiness.com/article/green-expectations | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00071-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969941 | 3,428 | 3 | 3 |
Small-scale Philippine miners defend rights against foreign interests
By Paul Jeffrey
Catholic News Service
MOUNT DIWATA, Philippines (CNS) -- Daylien Elejorde suspects that mining for gold in the mountains of northern Mindanao is not going to result in a windfall of precious metal.
The small mine she operates with her husband keeps the family fed and a roof over their heads, but not much more. Yet, Elejorde faces losing even the little she has to foreign mining interests eyeing the land and the network of hundreds of hand-excavated tunnels she and her neighbors mine day in and day out.
Elejorde told Catholic News Service she is determined to hang on to what is rightfully hers.
The family lives in Mount Diwata, a community of more than 40,000 clustered around the tunnels that pierce the mountains above the Compostela Valley. The area is commonly known as Diwalwal, which comes from a local indigenous word for one's tongue hanging out after climbing to a great height.
Since gold was discovered here in the 1980s, tens of thousands of small-scale miners have fled lowland poverty to seek their fortune. Elejorde arrived in 1984.
A catechist in the local St. Michael the Archangel Parish, Elejorde said the church is an essential part of the miners' life.
Another miner, Vicklyn Ebanes, who has a tunnel just down the mountain from Elejorde, is parish council president. Both women said the parish priest and bishop support their struggle.
On June 4, Elejorde led the miners in prayer as they began a public protest against a plan to throw them off the mountain.
The protesters gathered outside the local offices of the Philippine Mining Development Corp., which local residents say is a front for large mining companies from China, Canada and elsewhere. The corporation obtained a government permit to dig an open-pit mine where Elejorde now digs by hand. It got a court to order several dozen mining families to vacate the mountainside by June 5. On that day, Elejorde and her neighbors went to work in their tunnels, saying they are not going anywhere.
"I'm hungry, and the tunnel I own is the only way I'm going to provide food for my family," Elejorde said. "The big capitalists want to kick me out, but we're going to stay on this land and fight. And we're going to win."
A man who answered the door at the mining company refused to answer questions about the conflict, nor would he say who could.
The ambitious plans of the mining companies are meeting resistance throughout the Philippines. However, President Benigno Aquino was expected to sign executive order in July that will override hundreds of provincial and municipal laws that restrict or prohibit large mines.
On June 26, one Catholic bishop in Mindanao urged Aquino to consider more seriously the effects of large-scale mining on local communities.
"At the end of the day, for better and for worse, the local people will face the effects (of mining) and not those in Manila," said Bishop Guillermo Afable of Digos in a statement from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines.
Bishop Afable said the church does not oppose all mining but does take seriously its negative impact on the environment and indigenous communities.
"We are not against economic benefits, but we know for a fact that these are only temporary," the statement said. "It's there today, gone tomorrow. And the negative effects of mining will be there permanently."
In April, three other Mindanao bishops joined Bishop Afable in defending a ban on open-pit mining in South Cotabato, where the massive Tampakan copper and gold mine is planned.
"We are determined to protect and promote the integrity of God's creation by not allowing the senseless destruction of 1,087 flora and 289 fauna, many of which are endemic to Mindanao," Archbishop Orlando B. Quevedo of Cotabato, Bishop Romulo dela Cruz of Kidapawan, Bishop Dinualdo D. Gutierrez of Marbel and Bishop Afable said in a statement.
Mindanao's most prominent Catholic anti-mining campaigner says some mining is acceptable.
"We need to mine what's necessary to meet our needs, not the needs of China and Japan and the U.S. and Europe. Mining is good when we use it sustainably for our own economic development. But with our current mining law there is no accountability on what is mined and exported. We have given away our natural resources," said Benedictine Sister Stella Matutina, secretary-general of Panalipdan, an environmental group.
Sister Stella recognizes that small miners also contribute to environmental problems; the river that flows downhill from Mount Diwata is laced with mercury and other contaminants generated by extracting gold from ore. She and other activists say the government, rather than pushing big mines, should invest in education and training to improve the safety and environmental awareness of small miners.
Such education and training provisions are included in the People's Mining Bill, introduced in the Philippine Congress in 2011. It has gained supported from Catholic and Protestant church leaders.
In recent months, the Philippine military has conducted regular patrols in Mount Diwata while also carrying out activities, which Elejorde said is meant to get residents comfortable with their presence.
"And then the next day they'll be the ones to throw us off the mountain," she said.
The military has been tasked by the government with protecting big mines from those who oppose them. Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo created an investment defense force, and the Philippine armed forces have stepped up their sponsorship of paramilitary squads that target mine opponents for violence.
In Malaybalay, Sharon Liguyon is one of almost 200 people who have camped on the lawn in front of provincial offices after one such paramilitary squad, led by Aldy "Butsoy" Salusad, reportedly assassinated her husband, Jimmy, on March 5.
Jimmy Liguyon was the village chief of Dao in the municipality of San Fernando, and had refused to sign over the village's ancestral lands to a large mining operation. On March 14, after Salusad was seen still operating in the area, the villagers fled to the provincial capital, where officials have offered them assistance in relocating. Sharon Liguyon said they will remain camped in public until Salusad is captured.
"We don't want to be relocated elsewhere," she said. "We want justice.
What happened in Dao is symbolic of the struggle over mining in the Philippines today, Sister Stella said.
"The mining companies have divided communities, displacing people and killing them. As a woman I want life, but the mining companies do the opposite. If we want life, they want death, death of our people, death of our resources," she said.
Copyright (c) 2012 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops | <urn:uuid:56e9da9d-1c07-4185-b072-16ef8ac07d41> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.catholicreview.org/article/home/small-scale-philippine-miners-defend-rights-against-foreign-interests | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00055-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970013 | 1,459 | 1.929688 | 2 |
Our services include Acute and Chronic Medical care including Asthma, Hypertension, and Diabetes, Pediatric care from Newborn to Teens, Well Woman Exams and School physicals, and Immunizations. We can treat whatever ails you!
Assess your symptoms
You can help yourself by having a few useful health products at home. These include a thermometer, Tylenol, Motrin, and over-the-counter cough syrup, rehydration solutions plus band-aids and dressings. If your home medical supplies don't ease your symptoms and you're unsure if your condition warrants a trip to the doctor, you can call our Nurse.
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Medical problems - acute and ongoing are always best seen by the general practitioner and the doctor remains the gatekeeper to other health services. In addition, if you need a specialist or hospital referral, you should visit us first.
If you need immediate help but your condition doesn't warrant a visit to the ER, our After Hours Clinic can help you! Our Katy and Mission Bend clinics are open Monday-Thursday from 5 to 8 pm and Saturday 9 to 12 noon. We treat problems such as fever, earaches, vomiting and rashes that occur after hours saving you time and money. Don't miss work or school to get needed medical help or check-ups.
Dealing with Emergencies
If someone is unconscious or badly hurt, call 911 or go to the ER immediately. Use the ER for very serious pain, suspected broken bones, head injuries, heavy blood loss, suspected heart attack or stroke, difficulity breathing, severe burns, suspected meningitis, seizures, severe allergic reactions. | <urn:uuid:ba4d4127-a1db-4ef2-bd89-a75a5a67e436> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://familyclinichouston.com/services.php?n=2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944189 | 346 | 1.617188 | 2 |
Editor's Note: To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Mormon Trail, The Salt Lake Tribune is offering this day-by-day account of the Mormon Pioneers' original trek from Winter Quarters, Nebraska, to the Great Salt Lake Valley. Tribune history writer Harold Schindler, using diaries, letters, journals and reminiscences that have come to light this century, has fleshed out the following narrative.
July 24, 1847
Wilford Woodruff wrote in his journal: "This is an important day in the history of my life...Brigham Young has expressed his full satisfaction in the appearance of the valley as a resting place for the Saints and was amply repaid for his journey." These are Woodruff's comments written the day he made them while the memory was fresh in his mind. The remarks that Young was said to have uttered that morning--("This is the place!" "This is the right place!" "This is the place Jim Bridger described!")--are from statements made years after the fact. Only the reader can decide what really was said, not that it matters a great deal.
What is important is that the Mormon pioneers reached their destination--the Great Salt Lake Valley--enduring some hardship, but no loss of life. They succeeded in breaking ground and planting seeds while the season was still with them. And, they made sufficient headway to allow Young to reach out to the members of his church on the overland trail and say their new home in the mountains awaited them. Young and his small company of companions, some sick with the influenza-like fever of the mountains, and others who cared for them in their time of need, rolled through the narrow road at the mouth of Emigration Canyon and saw the pioneer camp a few miles to the northwest.
The messengers John Pack and Joseph Mathews had informed Orson Pratt and Erastus Snow that Young likely would reach the pioneer camp this morning, then the two horsemen backtracked to repair two bridges at the mouth of the canyon. When Young, in Woodruff's carriage, and Heber C. Kimball and his wagons hove into view shortly before noon, it was obvious Young was on the mend from his bout with the mysterious malady that so savaged him these past two weeks.
Most new arrivals said they were pleased with the valley, but worried over the apparent absence of timber in the area. There was unanimous agreement about the richness of the soil and good prospects for fattening stock with little trouble. "But what of the timber and the lack of rain?" was the underlying complaint. William Clayton said, "We can easily irrigate with an unfailing and certain source of water, for springs are numerous and the water appears good." As if to offer a counterpoint, the pioneers were treated to a thundershower later in the day. "The Lord listens to prayers," several pioneers remarked.
Of the three pioneer women who made the journey, Harriet Young, the eldest, had a differing opinion. Said she: "Weak and weary as I am, I would rather go a thousand miles farther than remain in such a forsaken place as this." Ellen Kimball agreed, but Harriet's daughter Clarissa D. Young was less pessimistic: "My poor mother was almost brokenhearted; terribly disappointed because there were no trees. I don't remember a tree that could be called a tree."
Erastus Snow pointed to progress in the pioneer camp. "We have the creek dammed and the water turned onto our land and several acres of potatoes and early corn already in the ground." Woodruff was more specific. "They pitched camp on the banks of two small streams of pure water and commenced plowing; had broke about five acres of ground and planted potatoes. As soon as we were formed in the camp, before I ate dinner, having half a bushel of potatoes, I went to the plowed field and planted, hoping with the blessings of God at least to save the seed for another year...Toward evening, in company with Kimball, Smith and Ezra Benson, I rode several miles up the creek into the mountains to look for timber. It rained." (In the months to come, the pioneers would discover Little Cottonwood Canyon was a trove of excellent timber: rock maple, white oak, fir and Norway pine, all suitable for sawing into lumber.)
The Mormon pioneers had their foothold in the Great Basin and the Great Salt Lake Valley. Within months, their nearest neighbor, Miles Goodyear at Fort Buenaventura on the Weber River in today's Ogden, would discover several thousand emigrants scattered throughout the valley. For the Mormons it was a new beginning. For Goodyear, it was time to move on. | <urn:uuid:17fc477a-c8f5-4a45-94f9-6db6bf7abd85> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://historytogo.utah.gov/salt_lake_tribune/mormon_trail_series/072497.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00056-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.981034 | 973 | 2.421875 | 2 |
After 2 months of being wheat free they did blood work. Wheat allergy came back negative so her Doctor told me that she could eat wheat (did NOT trust this) and got celiac back yesterday (i guess they forgot?) and it was borderline positive. I was told again, that it was probably fine to feed her wheat. I'm changing doctors after yesterdays visit but my question is: How accurate would the blood work be after being gluten free for 2 months when the blood was taken and what does borderline positive mean?
I'm still planning on having a gluten free household but should I follow up on this blood work for better knowledge of whats going on?
The other issue is that we live in a rural area with only one pediatric office and to find another would be almost 2 hours away. Resources are limited
Edited by ChristinaPro, 04 January 2013 - 09:17 AM. | <urn:uuid:64f9d253-1fc7-42d4-ae17-68b2006be0b4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.celiac.com/gluten-free/topic/99116-my-16-month-old-daughter-got-a-borderline-positive/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.982949 | 180 | 1.609375 | 2 |
Athletic Management, 16.4, June/July 2004, http://www.momentummedia.com/articles/am/am1604/wunewstats.htm
Women have more opportunities to compete in college athletics than ever before, but they still account for less than half of the head coaches of women’s teams and less than one fifth of athletic directors at all NCAA institutions. Those are the findings of the latest edition of the ongoing 27-year study titled "Women In Collegiate Sport," conducted by Linda Jean Carpenter and R. Vivian Acosta, Professor Emerita at Brooklyn College.
The 2004 update shows that a trend toward growing participation has continued, with an all-time high of 8,402 NCAA women’s teams being reported. But only 3,704 of those teams (44.1 percent) have female head coaches, which is on par with the all-time low of 44.0 percent recorded in 2003 and 2002.
The percentage of female paid assistant coaches is currently 57.2 percent, 1.9 percentage points higher than the recorded low of 55.3 percent in 2001. However, the figure stood at 60.5 percent when it was first measured in 1996.
In the administrative ranks, there was a slight rise in the number of female athletic directors, from 17.9 percent in 2002 to 18.5 percent in 2004. The number has remained in the upper teens for 12 years, except for the high of 21.0 percent in 1994. Female athletic directors are best represented in Division III at 27.5 percent while accounting for only 8.7 percent in Division I. In other areas, women are 30.0 percent of head athletic trainers and 12.2 percent of sports information directors.
A full copy of the report, titled "Women in Intercollegiate Sport: A Longitudinal, National Study," is available at webpages.charter.net/womeninsport/. | <urn:uuid:34f7cd7e-927d-4837-8bb0-69da97f322bf> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.momentummedia.com/articles/am/am1604/wunewstats.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00029-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9543 | 400 | 2.34375 | 2 |
How to Find Federal Resources to Help You Write Your Grant Applications
4 of 9 in Series: The Essentials of Finding and Applying for a Grant
Most government agencies that award grants or contracts produce publications that can give you a leg up on writing all types of grant applications and RFP narratives. You can find these valuable resources from each government agency’s information clearinghouse.
Check out agency Web sites for Resources or Publications links. You may encounter any of the following publications:
Bulletins: Summarize recent findings from government program initiatives. Designed for use as references, they may contain graphic elements such as tables, charts, graphs, and photographs. You can re-create some of the most current and relevant graphics in your application's needs statement or program design.
Fact sheets: Highlight, in one to two pages, key points and sources of further information on government programs and initiatives. You can cite the most recent facts (never more than five years old) in your application's needs statement.
Journals: Highlight innovative programs or carry articles about critical issues and trends. You can cite some of the model programs at the beginning of your application's program design section to show how you’re modeling your project on a successful program. You can also use any critical issues or trends covered in journals in your needs statement.
Reports: These documents contain comprehensive research and evaluation findings; provide detailed descriptions of innovative programs implemented at the national, state, and local levels; and present statistical analysis, trends, or other data on selected topics. Reports may include explanations of case studies, field studies, and other strategies used for assessing program success and replication.
Some reports provide training curriculums and lesson plans, as well. You can cite research on evaluation findings in your needs statement. Innovative programs that are considered models can be cited in your program design section to build the basis for proposing your own program model.
Summaries: Summaries describe key research and evaluation findings that may affect future policies and practices. Summaries highlight funded programs implemented at the national, state, or local level that may serve as models for other jurisdictions.
These publications are generally 30 to 90 pages in length and usually include appendixes and lists of resources and additional readings. You can cite research on evaluation findings in your needs statement. Innovative programs that are considered models can be cited in your program design section to build the basis for proposing your own program model. | <urn:uuid:beaf39ce-30c7-4309-bbd0-cb129b8bdbc6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-find-federal-resources-to-help-you-write-yo.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00067-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.910393 | 500 | 2.46875 | 2 |
Subrata Mazumdar, an unassuming employee of a bank in Calcutta, has problems providing for the needs of his family. Against established custom and the reproofs of her father-in-law, a retired professor, his wife Arati looks for a job. She finds work selling sewing machines door-to-door. When she proves successful in her work and gains untraditional self-confidence, her husband is unable to accept the situation and would love for her to quit. As the result of a crisis at the bank, however, he loses his job and his wife’s work becomes even more essential. Arati establishes a friendship with a colleague, an Anglo-Indian woman, and takes her side when she is unjustly punished by their boss. On the strength of her convictions, Arati is willing to sacrifice her own job and her family’s needs as an expression of solidarity with her friend. The film ends with a more equal re-alignment of the relationship between Arati and her husband. –Satyajit Ray Film and Study Center
Satyajit Ray is one of cinema’s truest Renaissance men. In addition to his films, he is a reputed writer of short stories, a music composer (scores for his own films and other film-makers, notably Merchant-Ivory’s Shakespeare Wallah) and a painter and graphic designer of considerable skill. Appropriately enough, Ray derived from a background of great culture, the son of poet Sukumar Ray who died when he was three years old. His interest in fine arts, literature and painting led him to reside at Rabindranath Tagore’s Santiniketan (an intellectual retreat for artists and thinkers) for a significant period of time. Ray’s true love however was the cinema. The cinema of 30s Hollywood, which included Fred Astaire musicals and comedies by Ernst Lubitsch; Russian films he devoured in repeated viewings at the Calcutta Film Society (which he co-founded in 1947) and later the Italian neorealist films which he discovered in London.
At the time of the Second World War, and the final period of… read more
Very charming film that simply grabs the viewer and ushers you into the life of people seemingly so different from your own. However, the differences are superficial and the common stream of humanity pulses through this delightful movie. The astonishing expressiveness in Madhabi Mukherjee’s face as she moves through the challenges of her life is a revelation. | <urn:uuid:c3086323-e2a9-4fa0-bde7-8e16d7a75b24> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://mubi.com/films/the-big-city | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00064-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.979827 | 527 | 1.84375 | 2 |
The Value of Worthless Lives
Writing Italian American Immigrant Autobiographies
Publication Year: 2007
Published by: Fordham University Press
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Nello is buried on a Tuscan cliff that looks toward the tiny island of Giglio, which he left as a young boy in order to emigrate to America. Nello’s attachment to his homeland was so strong that he even named his daughter Elba, after the much larger neighboring island. ...
Autobiography: The Literary Genre of Immigration
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If a novel lays out an imagined immigration, and poetry offers us a distilled and rarefied immigration, autobiographies provide us with the most real and sincere account of the process and effects of immigration that we could have. Letters also contribute an important voice...
The Working-Class Writer
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Most of the autobiographies reviewed in this section are characterized by how central work is to the immigrant’s life. Often the person chose to migrate out of the desire to find or change jobs. Indeed, ‘‘work’’ is an American value that these immigrants have internalized; for most American...
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These Italian immigrants came to America to pursue an artistic dream; but they remain ‘‘immigrant workers’’ at heart. They strongly maintain the ethos of the artisan, with its mixture of manual labor and creativity, more than pretenses of artistic genius. They tell their stories in the quiet...
The Spiritual Immigrant
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Of the next five autobiographies, three are of men for whom years of work gave birth to a new man—a man of God, a convert to spiritual faith. Luigi Turco, Constantine Panunzio, and Antonio Arrighi came to America as immigrant boys. They were not satisfied with the material enrichment...
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It is rare to find women’s voices among immigrant autobiographies. In the early years, there were fewer female than male immigrants, although the proportion increased steadily over the century, comprising a third of the total immigrants in the 1830s but more than half of the total after 1930s.1 ...
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The writers of the autobiographies in this last chapter have achieved success as doctors, professors, or business people, so they belong to a different social class than the rest of our immigrant autobiographers. All share the work ethic that defined our earlier groups of Italian immigrants...
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We have now witnessed in these pages proof of the reversal of Giuseppe Prezzolini’s 1963 conclusions about Italian immigrant autobiography—his claim, which we read earlier, that the immigrants didn’t want to remember their past, how they left no written word, how ‘‘Immigration...
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Page Count: 240
Publication Year: 2007 | <urn:uuid:a155cb46-2089-4f7d-9aed-f0498b29c9f9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://muse.jhu.edu/books/9780823248612 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00056-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.912119 | 664 | 2.328125 | 2 |
Suba is our Spanish Tapas bar located on the second story. We offer a variety of Spanish Tapas as well as select entrée features. In addition our bar hosts our house made Sangria, herbal and fruit infusions and Spanish and Portuguese wine and spirits.
Tapa means “lid” or “cover” in Spanish. There are several explanations for the etymology of “tapa”: A commonly cited explanation is that an item, be it bread or a flat card, etc., would often be placed on top of a drink to protect it from fruit flies; at some point it became a habit to top this “cover” with a snack. It is also commonly said that since one would be standing while eating a tapa in traditional Spanish bars, they would need to place their plates on top of their drinks in order to eat, making it a top.
Some believe that the name originated sometime around the 16th century when tavern owners from Castilla-La Mancha found out that the strong taste and smell of mature cheese could help disguise that of bad wine, thus “covering” it, and started offering free cheese when serving cheap wine.
Another popular explanation says that the king Alfonso XII stopped by a famous venta (inn) in Cádiz (Andalusian city) where he ordered a cup of sherry. The waiter covered the glass with a slice of cured ham before offering it to the king, to protect the wine fromthe beach sand, as Cádiz is a windy place. The king, after drinking his wine and eating the tapa, ordered another sherry “with the same cover”.
We invite you to try a taste of Spain and, most importantly, to have fun!
ALL PHOTOS TAKEN ON PREMISES AT MANGIA QUI AND SUBA.
272 North Street, Harrisburg, PA · 717.233.7358 | <urn:uuid:e960f4a7-10c2-4580-960f-735a06ec1acc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mangiaqui.com/suba/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971192 | 409 | 1.703125 | 2 |
On Science, Obama Puts His Mouth
Where His Money Is
- 5:31 PM
- Categories: Uncategorized
In addition to ending a ban on stem cell research funding, President Barack Obama issued a potentially landmark memo Monday declaring a new era of "scientific integrity" across government.
In no uncertain terms, Obama signaled that the federal government would be guided by science, not the other way around. In offering a repudiation of the previous administration, he also promised a new era of transparency.
The Sci-Tech Presidents:
Jefferson, the Paleontologist
Lincoln, the Inventor
"Political officials should not suppress or alter scientific or technological findings and conclusions," Obama wrote in an official memorandum. "If scientific and technological information is developed and used by the federal government, it should ordinarily be made available to the public."
After the Bush years, during which scientists of many stripes — from former Surgeon General Richard Carmona to a host of climate change scientists — claimed their results had been ignored, misconstrued or downright changed, the new memo brought cheers from groups dedicated to advancing scientific research.
"[President Obama and this Congress] have already made the choice that they are going to fully support science and invest in science to the solve the big problems — health care, science, and education," said Dr. Stacie Propst, vice president of science policy and outreach at Research!America. "They are going to focus on a science-based economy for us."
Though the memo was released in conjunction with the repeal of a Bush-era ban on stem cells, many saw a broader significance to the memorandum, which directed the
Office of Science and Technology Policy to "develop recommendations for presidential action designed to guarantee scientific integrity throughout the executive branch," within 120 days.
The memo also required that "the selection and retention of candidates for science and technology positions in the executive branch should be based on the candidate’s knowledge, credentials, experience and integrity."
The Bush administration, by contrast, was dogged by allegations that key posts were filled with ideologues or political cronies.
Propst said that this common-sense approach to hiring for science positions offered "a stark difference from what many considered to be the more ideological approach" of the Bush administration.
However, some observers said that it’s not always easy to separate politics from science, especially on hot-button issues like climate change or stem cell research.
On some issues, following the scientific line might be tougher than it sounds, said Aaron Levine, a public policy professor at Georgia
Tech who studies how ethical controversy influences science.
For instance, if Obama decides to form a bioethics committee, as previous administrations have, it could be difficult to find the right composition of technocrats for the job.
With most bioethicists "on the record" about the hot-button issues of cloning, embryonic stem cell research, genetic modification and euthanasia, it could be difficult to staff a committee in a balanced way. Particularly with regard to embryonic-stem-cell research, where the Obama administration has a clear-cut position, they could run into political trouble.
"I think you can almost guarantee that there will be criticism of whoever Obama selects," Levine said, from the left if he appoints opponents of embryonic stem cells, and from the right if the panel is too unanimous in support of his policies.
And what about when scientists can’t come to a definitive conclusion about something, such as the impacts of certain types of advanced biofuel?
"For the hot-button topics, it’s going to be tricky," Levine said.
But he held out hope that on more technical, less politicized issues, it would be easier to find clear ground.
"In the more technical topics, levee design, for instance, we’d like our experts to be fully focused on what can you do to build the levees you can," he said.
- Synthesizing Science and Politics
- Polar Bears Caught in Political Climate Crossfire
- Experts Debunk NYT’s Brain-on-Politics Op-Ed
- The Neuroscience of Politics, Yet Again
- 14 Science Questions the Next President Should Answer
Image: AP/Gerald Herbert
WiSci 2.0: Alexis Madrigal’s Twitter , Google Reader feed, and project site, Inventing Green: the lost history of American clean tech; Wired Science on Facebook. | <urn:uuid:e824fb34-33c1-4db8-a7dd-89f7858c8317> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/03/scintegrity/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942205 | 922 | 1.71875 | 2 |
Growing trend: Community gardens take root in Lake County (with video)
Although the idea of community gardens has been around for years, the concept is taking on a new life this summer. Two of the new community gardens — in Mentor and Concord Township — were made possible by a Kaiser Permanente grant awarded by the Lake County General Health District.
Plots in gardens that community members can call their own during the growing season also have expanded to churches and even to Lubrizol's Painesville factory lands.
Perhaps it's the deer that spoil things most for backyard gardeners in Mentor, or maybe it's that city's growing number of condominium dwellers, but the 34 plots the city established as a community garden at its Wildwood Cultural Center were snapped up almost as soon as they were announced.
Jerry Hammerhofer, 74, said the community garden concept reminds him of the Victory Gardens planted when he was a boy during World War II to relieve the wartime pressure on the public food supply.
Only Mentor residents can sign up for garden plots, and the $55 charge is among the most expensive in the area.
"But $20 of that is refundable at the end of the season if the plot is maintained and cleaned up in the fall," Wildwood spokeswoman Jill Korsok said.
The availability of organic plots and water for each garden were additional attractions for the Wildwood gardens, she said. But the 10-foot-high deer fence was something many would-be gardeners mentioned as their reason for being there.
"I was one of the first people to sign up for a plot at Wildwood," said Hammerhofer, proud gardener at Plot 5 in the newly established Mentor Community Gardens. "I live near Plains and Hopkins where we have a lot of deer, so the fact that the Wildwood gardens are fenced was a big plus to me."
But when he went to plant his garden, he discovered that instead of the sandy, easy-to-till soil near his home, the soil for the Wildwood gardens off Little Mountain Road is rocky and full of clay. Continued...
"I conditioned the soil and added enough material to make it work," he said. "I have one of the organic plots and I am already harvesting radishes and lots of kale and lettuce."
Kathie Frisby lives in a condominium complex and grows lettuce and tomatoes in containers on her outdoor deck. She wanted to expand her gardening effort this year, so she is sharing a plot in the Mentor gardens with a neighbor, who is growing flowers.
"I'm just growing things I like to eat," Frisby said. "If Kent (Frisby's husband) wants cucumbers, I'll buy them. I don't like cucumbers, so I'm not growing them."
Hammerhofer said he didn't bother with corn this year because it takes up a lot of room and its size can put a neighbor's plot in shadow during the important weeks of late season growing.
That same "good neighbor" issue evolved into one of the rules for the Concord Township Community Garden, which suggests that tall crops should be planted on the south end of the plot, where they will have the least impact on neighboring gardeners.
That garden, new this year, began with the township augmenting the heavy clay soil with topsoil and mulch to make it easier for growers to work the soil.
"We have 32 plots and have just opened up six of them to the general public," Concord garden spokeswoman Linda Legg said. Only Lake County residents can apply for plots in that garden, off Route 608 near the parking area for the Greenway Trail.
"Gardens cost $20 for a 10-by-20-foot plot and $30 for one that's 20 by 20 feet," she said.
Parsons Gardens, operated by Lake Metroparks at 37840 Erie Road in Willoughby, is perhaps the area's longest running community garden.
Nancy Martin, manager of visitor services, said the park system acquired the land in 1967, and it's been operated as a community garden since the early 1980s. Continued...
"It could actually be the oldest community garden in the state," she said.
"Our plots are each 20 by 30 (feet) and we generally have about 80 of them available," she said. "Many are planted by the same people year after year, since they get first choice of plots each year."
She said a handful of garden plots are still available at Parsons Gardens.
Those plots rent for $25 and only to Lake County residents. Water is included, but gardeners must provide their own hoses. And if they want a fence to keep out deer and other garden pests, they must construct it themselves.
"We till the land in early spring and again at the end of the season," Martin said. "We provide mulch and manure for the gardens in the spring and give gardeners a deadline for sometime in October to have their plots cleaned up."
Lubrizol Corp. employees tend more than an acre of gardens established this year at the company's Painesville factory.
"This is a company that wants to give back to the community," explained Mary Jane Sanders, community specialist at Lubrizol. The garden, dedicated to providing fresh produce to Project Hope and the Food Force food bank in Painesville, was planned with help and hands-on instruction from the Master Gardeners at Ohio State University Extension in Painesville.
"We're a specialty chemical company, and we don't know much about gardening," she said. "So the Master Gardeners came in and helped us every step of the way. We even started 100 tomato plants indoors from seed last March."
The garden is tended by 24 volunteers and tasks are divided among them. Most of the work is done on their lunch hours, but the company also gives those employees the last hour of the workday for their garden work. Lubrizol also has put up a deer fence around the garden and has a sprinkling system in place to water it.
"We have 13 different crops and chose things from which people can make meals," Sanders said. "Our employees are really taking ownership of this garden." Continued...
Master Gardeners from the Cooperative Extension Service also have helped establish the community garden behind Cornerstone Friends Church in Madison.
"This had been nursery land and the soil is sandy, but was nutritionally depleted over the years," said Pat Gerred, a church member and Master Gardener. "So we brought in a plow and manure and augmented the soil before laying out 72 plots."
Now in its fourth season, the land is well-nourished and doing well thanks to regular gardeners who also added their mulches and labor to the effort.
"We still have 20 plots available this year," Gerred said. "They're free, but we do have some rules," she said.
Here are community gardens where plots are still available this year:
-- Concord Township, call Linda Legg at 440-639-4650.
-- Parsons Gardens, Willoughby, call 440-358-7275.
-- Cornerstone Friends Church in Madison, contact Pat Gerred at 440-428-4976.
Advice: Lake County Master Gardeners at 440-350-2582.
Location, ST | website.com
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Recent Activity on Facebook
Follow the contestants in "Lighten Up in 2013" through their six-month weight-loss journey. Forty eight residents will be updating you regularly on their successes and progress as they move through the contest.
Food and travel captivate Janet Podolak, who has chronicled both for The News-Herald for three decades. In addition to her insights, her fellow News-Herald staffers will periodically share details of their trips.
Find out what's interesting on area bookshelves.
Check out the antics of our pets and learn about events geared toward News-Herald readers.
What's happening in pop culture? Find out from those in the know at The News-Herald. | <urn:uuid:57daeb60-7f65-4239-9192-3661b3a57e13> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.news-herald.com/articles/2012/06/24/life/nh5631448.txt?viewmode=3 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97378 | 1,954 | 1.757813 | 2 |
The Via Egnatia is an ancient roman road constructed in the second century BC. It is named after Gnaeus Egnatius, a proconsul of Macedonia. The road stretched from Durres, on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, through the Balkans, to Constantinople. It serves as a tangible reminder of the importance which the region that now constitutes the Western Balkans enjoyed for centuries. The route which extends through present day Albania, Macedonia and Greece into Turkey was the principal connection between Greece and Rome, the capital of the empire. With the rise of the Byzantine Empire, it continued to serve as an important link between Eastern and Western Europe.
In Roman times the armies of Julius Cesar, Pompey, Mark Anthony, Octavian, Cassius and Brutus marched along the Via Egnatia. Crusader armies in the Middle Ages followed the same route on their way to Constantinople and the Holy Land.
In Albania the Via Egnatia connected the important towns of Durres and Apollonia. The port of Durres was opposite Brindisi on the Western coast of the Adriatic, a stretch that could be navigated fairly easily by ship. From Brindisi there was a direct route to Rome on the famous Via Appia. The Via Egnatia was thus a direct extension of the main road to Rome, making the port of Durres a natural gateway to both Italy and the Balkans.
In the 1990s Albania became famous for the huge number of migrants who sought to leave the country. The strait between Bari and Albania saw a steady flow of refugees from Albania, migrants from other Balkan countries and drugs. A description of the Via Egnatia in medieval times shows that this flow of people is not a new phenomenon:
"On the traces of ancient Via Egnatia one could meet chapmen or tradesmen, villagers or workers from Western Macedonia, Epirus, Thessaly etc, seeking better living conditions. There were also many builders that travelled in groups, including masons and lumberjacks. In these clusters of people one could tell the seasonal workers, but also professional beggars, the infamous Cravarites."
Recently the European Union has recognised the importance of a connection between the Adriatic and the Black Sea. Its Trans European Transport Network (TEN-T) project includes 10 'Trans-European corridors' where road and rail infrastructure are to be improved. One of these, 'Corridor 8', partly follows the route of the historic Via Egnatia. It stretches for 960 km, through Albania, Macedonia and Bulgaria linking the capitals Tirana, Skopje and Sofia. The project seeks to improve the overland connections between the Italian and Albanian ports of Bari, Durres and Vlora on the Adriatic and the Bulgarian Black Sea ports of Vahna and Burgas. In a 2005 article, Tommaso Merlo paints an optimistic picture of the benefits for Albania:
"Corridor 8 will launch Albania towards the Eastern European markets but that's not all. The roads, railway lines, ports, logistics infrastructure and subsidiary services will guarantee enormous investment from the West. There is already interest in the management of the gas and water pipelines from the Caspian which will cast up on the Albanian coast. Besides being good business in the short term, the Corridor will guarantee structural economic advantages from the international presence and from improvement to the transport system and internal services. The enormous economic prospects from the Corridor and a new political landscape seem to bare testimony to the fact that history has decided to pass through Tirana once more."
(Tommaso Merlo, Corridoio 8: il sogno albanese)
"Corridor 8", a film by Bulgarian filmmaker Boris Despodov, takes a more sceptical, mocking view of the project. The film, which won a prize at the 2008 Berlin International Film Festival, portrays a journey from Burgas to Durres along the as yet nonexistent highway included in the plans for the TEN-T project.
"What Despodov reveals as he travels the stated path from the Bulgarian Burgas to Albanian Durres are a people mistrustful of their neighbors and unimpressed by grand claims from local and European politicos.
A perfect example are the train tracks in the Bulgarian town of Gyueshevo, on the border with Macedonia. Less than 550 yards of rail lines need finishing to connect the village with its neighbor across the frontier, but the incomplete tunnel begun by the occupying Germans in 1941 is still being used to grow mushrooms and store cheese. Plenty of delegations come, with hyperbole and promises, but it remains impossible to get from Bulgaria to Macedonia by train."
(Jay Weissberg, review at the Berlinale 2008) | <urn:uuid:69ca8595-652d-493e-80e4-907369275eb2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.esiweb.org/pdf/misc/assets/pdf/bridges/index.php?lang=yu&id=311&film_ID=3&slide_ID=22 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00071-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941657 | 989 | 3.484375 | 3 |
Core aeration is a mechanical process that extracts cores of soil, thatch and grass from the surface of the lawn. This increases nutrient availability, water penetration, soil air exchange, and reduces compaction. All of these benefits lead to a healthier lawn.
Aeration can be done any time of the year, but typically it is done in the spring and or fall when soil moisture is greatest to insure good plugs. In addition, any lawn can be over seeded after aeration in order to add hybrid grasses to help thicken up an existing lawn or thin areas. Aeration is a great process and should be done annually to help maintain good soil health while minimizing compaction.
Core aeration should not be confused with dethatching or power rakes, a different machine which tears and rips turf- often causing more damage than good. Aeration is a professional means to manage a turf area that is often under care such as fertilizer and lime treatments.
What are the benefits of Aeration?
- Increased moisture penetration since the holes open up space for rain to reach the root system below. The surface of the soil is hardened from high heat and summer drought. A lack of rain makes the surface of the lawn much harder to loosen up due to the baking action of summer heat.
- Increased oxygen exchange (important for healthy roots) especially in compacted and dry soils. Punching holes in the lawn will physically allow air to reach into the surrounding root systems, even as the hole begins to break down and fill back in with soil next spring.
- Reduces soil compaction (especially soils high in clay) caused by those summer parties or high use. Compacted soil does not promote healthy roots in grass or trees for that matter.
- Increases penetration of fertilizers and other lawn products due to the holes being made. The pellets or flakes simply roll into the plug and dissolve for faster results.
- Increases rate of thatch decomposition due to micro-organisms being brought up to the surface in the plug itself. There is no need to rake aeration plugs off a home lawn as they breakdown on their own in a short period of time.
- Increases root development due to the vacant space created by the aerator tine. The turf roots can expand outward and beyond in search of water, air, and nutrients in the soil. | <urn:uuid:cea12548-0569-4b73-b0ce-61ca45222054> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mrgrassblog.net/2010/09/08/brown-lawn-look-to-aerate-this-fall/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00066-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947886 | 478 | 3.21875 | 3 |
WUWT reader Jim asks:
I am the reluctant presenter of Field Notes from a Catastrophe by Elizabeth Kolbert to our book group and I am a skeptic. Any advice?
I’ve not read the book, so I could not help him, other than to say that Hurricane Katrina, a class 3 Hurricane has not been repeated and the USA is currently experiencing a record drought of major hurricanes. Note that Sandy was not even a hurricane when it made landfall, having been downgraded to an extratropical cyclone. Here’s the book synopsis:
Field Notes from a Catastrophe: Man, Nature, and Climate Change is a 2006 non-fiction book by Elizabeth Kolbert. The book attempts to bring attention to the causes and effects of global climate change. Kolbert travels around the world where climate change is affecting the environment in significant ways. These locations include Alaska, Greenland, the Netherlands, and Iceland. The environmental effects that are apparent consist of rising sea levels, thawing permafrost, diminishing ice shelves, changes in migratory patterns, and increasingly devastating forest fires due to loss of precipitation. She also speaks with many leading scientists about their individual research and findings. Kolbert brings to attention the attempts of large corporations such as Exxon Mobil and General Motors to influence politicians and discrediting scientists. She also writes about America’s reluctance in the global efforts to reduce carbon emissions. Leading this resistance, she explains, is the Bush administration which has been opposed to the Kyoto protocol since it was ratified in 2005. Kolbert concludes the book by examining the events surrounding the events of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and arguing that governments have the knowledge and technologies to prepare for such disasters but choose to ignore the signs until it is too late.
More at Wikipedia | <urn:uuid:eba1b2c9-6bff-400a-a56a-c99979962159> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://wattsupwiththat.com/2013/02/12/a-wuwt-reader-asks-for-some-help/?like=1&source=post_flair&_wpnonce=dd1ec55e91 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958824 | 364 | 2.53125 | 3 |
The Department of Work and Pensions has indicated that it intends to roll out radical welfare-to-work reforms that could deny millions of disabled people adequate support, despite evidence of significant piloting failure.
The controversy surrounds the new Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), which replaces the existing Incapacity Benefit (IB).
The aim behind the scheme, initiated by the previous Labour government, is to ‘encourage and support’ disabled people into work and to end ‘benefits dependency’.
But critics say that the purpose is also to scrimp and save public money, without adequate regard to the real needs and difficulties of highly vulnerable people.
Some 8,000 medical assessments are taking place every month at the moment. Already thousands of disabled people are being denied benefits they may be entitled to on the basis of these, the BBC is reporting.
Evidence from Scotland, compiled by Citizens Advice and revealed by the BBC ahead of the publication of a devastating report on the assessments with new claimants, is far from encouraging about the fitness for purpose of the new system.
So far, 60 per cent of applicants are being turned down, and the assessments carried out by private providers are accused of lacking thoroughness and expertise.
In two striking recent cases, a man who had to give up his work with severe psychosis was scored ‘zero’, and a woman forced by one test to leave long-term employment because of her ME was then contradictorily denied benefit on the grounds that she was 'fit for work'.
The woman concerned subsequently won an appeal. But current trends suggest that the failings of the system could lead to tens if not hundreds of thousands of appeals, costing millions of the very pounds which are supposed to be being ‘saved’.
Both Secretary of State for Scotland, Danny Alexander, and the academic at Bristol University who developed the ESA approach, say that the Department of Work and Pensions should consider holding back full implementation of assessments for some 2.6 million existing claimants, due to take place in October 2010, until existing failings have been addressed. But the new government says that, on the contrary, it will speed up implementation.
An assessor told Ekklesia that the idea spread by the tabloid press and others that Incapacity Benefit is a 'soft touch' is “nonsense”.
While all systems have their faults and abuses, both IB and ESA are particularly ill-adapted to people with mental health problems.
Medical assessments for Incapacity Benefit carried out by public providers were too short and lacked expertise, say critics. They often failed to recognise or acknowledge ‘fluctuation’ (good and bad days) or the impact of long-term problems like Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME).
These failings are being replicated and in some cases exceeded in ESA medical tests run by private companies like Atos, which stands to benefit financially from an £80 million contract.
Disabled people have now become ‘profit centres’, it seems. And the commercial and political incentives to deny them benefit are likely to worsen the injustice they face under the coalition government's ‘fairness and responsibility’ agenda.
See also: Citizens Advice Scotland Fact Sheet 44 - *.PDF Adobe Acrobat format (http://www.cas.org.uk/FileAccess.aspx?id=6665 ); Inclusion Scotland (http://www.inclusionscotland.org/ ), and the CAB Advise Guide (http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/ ). | <urn:uuid:277e2bcf-9f11-4764-93be-9203621ab9e0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/print/12240 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960301 | 732 | 1.828125 | 2 |
Interns interested in joining the internship health care/medical program must possess health care certification, such as an ID as a medical student, EMT or paramedic certification, or nursing or physician's credentials. Medical interns without credentials are not allowed to work in this program because of the potential liability risk. The hospitals require a copy of your resume, clearly stating credentials and education, before your arrival to the project.
- Intern's responsibilities
Job responsibilities of interns joining a medical internship in Tanzania vary with education, skills, experience, and qualifications. Interns are not allowed to perform diagnoses or surgical operations. Most of the time, interns help doctor or work as an assistant to doctors. Interns measure blood pressure (BP), temperature, height, weight, as well as assist doctors and the medical staffs in the health centers. Interns may also help in health camps (if any), distribute medication, provide tips to patients pertaining to health, nutrition and sanitation as well as council patients, and possibly participate in the treatment for minor injuries/wounds and/or maintain records of treated.
One of the most distinguished features of IFRE's internships in Tanzania is the guidance of supervisors. IFRE will assign a qualified supervisor to provide assistance for all interns throughout the duration of their chosen internship. Individuals filling the role of supervisor are usually either the director or chosen staff member of the project which interns choose. During your time as an international intern, you will be assigned a number of duties which volunteers also perform (in this sense, there are very few differences between IFRE's volunteers and interns).
In the internship, you will select a particular area of interest related to medical/health care issues and explore the issue further with the help of an assigned supervisor. Please note: the project supervisor Does not develop internships as this is up to the intern to get as much or as little out of their projects. All participants should be proactive to ensure the ultimate success of their internships. Supervisors will provide at least five (5) hours each week to make certain that interns are adequately guided.
IFRE arranges meals, living accommodations and supervision from the beginning to end of the internship. During the first week (if enrolled in the language and culture program), interns stay in our IFRE's hostel in Dar es Salaam which also doubles as our local offices/base of operations. Located in Dar es Salaam, interns are provided access to various parts of the city. A husband and wife team (our local coordinator who also conducts the culture and language course) runs the hostel - where interns receive three (3) meals a day.
During the internship period, interns stay with a host family. We arrange a separate room for interns with shared bathroom facilities in host families. Details pertaining to living accommodations will be provided in placement details prior to arrival in-country. IFRE's main offices are located in Dar es Salaam - allowing interns access to the local coordinator.
IFRE's internships in Tanzania begin on the first and third Monday of each month. IFRE is proud to offer the same services offered by our competitors but at a highly economical price (nearly 50-175%). Furthermore, we at IFRE do not make six-figure salaries. What we DO is work very hard and effectively to keep costs down for individuals seeking an international internship. We remain constantly devoted to maintaining both the quality of our programs and ensuring the safety of our international interns.
Here is a brief summary of the program fee and services that IFRE offers:
- IFRE is a 501 (C) 3 organization, so your program fee will be tax deductible as provided by law.
- IFRE application fee: US $349. The application fee covers advertising, program promotion, and office expenses (rent, utilities, and staff salaries). Internship program fee.
- What's Included in Program Fee:
* 4 days: US$329
* 1 week: US$604
* 2 weeks: US$743
* 3 weeks: US$881
* 4 weeks: US$1019
* 5 weeks: US$1157
* 6 weeks: US$1295
* 7 weeks: US$1433
* 8 weeks: US$1571
* 9 weeks: US$1709
* 10 weeks: US$1847
* 11 weeks: US$1985
* 12 weeks: US$2121.
Tanzania Language Program Fee: US $250 for one week. Language fee covers language and cultural training, food and accommodations for 7 days, training materials (books, learning materials), cost of local sightseeing/tourist sites, cost of recreational activities, and insurance.
Also see tour packages in:
Africa Tanzania Volunteering Volunteering Vacations Cultural Journey
Email it to a friend:
Click here to email this vacation to a friend | <urn:uuid:3982b84f-8e14-4f12-bbc4-f26c90093abd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.infohub.com/vacation_packages/18289.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00042-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942006 | 999 | 1.78125 | 2 |
MIAMI – Paul Skidmore's office is shuttered, his job gone, his 18-month job search fruitless and his unemployment benefits exhausted. So at 63, he plans to file this week for Social Security benefits, three years earlier than planned.
"All I want to do is work," said Skidmore, of Finksburg, Md., who was an insurance claims adjuster for 37 years before his company downsized and closed his office last year. "And nobody will hire me."
It is one of the most striking fallouts from the bad economy: Social Security is facing its first-ever shortfall this year as a wave of people like Skidmore opt to collect payments before their full retirement age. Adding to the strain on the trust are reduced tax collections sapped by the country's historic unemployment — still at 9.5 percent.
More people filed for Social Security in 2009 — 2.74 million — than any year in history, and there was a marked increase in the number receiving reduced benefits because they filed ahead of their full retirement age. The increase came as the full Social Security retirement age rose last year from 65 to 66.
Nearly 72 percent of men who filed opted for early benefits in 2009, up from 58 percent the previous year. More women also filed — 74.7 percent in 2009 compared with 64.2 percent the previous year.
Jason Fichtner, an associate commissioner at the Social Security Administration, said the weak economy has led more people who lost their jobs to retire early. However, it also has forced some people hard-hit by the recession and in need of a bigger paycheck to push back retirement and stay in the work force longer.
"But we're seeing more people taking early benefits than staying in the workforce longer," Fichtner said.
Like Skidmore, 63-year-old Jan Gissel of Tustin, Calif., also was forced into retirement early. She turned to unemployment benefits when her technical support business failed and filed for Social Security last September. Together, the checks are keeping her afloat.
"I knew I had to have an income from somewhere, and my business wasn't giving it to me," she said. "I just went online and, boom, three weeks later I had the check."
Gissel wants to continue working but still hasn't found a job. Although she didn't expect to be cashing Social Security checks so soon, she's grateful for the support it has provided.
"I needed it way earlier than I thought," she said.
In the annual report of the Social Security program released Thursday, the trustees said that pension and disability payments will exceed revenues for this year and 2011, reflecting the deep recession.
The report forecast that the program would return to the black in 2012 through 2014, but that benefit payments will again exceed tax collections in 2015. For every year after 2015, the report projects that Social Security will be paying out more than it receives in tax collections as 78 million baby boomers begin retiring.
The trustees did not focus on the growth of early retirees in their report, as they don't expect the early retirees to significantly drain funds over the long-term. Early opt-ins receive smaller monthly checks so that they aren't projected to receive any more money over a lifetime than they would if they had waited to collect Social Security until their full retirement age.
People entitled to full benefits at 66 would receive 75 percent of their check if they began collecting four years early. Conversely, if they waited until they turned 70, collecting four years late, they would earn 32 percent more.
They would receive the decreased — or increased — percentages for the rest of their life.
"From the trustees' perspective it's a wash, because they calculate you'll get the same total benefit," said Maria Freese, director of government relations and policy at the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare.
Freese added, though, that beneficiaries generally only opt in early because they have to.
"When you retire early, you are taking a hit in your monthly check, and most people don't do that voluntarily," she said. "They either do that because they aren't healthy enough to keep working or because they lost their job."
Nora Lopez, 62, of Hialeah, Fla., retired from her job as an elementary school teacher last year and began collecting Social Security. She did so, in part, because of health problems. When her school district offered teachers the option of keeping their health insurance coverage until they qualified for Medicare at 65, she decided she could get by on her pension and Social Security.
"I wanted to work as long as I could," she said. "But it was hard for me to do that."
For some, it's simply a matter of doing the math that prompts them to cash in early. Jack Dixon, 63, of Naples, Fla., stopped working full-time in April as a trolley driver and tour guide, cutting back to one day a week. He decided to do it after his wife figured out they'd be able to get by even with the reduced Social Security benefit.
"Why should I go out there to the hustle and bustle and stress and all the stuff that's related to work if I don't have to?" he asked.
© Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | <urn:uuid:048aff9c-28f9-440c-9d84-b6ae602dcf8d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/US-Social-Security-Early-Retirees/2010/08/08/id/366910 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.984872 | 1,114 | 1.796875 | 2 |
Hey kids! Forget trying to become a doctor or rapper or a football star, not to mention all the teasing you may get in school for being a nerd -- computers are where it's at.
That's one message of a new video in which Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg, Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey and other tech execs urge young people to learn computer programming.
"Learning how to program didn't start off with wanting to learn all of computer science or trying to master this discipline or anything like that," Zuckerberg says. "It started off because I wanted to do this one simple thing -- I wanted to make something that was fun for myself and my sisters."
Gates says, "I was 13 when I first got access to a computer. I wrote a program to play tick-tack-toe."
The five-minute clip, called "What Most Schools Don't Teach," was posted online Tuesday by Code.org, a new nonprofit foundation that seeks to cultivate computer science in U.S. school curricula. The foundation argues there is a worldwide shortage of computer programmers but that only 1 in 10 schools in America teach kids how to code.
"Our policy (at Facebook) is literally to hire as many talented engineers as we can find," Zuckerberg says. "The whole limit in the system is that there aren't enough people who are trained and have these skills today."
The Facebook CEO appears to be passionate about supporting technology and science education. Last week Zuckerberg and a handful of other tech execs announced a $3 million annual prize for researchers doing life-saving work, saying he hoped it would inspire future scientists.
The "What Most Schools Don't Teach" clip tries to make coding seem accessible and easy for anyone with a basic understanding of math.
"Addition, subtraction, that's about it," Gates says with a smile.
"It's really not unlike playing an instrument, or playing a sport," says Drew Houston, who created file-sharing site Dropbox. "Even if you want to become a race-car driver, or play baseball, or, you know, build a house -- all of these things have been turned upside down by software." | <urn:uuid:c1ca2c0a-91f2-43e9-a5ce-4297abb57ed8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wtae.com/news/money/technology/Gates-Zuckerberg-Kids-learn-to-code/-/9680866/19108164/-/owrd2gz/-/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97576 | 453 | 2.78125 | 3 |
MySpace Isn’t A Cyber Place For Everyone
By: Michael M. Bates
MySpace.com is described as an Internet site devoted to social networking. Any rational adult who’s spent more than a few minutes on MySpace might well conclude that it, like much of cyberspace, appeals to the lowest common denominator.
I won’t bore – or repulse – you with specifics. Let’s just say that you probably wouldn’t feel comfortable with your mother, unless mumsie is Madonna, visiting many MySpace pages.
Tasteless photos and cartoons and deviant thoughts litter the website. Catchphrases rule. Banal ideas are expressed in crude English.
There are folks, often women, seen in shopping malls carrying on lengthy cell phone conversations. You might ask, as I have, is there really another person on the other end of that long, mind-numbing conversation?
Hearing snippets of chatter along the lines of “I just had a taco, I like tacos, do you like tacos?, what are you eating?,†I’ve sometimes wondered where in the world the callers find anyone willing to put up with such extended blather.
Now I think I know. My guess is that they get their phone buddies on MySpace. There are some very lonely people there.
Obviously, MySpace isn’t my place. But some adults might find what they’re looking for there, and that’s their business. Unless, of course, if what they’re looking for is a child to molest.
The biggest problem is that MySpace, which claims to be “a place for friends,†has become a playground for sexual predators. To register, a user only has to be at least 14 years of age.
That restriction is easily ignored. There have been numerous reports of crimes and attempted crimes against children in which the site has played a role.
MySpace may be a victim of its own success. With a reported user base in the tens of millions and a quarter of a million people signing up daily, the three-year old site may not have been prepared for the abuses it’s experienced.
In April, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, the Advertising Council, and News Corporation, which owns MySpace, started running public service advertisements intended to raise awareness of Internet safety.
In May, a law targeting “social networks†and Internet chat rooms was proposed in Congress. The legislation would block access to those sites in federally funded schools and libraries.
Many schools have already decided on their own to limit access on their computers. In a move that was guaranteed to fan the flames of teen outrage, a school district in Illinois recently took action to hold students accountable for what they post on websites such as MySpace.
Actions like that are usually condemned as censorship. To which the appropriate response may well be, so what? Children don’t have the same rights as adults. And acting goofy online at taxpayer expense isn’t constitutionally protected, no matter what the ACLU may claim.
On the other hand, regulating access to social networking sites is much easier said than done. One need not have the technological prowess of Internet inventor Al Gore to circumvent many blocking measures.
Add to that the government’s general clumsiness in securing whatever results it intends and there realistically isn’t much reason to think that legislation will have a great impact.
If there’s going to be anything close to a resolution of the problems inherent to MySpace and similar sites, it’ll have to be initiated by parents. Knowing where children go on the Internet, what they do there, and with whom they communicate are essential. There is monitoring software that can help.
Kids might scream about their privacy being violated, but families aren’t democracies. They’re dictatorships and part of a parent’s responsibility is to protect their children as best they can for as long as they can.
Last month a reporter wrote in the Los Angeles Times that she’d covered many disquieting events in her career, “But in nearly two decades of journalism, nothing has made my insides churn like seeing what my 13-year-old daughter and her friends are up to on MySpace.com.â€
MySpace isn’t for everyone. We can only hope enough parents realize that in time.
This appeared in the June 1, 2006 Oak Lawn Reporter. | <urn:uuid:ef3681ea-ba50-4183-ba9f-e36637bb0047> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thelandofthefree.net/conservativeopinion/2006/06/02/myspace-isn%E2%80%99t-a-cyber-place-for-everyone/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00065-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968217 | 983 | 1.710938 | 2 |
Can we please stop romanticizing farming?
And on the ninth day, God created farm subsidies.
Reading reviews of Super Bowl XLVII, it seems there is a consensus that the standout commercial on Sunday was a Dodge Ram ad called “God Made a Farmer” (see video below). And it’s a beautiful ad, featuring still shots of hardscrabble life in the American Midwest and a speech by the late broadcaster Paul Harvey celebrating the noble farmer (first given to the Future Farmers of America back in 1978): “God said, ‘I need somebody willing to get up before dawn, milk cows, work all day in the fields, milk cows again, eat supper, then go to town and stay past midnight at a meeting of the school board.”
I hate school board meetings as much as the next guy, but with the technological advances we’ve seen in agriculture and the remarkable boom in productivity, God probably doesn’t need the same level of commitment from the farmer anymore. It’s this kind of romanticizing of agriculture – in movies, literature, ads, and politics – that makes it nearly impossible to shoo the industry away from government trough. Farmers aren’t doing you a favor; they’re selling you something.
Actually, most of them are doing quite well. That’s great. So there is no reason that farmers – a minority to them to sure, but still – should be addicted to taxpayer funded corporate welfare. There are an array of jobs Americans undertake just as vital to the nation as farming, many of them in industries struggling to survive, many of them taking on far more risk, yet agriculture is the only vocation I can think of in the private sector that is treated as if it were a form of patriotism.
Pre-order David Harsanyi’s new book Obama’s Four Horsemen: The Disasters Unleashed by Obama’s Reelection
“If you want to become rich,” Jim Rogers, the noted investor once said: “Become a farmer.”
Small farms are dying because they can’t compete with the productivity of larger competitors, a reality that many other industries wrestle with — and from which many consumers inevitably benefit. But even if farm subsidies were intended to alleviate rural poverty and disparity within the industry, then why do most go to commercial farms with average incomes of $200,000 to nearly $2 million? As Robert Samuelson recently pointed out:
Symbolic of the debate we’re not having about government’s size and role — the essence of the deficit problem — is the future of farm subsidies. Running $10 billion to $15 billion annually, they don’t do much good. For starters, they haven’t saved small farms. Since the 1930s, when subsidies began, the number of farms is down 70 percent. Nor do farmers need subsidies to stay profitable. Farmers’ income for 2011 and 2012 ($135 billion and $133 billion, respectively) were the highest and second-highest ever and would have been without subsidies.
Taxpayers spend about $7 billion a year on crop insurance alone, the largest farm subsidy, as if the industry apparently has the God-given right to operate in certainty. The Department of Agriculture hands out from $10 billion to $30 billion in cash to farmers every year – depending on the vagaries of the world around them.
Only 10 percent of farmers collect 75 percent of all subsidies. More than 90 percent of agriculture subsidies go to farmers of just five crops – wheat, corn, soybeans, rice and cotton. Government does not subsidize almost any of the fruits and vegetables we eat (also grown under the threat of unpredictable weather) or flat screen TVs we watch (also produced in a highly competitive marketplace) yet you can find any of them without worrying too much about serious fluctuations in price.
Fact is, success itself has now become the argument to continue corporate welfare. Here is Senator Debbie Stabenow, chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, last year (via Cato institute):
“American agriculture represents a bright spot in our economy. Agricultural exports are reaching record highs and American farmers and ranchers are continuing to outpace the rest of the world in productivity and efficiency. Sixteen million American jobs are supported by American agriculture, so it’s critical we pass the Farm Bill this year. We must provide farmers and small businesses the certainty they need to continue growing and helping the country’s economy recover.”
I’ve got nothing against farmers, but when we implement price controls and impel Americans to buy things like ethanol, even though the policy does nothing for our energy needs or to curb pollution, we only distort the price of crops and increase food costs on consumers. Perhaps I’m overstating the influence of popular culture on the problem, but I can’t help believe that our distorted agricultural policy has something to do with public perception. | <urn:uuid:a55f2100-8ca0-4704-b0d7-297de39bc7bd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.humanevents.com/2013/02/04/on-the-9th-day-god-created-subsidies/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948417 | 1,030 | 1.546875 | 2 |
The number of people seeking U.S. unemployment aid fell 25,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 370,000, as a temporary spike caused by Superstorm Sandy has faded. Weekly applications have fallen back to a level consistent with modest hiring.
Here are the states with the biggest increases and decreases in applications. The state level data is for the week ended Nov. 24, one week behind the national data.
States with the biggest decreases:
New Jersey: Down 23,966, due to fewer storm-related claims from the construction, transportation, hotel and restaurant industries
California: Down 7,053, due to fewer layoffs in all sectors, primarily in the service industry
New York: Down 6,682, due to fewer layoffs in the restaurant, health care and transportation industries
Texas: Down 6,425, because state offices were closed for Thanksgiving
North Carolina: Down 2,609, due to fewer layoffs in restaurants, business services, health care, and machinery
States with the biggest increases:
Wisconsin: Up 5,876, no reason given
Oregon: Up 2,328, due to layoffs because of winter weather and holidays
Ohio: Up 2,252, no reason given
Washington: Up 2,107, due to layoffs in agriculture, construction and manufacturing
Iowa: Up 1,262, due to layoffs in manufacturing | <urn:uuid:6916783f-e0c0-4ba8-9675-ed86daeb24da> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dailytidings.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20121206/NEWS/212060307/-1/HOMELIFE09 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932038 | 279 | 1.539063 | 2 |
Questions About Your Case?
NOTE: Labels in bold are required.
Federal Conspiracy Laws by Circuit
We consider all relevant circumstances and focus on such factors as "whether the alleged conspirators shared a common purpose, whether their actions demonstrated interdependency, and the extent to which participants overlapped during the life of the alleged conspiracy." United States v. Trainor, 477 F.3d 24, 33 (1st Cir. 2007). While the nature of the illegal activity, the method of operation, and the scope of conspirator involvement are factors to be considered in determining whether a single conspiracy has been proved, if the totality of the evidence is adequate to demonstrate that all of the alleged coconspirators directed their [**12] efforts towards the accomplishment of a common goal or overall plan, then the existence of a single conspiracy can be found. United States v. Drougas, 748 F.2d 8, 17 (1st Cir. 1984). A defendant's substantial rights in this context include the right to be sufficiently informed about the charges against him so he can prepare an effective defense and not be surprised at trial, and the right not to be subject to another prosecution for the same offense. Id.
"[I]n order to prove a single conspiracy, the government must show that each alleged member agreed to participate in what he knew to be a collective venture directed toward a common goal." United States v. Martino, 664 F.2d 860, 876 (2d Cir. 1981). The goals of all the participants need not be congruent for a single conspiracy to exist, so long as their goals are not at cross-purposes. United States v. Heinemann, 801 F.2d 86, 92 n.1 (2d Cir. 1986). Indeed, it is not necessary that the conspirators know the identities of all the other conspirators in order for a single conspiracy to be found, see, e.g., Blumenthal v. United States, 332 U.S. 539, 557, 68 S. Ct. 248, 92 L. Ed. 154 (1947); United States v. Gleason, 616 F.2d 2, 16 (2d Cir. 1979), especially where the activity of a single person was central to the involvement of all, United States v. Maldonado-Rivera, 922 F.2d 934, 963 (2d Cir. 1990).
In order to determine whether a group of individuals engaged in a single conspiracy or multiple conspiracies, we evaluate three factors. We consider: (1) "whether there was a common goal among the conspirators"; (2) "whether the agreement contemplated bringing to pass a continuous result that will not continue without the continuous cooperation of the conspirators"; and (3) "the extent to which the participants overlap in the various dealings." United States v. Kelly, 892 F.2d 255, 259 (3d Cir. 1989). The Government may not charge "multiple unrelated conspiracies," but it can charge a "master conspiracy [with] more than one subsidiary scheme." United States v. Kenny, 462 F.2d 1205, 1216 (3d Cir. 1972).
In evaluating interdependence, we consider how helpful one individual's contribution is to another's goals. See United States v. Macchia, 35 F.3d 662, 671 (2d Cir. 1994) (describing inquiry as "the extent to which the success or failure of one conspiracy is independent of a corresponding success or failure by the other"). We reiterate that interdependence serves as "evidence of an agreement," United States v. Perez, 280 F.3d 318, 346 (3rd Cir. 2002), that is, it helps establish whether the alleged coconspirators are "all committed to the same set of objectives in a single conspiracy," United States v. Smith, 82 F.3d 1261, 1271 (3d Cir.1996).
The rule against variances serves several purposes, one of which "rests on a principle akin to double jeopardy, for the rule helps to minimize the danger that the defendant may be prosecuted a second time for the same offense." United States v. Schurr, 775 F.2d 549, 554 (3d Cir. 1985).
The question of "[w]hether there is a single conspiracy or multiple conspiracies depends upon the overlap of key actors, methods, and goals." United States v. Strickland, 245 F.3d 368, 385 (4th Cir. 2001) (internal quotation marks omitted). We have previously determined that "[a] single conspiracy exists where there is one overall agreement, or one general business venture." United States v. Leavis, 853 F.2d 215, 218 (4th Cir. 1988) (internal quotation marks & citation omitted).
The principal considerations in counting the number of conspiracies are (1) the existence of a common goal; (2) the nature of the scheme; and (3) the overlapping of the participants in the various dealings. United States v. Morrow, 177 F.3d 272, 291 (5th Cir. 1999). This court has broadly defined the criterion of a common goal in counting conspiracies. United States v. Mitchell, 484 F.3d 762, 770 (5th Cir. 2007). Under the second prong, wherein we examine the nature of the scheme, "the existence of a single conspiracy will be inferred where the activities of one aspect of the scheme are necessary or advantageous to the success of another aspect or to the overall success of the venture, where there are several parts inherent in a larger common plan." Id. (citing United States v. Morris, 46 F.3d 410, 416 (5th Cir. 1995). As to the third prong, the more interconnected the various relationships are, the more likely there is a single conspiracy. Morris, 46 F.3d at 416. However, "there is no requirement that every member must participate in every transaction to find a single conspiracy. Parties who knowingly participate with core conspirators to achieve a common goal may be members of an overall conspiracy." United States. v. Richerson, 833 F.2d 1147, 1154 (5th Cir. 1987). A single conspiracy exists where a "key man" is involved in and directs illegal activities, while various combinations of other participants exert individual efforts toward a common goal. United States v. Elam, 678 F.2d 1234, 1246 (5th Cir. 1982). The members of a conspiracy which functions through a division of labor need not have an awareness of the existence of the other members, or be privy to the details of each aspect of the conspiracy. Elam, 678 F.2d at 1246; Richerson, 833 F.2d at 1154.
"A variance occurs when the charging terms [of the indictment] are unchanged, but the evidence at trial proves facts materially different from those alleged in the indictment."United States v. Chilingirian, 280 F.3d 704, 711 (6th Cir. 2002) (quotations omitted). "[I]f an indictment alleges one conspiracy, but the evidence can reasonably be construed only as supporting a finding of multiple conspiracies, the resulting variance between the indictment and the proof is reversible error if the appellant can show that he was prejudiced thereby." United States v. Warner, 690 F.2d 545, 548 (6th Cir. 1982) (citing Kotteakos v. United States, 328 U.S. 750, 66 S. Ct. 1239, 90 L. Ed. 1557 (1946)). The key factors in determining the number of conspiracies "are the existence of a common goal, the nature of the scheme, and the overlapping of the participants in various dealings." United States v. Smith, 320 F.3d 647, 652 (6th Cir. 2003). To demonstrate substantial prejudice, the appellant must show that the variance prejudiced his ability to defend himself or prejudiced the overall fairness of the trial. United States v. Manning, 142 F.3d 336, 339 (6th Cir. 1998).
"Mere association with conspirators is not enough to establish participation in a conspiracy."United States v. Pearce, 912 F.2d 159, 162 (6th Cir. 1990). Moreover, it is not sufficient simply to demonstrate that the alleged conspirators knew each other and committed the same or associated crimes. The essence of a conspiracy is the agreement to commit the offense and not the commission of the substantive offense. United States v. Fife, 573 F.2d 369, 373 (6th Cir. 1976); United States v. Sutton, 642 F.2d 1001, 1020 (6th Cir. 1980).
"Whether a given case involves single or multiple conspiracies depends on whether there was one overall agreement to perform various functions to achieve the objectives of the conspiracy."United States v. Radtke, 415 F.3d 826, 838 (8th Cir. 2005) (internal quotations omitted). That the conspirators entered the conspiracy at different times and played discrete roles does not compel a finding of multiple conspiracies. United States v. Maza, 93 F.3d 1390, 1398 (8th Cir. 1996). "A conspiracy with multiple objectives is not the same thing as multiple conspiracies." Radtke, 415 F.3d at 839. Relevant factors "include the nature of the activities involved, the location where the alleged events of the conspiracy took place, the identity of the conspirators involved, and the time frame in which the acts occurred."United States v. McCarthy, 97 F.3d 1562, 1571 (8th Cir. 1996).
The standard for determining the existence of a single conspiracy is whether there was "one overall agreement" among the parties to carry out the objectives of the conspiracy. United States v. Kearney, 560 F.2d 1358, 1362 (9th Cir.), cert. denied, 434 U.S. 971, 54 L. Ed. 2d 460, 98 S. Ct. 522 (1977)(“The evidence reveals that appellants knew they were engaged with others in a single, though geographically and temporally extensive, criminal venture for the smuggling and distribution of narcotics”); accord United States v. Jabara, 618 F.2d 1319 (9th Cir.), cert. denied, 446 U.S. 987, 100 S. Ct. 2973, 64 L. Ed. 2d 845 (1980); United States v. Zemek, 634 F.2d 1159 (9th Cir. 1980). “Almost any venture, criminal or legitimate, is analyzable into a series of bits, each of which, in turn, is characterizable as an independent plan or goal. The standard for determining the existence of a single conspiracy, however, ‘. . . is whether there was one overall agreement among the various parties to perform various functions in order to carry out the objectives of the conspiracy . . . .’” United States v. Kearney, 560 F.2d 1358, 1362 (9th Cir. Cal. 1977)(quoting United States v. Hobson, 519 F.2d 765, 775 (9th Cir.), cert. denied, 423 U.S. 931, 96 S. Ct. 283, 46 L. Ed. 2d 261 (1975).
Typically, the inference of an overall agreement is drawn from proof of a single objective, see, e.g., United States v. Taren-Palma, 997 F.2d 525, 530 (9th Cir. 1993)(a single agreement to sell ten kilograms of cocaine), or from proof that the key participants and the method of operation remained constant throughout the conspiracy. See, e.g., United States v. Bibbero, 749 F.2d 581, 587 (9th Cir. 1984)(four key participants and method of operation remained relatively constant).
We will only reverse a conviction for a variance if the variance is material and substantially prejudices the defendant. United States v. Edouard, 485 F.3d 1324, 1347 (11th Cir. 2007). "A material variance between an indictment and the government's proof at trial occurs if the government proves multiple conspiracies under an indictment alleging only a single conspiracy."United States v. Moore, 525 F.3d 1033, 1042 (11th Cir. 2008) (quotation omitted).
The arguable existence of multiple conspiracies does not constitute a material variance if a reasonable trier of fact could have found, beyond a reasonable doubt, that a single (charged) conspiracy existed, and we will not disturb the determination of a jury if supported by substantial evidence. Id.
"In determining whether a jury could have found a single conspiracy, this Court considers: (1) whether a common goal existed; (2) the nature of the underlying scheme; and (3) the overlap of participants." Id. Separate transactions are not separate conspiracies as long as the participants act in concert to further the common goal, and it is irrelevant if a particular co-conspirator did not participate in every stage of the conspiracy. Id. The finding of a conspiracy is permitted where a "key man" directs and coordinates the activities and individual efforts of various combinations of people. Edouard, 485 F.3d at 1347.
Whether activities constitute a single or multiple conspiracies depends on several factors, including "whether participants shared a common goal . . .; interdependence between the alleged participants . . . and, though less significant, overlap among alleged participants."United States v. Graham, 83 F.3d 1466, 1471 (D.C. Cir. 1996). Overlap requires only that the main conspirators work with all the participants. United States v. Mathis, 216 F.3d 18, 23-24 (D.C. Cir. 2000). A conspiracy may pursue multiple schemes with different modi operandi without dividing into multiple conspiracies, as long as there is a single objective. United States v. Gatling, 321 U.S. App. D.C. 63, 96 F.3d 1511, 1520 (D.C. Cir. 1996)(single conspiracy involving the same central figure comprised two schemes in different cities, operating in a different manner). Moreover, "a conspiracy's purpose should not be defined in [terms] too narrow or specific . . . ." Id. | <urn:uuid:39e58e5e-f92b-422e-ae5e-aab0a8f2bba4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.joeingramlaw.com/Federal-Conspiracy-Laws-By-Circuit-Court | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.908887 | 3,078 | 1.90625 | 2 |
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Please do not
steal this for your site either all of it or some questions out of it.
Please do not submit these to another trivia site asking for input.
The 3 Bears
How to Play.
You play this just like you play all our other trivia games.
After the question, you just put your cursor over the and the answer is embedded in the stocking and will appear.
These are NOT links!
There are 65
questions that are easy to difficult.
(For pre-teens to adults!)
1. In "The Polar Express", Tom Hanks played more than one character. Which of the following characters did he play?
(a) Hero Boy and Santa Claus
(b) The train Conductor and the Hobo
(c) The Father and Scrooge
(d) He played all of these characters.
2. There is a term called, "Seeing red." This term means:
(a) That you saw Santa Claus
when he was putting gifts under your tree
(b) That you are color blind and only see red
(c) That you are very upset and losing your temper
3. When you see someone standing under a mistletoe, what is it that you are suppose to do?
(a) Kiss them.
(b) Blow on them.
(c) Tickle them.
4. In "The Garfield Christmas Special" what does Garfield give to Grandma Arbuckle?
(a) Cat Nip
(c) Some old letters
5. In "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" there is an elf named Hermey who really wants to be what?
(c) Singer and Dancer
6. In the nursery rhyme, "Little Jack Horner", when he stuck his thumb in the Christmas pie, what came out?
(a) Piece of Gold
(b) A plum
(c) A Key
7. Will Ferrell plays an elf in the movie, "Elf." What is his name in the movie?
8. The first artificial Christmas tree was made in Germany towards the end of the 19th century. What was this tree made of?
(b) Ceramic and Glass
9. This well-known television star has played a private investigator as well as a Major in the Marine Corp. He also had a Christmas movie called "A Hobo's Christmas" in 1987. Who is he?
(a) Robert Conrad
(b) George Peppard
(c) Gerald McRaney
10. The first Christmas Eve mass was conducted by which person?
(a) The Pope
(b) John the Baptist
(c) One of the Apostles
11. In "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," the Grinch lives where?
(a) In Grumpy Cave
(b) On Mount Crumpit
(c) In Fretful Forest
12. Santa Claus is fat. He is also described as?
13. In the song, "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" what are the children told NOT to do?
(a) Pout and Cry
(b) Whine and Sigh
(c) Wave Bye Bye
14. In the movie, "Santa Claus: The Movie" who played an elf?
(a) Henry Gibson
(b) Dudley Moore
(c) Danny Devito
15. A Christmas pageant is?
(a) A play about the
(b) A poem about the nativity
(c) A parade celebrating the nativity
16. Traditionally, every year the Salvation Army stands out in front of stores and collects donations. They do this by making noise in what way?
(a) Banging drums
(b) Ringing a bell
(c) Yelling at people as they walk by
17. Santa Claus really has a bad habit of smoking. What does he smoke?
18. Who wrote, "The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus?"
(a) Mark Twain
(b) L. Frank Baum
(c) Theodore Geisel (Dr. Suess)
19. NoŽl means this in French?
20. What is "The Nutcracker"?
(a) A book
(b) A play
(c) A ballet
21. When this person ruled England, he/she abolished Christmas.
(a) Queen Elizabeth
(b) Oliver Cromwell
(c) Henry VIII
22. In "A Charlie Brown Christmas," Charlie Brown complains that Christmas has turned into what?
(a) Being too commercial.
(b) Being too over-rated.
(c) Being too religious.
23. In the movie "Elf" which of the following comedians played PaPa Elf?
(a) Ray Romano
(b) Bob Newhart
(c) Jim Belushi
24. If the Grinch stole Christmas, then in 1988, which character in a movie saved Christmas?
25. The first midnight mass was held where?
(a) In a church in Nazareth
(b) In the Church of St. Mary
(c) In the Vatican at St. Paul's Cathedral
26. Which of the following dogs had his own Christmas movie?
(c) Rin Tin Tin
27. Governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger starred in which Christmas movie?
(a) The Santa Claus
(b) Jingle All the Way
(c) The Night They Saved Christmas
28. Santa's favorite jacket is red with what kind of trim?
(a) Green fur trim
(b) White fur trim
(c) Black fur trim
29. In the movie, "Home Alone," Kevin does what right before Christmas?
(a) Fights with the kids
(b) Fights with a Salvation Army Bell Ringer on the corner.
(c) Fights with burglars at his house.
30. In the movie, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," which actor played the Grinch?
(a) Mike Myers
(b) Jim Carey
(c) Tim Allen
31. Back in 1551, Great Britain passed a law banning all sports on December 25, except this one:
(b) Fox Hunting
32. Baby Jesus was given gifts by a lot of people. But, which group was the first to give Him gifts?
(b) Wise Men
(c) Angels on High
33. In the movie, "Elf", the story begins when a baby crawls into Santa's bag when Santa is doing what?
(a) Delivering toys at an
(b) Delivering toys at a hospital
(c) Delivering toys at a day care center
34. The nativity story is in the bible in a few different gospels. Which of the following gospels is the one that is most often read or used in church services at Christmas time?
(a) The Gospel of Mark
(b) The Gospel of John
(c) The Gospel of Luke
35. In the Christmas carol, "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" those carolers are pretty insistent that they get what before they will leave?
(a) Hot Cider
(b) Figgy Pudding
(c) Christmas pie
36. Which of the following magazines is the one that first depicted a more modern-looking Santa Claus?
(c) Harper's Weekly
37. In "The Muppet Christmas Carol" which muppet plays Charles Dickens?
(b) The Critic
38. The town of Bethlehem was once part of which empire?
(a) The Roman Empire
(b) The Ottoman Empire
(c) The Greek Empire
39. In the Christmas song, "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus", besides kiss him, what else was mommy seen doing with Santa?
(a) Hugging him
(b) Tickling him
(c) Whispering in his ear
40. Because it is believed that the baby Jesus was born at midnight, what Christmas Eve tradition was started?
(a) Attending midnight mass
(b) Opening presents on Christmas Eve
(c) That Santa doesn't start going on his trip to delivery presents from the N. Pole until midnight.
41. In 2003, this toy store filed for bankruptcy?
(a) FAO Schwartz
(b) Toys R Us
(c) KB Toys
42. In the song, "Go Tell it on the Mountain" what is it that we are suppose to go tell everyone?
(a) That Santa Claus might
(b) That Jesus Christ has been born
(c) That it's time for midnight mass to begin
43. What is it that we are suppose to leave out for Santa Claus?
(a) Cookies and Milk
(b) A Veggie Platter
(c) The Nicotine Patch
44. Which group in 1970 recorded, "Merry Christmas Darling?"
(a) The Mamas & The
(b) Sonny and Cher
(c) The Carpenters
45. In the animation, "A Mickey's Christmas Carol" which one of the following cartoon characters plays Ebenezer Scrooge?
(a) Scrooge McDuck
(b) Porky Pig as "Pig Scrooge"
(c) Elmer Fudd as "Fuddy Duddy Scrooge"
46. The baby Jesus was born in which town?
47. In which year did the Salvation Army begin their tradition of sending it's members out on the streets dressed as Santa Claus, ringing a bell and a donation kettle?
48. Rudolph stands out amongst the other reindeers that Santa has because of what feature?
(a) He has big feet
(b) His fur is a different color than the others
(c) He has a red nose
49. The custom of gift-giving using a Secret Santa has a few rules. Which of the following IS NOT a rule for a Secret Santa Giver?
(a) That you can't tell the
person you're their Secret Santa.
(b) That you can't tell the person what the gift is.
(c) That you can't tell the person how much you spent on the gift.
50. Of all of the following children's characters, which one has had a movie version of "A Christmas Carol"?
(a) The Muppets
(b) Barney the Dinosaur
(c) The Teletubbies
51. In "How the Grinch Stole Christmas", the reason the Grinch is so mean is because:
(a) Because he is ugly and
(b) Because his heart is two sizes to small
(c) Because his girlfriend left him
52. In "The Polar Express", what time is on the clock when the train comes to take the boy to the N. Pole?
(a) Midnight on Christmas
(b) 11:55 pm on Christmas Eve
(c) 12:01 am Christmas Day
53. Which of the following
television families had a TV Christmas movie special in 1988?
(a) The Brady Bunch
(b) The Partridge Family
(c) The Jeffersons
54. In the movie "Elf" , Buddy goes back to search for his real father in which town?
(a) Los Angeles
(c) New York
55. This soap opera star in 1995 had a television Christmas movie.
(a) Genie Francis
(b) Susan Lucci
(c) Deidre Hall
City of Bethlehem is also called?
(a) The City of Christ
(b) The City of David
(c) The City of Moses
57. In "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" what is the last name of the family that tried to have a very Merry Christmas with their relatives?
58. Which book has been made into more Christmas movies, and specials than any other?
(a) The Bible
(b) "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens
(c) Both of the above
59. In the Chipmunk's "Christmas Song" what kind of plane do they want?
(a) One that loops the loops
(b) One that swirls and soars
(c) One that zooms and glides
60. In "The Polar Express" who else is on the train to go to the North Pole?
(a) Santa's Elves
(b) Other children
(c) No one. He's the only passenger
61. In the movie, "Elf" Buddy's real father does what for a living?
(a) Publisher of Children's
(b) Publisher of Children's Books
(c) Makes baby food
62. The Christmas carol, "Silent Night" was first played on which musical instrument?
63. In the song, "The Twelve Days of Christmas," what is the one item that is given daily?
(b) A partridge
(c) A Christmas Card
64. In the movie, "Elf" it became apparent that Buddy wasn't really an elf when what happened?
(a) He didn't have the
ability to make toys.
(b) He was allergic to reindeers.
(c) He grew three times as big as other North Pole elves.
65. In order to keep a Christmas tree fresh, which of the following should you do?
(a) Make a 1" cut in
the butt of the tree, especially if it's clogged by sap.
(b) Put it in a tree stand that holds at least 1 gallon of water.
(c) Never use just fresh water. Put some aspirin or sugar in the water.
(d) All of the above
Visit all our Christmas Trivia or Game Pages:
Christmas Carols Word Find Puzzle
Christmas Carols Cross Word Puzzle Trivia Fun!
Christmas Carols Match Game
Christmas Carol Picture Quiz
Christmas Trivia for the Holly Jolly Brilliant
Christmas Carol Trivia
Christmas Carol Cryptic Quiz
Christmas Trivia Fun for Family & Friends
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