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This morning I read yet another news story that described yet another celebrity "accused" of anorexia. That's the word the news story used: accused.
And it made me wonder. It's not the first time I've read this and it won't be the last. We accuse people of crimes, of transgressions, of doing wrong. Is having anorexia a crime?
I think the word choice speaks worlds about how we see eating disorders: as choices made to get attention, to punish others, to--fill in the blanks. For all our talk about eating disorders as diseases, we still--and by we I mean the culture at large--see them as manipulative choices people make.
When I read a story like this, I wonder what those who make such "accusations" are thinking. Is it something like "Aha, I caught you!" Do they feel superior to celebrities who might be ill with eating disorders?
The same magazines and newspapers that trumpet such accusations, of course, also report obsessively on every pound that celebrities, especially women, gain and lose. They write headlines about women who lose their baby fat 2 weeks after giving birth--as if this was not only a natural but a desirable state of affairs.
So the message is what? Be very thin, but not too thin? Where is the invisible line separating good-thin from bad-thin? If being thin is such a necessary condition, why is being too thin a crime?
Food for thought on a how summer's day. | <urn:uuid:c00d465e-fcec-4363-96de-bc0019d68351> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://harrietbrown.blogspot.com/2008_07_13_archive.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00023-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965733 | 315 | 1.554688 | 2 |
We’ve all seen the images of receding glaciers and stranded polar bears that accompany talks of climate change. But rising carbon dioxide levels also have subtler and less familiar effects, and may prove to be a boon for many animal groups. Plant-eating insects, for example, have much to gain in a high -CO2 future as rising concentrations of the gas can compromise the defences of the plants they feed on.
Plants and herbivorous insects are engaged in a silent war that we are rarely privy too, where chemicals act as both weapons and messengers. Munching mandibles trigger the production of signalling molecules like jasmonic acid that announce the presence of invaders to other plants of the plant, neighbouring individuals, or even parasitic wasps, which attack the pests and turn them into living larders for wasp eggs.
The battle isn’t over even after parts of the plant are eaten. Beetles, for example, rely on enzymes called cysteine proteinases to digest the plant proteins they swallow, and free up valuable amino acids for the insects’ own growth. But when plants detect jasmonic acid signals, they produce chemicals called “cysteine proteinase inhibitors” (CystPIs) that block the insects’ digestive enzymes and prevent them from fully digesting their meals.
But these defences may buckle as carbon dioxide levels rise. Jorge Zavala and colleagues at the University of Illinois found that increasing levels of CO2 reduce the ability of soybeans to use jasmonate signals. That shrinks their stockpiles of defensive CystPIs and makes them more vulnerable to hungry pests including two voracious species of beetle – the western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera) and the Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica). Given that soybeans are an increasingly important food crop, it’s in our interest to stop insects from eating them so that we can instead. | <urn:uuid:8e575629-996d-4da7-a711-52243290aaac> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/tag/pests/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00056-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942485 | 406 | 3.59375 | 4 |
Coding may not make national curriculum
Ministerial decision coming in August, but Ministers mostly oblivious
Software development may not be taught in Australia's high schools, as it is not a core part of the nation's new national “Technologies” curriculum.
The national curriculum is a new project, founded in 2009, aimed at developing a national curriculum for all schools from kindergarten to year 12. The project is run by the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA).
Maths, science, history, geography languages and the arts curricula have already been completed or are very near to completion.
A first draft of a “Technologies” curriculum is currently being written and is due in early 2013.
The term “Technologies” is a catch-all for almost any activity that could conceivably involve the use of a modern machine. At paragraph five in the Shape of Australian Curriculum, Technologies (PDF) paper, released in August, that outlines the content of the curriculum the concept of “Technologies” is explained as follows:
"We depend upon technologies for food and fibre production, communication, construction, energy and water management, health and wellbeing, knowledge creation, information management, manufacturing and transportation.”
There’s also special reference to information technology:
“Information and communication technologies, and social media in particular, have increased the pace of change and transformed learning, recreational activities, home life and work. They have provided new ways of thinking, collaborating and communicating for all ages and abilities. The now ubiquitous nature of digital technologies resulting from digitisation, the miniaturisation and embedding of microelectronics into a range of products, and wireless networking means that students of all ages and abilities expect to be able to play, learn and study anytime and anywhere.”
The draft calls for students in Australian schools up to year 8 to study two subjects, “Design and Technologies” and “Digital Technologies”. The paper explains the differences in paragraph 32:
“The key difference between Design and Technologies and Digital Technologies is the relative emphasis on design thinking and computational thinking. While both are utilised in each subject, Design and Technologies has a strong focus on design thinking, the application of the design process and producing (making) solutions to design products, services and environments. In Digital Technologies the focus is on the use of digital systems, information and computational thinking to create solutions for identified needs and opportunities.”
Once kids hit year 9, they’ll have a chance to specialise, with the paper envisioning two possible streams in the Digital Technologies curriculum. One will be called “Information Systems” and the other “Software Development “.
Whether those electives will be offered is, however, up for debate between now and a meeting of state and federal Education Ministers sscheduled for December 2012.
The Register last week contacted Education Ministers in New South Wales, Victoria, West Australia and Queensland, asking if they support the introduction of a Software Development course in late secondary school. Only Queensland's Paul Langbroek has responded at the time of writing. Langbroek pointed us to Queensland's response to the draft (PDF) which is critical of the two proposed streams which it calls "an artificial separation".
We also asked Ministers if they will take up the option to add to the Technologies curriculum, as is possible under the processes operated by ACARA. Again, we have received no response to that question
The good news is that even if coding doesn’t make it onto the curriculum, the proposed content of the Digital Technologies course appears to cover many topics that could help students aspiring to work in information technology. At paragraph 58 of the paper, the course is explained as follows:
“They develop understanding of the relationship and interconnectedness between the components of digital systems in authentic situations. They consider social, cultural, legal, environmental and ethical issues. They use computational thinking methods and strategies to understand and solve information problems. They develop conceptual, collaborative and technical skills to systematically create information processing solutions (such as means of communication, databases, digital media, robotics, transactions and websites) for specified audiences, end users, clients or consumers. They learn to operate and manage digital systems to locate, manage, organise, analyse, represent and present information; create digital products; troubleshoot, control and monitor processes and devices; communicate with others; and support computational and design thinking and production.”
The paper is, however, silent on the content of the proposed Software Development course. The Reg has requested interviews, through ACARA, with those writing the draft of the Technologies curriculum to learn more. Those requests have not, to date, generated a response. ® | <urn:uuid:eb34675e-6dcd-47ae-928d-5d9f6b7f355b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/09/10/australia_national_technologies_curriculum/print.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.93395 | 976 | 2.75 | 3 |
Allowing anyone to mount any filesystem at any location would open a number of security holes.
- An obvious one is that the filesystem driver gets to access the underlying device. This may be hardware that the system administrator does not want to expose to users.
- Another obvious one is that there may be files that allow users to gain privileges. A setuid root shell, for example. Or a device node that allows raw access to the memory or disk or other hardware resource. Allowing a user to mount an arbitrary filesystem allows him to create arbitrary setuid/setgid programs and device nodes.
- A more subtle issue is that mounting a filesystem might create files in an unexpected location. Some applications read files in fixed locations, or trust files where the chain of directories from the root to the file is entirely owned by one user. Mounting a different filesystem along the path could allow the mounter to replace legitimate files by arbitrary content. For example, you could then mount a copy of
/etc with a different
passwd file with a root password set by you. Or you could mount a different directory on top of a user's home directory and provide your own
- Another concern is that filesystem drivers are often written for performance and reliability with well-formed filesystems. If a filesystem is malformed, it may trigger a bug in the driver that allows whoever controls the underlying device to execute code in the context of the filesystem driver, which traditionally runs in the kernel.
You can declare a device, mount point and mount options in
/etc/fstab to mount a filesystem automatically at boot time. It's up to the system administrator not to put anything “dangerous” there, for example no mounting of unknown filesystems in system locations, disable setuid except on the root filesystem, etc.
The old-fashioned way of allowing ordinary users to mount transient filesystems is to put the
user mount option on an fstab, typically combined with
user automatically implies three other options:
noexec. These options disable setuid/setgid files (those bits have no effect), device files (device nodes have no effect), and executable files (the executable bit is ignored except on directories) respectively. The
nodev options are critical;
noexec can be disabled (by adding
user) in almost all situations. Here's a typical fstab line for a removable device:
/dev/cdrom /media/cdrom iso9660 noauto,user,exec
A more modern method to allow users to mount removable devices is to install the
pmount program. This program has more flexible policies than fstab, which only allows a predefined list. Pmount enforces several constraints, including requiring that the device be declared as removable and the mount point be an empty directory under
For network resources, the traditional approach to go beyond a predefined list is an automounter. The automounter is typically configured to allow users to mount only network filesystems (NFS, Samba), only from vetted hosts (or at least only inside a domain), with predefined options including
A more modern approach to allowing users to mount filesystems is to move the filesystem driver out of the kernel. FUSE is the de facto standard here (on Solaris, Linux, *BSD, OSX). The user must have access to the underlying device (if any) since all device accesses are performed by an unprivileged process. For the same reason, a bug in the filesystem driver will not compromise the security of the operating system. The user must own the mount point, so he will not be able to make files appear where he could otherwise not make files appear. Setuid and setgid bits are ignored. It is, however, possible to make files be owned by any user, no just the user doing the mounting. | <urn:uuid:21d701fa-d7b3-434d-8529-582bff2762c3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://security.stackexchange.com/questions/20750/security-purpose-of-asking-admin-password-to-mount-partition-on-linux | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.905199 | 786 | 3.453125 | 3 |
Help the Women – Hire Them to Clean Your Flat or Office24. August 2012 - 9:35 — Dejan Georgievski
The Centre for Women in Sarajevo offers cleaning services for flats and offices by single mothers, women victims of violence and women of difficult material status, as a part of the project of the Foundation for Local Democracy, aiming to help women find jobs, develop and acquire skills, get education, qualifications and start normal lives.
The Centre for Women, operating with the support of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Office of UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), received a donation of Karcher machines for cleaning of carpets, stone and textile surfaces.
"We trained more than 15 women to work with the machines, which can be used to clean homes or office space. They work with semi-professional Karcher equipment, use only environmentally friendly cleaning products that don’t contain solvents. The Women that came to the Centre and agreed to work as cleaners have made it an excellent source of income and they keep all the money they earn for themselves”, Nerimana Sočivica-Salihbegović, project assistant, tolk the klix.ba portal.
The Centre for Women was established at the start of 2012. Over the past eight months, about 60 women have sought assistance and 20 of them have found gainful employment with the help of the Centre.
"The Centre helps women, primarily victims of violence, single mothers and women on the margins of society to find emplozment. All they have to do is come, fill in the form, note their interests, skills and what kinds of jobs they would find acceptable. After that, we do everything we can to find them jobs and help them improve their living conditions“, Sočivica-Salihbegović says.
The project also includes motivational trainings for empowerment of women.
“Most women that come to us never worked before, being prevented by their partners. Also, they commonly suffer from lack of confidence and need to be empowered, which is why we decided to start the motivational trainings. The next training, for ten participants, will be held next October”, Sočivica-Salihbegović told Klix.ba.
The Foundation for Local Democracy also operates the Centre for Free Legal Assistance for Women. The centre provides legal advise and assistance in the areas of family law, welfare protection, healthcare and labour law to women victims of war, single mothers and women living on the margins of society.
Women who need help and didn’t know where to go with their problems can call the number 033/ 22 33 66. Potential employers and persons who need cleaning services can also help the women with a call to the same number. (Source: Klix.ba) | <urn:uuid:9956cd6d-6209-4571-bc92-f508a4378768> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://oneworldsee.org/content/help-women-hire-women-to-clean-your-home-or-office | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00046-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952918 | 594 | 1.515625 | 2 |
Scuttle belongs to the semantic class of verbs which involve fast motion.
Speed is the parameter which is most salient to verbs in this class. Many of these verbs necessarily imply fast motion of the agent. In addition, there is an interesting but non-binding correlation between the speed of motion and proximity of the agent to the ground. Hence, scuttle, a motion done very close to the ground, is faster than lurch, which involves an agent who moves relatively high above the ground. | <urn:uuid:f300790c-70c0-49f4-8dea-3b8bbfda6163> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www-personal.umich.edu/~jlawler/words/scuttle.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947219 | 101 | 2.296875 | 2 |
It is essential that an entrepreneur learns all there is to know about the target market for their product or service. The more an entrepreneur knows about a market, the greater their chances of success will be.
Broadly speaking, this information should include:
- A deep knowledge of the key competitors.
- Knowledge of all the other players in the market, including smaller competitors, suppliers, distributors, dealers and service providers.
- Complete knowledge of the market size and profitability.
- How much revenue the market generates and how fast it will grow over the next 5 to 7 years.
- Knowledge of the major trends that affect the market, including legal and regulatory issues.
- A clear understanding of your buyer.
- A strong, clear value proposition that speaks specifically to your buyer.
- Clear picture on distribution, pricing, packaging, fulfillment, maintenance and support.
There are several ways to segment a market: by geography, by demographics and by psychographics. You need to determine which technique will best serve your business.
When you segment a market by geography, you choose to promote your goods/services to a community, county, region, state, nation, or globally. What option(s) will provide you with the greatest benefit at the lowest cost? What do you know about your current customers? Where are they located?
If you have their address in your customer database you can easily sort them based upon zip codes to find out where they reside. If you do not have a system capable of tracking that, ask your customers (as they are buying things) what their zip code is. Also ask them how they heard about your company. Did they respond to an advertisement or did they just happen to wander in? You really need to know where your customers are coming from so that you can plan future advertising campaigns. If you are missing some regions, how can you construct a campaign to attract them?
Identifying your market by demographics enables you to develop more effective advertising and promotion programs aimed at your distinct customer groups. As you look at the demographic components, ask yourself: What gender are my customers? What age groups do they fall into? What income level do they have? What education level have they attained? Is ethnicity or religion an important factor? What about children—do they have kids at home and what are their ages? If you don’t know the answers, start collecting that information via an anonymous survey tool.
The third way to identify your market is to use psychographic similarities. Psychographics is the use of demographics to study and measure attitudes, values, lifestyles, and opinions for marketing purposes. This includes personality, buying motives and the consumers’ usage of the products. Understanding your customers at this level aids you in optimizing your promotional strategies to appeal to their purchase motives, usage styles and lifestyles.
For example, the market for sunscreen may consist of psychographics segments with purchase motives of health, beauty, and safety. The usage styles for sunscreen may include multiple times a day, daily, event-only or less frequently. The lifestyles of sunscreen purchasers may include athletes, parents with young children, older people concerned about skin cancer, people who spend recreational time outdoors, boating enthusiasts, etc.
Psychographic characteristics inform not only advertising decisions but also packaging and distribution of products. Methods of gathering psychographic data include conducting individual interviews, organizing focus group studies, and purchasing reports from companies who compile market research. | <urn:uuid:17648fa0-3225-4881-a614-d9931d50ce87> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bizstartsmilwaukee.com/ResourceCenter/MarketAnalysis.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00059-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948083 | 698 | 2.34375 | 2 |
New Food Code: How does it affect you?
The Washington State Food Code was revised May 1, 2013. Cut leafy greens are now considered a potentially hazardous food that must be maintained at temperatures of 41°F or below. Click here to find out more information. View additional changes here. Review the revised Washington Administrative Code here. You can also download a PDF copy of WAC 246-215 here.
Foodborne illness remains an important public health concern. The CDC estimates there are 48 million cases of foodborne illness each year in the U.S. These illnesses result in 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths. Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department promotes safe food practices within the community by:
- Reviewing plans of all new and remodeled food establishments;
- Educating food workers and the public about food safety;
- Conducting routine inspections; and
- Investigating reports of foodborne illness.
The following sections provide you with food safety information and guidelines for operating. If you have questions regarding information on this page, please contact us at (253) 798-6460.
Opening a Food Business
Download applications and information related to opening a new food establishment or remodeling an existing facility.
Existing Food Business
Information for existing food establishments including food code updates, how to pay online, change of ownerships and changes to menu or equipment
Temporary Food Service
The Temporary Food Establishment program has made revisions to the application, educational materials and fee schedule.
Fee schedule and application for Farmers Markets have changed
Consumer Food Safety
The latest consumer food safety information
Food Establishment Inspection Reports
Past inspection reports for all food establishments in Pierce County
Food Establishment Permit Renwal
Annual operating permits must be renewed by January 31, of each year. Permits can be either renewed online, in person, or by mail. Have your Account ID and Invoice ID handy—you will need these to pay online.
Food Establishment Regulations
Washington State rules and regulations governing food service operations
Food Managers Course
Current information on certified food managers course, including dates of classes
Food Worker Card Class - Now available online.
Information about how to obtain a Washington State food worker card
Foodborne Illness Reporting
Signs and symptoms of food poisoning and how to report your illness to Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department
Report unsafe food handling practices. | <urn:uuid:250a2571-1ffb-4c45-b517-fee5e08a214e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.tpchd.org/food/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00055-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.909325 | 490 | 1.90625 | 2 |
Every February, St. Croix hosts the largest agricultural festival in the Territory. The St. Croix Agricultural Fair, or AgriFest, is a colorful display of locally produced agricultural products, livestock, arts and crafts and native cuisine. Taking place over three days, festival goers can taste, touch and see everything on St. Croix that has to do with agricultural.
The fair is held at the Rudolph Shulterbrandt Agricultural Complex in Estate Lower Love. There is a small admission fee to enter, but well worth it! Once inside the fair grounds, you can make your way though vendors selling a variety of goods and locally made products that are hard to find at other times during the year.
The main exhibit hall houses the farmer’s market where you can browse fruits, vegetables, herbs and other plants grown by St. Croix farmers as well as other farmers from different islands in the Caribbean. You will also find exhibits sponsored by St. Croix schools, youth groups, public service groups, the Virgin Islands Department of Agriculture and the USDA inside the main exhibit hall.
In addition to the locally grown produce and food, there is a ton of fun to be had on the Ag Fair grounds for you and your family.
Livestock exhibits will be on display in the Frits E. Lawaetz livestock pavilion and at the UVI exhibit area on the ‘Henry Carter’ fairgrounds. They include cattle, pigs, sheep, goats chickens, ducks, rabbits, even emus, peacocks and other interesting animals. All grown and raised by Virgin Island farmers. Some of the animals are raised by students and are judged on the animal.
Awards are given out for various categories for produce and livestock, but the highest honor is the Farmer of the Year award.
For the children, there are donkey cart rides, carnival rides, and a petting zoo. Daily live local music, fashion shows and informative booths are some of the other activities to enjoy. | <urn:uuid:6cf04094-57d0-4c6a-a013-b0d3cd2bbb03> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.gotostcroix.com/events/ag-fair | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00042-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953023 | 410 | 1.8125 | 2 |
Palestine is a collection of episodes documenting two months Sacco spent in Israel and Gaza. The trip was made for the express purpose of later creating the comic. Rather than turn it into a semi-fictional story based on the accounts of people he met, he tells his story like Nick Broomfield, casting himself in the central role. It’s less a comic about the Palestinian experience, and more a comic about his attempts to research the Palestinian experience for his comic.
The book takes the form of small chapters recounting little episodes of Sacco’s encounters with Palestinians (and to a lesser extent, Israelis). Mostly it involves sitting round drinking copious amounts of tea while listening to their stories of beatings, arrest, torture and imprisonment at the hands of the Israeli military complex.
Sacco uses a variety of comic styles to tell his stories. He often uses a fluid style, captions flowing diagonally across the pages. One chapter is told almost all in text, with just a few illustrations. One panel seemed to be done like a parody of Robert Crumb’s famous Keep On Truckin’ image. Elsewhere he uses full page illustrations to show a larger perspective. The art style throughout is meticulously cross-hatched.
However the real strength is in the writing. The stories are invariably tragic, occasionally comic, sometimes knowingly ironic. I thought I knew a little bit about the Palestinian situation, but having Sacco’s first-hand experiences, and more importantly, the Palestinian’s stories, re-told through comic book form, really helped me visualise and better understand what was happening. I say was, as the book was written over ten years ago. I don’t expect the situation has changed much for the better since then. It would be interesting to see a sequel to this, to write about any changes, e.g. the construction of the West Bank barrier. Apparently he’s working on a sequel called Footnotes in Gaza.
Palestine was originally published as a series of nine comics, and later in various collections before all being collected together in this one volume. The late Edward Said provides a foreword, which is appropriate, as one of the chapters is named after him: "I like Edward Said… He’s a Palestinian-American, a professor at Columbia… His ‘The Question of Palestine‘ is one of the reasons I am here…"
The very last page left me bemused; the book ended in what seemed like the middle of a story; there was no closing panel, no witty finishing statement. At first I thought the last page might have slipped out of the binding before realising that I was wrong; I’m still not sure it wasn’t a publishing mistake.
Like the war photographers and war artists before him, Sacco shows us the reality of living under occupation. This is one of the great graphic novels, to be held in the same regard as the likes of Maus, Watchmen and Persepolis. | <urn:uuid:ccea6e43-261a-473b-9150-5efaddaf7d0f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://duncan99.wordpress.com/2008/12/24/palestine/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967658 | 624 | 1.546875 | 2 |
Attorney General Lisa Madigan is waiting to see what the General Assembly does before deciding if she'll ask the US Supreme Court to weigh in on Illinois' concealed-carry ban. A federal court has given the state until June to pass a law that will allow people to carry guns in public. Governor Pat Quinn says Madigan should appeal that decision to the nation's high court, calling it Illinois' "only hope."
Madigan says she's considering it, but says she's mostly concerned with what the General Assembly does:
"We're watching what's going on, obviously in the legislature. Because if they pass something, appealing the decision would be moot."
Legislators have debated dozens of gun proposals but haven't reached any consensus. Chicago legislators generally favor strict gun control, while lawmakers from downstate consider gun ownership a fundamental right.
The Illinois House rejected a plan that would require individuals to get a psychological exam before being able to legally own a gun, and another that would ban certain high capacity magazines.
Support Your Public Radio Station | <urn:uuid:4679f751-a23e-4bc1-822a-e4d114badbf1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://wglt.org/wireready/news/2013/03/01085_LMadiganGunAppeal_044737.shtml | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963176 | 211 | 1.546875 | 2 |
To truly understand the lunacy behind the International Olympic Committee’s recently announced decision to drop wrestling from the Olympic program for the 2020 Games, one need only learn of the events that comprise the modern pentathlon, a sport that was deemed more worthy of continuance.
- Pistol shooting;
- 200 metre freestyle swimming;
- Show jumping; and
- Three kilometre cross-country run.
The competition is referred to as the modern pentathlon as a means of differentiating itself from the original pentathlon of the ancient Olympic Games. The events of the unlikely forefather were much different than those contested as part of today’s pentathlon.
- 180 metre dash;
- Long jump;
- Discus; and
Yes, wrestling, in a certain sense, helped beget a bastardized competition that is now an Olympic sport while it is not. However, the IOC wasn’t attempting to make a literary reference with this almost appropriately Oedipal turn of events. | <urn:uuid:81958f92-ea9c-43a7-9b50-7b939c5a44d5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blogs.thescore.com/fanatico/category/juan-antonio-samaranch/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952807 | 205 | 2.53125 | 3 |
The Critical Path Method (CPM) can help you keep your projects on track.
Critical path schedules...
The CPM has four key elements...
The critical path is the sequence of activities with the longest duration. A delay in any of these activities will result in a delay for the whole project. Below are some critical path examples to help you understand the key elements...
Using the Critical Path Method (CPM)
The duration of each activity is listed above each node in the diagram. For each path, add the duration of each node to determine it's total duration. The critical path is the one with the longest duration.
There are three paths through this project...
Use Critical Path Analysis to find Your Critical Path
Once you've identified the critical path for the project, you can determine the float for each activity. Float is the amount of time an activity can slip before it causes your project to be delayed. Float is sometimes referred to as slack.
Figuring out the float using the Critical Path Method is fairly easy. You will start with the activities on the critical path. Each of those activities has a float of zero. If any of those activities slips, the project will be delayed.
Then you take the next longest path. Subtract it's duration from the duration of the critical path. That's the float for each of the activities on that path.
You will continue doing the same for each subsequent longest path until each activities float has been determined. If an activity is on two paths, it's float will be based on the longer path that it belongs to.
Using the critical path diagram from the previous section, Activities 2, 3, and 4 are on the critical path so they have a float of zero.
The next longest path is Activities 1, 3, and 4. Since Activities 3 and 4 are also on the critical path, their float will remain as zero. For any remaining activities, in this case Activity 1, the float will be the duration of the critical path minus the duration of this path. 14 - 12 = 2. So Activity 1 has a float of 2.
The next longest path is Activities 2 and 5. Activity 2 is on the critical path so it will have a float of zero. Activity 5 has a float of 14 - 9, which is 5. So as long as Activity 5 doesn't slip more than 5 days, it won't cause a delay to the project.
The Critical Path Method includes a techniques called the Forward Pass which is used to determine the earliest date an activity can start and the earliest date it can finish. These dates are valid as long as all prior activities in that path started on their earliest start date and didn't slip.
Starting with the critical path, the Early Start (ES) of the first activity is one. The Early Finish (EF) of an activity is its ES plus its duration minus one. Using our earlier example, Activity 2 is the first activity on the critical path: ES = 1, EF = 1 + 5 -1 = 5.
Critical Path Schedules
You then move to the next activity in the path, in this case Activity 3. Its ES is the previous activity's EF + 1. Activity 3 ES = 5 + 1 = 6. Its EF is calculated the same as before: EF = 6 + 7 - 1 = 12.
If an activity has more than one predecessor, to calculate its ES you will use the activity with the latest EF.
The Backward Pass is a Critical Path Method techique you can use to determine the latest date an activity can start and the latest date it can finish before it delays the project.
You'll start once again with the critical path, but this time you'l begin from the last activity in the path. The Late Finish (LF) for the last activity in every path is the same as the last activity's EF in the critical path. The Late Start (LS) is the LF - duration + 1.
In our example, Activity 4 is the last activity on the critical path. Its LF is the same as its EF, which is 14. To calculate the LS, subtract its duration from its LF and add one. LS = 14 - 2 + 1 = 13.
You then move on to the next activity in the path. Its LF is determined by subtracting one from the previous activity's LS. In our example, the next Activity in the critical path is Activity 3. Its LF is equal to Activity 4 LS - 1. Activity 3 LF = 13 -1 = 12. It's LS is calculated the same as before by subtracting its duration from the LF and adding one. Activity 3 LS = 12 - 7 + 1 = 6.
You will continue in this manner moving along each path filling in LF and LS for activities that don't have it already filled in.
The Critical Path Method is an important tool for managing your project's schedule. As you can see, it's not very difficult to determine it's key elements. However, once your project has more than a few activities, critical path scheduling can become tedious.
Luckily, today's project management software provides this information for you. So take a few minutes and learn how to access this information from your software and you'll soon be on top of your schedule and performing critical path analysis like a seasoned pro. | <urn:uuid:7b7000ca-f746-4512-9689-27c08abf99eb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.project-management-skills.com/critical-path-method.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950361 | 1,091 | 3.328125 | 3 |
One of the largest wooden buildings in the Southern hemisphere, this complex was built to house the early New Zealand governments and much of the public service. Italian in style, the imposing facade is designed to reflect the stone work of the period. Features of particular interest include a magnificent central staircase and an early example of a hydraulic lift. The original cabinet room is also open to public viewing. Newly restored, the complex now houses the Victoria University Law School and the Department of Conservation information office.
Attractions & Landmarks
- Nearest Train: Wellington Railway Station | <urn:uuid:1d6050ca-00f2-4022-8a43-8e7f818927f7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://travel.aol.com/travel-guide/australia-and-south-pacific/new-zealand/wellington/old-government-buildings-thingstodo-detail-29541/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00067-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944298 | 111 | 1.945313 | 2 |
Line numbers in stack traces
Wed Aug 10 04:47:47 CEST 2005
Richard A. O'Keefe wrote:
> Informed that
> The [Erlang] virtual machine has no information about line numbers.
> David Hopwood <> asked
> Isn't that a design limitation of the virtual machine code format?
> I think language VMs should be designed to allow this at least in a
> debugging mode.
> There are a number of assumptions hidden here:
> (1) all VM code comes from source code
> (2) all source code is hand-written
I wasn't assuming either of these. I said that the VM format should be
*designed to allow this*. I.e. where source line numbers exist (not
necessarily Erlang source; the concept of line numbers applies to any
textual source language), the VM format should provide a way of encoding
them, at least in a debugging mode. And line numbers are still useful if
the source is machine-generated, to the writer of the generator program.
> (3) therefore all VM code *has* line numbers
> which it is simply incompetent of the VM not to retain.
I didn't say that it was an incompetent decision, either. It is a
design limitation, not shared by many other VM designs (e.g. typical
Java and Smalltalk VMs).
> (4) the relationship between source lines and VM code is easy to maintain.
It's not trivial, but it's not rocket science either.
> Since Erlang/OTP provides several ways to generate and manipulate source
> code, (1) and (2) are false. Even in C, macros place serious limits on
> the utility of line numbers: a single "function call" in a line may
> expand to hundreds of tokens which cannot be stepped into,
True, but there is only so much code on a line, even if it expands to
"hundreds of tokens". The size of the expansion isn't actually very important;
what matters is whether a line number identifies the point at which the
exception occurred in a way that is usefully more precise than the current
stack traces. Stepping into the code isn't what we were talking about; line
numbers in stack traces do not replace a debugger.
> and the line where the error *is* may be in a completely different file
> from the reported line. Erlang macros are regrettably similar to C macros.
This is true, but it doesn't seriously interfere with the utility of line
numbers, especially for programmers who make little or no use of macros.
In any case, if the particular line that is reported contains a macro
application, then it is obvious that the problem might be with the macro
definition. I don't see why that would be surprising or difficult to deal
> Then we mustn't forget things like YECC and code generators like ASN.1
> (see 'asn1') and CORBA interfaces (see 'ic').
JVM classfiles have a way of specifying line numbers in multiple levels
of source language, e.g. both the input and the output of a code generator.
> While this is not yet a major consideration for Erlang, consider the
> fact that compilers for functional programming languages tend to do
> *major* restructuring, starting with in-line expansion, simplification,
> reordering, and progressing to things like deforestation (which is
> certainly applicable to Erlang). The practical consequence of this is
> that a few bytes of code (BEAM or other VM or HiPE-generated native
> code) may contain bits of many different functions, so that line number
> information would overwhelm actual useful code.
That's one reason why you might only want to support this in a debugging mode.
I am skeptical that the size of this information would be larger than the
actual code except in contrived pathological cases, though.
David Hopwood <>
More information about the erlang-questions | <urn:uuid:9cb4f3c8-ec60-4e49-92b0-bdf7d73bb64f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://erlang.org/pipermail/erlang-questions/2005-August/016479.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.906976 | 862 | 1.726563 | 2 |
Our Milanville post office may look small, but it is really bigger than we can measure. Its place in our community as an independent post office is a vital connection to our federal public services as mandated in the Constitution. The closing of our post office in Milanville will be a contradiction and violation of the U.S. Postal Service Mission Statement in Section 101(a) of Title 39 of the U.S. Code, known as the “Postal Reorganization Act.”
To quote directly from the mission statement: “The postal service shall have as its basic function the obligation to provide postal services to bind the nation together through the personal, educational, literary, and business correspondence of the people. It shall provide prompt, reliable, and efficient services to patrons in all areas and shall render postal services to all communities.”
If our post office is closed, the longer journeys many of us will experience traveling to a new post office will obviate the “prompt” and “efficient” service. Local post offices were created in an age when distances were a real factor in getting to and from the post office. That is still true given the ever-increasing demands on our time and ever-rising transportation costs. But most importantly, we will no longer have a post office to “render postal services” to our community.
And what is the legal definition of community? It is: (1) A group of people living together, or in the same locality, or who share interests or a sense of identity. (2) The area, district, locality, neighborhood, or vicinity where a group of people lives. In a word—Milanville.
The Milanville post office provides much needed employment to our local residents. In an area as small as ours, a few jobs lost have a major impact on all of us.
The Milanville post office also fosters community, for it is there that neighbors meet each other, sometimes for the first time. It is there that many different paths cross, fostering community and, sometimes, economic opportunity.
Furthermore, I voice my dissent against privatization of an institution with a time-tested mandate to serve the public good by binding our nation together though communication that occurs privately outside the commercial sector with all the protection of our Constitution and its related laws.
I have tried to avoid any sentimentality about our local post office and the excellent responsive service it provides. But preserving our post office is as vital as preserving anything that has value to our community for now and for our future. | <urn:uuid:aa7c18be-0f72-4d02-8b76-1f9257f3456e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.riverreporter.com/print/letters-editor/4302/2013/01/16/saving-milanville%e2%80%99s-post-office | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95753 | 524 | 1.914063 | 2 |
Nov 27, 2011, 3:24 PM
Post #15 of 30
According to Mexican Taxes by Raoul Rodriguez-Walters, CFP® Mananging Partner, Mexico Advisor, the answer to your question depends on two things: "legal residence" and "tax residence".
The following quote is from that link (from the section "Mexican taxes", linked to from the left-hand column):
"Legal residence and tax residence are two different concepts. The first is related to the authorization, generally from the immigration authorities, to be in Mexico for a given period of time. This authorization comes is various forms, typical examples of which are evidenced in a tourist card or an FM-3. Tax residence, on the other hand, is defined in the tax law and tax treaties. The distinction between who is a Mexican tax resident and who is not is important because generally non-residents are subject to higher taxes than tax residents."
"In 2004, the Mexican Fiscal Code (the “Code”) established a new definition of “tax resident,” as anyone who has established an abode in Mexico, irrespective of the time he or she has spent in the country. The Code also stipulates that if you have one home in Mexico and another abroad, you are considered a tax resident of the country where you have your “center of vital interests.” Mexico considers that your center of vital interests is in Mexico if over 50% of your income is derived from Mexican sources or if you are employed (or self-employed) in Mexico."
"There are two main repercussions for a foreigner in Mexico as regards tax residency. The first is that tax residents are supposed to register to obtain a tax ID, known as an “RFC” and file an annual tax return reporting worldwide income. The second, and perhaps more of an immediate concern to many foreigners who own real estate in Mexico, is the ability of the foreign national to obtain a tax exemption on the sale of their Mexican residence. This income tax exemption is outlined in the section of the Mexican Income Tax Law applicable to tax residents and is clearly meant to benefit taxpayers who have been complying with their Mexican income tax obligations."
"The good news is that with proper financial planning you can permanently and legally live in Mexico without acquiring a Mexican tax ID, filing a tax return or paying income taxes on foreign income (Mexican source income is still subject to tax). By doing so you may give up the benefit of lower Mexican taxes available to tax residents but you will gain a greater level of peace of mind. " | <urn:uuid:9d45bd26-2682-404d-8546-584545dd830e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mexconnect.com/cgi-bin/forums/gforum.cgi?post=171662;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_expandable;guest=45784603 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974891 | 526 | 1.804688 | 2 |
- Solar Cells
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Solar Energy Panels For Homes
Mabel Said:how much does the shade from rooftop solar panels reduce energy consumption in cooling? (assume 100% covered)?
We Answered:Found the site listed in the source. It compares different roofing material and the temperature rise resulting. One could imagine that the solar panels would be smooth. The other source goes on to say cooler roofing material can reduce air conditioning costs 10-20%.
Derrick Said:What Is better for producing a energy for one family large home Windmill or Solar panels?? Also Why?
We Answered:There's a couple of issues, the first being what you're allowed to have. In many neighborhoods a wind turbine would be out of the question because they make a lot of noise and they sand out visually hence it may violate the neighborhood's deed restrictions. But if you are allowed to have a wind turbine, they are much less expensive then Solar Photo-Voltaic and with a grid tie in, you wouldn't need an expensive battery bank.
The second is what are your energy needs? The majority of the energy used by a household is for hot water, residential heating and or air-conditioning. All three of these could be met with Solar thermal collectors at a fraction of the cost of Solar Photo-Voltaic. The Solar air-conditioning would require an absorption chiller to turn the heat into chilled water for the air-conditioning and would most likely work best with evacuated tube solar thermal collectors. With the exception of evacuated tube, solar thermal collectors are sufficiently low tech that you could build your own collectors. Solar thermal is in fact more efficient than current Photo-Voltaic as the current Photo-Voltaic cells only respond to very specific wavelengths of light. If you meet the majority of your energy needs with inexpensive low tech solar thermal collectors, then you can greatly reduce the size of your Photo-Voltaic system.
I would say that you should try and meet most of your energy needs with Solar Thermal collectors and if your neighborhood allows, have a small wind turbine with a grid tie in for electricity. If you're not allowed to have a wind turbine then a small PV system, again with grid tie in would suffice. | <urn:uuid:bbf77756-ce54-4cbc-bf7b-d8c871252b9f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.pvgap.org/solar-home/solar-energy-panels-for-homes.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940412 | 493 | 2.59375 | 3 |
Recommended Adult Immunization Schedule: United States, October 2007–September 2008.
1. Tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis (Td/Tdap) vaccination
Tdap should replace a single dose of Td for adults age <65 years who have not previously received a dose of Tdap (either in the primary series, as a booster, or for wound management). Only 1 of 2 Tdap products (Adacel, Sanofi Pasteur) is licensed for use in adults.
Adults with uncertain histories of a complete primary vaccination series with diphtheria and tetanus toxoid–containing vaccines should begin or complete a primary vaccination series. A primary series for adults is 3 doses: administer the first 2 doses at least 4 weeks apart and the third dose 6 to 12 months after the second dose. Administer a booster dose to adults who have completed a primary series and if the last vaccination was received ≥10 years previously. Tdap or Td vaccine may be used, as indicated.
If the person is pregnant and received the last Td vaccination ≥10 years previously, administer Td during the second or third trimester; if the person received the last Td vaccination in <10 years, administer Tdap during the immediate postpartum period. A 1-time administration of 1 dose of Tdap with an interval as short as 2 years from a previous Td vaccination is recommended for postpartum women, close contacts of infants age <12 months, and all health care workers with direct patient contact. In certain situations, Td can be deferred during pregnancy and Tdap substituted in the immediate postpartum period, or Tdap can be given instead of Td to a pregnant woman after an informed discussion with the woman.
Consult the ACIP statement for recommendations for administering Td as prophylaxis in wound management.
2. Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination
Human papillomavirus vaccination is recommended for all women age ≤26 years who have not completed the vaccine series. History of genital warts, abnormal Papanicolaou test, or postive HPV DNA test is not evidence of prior infection with all vaccine HPV types; HPV vaccination is still recommended for these women.
Ideally, vaccine should be administered before potential exposure to HPV through sexual activity; however, women who are sexually active should still be vaccinated. Sexually active women who have not been infected with any of the HPV vaccine types receive the full benefit of the vaccination. Vaccination is less beneficial for women who have already been infected with 1 or more of the HPV vaccine types.
A complete series consists of 3 doses. The second dose should be administered 2 months after the first dose; the third dose should be administered 6 months after the first dose.
Although HPV vaccination is not specifically recommended for females with the medical indications described in Figure (bottom), it can be administered because it is not a live-virus vaccine. However, immune response and vaccine efficacy might be less than that in persons who do not have the medical indications described or who are immunocompetent.
3. Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccination
Measles component: Adults born before 1957 can be considered immune to measles. Adults born during or after 1957 should receive ≥1 dose of MMR unless they have a medical contraindication, documentation of ≥1 dose, history of measles based on health care provider diagnosis, or laboratory evidence of immunity.
A second dose of MMR is recommended for adults who 1) have been recently exposed to measles or in an outbreak setting; 2) have been previously vaccinated with killed measles vaccine; 3) have been vaccinated with an unknown type of measles vaccine during 1963–1967; 4) are students in postsecondary educational institutions; 5) work in a health care facility; or 6) plan to travel internationally.
Mumps component: Adults born before 1957 can generally be considered immune to mumps. Adults born during or after 1957 should receive 1 dose of MMR unless they have a medical contraindication, history of mumps based on health care provider diagnosis, or laboratory evidence of immunity.
A second dose of MMR is recommended for adults who 1) are in an age group that is affected during a mumps outbreak; 2) are students in postsecondary educational institutions; 3) work in a health care facility; or 4) plan to travel internationally. For unvaccinated health care workers born before 1957 who do not have other evidence of mumps immunity, consider giving 1 dose on a routine basis and strongly consider giving a second dose during an outbreak.
Rubella component: Administer 1 dose of MMR vaccine to women whose rubella vaccination history is unreliable or who lack laboratory evidence of immunity. For women of childbearing age, regardless of birth year, routinely determine rubella immunity and counsel women regarding congenital rubella syndrome. Women who do not have evidence of immunity should receive MMR vaccine upon completion or termination of pregnancy and before discharge from the health care facility.
4. Varicella vaccination
All adults without evidence of immunity to varicella should receive 2 doses of single-antigen varicella vaccine unless they have a medical contraindication. Special consideration should be given to those who 1) have close contact with persons at high risk for severe disease (e.g., health care personnel and family contacts of immunocompromised persons) or 2) are at high risk for exposure or transmission (e.g., teachers; child care employees; residents and staff members of institutional settings, including correctional institutions; college students; military personnel; adolescents and adults living in households with children; nonpregnant women of childbearing age; and international travelers).
Evidence of immunity to varicella in adults includes any of the following: 1) documentation of 2 doses of varicella vaccine at least 4 weeks apart; 2) U.S.-born before 1980 (although for health care personnel and pregnant women, birth before 1980 should not be considered evidence of immunity); 3) history of varicella based on diagnosis or verification of varicella by a health care provider (for a patient reporting a history of or presenting with an atypical case, a mild case, or both, health care providers should seek either an epidemiologic link with a typical varicella case or to a laboratory confirmed case or evidence of laboratory confirmation, if it was performed at the time of acute disease); 4) history of herpes zoster based on health care provider diagnosis; or 5) laboratory evidence of immunity or laboratory confirmation of disease.
Assess pregnant women for evidence of varicella immunity. Women who do not have evidence of immunity should receive dose 1 of varicella vaccine upon completion or termination of pregnancy and before discharge from the health care facility. The second dose should be administered 4 to 8 weeks after the first dose.
5. Influenza vaccination
Medical indications: Chronic disorders of the cardiovascular or pulmonary systems, including asthma; chronic metabolic diseases, including diabetes mellitus; renal or hepatic dysfunction; hemoglobinopathies; immunosuppression (including immunosuppression caused by medications or HIV); any condition that compromises respiratory function or the handling of respiratory secretions or that can increase the risk for aspiration (e.g., cognitive dysfunction, spinal cord injury, or seizure disorder or other neuromuscular disorder); and pregnancy during the influenza season. No data exist on the risk for severe or complicated influenza disease among persons with asplenia; however, influenza is a risk factor for secondary bacterial infections that can cause severe disease among persons with asplenia.
Occupational indications: Health care personnel and employees of long-term care and assisted living facilities.
Other indications: Residents of nursing homes and other long-term care and assisted living facilities; persons likely to transmit influenza to persons at high risk (e.g., in-home household contacts and caregivers of children age 0 to 59 months, or persons of all ages with high-risk conditions); and anyone who would like to be vaccinated. Healthy, nonpregnant adults age ≤49 years without high-risk medical conditions who are not contacts of severely immunocompromised persons in special care units can receive either intranasally administered influenza vaccine (FluMist, MedImmune Vaccines, Gaithersburg, Maryland) or inactivated vaccine. Other persons should receive the inactivated vaccine.
6. Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccination
Medical indications: Chronic pulmonary disease (excluding asthma); chronic cardiovascular diseases; diabetes mellitus; chronic liver diseases, including liver disease as a result of alcohol abuse (e.g., cirrhosis); chronic alcoholism, chronic renal failure, or nephrotic syndrome; functional or anatomic asplenia (e.g., sickle cell disease or splenectomy [if elective splenectomy is planned, vaccinate at least 2 weeks before surgery]); immunosuppressive conditions; and cochlear implants and cerebrospinal fluid leaks. Vaccinate as close to HIV diagnosis as possible.
Other indications: Alaska Natives and certain American Indian populations and residents of nursing homes or other long-term care facilities.
7. Revaccination with pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine
One-time revaccination after 5 years for persons with chronic renal failure or the nephrotic syndrome; functional or anatomic asplenia (e.g., sickle cell disease or splenectomy); or immunosuppressive conditions. For persons age ≥65 years, 1-time revaccination if they were vaccinated ≥5 years previously and were age <65 years at the time of primary vaccination.
8. Hepatitis A vaccination
Medical indications: Persons with chronic liver disease and persons who receive clotting factor concentrates.
Behavioral indications: Men who have sex with men and persons who use illegal drugs.
Occupational indications: Persons working with hepatitis A virus (HAV)–infected primates or with HAV in a research laboratory setting.
Other indications: Persons traveling to or working in countries that have high or intermediate endemicity of hepatitis A (a list of countries is available at http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/contentDiseases.aspx) and any person who would like to obtain immunity.
Single-antigen vaccine formulations should be administered in a 2-dose schedule at either 0 and 6 to 12 months (Havrix, GlaxoSmithKline), or 0 and 6 to 18 months (Vaqta, Merck & Co.). If the combined hepatitis A and hepatitis B vaccine (Twinrix, GlaxoSmithKline) is used, administer 3 doses at 0, 1, and 6 months.
9. Hepatitis B vaccination
Medical indications: Persons with end-stage renal disease, including patients receiving hemodialysis; persons seeking evaluation or treatment for a sexually transmitted disease (STD); persons with HIV infection; and persons with chronic liver disease.
Occupational indications: Health care personnel and public safety workers who are exposed to blood or other potentially infectious body fluids.
Behavioral indications: Sexually active persons who are not in a long-term, mutually monogamous relationship (e.g., persons with >1 sex partner during the previous 6 months); current or recent injection drug users; and men who have sex with men.
Other indications: Household contacts and sex partners of persons with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection; clients and staff members of institutions for persons with developmental disabilities; international travelers to countries with high or intermediate prevalence of chronic HBV infection (a list of countries is available at http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/contentDiseases.aspx); and any adult seeking protection from HBV infection.
Settings where hepatitis B vaccination is recommended for all adults: STD treatment facilities; HIV testing and treatment facilities; facilities providing drug abuse treatment and prevention services; health care settings targeting services to injection drug users or men who have sex with men; correctional facilities; end-stage renal disease programs and facilities for chronic hemodialysis patients; and institutions and nonresidential day care facilities for persons with developmental disabilities.
Special formulation indications: For adult patients receiving hemodialysis and other immunocompromised adults, 1 dose of 40 µg/mL (Recombivax HB, Merck & Co.) or 2 doses of 20 µg/mL (Engerix-B, GlaxoSmithKline), administered simultaneously.
10. Meningococcal vaccination
Medical indications: Adults with anatomic or functional asplenia or terminal complement component deficiencies.
Other indications: First-year college students living in dormitories; microbiologists who are routinely exposed to isolates of Neisseria meningitidis; military recruits; and persons who travel to or live in countries in which meningococcal disease is hyperendemic or epidemic (e.g., the “meningitis belt” of sub-Saharan Africa during the dry season [December–June]), particularly if their contact with local populations will be prolonged. Vaccination is required by the government of Saudi Arabia for all travelers to Mecca during the annual Hajj).
Meningococcal conjugate vaccine is preferred for adults with any of the preceding indications who are age ≤55 years, although meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine (MPSV4) is an acceptable alternative. Revaccination after 3 to 5 years might be indicated for adults previously vaccinated with MPSV4 who remain at increased risk for infection (e.g., persons residing in areas in which disease is epidemic).
11. Herpes zoster vaccination
A single dose of zoster vaccine is recommended for adults 60 years of age or older regardless of whether they report a prior episode of herpes zoster. Persons with chronic medical conditions may be vaccinated unless a contraindication or precaution exists for their condition.
12. Selected conditions for whichHaemophilus influenzaetype b (Hib) vaccine may be used
Hib conjugate vaccines are licensed for children age 6 weeks to 71 months. No efficacy data are available on which to base a recommendation concerning the use of the Hib vaccine for older children and adults with the chronic conditions associated with an increased risk for Hib disease. However, studies suggest good immunogenicity in patients who have sickle cell disease, leukemia, or HIV infection or who have had splenectomies; administering vaccine to these patients is not contraindicated.
13. Immunocompromising conditions
Inactivated vaccines are generally acceptable (e.g., pneumococcal, meningococcal, influenza [trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine]) and live vaccines are generally avoided when there are immune deficiencies or immunosuppressive conditions. For guidance related to specific conditions, refer to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's “General Recommendations on Immunization” (http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/acip-list.htm). | <urn:uuid:0e97e0e9-fa0a-444a-9031-30109b35e2a8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://annals.org/article.aspx?articleID=737664&atab=7 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00059-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.914459 | 3,113 | 2.46875 | 2 |
1. Run of the Red Queen: Government, Innovation, Globalization, and Economic Growth in China, by Dan Breznitz and Michael Murphree. This book argues that China is not on the verge of making major product innovations, but is coming up with a healthy stream of product-cheapening process innovations. Here is a good interview with one of the authors. Reading it is not always a thrill, but it is full of substance and an important book. It provides lots of evidence — from novel corners — for the “China as more decentralized than we think” view.
2. Tom Orlik, Understanding China’s Economic Indicators: Translating the Data into Investment Opportunities. A very useful book, the title is much more accurate than the last three words of the subtitle. I wish the book had more on believability, however.
3. Aaron L. Friedberg, A Contest for Supremacy: China, America, and the Struggle for Mastery in Asia. I have yet to read this one.
Here are some interesting estimates:
Data from UBS show China’s bank-sector credit—a measure that includes bank loans and holdings of bonds—as a share of gross domestic product rising from 121% in 2008 to close to 150% in 2010. Taking account of banks’ off-balance-sheet lending, the number is even higher, closer to 180%, and the rate of increase in the last year sharper.
Such a rapid expansion in credit is risky. UBS points out that a 35 to 40 percentage-point increase in the credit-to-GDP ratio of other economies over a five-year period has often coincided with the arrival of a crisis. In China, fault lines in loans to the property sector and local governments are already starting to emerge.
As important, China is getting less growth bang for its credit buck than it used to. From 2003 to 2008, total social finance—a Chinese government measure that includes on- and off-balance-sheet lending by the banks as well as bond and equity issuance—expanded on average by 18% a year, supporting growth in nominal GDP of 17% a year. In 2009 and 2010, finance exploded 33% a year on average, but GDP growth slowed to 12%. | <urn:uuid:8ffe5c05-c994-4087-9e2c-39465b1e42e2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2011/08/new-books-and-notes-on-china.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00048-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947687 | 470 | 1.617188 | 2 |
2nd WHO Informal consultation for improving influenza vaccine virus selection
Place: Centre International de Conférences Genève (CICG), Geneva, Switzerland
Date: 7–9 December 2011
The consultation aims to improve the selection of influenza vaccine viruses. It will bring together influenza experts from around the world to review and discuss:
- surveillance issues related to increasing the number and timeliness of representative viruses for vaccine virus selection and candidate vaccine virus reassortment;
- development of new assays and their potential use for vaccine virus selection;
- development of new technology and tools for potential use for vaccine virus selection;
- vaccine regulatory implications for developing new technologies, materials and products relevant to vaccine virus selection.
Vaccine virus selection takes place twice a year and plays a critical role in the production of seasonal influenza vaccines, as well as the development and production of influenza vaccines for pandemics and pandemic preparedness.
If you wish to participate in this meeting at your own cost, please send an e-mail to firstname.lastname@example.org by Friday, 11 November 2011 to express your interest and to provide your full contact details. WHO will review the requests received and issue official invitations. No registration fee is required. | <urn:uuid:0abb4740-cc6a-4deb-9fcd-e0a1405d1fe5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.who.int/mediacentre/events/meetings/2011/influenza_vaccine/en/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00070-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.90669 | 257 | 1.890625 | 2 |
Posted: May 24, 2011 11:20 AM by Stephanie Collins
Updated: May 24, 2011 11:28 AM
The "Learn-to-Swim" days are designed to introduce children to swimming lessons or refine current swimming skills. The Colorado Springs Swim School is hosting the event.
Free upcoming Learn-to-Swim Days:
Saturday, May 28
10:00-11:00am Wilson Ranch Pool
10:00-11:00am Portal Pool
10:00-11:00am CS Rec Center
Saturday, June 25
8:30-10:00am CS Rec Center
Registration is required, call CSSS at 719-385-5984 to sign up. All classes are a maximum of 50 kids at each location, and are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. | <urn:uuid:c97ab893-822d-4af8-9c99-ad680f1fd9fb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.koaa.com/news/upcoming-free-learn-to-swim-days-in-the-springs/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.918794 | 173 | 1.648438 | 2 |
Beginning at Jerusalem
by Samuel McCrea Cavert
Samuel McCrea Cavert as a Presbyterian minister was later to serve as an executive of the Federal, National and World councils of churches. He reports here on the International Missionary Conference held in Jerusalem in 1928. This article was published in the Christian Century, May 10, 1928. Copyright by The Christian Century Foundation, used by permission. Current articles and subscription information can be found at www.christiancentury.org. This article was prepared for Religion Online by Ted & Winnie Brock.
No one could have attended the meeting of the International Missionary Council at Jerusalem during the two weeks ending on Easter Day without discerning that momentous changes are taking place in foreign missions. To one whose eyes are riveted on the past or even on the present these changes may seem confusing; to one who looks down the future they must appear to be fraught with the richest promise. For him ceaseless change is no occasion for alarm but an evidence of vitality. Misgiving would rather be in order if missions remained static, uninfluenced by the new currents of life and thought that are flowing through the world.
For one thing, the Jerusalem meeting made it clear that the missionary enterprise is coming to be not something that we do for other peoples but something that we do with them. Gone was the note of condescending superiority.
As one sat day by day with great personalities from China, Japan, India, Africa, South America and other quarters of the earth, one realized that the final meaning of the missionary movement is the development of a world-wide fellowship in which every race will make its own indispensable contribution to the building of a Christian world. It was a high-water mark in the history of foreign missions when the council declared that the churches of the West need to receive Christian missionaries as well as send them.
In the second place, there was manifest at the Jerusalem meeting a greater desire to understand other religions sympathetically and to appreciate the things that high-minded non-Christians live by. Prior to the meeting a series of stimulating papers had been prepared by competent scholars, setting forth the values in Islam, in Hinduism, in Buddhism and in Confucianism. Criticism of some of the papers was heard on the ground that they were too extravagantly favorable in their estimate of non-Christian faiths, but the very fact that such an impression could be made shows how far missionary thinking has advanced since the days when all religions except Christianity were regarded as evil. At one point at least it was agreed at Jerusalem that other religions can be regarded as allies of Christianity quite as truly as rivals; for a new enemy of all religion, Christian or non-Christian alike, was recognized in the materialism now rampant in all lands. In the face of sheer secularism and atheism all religions, however inadequate as a final fulfillment of the quest of the soul, are at any rate an assertion of spiritual realities and of the value of those things which are unseen and eternal.
Joined with this new attitude of glad appreciation of non-Christian religions was an unshakable assurance of the uniqueness and universality of Jesus Christ. Indeed it was felt that the more clearly one discerns the value in other faiths, the more certainly will it be seen that Christ is the one overtowering personality in whom all those values, found elsewhere in partial and fragmentary form, come to such complete realization as to make him the Lord and Savior of all mankind. The message frankly admitted that in the past the missionary movement had not "sufficiently sought out the good and noble elements in the non-Christian beliefs," and in a generous spirit went on to call attention to some of the worthy things in non-Christian systems.
In the third place, the Jerusalem meeting furnished us most encouraging evidence that the Christianizing of our social relationships is coming to be regarded not as a mere by-product but as part and parcel of the missionary task. "Winning the world for Christ" was no longer synonymous with occupying all geographical areas with missions and churches; that there are vast unevangelized regions was beyond all dispute, but the missionary responsibility was equally seen to mean the bringing of all areas of human activity and social life under the sway of Christ. In thinking of medical missions, the emphasis was not upon the hospital as opening up channels for evangelism. Caring for the bodies of men was rather regarded as in itself a spiritual ministry, as in itself a form of Christian witness, revealing the spirit of Christ and indicating what a Christian society is like. No longer were "souls" thought of as entities that could be saved apart from their social environment. Man was treated as a unity, with his spiritual life related to all his surrounding conditions. Easily three-quarters of the agenda, as a result, was directly occupied with great social and international issues which found no more than incidental mention at even so recent a missionary gathering as the great world conference held in Edinburgh in 1910!
At Edinburgh who thought of economic and industrial problems as of more than peripheral interest to missions? At Jerusalem no topic was more prominent. At Edinburgh few perceived how close to the marrow of the missionary movement is the substitution of interracial understanding and good will for the prevailing prejudices and discriminations. At Jerusalem no one could get far away from this overshadowing concern. At Edinburgh it would have been regarded as a side issue to study the organization of the rural community. At Jerusalem even rather technical phases of the problem were of such urgency that a detailed survey had been made of rural life in one oriental country, Korea, and the council declared that "experts" on rural life must be included on missionary staffs. At Edinburgh the strongest accent was on evangelism; at Jerusalem the ideal was the same but a new emphasis had entered in, an emphasis on religious education as the great means for effecting the transformation both of personal character and of social life which the gospel demands.
In the discussion of industrial problems, the enlarging horizon of missions was disclosed most luminously. The report on this subject frankly acknowledged that "the missionary enterprise, coming as it does out of an economic order dominated almost entirely by the profit motive," has not been "so sensitive to those aspects of the Christian message as would have been necessary sensibly to mitigate the evils which advancing industrialization has brought in its train," and then proceeded to scrutinize mercilessly the exploitation of backward peoples as the result of the economic penetration of Africa and Asia by the West. Public loans for the development of undeveloped areas, it was declared, "should be made only with the knowledge and approval of a properly constituted international authority and subject to such conditions as it may prescribe,’’ and "private investments should in no case carry with them the right of political control." (Somebody please page Nicaragua!) Concrete attention was given to the protection of the more primitive races from forced labor, the alienation of their land and other economic injustices. A set of industrial standards which missions should hold up before governments in their dealing with so-called backward peoples was adopted, paralleling in many ways the "social creed" of the American churches.
In order to make certain that such statements as these should have more than ephemeral significance, it was proposed that the International Missionary Council should establish, as a part of its organization, a "bureau of social and economic research and information" on problems arising from the contact between Western civilization and undeveloped countries. This plan for helping mission agencies to be more competent to meet the terrific problems confronting the peoples for whom the missionaries work was adopted only after warm debate, and not with entire unanimity. One member of the council was heard to remark to his neighbor, "If this is the kind of program that missionary councils are interested in, we had better withdraw from them and devote ourselves to spiritual work!" The fact that the proposal for a research bureau was definitely approved, subject to concurrence by the National Christian Councils of the various countries, is a noteworthy indication of progress.
In facing the baffling issues involved in the contacts between the races the council was relentlessly candid and honest, but the final report was somewhat disappointing to those who had hoped that the marvelous fellowship between the races throughout the fortnight on the Mount of Olives might eventuate in an epoch-making declaration. To be sure, there were many admirable statements confessing how far short the churches have fallen from measuring up to the Christian ideal and calling for equal treatment of all races in policies having to do with immigration, citizenship and economic opportunity. But the general effect was marred by the disposition of a handful of delegates to infer that intermarriage might somehow be implied in every reference to "social equality." As a matter of fact, no statement on intermarriage was at any time put before the council, but a sudden cautiousness laid hold of some of the white members at the point where the proposed report said:
In lands where the races live side by side the fullest participation of all in racial intermingling for social, cultural and above all religious fellowship, and the development of friendship which such intercourse engenders, is the natural expression of our common Christianity.
Even though the statement was not substantially modified as the result of the debate, one could not help feeling in some of the discussions an atmosphere too suggestive of halfhearted compromise. One member was heard to make the comment in private conversation that a favorable reference to anything that could be called "social equality" would cost his mission board $100,000. But surely the Christian cause would have derived an incalculable gain if, at the loss of even millions of dollars, it were to bring about a day when the bogey of intermarriage could no longer serve as an excuse for perpetuating our unjust social discrimination against our colored brothers.
In international affairs it was the question of using military or naval forces to protect missionaries that occupied the center of attention. It must be added that the interest in this issue’ so far as the mission boards were concerned, seemed confined chiefly to the Americans, but they were re-enforced by the Orientals and the missionaries. An outspoken resolution which had been drafted, designed to put the council unequivocally on record as opposing any resort to military protection, was effectively shelved for a time by the protest of British delegates that their agencies had not yet given any consideration to the matter. Indeed, the council was on the very point of final adjournment without having taken any positive action. This eleventh hour sidetracking was prevented by the insistence of one American member. It is only simple justice to mention his name; it was Bishop Francis J. McConnell. E. Stanley Jones, of India, followed him by declaring: "If no action is taken on this matter, much of the rest of what we have said and done will be rendered fruitless." After the issue was thus squarely reopened, just as the clock was striking midnight and ushering in Easter Day, a clear-cut resolution was adopted which said, in part:
Inasmuch as the use or the threat of use of armed forces by the country from which they come for the protection of the missionary and missionary property not only creates widespread misunderstanding as to the underlying motive of missionary work, but also gravely hinders the acceptance of the Christian message, the International Missionary Council
(1) places on record its conviction that the protection of missionaries should only be by such methods as will promote good will in personal and official relations and (2) urges on all missionary societies that they make no claim on their governments for the armed defense of their missionaries and their property.
From all the addresses and discussions, reports and resolutions of the two weeks’ gathering one comes back with two impressions that overtop everything else like mountain peaks among low-lying ridges.
The first is the glorious realization that there exists today a Christian movement which has become really conscious of its world-wide character and able to function as a world-wide unit. To point out conditions that limit this universal fellowship would be easy -- as, for example, the fact that the ancient Orthodox churches of the Near East are not included in it. In that respect, Stockholm and Lausanne were ahead of Jerusalem. Still, it remains true that in the International Missionary Council we have the most definitely organized and articulate world organization of Christian forces today. United in it, under its new constitution adopted at Jerusalem and under the farseeing chairmanship of Dr. John R. Mott, are not only all the Protestant missionary forces of the West, but also the National Christian Councils which in recent years have come into being in China, Japan, India and many other parts of what is commonly called the missionary field. To have achieved even this measure of unity across our divisive national boundaries is a notable achievement for which no thoughtful person who feels deeply the inadequacies of a merely national Christianity can be too thankful. One hopes it may be a prophecy of an international council of churches which may soon bind together the total life and work of the churches throughout the world.
The second outstanding impression that one carries away from Jerusalem is the spiritual greatness and power of the foreign missionary movement. All the criticisms of it are dwarfed into pettiness in comparison with the majestic moral meaning of this enterprise of building a Christian world. The closing paragraph of the message adopted by the council is one that will long abide in the memory of those who were at Jerusalem and truly expresses the call which they heard to a fresh and courageous commitment to the world-wide cause of Christ:
We are persuaded that we and all Christian people must seek a more heroic practice of the gospel. It cannot be that our present complacency and moderation are a faithful expression of the mind of Christ and of the meaning of his cross in the midst of the wrong and want and sin of our modern world. As we contemplate the work which Christ has laid upon his church, we who are met here on the Mount of Olives, in sight of Calvary, would take up for ourselves and summon those from whom we come, and to whom we return, to take up with us the cross of Christ, and all that for which it stands, and to go forth into the world to live in the fellowship of his sufferings and by the power of his resurrection.
Viewed 8636 times. | <urn:uuid:d9f19d52-20f9-48a0-9217-d8971810c003> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=463 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975626 | 2,913 | 2.203125 | 2 |
Unbuilt Design Award Submission
Randolph Plaza is a proposed Class A commercial office tower in Chicago’s Loop. It is located within the Randolph Street open space plan, and faces a public plaza across Franklin Street. The Grade Level lobby is designed to relate to the plaza, with a large wintergarden that features a commissioned work of public art, as well as landscaping and water features.
The lease levels are designed to optimize lease depth efficiencies, and to provide column-free corner offices. The exterior wall is floor-to-ceiling glass throughout, providing stunning city views. A two-story atrium is provided at the reception level of the mid-rise tenant.
The building is designed to achieve LEED Platinum certification, employing exemplary building energy optimization and water reclamation systems. Fuel cells provide a combined heat and power source, generating power on-site through natural gas conversion, resulting in a significant reduction of utility power demand. Heat produced as a by-product of conversion is used for heating domestic water. High-efficiency boilers heat tenant floors through the fire protection sprinkler system. Storm water and domestic grey water are harvested and treated on-site, and circulated to irrigate landscaping and to flush high-efficiency toilets and urinals, significantly reducing potable water use and storm water discharge.
- GREC Architects
- Chicago, IL | <urn:uuid:1d497e51-11cc-44d0-8715-836c607f5d60> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.aiachicago.org/special_features/2011DEA/awards.asp?appId=17&src=projectindex | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00065-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.930747 | 277 | 1.710938 | 2 |
June 19, 2013
War Is a Hate Crime
Posted on Oct 26, 2009
By Chris Hedges
Violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people is wrong. So is violence against people in Afghanistan and Iraq. But in the bizarre culture of identity politics, there are no alliances among the oppressed. The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, the first major federal civil rights law protecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, passed last week, was attached to a $680-billion measure outlining the Pentagon’s budget, which includes $130 billion for ongoing military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Democratic majority in Congress, under the cover of protecting some innocents, authorized massive acts of violence against other innocents.
It was a clever piece of marketing. It blunted debate about new funding for war. And behind the closed doors of the caucus rooms, the Democratic leadership told Blue Dog Democrats, who are squeamish about defending gays or lesbians from hate crimes, that they could justify the vote as support for the war. They told liberal Democrats, who are squeamish about unlimited funding for war, that they could defend the vote as a step forward in the battle for civil rights. Gender equality groups, by selfishly narrowing their concern to themselves, participated in the dirty game.
“Every thinking person wants to take a stand against hate crimes, but isn’t war the most offensive of hate crimes?” asked Rep. Dennis Kucinich, who did not vote for the bill, when I spoke to him by phone. “To have people have to make a choice, or contemplate the hierarchy of hate crimes, is cynical. I don’t vote to fund wars. If you are opposed to war, you don’t vote to authorize or appropriate money. Congress, historically and constitutionally, has the power to fund or defund a war. The more Congress participates in authorizing spending for war, the more likely it is that we will be there for a long, long time. This reflects an even larger question. All the attention is paid to what President Obama is going to do right now with respect to Iraq and Afghanistan. The truth is the Democratic Congress could have ended the war when it took control just after 2006. We were given control of the Congress by the American people in November 2006 specifically to end the war. It did not happen. The funding continues. And while the attention is on the president, Congress clearly has the authority at any time to stop the funding. And yet it doesn’t. Worse yet, it finds other ways to garner votes for bills that authorize funding for war. The spending juggernaut moves forward, a companion to the inconscient force of war itself.”
The brutality of Matthew Shepard’s killers, who beat him to death for being gay, is a product of a culture that glorifies violence and sadism. It is the product of a militarized culture. We have more police, prisons, inmates, spies, mercenaries, weapons and troops than any other nation on Earth. Our military, which swallows half of the federal budget, is enormously popular—as if it is not part of government. The military values of hyper-masculinity, blind obedience and violence are an electric current that run through reality television and trash-talk programs where contestants endure pain while they betray and manipulate those around them in a ruthless world of competition. Friendship and compassion are banished.
This hyper-masculinity is at the core of pornography with its fusion of violence and eroticism, as well as its physical and emotional degradation of women. It is an expression of the corporate state where human beings are reduced to commodities and companies have become proto-fascist enclaves devoted to maximizing profit. Militarism crushes the capacity for moral autonomy and difference. It isolates us from each other. It has its logical fruition in Abu Ghraib, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, along with our lack of compassion for our homeless, our poor, our mentally ill, our unemployed, our sick, and yes, our gay, lesbian, transgender and bisexual citizens.
Fascism, Theweleit argued, is not so much a form of government or a particular structuring of the economy or a system, but the creation of potent slogans and symbols that form a kind of psychic economy which places sexuality in the service of destruction. The “core of all fascist propaganda is a battle against everything that constitutes enjoyment and pleasure,” Theweleit wrote. And our culture, while it disdains the name of fascism, embraces its dark ethic.
New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, interviewed in 2003 by Charlie Rose, spoke in this sexualized language of violence to justify the war in Iraq, a moment preserved on YouTube (see video below):
“What they needed to see was American boys and girls going house to house, from Basra to Baghdad, and basically saying, ‘Which part of this sentence don’t you understand?’ ” Friedman said. “ ‘You don’t think, you know, we care about our open society? You think this bubble fantasy, we’re just gonna let it grow? Well, suck on this.’ That, Charlie, was what this war was about. We could have hit Saudi Arabia, it was part of that bubble. Could have hit Pakistan. We hit Iraq because we could.”
This is the kind of twisted logic the killers of Matthew Shepard would understand.
The philosopher Theodor Adorno wrote, in words gay activists should have heeded, that exclusive preoccupation with personal concerns and indifference to the suffering of others beyond the self-identified group made fascism and the Holocaust possible.
“The inability to identify with others was unquestionably the most important psychological condition for the fact that something like Auschwitz could have occurred in the midst of more or less civilized and innocent people,” Adorno wrote. “What is called fellow traveling was primarily business interest: one pursues one’s own advantage before all else, and simply not to endanger oneself, does not talk too much. That is a general law of the status quo. The silence under the terror was only its consequence. The coldness of the societal monad, the isolated competitor, was the precondition, as indifference to the fate of others, for the fact that only very few people reacted. The torturers know this, and they put it to test ever anew.”
Chris Hedges, whose column is published on Truthdig every Monday, spent two decades as a foreign reporter covering wars in Latin America, Africa, Europe and the Middle East. He has written nine books, including “Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy and the Triumph of Spectacle” (2009) and “War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning” (2003).
Previous item: End of the Line for a Political Legend?
Next item: Can’t Split the Difference in Afghanistan
New and Improved Comments | <urn:uuid:700a90a5-2704-4bd1-ae98-3c9f6ca3a81b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20091026_war_is_a_hate_crime/?ln | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956376 | 1,453 | 2.171875 | 2 |
Class: IV; Ave. Gradient: 10 m/km; Portages: none; Length: 26 km; Time: 4:00
Season: August to December; Rafts? no; Highlights: nice moderate IV run; Crux move: short solid class IV section
Water Quality: decent; Water Temperature: medium
PI: Vicente Guerrero-El Naranjo bridge (elev: 350 m); TO: Ostuacán
Description: (click here for general notes about my descriptions)
The Magdalena is a lovely trip through a little-visited part of Chiapas. It serves up a full portion of intermediate-plus rapids while limiting the solid class IV.
The first 1.5 to 2 hours is class IV- with a lot of boogie-water and many rapids that end at cliff-turns. The sizable Susnubac creek comes in river-right during the 1st hour. Then comes the hardest stretch, 20 to 30 minutes of steeper class IV rapids where the riverbed narrows somewhat. Passing that, you find a playful class III stretch (30+ minutes), then a longer class II stretch.
The fun ends at the Ostuacán car bridge.
Flash Flood Danger: normal, get an early start.
Descent History: The only known descent was by myself in September 2006.
Flow Notes: There is a convenient on-line gage at Sayula, not far downstream of Ostuacan, linked to below. In 2006, 3400 cfs on the gage was really 1000 cfs at Ostuacan (and gave 450 cfs at the PI). September to November are the most reliable months.
click here for the height graph
Shuttle Notes: The shuttle is a either a rough one or a long one, and you don't always have a choice. The TO at Ostuacán is easy to reach, about 20 km from the Las Peñitas dam on a paved road. The bridge over the river is at the far end of town.
The rough way to the PI is on river-left, crossing over the TO bridge and meandering through the hills a good 30 km to reach El Naranjo and the PI bridge shortly thereafter. On my visit this road was impassable and apparently is usually in poor shape in the rainy season. The long route circles around via Juarez, Pichucalco, Ixtacomitán, and Chapultenango, where the paved road ends. Take the south exit out of Chapultenango, take a right turn after 1.5 km, then continue 15 km more, passing Vicente Guerrero near the end.
Accommodations: There is at least one hotel in Ixtacomitán.
Nearby Tourist Attractions: Chichonal volcano with warm crater lake. | <urn:uuid:13d84e47-2c8a-4c43-9fdf-d633e0e5fbfe> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mayanwhitewater.com/rivers/chiapas/magdalena.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.906156 | 593 | 1.5 | 2 |
Radio ConversationThis is the transcript of an actual radio conversation of a U.S. naval ship with Canadian authorities off the coast of Newfoundland in October, 1995. Radio conversation released by the Chief of Naval Operations 10-10-95.
Americans: "Please divert your course 15 degrees to the North to avoid a collision."
Canadians: "Recommend you divert your course 15 degrees to the South to avoid a collision."
Americans: "This is the Captain of a U.S. Navy ship. I say again, divert your course."
Canadians: "No. I say again, you divert your course."
Americans: "This is the aircraft carrier USS Lincoln, the second largest ship in the United States' Atlantic Fleet! We are accompanied by three destroyers, three cruisers and numerous support vessels! I demand that you change your course 15 degrees North, that's one-five degrees North, or counter-measures will be undertaken to ensure the safety of this ship!"
Canadians: "This is a lighthouse. Your call." | <urn:uuid:47fdc7d7-a09e-4d30-a3a8-0064dd450cbf> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.avaruusmies.com/vitsit/englanti/111.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.911828 | 216 | 2.109375 | 2 |
See past semesters' offerings in the Course Archive
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We can register you beginning immediately. Please send your requests no later than April 6, 2013.
|Summer I Courses||Summer II Courses|
|ENGL 3050: Introduction to Professional Writing||ENGL 2220: Literatures and Cultures of the United States|
|ENGL 3210: American Literature II||ENGL 2230: Afro-American Literature|
|ENGL 3690: Writing in the Elementary School||ENGL 3060: Rhetoric, Writing, and Culture|
|ENGL 3830: Literature for the Intermediate Reader||ENGL 3310: British Literature II|
|ENGL 4440: Studies in the Novel||ENGL 3840: Adolescent Literature|
|ENGL 4790: Writing in the Secondary School||ENGL 4800: Teaching Literature in the Secondary Schools|
|ENGL 5970: Language, Gender, and Culture||ENGL 5380: Modern Literature|
|ENGL 5970: New Play Project|
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2:00—5:20; Brown 1045
Dr. Brian Gogan
Recently, 97% of over 300 Fortune 1000 executives rated the “ability to write clearly and persuasively” as “absolutely necessary” or “very important” for individuals embarking on careers. The message of these high-powered executives is clear: Writing effectively positions you for professional success.
As such, “English 3050: Introduction to Professional Writing” is a course designed to position you for success by developing your confidence and competency in the written communication that occurs in professional settings.
During this course you will:
This course is held in a computer lab with plenty of opportunity for personalized help with course projects. No textbooks are required for this course.
Mondays and Wednesdays, 12:00—2:30; Brown 4048
Dr. Philip Egan
The summer section of American Literature II will use Volume Two of the Shorter Eighth edition of The Norton Anthology of American Literature .We will read a selection of major poets, fiction writers, and playwrights of American literature from the late 19th century to the present, including (but certainly not limited to): Mark Twain, Henry James, T. S. Eliot, Wallace Stevens, William Carlos Williams, Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Tennessee Williams. We'll fit in other authors as we can. Students will do lots of short writing, take quizzes, deliver an in-class report, write a longer paper toward the end, and take a final exam.
Mondays and Wednesdays, 6:00—9:20; Brown 3045
Ms. Christy McDowell
This course focuses on writing development of pre-school through middle school children, and on ways one can encourage and respond to student writing, assess writing growth, and use writing as a means of learning. This course also fosters a theoretical understanding of the writing process in part by writing in varied genres and forms, and emphasizes writing as an integral component of the entire curriculum.
Mondays and Wednesdays, 6:00—9:30; Brown 1048
Professor Judith Rypma
English 3830 focuses on criticism of works for children in grades 4 through 8, with a focus on critical thinking and close literary analysis. Works read include a variety of novels, epics, myths, poems, biographies, etc. This a lecture and discussion class, and serves as a content course for both education and non-education majors. It also fits Distribution Area 2.
Texts will include Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Spinelli'sEggs, Nikki Grimes' Bronx Masquerade, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Devil's Arithmetic, The Giver, and Tuck Everlasting. A variety of handouts of myths, hero tales, and poems will also be provided.
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4:00—7:20; Brown 3030
Dr. Mustafa Mirzeler
This course introduces students to the richness of literary traditions in various regions of the world. The course discusses the past and contemporary literary theories and enables students to develop research skills in the studies of novels. In addition, the course will enable students to assess the strengths and weaknesses of various theories and their relationships to the contemporary studies in the novels.
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6:00—7:20; Brown 3037
Dr. Allen Webb
Learning to write can empower students to trust and value their own words and voice, to inquire more deeply into knowledge and ideas, to be creative, to better understand themselves and the world around them, and to speak out clearly and cogently on topics that matter.
Facilitating the power of writing will be the focus of this section of English 4790 Teaching Writing in the Secondary Schools. Aspiring and practicing teachers will write about their own experiences learning to write, learn about leading writing workshops, effective ways to improve student writing, and help make writing meaningful. We'll think about how to help secondary students meet Michigan and national standards.
We’ll focus, too, on writing in the digital age and using new tools for composing, collaboration, revision, and publication, and draw on research in teaching of writing.
The work we do will help you develop your pedagogical content knowledge in English education.
Class will be held in a wireless, laptop classroom in Brown Hall specifically designed for English education courses. This room will allow us to integrate technology into language arts teaching in a "classroom of the future." Our class will be organized by our on-line syllabus that also serves as an electronic, hyperlinked, textbook. Students will work extensively with new digital writing platforms.
Technological change is reshaping the world our students will be living in. Course discussions will be significantly extended in the class on-line discussion forum on the English Companion Ning, a remarkable resource with, at the time our course begins, over 20,000 English teacher members.
As the capstone experience for English Education majors, this course entails an exciting variety of professional activities and responsibilities. You should join NCTE, MCTE, and/or MRA and read regularly the English Journal or Voices from the Middle.
Mondays and Wednesdays, 6:30—9:00; Brown 2045
Dr. Lisa Minnick
Fulfills: MA-level elective;PhD requirement for English Language or Linguistics Course
Language, Gender, and Culture explores internal (linguistic) mechanisms in relation to external (social) structures, the result of which interaction is our language, a complex human tool constructed as much by our most deeply held beliefs and attitudes as to meet our communicative needs.
In English 5970, we will consider the social and academic contexts that gave rise to ‘language and gender’ as an area of inquiry and analyze its theoretical and methodological developments from early research to the present. We will also consider the influences of culture, power, and ideology on language and on the complex ways that speakers deploy the linguistic options available to them in the construction and performance of identity. Additionally, control of and authority over language in its public and private uses will be explored, along with the tradition of linguistic rebellion in response to prevailing attitudes and ideologies about gender, sexuality, and culture, as well as about language itself.
In addition to learning about theories and practices of research into language, culture, gender, and sexuality, students will also learn general linguistic terms, concepts, theories, and methods. No previous coursework in linguistics is required (although it is welcome), but curiosity and interest are essential.
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:00—11:30 a.m.; Gilmore Theater Complex 2015
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7:00—9:00 p.m.; Gilmore Theater Complex 2015
Dr. Steve Feffer
Fulfills: MFA or PhD CW workshop requirement
Mondays and Wednesdays, 4:00—7:20; Brown 1048
Dr. Casey McKittrick
The course is designed to provide alternative views and narratives of American literary and cultural history. We will address the issue of literary canon formation, with an eye toward authors and artists who write from outside the mainstream (heterosexual, white male East Coast Protestant) canonical literary tradition in order to get a fuller view of how American writing and cultural production has evolved. Literary texts may include, but are not limited to, The Awakening by Kate Chopin, The Bread Givers by Anzia Yeszierska, For Colored Girls by Ntozake Shange, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz, The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie, Two or Three Things I Know For Sure by Dorothy Allison, and Angels in America by Tony Kushner. We will be watching some excerpts from Big Love and True Blood, and we will also be watching the film Latter Days and some episodes from the miniseries Tales of the City. In addition, we may watch part of a documentary on blues, rock & roll, and the Civil Rights movement. Students will produce a 2-page journal entry for each text we do. There will also be reading quizzes, one 10 minute presentation on a topic of your choice, and a final 5-7 page paper. There are no exams.
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 12:00—3:20; Brown 4037
Dr. John Saillant
This course surveys African-American literature from the era of the slave trade to the present. Written work includes three essays.
Mondays and Wednesdays, 3:00—5:30; Brown 3045
Dr. Brian Gogan
Rhetoric is the study of the various signs and symbols that make human communication possible. In this course, we’ll investigate rhetoric’s relationship to communication by practicing several different methods of rhetorical criticism. We’ll use these methods of criticism to see how rhetoric gives significance, meaning, and value to day-to-day practices in consumer, corporate, organizational, and popular culture. We’ll consider what particular methods give rhetoric and, conversely, what rhetoric gives particular methods. In the process, you’ll better understand and appreciate human communication in a way that provides you with knowledge about your own communication practices.
During this course, you will:
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 12:00—2:30; Brown 4045
Dr. Christopher Nagle
This course provides an intensive introductory survey of British literature from the past two centuries. This era can be divided into three distinct periods: Romantic, Victorian, and Modern. Writers of the Romantic period (roughly 1780 to 1830) were inspired by dramatic social change in the American and French revolutions and initially sought to revolutionize literature by adopting what poet William Wordsworth called the "language really used by men."
The Victorian era, named for the Queen who ruled Britain from 1837 to 1901, was also revolutionary, even though it has become associated with tradition and repression. Advances in science, industry, and trade made Victorian Britain the most powerful nation on earth, but writers and artists also lamented its staggering poverty, gender inequality, declining morals, and increasing sense of uncertainty. This uncertainty came to a head in the twentieth century with a host of changes—the rise of cities, shifts in gender dynamics, the psychological devastation of world war, and the steady decline of Britain‘s empire. Major writers from each of these eras will be covered and the contexts of their writing explored, so that students emerge from this course with a strong sense of the most important literary and cultural influences in the British tradition during these centuries.
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6:30—9:00; Brown 1048
Professor Judith Rypma
This course examines literature for 9th- to 12th-grade readers. Thus we will read young adult novels, poems, and one play. Emphasis will be on culturally, socially, and globally diverse literature, with readings including the following: Lovely Bones, True Story of Hansel and Gretel, Forgotten Fire, Macbeth, Crank, Bottled Up, Catherine the Great (Royal Diaries series), The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian, etc. Much of your grade will be dependent on keeping up with the reading, thinking critically about the texts, and expressing your analytical skills both verbally and on exams. All students will be required to attend at least one outside event.
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6:00—9:20; Brown 3037
Dr. Karen Vocke
English 4800 is a capstone course which considers fundamental questions of why and how to teach literature; we will also focus on recent waves of reform, reader response, cultural studies, and the impact of the internet. Using both reader response and cultural studies approaches, we will examine the ways that culture and literature intersect to inform--and transform--our practice. We will use a thematic approach to explore a variety of themes in a problem-posing, student-led format.
Of special emphasis in this section of 4800 are the following: examining the reading process—how effective readers engage texts and use strategies to make the most of their reading experiences; understanding the history, current state, and influence of the English literary canon; examining issues of censorship, and designing curriculum and lessons sensitive to students of diverse abilities and backgrounds.
A variety of technologies are examined in this class: digital storytelling, website creation, wikis, webquests, and podcasting, to name a few. Guest speakers will include area teachers and administrators.
For additional information, contact Dr. Karen Vocke.
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4:00—6:30; Brown 2045
Dr. Todd Kuchta
Fulfills: Ph.D. distribution requirement for Modern British literature; M.A.-level elective
Literature of the early twentieth century is usually dubbed “modern” or "modernist," adjectives that have come to mean brashly experimental, highly self-reflexive, and notoriously complex. This course will examine the range of stylistic innovations heralded by modern writers, considering how their writing both reflects and responds to the dramatic cultural and historical changes of the early twentieth century. While we will focus on writers from the British canon, they represent a broad range of contexts. As critic Terry Eagleton once put it, “the seven most significant writers of twentieth-century English literature have been a Pole, three Americans, two Irishmen and an Englishman.” We will focus on most of these authors—Polish-born Joseph Conrad, American expat T.S. Eliot, Irishmen James Joyce and W.B. Yeats, and Englishman E.M. Forster. We will also consider works by Rebecca West, Virginia Woolf, and Samuel Beckett. Students will write regular brief responses, 1-2 essays, take a final exam, and be expected to participate actively and regularly. | <urn:uuid:7615afbc-2ef7-4970-aec3-8e83beb358f6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://wmich.edu/english/academics/coursearchive/summer-2013.html | 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 | 0.919163 | 3,209 | 1.523438 | 2 |
By Kirsten Massebeau
2013 offers new hope for dolphins everywhere! In 2012 there were some significant events that can only mean new, positive changes for dolphins. SeaWorld lost their bid to overturn the OSHA decision banning dolphin trainers from getting into the water and performing with Orca all of this stemming from the death of Dawn Brancheau’s death in 2010 (source). In July David Kirby published his revealing book “Death At Sea World” that would crush the happy picture of captivity created by the captive industry forever.
On May 11, 2012 Born Free released Tom and Misha back into the ocean after two years of preparation. Tom and Misha were captured in 2010 off provincial port of Ismir in Turkey. They were then sent to a tourist hot spot Hisaronu where they were kept in horrific conditions used in a swim with dolphins. Thanks to the work of Donal MacIntyre a journalist, Dolphin Angels, and Born Free today the dolphins swim free!
“Helen Worth had been with the project since the beginning, and said, “When I first saw them in that hell of a pool I wondered if they would survive. It’s been the most heart-wrenching journey with so many challenges but each and every one of them has been overcome by the team and, most importantly, by Tom and Misha themselves. The drama and emotion of Tom and Misha’s story is an inspiration.” (source)
November 24, 2012 gave way to a historic march for whales and dolphin in protest of whale and dolphin hunting, and capture. While dolphin and whale hunting continues to be sanctioned by the government in Japan, Japanese activists are coming forth and joining the International campaign to save whales and dolphins worldwide. These brave pioneers bring an entirely new perspective to ocean activism and animal welfare. Thanks to social media ocean activists can join together on Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms sharing information, and taking action from all over the world.
On August 20, 2012 baby dolphin Marcos was discovered by the Spanish Civil Guard who then alerted PROMAR a non-profit organization in the South of Spain. A striped dolphin Marcos species normally lives in the deep waters. How was separated from his mother and got so close to shore is unknown. PROMAR dedicated to dolphin freedom has and is doing everything possible to make sure Marcos has a successful release. They hope to locate a pod of the striped dolphins using a helicopter and then release Marcos into the group. It is a huge undertaking but Marcos has come a long way. Promar working with Ric O’Barry and The Dolphin Project believe Marcos has a shining wild and free future ahead! Join Marcos on Facebook and see how you can help!
Sadly the total disconnect with dolphins continues in Taiji, Japan and the overall captive industry. While International Marine Animal Trainers Association ( IMATA) trainers, many of whom work with Taiji dolphins celebrated their profits, dolphins were being captured and slaughtered in the cove. For several days bottlenose dolphins watched as a pod of short finned pilot whales suffered, and then were slowly slaughtered. Eventually the dolphin hunters turned their sights to the bottlenose and their cruel and inhumane treatment of dolphins continued. If that wasn’t enough on December 7th, a small pod of Risso’s dolphins was captured, the entire pod immediately slaughtered. Join the campaign asking IMATA to stop the slaughter. During the IMATA conference December 2-7, 2012 the dolphin deaths and suffering in the cove seemed endless:
- 02-Dec-2012: 2 pods, bottlenose (16) & pilots (12) driven, held overnight
- 03-Dec-2012: 12 pilots killed, dolphins remain held in the cove (from Dec 2nd drive)
- 04-Dec-2012: 9 bottlenose taken as live-capture, 7 bottlenose killed (from Dec 2nd drive)
- 07-Dec-2012: 15 Risso’s Dolphins captured and killed (source)
As discouraging as the ignorance and cruelty towards dolphins is in Taiji, and the captive industry, there is hope on the horizon. Thanks to Social Media and the ability to share information Sea Shepherds Cove Guardians and Save Japan Dolphins Cove Monitors are able to report on the drive real-time on Facebook and Twitter which allows activists to share worldwide. The real kicker for 2012 was the live stream taiji.ezearth.tv done by the Cove Guardians. From the minute a pod is spotted thru the horrific processing of their bodies the live stream is on exposing the horrors of Taiji and the captive dolphin industry.
Ocean activist’s are growing in numbers everyday through many social media platforms. As Ric O’Barry says,”Be your own media, make your own network”. 2013 will offer new angles and ways to make a difference for dolphins as we continue to share the message captivity kills! Don’t buy a ticket! Together we can make a difference. | <urn:uuid:6ab92a86-b212-499f-a3c5-2ea0f875f2b6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://championsforcetaceans.com/2012/12/31/2013-brings-new-hope-for-dolphins/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961203 | 1,032 | 2.296875 | 2 |
Deputy Agriculture Secretary Kathleen Merrigan today announced that applications are being accepted for grants to provide economic assistance to independent producers, farmer and rancher cooperatives and agricultural producer groups through the Value-Added Producer Grant Program.
“By creating value-added products, farmers and ranchers can expand economic opportunities, create jobs and keep wealth in rural communities,” Merrigan said. “These funding opportunities will promote business expansion and entrepreneurship by helping local businesses get access to capital, technical assistance and new markets for their products and services.”
“Investing in the ideas of rural Texans is a direct route to the economic recovery of our rural communities," said Paco Valentin, USDA Rural Development Texas State Director. “I urge rural Texans to take advantage of this funding opportunity to increase the value of their agricultural products and create jobs in their communities.
The application deadline is August 29, 2011. For further details about eligibility rules and application procedures, see, http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-06-28/html/2011-16121.htm or the June 28, 2011, Federal Register. Value-Added Producer Grants may be used for feasibility studies or business plans, working capital for marketing value-added agricultural products and for farm-based renewable energy projects. Eligible applicants include independent producers, farmer and rancher cooperatives, and agricultural producer groups. Value-added products are created when a producer increases the consumer value of an agricultural commodity in the production or processing stage.
Visit http://www.rurdev.usda.gov for additional information about the agency's programs or to locate the USDA Rural Development office nearest you. | <urn:uuid:315c8b8c-a2f6-463e-88da-7b7c27ff0e4c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.kbtx.com/news/state/headlines/USDA_Invites_Applications_for_Value_Added_Producer_Grant_to_Assist_Farmers__125013919.html?site=mobile | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.928102 | 347 | 1.570313 | 2 |
One market strategist says such a turning point is approaching fast for many dividend-paying stocks. They've been popular because dividend payers are frequently touted as a relatively low-risk investment option.
"People who have been seeking safety will discover they really didn't get what they thought they were buying," says Seth Masters, chief investment officer with mutual fund company and asset manager AllianceBernstein.
It's easy to understand the appeal of dividend stocks, often favored by retirees and other investors seeking to generate income from their portfolios. With inflation now at about 2.2 percent, dividends offer greater potential than many bond investments to keep pace with rising prices. For example, 10-year Treasurys now yield around 1.6 percent. That's substantially less than the average 2.7 percent yield of dividend-paying stocks in the Standard & Poor's 500 index.
Dividend-payers typically have more cash on hand and steadier income than growth-oriented companies. So dividend stocks tend to fall less sharply when the market declines.
That safety message is getting through. Mutual funds specializing in dividend-paying stocks have attracted more than $60 billion over the last three years. That number wouldn't normally be impressive, except that cash has
Even so, Masters says it's time to take a critical look at dividends. At a recent presentation in Boston, he told AllianceBernstein clients that buying these stocks at current prices could be much riskier than expected.
The concern is that the stocks paying the highest yields have appreciated more rapidly than most other stocks since the market hit bottom in 2009.
Masters cites data showing that these high-yielding stocks have gained so much that they've recently traded at a 50 percent premium to their historical average. That premium is calculated based on the average price-earnings ratio since 1951 for the 20 percent of stocks with the highest dividend yields. The P/E ratio divides a company's stock price by the company's annual earnings per share. A higher ratio suggests a stock is expensive because, in a sense, it takes more years of earnings for investors to get back they paid for it. A lower ratio suggests it is cheap.
Masters believes it's only a matter of time before prices of those top dividend-payers get back in sync with the historic average. That means these stocks would eventually underperform other segments of the market.
Due the strong gains for such top dividend-payers, these stocks make up a greater share of the S&P 500 index than they did a few years ago. The highest-yielding dividend payers account for about 44 percent of the market cap of stocks in the S&P 500, up from an average 34 percent dating to 1970, Masters says.
These stocks have gotten "extremely expensive," he says.
Dividend stocks could also become less attractive from a tax standpoint, especially for investors in the top income bracket. Dividend income has been taxed at a maximum 15 percent since 2003. But that rate will expire in January unless Congress and President Barack Obama reach a compromise first on taxes and government spending. Dividends would be taxed as ordinary income in 2013, and rates would go up depending on which income bracket a taxpayer is in. For the highest earners, the dividend rate would jump to 43.4 percent.
By expressing concern over the current prices of the market's top dividend payers, Masters isn't suggesting stocks are overpriced generally. In fact, he sees strong potential, with stocks priced slightly below their historic average P/E ratio. Current risks abound, from challenges such as the so-called "fiscal cliff" to Europe's debt crisis. But Masters says companies generally have modest debt and plenty of cash.
He sees the best current opportunity in value stocks, which he defines as stocks that are priced low relative to the book value of the underlying company. That's the value of the assets on a company's balance sheet minus its liabilities. While many value stocks pay dividends, not all do, and Masters sees an abundance of potential bargains in the group.
Stocks in the least expensive 20 percent of the S&P 500 based on price-to-book values are trading at a discounted level that's comparable to the bargain-bin prices when stocks hit bottom in March 2009.
"Cheap stocks are very, very cheap today, relative to any time in long-term history," Masters says. "That makes them very compelling."
But Masters cautions investors not to expect a big short-term gain from moving their money into value stocks. Markets can be so unpredictable in the short term that it's hard to say when such an approach might pay off.
Questions? E-mail investorinsight(at)ap.org | <urn:uuid:8b503f0f-bf57-4ad3-8744-fe88c00b08fe> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_22044263/market-strategist-dividend-safety-could-be-myth | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963333 | 966 | 1.632813 | 2 |
Spring Valley Project Flaws
The Bureau of Land Management chose to prepare an environmental assessment rather than an environmental impact statement, which would require much more analysis and public involvement.
The site of the project is significant habitat for sage grouse, and the proposed mitigations measures are both insufficient and not in compliance with the current body of science on sage grouse. In fact, the Center brought to light letters between the BLM and the Nevada Department of Wildlife showing that the agency essentially ignored the Department’s concerns regarding impacts on the species.
There are other species concerns, such as the presence of a migratory bat cave visited by more than a million Mexican short-tailed bats annually, as well as the presence of the imperiled pygmy rabbit on site.
The site and adjacent area are the scene of a massacre of American Indians in the late 1880s, considered as sacred ground by local tribes.
The project would involve industrialization of a pristine mountain valley, in the process destroying the view of the wilderness from Route 50 — a designated “Heritage Highway” — as well as from Great Basin National Park.
|Photo by Rob Mrowka||HOME / DONATE NOW / SIGN UP FOR E-NETWORK / CONTACT US / PHOTO USE /| | <urn:uuid:bc3ee56c-0e3d-4655-b10f-9ad9b6bcc724> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/public_lands/deserts/nevada/spring_valley_wind_project.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950726 | 260 | 2.84375 | 3 |
DisplayMate: New iPad Lies About Charging Status
Updated 1:00 PM ET with new data from DisplayMate.
The new Apple iPad keeps charging for more than two hours after it says it has a full battery, Dr. Raymond Soneira of DisplayMate Technologies said after testing the new tablet's display.
"At 2:00 hours after reporting 100% charge, the new iPad hardware started to reduce the charging power. At 2:10 the recharging cycle fully terminated with a sharp decrease in power. The new iPad battery is truly fully recharged 2 hours and 10 minutes after prematurely reporting on screen that it was fully charged," Soneira said in an email to PCMag.com.
The iPad isn't alone in this. "Other tablets and smartphones also lie about their charging status," Soneira said in another email.
The problem is an inaccurate battery-charge display algorithm, Soneira says.
"The charge indicator on all mobile devices is based on a mathematical model of the charge rates, discharge rates, and recent discharge history of the battery. It uses this information to estimate how much running time is left. ... So there is something wrong with the battery charge mathematical model on the iPad," he said in his e-mail.
Soneira, a leading display analyst, has worked with PCMag.com before in helping to analyze monitors, TVs and portable displays.
As the new 2048-by-1536 display's backlight takes 7 watts of power compared to the iPad 2's 2.7-2.8 watts, according to Soneira's full report, the new iPad requires a much bigger battery.
But the new iPad uses the same power adapter and internal charging circuitry as the old one, with a 10-watt power adapter. That means the bigger battery takes longer to charge.
In our tests, we found that the new iPad took about seven hours to show a 100% charge, while the previous iPad 2 took about four hours. Soneira now says to add two hours to be sure.
According to Soneira's other tests, most other 10-inch tablets - including the Motorola Xoom, Asus Transformer TF101 and Acer Iconia A500 - have about the same screen power draw as the iPad 2. The Samsung Galaxy Tab is between the iPad 2 and new iPad, at 3.3-4.7 watts.
None of those tablets have anything close to the new iPad's 2048-by-1536 resolution, though. The first Android-powered tablets to approach that resolution will probably be the upcoming Asus Infinity TF700 and Acer Iconia A700, with 1900-by-1200 screens. Those tablets are tipped to be coming out sometime later this spring.
blog comments powered by Disqus | <urn:uuid:cf34ca8a-e1db-4fc3-9aea-97a33343ddba> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2402027,00.asp | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00028-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949263 | 571 | 1.640625 | 2 |
The Greatest Story Ever Sold
The Decline and Fall of Truth from 9/11 to Katrina
New York Times columnist Frank Rich examines the trail of fictions manufactured by the Bush administration from 9/11 to Hurricane Katrina, exposing the most brilliant spin campaign ever waged
New York Times correspondent Frank Rich examines the trail of fictions manufactured by the Bush administration from 9/11 to Hurricane Katrina, exposing the most brilliant spin campaign ever waged."Occasionally the right man is at just the right place at exactly the right time.... Frank Rich is that man.... A shrewdly observed and reasoned explanation of the motives behind all this horrifically destructive deceit."
When America was attacked on 9/11, its citizens almost unanimously rallied behind its new, untested president as he went to war. What they didn't know at the time was that the Bush administration's highest priority was not to vanquish Al Qaeda but to consolidate its own power at any cost. It was a mission that could be accomplished only by a propaganda presidency in which reality was steadily replaced by a scenario of the White House's own invention-and such was that scenario's devious brilliance that it fashioned a second war against an enemy that did not attack America on 9/11, intimidated the Democrats into incoherence and impotence, and turned a presidential election into an irrelevant referendum on macho imagery and same-sex marriage.
As only he can, acclaimed New York Times columnist Frank Rich delivers a step-by-step chronicle of how skillfully the White House built its house of cards and how the institutions that should have exposed these fictions, the mainstream news media, were too often left powerless by the administration's relentless attack machine, their own post-9/11 timidity, and an unending parade of self-inflicted scandals (typified by those at The New York Times). Demonstrating the candor and conviction that have made him one of our most trusted and incisive public voices, Rich brilliantly and meticulously illuminates the White House's disturbing love affair with "truthiness," and the ways in which a bungled war, a seemingly obscure Washington leak, and a devastating hurricane at long last revealed the man-behind-the-curtain and the story that had so effectively been sold to the nation, as god-given patriotic fact.
-Tim Rutten, Los Angeles Times
"Frank Rich has the perfect credentials for writing an account of the Bush administration, which has done so much to blur the lines between politics and show business."
-Ian Buruma, The New York Times Book Review
"A gripping, witty and devastating indictment of President Bush's reliance on public relations to market his Iraq and counterterrorism policies."
-The Washington Post
"Fierce and uncompromising."
"An incisive assault on the administration's message control and word games."
"Destined to enjoy a healthy shelf life."
-The New York Times
To keep up-to-date, input your email address, and we will contact you on publication
Please alert me via email when: | <urn:uuid:ec067b4a-1e11-4362-b7d2-31485f10d7fb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.us.penguingroup.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9781594200984,00.html?The_Greatest_Story_Ever_Sold_Frank_Rich | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00037-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9523 | 624 | 1.53125 | 2 |
In Chennai, India, where I live, those who are rich have built apartments facing the sea and, as they build, the fisherfolk are pushed closer to the sea. In several fishing hamlets in and around Chennai, which is the capital of Tamil Nadu state, fisherfolk sometimes live as close as 50 meters from the sea. Since the tsunami, the Tamil Nadu government has admitted that 95 percent of the affected population belongs to the fishing community, which forms an estimated six percent of the entire state’s population.
In India’s caste hierarchy, fisherfolk are placed above the “untouchables” (who identify themselves as “dalits” today), but their position in society is not very unlike that of the dalits. Given the crucial question of their representation in the news media, dalits and fisherfolk—who are classified as the “scheduled caste” and “most backward class” by the government—almost go unrepresented. Perhaps this is related to their absence as members of the news media. A study published in 2004 found that there were no dalits (who constitute 16.48 percent of India’s billion- plus population) or adivasis (the indigenous population, 8.05 percent) visible in the Indian media. The brahmins, estimated to form three percent of the population, hold nearly 60 percent of reporting and editorial jobs in the English-language media.
Print and visual media in India, like other privately controlled industries, do not believe in the principle of diversity. While in the United States there have been concerted and conscious efforts made to improve the presence of social minorities in the media, the Indian newspaper establishment does not even acknowledge the nonrepresentation of certain communities as an issue. Yet it leads to a lopsidedness in priorities about what stories to cover, and the coverage of the tsunami and its aftermath reflects this structural problem. Not surprisingly, a natural disaster in India inevitably and quickly turns into a social disaster in which the news media play a central role.
When no reporters, photographers or news editors come from the fishing community, it is unlikely that this community’s problems will be understood or get fairly represented. This helps to explain what I regard as the largely insensitive and pointless reporting by the media—TV and print, both in Tamil and English—of the tsunami disaster.
Correspondents who reported this story had almost never stepped into these ghettoized fishing settlements before the tsunami. During the last few years, the Tamil Nadu government had been trying to relocate several fishing hamlets in Chennai to landlocked areas six to eight kilometers from the shore to “beautify” the beach. The fisherfolk resisted such moves. The media, including the newsmagazine, Outlook, where I work, were hardly interested in reporting these developments. Now, too, when the government is using post-tsunami rehabilitation as an opportunity to push fisherfolk away from the shoreline, the media are still uninterested.
The fishing ghettoes are no-go zones for those who do not belong to the community. Fish is consumed by everyone, but the fisherfolk are always kept at a safe distance. And they rarely inhabit spaces other than seaside settlements. In reporting on the tsunami, I met several fishing community members who had tried to move away from their traditional occupations of fishing and work as engineers, lawyers and software technologists, but they found it difficult to get jobs or rent houses once their identity was revealed. The popular stereotype of the community is that they are quarrelsome, dirty, smelly and that the men are given to drinking and are prone to crime. Since work in the sea tends to be seasonal, the fishermen are available as ‘goondas’ (as goons/thugs are known) and mercenaries. Simply put—an antisocial image. When reporters walked through the worst affected areas, these were the images they inevitably carried in their minds. Since this was one of the biggest stories of the century, they could not walk away from the scene, and so they began to peddle the images of these people as victims.
Initially, hundreds of stories were the “how did it happen” ones. Visually, both print and television in Tamil Nadu competed in showing images of gruesomeness and pathos. Sun News seemed to revel in showing bereaved women crying helplessly. Dinamalar, the second largest circulated Tamil daily (selling close to a million copies per day), had a color picture of a dog nibbling a dead child. Though the fisherfolk are not necessarily poor, the news media quickly made beggars of them. Within a few days old, used clothes—the charity of the rest of civil society—flooded the tsunami-hit areas, especially Nagapattinam and Kanyakumari districts. But these donated clothes were rejected by the people. Heaps of clothes lay untouched on the roads as a slap on the face of middle-class charity.
Dangers of Human-Interest Reporting
After the victim stories, reporters began to look for “heroes.” They were under pressure to produce “feel-good” stories about hope from the disaster zone. My editors were constantly reminding me to keep the human-interest angle in mind. “At least a box,” I was told. Here are some examples of what this reporting looked like and the consequences of it:
New Delhi Television (NDTV), India’s leading 24-hour news channel, showed one correspondent coaxing a 10-year-old to reenact the scene of how she saved two children when the big wave came. It was clear that the children were made to rehearse the scene a few times before it was put on film.
An English weekly, The Week, published a mid-January cover story on the “heroes of tsunami,” featuring on its cover Vivek Oberoi, a movie star from Bollywood who volunteered for relief work. Oberoi was actually there as part of a right-wing Hindutva group led by Swami Chidanand Saraswati.
With the state government welcoming Oberoi’s presence, and the Tamil and international media celebrating his heroics, even a serious magazine like Frontline, which routinely carries features by notables such as Arundhati Roy and Noam Chomsky, failed to see that he was part of a religious right-wing group. It reported: “The most visible among the voluntary organizations working in the district is the Rishikesh-based India Heritage Research Foundation, founded and run by Swami Chidanand Saraswati …. Among the notable followers of this foundation is the Hindi film actor Vivek Oberoi, who rushed to the aid of the affected people within days of the tsunami attack. He camped at Devanampattinam for a week and helped Swami Chidanand Saraswati in a big way in organizing relief.”
What Frontline and other media did not report was the strong presence of cadre of the rightwing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (National Volunteers Corps) at some of Hope Foundation’s meetings. What also went unreported was that young fishermen openly questioned the presence of Swami Chidanand Saraswati and asked him to leave. The reason: Once this organization arrived, government relief had stopped coming to these fisherfolks’ village. Then one day, unreported by the media, suddenly this voluntary group packed its bags and left.
The large presence of international and national nongovernmental organizations (NGO) impacted the nature of media reporting. In fact, sometimes NGO’s set the news agenda. After being briefed by NGO’s, reporters gave a lot of space to the “perceived” importance of psychological counseling (even though none of the counselors who were deployed to help had ever been in a fishing village and understood little of the community’s dynamics) and to the “imagined” plight of tsunami orphans. In fact, Outlook did a five-page report on tsunami orphans and, as a reporter working on this story, I had to play along. The ostensible reason was, after the Bhuj earthquake of 2001, a cover story on orphans of the quake sold very well, and now a similar story could be repeated in the context of the tsunami.
However, the perception of urban nuclear families of an orphan as being a child without parents is at odds with the community care that such children tend to get in these fishing communities. Once the government decided to open orphanages, very few children were enrolled despite some efforts by overly enthusiastic NGO volunteers who tried to force single parents to part with their children to swell the numbers in these orphanages. As of now, fewer than 100 orphans are in the state-run homes in three districts.
For the media, though, orphans were part of the human-interest angle. In part, media interest was triggered by an NDTV story in which the reporter held a cute infant and said on prime-time television that “These babies could be yours for adoption. For all such orphan babies, the need of the hour is a secure, loving home.” The perception left by the media and government was that these children might not be safe if left with relatives or the community.
One of the best displays of media insensitivity came from the Outlook photographer who accompanied me on this story. Despite being told that the children in the government-run orphanage were scared of the sea, he wanted them to collectively pose near a catamaran “with the sea in the background” for that would make “a great picture.” Denied this, he made the children pose behind the sliding iron grill door of the orphanage to (mis)represent “their plight” and, during the photo shoot, a finger of an 11-month-old girl in the orphanage was crushed in the grill.
Some three weeks after the tsunami, print and visual media remained keen on showing amateur video footage of the tsunami taken by tourists. While visual media thrived on these sensational images, print media was not far behind. The Hindu, a leading English- language national daily printed in Chennai, prominently displayed poor quality photographs taken with a camera that after 20 days washed ashore on Chennai’s Marina Beach. A feature story in the daily’s January 25th issue was woven around the recovery of this camera and The Hindu’s earnest efforts to successfully restore it to its owner, who had come to Chennai as a member of a sports team.
These are a sampling of the human interest/investigative stories the tsunami inspired. By January 26th, it was time for “calendar” journalism involving a spate of one-month-after-the-tsunami stories.
While covering these many aspects of the tsunami’s destruction, there are certain topics about which India’s media have been almost silent. When India rejected offers of foreign aid, there was hardly any analysis done of this decision, even in the English-language press. On the nuclear installations along the coast not having tsunami-preparedness, there was muted reportage. On the failure of India’s scientific community, there was no debate. When the Indian government refused to characterize the tsunami as a “national calamity,” members of the news media were largely silent. The media did not report when dalits were employed to clear the dead bodies without even protective gloves. And the media continue to show no interest reporting on the efforts to relocate fisherfolk in landlocked areas far from the sea.
In all this, one factor remains clear and important: The fisherfolk are not people like us. The reporting on the tsunami told us more about the society to which journalists belong than about the society of the fisherfolk, about which they know very little.
S. Anand is based in Chennai, India and works as a special correspondent for Outlook newsmagazine. He is also the cofounder of Navayana Publishing that focuses exclusively on caste issues. | <urn:uuid:959601e5-ebea-4062-82b5-786813f5a7c6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nieman.harvard.edu/reports/article/101056/A-Question-of-Representation.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00072-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972738 | 2,506 | 2.453125 | 2 |
English Language Learners (ELL)Fort Wayne Community Schools' English Language Learners (ELL) program serves students who are learning English by providing English language development support in 30 of our schools. More than 1,900 students participate in ELL programs. FWCS also provides interpreting and translation services in many languages for our families, which represent over 70 languages, and consistently adds interpreters for additional languages.
ELL Program Goal
The goal of the ELL program is to support ELL students in attaining English language literacy (speaking, listening, reading and writing) so that they can become independent learners as they achieve academic success.
The following schools offer ELL programs:
For more information, please contact the ELL department at 260.467.2105, or the Multilingual Information Line at 260.467.2009. | <urn:uuid:ee9d736b-3b37-47b1-b637-8bdedcdf9119> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://fwcs.k12.in.us/ell/ell.php | 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 | 0.936098 | 167 | 2.421875 | 2 |
Everyone I know has at least one holiday tradition they look forward to every year from Black Friday shopping to family gatherings to attending that one special holiday party every year.
I have two traditions I look forward to. One is to watch Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer. I’m well past the age of believing in Santa Claus and flying reindeer, but it’s just not Christmas if I don’t watch Rudolph. Every year, the night it’s on, I get in bed, prop up my pillows, and snuggle under my big fluffy comforter and watch the cartoon while my cat curls up at my feet. Of course, there’s always a cup of hot chocolate involved too.
The most important tradition though is making Christmas cookies with my mom. She started teaching me to cook when I was four years old. Every December we would make cut out cookies in various holiday shapes. She would mix the dough on a Friday evening and put it in the refrigerator over night. My brothers and sisters and I would take turns peering into the refrigerator at the bowl of dough and asking when it would be ready for baking.
Finally, Saturday afternoon would come and she’d pronounce it ready. She would roll it out and place the cutters on the dough. Each one of my siblings and I would get a turn to push the cutters down into the dough. My mom would peel away the excess, put the cut out pieces onto a baking sheet and into the oven. We’d repeat the process over and over until every scrap of dough had been formed into a cookie.
Rows and rows of angels, reindeers, snowmen, Christmas trees, holly leaves, tree ornaments, and Santa Claus cookies would fill one end of the table to cool then be packed away until the next day, the most important day of all – the day we would frost them.
My mom would make the frosting and allow each one of us to stir drops of food coloring into bowls of white icing. We’d have a rainbow of colors and little bottles of colored sugar to decorate the cookies with. We’d spend the afternoon decorating the cookies, making sure the Santa cookies were frosted red and white to represent his suit, the snowmen white with a strip of yellow around his neck and down his stomach to represent his scarf. Christmas trees had brown frosting for the trunk and green frosting for the leaves and a dot of yellow at the top for the star just to describe a few. When we were finished, my mom would lay them on wax paper to set. We would ooh and ah over them like they were the most magnificent cookies ever made.
My brothers and sisters are all married with children now and building their own holiday traditions but for two days every December my siblings and I gather together and make Christmas cut out cookies with my mom. It’s a tradition I hope we’re able to continue for many years to come.
On Tuesday, 12/20 I'll be talking about what a Christmas Orange means to me on the Authors by Moonlight blog. Link: www.authorsbymoonlight.com | <urn:uuid:d4736d1d-45cc-4c1c-9c5b-a49a27f6d666> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://katherinegrey.blogspot.com/2011/12/christmas-tradition.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966383 | 658 | 1.601563 | 2 |
I would guess (assuming your cat has hard stool) that it's either/or a combination of crystals in urine and worms.
I'd try deworming your cat, and making sure her liquid intake is sufficient. This means wet food, as cats don't drink as much as you think. Most of their liquid intake is through food.
A dehydrated cat will often develop the feline equivalent of kidney stones (crystals). Which, if your cat's stool is hard, would explain the blood (from straining and tearing).
Otherwise, a vet visit to get kitty checked out may be in order. While the above isn't serious in the short run, there can be serious damage if the problem has been about for a while.
The Content on this Site is presented in a summary fashion, and is intended to be used for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to be and should not be interpreted as medical advice or a diagnosis of any health or fitness problem, condition or disease; or a recommendation for a specific test, doctor, care provider, procedure, treatment plan, product, or course of action. Med Help International, Inc. is not a medical or healthcare provider and your use of this Site does not create a doctor / patient relationship. We disclaim all responsibility for the professional qualifications and licensing of, and services provided by, any physician or other health providers posting on or otherwise referred to on this Site and/or any Third Party Site. Never disregard the medical advice of your physician or health professional, or delay in seeking such advice, because of something you read on this Site. We offer this Site AS IS and without any warranties. By using this Site you agree to the following Terms and Conditions. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your physician or 911 immediately. | <urn:uuid:df3d8370-3039-43cf-adf4-6b6060001ada> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Cats/Blood-in-stool-urine---cat/show/588090 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00064-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956421 | 369 | 1.664063 | 2 |
Fountain of Dancing Musicians on the Senovazne Square in Prague on this 3D picture. The sculpture was made by an Austrian sculptor of Czech origin, Anna Chromy.
Four coloured bronze statues, more than two metres high, dance around the fountain. The dancing statues represent major rivers in the world: the first statue with a mandolin represents the Indian river Ganges, the second statue with a flute, the Amazon River, the third statue with a violin, the Danube, and the fourth statue is an allegory of the Nile. The fountain was designed by academic sculptor Jan Wagner.
Sponsor of this post is dance lessons Dubai. This Dance School in Dubai offers private and group dance classes for adults and children of all levels. | <urn:uuid:332beb2d-06ba-4d0f-89aa-65a02a7bba50> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.epoch3d.com/alex3d/dancing-musicians-3d/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00048-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964542 | 155 | 2.171875 | 2 |
Your mental state before you start a workout can play a big part in how that workout goes. Yes, working out can help improve your mental state by pumping those endorphins through and relieving stress. But who wants to just “get” through a workout? Enjoying the workout and being proud of it is so much more beneficial.
We all have those days that we just don’t want to workout, but we do anyway. Take notice of how many days in a row those feelings are happening. You may need to make some transitions.
For one thing your really going to have to change your attitude about working out. What is it that has you thinking “I don’t wanna”? Double check it’s not a negative person you are around that is encouraging these thoughts. It may be subtle, but if they feel guilty about not working out and are jealous of your motivation, they could be sabotaging your workouts.
It could be time for a change. I know for me, I’ve been working out in the same little gym for 3 years now. The only classes we have are the one’s I put together and they have to be some kind of circuit training or small bootcamp. We just don’t have the room for more. I love my gym, but after 3 years of the same thing, I can honestly tell you I’m getting bored. My husband has had the same issue. So I will be adding some new fitness Dvd’s at home, I’m going to check into the yoga class through our parks & rec and there is always fitv for some free workouts to change things up.
By going into your workouts with a better attitude you are ensured to get much more from it. Enjoying your workout will help you push harder. You’ll improve your cardio, your stability, your muscle strength much faster if you push it. | <urn:uuid:a7f60c5b-d748-4dd0-87a3-8f895c2ff60f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://busymommawellness.com/mentally-prepare-before-workout/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00053-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972079 | 401 | 1.820313 | 2 |
"Officers, life doesn't have to be ugly. See, look at the birds out there. Listen to their call: 'Oo-wee! Oo-wee! Oo-wee! Oo-wee!" -- Beverly Sutphin, Serial Mom
Alas, as fans of John Waters' masterpiece know, Beverly's love of her feathered friends didn't extend to homo sapiens. She even killed her dentist and his wife after spying on them eating dinner and pulling roasted bird apart with their fingers. Those monsters! Clearly they had to go. But she's absolutely right that bird calls are something special, which is why bioacousticians and other scientists spend a lot of time in the field recording ornithological utterings and than analyzing those recordings back in the lab.
I was reminded of this by Ed Yong's recent post on the intricate song stylings of the lowly plain-tailed wren -- namely, that the males and females of the species engage in lilting duets with one another. That's the finding of Johns Hopkins researcher Eric Fortune, who has studied the birds in the wild to learn more about how each bird's brain circuitry encodes the entire song, although when they sing alone, they still include the same gaps in the melody that a partner would normally fill in. Read Ed's post for the gory details.
Birdsong -- or more technically "vocalizations" -- is also one way that diehard birdwatchers identify different kinds of birds in the field, along with the more traditional visual markers, especially since some of the rarer varieties prefer to be heard rather than seen. It has always been thus for birdwatchers, many of whom prefer the term "birding" because of the aural element involved in the practice.
Jen-Puc Piquant recalls a line from the Merry Wives of Windsor: "She laments sir... her husband goes this morning a bird-ing." I suspect that context indicates hunting, however, since Wikipedia informs me that the first written record of watching birds because they're, like, pretty and stuff (as opposed to shooting them for food) dates to the late 18th century, in the writings of Gilbert White and John Clare, among others.
Even then, it was as much about collecting specimens from around the world for the enthusiasts' private collections as anything else. The term "birdwatching" doesn't appear in print until 1901, when Edmund Selous published a book by that title, although the first field guide dates back to 1889: Florence Bailey's Birds Through an Opera Glass.
Today, birdwatching is more than just a hobby, it is a vital industry. Per the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, some 46 million enthusiasts spent $32 billion on their hobby in 2001 alone -- and that's just in the United States. Birdwatchers invest in a lot of technical toys, although it does make for carrying a lot of unwieldy equipment into the field: binoculars, a recorder, a field book, CDs, and MP3 player, cameras, tripods, not to mention food and water for the human observers.
The science has also exploded in this area. Between 2005 and 2006, bioacousticians published more than 1700 papers on a wide range of animal sounds, including birdsong. Thanks to that avalanche of research, these days there's lots of audio resources available to birdwatchers, including catalogs of hundreds of different bird songs, so that no one person needs to memorize all of them, like those poor Victorians.
But how do you take written notes on the sounds that birds make? Sure, you could use conventional musical notation, but many birdwatchers aren't musicians. Acousticians use sonograms, a kind of graphical representation that's great for research purposes, but doesn't really capture the essence of what the birdsong really sounds like. We're left with attempting to represent the songs phonetically, as in the quote from Serial Mom at the top of this post ("Oo-wee! Oo-wee!"). Field guides often resort to vague phrases like "far-carrying melancholic song," or the mysterious "tee-do-do-eet."
Enter two enterprising Ecuadoran researchers who think they may have a solution to both problems: there might just be an app for that. Hugo Andrade and David Puente have developed a software system that "transforms sound into a sequence of numbers that can be readily converted and printed in a Quick Response (QR) barcode."
They debuted a prototype version of the software at last week's meeting of the Acoustical Society of America, where attendees were able to see firsthand how the system imports recorded sounds and transposes into a QR barcode, and then "decodes" it using a conventional barcode scanner.
The next step for Andrade and Puente is to adapt their software into an app for smart phones, a kind of mobile catalog in searchable "e-book" format. That would be the ultimate pocket field guide for birdwatchers, wouldn't it? Instead of lugging around lots of pricey and heavy equipment, enthusiasts could happily go about their birdwatching business armed with just a field guide and a mobile phone with a built in camera. If they hear a bit of birdsong, they can look it up on the smart phone app, which will contain a picture of the bird (for visual identification) and a barcode that can be played so watchers can verify the birdsong matches what they've just heard. "No more confusing tweeting sound descriptions!" Andrade declared in his lay language summary of the work.
Ideally the software could also be adapted for recording purposes in the field as well, to capture the sounds of various animal species -- birds, sure, but also frogs, insects, bats, and so on. So perhaps the next time Eric Fortune goes into the field to capture the dulcet tones of his beloved plain-tailed wrens, he'll have far less baggage to lug around. | <urn:uuid:6d3612cd-50ab-462a-adb7-d135437db237> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://twistedphysics.typepad.com/cocktail_party_physics/acoustics/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96254 | 1,244 | 2.65625 | 3 |
Indian charter company Deccan Aviation has launched a helicopter taxi service to bring passengers from Bangalore's new international airport to destinations within the city.
"The service will address the issue of airport connectivity for business travellers to the city and provide a convenient alternative to road travel," says the company, which has christened the new service Deccan SkyLimo.
Deccan, which began the Bangalore service with a Bell 206 and plans to add a second helicopter shortly, hopes to provide a direct connection for air passengers throughout India. It is investing almost $7 million to begin similar operations in Mumbai and Hyderabad with two helicopters in each city.
Bengaluru International airport, which is around 40km (25 miles) from the city, began operations in May. However, the infrastructure around it has not been developed yet and the journey to the city can take up to 50min in clogged roads. Deccan says that the SkyLimo, which will drop passengers off at three points, can cut that time by half.
The passengers will be charged Rp4,800-5,800 ($111-134), with each helicopter carrying up to eight people. The cost includes transport to the Deccan helipad, 1km away from the airport. The company says that it hopes to build a permanent helipad inside the airport eventually.
Deccan is primarily targeting professionals in the IT industry. Bangalore, India's IT hub, houses almost 1,700 international and Indian companies from the sector and has become a major global destination. Its airport now has about 350-400 flights a day, with up to 35,000 passengers flying in and out of the city daily. | <urn:uuid:d3f03e35-e3f7-4e50-ac5f-9fb7b1773988> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/deccan-aviation-starts-airport-helicopter-ferry-service-in-bangalore-225197/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962991 | 345 | 1.523438 | 2 |
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Beautiful flowers, fragrant fruit: Chaenomeles or flowering quince
Most of you are familiar with quinces (Cydonia oblonga), the ancient fruit used to make the Spanish membrillo paste that's wonderful with cheese (for fantastic quince posts see here, here, and again here). But how many of you know that the flowering quince (Chaenomeles Lindl) - related, but by no means the same fruit - is also edible?
Not many, I suspect. Known as the Nordic lemon because of their high Vitamin C content, they also contain a lot of pectin as well as citric and malic acid, which makes them excellent for jam-making or canning. Above you can see fruit still attached - and picked - from my mum's very beautiful flowering quince bush. They're popular in Estonia, as flowering quinces are very ornamental - and they yield some useful fruit as well! The seeds - and there's up to 100 per fruit! - of flowering quince should not be eaten as they're high on amygdalin that some people react to. However, as there's twice as much vitamin C in the peel as there's in the flesh of the fruit, then it's best to leave flowering quinces unpeeled.
Flowering quince extract
My mum's recipe
The easiest way for using is to cut the deseeded fruit into small slices and mix with equal amount of sugar. The jars filled with this mixture should be kept in a cool storage for a few weeks, until sugar has dissolved (you need to shake the jar every now and then for best result). The resulting flowering quince extract should be kept in the fridge, and can be used to sweeten and flavour tea, or just hot water - it has a lovely and a bit lemony taste. (Or, if you prefer, you can use honey instead of sugar for making this extract). This is my mum's preferred way of preserving and using flowering quinces..
However, being into jamming and canning as I am, I made jam with my flowering quinces. I made two different versions - one sweet (as prescribed in the book), one less so (as to our preference). Both were lovely on their own. The high pectin levels help to turn this jam into a nice think almost marmelade-like concoction that will be tasting of early autumn when spread on a slice of toast during the soon-to-arrive dark and cold Estonian winter..
Apple & Flowering Quince Jam
Adapted from Hilda Ottenson "Hoidised" (1977) and Loreida Eisen, Toivo Niiberg & Karl Veber "Ebaküdoonia aias ja köögis" (1999)
1 kg apples
0.5 kg flowering quinces
200 ml water
0.75-1.3 kg caster sugar
Wash and core the apples and cut into chunks (no need to peel the apples, if you're using organic/non-sprayed fruit). Cut flowering quinces into small slices, remove the seeds. (I weighed my fruit after this preparatory stage).
Put the quinces, sugar and water into a large saucepan and bring slowly to the boil. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, until the fruit appears to have softened and the sugar has dissolved into a syrup, then add apples and bring to the boil again.
Simmer for 10-20 minutes, until apples have softened, and you've got a nice, thick jam (it will thicken as it cools down, so you don't want it to be too thick at this point).
Cool just a little, then pour into sterilised cans and close.
Keep in a cool and dark storage for best results.
WHB: This is also my entry to the Weekend Herb Blogging, this time hosted by Myriam of Once Upon A Tart. Click on the logo below for more information about this established foodblogging event. | <urn:uuid:67090a63-e57a-4283-927d-b40a38d8788f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://nami-nami.blogspot.com/2007/09/beautiful-flowers-fragrant-fruit.html?showComment=1191522060000 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947757 | 844 | 1.875 | 2 |
When It Happens Panel Get involved: send your photos, videos, news & views by texting 'OXFORD NEWS' to 80360 or email
12:02pm Friday 29th February 2008 in Health
Aspirin or acupuncture? With so little information readily available in making the right choices for your health and wellbeing, the decision to go for complementary or conventional treatments can be difficult and confusing.
Nowadays, many people are reluctant to resort to conventional methods when there may be an alternative treatment with no side-effects, but trying to find the appropriate remedy can be a real headache!
In the fast pace of today's world where everybody is under constant pressure, people are taking more interest in maintaining good health and wellbeing.
Complementary therapy brings together the best of both worlds by aiming to deal with the whole person and not just the symptoms.
Historically, alternative treatments were founded on systems practised thousands of years ago and is in fact considered to be the original form of medicine. Its roots are derived from an amalgamation of healing ceremonies and rituals from China, India, Japan and the Americas, and have transcended through the centuries due to playing a prominent role in medicine.
For a modern day alternative, the Well Being Clinic, Headington, is a heavenly holistic hideaway tucked away from the busy high street. Established 30 years ago, the clinic recognised the need for giving people a different choice.
For many, massage, acupuncture and reflexology are known solely as the main holistic treatments. Yet as the broad list of treatments available at The WellBeing Clinic demonstrates, complementary therapy can accommodate for a variety of problems of differing degrees. From the Japanese healing practise of Reiki to Indian head massage and Bach flower remedies (a Harley Street favourite), natural therapy according to statistics from the BBC, has seen a growth in popularity over the past five years due to the increasing dissatisfaction with conventional medicine. And, if the rising sales of herbal and homeopathic remedies over the last decade are anything to go by, even more of us are turning to unconventional forms of health care.
In translating ancient native techniques and beliefs into modern day life, the clinic with their 40 therapists, combine to provide an extensive treatment list to soothe any ailment. This approach to health and beauty takes into account stress in people's lives. With a holistic approach, the mind, body and spirit, rather than just the skin, are taken care of.
"Ultimately we look at the causes, not the symptoms," explained Sarah Jones, the Well Being Clinic's resident reflexologist. "All aspects of life-style, general health and well-being are taken into account in order to treat not just the condition, but also the person as a whole."
Sarah's signature treatment and a relatively new addition to the complementary field is facial reflexology. It is widely known that facial massage works wonders for toning facial muscles, plumping and rejuvenating the skin, a non-surgical facelift'.
But by combining the massage and stimulating facial acupressure points, face reflexology works directly on the pulses that are linked to the brain.
Not only is this treatment incredibly relaxing but it actually helps improve the flow of energy, balance the body's chemistry and in some cases can alleviate emotional symptoms such as anxiety and insomnia. The ethos of this treatment may be difficult to understand at first (especially to a sceptic as I was) but after experiencing it firsthand I felt thoroughly de-stressed, gained a new founded sense of balance and my skin looked noticeably plumper.
Considered a gentle non-invasive alternative to ear syringing, Hopi ear candling is an ancient Indian technique designed to balance pressure and withdraw impurities such as excess wax.
Susan Scott (pictured below), the Hopi Ear Practitioner at The WellBeing Clinic describes the process: "The Hopi treatment uses candles that are hand-made from camomile, sage, beeswax and pure essential oils wrapped in untreated cotton. They are then placed in the ear and lit; this generates a light suction action, which in turn creates a vacuum, inducing a pleasant feeling of warmth.
"Pressure is balanced in the ears, forehead and sinuses as a result of the massage-like effect on the eardrum."
The candling process is particularly good for treating problems such as headaches, tinnitus, vertigo, swimmer's ear and bronchitis and, combined with the facial massage that Susan includes, the effects can bring about a sense of calmness and of pure relaxation.
The therapists of the Well Being Clinic deserve great admiration. Not only are they trying to combat the stigma that is associated with complementary therapy and attempting to work hand-in-hand with conventional medicine, these women are actively trying to educate the masses about the benefits of holistic treatments.
Frequent talks and demonstrations are held at Headington Town Hall and open indulgence' days at the clinic for taster sessions.
The therapists also work closely with local cancer charities and hospices on a voluntary basis providing treatments for the patients. This is hands on healing' in the very essence of the word.
Facial reflexology and Hopi ear candling starts from £30. For more information on other holistic treatments call the Well Being Clinic on 01865 751111 or visit the website: www.wellbeingclinic.com Oxfordshire also plays host to many other complementary therapists, among them are two that employ therapists from the Well Being Clinic.
The Oxford Natural Health Centre, Iffley, Oxford (01865 715615) and The Practice, Thame (01844 213344).
Both offer a wide range of non-conventional treatments and therapy. | <urn:uuid:fb12ebcc-178d-4ae6-93c3-62bdfbdacab3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.oxfordtimes.co.uk/lifestyle/health/2083989.Complement_yourself/?ref=rss | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00055-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.93774 | 1,174 | 2.25 | 2 |
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“He held his stubby hands clasped together between his knees, looking down at the ruby and diamond chips a-glitter in his fat gold rings.”
“These precious stones included 1 large ruby and sapphire; 16 sapphires, 11 emeralds, 4 rubies, 1363 brilliant diamonds; 1273 rose diamonds, 147 table diamonds; 4 drop-shaped pearls;”
“Then said he, Depart and make thereon an impregnable castle, rising and towering high in air, and build around it a thousand pavilions, each upon a thousand columns of chrysolite and ruby and vaulted with gold, that in each pavilion”
“When the girl heard the broker’s words, she drew from her finger a costly signet-ring of ruby and said to the man, “Carry me to yonder youth, and if he buy me, this ring shall be thine, in requital of thy travail with me this day.””
‘ruby and’ hasn't been added to any lists yet.
Looking for tweets for ruby and. | <urn:uuid:478eee68-3df3-4f9e-a9a0-fa258da85090> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wordnik.com/words/ruby%20and?suggested_from=Ruby-and | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.913563 | 253 | 2.171875 | 2 |
Mike Peters, the 1981 Pulitzer Prize winner for editorial cartooning and creator of the award-winning cartoon strip Mother Goose & Grimm, has been selected to give the 2012 Commencement address at Washington University in St. Louis, according to Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton.
The university’s 151st Commencement will begin at 8:30 a.m. Friday, May 18, in Brookings Quadrangle on the Danforth Campus.
Peters, who earned a bachelor of fine arts degree from Washington University in 1965, will address approximately 2,800 members of the Class of 2012 and their friends and family members.
During the ceremony, Peters will receive an honorary doctor of humane letters degree from WUSTL.
“It is a great honor to have one of our most distinguished graduates serve as our 2012 Commencement speaker,” Wrighton says. “I have known Mike Peters for many years and have come to appreciate how his time as an undergraduate at Washington University shaped his very impressive career. I know it will be special for him to return to his alma mater to address this year’s graduates.”
Peters is recognized as one of the country’s most prominent cartoon artists for his outstanding work as both a political and comic strip cartoonist. His favorite expression — “What a Hoot” — sums up his outlook on his life and work, which are inexorably entwined.
His editorial cartoons appear in more than 400 newspapers and publications worldwide, including Newsweek, Time and U.S. News & World Report.
Mother Goose and Grimm, the comic strip he created in 1984, now appears in more than 800 newspapers worldwide, and is consistently placed in the top 10 most popular comic strip ratings.
In 1991, Mother Goose and Grimm was introduced to millions of television viewers as Grimmy, a weekly Saturday morning animated television series on CBS.
In addition, “Peters Postscripts,” the first animated editorial cartoons to appear regularly on a prime-time network news program, aired on NBC’s Nightly News in 1981.
He appeared in The World of Cartooning with Mike Peters, a 14-part interview series for the Public Broadcasting Service.
Born in St. Louis in 1943, Peters has been interested in cartooning, and particularly political cartooning, since his childhood growing up in the Dogtown neighborhood.
He recalls as a young boy being encouraged to draw by his mother, the late Charlotte Peters, who was host of a popular variety show on St. Louis television from the 1950s until 1970.
After earning his degree from Washington University’s School of Art, he immediately began his career on the art staff of the Chicago Daily News. In 1966, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and spent two years as an artist for the Seventh Psychological Operations Group in Okinawa.
After Vietnam, his mentor, the renowned World War II artist Bill Mauldin, helped him find a cartooning position on the Dayton Daily News, which has been the home newspaper for his editorial cartoons since 1969.
By 1972, his editorial cartoons were syndicated nationally and, in 1981, Peters received a Pulitzer Prize for journalism.
He has become familiar to thousands through his many appearances on news shows such as ABC’s Good Morning America, CBS’ The Early Show and NBC’s Today.
Peters, who has published more than 40 collections of his work, is the recipient of virtually every major honor in his profession.
In 1994, the Dayton Daily News celebrated Peters’ 25 years as their editorial cartoonist with a roast. Many respected cartoonists gathered in Dayton to honor him, and George Voinovich, the governor of Ohio at the time, designated Sept. 24, 1994, as “Mike Peters Day.”
His numerous honors also include Overseas Press Citations, the Overseas Press Award, two Robert F. Kennedy Awards, an honorary degree from the University of Dayton and a Distinguished Alumni Award from Washington University.
Strong WUSTL ties
Peters says he is grateful to Washington University for success in both his professional and personal life. It was at WUSTL where teachers, such as the late Richard H. Brunell, a professor of art, encouraged him to pursue his passion for cartooning.
It was also at Washington University where Peters met Marian, his wife of 47 years.
Peters hasn’t been a stranger to WUSTL since his graduation. He has been invited back to deliver three Assembly Series lectures since 1981.
During his Assembly Series lecture in 2000, he delivered the annual Benjamin E. Youngdahl Lecture in Social Policy and inaugurated a special exhibition, called “Advocates for Change: 75 Years of Journalism and Social Work,” as part of the 75th anniversary of Washington University’s Brown School.
He has also returned to campus for Homecoming and reunions of former Student Life newspaper staff members. A cartoonist for the paper while a student in the 1960s, he delivered a dinner talk as part of Student Life’s 125th anniversary celebration in 2003.
Peters was inducted into the St. Louis Walk of Fame with a star on Delmar Boulevard in 2002. | <urn:uuid:595ea958-3b37-4f6a-b287-28f8b3fb1e9f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://news.wustl.edu/news/Pages/23623.aspx | 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 | 0.978595 | 1,087 | 1.609375 | 2 |
Be sure to head over to Taste a Beet (don't you love the name of that blog! I mean, even if you don't like beets, and if you don't then I believe you haven't had them prepared properly, you gotta love the bold title.) and check out her creative ways to include the eleven best foods you’re not eating.
The way this award works is to pay it forward to 10 other people. So here are my nominees in no official order:
- Carolyn chose her but I'm going to have to be a copy-cat and offer up this award to Kimberly, The Nourishing Gourmet. Her blog is easy to read and offers a wealth of information that allows the reader to apply new ideas into our lives. I also love her pictures. Follow her journey to good health through real food.
- Melinda with One Green Generation blogs about green and frugal living. She shares tips on making small changes in the way we live to help preserve our planet and create sustainable communities for our future.
- Edrian is the quintessential creative blogger with her beautiful art work and etsy shop cuties. Her creativity focuses on things kids would like or parents would like for their children and she's working on her first illustrated children's book.
- Anne Marie is a Cheeseslave who is passionate about food. Her blog offers a plethora of information on healthy eating based upon Nourishing Traditions. She also organizes the Real Food Media blog network dedicated to slow and traditional food. Her motto says it all: "For the love of cheese. And bacon. And butter. And raw milk. And all those other things we’re not supposed to eat." What's not to love there, right?
- Beth at Fake Plastic Fish is an inspiration to plastic-free living, well, as plastic-free as one can get in today's world. Beth makes this challenge seem attainable and admits to her successes and disappointments. She includes information that is pertinent to living a healthier life and tips to help heal the planet and our bodies by reducing the use of plastic.
- The New Hunter Gatherer is Justine who adds articles, news information, videos, and shares her no-nonsense approach to frugal healthing living through Nourishing Traditions and the GAPS diet after reclaiming the health of her family through food.
- Katrina at Kale for Sale enticed me with the name of her blog because anyone who knows me knows that I love Kale, then it reads: "Grandpa's wooden sign hung on the oak at the top of the hill for thirty years. "What is kale?" I finally asked." and I was hooked with the answer. You'll just have to check it out yourself to find out. Love her pictures, Haiku Friday, Local Produce listing for her area, and her dedication to eating locally.
- Bonnie and the great researchers and writers at the Ethicurean have been a long-time favorite. This blog celebrates cooking, keeps us abreast of the laws, discusses food recalls, and honors the ethicurean in us all.
- Holly offers up Sustainable Suppers where you will learn everything from no-pooing to delicious healthful recipes. She shares her passion for food in her own sassy style with her very back to basics approach.
- Kelly the Kitchen Kop shares her real life changes to Weston Price/Nourishing Traditions eating in her family even with teenagers (and his friends) and shares tips to make it work in your family too. She runs the Real Food Wednesdays which I have enjoyed participating in of recent.
Congrats Kreativ Bloggers and thank you for making our space more fun and inspirational! | <urn:uuid:8c4eba4b-9b09-4a95-8338-de6d2530e25d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://hiporganicmama.blogspot.com/2009/03/wowee-my-first-award.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00049-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958522 | 775 | 1.5 | 2 |
Belated kudos to Washington state for sticking electronics manufacturers with the cost of recycling their obsolete (and often toxic ) products. The new law, which Gov. Christine Gregoire signed late last month, is the toughest e-waste legislation in the country. But don't start hauling out your old TVs, computers, and monitors just yet--it doesn't take effect until January 2009.
Washington isn't the only state following in the footsteps of the European Union, where the three-year-old Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive requires retailers and manufacturers to recycle their products. Maryland, Maine, and California have similar laws, though the latter two require consumers to pay small disposal fees. According to the Associated Press, 19 other states and New York City have electronic recycling bills pending this year. | <urn:uuid:b0d1a1b1-5416-4d2b-a2d1-01737d98f3b7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wellsphere.com/green-living-article/a-weee-problem-with-e-waste/349873 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00029-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951438 | 165 | 2.3125 | 2 |
Far from being the masterstroke it pretends, it is just another piece of nonsense which is unlikely to find significant traction among investors and merely distracts from the wider priority of reviving the economy and getting Britain back on to a sustainable footing.
Competent management of the public finances – the apparent purpose of this initiative – is a fine ambition as far as it goes, but it is no substitute for the radical economic strategy the nation so desperately needs. Now I don’t want to rain too hard on the Chancellor’s parade. For the Government, it makes obvious sense to attempt to lock in today’s ultra-low interest rates for such long periods of time, or as the Chancellor has put it on a visit to Washington, to take advantage of Britain’s current “safe-haven” status.
Potentially, the saving to taxpayers would be huge if and when interest rates start rising again. Britain’s already relatively long debt maturity profile has stood the country in good stead, making it less vulnerable to the speculative attacks which have bedevilled the eurozone periphery. The introduction of 100-year bonds would further extend the profile out into the long-term future.
The Government’s saving, however, is almost by definition somebody else’s loss. For investors, it would be utter madness to indulge the Exchequer in such a manner. Even Collateralised Debt Obligations would struggle to compete by way of guaranteed wealth destruction.
To see why, look no further than the precedent of War Loan. This salutary lesson in how to lose your shirt to the UK Government bears some repeating. Rewind to 1932, and the nation was suffering under the same high levels of public indebtedness as today, only much worse. Following the ravages of the First World War, the national debt stood at close to 200pc of GDP. Today we are still at a relatively lowly 70pc.
Most of this 1930s debt was in the shape of War Loan taken out to finance the war effort. A very high proportion of tax revenue was being gobbled up merely servicing the interest rate costs, crimping expenditure on everything else and threatening an eventual fiscal crisis.
The solution settled on by the then Chancellor, Neville Chamberlain, was to cut the coupon on War Loan from 5pc to 3.5pc, a feat he was able to perform without any act of technical default but merely by redeeming the old stock and persuading a patriotic public to take new, lower-yielding bonds.
From the Government’s point of view it worked just as prescribed, transforming the public finances and helping to cement the lower interest rate environment which was to be the bedrock of the UK’s later economic revival. But for investors it was a disaster.
The new stock immediately traded at a big discount to its predecessor. What wasn’t given up in the immediate aftermath of conversion was later lost to the ravages of inflation. War Loan is the same sort of gilt as Mr Osborne now proposes, and still trades actively to this day.
The calculation isn’t exact, but £100 invested in War Loan back then would in today’s money be worth just £2. The lesson is that it doesn’t pay to hold fixed-interest investments over very long periods of time. Inflation will eventually rob you of your capital. Britain has never defaulted outright on its sovereign debt. Oh no, it’s got a much cleverer way of relieving the investor of his money – inflation.
It was hard to find a single investor yesterday who thought Mr Osborne’s idea a good one. Theoretically, it might appeal to pension funds, which need to match assets with very long-term liabilities, but there’s not a pension fund in the land with liabilities stretching as far out as 100 years. For them, the main appetite is in any case for index-linked gilts, or the sort of hedge against inflation which 100-year bonds are patently not.
Still, there’s no accounting for the stupidity of investors. There will always be some willing to trade their capital for a guaranteed income stream. What’s more, if we get deflation rather than inflation, then even at today’s interest rates, the investor would be quids in.
Yet personally, I wouldn’t want to be on the other end of such a bet, given that the Government can generate inflation at the drop of a hat, and its propensity, evidenced by the experience of War Loan, simply to chop the coupon if it seems too high.
Does anyone honestly believe that today’s historically low interest rates are here to stay even for the next 20 years, let alone the next 100? If so, it would defy most historic experience. For much of the last four years, deflation has routinely been seen as the major threat, but actually what we’ve had is the very reverse – stubbornly high inflation. Fighting the deflationary bogey has been the policy equivalent of the Maginot Line – preparing for attack from the wrong direction.
For how much longer can governments sustain the “financial repression” which lies behind today’s negative real interest rates? Mr Osborne claims Britain’s safe-haven status by way of explanation for these rates, but might they not have just a little to do with the fact that the Bank of England is effectively hoovering up every pound’s worth of gilt-edged stock the Government issues to finance the still burgeoning deficit? By the time the Bank completes the present round of quantitative easing, it will own approximately a third of the national debt.
Government has also rigged the solvency rules to ensure a steady stream of demand for its debts from banks, pension funds and life assurers. The gilts market has become entirely fixed, and does not properly reflect underlying realities.
One hundred-year gilts are therefore something of a red herring. Too high risk for most investors, they are unlikely to be sold in quantity – if at all. As pre-Budget hares go, this was a silly one to set running, and is worryingly indicative of a government – its tax policies already a confusion of political compromise – which is all out of ideas. | <urn:uuid:8207b18c-bb8d-473b-b812-29af2364f8a4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/jeremy-warner/9144471/Britains-inflationary-route-to-default.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958803 | 1,301 | 1.9375 | 2 |
Stretching feed supplies in a drought year is important for graziers who want to remain profitable.
During a recent grazing conference in Randolph, sponsored by the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative together with the Dodge-Columbia Graziers and Town and Country RC&D, participants had an opportunity to glean ideas from those who have found ways to cope with the dry hot weather.
Ron Schoepp, Lodi, custom raises heifers on pasture. Schoepp includes alfalfa in the pasture mix and says the long roots helped extend his pasture in the drought year when grasses did not do well.
He said, "A seventy-five percent mix of alfalfa, established in 2006, did well with the grasses and that area provided our best yielding paddocks in 2012."
Asked about problems with insects that traditionally attack alfalfa during hot dry weather, Schoepp said he never sprayed and didn't have any problems. He believes the mix of grasses with the alfalfa discourages the insects that seek pure alfalfa stands.
When he establishes the alfalfa in his pastures he does so in two separate operations, taking a slightly different pattern so the alfalfa and grasses do not compete with each other.
He also shared his mob-grazing management techniques, noting, "I leave very little residual. Before I move them I make them get up and then wait a little while so they will fertilize the paddock they just finished grazing. Then I move them. I move them four-five times a day."
Schoepp adds, "With this strip-graze method they are in a small area long enough to eat the thistles and weeds right along with everything else."
He said a little molasses on the bigger thistles encourages them to eat them. Putting a little grain on the center of the patch will also help. They eat the grain and the thistles right along with it.
He also notes, "In the drought year we actually fed less baled hay than we did other years. That's because in a normal year, when we see rain coming we bring them into the yard to feed them bales so they won't mess up the pasture. This year we didn't need to do that."
On the really hot days he set up a lawn sprinkler by a feed bunk to let them all get soaked, then put them under a shade tree.
In fall he has success strip-grazing corn stalks. He has determined that 100 stalks per animal per day provides the amount of feed they need in combination with hay. A group of 120 heifers get one round bale a day and they eat the entire bale and then graze on the stalks.
Every day he moves the poly wire to provide a new area.
"The sooner you can do it after harvesting high moisture shell corn the better. We even graze them in the snow," he comments.
Asked about setting poles in the frozen ground he said he has not had a problem because the residue insulates the ground enough around them to get them out. Pulling them out the next day after the heifers have eaten the stalks is sometimes a problem.
Schoepp will host a pasture walk at his Lodi farm on July 10, hosted by the Dodge-Columbia County Grazing Network.
OTHER DROUGHT OPTIONS
Gene Schreifer is a grazier and also UW-Extension educator from Iowa County. He said alfalfa in the pastures helped the pastures survive the dry weather. He usually has success with red clover in dry years but he said this year the clover shut down as well.
Tall fescue - endophyte-free - did fairly well in the drought. He said, "The productivity and persistence in summer is where it shines. It also does well in fall and winter."
Schriefer said another grass that did well in his part of the state this year is the meadow brome, a bunch grass, that slowed some in the drought but as soon as it rained a little it bounced back.
He said orchard grass did well in the good soil and the reed canary grass, with its deep root system, did well in the dry weather.
Schreifer says, "We may need to think about some warm season grasses that like hot dry weather. By having a mix of alfalfa and warm season grasses we should have feed. The alfalfa did well in the areas where there were cracks in the bed rock and it reached down for water."
John Ovadal, a Watertown beef producer, said sorghum-sudan grass helped extend his feed supply last year. He planted it the end of May and it took three weeks to come up but he was able to get two crops from it.
He harvested 65 bales from it or 3.5 ton on a dry matter basis per acre.
Ovadel said he seeded it at twice the recommended rate in order to insure a good stand. He drilled it in with a roller behind the drill.
He said, "The sorghum-sudan sends down deep roots so it helps prevent hardpan, too."
Ovadel takes the last of it off before it freezes so he doesn't have to worry about nitrates in the feed.
His beef cows graze on six-acre strips. He said the tall fescue did well in the drought and it never turned brown but he said his animal don't like it. | <urn:uuid:473036d1-6c95-47f8-bed3-f2bb40b2e6b8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wisfarmer.com/features/stretching-feed-supplies-in-a-drought-year-----jcpg-317110-195956371.html | 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 | 0.975063 | 1,171 | 1.992188 | 2 |
SamKR wrote:From the practical point of view, understanding any "thing" to be "not self" or "no self" is much more useful than leaving a scope for possibility of "true self".
If we have a view that there is a possibility of "true self" (to be realized at a higher level of our Dhamma-practice), then whenever we perceive any permanent-bliss like state we may regard it as "true self" and so we may get stuck with that experience (thinking it to be nibbana), and stop further development. (Contemplation of "not self" alone is not sufficient, it should be supported by understanding of impermanence and others: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .piya.html.)
But if we regard everything (any experience whatsoever, permanent or impermanent, Dukkha or sukha, even if it is nibbana) as "not self" or "no self" then there will be lesser possibility of being stuck in any particular experience (for example, the so called "non-dual" experience). If we have really realized nibbana then there's no harm in considering it as "not-self", but if we haven't then understanding that particular experience as "not-self" will help to develop further to realization of nibbana.
So, having the view that "there is no self" is a right view and it's a right strategy (no-self strategy) since it leads to the elimination of Dukkha. But any view that hints that "there is possibility of 'true self'" is terribly inclined towards wrong view since it may hinder the process of elimination of Dukkha or the realization of nibbana itself.
IMO, the Buddha is the best teacher of all. And if he didn't feel the need to established the no-self theory then we should keep his teaching preseverd. This is the respect attitude to the Buddha, and also we are not enlightened, so there is a chance we may explain the doctrine wrongly. I don't know there is no self or there is a true self, maybe currently I accept a view but I am not hold on it as it is 100% true. So IMO, the best action is keeping the doctrine as close as possible to the earliest suttas. If the Buddha kept silent, we should keep silent and put the problem aside, if the Buddha didn't talk about no-self, we should not. Any doubt or misunderstand should be explained under existed doctrine, not the new built one.
If each generation changes the doctrine a little, adds some of their element to the doctrine or explain in their view, then the dhamma will disappear sooner. Look at Mahayana, I feel that Therevada is lucky because the tradition tried to preseve thing as clear as possible | <urn:uuid:bd01ec1d-082a-49c3-b4c1-ff7091a2b652> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?p=214959 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00041-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952351 | 603 | 1.882813 | 2 |
Posted: Aug 2, 2011 6:11 AM by Lauren Wilson & AP
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Policymakers and scientists meet this week in New Orleans to solve some of the big ecological problems facing the Gulf of Mexico.
The meeting, which convenes Tuesday, will focus on the dead zone, a huge area of low-oxygen that plagues the Gulf each summer. The dead zone is caused by the nutrients coming into the Gulf from the Mississippi River. Scientists will present findings to the Gulf of Mexico Alliance, a group founded in 2004 by Gulf state governors.
The Gulf, still recovering from last summer's massive BP PLC oil spill, is stressed each summer by the dead zone. The aim is to get policymakers in the Gulf and in the Mid-West to work together to reduce the amount of urban and agricultural runoff that gets into the Mississippi. | <urn:uuid:935a7703-7339-4b23-a0bd-42d82c70367e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.katc.com/news/scientists-convene-to-solve-gulf-problems/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00056-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937557 | 177 | 2.796875 | 3 |
The organs for the Fire Element are the heart and small intestine. The Fire Element creates warmth, colour and passion in our lives; when we lack fire, we lack emotional warmth.
Heat. Excess heat is injurious to the heart. Someone who adores heat or who on the other hand feels extremely uncomfortable in hot weather, may have a Fire imbalance. Hot and painful joints may indicate that fire has got lodged in an area of the body; fevers and thirst, heartburn and hot flushes indicate this as well. Our body heat is on the surface during the Summer, to try to keep us cool and refreshed. Becoming over-heated and having excess fire is one of the main causes of symptoms of imbalance that can arise at this time of year. To compensate, our diet should consist of cooler, lighter foods during hot weather.
Summer, a time when plants have reached their maximum capacity for growth with the hot temperatures and abundant sunshine. We too have more physical energy and often feel the desire to play more sport, do the gardening and go for long walks. It is a time of optimum growth and warmth, like the sun reaching its highest point in the sky. Summer is also an essential time for building and protecting our energy reserves for the remainder of the year. If your energy reserves are low and you feel fatigued, this can mean that the kidney energy is low and that you did not rest enough and recuperate during the Winter. If this is the case, then it is essential that you look after yourself as much as possible in the Summer months, or your energy could be even lower in Winter, leaving you more susceptible to colds and other viral infections.
Red. When there is a heart imbalance, the skin is highly coloured and has a red tone, a passion for the colour red or, conversely, a total aversion to this colour can point to an imbalance in this element.
Time of day:
11 a.m.-1 p.m. (heart) and 1-3 p.m. (small intestine).
The heart controls the blood vessels and blood, regulating and maintaining them. The spleen and liver are also involved with the blood, but the heart provides its rhythm and regulation. (The spleen holds the blood, preventing leakages and haemorrhages, and the liver is responsible for the release and storage of blood.)
Laughter is the sound for this element: a continuous giggle may be present in the voice, or alternatively there could be a complete absence of laughter and humour. Speech is also ruled by the heart, so incoherence, babbling, stammering and speech impediments, as well as excessive talking, all show that this organ is out of balance.
The tongue. According to ancient texts, the tongue is the mirror of the heart. A TCM practitioner will pay particular attention to the colour of the tongue and to the state of its tip, as this section of the tongue pertains to the heart. Perspiration is the fluid secretion of Fire; the heat is therefore responsible for our sweat. Note how sweating increases during physical exercise when the heart is beating faster to circulate extra blood and oxygen to the muscles. The ancient Chinese believed that sweat could unclog the body, allowing the body/mind to be cleansed throughout.
By looking at the complexion and observing the texture and quality of the skin, the Chinese could read a lot into the state of the Fire Element. When the complexion is rosy, the heart is strong; when the fact lacks lustre and colour, there may be an imbalance.
Symptoms of Imbalance:
Common symptoms that can manifest due to an imbalance include issues around love and self-love, nervous exhaustion or excitability, insomnia, hot inflamed joints, redness and disorders involving the heart such as circulation problems, high or low blood pressure, angina and heart attacks. | <urn:uuid:ad48f1e1-c00a-4edd-8457-17457f51d01d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.tcmchef.com/Fire-element.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943814 | 798 | 2.953125 | 3 |
RURAL REFLECTIONS Rural Reflections Radio
Here is this week's Rural Reflections Radio program, Die winter, die!... Posted on 3/28/13 at 10:46 AM
STAFF BLOG STORM TRACKER One Year Ago, The Minot Flood
I wrote this article about one year ago. I am reposted it as the one year anniversary of this devastating event is upon us.
Just three years ago, the thought ... Posted on 6/20/12 at 1:38 PM
Kent and Jan Lahren have a cattle operation west of Walcott. They say the National Guard, friends and relatives helped them save their farm home. Water was only a foot from the home when a dike went up.
The Red River Valley contains some of the world’s finest farmland. But there are signs, including comments by a top agricultural leader, that area farmers will need to make sacrifices to control future flooding. “The only way this is going to work, in my opinion, is if everybody gives up something, and that includes farmers,” said Rep. Collin Peterson, D-Minn.
“Why do people continue to build their homes so close to the river?” writes a commenter on a flood story in The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead.
Asks another in a Minneapolis Star Tribune comment: “Why do people continue to rebuild in the same area that are likely to flood? Why fight Mother Nature?”
Let’s dispatch those criticisms once and for all.
View your ad here! Cost effective targeted advertising. Contextual advertising starting as low as $79/month. This includes targeted ad delivery and search results! Add your business to the Marketplace » | <urn:uuid:91f49411-fc3f-48dc-af6e-69488e1322a0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.agweek.com/event/tag/start/46/tag/flooding/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940518 | 363 | 1.757813 | 2 |
As the Middle East regimes explode and threaten the stability of the world and in particular our economy security, due to a great exten,t to the fact that the US is the only country in the world with vast amounts of oil, gas and coal, plus the inventors of nuclear technology, who depend on all these dictators, as well as Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, to keep the wheels of our economy going. The obsession with so-called Green Energy by the President will continue our dependence on foreign sources of energy and force us to continue dealing with Dictators and people that dislike us for years to come (green energy viability is not around the corner). Furthermore, this dependence forces the US to invest life and treasure to maintain that flow of energy without which our country economy cannot survive. Interestingly enough, Obama has provided billions of “borrowed” money guarantees to Petrobas of Brazil so that they can develop off-shore sources of oil, yet in the US Obama opposes drilling to protect the environment. You wonder if the environmental impact on the Earth, that he claims, is different in Brazil than in the US. Sounds like more doubletalk to me.
Obama’s recent behavior , first with Tunisia, then Egypt and now Libya reminds me of the legend of Emperor Nero in Rome. In the year 64 AD, a huge fire erupted in Rome, and legend has it, (since disputed by some historians), that as Rome burned, Nero played the Fiddle (which was impossible since the fiddle was invented a thousand years later or so),it was probably a Lyre, and sang some Lyrics. Obama is not playing the Fiddle or singing, but every day he makes a different statement, reading from his dual set of teleprompters (I guess that is s substitute for the Fiddle or Lyre) contradicting whatever he said the day before. It is also appalling that in 2009, when the Iranian opposition was revolting against the Ayatollahs, Obama stated that he did not want to comment on the issue, since he did not want to appear “meddling” on Iranian internal affairs. In addition within the last 2 weeks, the Iranian opposition tried also to demonstrate and they were crushed. Not much of a beep from Obama or his Secretary of State, the one and only Hillary Clinton. Obama seems to dance around the dictators of the Middle East and when they finally are about to fall he joins on the bandwagon, yet the Iranian regime is given a pass.
You must remember that when Obama was running in 2007/2008 to become President, even, then Senator and now Vice-President Biden, who was also running for the nomination for President, stated during one of the Democrat Party debates, that Obama had no clue about foreign policy. Even then Senator Hillary Clinton, and who was also running for the nomination, sort of mocked Obama’s knowledge or understanding of foreign policy issues. What we are seeing now from President Obama is the result of lack of foreign policy experience and ineptitude.
Many of my blog critics will again attack my opinion about Obama and his handling of the Middle East uprisings, yet on February 14, 2011, Harvard’s Niall Ferguson Schools MSNBC’s Mika Brzezinski On Obama’s Handling Of Egypt expressed similar concerns.
Please, watch the attached video link and, amazingly, how Obama is being called to task to the surprise of the media people who are always defending him.
Someone didn’t do his/her homework and allowed Ferguson to deviate from the script he was handed at MSNBC. This is surely a one-off and a mistake they won’t allow to be repeated. I urge you to view this video now, before the dumbstruck folks on Morning Joe recover and MSNBC has it taken down.
If you have any problems watching the video ( It may be gone soon) here is an excerpt of what Ferguson had to say:
“I do think that the President regards making touchy-feely speeches as a substitute for having a strategy, and I want to emphasize the risks that are currently being run in that region. If you look at history – and remember, I’m a historian – most revolutions do not lead to happy-clappy democracies, but to periods of internal turmoil, often to periods of terror, and they also lead to external aggression because the simplest way to mobilize people in a relatively poor and not very well-educated country like Egypt is to point to the alleged enemy within and then, of course, the enemy abroad. The scenarios that the Israelis are looking at involve a transition not to some kind of peaceful and amicable democracy, but to a Muslim Brotherhood-dominated regime, which then pursues an aggressive policy towards Israel. This is not a zero-probability scenario, this is a high-probability scenario, and as far as I can see the President isn’t considering it.”
Those of you old enough to remember Jimmy Carter years as President, should remember what happened when the Shah of Iran, in 1979, was deposed by another “popular” uprising. Well, Iran went from a bad dictatorship to a ruthless Muslim Dictatorship. The proverbial fall from the “frying pan into the fire”, and that is the fear expressed by Ferguson and many others, since in Egypt, the only group that has an organization is the Muslim Brotherhood, and the only ones capable of mounting a serious campaign for the upcoming elections in Egypt in 6 months.
The bottom line is that lack of leadership by the President will make the enemies of our country more dangerous to the stability of the world and freedom of their people, while unfortunately turn off those who may be our friends and who are struggling in the Middle East for freedom and Human Rights (Iranian opposition included). | <urn:uuid:3a4f07a1-04e2-408f-a186-711147a1a64d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.marconews.com/blogs/no-more-doubletalk/2011/feb/28/politics/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00065-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970239 | 1,197 | 1.6875 | 2 |
A law that gives financially strained home-sellers tax relief on forgiven mortgage debt has been extended through 2013 as part of "fiscal cliff" talks over the weekend.
Mortgage debt that's been forgiven by lenders in short sales or loan workouts is typically taxable, which means money coming out of borrowers' pocketbooks. Help arrived in 2007, when the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act came to be, giving people a break from taxable income on loan balances of up to $2 million, or $1 million for a married tax filer who's submitting a separate return.
That law was set to expire at the start of 2013 but was among the individual tax breaks saved in the fiscal-cliff deal. Local real estate professionals kept a close watch on its future because roughly 30 percent of home resales in San Diego County are short sales, deals in which homeowners sell their properties for less than what they owe as long as banks approve.
These types of deals surged in 2012 mainly because of a national mortgage settlement that forces banks to offer consumers housing relief. Roughly two-thirds of the help offered to California borrowers in the deal arrived in the form of short sales.
The expiration of the mortgage-debt relief act could have led to serious economic consequences for San Diego County and other parts of the nation, said local housing analyst Alan Nevin. Possible outcomes included a surge in bankruptcies and foreclosures because certain borrowers would have been stuck with a tax bill after a short sale or loan modification.
The law's expiration also could have slashed the county's already lower-than-normal housing inventory, Nevin added. Without the tax benefit, fewer homeowners would have attempted to do short sales, which would mean fewer homes entering an already slimmed-down market.
"If it was not extended, there would've been a number of people who also would have just let their homes go back to the lender," Nevin added.
Not all forgiven mortgage debt is taxable. To be sure, ask a tax professional about the tax consequences of completing a short sale or loan modification.
Email me: firstname.lastname@example.org | Tweet me: @LilyShumLeung | Subscribe to this blog. | Or tryGoogle+. | <urn:uuid:bb1feae9-5c2d-4746-ac18-814e2e90d4c3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/jan/02/mortgage-debt-relief-extended-homeowners/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00058-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972455 | 463 | 1.671875 | 2 |
The first scientist to alert Americans to the prospect that human-caused climate change and global warming was already upon us was NASA climatologist James Hansen. In a sweltering Senate hall during the hot, dry summer of 1988, Hansen announced that "it is time to stop waffling ... The evidence is pretty strong that the [human-amplified] greenhouse effect is here."
At the time, many scientists felt his announcement to be premature. I was among them.
I was a young graduate student researching the importance of natural -- rather than human-caused -- variations in temperature, and I felt that the "signal" of human-caused climate change had not yet emerged from the "noise" of natural, long-term climate variation. As I discuss in my book, The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars, scientists by their very nature tend to be conservative, even reticent, when it comes to discussing findings and observations that lie at the forefront of our understanding and that aren't yet part of the "accepted" body of scientific knowledge.
Hansen, it turns out, was right, and the critics were wrong. Rather than being reckless, as some of his critics charged, his announcement to the world proved to be prescient -- and his critics were proven overly cautious.
Given the prescience of Hansen's science, we would be unwise to ignore his latest, more dire warning.
In a paper published today in the prestigious journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Hansen and two colleagues argue convincingly that climate change is now not only upon us, but in fact we are fully immersed in it. Much of the extreme weather we have witnessed in recent years almost certainly contains a human-induced component.
Hansen, in his latest paper, shows that the increase in probability of hot summers due to global warming is such that what was once considered an unusually hot summer has now become typical, and what was once considered typical will soon become a thing of the past -- a summer too improbably cool to anymore expect.
We need to view this summer's extreme weather in this wider context.
It is not simply a set of random events occurring in isolation, but part of a broader emerging pattern. We are seeing, in much of the extreme weather we are experiencing, the "loading of the weather dice." Over the past decade, records for daily maximum high temperatures in the United States have been broken at twice the rate we would expect from chance alone. Think of this as rolling double sixes twice as often as you'd expect -- something you would readily notice in a high stakes game of dice. Thus far this year, that ratio is close to 10 to 1. That's double sixes coming up ten times as often as you expect.
So the record-breaking heat this summer over so much of the United States, where records that have stood since the Dust Bowl years of the 1930s are now dropping like flies, isn't just a fluke of nature; it is the loading of the weather dice playing out in real time.
The record heat -- and the dry soils associated with it -- played a role in the unprecedented forest fires that wrought death and destruction in Colorado and New Mexico. It played a role in the hot and bone-dry conditions over the nation's breadbasket that has decimated U.S. agricultural yields. It played a role in the unprecedented 50 percent of the United States finding itself in extreme drought.
Climate change is also threatening us in other ways of course, subjecting our coastal cities to increased erosion and inundation from rising sea level, and massive flooding events associated with an atmosphere that has warmed by nearly 2˚F, holding roughly 4 percent more water vapor than it used to -- water vapor that is available to feed flooding rains when atmospheric conditions are right.
The state of Oklahoma became the hottest state ever with last summer's record heat. It is sadly ironic that the state's senior senator, Republican James Inhofe, has dismissed human-caused climate change as the "greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people." Just last week he insisted that concern over the impacts of climate change has "completely collapsed." This as Oklahoma City has just seen 18 days in a row over 100˚F (with more predicted to follow), Tulsa saw 112˚F Sunday, and 11 separate wildfires are burning in the state, with historic Route 66 and other state highways and interstates all closed.
The time for debate about the reality of human-caused climate change has now passed. We can have a good faith debate about how to deal with the problem -- how to reduce future climate change and adapt to what is already upon us to reduce the risks that climate change poses to society. But we can no longer simply bury our heads in the sand.
This story originally appeared at The Daily Climate.
Image: Doug Wheller | <urn:uuid:e2b8aaa2-85ec-4e2a-9151-d7e851069ed4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.onearth.org/blog/new-hansen-study-links-climate-change-and-extreme-weather | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972383 | 997 | 2.921875 | 3 |
Questions for 2 August Class
What role did the aim of spreading democracy play in the
Bush decision to invade Iraq
according to Daalder & Lindsay or Cohen? Does
reviewing this speech
change your view of whether it did? †
Does the course of the war in Iraq
show that the Bush grand strategy is flawed?
Should the US
withdraw its military forces from Iraq?
What are the risks of doing so?
What should the US
do about Iranís
and North Koreaís
nuclear programs? What can be done if the use of force is not on the table? | <urn:uuid:97817287-a97a-4b64-a46b-d2c61cb9b111> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.public.iastate.edu/~pol_s.359/2auq.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.918461 | 126 | 2.34375 | 2 |
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Forecasters say Isaac is on the verge of becoming a hurricane as it bears down on the northern Gulf Coast.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center said at 5 a.m. EDT on Tuesday that Isaac was still a tropical storm but was likely to become a hurricane during the day as it gained strength over the Gulf of Mexico.
Isaac is expected to make landfall over southeastern Louisiana, possibly the New Orleans area, either late Tuesday or early Wednesday.
The center of the storm was located about 125 miles south-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River. It has top sustained winds of 70 mph and is moving to the northwest at 12 mph.
Designed by Gray Digital Media | <urn:uuid:bd40ca08-7906-4954-a723-172cc830fe73> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.kake.com/weather/headlines/Isaac-On-Verge-Of-Becoming-Hurricane-167655645.html?site=mobile | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00053-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.986026 | 148 | 1.789063 | 2 |
Thermolon Granite is not just a non-stick coating: it is a healthy and environment-friendly alternative to traditional non-stick coatings. Thermolon Granite is PTFE-free, PFOA is not used as a raw material, it does not release toxic gases when frying at high temperatures and is extremely resistant to overheating. For the production of this new non-stick coating technology – compared to traditional non-stick coatings – twice as little energy is required, resulting in a 60% reduction of CO2 emissions. The ceramic coating has a noticeably higher heat-resistance and combines perfect non-stick properties with ease of use.
Frying delicate ingredients
The excellent non-stick properties of Thermolon Granite and the optimal heat conduction of the Demeyere technology, make the pans with this non-stick coating ideal for quickly frying ‘delicate’ products such as fresh foie gras, delicate fish types (such as monkfish), scallops etc. Also delicate vegetables, such as wood mushrooms, can be perfectly sautéed with a little bit of fat.
The combination of a Demeyere pan that has excellent heat conduction and an ecologically responsible and high-quality non-stick coating makes the Demeyere pans with Thermolon Granite a product that should not be missing in your kitchen. You will be saving both energy and the environment. | <urn:uuid:1169c6e5-e3fa-4957-bd3f-684e643edbcd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.demeyere.be/default.asp?CID=8685&SLID=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.916094 | 292 | 1.703125 | 2 |
|Some Assembly Required|
|Written by Laura Samano, Assistant Editor|
“We’re putting them in the wrong way!” Diana said.
"Really? That makes sense!" I replied.
Randy and Diana, his wife, helped me assemble my dining room table and chairs yesterday. She and I were attempting to put the table together. I held the leg of the table while she screwed it in. When her hand got tired, we switched jobs. After half-an-hour of that, I no longer needed her to hold the leg so she started working on another leg.
Once I thought the leg was as tight as it could be, I sat back a little and noticed both legs were crooked and wiggly.
“Do they look crooked to you?” I asked Diana.
“Yes,” she said.
Frustrated, I continued my task in hopes that tightening the bolts would straighten the legs. At that point Diana picked up the instructions. The legs were supposed to be toward the outside of the table and the bolts on the inside—we had put them on backward!
After we’d stopped laughing, we put all four legs on properly in less time than it had taken us to put one on wrong!
I learned at least three things from that experience. The first lesson is simple: I shouldn’t assemble furniture for a living. The second: friends are a must in life. The last lesson: things are easier when you read the instructions.
Here is a picture of my dinning room set . . .
. . . and here I am about to eat my first sandwich at my new table! | <urn:uuid:09244d03-eaaf-459e-967a-44fee2cbdd53> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.guidemagazine.org/laura-samano-blogs/4104-some-assembly-required | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.982843 | 352 | 1.929688 | 2 |
Valley of the Dark Lords
Hold up, buddy.
Since the dawn of the Empire, the Valley of the Dark Lords has been the final resting place for the galaxy's most legendary Sith. Carved into the rock walls and anointed with the blood of a thousand slaves, the valley's tombs are monuments to the influence and strength of their interred lords. A tomb's construction can require decades, construction beginning long before death claims its eventual occupant and ending long after.
With the defeat of the Sith Empire in the Great Hyperspace War, Korriban was abandoned with only ancient statues to guard over the valley. Grave robbers and cave-ins wore down the tombs for a thousand years until the Sith returned and restored Korriban to its former glory. Excavations into the rediscovered tombs are now underway, and already Sith wonder who will be the next great warrior to lie among the legends in the Valley of the Dark Lords.
What Links HereTomb of Ajunta Pall | Sith Academy | Empire Locations
Top Wiki Contributors
Need assistance with editing this wiki? Check out these resources: | <urn:uuid:13c13f33-69ea-491b-b854-1ac7f1d1ec89> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ign.com/wikis/star-wars-the-old-republic/Valley_of_the_Dark_Lords?objectid=0 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.910838 | 228 | 1.875 | 2 |
JAMAICA AND Canada may soon have increased opportunities to improve trade and commerce relations, following a business reception for the Canadian Trade Commis-sioner Service (CTCS) in Montego Bay, St James, last week.
Rick McElrae, senior trade commissioner for the CTCS, noted that there are several potential aspects of trade between the two countries that both sides could make use of for further development.
"Quite literally, the idea is to promote trade and investment between Canada and Jamaica; there's huge potential," said McElrae. "One of the things I've underscored is the proximity of, for example, Toronto to MoBay or Kingston. In fact, the distance to Toronto from MoBay or Kingston is the same amount of time as it is to get between the two Jamaican cities - it takes four hours to get to Canada from here or Kingston."
The reception, which was held at the Hilton Rose Hall Resort and Spa last week, saw members of the CTCS meeting and exchanging commerce ideas with business and tourism interests from the Second City.
McElrae added that among the specific opportunities Jamaica and Canada could take advantage of are energy conservation, technology development, and medical and agricultural tourism.
"There are huge opportunities in the energy field; Canada is a world leader in energy conservation, and we're a world leader in alternative energy sources. Jamaica has a huge energy challenge, and I think there's great opportunity for business there," he stressed.
In the meantime, State Minister in the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Sharon Ffolkes-Abrahams, observed that Jamaica and Canada have had long relations dating back to the 1800s, and that Jamaica has had many investment opportunities with its North American neighbour.
"What I think we would like to do is to see more investment coming in from Canada to Jamaica and more trade between the two countries, and so we're here to facilitate that along with business people in the Montego Bay region," she remarked. | <urn:uuid:a6c9e0d6-b130-4287-bf24-85d372624ca4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20120323/news/news2.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00055-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973914 | 413 | 1.882813 | 2 |
What is a 100-Year Home?
In a recent Chattanooga Times Free Press Article, Ethan Collier explains that green building is an effective balance between energy efficiency and durability. Through a whole systems approach to construction we can build structures that have a significantly reduced impact on the environment. Because green building is about methods, not just products.
So what does that mean?
A central part of the green building repertoire is durability. Durability methods include long lasting products – but more so, durability involves a process of selecting, integrating and implementing a broad range of construction materials to ensure the longevity of a structure. It not only means that roofing, siding, flooring and wall systems work together to optimize energy efficiency; it means guaranteeing that the entire building's lifespan is doubled.
Consider this: a home’s systems operate interdependently. For instance, a wall system’s longevity is directly impacted by the quality of the roofing system and a flooring system is only as good as the wall system. Unfortunately, most homes' systems fail too quickly, and one by one, need replacement and updating within a 50-year period.
50 v. 100 years
When you think about it, most homes will be completely rebuilt two or three times. While yes, a conventional home remains standing over the course of 100 years, most – if not all – of its major components have been replaced entirely within the first 25 to 50 years – siding, 25 years; roof, 25 years; HVAC, 20 years; floors, 50 years.
Of course, the problem is when systems fail. They are hauled off to the landfill and replaced by new materials whose manufacturing process involves an immense amount of energy and waste. When you multiply that over the number of homes built every year, we have a real environmental-sustainability problem on our hands.
sustainable resource management
For Collier, the solution is to think critically about how we help select and manage construction materials (2-page PDF download). Advanced framing allows us to use 50% less lumber in walls; fiber-cement cladding is long lasting and comprised of recycled materials; metal roofs are extremely durable, made of recycled materials and are also recyclable; hard wood oak floors are sustainably forested and extremely durable; the list goes on. The point is that there is another way - a better way - to build new homes.
So when we think about durability and green construction, we consider how we can manage resources to ensure the entire home lasts 100 years. We call it the 100-year home. And while we know it’s in the customer’s best interest to live in a highly energy efficient and extremely durable home, we also know that it’s our responsibility to the environment. Simply put, it’s a win-win. | <urn:uuid:35ae879e-5c7c-4b20-804f-2b0e987dcb9a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.collierbuild.com/page/news/chattanooga-home-builder-collier-construction-shares-green-builder-expertise | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00023-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.93799 | 582 | 3.09375 | 3 |
Welcome to our community of growth, visioning, reflection, and spirit building. We invite you to join us in this exciting journey!
Religious Exploration at UCSI begins with discussions of experiences that hold meaning for children and youth: experiences of nature, the mystery of life, family, friends and community; experiences of loneliness, sadness, and times when life does not proceed as we would wish. These are the focal points of exploration in both children’s worship and classroom activities.
As they grow, children and youth in our program gain an understanding of the nature of religion and its relationship to their lives. With their teachers as guides and mentors, they explore our Unitarian and Universalist heritage, its roots in the Judeo-Christian tradition, and the similarities and differences with other religions. We promote responsible self-esteem, respect for others and a positive attitude toward life.
Curriculum and Programming
We introduce children to the seven principles of Unitarian Universalism and to the precepts and practices of a variety of religions through stories and hands-on activities.
Our children begin three of the usual four Sundays in the Sanctuary where they participate in readings and share their joys and concerns after which they are "sung out" to their classrooms. One Sunday a month, they stay with their classes for a young people's worship service.
As our children grow into young adults, we hope to keep them involved through peer bonding, the exploration of issues pertinent to their lives, and Church community service.
We welcome new families in our Religious Exploration classes. We ask the adult responsible to fill out a form providing us with basic information. After four visits, the family will be asked to register their children.
We ask parents to register each child who will be participating in the UCSI exploration program. Our registration fee is $40.00 per child. No family will be excluded if payment is a hardship. Please see the Religious Exploration Coordinator or a member of the Religious Exploration Committee.
RE Registration Form
Click here for a form to register your child for the Religious Exploration program at the UCSI.
Our program counts on the congregation's participation. We ask families to serve as Religious Exploration greeters and chalice lighters, to assist in teaching and childcare, and to facilitate special events and social gatherings.
Nursery (6 months - 2 years)
We provide a nurturing caregiver who is available in the Early Childhood Room every Sunday. Activities include story time, free play, and arts and crafts. Drop off and transition time begins at 10:30 am to give children time to separate comfortably before the upstairs service begins. Please leave diapers, cell phone number and other items necessary to make your child feel comfortable. You are also welcome to stay with your child until he/she transitions to the environment.
Seekers (K-4th Grade)
The children will be diving deep into the 7th UU Principle (in children's language): The understanding that everything and everyone in this world depends on one another for life. The program will nurture a sense of wonder and respect for nature and all its mysteries. Special readings and poems will introduce a part of the web of life (i.e. water, sky, plants, and animals) and activities will explore our connection to it. The sessions will also feature environmental stewardship ideas. Activities will include: a cooperative river mural, cosmic story beads, an earthworm wonderland, and spirit animal masks.
Explorers at the June RE Service, 2012
Our Explorer group (7-13 yrs)
This group will also spend the year discovering our 7th UU principle: The understanding that everything and everyone in this world depends on one another for life. It will engage them through group readings and stories to reflect on their place and responsibility in the web of life. Environmental challenges and possible solutions will be presented through faith in action projects. Activities will include: a circle of life walk, a group air quality experiment, personal timeline wind chimes, and a bio diversity game.
Our Youth Group (14-18 years)
The youth will meet with their advisers at least one Sunday a month. While youth meetings are typically youth driven, the theme of programming overall will encompass leadership activities and community service projects. For example, the youth will be engaged in teaching children in our Seekers group once a month and we hope to deepen our relationship with organizations such as UU-UNO (Unitarian Universalist- United Nations Office). A trip to Boston to discover their Unitarian Universalist roots is planned for early 2013.
UCSI Youth participated inthe New Orleans Renewal Program, Spring 2011. Here they are relaxing in the common dining room in New Orleans with youth from our neighboring Brooklyn congregation, First Unitarian Congregational Society of Brooklyn.
10:30 am Early Childhood Room
open for drop-off and transition.
10:45 am Service begins: Children age 6 and up begin their time at church in the sanctuary sitting with their parents and/or friends.
11:15 am Children and youth go to their classes with guides and advisors.
12:15 pm Religious Exploration ends. Parents of younger children should
come downstairs to pick up their children where they can check in with their
teacher. All children and parents are encouraged to join hospitality hour in the Parish Hall.
On the First Sunday of each month, children gather for chapel and fun activities downstairs and youth have a special activity beginning at 10:45 am. The Early Childhood Room is open for younger children.
Once a month, children stay upstairs in the sanctuary and enjoy the entire service with their families and the adults of this congregation. This provides our younger members with a meaningful opportunity to learn and be a part of Unitarian Universalist liturgy and customs. These services are also an important way for children and adults to connect with each other. Multi-generational services include: Water Ceremony, Winter Solstice, Earth Day and Flower Festival.
"I am so excited about the program that the Religious Exploration Committee, teachers, parents and volunteers have launched and the children and youth have embarked upon here at the Unitarian Church of Staten Island. Through this brochure, I hope you will dig deeper into what it can mean for children and youth to explore the central questions and mysteries surrounding living, learning and laughing together in a spiritual community dedicated to building the beloved community we dream of." | <urn:uuid:1cc30f1a-ae21-4c2c-90f5-e04858fa6a1f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://unitarianchurchofstatenisland.org/religiouseducation.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940348 | 1,308 | 1.8125 | 2 |
What is Nicky’s Way?
Nicky’s Way offers bereavement support to children and young people through a group experience. It is completely free of charge.
Why is there bereavement support for children and young people?
The death of a close family member can be overwhelming for a child or young person. It may be hard to talk with a parent who is also upset. Friends may shy away because they do not know what to say.
Who runs the groups?
Staff and volunteers from the Hospice’s Family Support Team. All volunteers are trained, supported and supervised throughout.
Where does faith fit in?
Bereavement support is offered in ways which support the beliefs of families.
Who can refer children to Nicky’s Way?
Referrals can be made by the Hospice, GPs, schools, school nurses, West Suffolk Cruse or any other service that connects to children and young people.
Families can refer themselves provided there is consent from the main parent/carer of the child or young person.
What does Nicky’s Way offer?
- A careful assessment of the needs of family members
- Age-related groups offering a range of activities
- A support group for parents and guardians which runs alongside Nicky’s Way
- A service to which all bereaved children and young people in our area are welcome, including youngsters with special needs
What do bereaved children and young people need?
- Information that helps to make sense of their questions
- Companionship - being with others who have had similar experiences
- A safe place to express all sorts of feelings and conflicting emotions
- Opportunities to remember the person who has died
Where can I find out more?
Contact anyone in the Family Support Team at St Nicholas Hospice Care - you can ring, write or email.
Tel: 01284 766133
Write: St Nicholas Hospice Care, Hardwick Lane, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 2QY | <urn:uuid:cade0e20-13d5-4b20-b23a-7b033a96ebe3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.stnicholashospice.org.uk/how-we-can-help/youngsters/nickys-way/information-for-adults | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00035-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952901 | 424 | 1.515625 | 2 |
The expansion of the Mission Inn was ongoing for a number of years early on. The Spanish wing of the historic hotel contains Author’s Row, a row of rooms named in honor of writers who frequented the inn.
///ADDITIONAL INFO.01.missioninn.pxx.mg – 06/21/2012 – Photo by MICHAEL GOULDING,THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER – Additional info, CQs, and keywords for searching:
When the going gets hot some get going Some go to the Mission Inn in Riverside looks for reduced summer rates at the historical landmark.
The Mission Inn is owned by Duane Roberts, a Laguna Beach resident. In its former glory, it was the hotel of choice for Benjamin Harris, William McKinley, William Taft, Warren G. Harding and other presidents. The hotel was originally built in the 1800′s by Frank A. Miller who added additions over the years creating an early California Mission style hotel whose structure rambles in all directions. | <urn:uuid:19c089d4-ad07-4508-85f9-8656c6ac4873> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ocdeals.ocregister.com/2012/08/08/summer-deals-at-the-mission-inn-in-riverside/166056/21-missioninn-pxx-mg-2/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00052-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94235 | 207 | 1.789063 | 2 |
33. Moreover, they record him in that.
They (i.e. the Vâgasaneyins) speak of him, viz. Vaisvânara who has heaven for his head, &c.--i.e. the highest Self--as within that, i.e. the body of the devotee, so as to form the abode of the oblation to Prâna; viz. in the text,'Of that Vaisvânara Self the head is Sutegas,' and so on. The context is as follows. The clause 'He who meditates on the Vaisvânara Self as prâdesamâtra,' &c. enjoins meditation on the highest Self having the three worlds for its body, i.e. on Vaisvânara. The following clause 'he eats food in all worlds' teaches that the attaining of Brahman is the reward of such meditation. And then the text proceeds to teach the Agnihotra offered to Prâna, which is something subsidiary to the meditation taught. The text here establishes an identity between the members--fire, sun, &c.--of the Vaisvânara enjoined as object of meditation (which members
are called Sutegas, Visvarûpa, &c.), and parts--viz. head, eye, breath, trunk, bladder, feet--of the worshipper's body. 'The head is Sutegas'--that means: the head of the devotee is (identical with) heaven, which is the head of the highest Self; and so on up to 'the feet,' i.e. the feet of the devotee are identical with the earth, which constitutes the feet of the highest Self, The devotee having thus reflected on the highest Self, which has the three worlds for its body, as present within his own body, thereupon is told to view his own chest, hair, heart, mind and mouth as identical with the altar, grass and the other things which are required for the Agnihotra; further to identify the oblation to Prâna with the Agnihotra, and by means of this Prâna-agnihotra to win the favour of Vaisvânara, i.e. the highest Self. The final--conclusion then remains that Vaisvânara is none other than the highest Self, the supreme Person.--Here terminates the adhikarana of 'Vaisvânara.' | <urn:uuid:adb39145-24bc-4e39-a8d6-8cf2caea16c1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/sbe48/sbe48099.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952393 | 527 | 2.125 | 2 |
Fire up the grill -- it's BBQ season! However, many of us don't stop to consider the quality of the burgers and hot dogs we throw on the grill. Improving the quality of the same foods you're used to eating can have profoundly positive effects on your health, without sacrificing pleasure -- in fact, it usually leads to better tasting food! Here's how:
Go au natural
Summer comes with bare skin and natural tones, so try to eat with the theme. The best type of meat is sustainable, ideally pastured grass-fed beef and free-range chicken. When animals live in their natural environment and roam in a pasture, eat grass and soak up the sun they are healthiest and thus the most nutritious. By consuming sustainably raised meats you'll also avoid the negative effects of excess hormones and antibiotics, and the consequences of factory farming. This is one of the easiest and yet most important steps toward eating healthier and more sustainably (while actually improving the flavor of your food).
A word of caution: Avoid processed meats, which are loaded with salt and nitrates, like hot dogs and bratwurst. If you choose to indulge, look for nitrate-free hot dogs made from grass-fed beef. | <urn:uuid:e98313e1-7ad2-41a3-9940-19c876a685d3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thenutritionpost.com/eatright/guilt-free-grilling-tips-for-summer-bbqs.html/comment-page-1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955163 | 251 | 2.46875 | 2 |
Morningstar's Paul Larson outlines the five sources of wide economic moats, our research team's moat-rating process, and the performance of the Morningstar Wide Moat Focus Index.
Jason Stipp: I'm Jason Stipp for Morningstar. Anyone who's read a Morningstar equity research report knows that we are quite keen on the concept of economic moat.
But just what is an economic moat, what's behind our process for assigning it, and how have wide moat companies performed?
Morningstar's Paul Larson, an equity strategist and the editor of Morningstar StockInvestor, is here to give us some detail behind the moat rating and also of Morningstar's Wide Moat Indexes.
Thanks for joining me, Paul.
Paul Larson: Thanks for having me.
Stipp: So the moat concept, before we start to talk about the rating, has been around for a little while. Where did Morningstar first learn about the moat concept, and how do we build it out into our rating?
Larson: Well, this is a concept that Warren Buffett really came up with in his famous article in Fortune Magazine about a dozen years ago, where he said that companies that have a competitive advantage, or a wide economic moat, are the companies that provide rewards to investors.
And we read that article, agreed with the concept, and took that concept to the next level. Then in 2002, we started explicitly rating companies by their economic moat--putting them into one of three buckets: either no economic moat (meaning they have no competitive advantage); narrow economic moat (meaning they may have something, but it's not going to last quite as long as the wide moat firms), and the third bucket and the best bucket are the [wide-moat] firms where we think the competitive advantage is going to last 20 years or greater.
Stipp: So you mentioned the wide moats are the best bucket. These were the kind of companies that we at Morningstar like to find, because they have those enduring competitive advantages.
We have actually identified five sources of wide moats. These are fundamental qualities that companies have, and I'd like to learn a little bit more about those. The first one, I've heard you say, is one of the most powerful sources of economic moat, and that's the network effect. What is that?
Larson: The network effect is an effect where the value of a given network grows exponentially with each node of the network that's added. This is perhaps best illustrated by examples. When you look at the payment networks--like Visa, MasterCard, and maybe even Discover--those credit card payments are accepted [by merchants], because those are the cards that we [consumers] have in our wallets. And why do we carry around those particular cards in our wallets? Well, that's what's accepted as payment [by vendors], and so it's a virtuous network. Every person that takes out another Visa credit card is adding to that network and making it more likely that the merchants are going to sign up for Visa. A more recent phenomenon is--look at the company that's about to IPO--Facebook. Why is everyone on Facebook? Well, because that's where everyone else is. And the value of Facebook grows as more people join. You might think of the network effect [like this]: As more customers join the network, it makes that network more valuable for other customers.
You mentioned that this is a relatively rare source of competitive advantage. It is indeed relatively rare, but it is also the most powerful, the companies that have this advantage tend to have relatively high levels of profitability.
Stipp: So it certainly sounds like the epitome of a virtuous cycle, when those network effects get going.
Second source of economic moat has to do with switching costs--the cost to move to a competitor. And when that's high, that means economic moats could be wide. Can you give me some more detail on that?
Larson: I like to explain this by saying that time is money and money is time, and they are sort of interchangeable. It may not cost a customer money to switch from one provider to another. In fact, they may actually save money by switching. But if it's going to cost them time to switch, that may increase inertia and keep them with an existing provider, and allow that provider some pricing power.
The typical example is ... bank deposit accounts. Those deposits tend not to turn over a whole lot, and that's because it cost customers time to actually switch banks. They would have to go to the new bank, fill out the forms, switch over all their information, so on and so forth. They tend not to do that, because that takes time, and again time is money, and money is time.
Also when you look at some service firms, like bank processing firms, where you have companies like Fiserv or Jack Henry that have renewal rates in the high 90% range. And why is that? Well if you're a bank, you're not necessarily going to risk interrupting your core operations just to save $1 or $2 on maybe a slightly cheaper software platform. So you're going to stay with the existing platform.
Stipp: Certainly the hassle factor comes in to play there--you just don't want to switch unless you absolutely have to.
Another source of economic moat is a cost advantage, and I think low-cost provider often comes to mind here. Can you tell me about how a cost advantage helps a company attain a wide moat?
Larson: When you have a cost advantage, this means that you can either charge the same price as the other competitors that are out there, and reap a higher profit margin, or you can charge slightly lower prices and maybe try and gain some share from competitors.
[There are] a couple of different ways you can get a cost advantage. One way would be economies of scale; if you're just a bigger company, you can typically source things cheaper and have lower overhead costs. But also if you are looking at, say, a basic materials company, and they have inherently low costs--say they are mining a certain geology that has much lower cost than geologies elsewhere around the world--that's an inherent cost advantage, something structural to the business, and could be a source of economic moat.
Stipp: The fourth source of economic moat is the intangible assets. This must be that certain something that gives a company a step up above its competitors.
What kinds of intangible assets would you consider to be the kind that really give a company a wide moat?
Larson: Well, you have one that's very explicit, and this is a patent, which gives a company basically a legalized monopoly. In certain situations, especially say in the pharmaceutical industry, if you have a best-in-class drug, and you have legalized monopoly, that gives you enormous pricing power.
Another sort of intangible asset would be a brand that allows the company some pricing power. Now, not just any brand can be a source of an economic moat. If you have a brand for a random consumer-electronics, say a DVD player or something, that's not going to confer a company pricing power. But if you have a brand, like a Coke or a Tiffany, that allows you to charge just that little bit of a premium, that could certainly be a source of economic moat.
A final intangible would be certain government approvals. If you have a permit for a landfill or a casino license in an area where there are a limited number of casinos, those sorts of assets are intangible but certainly provide a competitive advantage.
Stipp: A fifth source of economic moat is one that we've identified more recently. It's known as efficient scale. What are the details behind that?
Larson: This is a phenomenon I like to explain by saying that it's like a game of musical chairs, where all the chairs are already taken. When you have a company that's providing a service to a limited market, and there's a relatively small number of competitors supplying to that market, it may not make sense for a new competitor to enter the market, because that new competitor would destroy the returns for all the players involved.
Some markets are just natural monopolies. Perhaps the example that I like best is International Speedway, which owns NASCAR race tracks. Here in the Chicago market, we have a NASCAR racetrack, and in the Chicago market, we can support exactly one NASCAR racetrack. So if I had a billion dollars, why would I build another racetrack in the market when there's already someone here, it just wouldn't make sense.
Stipp: So when you are looking at these companies, you can qualitatively identify some of these factors that might give a company a wide economic moat. But for someone who wants more proof that the moat is actually carrying through to the bottom line for these companies, how can you confirm that the economic moat that you think exists in a company is really coming through in the financials?
Larson: These are all qualitative factors that I've spoken about thus far. But these qualitative factors are indeed going to show up in the quantitative financial statements. When we are looking to assign economic moats at Morningstar, where the rubber really hits the road is the return on invested capital relative to the company's cost of capital. If a company does have a competitive advantage, it should translate to higher ROICs relative to that cost of capital, and having that positive spread is really what we are looking for.
But it's not necessarily the absolute size of the spread that we are concerned about--or the magnitude of the spread--we are more concerned about the sustainability of the spread. A company that has a high return on invested capital, say, a random fashion retailer that happens get lucky and hit a fashion trend and has a 40% return in a given year, we are not going to say that company has an economic moat; it just got lucky. Whereas, if you take a random railroad or a pipeline company, they may not have very high returns on capital, maybe 11% or 12%, something like that, but that spread to the cost of capital of just a few percentage points is going to last for a very long period of time, and so we are going say those firms have wide or narrow moats.
Stipp: So beyond just looking at the financials of the company and considering the qualitative aspects of the company that could give it a wide moat, there's a formal process here at Morningstar that we'll go through before we actually put that final rating on a firm. Layers of folks will take a look at it. Can you describe that process to me?
Larson: We have a formal economic moat committee under our equity research business, and this is a committee that I happen to chair along with one of our vice presidents, Heather Brilliant. This is a committee comprised of about 20 senior analysts from the equity research business unit, and when we initiate coverage on a new company, the company has to go through the economic moat committee, and the committee actually assigns the rating.
Also, whenever we change an economic moat rating, these changes also have to get the approval of the committee. ... The committee has a democratic process, simple majority rules, not every committee member is present at every meeting, but we do have at least five voting members for any given decision.
Stipp: You mentioned in there that you will meet and talk about potential changes to rating. So it's not always the case that a wide moat company is born on the day that company is formed. There can be some changes: A wide-moat company may become a narrow-moat company over time or vice versa. What factors are you looking at that might determine a rating upgrade or downgrade?
Larson: We're looking at the qualitative business aspects that we talked about. We're also looking at the returns on invested capital. If we thought, initially, say four or five years ago, that a company was going to have falling returns on capital, but things have stayed pretty steady or maybe even ticked up a little bit, that might prompt a reconsideration.
Stipp: Paul, one of the ways that Morningstar has used its moat rating, specifically its wide moat ratings, is in putting together a Wide Moat Focus Index. Can you talk to me a bit about how that index is constructed?
Larson: The first thing that we do is, we take all the companies that we cover at Morningstar and look at only the U.S.-based corporations that have a wide economic moat. When you look at all the wide moats in general, there are about 150 to 160 wide-moat firms, but then when you cut out the ADRs and you cut out the master limited partnerships, you are down to about 120 firms that are U.S.-based corporations with a wide moat.
And then ... we take those 120 firms and rank-order based on the price-to-fair value estimate metric. And ... every quarter we are going to take the 20 cheapest [wide-moat companies] on that price-to-fair value metric and create an index. And because we have 20 names, and we equal-weight those 20 names, that means every security is going to get a 5% weight, and then we're going to reconstitute the index and rebalance it quarterly.
So, at reconstitution, we're going to do that exercise again, where we are going to look for the 20 cheapest wide-moat firms and then [we'll] rebalance ... put every position at a 5% weight again.
Stipp: ... Morningstar analysts place fair value estimates on all the companies under coverage and on all the companies that have moat ratings. If you are going to look at that price to fair value [when constituting the index], if the market sells off in a certain area, you could end up buying quite a bit of companies in that area because they have sold off, but maybe we do not think their prospects have fundamentally changed. Do you have any limits on how much of a sector you will allow the index to have exposure to?
Larson: As the index name implies, it is quite a focused index, and it can focus on individual sectors, out-of-favor sectors, at any given time. For instance, two years ago, we had a 30% weight in the consumer discretionary sector. Now that sector has done quite well in recent periods, and when you look at the index today, we have 0% weight in that consumer discretionary sector. So, the index weights can go from quite large to zero and anything in between.
We're basically sector agnostic when we are creating this index, which is quite a divergence from how a lot of active mutual fund managers think about things. They look at the S&P 500 and they don't want to stray too much from those sector weights. But again we're sector agnostic.
Stipp: I would guess that you are also agnostic as to the market cap of the company, but does the index tend to have a certain bias as far as the companies that end up in it after you do these screens?
Larson: You are absolutely right that we don't look at company size when constructing the index, but because wide-moat firms tend to be large-cap firms, the Wide Moat Focus Index also tends to skew toward large cap.
It ... skews actually a little bit smaller than the S&P 500. It has a little bit of a small- and mid-cap tilt relative to the S&P 500, but still very safely in that large-cap bucket. Now, when you look at value versus growth, it also fits squarely in the core category.
Stipp: So maybe the value metrics that you are considering could be a little bit different than traditional value metrics of a company that's called a "value company"?
Larson: When we say that we like values here at Morningstar, we think that any security can be a value. It's not just stocks that have low growth rates that trade at very, very cheap multiples. If you have a high growth stock that's trading at a discount to its estimated growth in the future, that can also be a value in our eyes.
Stipp: Paul, can we talk about how the index has performed? We've obviously seen a lot of different market environments over the last several years. What has the index of these wide-moat companies done over those time periods?
Larson: Well, thankfully it's done exceptionally well. It has outperformed the S&P 500 by several percentage points over several different time periods, most notably since inception, which is close to 10 years ago now. So it has performed quite well over numerous time periods.
Stipp: When you look at this focused group of companies, versus all the wide-moat companies regardless of what their valuations may be, is there a difference in performance there?
Larson: Yes, actually when you look at the wide-moat firms in general, ... that particular group has outperformed the S&P 500. But when you take it a step further, and you look at the undervalued securities within that wide-moat cohort, that gives you an extra bump in terms of performance.
So just to quickly summarize, wide-moat firms have beaten the S&P. Cheap, wide-moat firms have beaten the wide moat firms value agnostic.
Stipp: Do you have any sense of the volatility of the index and how much it lost during 2008 versus the S&P 500? What are you seeing in the trends on those squiggly lines that the index may have over the shorter periods of time versus the S&P?
Larson: Well, because the index is relatively focused, it does have a higher beta. The beta is approximately 1.2, which makes sense when you think about how concentrated it can be in any given sector.
But then when you look at how the index has actually performed, it did lose only about 42% from peak to trough in the 2008-2009 washout versus the S&P 500, which lost more than 51%.
So, as is true with wide-moat firms in general, these tend to be more stable, so when the market falls, they tend to fall less than the overall market, which is incredibly important when you are looking at long-term performance.
Stipp: So it sounds like, at least so far, the proof has been in the pudding for wide-moat firms. Paul, thanks so much for giving me the insights on how we assign the moat rating and also the performance of those wide-moat stocks over different time periods.
Larson: Glad to be here.
Stipp: For Morningstar, I'm Jason Stipp. Thanks for watching. | <urn:uuid:87a91632-6953-4c3c-b738-1bfcfa0a5677> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.morningstar.com/advisor/v/55618336/behind-morningstar-s-economic-moat-rating.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969039 | 3,946 | 1.53125 | 2 |
A RefWorks button has been added to the GODOT window that allows you to instantly import a citation into your RefWorks account. The GODOT window comes up when you click on the Where can I get this? Ask GODOT button, when you are looking for the full-text version of an article.
What exactly is RefWorks? RefWorks allows you to create your own personal database of citations. With the click of a button you can convert your citations into full bibliographies in a variety of styles, such as MLA, APA, and Chicago. Using GODOT to automate the exporting of citations to RefWorks helps you make your bibliographies fast and easy!
Links of interest:
In an article in IT Trends Rich Seeley gives a good introduction to the potential use of Wikis in higher education. A University of Winnipeg Wiki has been set up http://wiki.uwinnipeg.ca. If you're interested in setting up a Wiki page, just let us know!
From Technology-Enabled Teaching/eLearning Dialogue
Viewpoint: The Economic Case for Creative Commons Textbooks
by Fred M. Beshears, Senior Strategist
University of California at Berkeley
Talk to virtually any student about the cost of textbooks and you will likely hear loud complaints about the expense associated with course texts. According to a recent General Accounting Office report:
"... the average estimated cost of books and supplies per first-time, full-time student for academic year 2003-2004 was $898 at 4-year public institutions, or about 26 percent of the cost of tuition and fees. At 2-year public institutions, where low-income students are more likely to pursue a degree program and tuition and fees are lower, the average estimated cost of books and supplies per first-time, full-time student was $886 in academic year 2003-2004, representing almost three-quarters of the cost of tuition and fees." | <urn:uuid:bbf0e6d6-e712-4445-810c-8dfdd352297b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.uwinnipeg.ca/InfoResources/archives/2005_10.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.922311 | 393 | 1.890625 | 2 |
"[Payne reveals] the awesome cost of Christian discipleship and [inspires readers] to plunge head-long, with faith and love, into God's all-consuming fire." -Protopresbyter Thomas Hopko, Dean Emeritus, St Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary
This powerful overview of the theological and spiritual development of the Eastern Christian Church renders the church fathers as flesh and blood servants of Jesus Christ, engaged with the all-consuming fire of grace. Robert Payne explores the lives and writings of ten monumental personages through whose hands passed the spiritual and temporal reins of their world: Clement of Alexandria, Athanasius, Basil the Great, Gregory of Nyssa, Gregory Nazianzen, John Chrysostom, Dionysius the Areopagite, John Damascene, Gregory Palamas, and even Origen-a prolific, influential teacher, though denied a place among the "Fathers" by the Eastern Church.
The author distinguishes these notables as "more incandescent" than the Western Fathers, marked by a fierce devotion to explore the image of God in man, to imitate the divine nature, to restore man to his lost Paradise, and to contemplate ceaselessly the absolute mercy, dominion, divinity, and majesty of the Christ. Their apostolic fire became crystallized into dogma and church order, rather than into individual confessions, despite their intense spiritual experiences. Their zeal to proclaim the gospel so prodigiously, in the face of extreme suffering, caused Life to flow from them, so that their words, their thoughts still live and breath among us in hymns, in prayers, and in the ancient art of holy spaces. | <urn:uuid:04ddc8cc-8e50-4cec-8e0a-7d608898bea5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.svspress.com/holy-fire-the/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00037-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.905294 | 342 | 1.695313 | 2 |
You know the symptoms: Doctors or co-workers who talk down to you, ignoring your education and experience. They relegate you
to simple, repetitive tasks at the clinic when you're capable of a lot more. They badmouth you, your position, or your work
in front of clients and colleagues.
What this all amounts to is that sickening, angry feeling of disrespect. Your self-esteem plummets, your frustration level
rises, and you wonder whether your job is worth the agony. Fortunately, fixing this problem starts with you. Here's how to
show others you deserve recognition.
Step 1: Act the part
If clients don't take you seriously, you're undermining the care you give their pets and, ultimately, your career. "I'm not
disrespected," says Janice Reilly, LVT, clinical coordinator at Valley Cottage Animal Hospital in Valley Cottage, N.Y., and
instructor at Bergen Community College's veterinary technology program in Paramus, N.J. "The difference is my presence." Reilly
meets clients with head held high, making eye contact. She greets the client and the pet. When she explains medical issues,
she uses medical language. To present yourself in the same way, follow these tips.
Speak clearly and slowly enough to be easily understood when you present information to pet owners, even when you're in a hurry. Mumbling
makes for lousy customer service.
Smile on the phone and in person. Reilly reminds her team to do this and sit up straight, because people calling in notice your
change in voice.
Dress like a professional to be treated like one, says Brenda Tassava, CVPM, director of operations at Broad Ripple Animal Clinic and Wellness Center
in Indianapolis. "You can't look like you just rolled out of bed," she says. So make sure that whatever uniform you wear is
clean and wrinkle-free.
Some days, no matter how you look and act, every client reminds you you're not the doctor. The bottom line is lack of credibility,
says Andreas Pahl, MBA, hospital administrator of Valley Cottage Animal Hospital. "When you're not wearing the white lab coat,
a client wants to know why you're touching their pet," he says. You must do your part to illustrate your expertise, but it's
also up to the doctors to establish credibility for you and your team members. But first you must show the doctor you can
Step 2: Establish rapport
To build this credibility, ask the doctors at your hospital if they wouldn't mind introducing you—regardless of your role—whenever
you're handling something. The simple act of explaining to clients who you are and what function you play in their pet's care
will go a long way. When asking this of the veterinarian, be gentle and respectful. Try something like this: "I've noticed
that when you introduce the staff members it seems to make the clients feel more comfortable. Do you think we could do that
In the worst-case scenario, if the doctor won't adapt, introduce yourself. Many times—especially if you're the receptionist—you
see clients before the doctor anyway, so you should've already reached out to them. Before you do anything, politely offer
your name, position or title, and what you'll be doing for them or their pets. Then introduce the doctor. If you say something
complimentary about the doctor to the client, then the doctor may get the hint and reciprocate. | <urn:uuid:d96f9451-3fbe-4dad-88f3-236fe25862a5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://veterinaryteam.dvm360.com/firstline/Veterinary+technicians/8-ways-to-earn-the-respect-you-deserve/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/648184?contextCategoryId=10655 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00050-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949559 | 735 | 1.507813 | 2 |
Get to Know Franklin Graham
60th Anniversary Spotlight
October 1, 2010 - As part of our ongoing series of articles on the 60th anniversary of BGEA, we now turn our attention to our president and CEO, Franklin Graham.
I’ve been called to the slums of the streets and the ditches of the world.
On a cold November night in 1983, 31-year-old Franklin Graham was asked to preach for the first time in his life. Longtime friend and evangelist John Wesley White urged Franklin to share the pulpit for one night.
“To Graham, whose job as head of relief organization Samaritan’s Purse often put him in bullet-dodging, life-and-death situations, the task was a daunting one,” says the intro to Franklin’s book, Rebel With a Cause. “Not only did he have to overcome the pressure of following in his father’s mighty footsteps, but he also had to overcome a rebellious past."
Although that first night did not turn out well, White felt sure that Franklin had a gift like his father’s and finally persuaded him to preach again in 1989 at an evangelistic event in Juneau, Alaska.
This time, the people responded. “They packed the place, drunks and prostitutes,” said White. “He gave the invitation and they poured down. It was a miracle and he knew it.”
Since that day in 1989, he has preached to more than 7 million people in cities around the world. “For more than 60 years,” says Franklin, “our calling at BGEA has been to ‘preach the Gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power’ (1 Corinthians 1:17). Wherever I go, whether to a modern city in Europe or Asia, or a rural village in Africa or South America, I always proclaim Jesus Christ as 'the way and the truth and the life' (John 14:6)."
The Good Samaritan
Franklin also lives out the Gospel in his role as an international humanitarian leader. In the summer of 1973, Dr. Bob Pierce, the founder of Samaritan’s Purse, met his eventual successor, an adventurous young student—Franklin Graham—with a growing heart for world missions. Intrigued by his many stories from the field, Franklin began to spend more and more time with the seasoned Christian statesman.
In 1975, he accompanied Bob on a life-changing tour of some of the world’s neediest mission fields, where Franklin saw the utter despair of the people. God had captured his heart for missions.
“I’ve been called to the slums of the streets and the ditches of the world," said Franklin.
In 1978, Bob Pierce died of leukemia, and nearly 18 months later, Franklin Graham became the President and Chairman of the Board of Samaritan's Purse. Through decades of earthquakes, hurricanes, wars and famine, Franklin has led the ministry in following the biblical example of the Good Samaritan all across the globe.
The Rebel Years
Franklin’s father, Billy, shared this account* of how God first brought him to ministry:
"In a radio interview not many years ago, Franklin told about his rebel years of drinking, drugs, smoking, girls and fast driving. These were things he said his mother and I knew nothing about—or so he thought. And he said he never forgot a conversation I had with him in Lausanne, Switzerland, in 1974. I assured him of our love, no matter what he did, where he went, or how he ended up.
"He knew that he could always phone us, collect, from anywhere in the world, and that whenever he wanted to come home, the door would always be open. He also knew we would never stop praying for him. It was actually during a trip to the Middle East, while in Jerusalem, that he made his firm decision to follow Christ.
"[One] memorable occasion symbolizes for me the fulfillment of our prayers and the Lord’s persistent pursuit. On January 10, 1982, in a church in Tempe, Arizona ... after preaching the sermon, I joined several other ministers in laying my hands on the head of William Franklin Graham III to ordain him for the Gospel ministry."
The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association appointed Franklin Graham CEO in 2000 and president of the organization in 2001.
But Franklin has an even more important role: father. Franklin and his wife, Jane, have four children—Will, Roy, Edward, and Cissie—and now eight grandchildren.
Read a tribute written by his son, Will: “When I think about my dad, Franklin Graham, I don’t think about the public Franklin Graham who stands in front of the world speaking on national television or preaching in large stadiums.
“I think about my dad who led me to Jesus Christ as a young boy,” says Will. “I think about my dad who fiercely protected his children from the prying eyes of others until we were old enough to handle it on our own. I think about my dad who offered strong discipline, accompanied by incredible love. I think about my dad who was the example of a godly husband. My dad is my friend."
A Simple Message
Through the years, all three generations of Grahams have stayed true to the simple message of the Gospel. “I preach a simple Gospel, a message that some say is not sophisticated enough for today’s world," says Franklin. "They wonder how the actions of a Man who lived 2,000 years ago could have any impact on their life today. The truth of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection appears as foolishness to them.
“But for those who believe—those who freely admit they are sinners in need of a Savior—the Gospel is 'the power of God for ... salvation' (Romans 1:16). It’s that simple.”
Follow the Step to Peace [#a href="specialsections/steps-to-peace/steps-to-peace.asp "#] online [#/a#] to recommit your life to Jesus.
*From Just As I Am by Billy Graham | <urn:uuid:98fdc711-2d1c-4c38-818c-c6fbc883b2fa> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.billygraham.org/articlepage.asp?articleid=6305 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00053-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971844 | 1,320 | 1.632813 | 2 |
There are two things parents of preschoolers should keep in mind…
- The early years are the most critical learning years and set the stage for all future learning.
- A parent is the child’s first teacher.
For those of you who have chosen to provide a preschool experience at home, here are some suggestions for making the most of teaching your preschooler at home.
The Home Environment
Consider what you will need in order to provide plenty of learning opportunities for your preschooler. Where possible, provide furniture such as a child sized table, chairs, and shelves. In your home classroom you will want to have children’s books, art supplies, educational games, blocks, and other toys available that promote fine motor skills, dramatic play, and other learning opportunities through play. Unlike a center-based classroom, your classroom may not have everything all in the same room but you will want to make sure you are providing ample access and opportunity for your preschooler to explore a variety of activities.
Establishing a Routine
A daily routine is another important part of creating the home learning environment. Young children learn best when they have a routine in place. Your routine may include time set aside each morning for planned preschool activities. A routine or schedule will also allow you to observe the developmental progress your child is making over time. Every routine should allow for some flexibility but your best bet in providing a quality preschool experience is to get into a routine that you and your child can count on.
Become a Self-Educated Preschool Parent
Invest in yourself and become a self-educated preschool parent. Early childhood education is not to be taken lightly. As I mentioned before, the early years are the most critical learning years and set the stage for all future learning. Educate yourself on these three primary developmental domains and seek to provide activities that promote each domain as you teach your child.
The second area that you should seek to educate yourself is on the value of play in the learning process. Young children need time to play and providing opportunities for a variety of play helps to promote each of the developmental areas mentioned above.
Online Early Childhood Education Resources
One of the best ways to increase your knowledge of early childhood education is to surf the web for information. Pre-K Pages offers an endless supply of ideas for creating lesson plans as wells as ideas for designing a classroom environment. There are also many online social groups all designed around early childhood education. Teach Preschool on Facebook consists of people from all backgrounds and provides an ample supply of links to early childhood sites filled with ideas for early learning.
Here are some other popular homeschooling blogs you might be interested in:
If you enjoyed this post please forward a link to your friends or use the buttons below to share the link on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites. To receive daily blog posts from Pre-K Pages please subscribe and they will be delivered directly to your e-mail inbox. Remember, once you subscribe you will have to verify your subscription so make sure to check your inbox and spam folder for the verification e-mail. | <urn:uuid:0cdcf52c-4d72-4ac8-8216-c7eb1e3433b4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.pre-kpages.com/teaching-preschool-at-home/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00067-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95385 | 630 | 3.21875 | 3 |
EPA ratchets down radiation samples in milk and water
SAN FRANCISCO—The Environmental Protection Agency has ratcheted down the nation’s radiation monitoring program for rain, drinking water and milk in response to a consistent drop in the levels of fallout detected in the wake of the Japanese nuclear crisis.
Extremely low amounts of radioactive iodine showed up in milk sampled in California, Colorado, Connecticut and Massachusetts over the last two weeks, but agency officials said Friday the levels were so miniscule they were not harmful to public health.
A range of radioactive particles have been detected in milk, water and air tests nationwide since the magnitude-9.0 earthquake and tsunami struck the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant on March 11.
EPA decided this week to resume sampling water and milk once every three months, a move some critics felt was premature given that the world's second-worst nuclear accident is still unfolding.
“Throughout this and other radiation accidents it has always turned out that more radiation was involved than we initially thought,” said Ira Helfand, a co-founder of Physicians for Social Responsibility and a physician who practices internal medicine in Springfield, Mass. “The U.S. should continue to monitor milk and rainwater until we can be sure that the plant is under control and there are no further emissions.”
The nuclear plant lost its power and cooling systems in the earthquake and tsunami, triggering fires, explosions and radiation leaks. Radiation leaking from the Fukushima plant has forced 80,000 people living within a 12-mile radius to leave their homes, and many still are living in gymnasiums and community centers.
Federal officials use the EPA’s RadNet monitoring system to validate the impact of nuclear incidents, then alert local governments and the public. Launched after the Cold War and upgraded following the Sept. 11 attacks, it also measures radiation levels through dozens of air monitors that periodically suck in air samples and pump out realtime readings about radioactive isotopes.
Some of the nation’s air monitors were out of service as the public braced for possible exposure to the fallout from Japan in mid- March. EPA said at the time that the malfunctioning monitors weren’t a problem because the system had more than enough units to safeguard the country against a threat that did not materialize.
This week, EPA officials announced they were weighing whether to keep operating additional air monitors that were sent out in March to increase the network's geographic coverage. There are currently two each in Alaska and Hawaii, and one in Guam, Saipan and Idaho.
“No decisions have been made. Those monitors are still deployed and continue to transmit data to EPA scientists,” said agency spokesman Brendan Gilfillan. “We would likely see signs of elevated radiation levels in the air before seeing it in precipitation, drinking water or milk.”
People typically are exposed to natural sources of radiation every day — most of it from radon in the air and, to a lesser extent, from cosmic rays. Foods we eat also contain low levels of naturally occurring radioactivity, including bananas, carrots and red meat.
The type of radioactive iodine found in the milk samples is short-lived and decays fairly quickly, becoming harmless. Cows could have ingested the particles through the air, or from eating tainted feed or drinking puddles of rainwater containing it, but that does not pose any threat to the milk supply. | <urn:uuid:72d2232f-e9cf-478a-a672-2c88f0751d76> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thebulletinweekly.com/news/2011-05-11/News/EPA_ratchets_down_radiation_samples_in_milk_and_wa.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00065-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965343 | 707 | 2.390625 | 2 |
Published in Vaccine Weekly, October 6th, 1997
Only nine cases of poliomyelitis had been found to date in 1997, eight in Cambodia and one in Vietnam, according to Sang Tae Han, WHO Western Pacific Region. This compared with 21 cases in 1996 and 6,000 cases in 1990.
Han urged health ministers of countries to continue to support the program, saying that getting rid of the last few cases required an intensive effort.
More than 2 million children in Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam were given oral poliovirus vaccine...
Want to see the full article?
Welcome to NewsRx!
Learn more about a six-week, no-risk free trial of Vaccine Weekly | <urn:uuid:b161b812-408f-4884-9820-3f81e823a09c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.newsrx.com/newsletters/Vaccine-Weekly/1997-10-06/1997100633319VW.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948963 | 145 | 2.421875 | 2 |
Robert Wahler was interviewed by Pauline Katz on August 7, 2011 at the Yiddish Book Center in Amherst, MA.
Robert Wahler begins his interview by going over his family history. Beginning with his maternal relatives, Robert narrates how his great-grandfather came to the United States in the late 1800s from Russia. His maternal great-grandparents settled in Boston with their six children. Robert’s paternal grandfather was very wealthy Czech man. His grandfather sensed the animosity towards Jews growing in Europe and decided to leave in 1936. Robert tells the story of how his grandfather arrived in New York, a story that brings up Francisco Franco and a year spent in Santo Domingo.
Robert goes on to discuss his childhood, which was filled with Jewish holidays as well as Christmas mass. Growing up in an Irish Catholic neighborhood, Robert always knew he was Jewish, but he enjoyed participating in other holidays and traditions. Robert weaves in and out of stories of his childhood, including his participation in the club Aleph Zadik Aleph (AZA). Robert then shares the story of how he met his wife and eventually goes on to discuss his two children.
The middle of the interview leaves Robert’s childhood and focuses substantially on his father’s business. Robert shares an incredible story about setting up a dinner for his father and two of the Iranian Shah’s brothers. Speaking of his father brings Robert back to his childhood, and in these moments of the interview, Robert discusses the role of Yiddish in his home growing up. Robert then returns to his time in AZA, where he fully narrates the story of how he met his wife.
The final portion of Robert’s interview focuses heavily on Robert’s own work experience. As the interview ends, Robert shares his thoughts on organized religion and his Jewish identity. He leaves the interview advising listeners to “live life as you would like it.”
To learn more about the Wexler Oral History Project, visit: http://www.yiddishbookcenter.org/tell-your-story | <urn:uuid:1717b252-e544-47d5-9d1c-c098335458e2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://archive.org/details/RobertWahler07aug2011YiddishBookCenter?start=3113.5 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.984223 | 433 | 1.632813 | 2 |
Young Peace Programme
Samoa: It was good to once again welcome Eleitino Paddy Walker back to Samoa after her successful June 2003 visit, to continue the momentum already established of reaching out and capturing the minds and attention of our children with her inspirational peace message.
Unfortunately, the timing of Paddy's visit coincided with a 2 week school break, 01 to 12 September, but in spite of this PPSEAWA Samoa was able to arrange a very successful programme for Paddy.
It also proved an opportune timing, as there had been a spate of well publicised inter-school conflicts, some resulting in physical violence. Paddy's peace message was welcomed by most schools that were approached with the exception of St Joseph's College, whose students it seems were still "hurting" from the violent incidences.
The Young Peace Programme kicked off on Monday 25 August with a visit to the Faculty of Education students of the National University of Samoa. This was attended by approximately 100 students and set the pace for the rest of the programme.
Tuesday 26 August saw our Peace Team at Samoa College, Vaivase-uta, where some 600 enthusiastic students responded to Paddy's message.
To our disappointment on Wednesday 27 August, St Joseph's College, Alafua, cancelled out at the last minute, leaving us no time to make alternative arrangements. Later attempts to re-schedule a visit were unsuccessful.
Thursday 28 August saw the team once again at the National University of Samoa, this time to meet with the University Preparatory Year *UPY) students. A most receptive and attentive group of some 100 students listened and hopefully learnt some valuable lessons from Paddy's messages of Peace. In the evening Paddy attended a dinner meeting with the Soroptomist International of Samoa ladies at the Le Moana Cafe. As a result of Paddy's inspirational presentation, Soroptimist and PPSEAWA combined in a joint message to the parents and teachers of Samoa to observe the World Day of Peace on 18th September.
A PPSEAWA meeting was held shortly after Paddy's arrival, with others following to finalise her programme, which was well covered by the media, radio, television and newspapers. Arrangements were made to transport Paddy to and from her many appointments.
The Young Peace Programme resumed on Monday 15 September with a visit to the Avele College, Avele. The outdoor setting was a refreshing change, and seemed to enhance the enthusiasm of the 150 or so students in attendance.
On Tuesday 16 September a well received session was held at St Mary's College, Vaimoso followed by lunch with the nuns. Role playing enhanced Paddy's message, though it was not possible to do these at all the visits due to time constraints.
The visit to Don Bosco College on Wednesday 17 September was possibly the most enjoyable of the programme. The students had arranged a special performance for their visitors, with singing and dancing, in which all participated with gusto. The role plays indicated a healthy grasp of Paddy's message.
On her final day, Thursday 18 September, saw Paddy and her team at the Chanel College, Moamoa. This was well attended with approximately 250 students participating.
The week 15-20 September also saw many activities organised jointly by PPSEAWA and Soroptomist International of Samoa as mentioned above to commemorate Interantional Peace Week and World Day of Peace, which enjoyed some excellent media coverage. This saw a fitting finale to another successful visit by our PPSEAWA Peace Ambassador, Eleitino Paddy Walker, who left Samoa in the early hours of 19 September.
We congratulate Paddy on her gallant efforts to promote peace among the youth of Samoa. We look forward to many more visits from Paddy in the future. | <urn:uuid:93689252-e54a-470d-aee6-0b28bf404227> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ppseawa.org/news/2003/young-peace-programme | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00054-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97339 | 783 | 1.570313 | 2 |
12th July, 2012
SYDNEY: Commonwealth observers Wednesday said they had some serious concerns about ongoing parliamentary elections in Papua New Guinea, with more candidates trying to bribe voters than ever before.
Voting began on June 23 in polls seen as a watershed moment after months of political uncertainty in the struggling Pacific nation, which is on the brink of a huge resources boom.
There are 4,700 polling stations – 1,700 of which are so remote they are only accessible by air. Voting was due to end on July 6 but is still underway in a country where corruption and bribery are common.
“Papua New Guinea’s 2012 elections have seen some progress and some setbacks in the country’s efforts to strengthen its democracy,” said the Commonwealth Observer Group in its interim statement.
“Up to this point, some of the benchmarks for democratic processes have been met, but several serious concerns need to be addressed for the future.” It highlighted the rise in “money politics” including “widespread reported attempts by candidates to bribe voters directly, on a scale far greater than ever before”
The group, led by former Vanuatu Prime Minister Edward Natapei, also noted “an unfortunate level of disorganisation and inconsistency in aspects of election management”
“We were also concerned by reports of intimidation of voters by candidates and their supporters at certain polling locations,” it added.
“The group is also aware of some attempts to disrupt the election in particular locations, including by hijacking or destroying ballot boxes.” Sporadic incidents of violence have been reported and the observers urged Papua New Guineans to allow the polls to be completed in a peaceful and lawful way.
Papua New Guinea was thrown into turmoil last year after the Supreme Court ruled that Prime Minister Peter O’Neill’s election by fellow MPs last August was illegal and former premier Sir Michael Somare should be reinstated.
The decision triggered a crisis which, at its height, saw the nation with two prime ministers, two governors-general and two police chiefs.
There are 4.6 million people registered to vote and 3,428 candidates are vying for just 109 parliamentary seats, with no single political party likely to win enough seats to form a government on its own. | <urn:uuid:269f6e38-a3a8-4cb4-9c46-f33d9ab4cc7c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.newsabahtimes.com.my/nstweb/fullstory/60416 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00067-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977623 | 478 | 1.554688 | 2 |
The phaser is the standard Federation beam weapon system.1 The Federation divides weapons into Type classifications; a Type 1 phaser is a small weapon which fits into the palm of the hand, a Type 2 is a larger hand-held variant2, while a Type 3 is a rifle style weapon.3 Phaser hand weapons came into service c.2260, replacing the laser pistols then in service.4 Larger version had been in service on board Starships for at least ten years before this.5 Phaser is an acronym for PHASed Energy Rectification, a term which referred to the original process by which stored or supplied energy was converted to another form for release toward the target without any need for an intermediate energy transformation. Although this term is something of a holdover, it remains true in modern phaser systems.6
Phaser energy is released by the rapid nadion effect. Rapid nadions are short lived subatomic particles which can liberate and transfer strong nuclear forces within a class of crystals called fushigi-no-umi.6
Phasers have various distinct effects on the target. At low settings the beam causes pain and loss of consciousness in most beings.7 At higher levels a great deal of thermal energy is imparted to the target, causing significant heating - phasers can heat rock to 8,000oC.7 Phasers can also be set to nuclear disruption5, and phaser beams can carry physical objects such as nanoprobes.8 Phaser weapons can be set to fire narrow beams9, wide beams10, long pulses11, or short pulses - the latter can even be set to proximity blast if required.12 Federation phaser weapons are enourmously powerful - even a small hand unit is capable of blasting the whole side off a building.13Various models have been used over the years; several designs allow a Type 1 unit to be plugged into a handgrip to form the Type 2.7 In early models the large phasers carried by starships were mounted as single element weapons, known as a phaser bank.14 More modern weapons group weapons into multi-element arrays. These use force coupling to allow the energy of one emitter to be transferred almost instantly to another - a process which can be repeated along arrays of almost limitless size.6 The effects of a Federation Type 1, 2 and 3 weapons are according to a 16 level scale. Settings 1-3 cover stun effects; at levels higher than 7 the majority of phaser energy is in the form of nuclear disruption. A large portion of the target is simultaneously vaporized and transitioned out of the continuum, a process which is instantly fatal. The higher power settings available with Type 3 phasers (setting 9+) cause severe damage over a wide area. These settings are rarely used because of the relatively high power consumption; a single setting 10 discharge uses more than twenty five times as much energy as a setting 7 discharge, while a setting 16 discharge uses over three hundred and fifteen times as much.15
This is a small hand unit, approximately the size of a pack of cards.16 They can fire up to Setting 817, which causes total vaporization of humanoids as 50% of affected matter transitions out of the continuum.18
This is a larger hand unit. Early models of the type 2 phaser used a type 1 phaser clipped into a pistol grip7, but modern weapons seem to have little in common with the smaller model.19 The modern type 2 phaser can fire up to setting 1620, which causes the destruction of some 3,900 metric tons of rock per 0.28 second discharge.21
The type 3 is a rifle version of the phaser weapon. The standard model as used in the mid 2360s used a somewhat similar ""business end"" as the type 2 then in service.20 It had 16 beam settings, with a fully autonomous recharge system. The weapon was gyrostabilised and had multiple target acquisition capability.22 Compared to the type 2 the weapon had a 50% greater energy reserve, but was no more powerful.23
By 2373 the type 3 had been fitted with a modified targeting unit.24
Compression Phaser Rifle : The compression phaser rifle was in service in the early 2370s.25 When the Dominion threat became urgent in late 2370, Starfleet decided to issue its forces with a new class of heavy rifles to increase the firepower available to them. The Modern Phaser Rifle project would evaluate two competing designs, the Heavy phaser rifle and the Compression phaser rifle. Both would be rushed into service as fast as possible.
The Compression rifle concentrated on simplicity. The LiCu 521 discharge crystal was doped with arsenic atoms and trisilinate molecules in order to restrict the phaser energy discharge. The doping materials diverted a small part of the discharging energy to re-establish the charge barrier between the discharge crystal and the Sarium kelleride power crystal, limiting or compressing the beam to a maximum of 200 picoseconds of firing. This would fire the entire energy discharge in a beam of only 6 centimetres length, greatly increasing the intensity of the energy and so enhancing the effect on the target.
Although it was by far the simpler of the two weapons, great difficulties were encountered during the development of the compression rifle. Most of these centred around thermal damage to the discharge crystal resulting from the very high energy intensities flowing through it. Average firing lifetime of an emitter crystal in the first model developed was only 9.6 nanoseconds - 48 discharges - a far from acceptable figure. Redesign of the shape of the emitter boosted this figure to 28 nanoseconds, still not sufficient for a field weapon. The solution arrived at was to install two high capacity cooling systems, one mounted on either side of the rifle. This boosted the emitter crystals lifetime to 600 nanoseconds, or 3,000 discharges. Starfleet deemed this just about acceptable and rushed the compression rifle into limited service.
The weapon was never satisfactory - although the cooling systems worked reasonably well they made the weapon heavy and difficult to use properly at long ranges. The emitter crystal was also rather sensitive to adverse environmental conditions, and if not treated carefully cracking could occur - a breakdown which would lead to a thermal explosion on the next discharge. Although it was issued to some ground forces units and to the four units of the Intrepid class Starship then in service, several thermal explosion accidents forced Starfleet to withdraw the compression rifle shortly after it entered service in 2371. None now remain in use.
Type 3b : This weapon was based on research done in connection with the Sovereign class starship. It incorporates the first true transitional-phase pulse accelerator, a field-replacable deuterium plasma generator, twelve stage plasma accelerator, and a five stage cascading prefire chamber. The weapon is capable of firing either beams or pulses. The 3b also has a new seeker/tracker, which is capable of both passive and active EM and subspace detectors.
The weapon has been produced in at least two variants; one with duranium alloy metal stiffening on the barrel and one without.26
The type 4 phaser is a medium sized device fitted to small vehicles such as shuttlecraft.27
As of 2364 this was the heaviest weapon in use aboard Federation vessels, comprising the main armament of the Galaxy class starship.6
Previously designated as the 'Type 10+' for security reasons, the Type 12 phaser has been used in dedicated planetary defence arrays and as the main armament of heavy fortified starbases since 2363. It was considered that the Type 12 was unsuitable for use on a starship platform because the energy requirements of the array where too high and the supporting hardware too bulky. However, by 2368 the power plant of the Sovereign class had grown large enough to support Type 12 arrays in place of the planned Type 10 models; technical improvements had also allowed for considerable shrinkage in the size of the equipment. The main phaser armament of the new Sovereign class starship therefore comprises Type 12 phaser arrays as does the armament of the Prometheus class currently under development. These are the most powerful phaser weapons currently in use by the Federation.
It has long been recognized that the initial impact of a phaser strike on a shield system is the most damaging part of the firing sequence. Many cultures have sought to increase weapon effectiveness against shields by developing pulse cannon - that is, weapons which fire large numbers of tightly packaged bursts rather than a continuous stream. Early Federation vessels such as the Constitution class where equipped with weapons which could fire such pulses12, but the weapon is not without its drawbacks; the hardware involved tends to be very difficult to manage precisely, resulting in much poorer control over the beam characteristics. The Federations starship design ethic has always stressed that full control must be maintained over all weapons at all times, in order to allow non lethal force to be used in starship combat situations; in addition, many scientific experiments use weapon systems to apply energy in controlled amounts to external phenomena in order to study reactions. Given this, the Federation gradually moved away from pulse cannon. The refit given to the Constitutions in the 2270's removed the pulse firing feature from that class, equipping them with a 'rapid burst mode' which was something of a compromise between pulse and continuous phaser beams.11 Further designs continued to de-emphasize the pulse firing feature, although all basic phaser hardware is capable of firing relatively short bursts and this has remained a feature of Federation combat tactics.19
With the development of the USS Defiant, the pulse phaser cannon was finally reintroduced to Starfleet. Defiant is a warship, pure and simple; her designers had no real interest in conducting experiments, and the attitude towards the level of lethality of her armament could perhaps best be summed up by the phrase 'take no prisoners'! Defiant's main armament comprises four heavy pulse cannon28 which fire very tightly confined bursts of phaser energy for maximum impact on shielding systems. High overall energy delivered over a very short period combines with a high firing rate to produce a performance against modern shield systems which can best be described as devastating.
On her first active mission the Defiant faced a group of Dominion Attack Ships29; these vessels had successfully withstood several minutes of fire fighting with a Galaxy class starship30, but Defiant's phaser cannon cut through their shields within moments.28 Subsequent combat experience has shown the value of this weapons system31, which is currently being developed for use in other vessels. | <urn:uuid:00942837-6dac-4c79-a6d5-afb126c4a9c8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ditl.org/pagweapon.php?WeaponID=11 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955623 | 2,165 | 2.90625 | 3 |
WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. -- First question: Did you know there are more than 5,700 non-profit organizations in Westchester County? The next question is, are you hungry?
Dozens of restaurants are doing their part to honor volunteers across Westchester County by offering special culinary discounts to those who volunteer their time to local or national organizations.
The program, Volunteer Appreciation Nights, takes place every Wednesday, excluding holidays. Participating restaurants will give a 20 percent discount on food and soft drinks to patrons who show that they volunteer.
Proof of volunteering is required in the form of a volunteer ID or letter from the organization for which the person donates their time. If the company or group does not issue ID cards, the organization can obtain an ID card from the sponsoring organization, ThankYouForCaring, (914) 424-8888.
Examples of volunteer efforts include working with churches, synagogues, civic groups, sports teams, school, hospitals, volunteer firefighters and ambulance corps, charity events, community groups and others.
The program encourages restaurant-goers to tip their servers based upon full menu price -- not the discounted total. Patrons are advised that the discount is not valid with any other restaurant offers, and is subject to change. Check the ThankYouForCaring website before visiting a participating restaurant to ensure up-to-date listings and offerings.
ThankYouForCaring, an Elmsford-based business owned and operated by John Higgins, connects local non-profit organizations and businesses through a merchant-based discount program. ThankYouForCaring provides a discount card to organizations to distribute to those who volunteer or donate their time that can be used at more than 300 local businesses. | <urn:uuid:fbaa148b-bfae-45d9-bbc3-aeef63e9278c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://rivertowns.dailyvoice.com/lifestyle/good-deeds-earn-discounts-westchester-restaurants | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939429 | 355 | 1.570313 | 2 |
1. Type of relationship you have with your dog
2. Breed of dog
3. Will the dog carry a pack
4. Dog boots
5. Is the dog fully socialized
6. Entering shelters
7. Water sources
8. Food begging
9. Dog stops eating
10. Distance between you and dog
11. Your dog as a surrogate
13. Sick dog
14. Shake down dog hike
15. Medical records
16. Lost dog
17. Hitchhiking with a dog
1. The type of relationship you have with your dog, specifically does the dog follow your commands? Taking a couch potato pooch on a long hike is unsafe and unfair to everyone. Your dog should be your best friend and you will both be happier if it is trained, for what you are doing.
2. Breed of dog? Winter is a white German shepherd. It seems to me that the closer to a wolf the dog is the better it hikes but there are many exceptions. Just as it is impossible to predict which person will complete the AT it is equally difficult to predict which dog will hike all the AT that it is allowed to.
3. Will the dog accept carrying a pack…some just won’t? How much weight can a dog carry? It’s a matter of opinion. Some people say that dogs shouldn’t carry a pack while others say that a dog can carry up to a third of the dog’s body weight. Winter weighs about 70 lbs. She normally eats two cups of dry dog food per meal at breakfast and supper. On the AT, we re-supplied about every three days. The smallest bags of dry dog food I could find were four or five pounds. Some times, I put the extra dog food in our bounce box and other times I carried the extra weight. Winter never complained about her pack or the weight she carried.
4. Dog boots. Winter did not need to wear dog boots on the AT. She has worn them in other situations. The key is to compliment the dog a lot when you put the boots on it. If you laugh at the dog boots, the dog will never wear them again. Don’t laugh.
5. Is the dog fully socialized to both people and other animals (big issue)?
A. I walked Winter through down town Brattleboro, VT so she would learn that she didn't have to react to each person she meets. Winter has also had plenty of time playing and hanging out with other dogs. Other hikers don't know that your dog is friendly and need assurance from both you and your dog. That also means no jumping up on another hiker or getting in his or her personal space with out being invited.
B. We sat behind the house and just watched deer, fox, dogs, squirrels and chipmunks. Each time she wanted to go I would say, "stay" and hold her leash. I would give her the command "go" occasionally for chipmunks and squirrels which she has no chance of catching. These are important commands for the safety of your dog and the safety of the animals whose home you are hiking through.
C. Hiking the AT with a dog is a lot of repetition. Day after day you do pretty much the same thing...sleep, eat, pack up, hike, snack, hike, lunch, hike, snack, eat, make camp, sleep. Even town stops develop a routine. Dog, rests, eats, watches animal planet, etc while person does chores and pigs out with pooch. Even meeting people along the trail gets into a routine of rapid-fire conversation in less than 5 minutes. Winter sat off to the side but let me know when it was time to hike on. When hikers would join us for multiple days, they were accepted as one of Winter's people and it was her job to keep track of us. I hesitate to mention that if you haven't finished training your dog before your hike there is plenty of repetition on the trail to finish it. That should not be taken as a substitute for training your dog before your hike.
Winter came nose to nose with skunk and porcupine. They didn't bother Winter and Winter didn't bother them. Numerous times Winter walked over poisonous and non-poisonous snakes. They ignored Winter and Winter seemed to not notice them. On one occasion, I looked up as Winter was walking over a copperhead. I made an involuntary gasp and Winter walked back over the snake to see what I wanted. The snake simply moved off the trail. One time Winter walked up on a fawn that was laying down right on the edge of the AT. The fawn bolted right in front of Winter and Winter just watched it run off. On another incident, a black bear cub crossed about 10' in front of Winter. Winter leaned forward and her back hair stood up. I whispered, "Stay." Winter eased back and relaxed with the cub running in front of her. The momma bear was in the woods off to our right. I whispered, "Come" and we eased back in the direction we'd come. This is being socialized to other animals.
Having said all that...the goal for me in training and socializing Winter was for her to not be overwhelmed by new situations.
6. Automatic "stay" before entering shelters. Other hikers may like dogs but don't like wet dogs getting them and their gear wet or walked on. I avoid shelters as a rule. I carry a tent. Winter has always slept inside the tent with me. I sleep more at ease knowing that Winter is secure in the tent with me. Stealth camping is the best.
7. Automatic stay at water sources. I like my dog but I don't want to drink from her water dish. To teach Winter to drink on command I used my hiking sticks. Every time we came to a non-people water source I blocked Winter with my sticks and said stay. I’d wait a minute and say, “drink” as I took the sticks away. It didn’t take long and Winter would wait for me to say, “drink.” When the water source was for only humans Winter would wait long enough for me to get out her bowl and give her water from my nalgene. Some water sources were simply bad looking and not a good place for Winter or anyone to drink from.
A word of caution is that if you and your dog hike with someone’s dog that just runs up and starts drinking, like Winter, your dog is likely to figure it is ok to drink. When we resumed hiking alone Winter resumed waiting to drink.
8. Food begging is not allowed at home but so many hikers want to give dogs a piece of cheese, meat, bone, chocolate or what ever, that it is an issue. On the one hand, some hikers assume they can give any dog anything. While other hikers are bothered by begging dogs. I haven't found a good answer to this problem except to be vigilant.
9. It is not uncommon for dogs to stop eating on a long hike. I do the same thing only not as much as Winter. I carried sardines, tuna fish, beef jerky and other treats to get her eating. She and I shared the treats.
10. Distance between you and your dog may vary due to terrain but the rule of thumb is that you should be able to see your dog. You can't possibly control or protect your dog if you can't see it.
11. Other hikers who left their dogs at home will play with your dog as a surrogate. Unfortunately, what they do with their dog may not be appropriate for your dog. I didn’t appreciate or allow Winter to be played with roughly or to get over agitated. Both you and your dog will have a better hike if you train your dog for the trail. All of the things listed above are easy to learn due to the repetition of these events on the trail. You simply have to be consistent in what you expect from your dog. You get to hold the leash so that means you're the one to be in charge.
12. When Winter and I started going through fields with cows the cows saw Winter as a threat. They were actually coming after her. To hide Winter tucked in right up close behind me. It was amazing in that it was as if Winter had become invisible to them. The cows just ignored us and went back to grazing.
13. How will I know when or if my dog is sick on the trail? It is normal and ok for your dog to lose some extra weight and look lean. The same thing will happen to you if you keep hiking. Spending 24/7 with your dog you will become a tuned to its behavior as your dog will get to yours. A vet tech. told me to watch for a change in behavior. If it happens, you will know and there are veterinarians all along the AT. Winter became sluggish and sad looking because her veterinarian gave her medicine that didn’t protect her from ticks. She got Rocky Mountain spotted fever. It was completely unnecessary but it was immediately obvious that she was sick and she was quickly and successfully treated. I carried super glue and Neosporin in case Winter was injured. I wound up using the Neosporin on my chafing and the super glue broke in my pack sticking a lot of stuff together in my ditty bag.
14. Medical records. Your veterinarian can give you a print out of your dog’s medical records. You should keep a copy of the dog’s medical records with you. Winter carried hers in her pack in a sealed plastic bag. Make sure that you impress on your veterinarian that he or she understands that your dog needs protection for what it will encounter from Georgia to Maine.
15. I would strongly recommend that anyone who is considering taking his or her dog on a thru hike to try a tune up hike first. Start doing over night hikes with your dog and build up to at least a couple weeks long. That will show you if the dog really wants to hike, how it will behave on a trail, how it will behave on re-supplies, etc. I started by taking Winter on over night hikes on the Long Trail and we hiked the Long Trail in "99." I felt that she was fully trained for the AT in 2000.
16. Lost dog. I had the veterinarian implant a chip in Winter’s back. She also wears a collar with her town dog license that also gives her state. Anyone could call our town and get our contact information. Winter also wears a rabies tag that has her veterinarian’s phone number on it.
17. Hitchhiking with a dog. Don’t worry about it. People who wouldn’t pick me up if I were hitchhiking alone will give me a ride because of having Winter with me.
Hiking the AT was left over old business that I wanted to get done. I almost hiked it in “68” when I came home from Vietnam but I married my ex-wife instead. My sons had moved away and were on there own. I found that I had some money, the time and the desire. When I was about 7 years old I was riding my bike and a German shepherd jumped me off my bike and chewed on my back. The last thing in the world that I would get would be a German shepherd. About 11 years ago, I was driving down my road and there was a white ball of fur in the road. I stopped to see what it was ...it was a 5-week-old puppy. She couldn't walk, she was skin and bones and her ears were packed with yuk. I unsuccessfully looked for the owner so I took it home. I did not intend to have another dog at that time. I had things to do and they didn't include a dog. I'd previously had other dogs that I would not have wanted to hike, canoe or travel with. Not that they were bad dogs but they just weren't suited for those activities. It turned out that the dog was a white German shepherd that liked doing what ever I was doing. So, I thought about what I needed Winter to be in order to hike the AT. Before I hiked the LT or AT I looked on line for any "how to" help but all I got was the anti-dog flaming on Wingfoot's site. Winter and I had to figure most of it out for ourselves. Wingfoot's site was useful in hearing what people objected to the most about dogs on the trail. The anti-dog rants don't do anything constructive or instructive. Taking the flame out of the information the objections that people have are as follows:
1. safety/invasion of space for their person and their gear
2. Shelter concerns with a dog
3. Water source concerns
If you deal with just these issues you will have a very positive hike. IMHO, the people who ask questions about how to hike with a dog are not apt to be the problem people. The people who simply don't care how their dog acts and don't ask for information are more apt to be a problem on the trail. Hiking is not just taking your dog to the woods and walking. It is serious business for many reasons and shouldn’t be taken lightly. I agree, to an extent, with many anti-dog people who think dogs should not be allowed on the trail. Untrained dogs and their indifferent owners should not be allowed on the trail. I was snapped at and the owner simply said, "That’s just what dogs do." I said, "No, that's just what untrained dogs do."
|--Jim Thompson aka Superman/Winter GA>ME firstname.lastname@example.org| | <urn:uuid:b43276a7-1733-4330-a215-6d772f617646> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/content.php?61 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.985736 | 2,866 | 2.015625 | 2 |
Self + The Art Gallery of Ontario
"…for the first time in the history of the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Gallery is launching an exhibition created entirely by the public. The exhibition, called In Your Face, opens July 1, 2006. One of the AGO’s initiatives as part of Toronto’s Live with Culture celebration this year, In Your Face will allow everyone to become a creative part of the Gallery’s future."
The AGO has created a Group on Flickr and photographs contributed will be considered for inclusion in the exhibition. If you’d like to submit your work for consideration or would like more info on the project, please join In Your Face – Portraits. | <urn:uuid:2ed66aec-9b2d-4e90-9e07-30b860f3d3a0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.flickr.net/en/2006/03/24/self-the-art-gallery-of-ontario/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00067-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948563 | 143 | 1.53125 | 2 |
Chile earthquake registers at Bucknell seismic lab
Posted: March 01, 2010
The massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake that rocked Chile Saturday, Feb. 27, registered loud and clear at Bucknell University's seismic station in Carnegie Hall. As noted in the graph, it took about 12 minutes for the waves to reach Lewisburg, Pa., from the South American country. No Bucknell study abroad students are in Chile this semester, according to the Office on International Education.
Next story >> | <urn:uuid:efb3eccc-1337-47b0-8cd2-c6ea8738e1d1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bucknell.edu/x58671.xml | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.928334 | 99 | 1.867188 | 2 |
One of the world's best-known and most abundant small birds (Passer domesticus, family Passeridae). It lives in towns and on farms worldwide, having accompanied Europeans from its original home in Eurasia and northern Africa. Introduced into North America in 1852, it spread across the continent within a century. It is about 6 in. (15 cm) long and buffy brown; the male has a black bib. House sparrows breed nearly year-round in warm regions. See alsosparrow. | <urn:uuid:c5ae1881-9c82-4e2a-aa85-b16d4c187e53> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/house+sparrow | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00066-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944668 | 108 | 3.578125 | 4 |
The rite is careful to separate the rites that are designed for people near death and for those who have already died.
In an emergency viaticum may be followed by the prayers of commendation (PCS 165) but these rituals are not at all one and the same thing.
165. The second chapter of Part II contains a collection of prayers for the spiritual comfort of the Christian who is close to death. These prayers are traditionally called the commendation of the dying to God and are to be used according to the circumstances of each case.
166. A chapter has also been provided to assist a minister who has been called to attend to a person who is already dead. A priest is not to administer the sacrament of anointing. Instead, he should pray for the dead person, using prayers such as those which appear in this chapter. He may find it necessary to explain to the family of the person who is dead that sacraments are celebrated for the living, not for the dead, and that the dead are effectively helped by the prayer of the living.
If a person has already died, the celebration of the sacraments is out of the question, not from any sense of cruelty or insensitivity, but by the simple definition of the sacrament as a grace-filled experience for the recipient.
One might argue in turn, that these pastoral care rites have also made a strong case for the comfort of the family and friends, not to mention the parish community. Does compassion have any role in these rites? Of course it does.
As we look at the rubrics and texts further in the coming months, we’ll see the threefold approach of sacraments/commendation/prayers for the dead. Each has its own purpose. All include the comfort of the loved ones and other companions.
The sacraments celebrate Christ’s presence for the living person in the context of a Christian community. The commendation rites, as we will see in PCS 212-220, offer a Scripture-based ritual of comfort and confidence for the believer’s final moments. In the prayers for the dead (PCS 221-231) the focus is on the survivors’ prayers for their loved one. Nothing is done “to” or “for” the body of the deceased, except, perhaps, sprinkling with holy water. | <urn:uuid:4ec32175-ffba-4833-b01d-57a2f33344b6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://catholicsensibility.wordpress.com/2008/12/16/pcs-165-166-commendation-prayers/?like=1&source=post_flair&_wpnonce=1a35c759c1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966766 | 486 | 2.28125 | 2 |
Summary for the Busy Executive: Fantastic, in many senses of the word.
With the Pierian label's release of Debussy playing his own piano music (which I will review in more detail in the weeks to come), we have a significant point of reference with which to compare other Debussy interpreters. Musicians have long recognized Ivan Moravec as a pianist who seems to channel the composers he plays. Unlike many virtuosos, especially these days, Moravec's pianism is never the end of his performances. Although what he does, similar in so many ways to what Tureck does with Bach, requires a great technique, we seldom exclaim, "What a pianist!" – rather, "What a composer!" Moravec keeps the spotlight on the creator instead of on himself. Only after you hear Moravec does your analytic engine kick in. At that point, you realize you've heard a pianist not only with a complete command of color and touch, but with a formidable sense of harmonic function (and therefore architecture) and the ability to bring out any line at any time as well. Furthermore, Moravec builds very long musical paragraphs. With him as guide, composers never sound "disjointed," not even those of great mood shifts, like Debussy and Chopin, which, of course, brings me to the present album.
Debussy admired Chopin (he produced an edition of Chopin's piano works) and, I suspect, modeled his own very harmonically-different music on the older composer. Common to both are the telling harmonic "switch," the quick mood shifts, the love of the exotic, and, in places, the breakup of tonality. When we hear Debussy himself at the keyboard, we come away with the sensation of an intense self-communion, almost as if the composer doesn't care whether you hear him or not. Debussy achieves this through what most people would consider weak pianism (although I'd argue that Debussy deliberately chooses not to conform to the standard), and certainly Moravec doesn't go that far. Nevertheless, Moravec brings off the looking-inward. The Prelude "Des pas sur la neige" ("Footsteps in the snow") is a case in point. Many pianists oversell the intensity of it, turning its insistence on the opening figure into obsession. Moravec is plenty intense, but with an aristocratic distance – to paraphrase Wordsworth, a contemplation of the scene in tranquility. He never loses interest, and he never pushes. Furthermore, throughout the recital, Moravec lovingly shapes musical lines through an absolute control over dynamic and hesitation. You never know when he's going to tap the brakes, ever so gently, and you can't predict how the line will turn out. From what I gather, Moravec intellectually analyzes works more than most, but while he's playing, you believe the illusion of spontaneity.
The two books of Images open up a new sound-world for the piano, just as the symphonic work of the same title did for the orchestra. Again, Moravec stresses the ruminative quality of much of this music, although in the vigorous final "Mouvement" of Book 1, he lets you know Debussy isn't all moonbeams and lily ponds. "Bells through the leaves" of Book 2 is outstanding in the layers of activity Moravec can create. You really do hear one level of sound "behind" another, and yet everything is clear. Listening to Moravec's readings, I was struck by how often Debussy turned to bell-like sonorities in his piano music. Certainly, there's nothing explicitly tolling in "Footsteps in the snow," and yet how often the ping of a bell accents the main musical line. In "Poissons d'or" ("Goldfish") from Book 2, you not only seem to see the creatures shaking their tails, but hear the bell-like splash of water. Furthermore, Moravec doesn't give you something too precious, but plays up the darker subtext of the piece.
The three-part Estampes ("Prints") counts as one of my favorite Debussy collections. For two of the three movements, Debussy longs for foreign lands. "Pagodes" evokes the Far East – Siam, Java, and Bali. Bells of all different kinds – deep tollers, high ringers and pingers, rows of chimes – are all over this piece as is, to some extent, the sound of gamelan. Moravec plays gorgeously. It's not an easy work to shape, but Moravec gently moves you along and reaches a powerful climax. You're not quite sure how you got there, but it remains genuine. "Soirée dans Grenade" is one of those "Spanish" pieces Falla so admired and learned from. Many pianists find the piece an occasion to strut, but not Moravec, who takes the role of distant observer, who picks out the sounds from the night air. "Jardins sous la pluie" ("Gardens in the rain") has always seemed to me less descriptive than its title suggests. For me, it celebrates fleet movement, just as "Mouvement" from the first book of Images does. Here, Moravec gives you the energy without the all-too-usual hysteria.
Those who really know Chopin (and I'm by no means one of them) admire Moravec's accounts. No argument from me. Like Rubinstein, Moravec seems to be "just playing," and yet each reading is incredibly detailed. I also find in Moravec's Chopin a depth of feeling I miss in others'. The recital consists of essentially triple-time dance music – mazurkas, waltzes, and polonaises – although you might find it difficult to trip the light fantastic to any of this. Moravec manages to suggest dance without actually reproducing it. I knew I was in for something special with the opening chord of the f-minor mazurka. There was a moment of hesitation where you thought the ground might collapse under you, but Moravec filled in the rest of the texture at what seemed the very last moment and at precisely the right dynamic. Again, elegant meditation is the dominant note, but it's not the only one, as the playful B Flat Major mazurka and the virile middle section of the a-minor prove. I especially love the way Moravec conveys the humor of the "wrong-note" unresolved appoggiaturas in the melodic line of the B Flat Major and the almost-Asian exoticism of its middle. The c#-minor reminds me a bit of Horowitz in its restraint. However, where Horowitz gives you mainly patrician elegance, Moravec seems to give you the lagniappe of something deeply felt as well, without wallowing in it. In the b-minor, Moravec's left hand shows itself the equal partner of the right, without having to shove. The two hands trade the spotlight in an equal call-and-response. Moravec also conveys a near-orchestral spectrum of color. At least, listening to his account, a composer would probably know how to go about orchestrating the work. The waltzes stand among my least favorite Chopin pieces. To me, "salon music" is a pejorative term. Even though Chopin's stand superior to the Thalberg's and the Chaminade's, etc., to me they are too suave by half, even the famous one in c#-minor – Chopin on automatic or pure manner, as it were. For me, Moravec's achievement here lies in making me appreciate Chopin's craftsmanship, and even occasional flashes of real poetry.
The two polonaises pose Moravec's great test. Together over twenty minutes worth of music, they run the longest on the entire recital. Furthermore, this is Chopin at his most capricious, his most willing to turn down this or that bypath and still wind up at the same terminus as the main road. In the Fantaisie-Polonaise especially, the polonaise has almost disappeared, except by occasional reminders of its characteristic rhythm. Most obviously here Chopin moves through dance to near-pure meditation. Moravec not only holds everything together, he makes the journey exciting. Even if you know these pieces, I can practically guarantee the Moravec will surprise you not only with the individuality of his choice, but with its "justice."
The disc comes from the early Eighties, when Moravec was a mere yonker of 50-something. The sound nevertheless doesn't fall into the "dead people playing music in a perfectly sterile room" so characteristic of the early digital era. A superior set.
Copyright © 2004, Steve Schwartz | <urn:uuid:6877fca3-45d3-4278-8a6d-64d0a79e2d56> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.classical.net/music/recs/reviews/v/vox05103a.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00075-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949968 | 1,879 | 1.515625 | 2 |
By Reginald Kaigler (DEMCAD)
How would an average single woman fare in the event of a society breakdown? Let's say that there was a situation that caused a major panic, bank runs, riots, chaos in grocery stores, a massive influx in home invasions and much worse. How would a single woman protect herself in such a scenario? I've always wondered how a female could ever be anti-gun, especially when most women are physically smaller and weaker than 50% of the population. Given the fact that most violent predators are men, if attacked, the average woman would most certainly be facing an opponent with superior strength and weight.
So listening to a woman rant against guns has never made any sense to me. But I want to address the women who are sensible enough to protect them. Rather you are a man or a woman, you can be attacked at almost anything. Being a 300 pound, 6'2" man doesn't make me immune to attack. Anyone can be attacked, so we must try to be prepared at all times, so when a crisis happens, we'll be better suited to adapt to the changing circumstances. Here are the principles I try to practice.
1. Situational Awareness
This means being aware of our surroundings at all times. Something that I have failed to do at times. Too often, strangers on bikes have been able to surprise me while I was walking down the street, enjoying tunes on my mp3 player. But living in a dangerous city like Flint, Michigan means that I could only be seconds away from an attack at all times. I have to keep reminding myself to not let the music distract me. In a society breakdown, predators will take advantage of the chaos by targeting vulnerable women (an men). I would recommend that if there are riots in your town, stay off the streets. Rushing to Walmart to buy more food may not be worth the risk of leaving your home unattended. This is why we prep, so we don't have to be in the panicky mob fighting for food.
2. Following My Instincts
Have you ever had a bad feeling about something or a strange place? Well, that's your animal instinct warning. it's the same instinct that allows a deer to sense danger. I used to watch nature shows with my mother when I was a kid and I remember the lions targeting the dumbass prey that was separated from his pack. There's a lesson to learn. Under normal conditions, I walk by myself a lot. During a society breakdown, I would avoid such practice. It would be unwise for a woman (or a man) to travel alone. Remember, the overwhelming majority of women don't carry a gun, so targeting a lone woman during a crisis would be ideal for a predator.
3. Act Quickly! Don't Depend On Some Guy!
How fast you react could be the difference between living and dying. If I were a woman, I would assume that no man would be coming for my rescue. it sounds silly, but a lot of women (and men) think that some government agency or a man will come through in a crisis. Ladies, you are responsible for your own lives. Too many women have been programmed to expect men (and government) to do certain things for them. I asked my sister on several occasions if she wanted to go to the gun range and learn how to shot. I remind her respond at Hurley Medical Center. "No, but I'm a girl. That's for you guys." Ladies, this type of foolishness could cost you dearly.
4. Lock and Load
I highly recommend you consider taking a CCW (concealed carry weapon) permit class and carrying a pistol. If not a pistol, pepper spray, a knife or a stun gun. But you better be ready to use them. And keep in mind that all of these tools require training. I should also add that pepper spray may not stop the assailant as fast as you want. A 12 Gauge pump action shotgun will go a long way in discouraging a rapist. And please, please, don't put labels/signs on your car and home that single you out.
5. Don't Get Singled Out
Do you really need big brushes in front and around you home? it could give a burglar excellent cover when attempting to break into your home? And how much privacy do you really want? A privacy fence keeps noisy neighbors from watching you, but it also provides cover for the burglars.
In the video below, two men try to enter a woman's house by kicking down the door. Fortunately, it was a well made door and she also had a gun for protection. But I suspend that her privacy fence was one of the things that attracted the criminals in the first place.
6. A Dog is A Woman's Best Friend
Nothing will discourage a burglar as fast as a German Shepard or a Rottweiler. You don't need a pit bull to scare a rapist away from your home. A Golden Retriever will bite the hell out of a creeper. Dogs have been used by humans for warning and protection from predators for years. A dog can save during normal conditions and also during the worst. Bottom line, a woman should be prepared for dealing with threats in a scenario where emergency 911 operators aren't able to send the police. I am not a security expert, but my common sense dictates that you should watch the nature/wildlife documentaries and avoid doing what the lamb does. You know, the one that ends up as the lion's dinner. | <urn:uuid:01f2f878-81a7-434f-8d12-5dd533f841da> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://demcad.blogspot.com/2012_04_01_archive.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00069-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971755 | 1,146 | 1.960938 | 2 |
The FWA of New York Educational (Ed) Fund is the educational arm of the FWA of New York Inc., which is a membership-based association of finance and financial services professionals. Through the Ed Fund, FWA members engage in scholarship, mentoring, and learning activities in accordance with the FWA’s philosophy of investing in the next generation and the wider business community. Read more…
Be a part of an organization that values the commitment of its members and supporters and has long lasting programs and relationships that benefit program participants as well as FWA members.
Countless volunteer hours…over $1.3 million in scholarships…thousands of people trained in personal finance
Give your time and/or dollars to the Ed Fund’s many initiatives.
The Lenore Albom Microfinance Giving Program is the legacy left to the FWA by Lenore Albom, a former FWA President and visionary who understood the power that microfinance has to transform women’s lives. The promise of microfinance is one of empowerment—empowering low-income women and men through access to credit to invest and grow their businesses, provide for their families, and support their communities. Read more…
The season is about to change and with it comes an exciting volunteer opportunity to work with high school students through the FWA/HSBC Financial Backpack program’s Spring financial literacy workshops. We encourage you to check out the details and agenda of the workshops plus a sign-up sheet to volunteer.
Our students are counting on you. We all look forward to seeing you there!
Exciting Volunteer Opportunity to Work with High School Students
To be announced
Dec 10, 2012 | <urn:uuid:52de32e3-fe8c-4478-b5c0-e10f497b62d3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.fwaedfund.org/ | 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 | 0.947018 | 348 | 1.65625 | 2 |
Renewable Heat Incentive
Currently in the UK, just under half of our carbon emissions are created by heating buildings and water. Over 99% of this is predominantly supplied by fossil fuels and less than 1% by renewable energy. The proposed Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) has been designed by the Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) to alter this way of living, so that by 2020, 12% of heat is generated by renewable technology, thereby cutting carbon emissions and allowing the UK to hit its binding EU targets.
From October 2012, the RHI guarantees long-term payments for the end user on specified renewable installations. It includes all types of heating, from households to factories and public sector buildings. The tariffs, which will be annually adjusted with inflation, will be paid for a number of years to eligible technologies installed since 15th July 2009 with payments being made for each kWh of renewable heat produced.
The end user can only claim cash-back through the RHI if the product and installer are both MCS approved. MCS is an independent scheme for the certification of microgeneration products and installers. It is designed to assess these products and installers against robust criteria, which provides greater protection for consumers when fitting renewable technologies to their property.
Solar Thermal Water Heating systems can also qualify for the RHI if they are certified under the Solar Keymark Scheme and installed by an MCS Approved installer. Solar Keymark is the quality label for solar thermal products in Europe. By obtaining Solar Keymark, the manufacturer is clearly demonstrating the consistent factory made quality of the product. Comparable to ISO9001, the Keymark certifies compliance of a product with the relevant European standards and requires independent tests by an accredited bodies and the existence of a quality management system.
The RHI Tariff payments commenced in 2012, however in the interim, up to 25,000 installations from July 2011 will be supported by a RHI Premium Payment to help people cover the purchase price of green heating systems. Rates as of the 20th May 2013 have been published as follows:
- Solar Thermal – £600/unit
- Air Source Heat Pumps – £1,300/unit
- Biomass boilers – £2,000/unit
Households claiming this premium will be eligible for a RHI tariff from October 2012 when the Green Deal begins, as will anyone else who has had eligible equipment installed from July 2009. There will be clear criteria in order to qualify for the payment e.g. well insulated home based on its energy performance certificate, agreeing to give feedback on how the equipment performs, etc.
To view our statement regarding the recent RHI (Renewable Heat Incentive) consultation document for Biomass Condensing Boilers, please click here.
Further information on the Renewable Heat Incentive is available from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). Just call: 0300 060 4000 or visit their website: www.decc.gov.uk | <urn:uuid:6086e9a1-068d-4c79-b515-0fd1882c9f31> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.grantuk.com/renewable-heat-incentive/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00049-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951077 | 619 | 2.359375 | 2 |
Watch your feed corn for mycotoxins
Last fall’s harvest conditions in many key corn-growing areas were conducive to mold growth and mycotoxin contamination. Even if those conditions didn’t exist in your area, purchased corn may come from miles away and could be a problem.
Also be cautious regarding the ever-increasing availability of distillers grains. Corn is often shipped long distances to ethanol plants. The fermentation process concentrates non-starch components — including mycotoxins — in the distillers grains.
Specialists from five land-grant universities — Penn State, Purdue, Ohio State, Iowa State and Kentucky — are cooperating to keep an up-to-date report on this problem. While visual appearance of molds is a warning sign, mycotoxin-infected grain can look normal.
If your livestock feed intake or production seems off, consider having the feed analyzed, and be certain of the type and level of any mycotoxins. At the farm level, it’s often possible to formulate a safe ration by blending the infected feed with safe feedstuffs.
• Feed corn and distillers grains may harbor mycotoxins.
• Watch for changes in appetite, feed refusal and poor weight gain.
• Sample and test suspect feeds to develop an alternative feeding plan.
Signs of feed toxins
General symptoms of mycotoxicosis are: loss of appetite, poor weight gain, feed refusal, diarrhea, bleeding and unthriftiness. Grain quality problems are often aggravated by poor storage conditions. The most likely culprits are:
Fumonisins: These toxins are produced by Fusarium species that grow on corn in the field or in storage. High levels of fumonisins are associated with hot and dry weather followed by periods of high humidity.
Trichothecenes: More commonly referred to as vomitoxin or deoxynivalenol (DON), these are important to livestock and poultry producers. Most animals refuse to eat feeds with high concentrations of them.
Ochratoxin: This toxin is produced by some species of Penicillium and Aspergillus fungi in cereal grains. It affects kidney function in animals. Optimal conditions for ochratoxin production are at a temperature range between 68 to 77 degrees F and a crop moisture content of 16% or above.
Sample and test
If you have suspect feeds, there’s no substitute for a mycotoxin analysis at a reputable lab. For a thorough discussion of how to sample and send feedstuffs, as well as a listing of 13 laboratories in several different states, see www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/ohiofieldcropdisease/wheat/mycotoxin%20text2.htm.
Harpster is a Penn State animal scientist and a beef cow-calf producer.
This article published in the March, 2010 edition of AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST.
All rights reserved. Copyright Farm Progress Cos. 2010. | <urn:uuid:c732a4ee-1aa2-4457-b09d-f5dfd3fbd7f5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://farmprogress.com/ohio-farmer/library.aspx/watch-feed-corn-mycotoxins-33/34/90 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00062-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.918833 | 628 | 2.921875 | 3 |
Martian volcano could harbour hot underground pondlife
Olympus Mons home to sun-dodging slime creatures?
American astrogeologists believe that there may be pockets of liquid water trapped in sediment layers beneath the slopes of Olympus Mons - the titanic 15-mile-high Martian volcano, three times as high as Mount Everest. Such underground ponds or puddles might be home, they speculate, to strange alien lifeforms.
Lair of the cavern-dwelling photophobe Martian slime people.
Patrick McGovern of the Lunar and Planetary Institute and Julia Morgan, earth-sciences prof at Rice Uni in Texas, arrived at their conclusions by using space-probe data to model the formation of Olympus Mons.
"What we were analyzing was the structure of Olympus Mons, why it's shaped the way it is," says McGovern. "What we found has implications for life – but implications are what go at the end of a paper."
According to the two profs' analysis, the asymmetric shape of the mighty Martian mountain can only be accounted for by the presence of watery clay strata under the volcanic materials making up the upper levels of its slopes. Evidence of clay has already been seen on Mars by the Mars Express orbital surveyor.
Mars is mostly dry, and such water as is known to exist - discovered beneath the surface by NASA's Phoenix lander amid the freezing, polar dune seas of the Vastitas Borealis - was in the form of ice. Liquid water, regarded as necessary for the formation of life along Earthly lines, may never have been present on Mars at all.
But Morgan and McGovern reckon that in fact reasonably warm - even hot - liquid water either does, or did, exist in the clayey strata which their models say must lie beneath the slopes of Olympus Mons. The mighty volcano appears dormant now from space, but at one time it must have been very hot - and warmth may still permeate its lower reaches.
"This deep reservoir, warmed by geothermal gradients and magmatic heat and protected from adverse surface conditions, would be a favored environment for the development and maintenance of thermophilic organisms," the two profs write.
If their theories are correct, suitable conditions for bizzaro sun-dodging lifeforms - somewhat like those present around certain of Earth's undersea geothermal vents - were surely present in the remote Martian past. Such conditions, and such ET lifeforms, may yet be clinging onto existence below the great mountain, protected from the arid chemical hell of the surface.
That said, spacecraft have detected no sign of geothermal activity around Olympus Mons. It may be that the monster volcano - the tallest mountain in the Solar System - is as dead as the rest of the red planet appears to be.
"Spacecraft up there have the capability to detect a thermal anomaly, like a magma flow or a volcano, and they haven't," admits McGovern. "What we need is 'ground truth' – something reporting from the surface saying, 'Hey, there's a Marsquake,' or 'Hey, there's unusual emissions of gas.' Ultimately, we'd like to see a series of seismic stations so we can see what's moving around the planet."
The two boffins' research is published in the journal Geology (subscription required). ® | <urn:uuid:26ee6331-a20b-413e-9b6c-c75e711138d5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/03/05/olympus_mons_warm_pond_life/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948106 | 690 | 3.265625 | 3 |
Japan has been knocked to its knees, if not downright k.o.ed. One disaster after another. Earthquakes, tsunamis, atomic power plant explosions. And these are happening in plural.
8.9. Gulp. The power plants were designed for maximum 6.9.
On top of the huge natural catastrophe shock and loss of life, can you imagine how people are coping struggling to find water, food, not to mention lost family?
Can you put yourself in the shoes of the leaders of the nation and firms that are trying to hold things together and make good decisions when everything seems to be going wrong and perhaps getting worse before things get better? What keeps them up at night right now makes your problems as a leader and manager seem … well … petty.
This morning, I specifically was thinking about Board members and CEO, Mr. Shimizu, of the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) who made the decision yesterday to limit electricity to its 45 million customers for up to two hours a day beginning today. It doesn’t sound like too drastic a measure – all things considered – but can you honestly imagine having to make this sort of decision and the repercussions of such a decision? Clearly, they were thinking about the good of the nation and its citizens for the long-term. Today, the Nikkei index lost over 6 percent of its value. TEPCO lost 24 percent of its value, but surely will be honored for making the right, if not tough, decision in the long-run.
Leadership in times of catastrophe put women and men to real tests of courage and at the limits of their capacity. We should applaud the leaders of Japan and its leading companies for the way they are handling this dire crisis. | <urn:uuid:ca873ff6-fe43-4d5c-9bae-74ba7ae70631> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://rob-straw.com/2011/03/14/japan-leadership-in-catastrophe-as-opposed-to-catastrophic-leadership/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00075-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969759 | 359 | 1.617188 | 2 |
What happened on February 4 News and Events on This Day in History
Find Out What happened 4th February Major News Stories include Lincoln purchased the Ford Company for $8 million, Ceylon now Sri Lanka gains independence from Britain, 24th Amendment passed making no longer legal to charge a poll tax for voting, Patricia Hearst kidnapped, Facebook founded by Mark Zuckerberg,
U.S. 1938 U.S.A. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
4th February, 1938 : The animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was released and had major success in the box-office, making more money than any other motion picture up till that point . Find More What happened in 1938
1959 U.S.A. Barbie Doll
4th February, 1959 : Today was the first day of the invention of the Barbie Doll. This doll was created by Ruth Handler, who was one of the founders of the Mattel Company. Barbie was named after Ruth’s daughter. Later on, when the Ken doll was made, it was named after Ruth’s son.
U.S. 1920 U.S.A. Prohibition
4th February, 1920 : Someone had stolen 21 barrels of whiskey which was held at a Pennsylvania brewery. The person who had taken this liquor was sentenced a fine of $7,000. This particular crime had taken place during the Prohibition Era, during a time when the sale of alcohol was not allowed.
By the way, liquor licenses were still being granted during this time. However, beverages could not contain more than one-half percent of alcohol in them.
U.S. 1922 U.S.A. Lincoln / Ford
4th February, 1922 : Lincoln purchased the Ford Company for $8 million dollars on this day. During the time of this transition, Henry Ford had assumed position of president of Lincoln.
U.S. 1931 U.S.A. Banks Go Bust
4th February, 1931 : As banks continue to close across the US when depositors ask for their deposits back,
the problems continue to escalate as most small banks had large amounts invested in
the stock market and with the crash of wall street in late 1929 many banks do not have sufficient funds
left to meet current members deposits. Many are going into receivership with little help
for investors. The government is looking at schemes to bail the banks out and help consumer
U.S. 1932 U.S.A. Winter Olympics
4th February, 1932 : The first Winter Olympics was held in the United States. These games took place in Lake Placid, New York.
U.S. 1937 U.S.A. Floods
4th February, 1937 : Restrictions were lifted from flood quarantine areas on this day. People could return to these areas that were originally prohibited from entering without any further threat of disease or sickness.
A main concern regarding the possible spread of disease epidemic applied to those unregistered refugees who had not yet been immunized. They had been confined to one specific area for as long as was decided was necessary.
U.S. 1943 U.S.A. Olds
4th February, 1943 : Ransom Eli Olds, the creator of one of the first internal combustion engine designs, received his last patent on this day. Olds was noted for creating the first automobile production line, through a company that has made cars such as the Olds Runabout.
Sri Lanka 1948 Ceylon Independence
4th February, 1948 : Ceylon now Sri Lanka gains independence from British rule and becomes an independent dominion within the British Commonwealth.
UK 1950UK British Atomic Scientist
4th February, 1950 : On this day a British Atomic scientist was arrested and charge of gathering information that would be useful to enemy forces. He was the holder of some of the most classified (top secret) information regarding the A-bomb. He was found out by American FBI agents, and these agents reported the info to the Scotland Yard.
U.S. 1957 U.S.A. Smith-Corona
4th February, 1957 : This was the first day of the sale of Smith-Corona portable typewriters. This company had been producing typewriters since 1886, when it created the first upper and lower-case typing model.
U.S. 1964 U.S.A. Poll Tax
4th February, 1964 : As of this date, it was no longer legal to charge a poll tax for voting. This action was repealed upon the passing of the 24th Amendment.
Kenya 1968 Kenya
4th February, 1968 : The continued persecution of Asians in Kenya is forcing many thousands to leave the country and many are choosing Britain for their future . Kenya has introduced new tough immigration laws which only allow work permits to Kenyan Citizens.
Palestine 1969Palestine PLO Formed
4th February, 1969 : The Palestine Liberation Organization was founded on this day. It was an organization that was established to represent the Palestinian people while Yasir Arafat was in office.
UK 1974UK Bombing
4th February, 1974 : A bomb believed to have been set by the IRA kills 11 including soldiers and children when the coach they were travelling in is blown up by a bomb.
U.S. 1974 U.S.A. Patricia Hearst
4th February, 1974 : Newspaper heiress Patricia Hearst is kidnapped in Berkeley, California by the Symbionese Liberation Army
Honduras 1976Guatemala Earthquake
5th February, 1976: In Guatemala and Honduras a 7.5 magnitude earthquake centered about 160 km northeast of Guatemala City kills more than 22,000. The quake caused major landslides which blocked transport routes leaving food and water supplies were severely reduced. Some of the areas were without electricity and communication for up to 1 week and the main shock was followed by thousands of aftershocks, some of the larger ones causing additional loss of life and damage.
UK 1988UK Seamen Strike
4th February, 1988 : Ferry ports in the UK are causing major congestion on roads on the south coast as British Seamen continue their strike without union backing. The strike is because of the increase of cheaper low-cost Third World crews, while making British Seamen redundant .
U.S. 1997 U.S.A. O.J. Simpson
4th February, 1997 : A civil jury panel in Santa Monica, California had determined that O.J. Simpson was guilty of the deaths of both his ex-wife Nicole Brown-Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman. He had originally been acquitted in the year 1995.
Afghanistan 1998 Afghanistan Earthquake
4th February, 1998 : An earthquake in northern Afghanistan has left up to 4000 dead, and tens of thousands more injured or 4th homeless. The earthquake epicenter was close to the city of Rostaq in the remote province of Takhar, close to the border with Tajikistan.
Yugoslavia 2003 Yugoslavia Country Dissolved
4th February, 2003 : Lawmakers formally dissolve Yugoslavia and replace it with a loose union of Serbia and Montenegro.
U.S. 2004 U.S.A. Gay Marriage
4th February, 2004 : The Massachusetts high court declare that gays are entitled to get married.
U.S. 2004 U.S.A. Facebook
4th February, 2004 : Facebook, a mainstream online social network is founded by Mark Zuckerberg.
Syria 2006 Syria Danish and Norwegian Embassies Destroyed
4th February, 2006 : Following the publishing of caricatures of the prophet Muhammad Muslim protesters torched and destroyed the Danish and Norwegian embassies in Damascus. And in Gaza, Palestinians marched through the streets, storming European buildings and burning German and Danish flags.
United States 2007 United States U.S. generals warn against a military strike on Iran
4th February, 2007 : Three former military officers have warned against a military strike on Iran, and said that such action would have 'disastrous consequences' for the security in the Middle-east, and for coalition forces in Iraq. They agree that the crisis over Iran's nuclear program should be resolved through diplomacy, and urge Washington to start direct talks with that country. These warnings were published in Britain's Sunday Times newspaper, and signed by: Lieutenant-General Robert Gard, a former military assistant to the U.S. Defense Secretary, General Joseph Hoar, a former Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Central Command and Vice Admiral Jack Shanahan, a former Director of the Center for Defense Information.
China 2008 China Snow Storm
5th February, 2008 : China has been hit by the worst snow storms in 50 years and some of the worst affected are the poorest in China. The Chinese rural population of farmers do not have the high tech farm machinery needed to weather these type of conditions and are living very close to poverty so when a natural disaster occurs like this which ruins the crops many are forced into near starvation.
This Day In History For Tomorrow February 5th Day After February 5th Or You Can Use Our Calendar at the top of the page to find the day or month you are looking for
United States 2008 United States The Navy must follow environmental laws
5th February, 2008 : A Federal judge has ruled that the Navy must follow environmental laws by placing limits on its mid-frequency sonars. District Judge Florence-Marie Cooper has written that the Navy is not exempt from a compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act, and a court injunction has created a 12-nautical-mile no-sonar zone along the coastline of southern California. President Bush had decided to exempt the Navy from this law.
United States 2008 United States A new president of the Mormon church
5th February, 2008 : Thomas S. Monson has been named as the 16th president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and has said that the church will not be veering from the course that was set by his predecessor, Gordon B. Hinckley. He has taken over at a time when the church has been undergoing a rapid growth around the globe, and been getting a lot of attention from Mitt Romney’s campaign for the White House.
Ethiopia 2009 Ethiopia Gaddafi speaks out on democracy in Africa
5th February, 2009 : The new African Union (A.U.) chairman, Libya's Muammar Gaddafi, has said that multi-party democracy in Africa always
leads to bloodshed. He was speaking at the A.U. summit in Ethiopia, where he went on to explain that Africa was essentially
tribal environment, and that political parties themselves became tribalised, which led to further bloodshed. He concluded that
the best model for Africa was his own country, where opposition parties are not allowed.
United States 2010 United States Bank of America might be sued from the Merrill Lynch takeover
5th February, 2010 : Legal action has started against the Bank of America and its former executives,
and accuses them of duping investors and
taxpayers during their takeover of Merrill Lynch. The defendants are accused of
having withheld details of Merrill Lynch's
huge losses. New York state officials have filed an action against the bank, its
former chief-executive Kenneth Lewis and
former chief-financial officer Joseph Price. Bank of America has said that the
charges are 'regrettable.' The charges are for
duping shareholders and the federal government in order to complete the merger.
United States 2010 United States Google Books
5th February, 2010 : The Department of Justice has said that it is not satisfied with a deal that allows
the search engine Google to build a vast
digital library. It says that the plan fails to address its antitrust and copyright
concerns. It has been following the online retailer
Amazon's complaints that Google's plan to scan and distribute books online could
lead to a monopoly. The Department of
Justice is advising the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
that issues in the settlement agreement from
The Authors Guild Inc. et al. v. Google Inc., class certification, copyright and
antitrust still remain.
United States 2010 United States Barack Obama’s aunt is in court for an appeal on her asylum case
5th February, 2010 : Barack Obama's Kenyan aunt has appeared at a court in Boston on a second attempt
to gain political asylum in the United
States. The immigration hearing for 57-year-old Zeituni Onyango has ended without
an immediate decision on her asylum.
The half-sister of Mr. Obama's father, Onyango had moved to the U.S. in 2000.
Her first asylum application was rejected in
2004, and she was ordered to be deported, but continued living in public housing
in Boston. Her immigration status became
an issue during Mr. Obama's election campaign. He said at the time that he was
not aware of his aunt being in the U.S. illegally.
Philippines 2011 Philippines The Philippines Bans Logging
4th February, 2011 : President Benigno Aquino of the Philippines
announced a nationwide ban on logging after the country suffers from
flooding and mudslides. In January over seventy people died from
floods and President Aquino believed that too much logging might have
contributed to the causes of the flooding.
Mexico 2012 Mexico Mexican Police Arrest Leader of Gente Nueva Gange
4th February, 2012 : Police in Mexico have announced that they captured and arrested Jose Antonio Torres Marrufo, the suspected leader of the Gente Nueva gang (a part of the Sinaloa drug cartel). Police arrested him and his bodyguard in Leon and say that the two men were carrying weapons and crystal meth.
France 2013 France Woman Pants Ban Lifted
4th February, 2013 : The government of France has overturned a two-hundred year law that banned women from wearing trousers. The law had effectively been out of use for several years as people just ignored the law, however the change would make it formally legal for women to wear trousers.
Celebrating Birthday's TodayAlice Cooper Born: Vincent Damon Furnier 4th February 1948 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. Known For : American hard rock and heavy metal singer, songwriter and musician, his stage shows are known for guillotines, electric chairs, fake blood, and boa constrictors and are often referred to as shock rock. He broke onto the music scene in the early 70's with Alice Cooper Band with the hit "I'm Eighteen" from the album Love it to Death. Possibly the most coverage from mainstream press was due to a report that Cooper had bit the head off a live chicken and drunk its blood on stage during a concert. ( It never happened but the folklore lives on ) | <urn:uuid:7c380fe5-9b9f-4899-aeb6-fb3cf2933481> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/february4th.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971315 | 3,039 | 2.578125 | 3 |
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For months, America's energy debate seemed like little more than a sparring match pitting conservatives against liberals. Republicans rallied around President Bush's call for a dramatic boost in production. Democrats asserted with equal fervor that White House plans to drill in wilderness areas would pillage the environment and provide a windfall for oil companies. The answer, they insisted, is conservation.
Now the dialogue is being transformed by the September 11 attacks on the U.S. and by Bush's declaration of a long and unrelenting war against global terror networks. The country still relies on OPEC for 51% of its imported crude. But Saudi Arabia and other Middle East oil-producing nations may be destabilized as a byproduct of U.S. military intervention and the backlash it sows in the form of Islamic fundamentalism."A VERY TALL ORDER." Indeed, what to do about U.S. reliance on Saudi oil is suddenly an issue that's front and center in Congress and at the White House. "Our country needs greater energy independence," said Bush, pushing his stalled energy plan in an Oct. 17 speech to Sacramento business leaders. "This issue is a matter of national security and I hope the Senate acts quickly."
But with the energy conundrum now tougher then ever, the Administration--along with the country at large--may need to rethink long-held positions. If the events of September 11 suddenly infused the energy debate with a new importance, they also deepened the economic slowdown against which that debate is occurring. Reeling from 12 straight months of declining industrial production and the psychological blow of the September 11 terrorist attacks and the anthrax scare, the ailing economy can't tolerate short-run solutions that would dramatically raise energy costs or further weaken consumers. An energy policy that takes economic weakness into account "is a very tall order," says David M. Nemtzow, president of the Alliance to Save Energy, a broad-based Washington group that promotes energy efficiency. "If it was free and good for the economy, it would have happened already."
Even amid the slowdown, energy markets are fragile. While the global economic downturn has depressed demand and kept oil prices at a modest $22 a barrel, the U.S. is more vulnerable to an oil-shock than it was during the 1990 Gulf War, when prices soared to $40 a barrel. Back then, there were 5 million barrels a day of excess capacity worldwide. Now, that figure is about 50% lower due to U.S. curbs on energy investments in Libya and Iran and tight national budgets in oil-producing nations. "If something were to happen today, it would be more serious," warns Amy Myers Jaffe, senior energy advisor at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy in Houston.
The high-wire balancing act of weighing long-run energy policy against the current needs of the economy is putting pressure on policymakers to tone down the rhetoric. Moreover, it's shifting the focus. While an overall rethinking of energy policy that goes beyond oil to encompass a re-evaluation of nuclear energy, coal, natural gas, and alternative energy sources--along with broader conservation moves--remains important, the critical emphasis now is on oil. In part, that's because the aftermath of the terrorist attacks has made clear that the risks of destabilization in the Middle East will remain sharply higher for the foreseeable future. And U.S. vulnerability to an oil shock is increased by the fact that oil accounts for 40% of the nation's energy needs, is critical to transportation, and, for most uses, can't be substituted for with other types of energy.
What should Washington do? A simple energy-use tax would raise the price of oil, penalize inefficiency, and work to drive down demand. But a new energy levy that would sock already-strapped consumers is a political non-starter with the economy heading downhill.
That doesn't mean lawmakers are powerless to address the problem. Among the ideas to consider: dramatically expanding the Strategic Petroleum Reserve as a hedge against future supply disruptions, moving aggressively to diversify sources of oil imports, boosting domestic production, and promoting new technologies. While these steps may be incremental, "small changes can be important in terms of affecting the pricing power of OPEC," notes Ronald B. Gold, vice-president of the Petroleum Industry Research Foundation. Indeed, a wide range of options are now under consideration:*Up The Strategic Reserve The reserve now holds about 544 million barrels of oil--a 60-day supply. That's well shy of its 700-million-barrel maximum, and some lawmakers, such as Representative Joe Barton (R-Tex.), want to expand it to one billion barrels. Although it could cost up to $6 billion to reach that level, with oil prices relatively low, now would be a good time to fork over the cash. "The more oil you have access to, the more leverage you have in a global market," says Red Cavaney, president of the American Petroleum Institute.*Diversifying Imports Although it could be expensive, the U.S. needs to move rapidly to forge closer ties with oil producers outside the Middle East to diminish dependence on the unstable region. And in truth, America already has made substantial progress. Today, the U.S. imports 51.6% of its oil needs and relies on OPEC for about half of that--roughly 26% of total consumption. That's down from 33.6% in 1977, but more than double what it was in the mid-1980s. Today, Canada, Mexico, and Venezuela each supply the U.S. with roughly as much crude as Saudi Arabia, the world's top producer. And over the long term even Russia could help. There are also vast pools of as-yet-untapped oil in Angola, Nigeria, and Chad, says H.J. Longwell, executive vice-president of Exxon Mobil Corp. However, "bringing these projects to fruition will require huge new investments," he says.
Moreover, drumming up new sources of oil is made vastly more complicated by the sometimes-conflicting goals of the U.S. government and U.S. oil companies. The government wants stable sources above all else. Oil companies want to go wherever crude can be gotten relatively cheaply, despite political risk. The energy plan Bush and Vice-President Dick Cheney unfurled this spring, for instance, calls for reinvigorating multilateral U.S.-African panels to promote investment in the region's energy resources. But the major oil companies prefer places with low extraction costs, such as Iran, Libya, and Saudi Arabia. That clashes with any drive to reduce reliance on the region.*Boost Domestic Drilling The U.S. is the most reliable oil source of all, of course. But as energy demand surged 17% during the 1990s, domestic oil production rose by just 2%, forcing America to rely more heavily on imports. Oil experts believe there are 6 billion to 16 billion barrels of untapped oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge of Alaska, and another 4 billion in the lower 48 states. And with advanced technology, 59 billion barrels of oil may be available off U.S shores. But environmental restrictions and local opposition have barred such development. Says Robert J. Allison Jr., chairman of Houston-based Anadarko Petroleum: "We are shooting ourselves in the foot."
The tensions unleashed by September 11 and the ensuing Afghanistan war are giving new urgency to decades-old domestic squabbles. "No amount of domestic production will keep us free of foreign sources of oil," insists Tyson Slocum, energy research director for Public Citizen, a consumer group founded by activist Ralph Nader. Even Bush's brother Jeb, the conservative governor of Florida, has fought offshore drilling, though he may soften that position.
One way around the environmental debate could be the advent of new drilling technology that's far less invasive. "We're not talking about raping the environment," says Allison. The public may be receptive to such moves. According to a poll conducted Sept. 15-17 by Wirthlin Worldwide, a GOP polling firm, 38% of Americans say "protecting our national security" is the most important reason for a comprehensive energy plan, up from 19% in July.*Improve Auto Fuel Efficiency It's a lot easier to get consumers to curtail energy consumption when they're faced with high energy prices, as in the 1970s and in California during its recent electricity crisis. With energy prices relatively low, consumers have little incentive to change their habits. Still, the new environment appears to have increased the willingness of the Administration and Congress to support a phasing in of tougher fuel-efficiency standards for passenger vehicles, which account for nearly half of oil consumption. And by spreading out any increases over a number years, Washington could minimize the negative impact on the economy.
Such a move would reverse a serious erosion in fuel-efficiency wrought by the huge popularity of SUVs. A new Environmental Protection Agency report shows that cars and SUVs last year had the lowest average gas mileage since 1980. The average mileage in 2000 was just 24.2 mpg for cars and 17.3 mpg for trucks. That's far below the standards vehicles are currently supposed to meet: 27.5 mpg for cars and 20.7 mpg for light trucks. If light trucks, which include SUVs, had to meet the required level for cars, that would save a million barrels of oil a day, according to the Alliance to Save Energy.
Federal intervention may be needed if there is little market incentive to make or buy less-thirsty vehicles. The Feds could help kickstart a market by encouraging use of hybrid cars, which combine gas engines and electric motors and can cut fuel consumption by as much as 40%. Indeed, the House-passed energy bill includes tax credits for buying hybrid autos. Such incentives would give a much-needed boost to the nascent hybrid market. Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. already sell hybrids that get 48 mpg and 56 mpg, respectively. General Motors Corp. and Ford Motors Co. plan to launch their models in 2004, but they are expected to be less efficient.
One day, many experts believe, the auto industry could virtually wean itself completely from fossil fuels with so-called fuel cells that use hydrogen. But that day is at least 20 years away. To speed the process, some would like Washington to embark on a crash R&D program on alternative energy technologies. Says David Orr, chief economist for Wachovia Corp. in Charlotte, N.C.: "So far, fuel cells and other technologies haven't gotten the emergency allocation that a war might bring about."
Will any of this come to pass? Much depends on whether politicians can lay aside ideological differences and forge a consensus to bolster security by reducing dependence on foreign oil. It will be a test for both the White House and Congress to see whether the current collegiality extends to something as contentious as a national energy policy. But as the bombing campaign rages on in Afghanistan and the specter of instability in the Middle East grows, Washington has little choice but to try. By Laura Cohn and Stan Crock in Washington, with Peter Coy in New York, Stephanie Anderson Forest in Dallas, David Welch in Detroit, and Christopher Palmeri in Los Angeles | <urn:uuid:6fd97c3c-a63c-44e8-8b3f-30d7221d6c68> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.businessweek.com/stories/2001-10-28/what-to-do-about-oil | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95507 | 2,326 | 1.8125 | 2 |
Christ is more excellent than Moses. Wherefore we must adhere to him by faith and obedience.
Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly vocation, consider the apostle and high priest of our confession, Jesus:
Who is faithful to him that made him, as was also Moses in all his house.
For this man was counted worthy of greater glory than Moses, by so much as he that hath built the house, hath greater honour than the house.
For every house is built by some man: but he that created all things, is God.
And Moses indeed was faithful in all his house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be said:
But Christ as the Son in his own house: which house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and glory of hope unto the end.
Wherefore, as the Holy Ghost saith: Today if you shall hear his voice,
Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation; in the day of temptation in the desert,
Where your fathers tempted me, proved and saw my works,
Forty years: for which cause I was offended with this generation, and I said: They always err in heart. And they have not known my ways,
As I have sworn in my wrath: If they shall enter into my rest.
Take heed, brethren, lest perhaps there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, to depart from the living God.
But exhort one another every day, whilst it is called today, that none of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
For we are made partakers of Christ: yet so, if we hold the beginning of his substance firm unto the end.
While it is said, Today if you shall hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in that provocation.
For some who heard did provoke: but not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.
And with whom was he offended forty years? Was it not with them that sinned, whose carcasses were overthrown in the desert?
And to whom did he swear, that they should not enter into his rest: but to them that were incredulous?
And we see that they could not enter in, because of unbelief. | <urn:uuid:8efe8a83-22d9-4ce1-84c6-c824f3806a19> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.drbo.org/x/d?b=drb&bk=65&ch=3&l=7 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.987164 | 469 | 1.96875 | 2 |
Watch the video, read the facts. How we won a Gold Standard and how we're pushing to be in the national 'top ten'. From LEDs to ladybirds...
With your help, over 80% of SU waste is recycled or recovered. Nearly 50% of it goes in our recycling bins and we're aiming higher!. Our energy use is decreasing - we're targeting our carbon impact.
Find out how your 2011 referendum vote is leading to your Students' Union replacing the sale of bottled still water and with the sale of reusable bottles and the installation of free water foundation.
Find out how these key documents provide a framework for our environmental efforts.
Find out how your Students' Union is making a difference in lots of other ways - from teaspoons to pandas.
Find out how buying the right products from your Students' Union bars and outlets can be a great way to have a positive impact. | <urn:uuid:e0796e9b-8cde-44bf-8b5d-681f35cab27f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://shef.ac.uk/union/ethical-environmental/what-we-do/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.923994 | 182 | 2.015625 | 2 |
In bid to cut mercury, US lets other toxins through
(Page 2 of 2)
There are other potential sources for the toxins. The couple has paid for a child's mattress without fire- retardant chemicals, done research into mercury contained in children's vaccines, and examined a range of household items for clues as to their son's problem. But Mrs. Wright keeps worrying about the power plant, too.Skip to next paragraph
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"We do a lot of gardening," she says. "I can hundreds of quarts of vegetables every summer that I know are pesticide-free. But that particular power plant emits more toxins than any other in the state, so of course air quality is a concern because we also get a lot of rain here. Our concern now has become: 'How healthy is what we're putting up?' Maybe it would be better to go back to canned vegetables."
The Chesterfield plant's mercury emissions ranked 78th in the nation among power plants in 2002, TRI data show. But that pales in comparison with the plant's emissions of arsenic (No. 2 in the US), chromium (No. 2), and lead (No. 3). Chesterfield's emissions, along with those of a handful of other power plants, are a big reason Virginia ranks second in the US in lead emissions from coal-fired power plants, third in arsenic output, and first in chromium, the TRI data shows. (See map.)
A spokesman for the plant says those numbers grossly overstate the problem.
"We have resubmitted to EPA corrected information for the Chesterfield plant for 2002," says Dan Genest, a spokesman for Dominion Resources Inc., an electric utility with power plants in a number of states. According to him, combined arsenic, lead, and chromium emissions totaled about 5,600 pounds - a dramatic 88 percent reduction from the EPA figures.
Still, Virginia officials are concerned and combing through the fine print of the Clean Air Mercury Rule to see if it might help them clamp down on such toxins.
"Virginia has been working for the past several years to improve the reductions for other power-plant emissions - NOx and SO2 - the more well-known ones," says Bill Hayden, a spokesman for the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. "We're looking more closely at mercury and hoping to make progress on other air toxics."
Fortunately, from the Wrights' perspective, Chesterfield was among the Virginia plants cited in a lawsuit by nearby states and the EPA that began during the Clinton administration. In a 2003 consent decree, Dominion agreed to put new pollution controls on it and other plants, which are being installed. Those controls, to reduce NOx and SO2, may reduce the other toxins, too.
"At the moment, the new mercury rule has no effect on us [for other toxins] because there are no regulations on those toxins," Mr. Genest says. "If EPA decides there should be some regulations, we will comply."
Ironically, the EPA last fall ordered other industries with coal-fired industrial boilers to install maximum control technology to remove mercury, lead, arsenic, and scores of toxic pollutants, environmental lawyers say.
That's an unfair comparison, says Ms. Bergman of the EPA. "The multipoint approach of our new Clean Air Interstate Rule, combined with cap-and-trade on mercury, is the best approach because it achieves reductions of multiple pollutants simultaneously."
That's not likely to mollify New Jersey and eight other states that filed suit Tuesday to overturn the new rule.
"New Jersey is unhappy with the EPA mercury rule and is taking a lead role in appealing that rule, not just because of mercury, but because it fails to add the other hazardous air pollutants," says William O'Sullivan of the state's environmental protection department. In a complaint filed with EPA last June, New Jersey and 10 other states cited the proposed rule's failure to regulate other air toxics along with mercury. The Clean Air Act does not authorize EPA "to pick and choose which hazardous air pollutants it will regulate," the complaint said.
• Some 5,000 homeowners in Auckland, New Zealand, were warned in November their yards might be contaminated by lead, arsenic, and DDT from old horticultural sites that had used a range of pesticides.
• In China's Qinghai Province, official media highlighted earlier this year a chromium factory dumping huge amounts of toxins into rivers.
• India's domestic tanning industry alone is estimated to push some 2,000 to 3,200 tons of chromium annually into the environment, according to a scientific article last year. | <urn:uuid:788eacbd-38e4-4a34-a5dd-20215997d6f0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0331/p13s01-sten.html/(page)/2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00072-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953365 | 950 | 2.28125 | 2 |
03-14-2009, 05:27 PM
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Originally Posted by lowco1
So a gh of 4 is kinda low for a cichlid tank huh? If it is how do you all recomend raising it? Also is a nirate level of 10 bad for a cichlid tank?
Nitrate of 10 is fine for any tank, anything less than about 40ppm is fine. If you don't feel comfortable with it then you can do a water change about 20% but nitrate is not harmful until it reaches extremely high. But if it's ammonia or nitrite then we have something totally different.
I don't know what gh is, should I? Whatever it is I always recommend NOT adding any chemicals because all you will do is fluctuate it which is much more harmful for the fish. Keeping it normal (whatever level it is now) is ideal. | <urn:uuid:64733a7f-8daf-4a10-bb20-28a8bc9a7b30> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/freshwater-aquarium/gh-nitrates-22135/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00054-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954269 | 189 | 1.851563 | 2 |