text stringlengths 213 24.6k | id stringlengths 47 47 | dump stringclasses 1 value | url stringlengths 14 499 | file_path stringlengths 138 138 | language stringclasses 1 value | language_score float64 0.9 1 | token_count int64 51 4.1k | score float64 1.5 5.06 | int_score int64 2 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Posted on March 23, 2011 4:18 PM
In March, the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) released its Urban Bikeway Design Guide at the National Bike Summit in Washington D.C. The guide is part of the Cities for Cycling Initiative. The guide’s stated purpose is to provide cities with state-of-the-practice cycling solutions to create complete streets that are safe and enjoyable for bicyclists.
The guide is divided into five major sections, presenting innovative treatments and designs for bike lanes, cycle tracks, intersections, signals, and signs and marking. There are also sections containing case studies from NACTO member cities, a matrix of all the treatments that the guide presents, and a list of the design guide project team members in each of the NACTO member cities. The Bikes Belong coalition and the SRAM Cycling Fund sponsored the guide.
Most of the treatments in the guide are not directly referenced in the current versions of the AASHTO Guide to Bikeway Facilities or the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), although many of the elements are found within these documents. The Federal Highway Administration recently posted information regarding approval status of various bicycle related treatments not covered in the MUTCD, including many of the treatments provided in the NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide. All of the NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide treatments are in use internationally and in many cities around the U.S. | <urn:uuid:edb7cf0a-dd2c-46b9-98ca-764a2840ec9e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cmap.illinois.gov/soles-and-spokes?p_p_id=33&p_p_lifecycle=0&p_p_state=normal&p_p_mode=view&p_p_col_id=column-1&p_p_col_pos=1&p_p_col_count=2&_33_struts_action=%2Fblogs%2Fview&_33_delta=5&_33_keywords=&_33_advancedSearch=false&_33_andOperator=true&p_r_p_564233524_resetCur=false&cur=12 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936941 | 298 | 2.28125 | 2 |
Indoor air quality
Indoor air quality concerns have increased because energy conservation measures have required buildings to be “tighter.” This means polluted air has a harder time escaping buildings. Air pollutants may cause respiratory diseases, cancer and other health effects.
The American Lung Association has information on what to do to prevent indoor air pollution as well as what to do if you believe you already have a problem.
Outdoor air quality
Dakota County does not play a role in outdoor air quality. For information on outdoor air quality, visit the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. | <urn:uuid:567c48f6-c664-48ad-b911-d038c6715d65> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.co.dakota.mn.us/Environment/AirQuality/Pages/default.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941991 | 118 | 2.96875 | 3 |
After one returns from war, what are the realities of appreciation and support they receive? On Democracy Now today, Ed Boyd talks about what is in store for many of these children and their parents.
We hear a speech by former homeless veteran Ed Boyd. He says, "When the parade ends, and the military person takes off that uniform, and the horrors of war are still deep within them, and they can't get help because the Veterans Administration has got a $2 billion shortfall, they enter into a world of real terror, drug abuse, alcoholism, violence."
Saturday evening, hundreds of supporters gathered under a tent at the Camp Casey Two. Before a performance by Texas musician Steve Earl, activists, veterans and military families took to the stage to address the crowd.
Ed Boyd, former homeless veteran.
AMY GOODMAN: This is former homeless vet, Ed Boyd.
ED BOYD: I’ll tell you what I do in Baltimore, Maryland, and this is something that the news media refuse to tell, but I help counsel and I help deal with homeless veterans. Yes. When the parade ends, and the military person takes off that uniform, and the horrors of war is still deep within them, and they can't get help because the Veterans Administration has got -- has a $2 billion shortfall, and they enter into a world of real terror, drug abuse, alcoholism, violence in their -- against their families.
The same person that their parents sent off is not the same person that returns home, and no one talks about that. No one talks about the dreams that we have. No one talks about the anger. No one talks about what can I do. I hear the vets every day. They're coming back. They're coming home.
How in the world can you tell a 22-year-old man or a 22-year-old young lady that they're no good anymore because of what they have experienced, and they can't tell anybody? I look in the parents' eyes as they bring their kids. They say, “This is not little Johnny anymore.” That is the part they do not even talk about.
And why do I get involved with it, because at one time I was one of them. When I came back home, the horror that I saw and experienced, no one -- no one could understand. My mom could not understand where her son was. Physically I was all right. Mentally and spiritually, I was dead.
There are a lot of folks that are coming back home, and a lot of folks that are feeling the same way. And all our government has to do is say, ‘Suck it up, drink a beer and keep moving.’ I say no. We have to love our troops, and we love our kids. And we love our kids so much that we would do anything and everything in our power to keep them away from putting on them uniforms.
AMY GOODMAN: Former homeless vet, Ed Boyd. He now counsels homeless vets in Baltimore.
This is the tip of the iceberg. I heard that they are going to increase the returning veterans pay allotment as of today. Is it enough, or just a token for the service these people are subjected to, and the injustice of the trauma they face after returning home.
What are the figures for attempted and successful suicides and drug dependance that adds to the death figures from war? Does anybody really know or care? How are the families of these broken humans given support to help them cope with their lost and shattered children?
We need more Ed Boyds- people who have worked through the traumas of returning vets to help with the adjustments to civilian life after the friends and foes who's bodies remain as twisted memories of the real horrors of war. These are the people who can understand what has influenced the mind and can help those who have been internally scarred to accept the horror of participation in the most brutal form of psychosis man can inflict upon his fellow man- The Lust of the Eye, and Death of the Soul- WAR. | <urn:uuid:acc12e09-db44-4c28-b5e0-f927f2a8cc3a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://tvnewslies.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=2111&p=8156 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00065-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976997 | 833 | 1.992188 | 2 |
Footage of swans slaughtered at sea by people who appear to be aiming for them in a high-speed jetboat in Tauranga Harbour has ignited disgust and outrage from hunters and animal lovers alike.
Two adults and two children were onboard the jetboat, which can be seen speeding through the harbour on Boxing Day and running over seven black swans.
Some can be seen left hurt and struggling in the boat's wake afterward.
The clip, which was shown on Campbell Live on Tuesday, showed the boaties laughing and checking if the camera was recording. It is unknown how many swans were killed.
Tauranga Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre director and veterinarian Liza Schneider said they had treated an increasing number of injured black swans during summer but she could not confirm how many were from boat trauma.
Dr Schneider described the jetboat footage as "soul-destroying".
"Because you work so hard to give animals the best care and teach people to respect life, and to see people behave so disgustingly ... it's heartbreaking," she said.
"I think it's really important that these people are brought to task, and held accountable and face the ramifications of their disgusting behaviour," Dr Schneider said.
Police are investigating.
Jetboating New Zealand (JBNZ) president Garth McMaster was unable to confirm if the people in the clip were members.
"If it turns out they are, that person will be dealt with to the fullest extent possible," Mr McMaster said.
JBNZ and its national executive were shocked, disgusted and did not condone the actions of the jetboat driver.
"JBNZ represents more boaters than any other organisation in New Zealand and is extremely concerned for the damage caused to all boaters by this revelation. The organisation's own website web board, which is used by members and non-members alike, is unanimous in its disgust of the actions of this unknown jetboater," he said.
In late May, Fish and Game New Zealand traditionally hold a swan hunt, where black swans in Tauranga Harbour are rounded up and killed.
The annual event attracted a major backlash last year but officials defended it, referring to complaints from harbourside property owners and farms whose crops were eaten, and airport officials concerned at potential threats to air traffic.
However, Fish and Game chief executive Bryce Johnson told Campbell Live the jetboat incident was "absolutely disgusting" and no hunter could sanction such a thing.
"We have very strong ethical approaches to how we hunt game birds in New Zealand, and these idiots are just absolutely abusing the whole welfare issue about game birds and wildlife in general," Mr Johnson said.
Black swans are a protected species outside of hunting season.
The clip was circulated by someone disgruntled with the jetboat driver. The identity of the driver remains unknown.
The Tauranga Harbourmaster or SPCA could not be reached for comment yesterday. | <urn:uuid:72ec2579-3ee5-4b19-90b1-b11672ec26f7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/news/print.cfm?objectid=10863923 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977044 | 600 | 1.601563 | 2 |
As is the case across the United States, the economy is the dominant concern for voters in Virginia, but here abortion is such a hot issue that it could tip the balance on election day.
Capturing the mid-Atlantic state is a top priority for both President Barack Obama and his rival Mitt Romney, given that the incumbent won it in 2008 after almost 50 years of Republican dominance in the White House stakes.
But Virginia is a flashpoint in America's heated abortion debate, after the Republican-controlled state legislature made it mandatory earlier this year for women seeking an abortion to first undergo an ultrasound examination.
"Abortion is a very big issue, but I think the economy is the biggest issue," gym teacher Gay Shelby told AFP at a Republican rally in Springfield with a "Mitt Romney for president" placard in his hand.
The struggle for the hearts, minds and ballots of each and every voter is "so close, it can go either way," he added.
Stretching from button-down Washington to the Deep South, Virginia is among a dozen or so swing states whose electoral college votes will determine the outcome of the November 6 vote.
It did, however, side with Obama's Democrats in 2008, before giving the Republicans the majority of its seats in Congress two years later. Republicans also control the state legislature.
To lose Virginia would be a black eye for Romney, who has come to the state 11 times so far in the campaign, against Obama's even heavier 16 appearances.
Abortion has been a highly emotional topic in Virginia, with the pro-choice camp accusing pro-lifers of waging what they call "a war on women."
Romney once supported abortion, but is now opposed in cases not involving rape or incest. His running mate Paul Ryan is more emphatic -- he rejects abortion for any reason.
Virginia has come to the forefront of the debate thanks to a number of laws and regulations on the state level which, critics say, are intended to make it harder to get an abortion.
One such law, requiring abortion seekers to undergo an ultrasound, has been branded humiliating and useless by its critics, while earning Governor Bob McDonnell, a Republican, the nickname "Governor Ultrasound."
"The Republicans and the governor and the State House are chipping away at women's access to abortion in Virginia," said Carol Adams, a tour guide who lives in Alexandria, a prosperous Virginia suburb close to Washington.
"It's important to me because I want to preserve abortion rights," which have been upheld by the Supreme Court, she said.
University of Virginia political analyst Geoffrey Skelley said that "while abortion is not a key issue in this election, abortion within the context of women's rights seems to be a relatively important issue in Virginia."
"The economy is the number one issue everywhere, but due to recent events in Virginia politics, abortion and other related issues -- such as access to birth control -- are playing a role," he added.
"They are one reason why Obama has around a 10 percent lead among women over Mitt Romney in Virginia."
NARAL Pro-Choice America has launched a voter registration drive in Virginia in a bid to get as many pro-choice supporters to the ballot box on election day.
"We are targeting historically under-represented women -- racial minorities, single mothers and low-income women -- in order to make sure that women's voices are heard on November 6," said NARAL activist Alena Yarmosky.
On the other side of the argument, the political action group Women Speak Out has earmarked $500,000 for television ads in three states, including Virginia, to denounce what it calls Obama's "extreme abortion record." | <urn:uuid:dfc52fd9-e84f-4d92-a35e-daca4f378bb1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://sg.news.yahoo.com/abortion-could-tip-us-election-outcome-virginia-024435209.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96449 | 757 | 1.515625 | 2 |
The aroma of balsam firs from Nova Scotia scented the air as more than 600 Christmas trees were delivered to Marine Corps families aboard Cherry Point Monday morning.
“It’s piney. It smells fresh,” said Lance Cpl. Nekia Taylor, of Marine Wing Communications Squadron 28, as she joined about 20 Marines in offloading the trees from Federal Express trucks that had brought the trees from Bangor, Maine, after they were delivered from Canada.
“I just like lending a helping hand and just getting in the spirit of Christmas,” Taylor said. “Everyone seems jolly and happy, and it’s good to see the different families come down and just put a smile on their face. It’s just good to see people smile and get into the spirit of Christmas and lend a helping hand.”
Beth McKenzie marketing director for Marine Corps Community Services, helped organize the annual free Christmas tree delivery through the Christmas Spirit Foundations, which provides free Christmas trees to 62 bases in the United States and abroad.
“It’s been at least six or seven years that they’ve been doing it here at Cherry Point and every year it gets bigger and bigger,” she said.
She said the base received about 500 trees last year and got 600 this year.
“We’ve already got people lined up for a couple of miles down the road so I think we’ll probably distribute most of those,” she said Monday morning.
Randy Stoe, service center manager for the FedEx Freight Terminal in Greenville, has been driving the trees for three years.
“It’s probably the most rewarding experience in my career with FedEx,” he said. “This is a wonderful day.”
He said Federal Express offers free freight for the tree shipment, and said the company has driven about 350,000 miles in delivering about 103,000 trees in eight years of involvement with the program.
About 80 tree farms in the United States and Canada participate in the program. McKenzie said a tree farm based in Massachusetts with farms in Canada provided this year’s trees to Cherry Point, along with personal notes to those receiving them.
“When the troops get the tree and the card, it makes them feel really great,” McKenzie said. “It’s huge for them. It’s the little things. A lot of people think that in this economy that the military members are on a steady paycheck but they have families, they have young children. They have a lot of financial responsibilities. A lot of them that get the trees are spouses. Their husband is deployed and they’re not here to help them pick out the tree, set up the tree, and the fact that they can just come here and get the tree, it makes it so much easier for them to have a Christmas for them while their husband is deployed.”
The Marines appreciated the trees.
“It helps us out a lot and makes it possible for us not to have to spend the money on Christmas trees and be able to afford more presents for our kids,” said Cpl. Devin Batten. “I’m pretty sure there are a lot more families that appreciate it just as much as I do.”
Batten, his wife Teesha, and their baby Alexis waited an hour in a long line of cars at the Hancock Creek Marina to get a tree.
Lance Cpl. Chasten Jackson-Rogers appreciated the support of the community.
“Sometimes we can’t afford those things or can’t find time to go get Christmas trees so I thought it was really helpful at least,” Rogers said. “I’ll try to save up and get a few more presents. I think it’s a really great idea.” | <urn:uuid:6af1067b-37fa-4464-ad79-a445472f350b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.havenews.com/news/local-news/cherry-point-marines-receive-free-christmas-trees-1.62998 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973365 | 817 | 1.507813 | 2 |
From the richest to poorest in New York City
The poorest and richest Congressional districts in the United States are merely miles apart in New York City. Here, Central Park and the Manhattan skyline.
David Brancaccio: It's primary day here in New York and several other nearby states. Now that Mitt Romney has all-but-sewn up his candidacy for president on the GOP side, he'll give a key speech today pivoting from the primaries toward the general election in the fall. But as part of Marketplace's coverage of what really matters in this election -- what we're calling The Real Economy -- we have a story about an economic gulf in one primary state. By one set of measures, America's richest and America's poorest congressional districts lie just five stops apart along a New York City subway line. Let's visit.
Brancaccio: That's our tour guide, Sarah Burd-Sharps. She's the co-director of the Measure of America that has mapped who's moving ahead and who's lagging in every part of the United States.
Sarah Burd-Sharps: I think there's a lot of reasons why the way pie is divided ends up sometimes being very uneven and this is of course true across the nation. It's just not New York City.
We start off on Manhattan's Upper East Side in part of Congressional District 14, the district with the highest income in the country. Here, the typical worker makes $64,000 a year. That's per person -- not per household. But Burd-Sharps says, it isn't just about these obvious signs of wealth.
Burd-Sharps: We might want to go to the park.
Susan Bernstein lives in this Congressional district and is spending part of her day laying mulch atop a lush flowerbed in Carl Schurz Park.
Susan Bernstein: I'm just putting down the chrysanthemums right now.
She volunteers here one day a week. Bernstein says this park is a place where you can forget about the concrete of the surrounding city, which is why she says the neighborhood is very unhappy about a plan to use a garbage holding station a few blocks away.
Bernstein: There are hostas and ferns and daffodils, of course.
New York City wants to re-open a waste transfer center that closed in the late 1990s. The neighborhood's been fighting it.
Bernstein: They're going to truck garbage from all over Manhattan up to there, but there's a great group that's trying to stop this from happening. Just F.Y.I.
So while the island of Manhattan currently has zero waste transfer stations at work, ride the subway for about 10 minutes to the South Bronx and it's a different story. You have 19 waste transfer stations here in Congressional District 16, the district with the lowest income in the United States. The South Bronx, among other things, is known as the asthma corridor and has one of the highest rates of hospitalization in the country, which could explain this fact:
Burd-Sharps: People in very affluent neighborhoods often have really sophisticated skills for making their voices heard that people don't have to the same extent.
We ran into Melissa Castro and her children at a playground next to Rainey Park in the South Bronx. When Burd-Sharps tells her the number of garbage transfer stations around here, Castro says she had no idea.
Burd-Sharps: A baby born today in the 14th District, Manhattan's East Side, can expect to outlive a baby born today in this area by four years.
Researchers continue to investigate links between asthma and the transfer stations and pollution from the network of highways all around here.
Melissa Castro: That's why all of our kids have asthma? Wow. I did not know that. Evie's daughter has to carry around with an inhaler all the time, last summer she wasn't like that.
Experts say these conditions help explain why these gaps in standards of living -- just a few subway stops apart -- remain so persistent.
Castro: I have to get out of the Bronx for my kids health and even the schools, I don't want to even go on top of that subject. | <urn:uuid:180bfe24-0604-47d6-a40e-f08a056bbde6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.marketplace.org/topics/elections/real-economy/richest-poorest-new-york-city | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966792 | 874 | 2 | 2 |
This book illustrates how Buddhism has religious elements that are IRRECONCILABLE with science. [If you have iTunes, look up "Saturday Morning Physics," and you can see a lecture on "Buddhism and Science" by Donald Lopez which is not quite a condensation, but perhaps an introduction to this book].
When I first saw this book, I just assumed that it would be about how Buddhism and science are complementary, since most similarly titled books are. If you're a practicing Buddhist, or have a beginning interest in Buddhism, I'm not sure whether to recommend this book or not, because Lopez is to Buddhism what Bart D. Ehrman is to Christianity, i.e. Lopez has a purely academic interest in Buddhism, and is the opposite of an evangelist; whether intentionally or not, he discourages belief in Buddhism. What he says is technically true, but if you're a Buddhist, this book is painful to read. On the plus side (counter-intuitively, perhaps), this book has pushed me to an openness to the more "supernatural" aspects of Buddhism.
In this book, Lopez looks at representative Buddhists from the past hundred or so years who attempted to reconcile Buddhism with science: Anagarika Dharmapala (1864-1933, Sri Lanka), Taixu (1890-1947, China), Shaku Soen (1859-1919, Japan), Gendun Chopel (1903-1951, Tibet), and the Dalai Lama (b. 1935, Tibet).
In the first chapter, Lopez points out that, in Buddhist cosmology, there is a mountain in the center of the world/universe, Mount Meru. Each of the aforementioned Buddhists attempt to reconcile this belief with science. Dharmapala, for instance, "refutes" the Newtonian view as being incorrect. Taixu attempts to reinterpret Mount Meru as a metaphor. Also in this chapter, the fact that the Buddha claimed the world was flat also poses problems for the aforementioned Buddhists.
In the second chapter, "Scientific Racism" enters the picture. If you're familiar with the history of science, you'll know that Darwin's idea of natural selection and competition between races, for almost a hundred years, was interpreted as justifying racism, so much so that scientists claimed that non-whites were inherently inferior. This dovetails into an idea that is prevalent in 19th and early 20th century academia that, early in India's history, it had been invaded by a race calling themselves Aryans, and since Sanskrit is part of the Indo-European language family, Europeans therefore saw the Buddha as being, in a very real sense, racially equal. So, for example, Taixu in 1937 writes a letter to Hitler that, since the Germans are Aryans, they should adopt a religion founded by an Aryan: Buddhism. Now, Lopez notes that Taixu was very likely unaware of Hitler's agenda, and I agree that Taixu innocently bought into the then current "scientific" thinking.
I won't summarize the whole book, but you get the gist of what Lopez is getting at. Science is subject to revision, and so any claims of being in sync with science are going to be provisional and shifting.
In a footnote on page 235, Lopez quotes Hermann Oldenberg: "But any one who attempts to describe Buddha's labours must, out of love for truth, resolutely combat the notion that the Buddha [was attempting the] reformation of national life." That phrase "out of love for truth" I think is applicable to Lopez, I believe that it is his impetus for writing this book. Lopez once described his anthology "Buddhism in Practice" as being "a necessary corrective," and I think that too is applicable here.
I agree and disagree with Lopez's conclusions. Lopez doesn't go back far enough in history to mention that, when Buddhism entered China, for instance, it lost elements and gained elements: Buddhist missionaries omitted offensive concepts, and aspects of Indian tradition that were congenial to Chinese tastes were emphasized; influenced by Daoism, nature became an important concept in Chinese Buddhism as it never had been in India; Chinese social values emphasized family, so the bodhisattva Vimalakirti, for example, became a model of a sage who maintained his loyalty to the family while pursuing the path of the Buddha; none of the schools that were major in China had been major in India. Is the influence of science on Buddhism less valid than the influence of Daoism and Chinese culture on Buddhism?
At the same time, I am against scientism, i.e. the view that natural science has authority over all other interpretations of life, such as philosophical, religious, mythical, spiritual, or humanistic explanations. There are some questions that science hasn't figured out yet, and maybe those questions will eventually be answered, or maybe they never will. In conjunction with Lopez's book, I would recommend reading David Berlinski's "The Devil's Delusion: Atheism and its Scientific Pretensions". I think that it's interesting that we live in an age where almost every view has to be reconciled with science, that we live in an age of "scientific pretensions."
I think that Buddhism is an eminently valuable philosophy and practice. I, for one, like the current climate of Buddhism's openness to a dialogue with science, in spite of the checkered history of the dialogue that Lopez has pointed out. The best impact this book could have would be an acknowledgment of, and honesty about, that history. | <urn:uuid:460bf83b-589a-4a7b-bb5f-69cbd5567bdf> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.amazon.co.uk/Buddhism-Science-Guide-Perplexed-Modernity/dp/0226493121 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968785 | 1,159 | 2.8125 | 3 |
Message sent successful!
Expect to receive a text message on your cell phone within the next 15 minutes
To appraise a vehicle, please select a model below:
Mazdaspeed, Mazda's internal high-performance tuning and race division, has a long history in Japan. Known for producing exciting limited-edition performance models, the division began making cars for North America in the mid-2000s. The Mazda Mazdaspeed Mazda 3 was only the third Mazda in America to receive the full Mazdaspeed treatment. It has since been replaced by the second-generation car, the differently named Mazda Mazdaspeed 3, which is reviewed here.
Based on the Mazda 3 hatchback, the Mazdaspeed Mazda 3 featured a turbocharged engine, a sport-tuned suspension and many other exclusive components. A used Mazdaspeed 3 is a performance bargain that should appeal to any enthusiast thanks to its balance of speed, practicality and affordability. However, pre-owned examples are likely to have been driven hard, so we'd advise proceeding with caution.
Most Recent Mazdaspeed 3
Produced from 2007-'09, the Mazda Mazdaspeed Mazda 3 was based on the original Mazda 3, which debuted for 2004. It was available in two trims: Sport and Grand Touring. Standard features on the Sport included full power accessories and a six-speaker CD stereo, while the Grand Touring added niceties like a Bose sound system with a six-CD changer and xenon HID headlights and rain-sensing wipers. A navigation system was optional. There were no changes made during the Mazdaspeed Mazda 3's production run.
In reviews, our editors noted the Mazdaspeed Mazda 3's tuner attitude, which was epitomized by its aftermarket-style exhaust system, replete with a faint but noticeable drone at highway speeds. The suspension was more firmly tuned than the regular Mazda 3's. This helped the car have sharp handling, but it could become a little unsettled when driven hard on bumpy pavement. One other drawback to the Mazdaspeed 3 was torque steer under hard acceleration, a result of the car's powerful front-drive layout. Some owners have found this trait to be endearing, however, feeling that it adds a bit of personality to the car.
If you are looking for older years, visit our used Mazda MAZDASPEED MAZDA3 page. | <urn:uuid:1a5f1007-f159-48de-afb2-4d6b74988357> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.edmunds.com/mazda/mazdaspeed-mazda3/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955405 | 509 | 1.5 | 2 |
“Of course, if that is your desire,” I managed at last, “I have nothing to say except that if you had asked my opinion I should have advised against it.”
“I’m sorry, Canby,” he finished, “but the matter has already been taken out of your hands.”
Youth fortunately is the age of the most lasting impressions. Dr. Carmichael, of the Hobart School of Finance of Manhattan University, came and went, but he made no appreciable ripple in the placid surface of Jerry’s philosophy. He cast stone after stone into the lovely pool of Jerry’s thoughts, which broke the colorful reflections into smaller images, but did not change them. And when he was gone the pool was as before he came. Jerry listened politely as he did to all his masters and learned like a parrot what was required of him, but made no secret of his missing interest and enthusiasm. I watched furtively, encouraging Jerry, as my duty was, to do his tasks as they were set before him. But I knew then what I had suspected before, that they would never make a bond-broker of Jerry. I had but to say a word, to give but a sign and bring about an overt rebellion. But I was too wise to do that. I merely watched the widening circles in the pool and saw them lost in the border of dreamland.
Jerry learned, of course, the difference between a mortgage and an insurance policy; he knew the meaning of economics, the theory of supply and demand, and gained a general knowledge which I couldn’t have given him of the general laws of barter and trade. But he followed Carmichael listlessly. What did he care for bonds and receiverships when the happy woods were at his elbow, the wild-flowers beckoning, his bird neighbors calling? Where I had appealed to Jerry through his imagination, Carmichael used only the formulae of matter and fact. There was but one way in which he could have succeeded, and that was through the picture of the stupendous agencies of which Jerry was to be the master: the fast-flying steamers, the monster engines on their miles of rails, the glowing furnaces, the sweating figures in the heat and grime of smoke and steam, the energy, the inarticulate power, the majesty of labor which bridged oceans, felled mountains and made animate the sullen rock. All this I saw, as one day Jerry should see it. But I did not speak. The time was not yet. Jerry’s understanding of these things would come, but not until I had prepared him for them.
This memoir is not so much the history of a boy or of a man as of an experiment. Therefore I will not longer delay in bringing Jerry to the point where my philosophy and John Benham’s was to be put to the test. I have tried to indicate in as few phrases as possible Jerry Benham’s essential characteristics, the moral attributes that were his and the shapeliness and strength of his body. I have never set great value on mere physical beauty, which too often reacts unpleasantly upon the character of its owner. But looks meant nothing to Jerry and he was as unconscious of his striking beauty as the scarlet poppy that nods in the meadow. | <urn:uuid:2e010ad5-d7ac-4489-bd76-bae547c3840a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bookrags.com/ebooks/15570/19.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9912 | 706 | 1.703125 | 2 |
This specification covers the standard for UNS N08923, UNS N0835, and UNS N08926 welded tube for general corrosion applications. The tubes shall be manufactured from flat-rolled alloy by an automatic welding process with no addition of filler metal. The tubes shall also undergo cold-working subsequent to welding and prior to final heat treatment. Mechanical properties such as tensile strength, yield strength, and elongation shall be examined accordingly. Each specimen shall also be subjected to a flattening test, flange test, and nondestructive testing such as hydrostatic, pneumatic, eddy current, ultrasonic, leak, and electric test.
This abstract is a brief summary of the referenced standard. It is informational only and not an official part of the standard; the full text of the standard itself must be referred to for its use and application. ASTM does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents of this abstract are accurate, complete or up to date.
1.1 This specification covers UNS N08925,* UNS N08354, and UNS N08926 welded tube for general corrosion applications.
1.2 This specification covers outside diameter and nominal wall tube.
1.2.1 The tube sizes covered by this specification are 1/8 to 5 in. (3.2 to 127 mm) in outside diameter and 0.015 to 0.320 in. (0.38 to 8.13 mm), inclusive, in wall thickness.
1.3 ASTM International has adopted definitions whereby some grades, such as UNS N08904, previously in this specification were recognized as stainless steels, because those grades have iron as the largest element by mass percent. Such grades are under the oversight of ASTM Committee A01 and its subcommittees. The products of N08904 previously covered in this specification are now covered by Specification A249/A249M.
1.4 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to become familiar with all hazards including those identified in the appropriate Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for this product/material as provided by the manufacturer, to establish appropriate safety and health practices, and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
2. Referenced Documents (purchase separately) The documents listed below are referenced within the subject standard but are not provided as part of the standard.
A249/A249M Specification for Welded Austenitic Steel Boiler, Superheater, Heat-Exchanger, and Condenser Tubes
B751 Specification for General Requirements for Nickel and Nickel Alloy Welded Tube
E527 Practice for Numbering Metals and Alloys in the Unified Numbering System (UNS)
UNS N08925; UNS N08354; UNS N08926; welded tube;: Corrosive service applications--tube (Ni/Ni alloys); Nickel alloy tube--specifications; Nickel-chromium alloys--specifications; Nickel-iron-chromium-molybdenum-copper-low carbon alloys--specifications; UNS N08904 (Ni-Cr-Mo alloy); UNS N08925 (Ni-Fe-Cr-Mo-Cu-low-carbon alloy); UNS N08926 (Ni-Fe-Cr-Mo-Cu-N alloy, low C, N modified); Welded Ni/Ni alloy tube--specifications;
ICS Number Code 77.150.40 (Nickel and chromium products)
ASTM International is a member of CrossRef.
Citing ASTM Standards
[Back to Top] | <urn:uuid:1d825e59-3301-47b2-8a5e-9a1e2d2ad744> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.astm.org/Standards/B674.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.910014 | 822 | 1.898438 | 2 |
Fatal Attacks Force Kenya Temple Move
Hindus Cautiously Optimistic on Future Despite 1993 Violence
It's not supposed to be a secret, but few will speak of it. Last year between July and September, several killings took place in Kenya. Two shootings were outside the Visha Oshwal Mahajan Warhi and Akshar Purshottam temple (Swaminarayan), one week apart. The attacks were after evening prayers, just as the devotees exited the temple premises. Suddenly, a car stopped, masked gunmen emerged spraying bullets randomly, shouting threatening messages and then escaping. Both times it was the same car, same pattern, same gun, rapid fire with no particular target. Nothing was taken. What could be the motive except to terrorize?
In the first ambush, one person received seven bullets, but survived. In the second, several people were wounded and one killed. In other incidents during July and August,
1993, eight persons were killed and ten wounded. Except one, all were Hindus. According to Mrs. Usha Behan (past chairperson of the Hindu Council of Kenya), in the last three years there were 29 killings reported of which 27 were Hindus. All of them were businessmen. The killings created great fear among Hindus and accelerated an already-existing trend to move the Hindu temples out of older, black-dominated areas of Nairobi into Indian-dominated suburbs.
In a fierce world, Kenya is a generally peaceful country. But since 1992 political and economic changes, coupled with a long drought, have resulted in inflation, local scarcities and unemployment. Robberies and murders have become an everyday occurrence.
Robbery is thought the motive in most cases involving Hindus. But in the murder of Mr. and Mrs. Jethwa in July, 1993, there is suspicion of a rivalry within the Asian community itself. In that case the murderers left leaflets at the scene saying, "Tribal clashes must end, aliens must go, looters must be eliminated and we shall strike again." However, there was no evidence to connect these killings with any known group.
Amin Walji, the only Asian Member of Parliament and an assistant minister, casts blame at the second largest opposition party. "The Ford Asili party has stated that Asians should leave the country. So the killings were stage-managed to frighten the community so that they get scared and leave." It is common knowledge in Kenya that the Ford Asili party is opposed to the Indians, first for their consistent support of the ruling party and second because the Asili party is comprised of African businessmen for whom the Indians are rivals. In recent months this party has seen major defections among its ranks.
Walji, a Muslim, believes that the present government will remain in power for at least forty more years and there is no danger of any kind to Hindus or Asians. He agrees that there is animosity towards Asians by the poor people. "Look at an average Asian family. They live lavishly and their children often go out of the country to study. When their employees cannot afford basic amenities for their families, out of desperation, they get involved with robberies and related crimes."
Deciding to Move the Temples
The British colonial masters carved Nairobi into three residential areas, for whites, browns and blacks. After independence, upward movement started, and as blacks became richer, they moved into brown areas and browns started moving into white areas. Most old Hindu places of worship are now in black-dominated areas. Slowly the number of Hindus visiting these temples dropped. After the killings, the Hindus decided to build new temples or shift old ones.
One of the oldest temples was Ram Temple in Eastleigh. This year that temple has been shifted to Parklands. Mr Ramesh Bhaganit told Hinduism Today, "The Ram temple had to be moved because the roads leading to it were broken down. Because the area has become black dominated, there was a greater sense of insecurity. Also due to cultural insensitivity, a bar, butchery and disco were established next to the temple. All this was not conducive to Hindu sentiment. But philanthropic activities still go on. Every Sunday morning three-hundred local children continue to be served lunch as before." There are plans to start a school or health care center in the former temple building.
In the heart of the old town, increasingly congested, there is a row of temples and a sizable Sikh gurudwara. Again because it has become difficult for people to go there at odd times, a new gurudwara has been established at Brookside, in an old white locality which is now dominated by Asians.
The Sanatan Dharam Sabha of Kenya has established a temple at Spring Valley, away from the hustle and bustle of the city, in a quiet suburb. According to the priest, Shri Bhupat Girl Maharaj Goswami, "This temple is going to be the biggest in Africa." It has statues of 24 deities and 46 saints, a total of 70, covering all sects and sub-sects of Hinduism, including Sikhism. The main deities were installed in June, 1994, while the complex, which includes a school and marriage hall, was still under construction.
Is There Hope for the Future?
Goswami is hopeful. "Hindus were shaken after the temple killings, but the fear has passed off and everything is back to normal. This Sanatan Dharam temple complex is a living testimony to the bright future of Hindus in this country."
Similar sentiments were expressed by Mr Ramesh Baghani of the Ram temple, "It is true that after the temple shooting no functions were being held after 8:00pm. But slowly life is back to normal and the administration is very helpful. As per Kenyan law, to organize any gathering for more than fifty people, a permit has to be obtained. When we apply for a permit, the authorities provide two armed guards in plainclothes, without any charge. This is to encourage us to hold our religious functions and cultural shows. I think those killings were undertaken by one segment of society, and it is not at all reflective of popular sentiment. I feel very safe and comfortable."
Kiran Doshi, India's ambassador to Kenya, is also optimistic about the future of Asians in Kenya due to positive action taken by the Government of Kenya. He says, "Violence lasted for only five months last year. Otherwise it is a general law and order problem."
Are Hindus Being Stalked?
Priest Narayan J. Mehta of Ram Krishna Temple, who had been stationed at Kitale, Kisumu, Eldoret and now is based in Nairobi, believes that incidents are often accidental and not intentional-robbers become scared and murder their victim. He believes if the economy of the country improves, the crime rate will go down.
Mr. R. C. Sharma, Secretary to Hindu Council of Kenya, admits that the community was very much shaken last year. He believes, "A repeat of Uganda is not possible with the present government. But who can say about the policies of opposition parties, if and when they come to power? Hindus no longer feel insecure. A lot of investment and development is going on. I visualize a very bright future for our community."
Is There a Future for Indians in Kenya?
The present Kenyans of Indian origin are mostly descendants of laborers brought here by the British towards the end of last century to build the railway line in East Africa. By some estimates the settlers' population was 6,000 in 1860. Today, among Asians the oldest family can be traced to 1898. They are Hindus from Gujarat. Their forefathers came as traders and later stayed and started a school for the Hindu children. After the railway was completed, many workers and Indian traders decided to stay in Africa. And with the railways, the number of new settlers increased dramatically.
This community was referred to as "Indians" by the local people, but after partition of India it became difficult to classify people as Indians or Pakistanis, so they all were lumped together as "Asians" and not classified as Hindus, Muslims or by any country of origin. Society under the British was divided by color: all browns were referred to as Asians, all Europeans and Americans as whites and the locals as blacks.
The whites were at the top, blacks at the bottom and browns in the middle. Hindus were the majority among the browns, they were mostly educated and were good traders and professionals. The Britisher felt threatened and, in order to keep the Hindus subdued, devised a wedge between them and the blacks.
The Hindus are orthodox and conventional and believed in the class system that existed in India. So they could not mix freely due to cultural and dietary differences. In spite of almost a century of living in this country, most Hindus are still uncomfortable with Africans, and that is reflected in the attitudes of different segments of society. There is an animosity among locals towards Asians even today, especially in the common man on the road side. It is mostly due to economic reasons and not to religion as such.
Today the population of Kenya is 25,000,000. Asians number about 70,000, ten percent of which are expatriates. The majority are Hindus and find the environment conducive to following their faith and rituals. In Kenya there is total freedom of religion. All festivals are celebrated with great enthusiasm. According to His Excellency Kiran Doshi, India's High Commissioner to Kenya, "This is the only country in the world where Hinduism and social ethics are offered as main subjects in the formal education system up to class eight. This fact was reinforced by Mrs. Usha Shah, immediate past Chairman of the Hindu Council, who helped to put together textbooks on Hindu religion for the schools. Even in India, Hinduism is not taught in mainstream schools as a subject."
After the exodus in Uganda, Asians left East African countries, including Kenya, in large numbers. It is estimated that those Asians who went to Australia, Canada, Europe, UK, USA, etc., number 600,000. Thus Hinduism has spread on all the continents as a result of that one action by Idi Amin of Uganda. Before independence in 1963, Asians in Kenya numbered 200,000; three times the present number.
Hindus here do not encourage conversion, and there are very few intermarriages. This factor also adds to the negative sentiment towards Asians. One Hindu scholar and philosopher who prefers anonymity says, "The Asians felt insecure after the failed coup attempt in 1982, but slowly life came to normal. There is a love-hate relationship between browns and blacks. Browns are hated because of their business acumen and riches, and they are also respected for the same reasons. After independence, a move was made to Africanize, and businesses were taken away from Asians and given to locals. But they could not manage and six months later, once again Asians owned those businesses and properties. So Asians are accepted even if considered a necessary evil. No government shall try to get rid of them, because they know that move shall prove to be counterproductive. So Asians are here to stay."
Unlike European countries where browns are suspect and looked down upon, it is the opposite here. They are judges, doctors, advocates, engineers, architects, bankers and in government offices. A very large number of Kenyan students are currently studying in India. Indian goods and technology are appropriate for this country. People have a very positive attitude towards Asians.
The question arises, what binds the Asian community to this country where they have made no efforts to integrate with the locals and time and again have been attacked by the locals? Asians know their limitations, but they enjoy a very good quality of life. They have an insignificant role in administration and the political sphere, and a vibrant intellectual life, full freedom for religious and cultural expression. They love the rich life here. The middle generation is here to stay against all odds. Young people who go out to study often settle in the West, leading to a gradual decline in the professional population. The younger generation among the business community, however, tend to stay in Kenya.
Address: Hindu Council of Kenya, P.O. Box 44831, Nairobi, Kenya.
The comments are owned by the author. We aren't responsible for their content. | <urn:uuid:4bf806c6-5930-4a7d-8bf5-22496ec8fed0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://hinduismtoday.com/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=3326 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978685 | 2,550 | 1.828125 | 2 |
Most Active Stories
Mon January 16, 2012
Deciphering Mixed Messages On Drinking And Health
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that binge drinking, usually associated with young people, seems to be an issue among adults as well. And the University of Connecticut recently found Dr. Dipak Das, who studied on an ingredient in red wine, had falsified data on its benefits. | <urn:uuid:49c05910-bd38-4d9f-95d0-d155988d8919> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://whqr.org/post/deciphering-mixed-messages-drinking-and-health | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976189 | 79 | 1.976563 | 2 |
The Forest Police versus Bird Trappers
Italy’s secret weapon against poaching
The Corpo Forestale dello Stato, the Italian State Forest Police, is the largest and most committed environmental police force in Europe. More than 20,000 forest police officers are based in more than 1,000 barracks throughout Italy. They monitor compliance with nature and environmental legislation, combat the illegal wildlife trade and oversee the Italian National Parks and nature reserves. A total of 18 special units are concerned with several specialist aspects of nature protection, including the Nucleo Operativo Antibracconaggio (NOA), whose task is to combat poaching.
The NOA is active in all hot spots of migrant bird trapping in Italy. In Calabria (Southern Italy) they monitor the ban on spring hunting, in the Po Delta (Central Italy) compliance with hunting restrictions are checked and in Brescia (Northern Italy) traps and nets are seized.
The annual forest police operations in the Brescia mountains are coordinated with the bird protection camps organised by CABS and its Italian partner organisations. The areas of responsibility of the different groups are agreed at a preparatory meeting in summer each year and the cooperation with the officers of the NOA and other responsible authorities is discussed. During the camps the plans and operational areas are coordinated so that the conservationists do not interfere with police actions.
When CABS teams locate large numbers of bird traps or extensive net trapping installations the police are guided to the locations and ambushes are set in order to catch the poachers red-handed. When hunters are observed breaking the law the police are alerted and their response is rapid. In 2009 alone our information led to the arrest of more than 40 hunters and bird trappers (2010 - 53). In addition these tactics resulted in the seizure of more than 2,000 traps, 30 mist nets and more than 200 live decoy birds.
Due mainly to our close cooperation with the forest police the number of bow traps (archetti) found during our Brescia operations has declined markedly over the past few years. You can read a report on this here.
You can find a great deal more information on the work of this very committed police unit on their homepage Corpo Forestale dello Stato | <urn:uuid:5b41cba6-6ff8-4c49-956a-1c0dffb51e1c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.komitee.de/en/actions-and-projects/italy/forest-police | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00061-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949128 | 461 | 2.390625 | 2 |
مكتوب Maktub: Arabric phrase meaning it is written
A while ago a friend put me on to the book The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho and it has forever changed my life. The book was a boy’s journey to finding his treasure and realizing his personal legend. The boy maps out his precise journey to his treasure, but his life takes several different detours until he finally reaches his destination.
This book combined with my spiritual work, praying, mediating and reading the bible gave me an epiphany the other day. Every day I wake up and pray to God to get me closer to my dream however, I realized that God has already given me my dream. The universe has already conspired so that it has given exactly me what I want. I just have to get there. You’re probably thinking “I have already heard this,” but I finally GOT IT. All the praying, pleading and crying out are pointless. My dream is written and is waiting for me to get there.
It all seems so simple, as if success in life is only a stone’s throw away. The problem is navigating the detours (like when GPS says recalculating route). These are the times when we don’t trust our intuition, the times we procrastinate, the times we follow the crowd and the times we don’t listen to what God is trying to tell us. Yes, detours prepare us however, if we allow it detours can also last a lifetime. In the book the boy faced many of these detours which included financial hardship, staying behind for love and getting too comfortable in a position that wasn't his dream.
It is written. There is a plan for our lives. Big or small, by the nature of us existing at this very moment we are contributing to our personal legend; that greater purpose which may be bigger than our lifetime but will be realized. It is a matter of if we will be the one to help realize this greater purpose. Can we quite our lives down enough to listen to what God is trying to tell us? Listen to that deeper voice within that tells us to go to that place, send that email, pick up that phone, meet that person or just have self control.
I am tired of the detours. I am tired of falling out of the will of Greatness. It has already been written. There is no need to stress, worry or pray for the things that I want because the moment I understood my purpose all those things were waiting for me.
They are waiting for you too. What is your dream? What is your purpose? Do you feel this will help you to simplify your journey? Share your thoughts and Comments. | <urn:uuid:cbd6309e-c283-4fe0-8def-e524cbd38975> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://paparoxi.com/the-life/tag/maktub | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978128 | 564 | 1.679688 | 2 |
Badvertising, Bottled Water Edition
Hey, if you were organizing a conference on water scarcity and climate change, would you give your speakers tap water or plastic bottles filled with water from a distant tropical island? At the [Michael] Milken Institute's global conference this week, organizers chose to do the latter, providing speakers with bottles of Fiji Water. The irony wasn't lost on attendees: "At a Milken Global Conference panel on water supply. The speakers are all drinking Fiji bottled water. Aaaargh," tweeted Paul Hyneck. Fiji, need we remind you, is an island where water supplies are scarce and locals have struggled to find clean, reliable supplies of drinking water. Meanwhile, Fiji Water owns the rights to the island's largest underground aquifer, drawing water into its diesel-fueled factory and bottling it using heavy-weight plastic. All this makes having Fiji Water at a panel about "the most creative solutions being attempted to meet the water challenge in the United States and around the world" hard to swallow. | <urn:uuid:e5626631-da33-469f-b3e9-872225651811> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2010/04/badvertising-bottled-water-edition | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00074-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956102 | 209 | 2.296875 | 2 |
|<< Acts 24 >>|
New International Version
Paul’s Trial Before Felix
1Five days later the high priest Ananias went down to Caesarea with some of the elders and a lawyer named Tertullus, and they brought their charges against Paul before the governor.
2When Paul was called in, Tertullus presented his case before Felix: “We have enjoyed a long period of peace under you, and your foresight has brought about reforms in this nation.
3Everywhere and in every way, most excellent Felix, we acknowledge this with profound gratitude.
4But in order not to weary you further, I would request that you be kind enough to hear us briefly.
5“We have found this man to be a troublemaker, stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the Nazarene sect
6and even tried to desecrate the temple; so we seized him.
8By examining him yourself you will be able to learn the truth about all these charges we are bringing against him.”
9The other Jews joined in the accusation, asserting that these things were true.
10When the governor motioned for him to speak, Paul replied: “I know that for a number of years you have been a judge over this nation; so I gladly make my defense.
11You can easily verify that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship.
12My accusers did not find me arguing with anyone at the temple, or stirring up a crowd in the synagogues or anywhere else in the city.
13And they cannot prove to you the charges they are now making against me.
14However, I admit that I worship the God of our ancestors as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets,
15and I have the same hope in God as these men themselves have, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.
16So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.
17“After an absence of several years, I came to Jerusalem to bring my people gifts for the poor and to present offerings.
18I was ceremonially clean when they found me in the temple courts doing this. There was no crowd with me, nor was I involved in any disturbance.
19But there are some Jews from the province of Asia, who ought to be here before you and bring charges if they have anything against me.
20Or these who are here should state what crime they found in me when I stood before the Sanhedrin—
21unless it was this one thing I shouted as I stood in their presence: ‘It is concerning the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you today.’ ”
22Then Felix, who was well acquainted with the Way, adjourned the proceedings. “When Lysias the commander comes,” he said, “I will decide your case.”
23He ordered the centurion to keep Paul under guard but to give him some freedom and permit his friends to take care of his needs.
24Several days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish. He sent for Paul and listened to him as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus.
25As Paul talked about righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, “That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.”
26At the same time he was hoping that Paul would offer him a bribe, so he sent for him frequently and talked with him.
27When two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, but because Felix wanted to grant a favor to the Jews, he left Paul in prison.
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Acts 24 Online Parallel Bible
Acts 24 Bible Apps | <urn:uuid:0671d263-5b31-4470-b33e-e41184393500> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://niv.scripturetext.com/acts/24-24.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00020-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.979793 | 881 | 1.65625 | 2 |
Open Government Plan 2.0 (PDF)
Released April 9, 2012
Previous Open Government Plans from the Department of Justice:
Version 1.1 (PDF), released June 25, 2010
Version 1.0 (PDF), released April 7, 2010
Through this Open Government Plan, the department sets forth ongoing and anticipated efforts to increase openness . The Open Government Plan is tied to the department's core missions and includes updates on our previous plan and new initiatives efforts to improve openness.
The principles of transparency, participation and collaboration that underlie the Open Government Initiative are also critical to fulfilling other core missions of the department. The department has three main missions:
- Prevent terrorism and promote the nation's security;
- Prevent crime, enforce federal laws and represent the rights and interests of the American people; and
- Ensure the fair and efficient administration of justice.
The original plan, issued in 2010, contained ambitious goals intended to set the department on a road toward greater transparency, participation and collaboration. In the first section of this plan, we've revisited those goals and provided updates regarding the status of programs and projects we previously discussed. Many of our original projects have been completed and now serve as a resource to the public and our partners.
In the later sections of the plan, we've described new initiatives and projects that the department has begun to implement, or will implement, in the near future.
Like our initial plan, we provide this plan to the public, knowing it will change and grow in response to feedback we receive.
We look forward to comments and ideas about how we can continue to work toward an increasingly open Department of Justice.
Back to top
Updated: April 2012 | <urn:uuid:b65e3f22-e436-4fd9-a1e3-23a610bf3b90> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.justice.gov/open/plan.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00067-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939261 | 344 | 1.960938 | 2 |
By Sonya Clark
In the satirical book The Peter Principle: Why Things Always Go Wrong by Laurence J. Peter and Raymond Hull (1969), Peter coins a new phrase “The Peter Principle,” as his encompassing theory about incompetence in workplaces. Attempting to encapsulate the phenomena of incompetence often found in organizations, this rather tongue-and-cheek bestseller denotes numerous recognizable examples in workplaces, including those in politics and education.
Arguably, this clever novel has merit in management research and can be considered an accurate theoretical characterization of what happens in the workplace. As such, its premise is as applicable in today’s workplace just as it was in the late 1960s when the book was first penned. The Peter Principle makes several bold statements regarding the state of the workplace, but among the most controversial and heatedly debated are the ideas that every employee will eventually reach her own level of incompetence and all positions within an organization will eventually be filled with an incompetent employee.
The authors stated on page 4 of the book that incompetence is a universal phenomenon that can be found anywhere, in any type of organization: “We see indecisive politicians posing as resolute statesmen and the ‘authoritative source’ who blames his misinformation on ‘situational imponderables.’ Limitless are the public servants who are indolent and insolent; military commanders whose behavioral timidity belies their dreadnaught rhetoric, and governors whose innate servility prevents their actually governing. In our sophistication, we virtually shrug aside the immoral cleric, corrupt judge, incoherent attorney, author who cannot write, and English teacher who cannot spell. At universities we see proclamations authored by administrators whose own office communications are hopelessly muddled; and droning lectures from inaudible or incomprehensible instructors.”
The authors also asserted that although people rise through the ranks of their organizations by various means including being pushed or pulled by circumstances, or through the strategic help of well-connected players inside the organization, ultimately the ability to be promoted relies on the individual’s competence at the current level. The more the employee exhibits competency in his position, the theory suggested, the more promotable the employee is for the next position in the hierarchy. But, the commonality in the Peter and Hull’s research studies seemed to be that, eventually, through the vertical rise in promotions, the employee found himself in a difficult situation; promotion from a position of competence to a position of incompetence.
At face value the Peter Principle is sound and quite logical. It supports what scholars know about management theory; if one is competent in one area, it does not mean that he will be competent at a higher level. The theory predicts that eventually and depending on the amount of rungs in the ladder or levels in the organization’s hierarchy, an employee can reach the point where he ceases to be productive and successful, because he will have gotten in over his head. According to Raymond and Hull, “Many of them [employees], to be sure, may win a promotion or two, moving from one level of competence to a higher level of competence. But competence in that new position qualifies them for still another promotion. For each individual, for you, for me, the final promotion is from a level of competence to a level of incompetence.”
Research shows that this can happen, but how does it happen?
In simple illustration: A competent student may become a popular teacher, and then rise to become a department head, and then an assistant principal. He has his eyes set on a superintendent post, but what if he has never dealt directly in politics or seemed to lack the charisma for superintendent work? Or, what happens if the employee has no real ability to process paperwork correctly or in a timely manner? According to the principle, this employee might be unable to be promoted and rendered no longer able to rise to the next level―his incompetence for the new position would fulfill the principle.
Whether one believes The Peter Principle is adept at explaining incompetence in the workplace or not, most will agree that incompetence is present in most companies. In accepting this theory, the reader also must believe the idea that the principle, unfortunately, will happen to anyone―even the reader. Controversially, according to the authors, “In time, every post tends to be occupied by an employee who is incompetent to carry out its duties.”
Which then begs the question: Who is doing the work? According to Peter and Hull, it is the employees who have not reached their level of incompetence who are accomplishing the work in the institution. An ever rising, vertical hierarchy, as described in Raymond and Hull’s newly discovered science of “hierarchiology” is constructed as the organization creates new positions for employees to accomplish neglected organizational tasks and goals, and to even provide positions to cloak unproductive employees until they retire or exit. This insures the hierarchy remains intact and protected.
Building an oppositional case
“Incompetencies of The Peter Principle,” a September1971 Training & Development Journal article by Paul W. Cummings, sought to discredit the theory of The Peter Principle. His article addressed the theory from a skewed perspective, and rather than proving his point, it solidified the principle’s existence. The author’s efforts to refute The Peter Principle supported some of the ideas expressed by Raymond and Hull. Rather than rejecting the theory, it might have been more productive for Cummings to use it to identify the existence of systematic incompetence in some workplaces. Contrary to his assertions, The Peter Principle served to identify the phenomena in organizations and hierarchical structures; providing an umbrella description for the existence of unproductive behaviors and how incompetence permeates a workplace. The Peter Principle does not cause the existence of the phenomenon.
Cummings refutes the absolutism of the book’s premise that all employees will reach his level of incompetence, and called book’s statements about the pervasiveness of incompetence “illogical.” He wrote, “Such an all pervasive statement, I for one cannot accept.” Cummings stated, “My own experiences and job role playing in such organized industrial work groups as industrial engineering, engineering, production foreman, personnel supervisor and training manager, as well as a sociology instructor have led me to believe that the authors are either naïve in their exposure to human relations in industry, or they have unknowingly surrounded themselves with true incompetent personnel in their lifetimes and have assumed that all people who work are typical of their fictitious case histories. ”
“Three directions of thought” are provided in Cummings’ arguments. The first is that the Peter Principle subtly affects its readers by creating a “tendency to mesmerize your thought processes in three distinct manners.” According to Cummings, readers will have a tendency to read the book, then to identify people according to the characteristics and labels the book describes. Perhaps, his allegation that readers will identify others is accurate, because the book does give a label to people with characteristics that fit primly with the principle because these people do exist. This gives way to the old adage, if a tree falls in the forest … and so on.
Cummings stated that when he applied the principle to his own work life, he was reminiscent of a past supervisor who never advanced beyond his present stage of superintendent of a personnel services department. Cummings believes that if he applied the principle to this person then it would suggest that this supervisor had reached his level of incompetency.
Assuming other factors, such as politics, are not the cause of his lack of vertical movement, it might be because he has reached his level of incompetence and is no longer promotable in this hierarchy. However, the principle does make allowances for this, directing the reader who finds himself in this position to seek another rung in the organization’s ladder, another department perhaps, for which he can become promotable again. Cummings describes this “incompetency” as a deceit―bringing upon himself to explain away the lack of upward mobility― by writing, “This type of literary hypnosis may temporarily satisfy my injured and bruised ego as a result of being dismissed by this gentleman. But if carried to extremes I may then try to rationalize my dismissal in my previous job on the fact that my former superior had reached his level of incompetency. It’s a self-deceiving poor elixir that these modern medicine men are dispensing to the reading public, because in reality, perhaps I was the one who had reached my level of incompetency.”
Contrary to Cummings’ statement about the principle soothing a bruised ego, it may be the impetus a dismissed employee needs to self-reflect. If the principle gives insight, even anecdotal, into what might have happened, including the prospect that, indeed, the dismissed employee did reach his level of incompetence or suffered under the leadership of an incompetent supervisor, using this theory gives the employee the ability to re-evaluate and to revise his strategy for moving into a new position.
A second direction of thought stated by Cummings is that because bad experiences are common in the workplace, many people will agree that their bosses have reached their level of incompetence, but when considering the principle, they are surprised when their boss has been promoted and they can become their bosses replacement. Again, Cummings provides anecdotes to support the principle rather than to dispute it as he attempted.
Cummings’ third direction states that as the reader lowers his rational defenses and accepts the premises of the principle, he begins to “sacrifice logical reasoning” and will abandon the real for more instances of seeing “imaginary characters.”
To support this argument, Peter and Hull wrote, “In time, every post tends to be occupied by an employee who is incompetent to carry out its duties.” Again, Cummings refutes the use of the word “every” in the principle, saying the word “every” discounts training an employee has had, rendering it all ineffective. However, the principle does seem to apply to everyone. Skills are continuously developed through exposure and training. The use of the word “every” in Peter and Hull is justified because it means that all posts can be filled by an employee who has reached his level of incompetence. Therefore, the employee is perceived as no longer promotable because he has not gained new skills or improved skills necessary for the position.
Accepting the principle on its merits
In a April 1971 Training & Development Journal article titled, “The Peter What?,” Joe D. Batten accepted the work as a “whimsical and titillating book” and offered his work “for the obsolete and near obsolete person who wants a reassuring palliative for the expedient batch of obsolete practices for which he has opted.” His interpretation implies that the book allows people to succumb to self-limiting beliefs because the principle is inevitable. Battan wrote that the principle let’s people “off the hook of work, effort, resilience, building, confrontation, and above all, change.” He offered his own theory as a counter to incompetence called the Batten Principle, which places full responsibility on the employee. But, suspending disbelief and assuming the theory of The Peter Principle is a real phenomenon, employees should think very carefully before accepting a promotion.
Robert Half (1993), who believes the principle actually happened to him when he accepted a job that he later felt was beyond his abilities, advised other employees in his Management Accounting article “I Reached My Peter Principle Level. What Do I Do?” that although it may be a natural human response for an employee to accept a promotion, the greater responsibility and the financial gain it might present, an employee’s ability to evaluate his own work and to avoid taking a promotion that they may not be prepared for, shows wisdom and maturity.
However, according to Half, “The immediate, albeit premature, gratification that comes from moving ahead too fast and too far is often negated by the harsh reality that eventually sets in when the gratification turns into frustration and failure.” When is an employee ready to be promoted is a question that, according to Half, the employee must answer for herself. It is important for the employee to recognize deficient areas and to make an effort to strengthen those deficiencies before considering accepting a promotion. | <urn:uuid:dd8cbeb5-aa05-4f50-9949-6a0f19c7b69f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.astd.org/Publications/Newsletters/ASTD-Links/ASTD-Links-Articles/2012/06/Revisiting-the-Peter-Principle | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969921 | 2,555 | 2.125 | 2 |
Larry Ingrassia, business editor, Joseph Nocera, business columnist, and Kurt Eichenwald, investigative reporter, discuss the upcoming Enron trial.
The Enron Corporation said yesterday that it had named as its president and chief operating officer Jeffrey K. Skilling, an executive who came to the company only six years ago and built up a huge business trading natural gas and electricity. The fact that Mr. Skilling, 43, was appointed to the No. 2 job at Enron, under Kenneth L. Lay, the chairman and chief executive, shows how quickly the trading and marketing of natural gas and electricity are growing in importance as a result of utility ...December 11, 1996, Wednesday
TWO words sum up the management philosophy of the Enron Corporation, according to its president, Jeffrey K. Skilling: loose, and tight. ''We are loose on everything related to creativity,'' said Mr. Skilling, who came here in 1990 to help transform Enron from a regulated natural-gas pipeline company into the energy industry's most freewheeling cowboy.June 27, 1999, Sunday
ENRON, the Houston-based utility and energy giant, last week announced a 20-year agreement with Blockbuster to deliver movies on demand into homes, as a digitized video stream over fiber optic lines, including the thousands of miles installed by Enron itself. Enron faces tough competition from the current pay-per-view offerings by companies like AT&T and Time Warner. But Enron executives say the pay-per-view market is limited by inflexible show times and the inability to pause, stop or rew...July 23, 2000, Sunday
The Enron Corporation named Jeffrey Skilling as its chief executive today, promoting a manager who helped make the company into the largest competitor in the growing energy-trading business. Mr. Skilling, 47, who was president and chief operating officer, succeeds Ken Lay, 58. Mr. Lay said he would continue as chairman, a position he has held since February 1986.December 14, 2000, Thursday
Jeffrey Skilling, the chief executive of the Enron Corporation, stunned Wall Street today by announcing that he would quit after just six months in the job, calling the move a ''purely personal decision.'' But the abruptness of the departure left many analysts questioning whether a series of setbacks the company has suffered played a part in the decision.August 15, 2001, Wednesday
IS time running out for Enron? At the beginning of this year, the Enron Corporation, the world's dominant energy trader, appeared unstoppable. The company's decade-long effort to persuade lawmakers to deregulate electricity markets had succeeded from California to New York. Its ties to the Bush administration assured that its views would be heard in Washington. Its sales, profits and stock were soaring.October 28, 2001, Sunday
As government investigators look for the roots of Enron's demise, the Enron chief executive who quit just months before the company collapsed broke his silence today to deny any responsibility or wrongdoing. Jeffrey K. Skilling, who resigned as chief executive in August after a decade at the company, said in an interview that he had been stunned by Enron's subsequent descent and by revelations that his former chief financial officer and right-hand man made more than $30 million from dealings...December 22, 2001, Saturday
A senior Enron employee explicitly warned the company's chairman in August that several years of improper accounting practices threatened to bring down the company, Congressional investigators said today. ''I am incredibly nervous that we will implode in a wave of accounting scandals,'' the employee, Sherron S. Watkins, wrote in an unsigned seven-page letter to Kenneth L. Lay, Enron's chairman and chief executive. Excerpts from the letter were released today by the House Energy and Commerce ...January 15, 2002, Tuesday
Following is the text of an unsigned letter written in August to Kenneth L. Lay, the chairman of the Enron Corporation, after Jeffrey K. Skilling resigned unexpectedly as chief executive on Aug. 14. Its author was later identified as Sherron S. Watkins, a vice president for corporate development at Enron. The House Energy and Commerce Committee released excerpts of the letter on Monday and the full letter yesterday: Has Enron become a risky place to work? For those of us who didn't get ric...January 16, 2002, Wednesday
In April 2000, Enron was still flying high, at least publicly. Jeffrey K. Skilling, the president and chief operating officer at the time, faced a video camera and spoke enthusiastically about the corporate culture that would, he insisted, enable Enron to go from the world's largest energy-trading company to the world's leading company, period. ''People have an obligation to dissent in this company,'' Mr. Skilling said, detailing Enron's core values of respect, communication, excellence and ...January 31, 2002, Thursday
SEARCH 247 Articles:
The Times's Paula Dwyer discusses the Enron verdict.
The trial of two former Enron executives has taken some unexpected twists and turns.
From the Archives
Below are selected articles outlining the collapse of Enron.
Enron's Last Year
Two completely different tales emerged about what happened inside Enron during its last 11 months: the public image and the hidden truth.(February 10, 2002)
By October 2001, Enron's stock had plunged and questions about its finances were mounting. (October 28, 2001)
- Some of My Best Friends Are Germs
- The Health Toll of Immigration
- Op-Ed Columnist: Without Water, Revolution
- Sky High and Going Up Fast: Luxury Towers Take New York
- For Gay Men, a Fear That Feels Familiar
- Well: The Scientific 7-Minute Workout
- Confusion and Staff Troubles Rife at I.R.S. Office in Ohio
- After Decades of Neglect, Pakistan Rusts in Its Tracks
- Op-Ed Columnist: Taxing Times for Obama
- Opinion: Get a Life? No Thanks. Just Pass the Remote.
Rss Feeds On Jeffrey K. Skilling
Subscribe to an RSS feed on this topic. What is RSS? | <urn:uuid:301908e5-8b7a-412b-a2ab-ae6fa4639e84> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/s/jeffrey_k_skilling/index.html?s=oldest | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00030-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960181 | 1,279 | 1.570313 | 2 |
KDL Recommends For Teens > Favorites > War Books for Teens
The Last Full Measure
Title: The Last Full Measure
Author: Ann Rinaldi
HIST TEEN RINALDI
As Confederate and Union soldiers take over their town, the local residents can do little more than hunker down in their homes while cannon and gunfire explode around them. But the battles are not only fought between soldiers. At home, fourteen-year-old Tacy and her disabled brother lock horns as David struggles with his desire to go to war. He has strong principles, and it tortures him to allow others to fight while he does nothing.
In the aftermath of this great and terrible battle, in which so many soldiers sacrifice their lives for their beliefs, David gives his last full measure…and leaves Tacy struggling to make sense out of it all. | <urn:uuid:0953d097-a948-4d2b-b303-819540846abc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.kdl.org/categories/1119/books/11021 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00056-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942478 | 176 | 2.046875 | 2 |
Supermarkets Cut Prices to Lure Customers
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Supermarket prices are plunging as the global downturn drives down the cost of staples such as wheat, corn and milk and grocers fight for the wallets of penny-pinching consumers.
Locally, Safeway stores have slashed prices on thousands of products by as much as 25 percent over the past month. Giant Food said three weeks ago that it has doubled the number of items on sale and papered its shelves with signs highlighting savings. And Wal-Mart, long feared by rivals for its aggressive pricing, plans to open its first area store with a full-service supermarket in Manassas in October.
The heated competition is being fueled in part by the steep decline in commodity prices after a year of dramatic increases, one of the few silver linings of the deep recession that continues to transform the economy.
The price of corn, for example, is down 56 percent since July 2008 on the Chicago Board of Trade. Such drops have helped drive down the grocery consumer price index, which measures what shoppers pay at stores, about 2.5 percent since its peak in November, according to new data released Wednesday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. While there was an upward blip in energy prices that drove the wider consumer price index up 0.4 percent in August, over the past 12 months overall consumer prices have fallen 1.5 percent.
"The declines have been so broad that even the core-needs kinds of spending have taken hits," said Adam York, an economic analyst with Wachovia. "Consumer budgets are pretty tight right now. You're going to do anything that you can as a retailer to keep consumers in your store."
The renewed focus on price represents a significant shift for the grocery industry, which promoted such amenities as olive bars and in-store sushi restaurants to lure shoppers whose palates had become increasingly discriminating during economic boom times. Supermarkets boasted about the varieties of cheese in stock and expanded their menus of prepared foods. Safeway and Giant remodeled their stores to include faux-wood flooring, soft lighting and farmers-market-style stands. Even the discounter Wal-Mart opened a test store in Texas that priced a bottle of wine above $500.
Then the recession hit, and gourmet grocers that were once emulated struggled to hold on to shoppers. Consumers began clipping coupons and opting for a dozen roses instead of floral bouquets, and 20 percent fat ground beef over 10 percent fat. Traditional supermarkets saw renewed interest in deals on mundane items such as toilet paper and laundry detergent that dominate the centers of their stores. Phil Lempert, a consultant known as "the Supermarket Guru," likened the changes in shoppers to those seen during the Great Depression.
"They learned certain behaviors that they stuck with for the rest of their lives," he said.
The supermarket rivalry is likely to heat up this fall, when Wal-Mart opens its first "supercenter" -- carrying a full line of groceries -- in the region. The behemoth retailer has dominated the grocery business in areas where it has opened supercenters, and food has remained one of its strongest categories during the downturn. Target has also said it is increasing the amount of space it devotes to food in its stores as shoppers shy away from spending money on clothes and home furnishings.
The drop in commodities prices has allowed retailers to lower prices for their customers, but it also can result in lower revenue: If shoppers buy the same food for less money, sales figures will decline.
That's what happened to Safeway, where revenue during the most recent quarter dropped 6.5 percent from a year earlier, even though it is ringing up more transactions. The cost of cheese dropped 17 percent, milk plunged 27 percent, and cherries fell 42 percent.
"The deflation is deeper and more sustained than we had earlier predicted," Safeway chief executive Steven A. Burd told investors, noting that those price declines were the worst in 17 years. | <urn:uuid:bc6eb63c-5577-42c9-a5fa-67d25c312f23> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/16/AR2009091603540.html?hpid=topnews | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00061-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974444 | 818 | 1.726563 | 2 |
Seljuk Bronze Bowl - AMD.178, Origin: Central Asia, Circa: 1037 AD to 1157 AD, Dimensions: 1" (2.5cm) high x 8.1" (20.6cm) wide, Collection: Islamic Art, Style: Seljuk, Medium: Bronze. In the 9th century, hordes of nomadic Turkic horseman living on the outskirts of the Muslim world began to migrate westward into the heart of Central Asia. By the 10 century, a branch known as the House of Seljuk had broken off from the Oghuz confederation of Turkomen tribesmen, arrived into mainland Persia, and settled in the province of Khurasan. Overtime, the Seljuks converted to Islam and began to adopt the Persian language and culture. In the 11th century, the Seljuks set up an independent state under their leader Tugrul Bey with its capital in Isfahan, initially under the auspices of the Abbasid Caliph in Baghdad. The arts thrived during the Seljuk period as the Turkic rulers patronized Persian culture, arts, and literature. | <urn:uuid:373c56a8-267b-44ab-8b8d-ebaed11a6f1e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.antiques.com/classified/Antiquities/Ancient-Asian/Antique-Seljuk-Bronze-Bowl---AMD-178 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00041-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.90304 | 236 | 2.78125 | 3 |
Last Sunday’s New York Times even reported on its front page that Romney has been “falsely charging” President Obama with removing the work requirement. Those are strong words from the venerable Times. Yet Romney is still making the false charge. Ads containing it continue to be aired.
Presumably the Romney campaign continues its false claims because they’re effective. But this raises a more basic question: How can they remain effective when they’ve been so overwhelmingly discredited by the media?
The answer is the Republican Party has developed three means of bypassing the mainstream media and its fact-checkers.
The first is by repeating big lies so often in TV spots – financed by a mountain of campaign money – that the public can no longer recall (if it ever knew) that the mainstream media and its fact-checkers have found them to be lies.
A series of court decisions and regulatory changes, beginning with the Supreme Court’s ruling in Citizen’s United vs. Federal Election Commission, opened the floodgates to big money. Fully a quarter of the $350 million amassed by Super PACs through the end of July came from just ten donors, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a non-partisan group that tracks such spending.
And through political front groups masquerading as nonprofits charitable, like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, corporations and Wall Street banks are making secret contributions — without even their own shareholders knowing.
The second means the GOP has developed to protect its lies is by discrediting the mainstream media – asserting it’s run by “liberal elites” that can’t be trusted to tell the truth. “I am tired of the elite media protecting Barack Obama by attacking Republicans,” Newt Gingrich charged at a Republican debate last January, in what’s become a standard GOP attack line.
To be sure, the mainstream media hasn’t always called it correctly. Initially it bought the Bush administration’s claim there were “weapons of mass destruction” in Iraq. But the mainstream media is at least committed to professional standards that separate truth from fiction, seek objective facts, correct errors, and disseminate the truth.
The third mechanism is by using its own misinformation outlets – led by Fox News, Rush Limbaugh and his yell-radio imitators, book publisher Regnery, and the editorial page of the Wall Street Journal, along with a right-wing blogosphere – to spread the lies, or at least spread doubt about what’s true.
Together, these three mechanisms are creating a parallel Republican universe of Orwellian dimension – where anything can be asserted, where pollsters and political advisers are free to create whatever concoction of lies will help elect their candidate, and where “fact-checkers” are as irrelevant and intrusive as is the truth.
Democracy cannot thrive in such a place. To the contrary, history teaches that this is where demagogues take root.
The Romney campaign has decided it won’t be dictated by fact-checkers. But a society without trusted arbiters of what is true and what is false is vulnerable to every lie imaginable.
Link to the original article on RobertReich.org | <urn:uuid:6a6ca5b7-2be4-4ce0-a545-b305a9253051> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.pdamerica.net/news/item/698-how-romney-keeps-lying-through-his-big-white-teeth | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955423 | 668 | 1.5 | 2 |
This book is the representation of a narrative inquiry conducted with five ninth grade boys that were identified as displaying multiple literacies, looking specifically at how these boys storied their literate identities. After the stories were collected, the author conducted several negotiation sessions with the boys and their parents at the school, as well as in their homes. These negotiations facilitated a methodological concept that the book terms distillation: an interim step for determining which narratives in an inquiry are emblematic. Several lenses for conceptualizing the stories of these boys were made evident during the research. An analysis of the collected stories revealed that the boys' stories moved beyond current conceptions of either identity or literacy alone and instead offered a way of defining literate identity as simultaneously being and doing literacy. In light of this definition, the boys' stories revealed plotlines that together described literate identity as a form of capital.The question of how the boys story themselves, the original research question, is ultimately answered using a meta-narrative, or archetype, where a hero distributes a boon, or gift to his society. The implications for this research include a need to examine classroom space in order to facilitate the deployment of literate identity capital, as well as space for living out the meta-narratives that these boys are composing.
"I want readers to sample Mary's 'simply elegant' writing style and the kinds of knowledge held and expressed in her storying and restorying. Mostly, I want to compel readers to turn the page and begin reading this important work that fills a gaping hole in the literature and in the field. You will not be disappointed.(Cheryl J. Craig, University of Houston)". This book is a shining reach to a wider audience for Mary's teaching. The impulse of this project has been to learn more by crafting a narrative inquiry to teach us more about boys' literate identities. (Jill Terry Rudy, Brigham Young University) | <urn:uuid:a4ce1a00-338b-4d13-aae3-6b9b40d82b8b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://books.emeraldinsight.com/display.asp?m=4&dc=5&sort=sort_date/d&mw=5&cur=GBP&st_01=stefinee%20w/2%20e%20w/2%20pinnegar&sf_01=contributor | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965447 | 391 | 3.328125 | 3 |
The Complete Fairy Tales Penguin Classics Horror Book Review
Featured Book Review: Darkbound
Darkbound is an amazing book. Michaelbrent Collings outdid himself with this book. It is not at all what I thought it would be. I took three nights to finish this book because I stayed up way past my bedtime. Darkbound was so suspenseful that I just kept on reading to…
Horror books Review
An authoritative edition of the shorter fairy tales of George MacDonald, “one of the most remarkable writers of the nineteenth century” (W. H. Auden)
George MacDonald occupied a major position in the intellectual life of his Victorian contemporaries, and his dazzling fairy tales earned him the admiration of such twentieth-century writers as C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, and W. H. Auden. Employing paradox, play, and nonsense, like Lewis Carroll’s Alice books, MacDonald’s fairy tales offer an elusive yet meaningful alternative order to the dubious certitudes of everyday life.
The Complete Fairy Tales brings together all eleven of George MacDonald’s shorter fairy tales, including “The Light Princess” and “The Golden Key,” as well as his essay “The Fantastic Imagination.” The subjects are those of traditional fantasy: fairies good and wicked, children embarking on elaborate quests, journeys into unsettling dreamworlds, life-risking labors undertaken. Though they allude to familiar tales such as “Sleeping Beauty” and “Jack the Giant-Killer,” MacDonald’s stories are profoundly experimental and subversive. By questioning the concept that a childhood associated with purity, innocence, and fairy-tale “wonder” ought to be segregated from adult skepticism and disbelief, they invite adult readers to adopt the same elasticity and openmindedness that come so naturally to a child.
“I have never concealed the fact that I regarded him as my master . . . The quality that had enchanted me in his imaginative works turned out to be the quality of the real universe, the divine, magical, terrifying and ecstatic reality in which we all live.”—C. S. Lewis | <urn:uuid:fed256c7-a9bc-4125-8e6e-5445cd49d4aa> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.hellhorror.com/books/review/3658/The-Complete-Fairy-Tales-Penguin-Classics.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935318 | 458 | 1.546875 | 2 |
Facts about turkeys: Can they outrun Olympic champion Usain Bolt?
A flock of about 20 wild turkeys cross Fairgrounds Road in Plymouth Monday morning in search of acorns. From a flock of 25 birds imported from the Allegheny Mountains in 1975, the state now has an estimated 40,000 birds from New Castle to Pittsburg. Every community in the state has a flock or more, according to Ted Walski, Fish and Game's turkey biologist. (Paula Tracy/Union Leader)
Mark Hayward's City Matters: Plenty to be thankful for
Usain Bolt, the world's fastest-known human, averaged 23.35 mph during his world-record 100 meters. He would not be able to beat an Eastern wild turkey, which can run up to 25 mph.
More turkey talk:
-- The domestic, farm-raised turkeys most Americans eat on Thanksgiving Day are nothing like the wild turkey feasted on by the Pilgrims and Native Americans. Wild turkeys rarely weigh more than 24 pounds, while domestic turkeys regularly grow to more than 40.
-- Most domestic turkeys are too heavy to fly. But wild turkeys have as many as 6,000 feathers and can fly as fast as 55 mph.
-- This year in New Hampshire, 3,873 turkeys were taken from farm and field by shotgun in the spring; another 621 were killed in the Oct. 15-19 gobbler shotgun season.
-- Archers have only been able to take 234 birds so far (the season runs into December) because they are hard to hit, notes Ted Walski the state's turkey biologist.
-- John Brasier of the National Wild Turkey Federation in Edgefield, S.C., said there are now almost 7 million wild turkeys in the country. That is up from 1.3 million in 1973, when the association began its work.
-- Wild turkeys can make at least 28 different vocalizations, with gobbles heard up to one mile away. They roost (sleep) in trees, often as high as 50 feet off the ground, and have much sharper vision than humans.
-- The federation discourages putting food on the ground for turkeys to eat, but encourages planting crops that will "become permanent food sources," Brasier said.
-- Those include crops that push through snow, such as corn, sorghum and wheat, as well as shrubs and small trees such as crab apple. Native grasses and various white and red clovers are good food sources before snow cover.
- - - - - - - -
Paula Tracy may be reached at firstname.lastname@example.org.
READER COMMENTS: 3
- Epping dump cats left on their own - 45
- This Week's Rare Bird Alert - 0
- Animal rights group finds butterfly release at kindness rally kind of cruel - 10
- Bald eagle family takes up residence in Manchester - 4
- Auto dealership employees give stray parakeet new lease on life - 0
- Big Cat Coffees website accepts NH Humane Society donations - 0
- Gail Fisher's Dog Tracks: Dogs can be taught not to pull on leash - 0
- This week's Rare Bird Alert - 0
- Humane Society of Greater Nashua earns award - 0
READER COMMENTS: 2
- Two sustained minor injuries in Rochester crash Sunday - 0
- Boat crash in Tuftonboro investigated - 0
- Manchester alderman urges review of police phone use - 12
- Updated: Man fatally shot on Manchester street; neighbors shocked - 1
- Nashua mayor to recommend Bennett for corporation counsel - 0
- Claremont group disputes incinerator plant's permit - 0
- Goffstown artisan gives new face to Wolfeboro tower - 0
- Katie McQuaid's Scene in Manchester: Kiwanis and the kids - 0
- Town may have to fix grave error - 2
Town may have to fix grave error
UNH hires firm to redesign one of its logos
Disengaged: Obama's lousy excuse
Chechen decries Boston attack
- Should NH outlaw puppy mills?
- Total Votes: 37 | <urn:uuid:bb2b3318-84b6-4660-9365-1453dc6e9cbc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.unionleader.com/article/20121122/NEWS01/121129714/0/services | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00046-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.925903 | 859 | 2.484375 | 2 |
The Native Americans used some creative tools to prepare their food. One example is the deer jaw that was used to scrape food such as corn. The hollow stump is used to pound corn. Clay pots were made to cook and store food. They also use a trench oven to cook deer meat and other food. The Native people didnít buy things they made clay pots or used parts of animals. They get their materials from nature.
The Native American above is carving wooden spoons. | <urn:uuid:76013407-b5af-4b0c-a0a3-871d3241b371> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://library.thinkquest.org/TQ0312452/preparing.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.986231 | 97 | 3.375 | 3 |
The Brooklyn Bureau
Information Is Power. Information Empowers.
The Brooklyn Bureau is a news and information project of the Brooklyn Community Foundation and City Limits, an independent, investigative journalism organization with a 35-year history of reporting in New York City.
Reaching deep into Brooklyn, particularly in under-covered neighborhoods, City Limits’ team of reporters produce ongoing accountability journalism for The Brooklyn Bureau at www.BkBureau.org on local issues and activities of the borough’s nonprofit sector, civic and social institutions, and communities.
“When we created a community foundation for Brooklyn, we wanted to provide residents with new tools for civic engagement. We know that information is indeed power and it’s important to understand the issues and trends in our communities in order to create positive change,” said Brooklyn Community Foundation President Marilyn Gelber.
“As a ‘city’ of more than 2.5 million people, we need to have stronger and deeper coverage of neighborhoods, including the impact of public policies, and the work of our amazing nonprofit sector. We are proud to partner with City Limits on this much-needed media initiative so that the Brooklyn story can be told more clearly, accurately, and comprehensively.”
The Brooklyn Bureau is a winner of the 2011 Knight Community Information Challenge, which encourages community and place-based foundations to support news and information projects. The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation has matched the Brooklyn Community Foundation’s initial project funding for a total of $100,000 over its first two years.
In addition, the Community Foundation is supporting the work of the Center for the Study of Brooklyn at Brooklyn College to analyze statistical data and develop neighborhood and borough-wide trend reports, which will also be featured on The Brooklyn Bureau site. | <urn:uuid:0d7f174f-ee48-49c0-b70a-341520765286> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.brooklyncommunityfoundation.org/your-community/information-for-action/brooklyn-bureau | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00030-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.918661 | 366 | 1.78125 | 2 |
If Ring had really made an isolated and specific prediction that a destructive earthquake would strike Christchurch on February the 22nd then he might be worth listening to. His claim revolves around this post from his website a little more than a week before the event. Here’s the quotes he’d like you to pick out from that post:
The window of 15-25 February should be potent for all types of tidal action, not only kingtides but cyclone development and ground movement.
Over the next 10 days a 7+ earthquake somewhere is very likely
You might quibble that the Christchurch quake, at magnitude 6.3, was about 5 times less powerful than the M7 event he’d predicted – but I don’t think anyone in Christchurch wants to argue about how strong their quake was. On the face it, it really does look like an amazing coincidence: Ring predicted a quake and it happened. But there is more to it than that, I’ve been through his site and Ring has also predicted earthquakes for, at least, the 24th of September, the 1st and 7th of October the first week in November, the 20th to the 27th of January, the 1st to the 5th and 19th to the 25th of March and the 17th of April. In fact, in one post, giving him the +/- one day he needs in order to claim he predicted the February 22nd quake , he paints more than half of the time between the start of January and the end of March as earthquake risk:
You can add a fair few false negatives to those false positives. In October he claimed the aftershock sequence would die down, missing the major rumble on boxing day and several times he declared that it was unlikely Christchurch would be face another major quake (tragically wrong).
Thanks to the way our brains work, we generally struggle to evaluate theories of causation and claims of prediction fairly. We are too impressed by occasional “hits” and tend to forget the many “misses” which outweigh them. If we want to be rigorous, how should we react to hearing about Ring’s “hit” given the litany of “misses” I list above? As it happens there is a theorem for that. Bayes theorem is one of the most important little pieces of maths going around, because it tells us how to update our beliefs about a given question in light of new evidence, and that’s exactly what we should be trying to do if we want to lead a skeptical life. It is maths, but it’s not too scary. I’m the sort of person that loses contact with scientific papers as soon as ‘Σ’s and ‘∫’s start turning up, so you know if I’m writing this , you can follow it. Before we start, we need to define a couple of terms. Let’s call P(KR) the probability Ken Ring can predict earthquakes and P(Prediction) the probability that Ken Ring would have successfully predicted this earthquake. From that we want to calculate how probable the claim “Ken Ring can predict earthquakes” is given his successful prediction, well call that P(KR|Prediction). Once we have those defined it’s just a little 3rd form algebra:
|P(KR|Prediction) =||P(Prediction|KR) * P(KR)|
So, how are we going to replace those terms with numbers? For now, let’s not be one of those close minded skeptical types, ignore how eccentric Ring’s methods and takes the evidence as it stands by saying P(KR) is 50%. P(Prediction|KR) is the probability that Ring would have predicted this quake if his methods work. You might be tempted to says this is 100%, but remember, he missed the Boxing Day aftershock and he’s repeatedly said Christchurch was unlikely to be hit again, so he’s not immune to false negatives either, I’ll be generous and give him 90%. The really interesting bit in Bayes Theorem is the bottom term P(Prediction). If we are being agnostic about Ken Ring’s abilities then we need to estimate this with regard to both the possibility his method has something going for it and the possibility that it doesn’t. We’ve already said that Ring has an 90% chance of predicting an earthquake if his methods work, what’s his chance of ‘successfully’ predicting a quake even if his methods don’t work? This is the most important question you should ask yourself about his claims and it’s where all those false alarms come in. Given the ‘calendar’ above, Ring would have claimed to have predicted the quake if it fell on any of half of the days between January and March. His prediction for February was a little more specific than that, but when you read the post it’s still quite vague: “somewhere”, “in the ring of fire”, “withing 500km of the Alpine fault”. I’m going to say, given the huge number of predictions he’s made, there was about a 30% chance any day that had an earthquake would have been one Ring had previously predicted. To get P(Prediction) we have to balance each scenario like this:
Now, when we put the numbers in like so…
|P(KR|Prediction) =||0.9 * 0.5|
…we end up with P(KR|Prediction) being 75%. Ring’s successful prediction still supports the case that his methods work, but it’s hardly the decisive piece of information that allows us to say once and for all that he knows what he’s doing. You almost certainly want to put different numbers than I did in that equation, and you should. The idea is not to convince you a particular value is the right one, but to show you how including those false positives in our assessment of his claim changes the way we update our ideas about it and, by extension, how much stock we should put in his future predictions. There is a Bayesian calculator here for anyone that wants to play around with other numbers, over there P(H) is what we called P(KR), P(D|H) is P(Prediction|KR) and P(D|’H) is the probability Ken Ring got it right by mistake (the one I gave 30%).
Skeptics are often accused of being closed minded for sticking to scientific orthodoxy in the light some piece of evidence or other: “If you would just let this evidence stand by itself you’d see my theory is true!”. Assessing any evidence by itself, without our background of knowledge on a topic, is not being open minded – it’s being willfully ignorant. When we want to compare one theory to another we should use all the evidence available to us, and that includes what we know about how the world works. Ring thinks earthquakes happen when the moon makes its closest approach to the earth (called perigee) and around full and new moons. This next sentence really pains me, but here goes. His theory is not 100% lunacy. The phases of the moon have no effect on the earth [whoops, as pointed out in comments, they kind of do, since they correlate with moons position relative to the sun and contribute to tides, this was included in the models/charts below so doesn't change their conclusions], but the position of the moon in its orbit just might. As every schoolchild knows, the moon exerts a tidal force on the planet and there really are “land tides”, tiny swells and lulls in the crust of the earth analogous to the ocean’s tides, that ebb and flow through the day. It’s just possible that a fault that has been loading up with pressure for hundreds of years is more likely to give way when then moon is close and the tidal forces are stronger. But think about that for even a second and the problem becomes clear. Even if the moon is sometimes the straw that breaks the camels back at a particular fault, you couldn’t use the moon to predict an earthquake unless you already new a fault was about to go, i.e., the moon could only predict earthquakes when you could already predict an earthquake!
Ken Ring get’s a bit touchy about scientists dismissing his theories out of hand, so let’s look at some data. I actually asked Ring for some help with this, but he is yet to answer my email. Luckily, since the September 4th earthquake Paul Nicholls from Canterbury University has been plotting the intensity of the aftershock sequence. He’s also plotted the two lunar cycles Ring thinks are responsible for the strength of earthquakes: the lunar distance and the moon’s phase. In many ways, this is the data-set in which we are most likely to find support for Ring’s ideas. We know for a fact that the faults around the Canterbury plains are going to be under stress while the land sorts itself out after the upheaval in September. If the moon really was pushing already loaded faults past their breaking point we’d expect to see it in this data. Usually the most important statistical test you can perform on a data-set is having a look at it. This is Paul’s plot from last night, the slimmer of the two waves on the top represents moons orbit (troughs are perigee, the point Ring thinks is most dangerous) and the larger is the moon’s phase (the troughs are new moons).
If you can see any correlation between either of the lunar cycles you’re doing a lot better than me. I decided to dig a littler further, and plot the intensity of each day’s activity against each of the lunar cycles. First the phases of the moon. Remember, Ring thinks new and full moons are the most dangerous, so we expect a curved relationship higher at either end of the x-axis. We find no such thing (in fact, if anything, it’s more dangerous between the new and the full moon):
How about the distance between the earth and the moon? This is the one that makes just a little scientific sense:
This time the relationship at least goes the right way, the quakes seem to be, on average, more powerful when the moon is close. In fact, when you put this data into a model that factors in the general tailing off in earthquake activity following the initial quake, the distance between the moon and the earth is a statistically significant variable with regard to the energy released. And there lies an incredibly important point. “Statistically significant” means unlikely to happen if the null hypothesis (in this case “the moon doesn’t effect earthquakes at all”) was true, it doesn’t mean the result is “powerful”, “meaningful”, or even “capable of explaining a great deal of the variation in the data”. As is often the case, we didn’t really believe our null hypothesis to start with, so it’s no surprise a large data-set found a significant relationship. But the actual effect of the moon is tiny, it explains about 2% of the variation in the data. The feebleness of the moon as a predictor is obvious when you look at the graph – there are plenty of days when the moon is close and there was not much energy released and, equally, there’s a whole lot of days when the moon was far away and there were still magnitude 5 quakes. The moon might well be having an effect on intensity of earthquakes from day to day, but if it can barely explain any of the variance in this data-set, one that was almost designed to test Ring’s theories in the best light, how could it predict an earthquake? It can’t.
Let’s get back to our calculation, last time we started with P(KR) at 50%. I hope you’ll agree, having seen the data, that Ken Ring’s methods are not the least bit plausible. I going to be outrageously generous and say there’s a one in one thousand chance that he can predict earthquakes, so let’s plug that into Bayes Theorem, remembering to update P(Prediction) for this new value too:
|P(KR|Prediction) =||P(Prediction|KR) * P(KR)|
Which gives us a value of 3 in one thousand. Again, you’ll want to put different numbers into the equation, but there’s a really important point here. Whenever we hear evidence for some new claim, “a vaccine caused my child’s autism”, “light behaves as a particle and a wave”, “Ken Ring can predict earthquakes (and another one’s coming)”, we should use that evidence to update our prior knowledge of the world. Sometimes, like the outlandish claim that light can be a particle or a wave depending on how you look at, the evidence will be enough to completely change the we think, more often it will hardly make a blip. I think we can put Ken Ring firmly in the “hardly a blip” category: once you see how implausible his methods are you realise you’d need incredible evidence to believe his predictions and once you see his run of false positives you realise that his “prediction” of last week’s earthquake doesn’t meet that standard.
The people of Christchurch desperately need information. In the next few weeks they want to know if they’ll have to face the terror of last Tuesday again and once they city has pulled itself back up they’ll want to understand the future risks for the city. In a climate of such desperation people have a duty to provide only verifiable information and to explain that information’s limitations. That’s exactly what scientist from GNS and Canterbury University have done when they’ve spoken to the media. Ken Ring, who lambasted GNS for scaring people with a “knee jerk” comment that a magnitude 6 aftershock could be expected after the September earth quake, has not lived up to that duty and I really hope no one takes him seriously.
Note: I know this is a topic people will want to comment on. I’m writing a PhD at the moment and really can’t take time to moderate a comment thread. I’m happy to allow comments, but don’t expect instant replies today, or(at sciblogs) for comments to clear moderation straight away.
The data I used for my graphs was scraped from Paul Nicholls site, I chucked it up on google docs for anyone that’s interested. I’ve also uploaded the R code I used to plot/analyse the data – this is an open access debunking! (BTW, did you know both R and the ggplot library I used to make those graphs were developed by New Zealanders? We grow good geeks here.) | <urn:uuid:c3771183-1095-40bb-ac09-6b01f1cf1604> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://sciblogs.co.nz/the-atavism/2011/03/01/ken-ring-cant-predict-earthquakes-either/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964421 | 3,215 | 2.078125 | 2 |
Reverse-Engineered Irises Look So Real, They Fool Eye-Scanners
- 6:00 AM
Iris-recognition systems are rapidly growing in use around the world by law enforcement agencies and the commercial sector. They’re touted as faster, more sanitary and more accurate than fingerprint systems. Fingerprint systems measure about 20-40 points for matching while iris recognition systems measure about 240 points.
Schipol Airport in the Netherlands allows travelers to enter the country without showing a passport if they participate in its Privium iris recognition program. When travelers enroll in the program, their eyes are scanned to produce binary iris codes that are stored on a Privium card. At the border crossing, the details on the card are matched to a scan taken of the cardholder’s eye to allow the person passage.
Since 2004, airports in the United Kingdom have allowed travelers registered in its iris-recognition program to pass through automated border gates without showing a passport, though authorities recently announced they were dropping the program because passengers had trouble properly aligning their eyes with the scanner to get automated gates to open.
Google also uses iris scanners, along with other biometric systems, to control access to some of its data centers. And the FBI is currently testing an iris-recognition program on federal prison inmates in 47 states. Inmate iris scans are stored in a database managed by a private firm named BI2 Technologies and will be part of a program aimed at quickly identifying repeat offenders when they’re arrested as well as suspects who provide false identification.
When someone participates in an iris-recognition system, his or her eyes are scanned to create iris codes, which are binary representations of the image. The iris code, which consists of about 5,000 bits of data, is then stored in a database for matching. The iris code is stored instead of the iris image for security and privacy reasons.
When that person then later goes before an iris-recognition scanner – to obtain access to a facility, to cross a border or to access a computer, for example – their iris is scanned and measured against the iris code stored in the database to authenticate the person’s identity.
It’s long been believed that it wasn’t possible to reconstruct the original iris image from an iris code stored in a database. In fact, B12 Technologies says on its web site that biometric templates “cannot be reconstructed, decrypted, reverse-engineered or otherwise manipulated to reveal a person’s identity. In short, biometrics can be thought of as a very secure key: Unless a biometric gate is unlocked by using the right key, no one can gain access to a person’s identity.”
But the researchers showed that this is not always the case. | <urn:uuid:f029360b-378f-458b-8ea3-51e99f6ed627> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/07/reverse-engineering-iris-scans/2/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.926575 | 594 | 2.5 | 2 |
H. Beam Piper is one of science fiction's most enigmatic wtiters. In 1946 he seemed to appear suddenly, already at the top of his form. He wrote a number of memorable short stories in the premier science fiction magazine of the time, Astounding Science Fiction under legendary editor John W. Campbell.
Piper quickly became friends with many of the top writers of the day, including Lester Del Rey, Fletcher Pratt, Robert Heinlein and L. Sprague de Camp.
Piper also successfully made the transition from short story writer to major novelist, authoring Four-Day Planet, Cosmic Computer, Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen and Little Fuzzy, which was nominated for a Hugo award.
Even those who counted Piper among their friends knew very little about the man or his life as a railroad yard bull in Altoona, Pennsylvania.
This biography illuminates both the writer and the man, and answers lingering questions about his death.
Appendices include a number of Piper's personal papers, a complete bibliography of Piper's works, and an essay on Piper's Terro-Human Future History series. | <urn:uuid:e33a5a6f-175b-4459-ace4-393f41d388b8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.h-beampiper.com/books/biography.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00035-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959924 | 230 | 1.96875 | 2 |
Seed Tapes are the perfect, no-waste way to plant where space really counts — in
containers, raised beds, or small gardens. Each strip of biodegradable paper is embedded with
perfectly spaced seeds; simply unroll into a planting furrow and cover. Planting is precise,
there's little or no thinning needed, and the germination rate is outstanding. Seed Tapes are
made by Suttons Seeds, one of England's most trusted growers, and we're offering some of
their most reliable and rewarding vegetable varieties.
2009 was a tough year for gardeners in the Northeast: cold, windy, plagued by heavy rains and blight
— not the best year to try a new product like these Seed Tapes in our test gardens. But, to
our surprise, nearly 100 percent of the seeds germinated. Popular with English gardeners for
years, Seed Tapes have made believers of us. This set of 4 Seed Tape includes three tapes each of Carrot (Amsterdam Forcing 3), Radish (French Breakfast), Lettuce (Webb's Wonderful) and Beet (Boltardy).
- Save when you buy this set of 4 seed varieties
- Seed tapes are a terrific way to plant small gardens and raised beds
- Also ideal for mid-season succession planting between rows
- Seeds are evenly spaced and embedded in biodegradable paper tape | <urn:uuid:677b2b37-d33c-4ddc-a432-1c1747bd5b71> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.gardeners.com/Seed-Tape-Set/38-987,default,pd.html?start=5&cgid=VegetablesFruits_Cat | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933653 | 294 | 2.234375 | 2 |
100,000 Danube citizens sign petition for a living river
Many infrastructure projects that governments are planning are not integrated in the Danube River Basin Management Plan, and could seriously impact the river and the ecosystem services that it provides if they go ahead as planned. Navigation projects in Hungary can aggravate the river bed incision and reduce groundwater level, while similar projects planned in the Lower Danube could push the highly threatened Danube sturgeon to extinction. Along the Upper Danube between Straubing and Vilshofen river regulation work involving the construction of a dam and a canal would destroy the last remaining free flowing section of the Danube in Germany with severe impacts on biodiversity and the water balance in the region.
“More than 100,000 citizens from Danube countries have signed our petition for balanced navigation projects” said Hubert Weiger, President of Bund Naturschutz (Friends of the Earth Germany). “This morning, we handed over this impressive proof of public concern to Danube Ministers and called upon them to step up their efforts for a living Danube.”
Pressure to construct new hydropower plants also threatens the Danube. While providing a renewable source of energy, hydropower plants of all sizes, including small ones, can upset fragile river systems. Hydropower therefore needs to be planned carefully, and within a broader energy strategy that emphasises energy conservation.
The Danube River Basin Management Plan is a requirement of the European Union Water Framework Directive, the EU’s ambitious water legislation that aims to achieve “good status” of Europe’s freshwater ecosystems.
“The novelty of the Danube River Basin Management Plan is that it considers all impacts and goes beyond traditional water quality objectives and the pledge of constructing new water treatment plants or implementing good agricultural practices” said Andreas Beckmann, Director of WWF’s Danube-Carpathian Programme. “For the first time, the tremendous impact of water infrastructure on river health is not only acknowledged but there is a real demand for action and proper integration.”
Hydropower dams, flood protection dikes or groynes built to improve navigability of the river interfere with natural river dynamics and thereby reduce the diversity of habitats that river organisms need to thrive. The Plan therefore sets targets how their impacts are to be avoided or minimised through practical measures such as the construction of fish passes at hydropower plants to permit fish free movement up and down the river. Amongst a variety of recommended measures is reconnecting former side arms of the river or decommissioning flood protection dikes at certain points to recreate wetlands. The restored wetlands provide a wide array of benefits, including flood and drought management by holding and slowly releasing water, water purification through filtration, production of natural resources (e.g. fish and reeds), and they are important spawning, feeding and nesting sites.
WWF and Friends of the Earth will carefully monitor implementation of the Danube River Basin Management Plan by the Danube countries. At the same time, they will also call on EU lawmakers to continue improving the legal framework which will enable the objectives of the plan to be achieved. One of the immediate actions is the EU-wide ban on phosphates from detergents. While Danube Ministers have agreed that the phasing out of phosphates from detergents is economically feasible and would be of immediate benefit to water quality, only an EU-wide ban would have the necessary impact.
Such an iniative could become part of the EU Danube Strategy currently under development. “We hope the Danube Strategy will become the road map towards a sustainable future of the Basin,” said Andreas Beckmann. “We regard the Danube River Basin Management Plan as the foundation for the Strategy. It can serve as basis for visions and activities for a green economy in the region.” | <urn:uuid:11fe484f-d085-47dc-8901-0e4f10d7e940> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/where_we_work/black_sea_basin/danube_carpathian/news/?189081/100000-citizens-from-across-Danube-basin-signed-petition-for-a-living-Danube | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00076-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.930437 | 796 | 3.046875 | 3 |
Older and Wiser
Tecumseh Fire Rescue Services
Older & Wiser: Home Fire Safety Check for Family and Friends of Older Adults
When it comes to fire, adults over age 65 are at greater risk than any other group. As most fire deaths occur in the home, it is important that older people know how to protect themselves. If you have a relative or friend in this vulnerable group, please take a few minutes to complete this fire safety check of their home, or call the Tecumseh Fire Rescue Service. It could be a lifesaver.
- Part A is the physical fire safety check of the older adult’s home. It should be conducted once each month by a relative or friend.
- Part B consists of 14 questions to ask the older adult. These questions should be asked once, with periodic reminders.
What to do if you are concerned
If possible, take measures to correct the situation. Advise the older person that he/she is at risk of fire and injury. Remember, it is extremely difficult to change established habits. If the older person will not change the risky behavior - such as smoking in bed - appropriate safeguards must be put in place or alternative plans made.
If you would like the Tecumseh Fire Rescue Service to attend/inspect and or discuss the issue with your loved one, please contact the department to set up a time and appointment.
If you wish to have a family member with a medical or physical disability included on the department’s (CAD) computer-aided dispatch protocol, please contact:
Linda Dewhurst at: 519 979-4041 or,
Chief Fire Prevention Officer Bob Hamilton at: 519 979-4041 Extension 11. | <urn:uuid:1e29db43-1746-46d5-8ad2-0c6fcd2c8435> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.tecumseh.ca/townhall/departmental-services/fire-emergency-services/older-and-wiser | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.927973 | 362 | 2.140625 | 2 |
For as long as we can remember, the U.S. Supreme Court has included at least one military veteran. Recent examples include Republican-appointed Chief Justice William Rehnquist, who died in 2005, and Justice John Paul Stevens, who is expected to resign this year.
The Democrats have not placed a veteran on the Supreme Court in nearly half a century. When President Obama fills Stevens' seat, will the High Court be left without anyone who has military experience?
Veterans in the U.S. Senate should make sure that such an embarrassment does not occur. Cases concerning the military appear every year before the Supreme Court, and our nation will not be well-served by a court lacking in military experience.
"Somebody was saying that there ought to be at least one person on the court who had military experience," Stevens himself declared in a recent interview. "I sort of feel that it is important. I have to confess that."
Stevens is a liberal, but he loves our nation as veterans do. In 1989 in Texas v. Johnson, Stevens dissented when the Supreme Court by 5-to-4 OK-ed a so-called free-speech right to burn the American flag.
Stevens wrote: "The case has nothing to do with 'disagreeable ideas.' It involves disagreeable conduct that, in my opinion, diminishes the value of an important national asset."
Obama's disdain for the military is no secret, and the leading names on his short list for possible Supreme Court appointment are as anti-military as he is. The number of veterans in Congress has declined to about 21 percent, but that's enough for them to make a public demand that high court diversity include a veteran.
Elena Kagan, who tops Obama's short list, banned military recruiters from the Harvard Law School campus where she was the dean. She defied the Solomon Amendment, passed by Congress and signed by President Bill Clinton, which requires withholding federal funds from any schools that exclude the military from their campuses.
Kagan even signed a legal brief claiming that the Solomon Amendment was unconstitutional. The Supreme Court rejected that argument by an 8-to-0 vote.
Next on Obama's list of nominees is Diane Wood, perhaps better known as the "Ghost of Harry Blackmun." She had clerked for Justice Blackmun and now sides with the abortion industry, as her mentor Blackmun did.
Phyllis Schlafly is a national leader of the pro-family movement, a nationally syndicated columnist and author of Feminist Fantasies.
TOWNHALL DAILY: Be the first to read Phyllis Schlafly‘s column. Sign up today and receive Townhall.com daily lineup delivered each morning to your inbox. | <urn:uuid:ace5b61a-cbea-444b-9424-2a78280f7b30> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://townhall.com/columnists/phyllisschlafly/2010/03/30/supreme_court_needs_at_least_one_veteran | 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 | 0.973399 | 562 | 2 | 2 |
THE spiritual trail we have followed has reached the summit. From the dark womb of the mysteries we have painfully ascended, by way of the healing of souls, to that sweet home-coming which in holy Homer's mythical scenes enabled us to see the goal which endowed all our upward climbing with divine meaning. Let us now strip the knowledge out of which the Christian interpretation of Greek myths was born, of the bright imagery which surrounded it, let us put aside all the learned references and texts which I had more or less of necessity to introduce, and let us try and touch this thing of which the longing of Greek and Christian humanists sought to lay hold -- τ γυμnu; nu; tau; sgmav; lambda;eta; ε ας χ λλος -- the naked beauty of truth.
We can discern three things that we have learnt and they correspond to the three stages of our ascent; all show us in what dire straits we barbarians of today are living, yet they also provide the physic that can aid our recovery.
The first of these pieces of knowledge came to us when we glanced at the mysteries. That which the pious genius of Hellas vaguely guessed at was, ere that genius was utterly dead, brought home by the Church into the light of that divine revelation of which she is the guardian. The Church was "heir to the glories that only slept with open eyes".
Without mystery all religion must wither into barren rationalism. The Church alone has retained the element of mystery: by her sacraments she has consecrated sun, moon, water, bread, wine and oil and also the love of the flesh, nor will it ever be permitted to her to cease teaching mankind that behind the veils of the visible the eternal secrets lie concealed, and that it is only through the word of God which lives on in the Church, that we can recognize the true meaning of earthly things.
Since the West has turned away from the custodian of mystery it has died of the utter sterility of its pure intellectualism. Only____________________
Questia, a part of Gale, Cengage Learning. www.questia.com
Publication information: Book title: Greek Myths and Christian Mystery. Contributors: Hugo S. J. Rahner - Author. Publisher: Biblo and Tannen. Place of publication: New York. Publication year: 1971. Page number: 387.
This material is protected by copyright and, with the exception of fair use, may not be further copied, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means. | <urn:uuid:5e139005-9588-4513-8a70-f2e02bb1c758> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.questia.com/read/10402374/greek-myths-and-christian-mystery | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950858 | 535 | 1.929688 | 2 |
Burkina Faso: Award-Winning Border Flows
Burkina Faso was named the winner of the inaugural Free Movement Excellence Award for its outstanding implementation of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Protocol on the Free Movement of Persons, Goods and Services.
A representative of the country received an award for $10,000 and a certificate during the third ECOWAS Business Forum, where 45 other awards for innovation and entrepreneurship were given out.
Burkina Faso was cited for the elimination of harassments along the borders, removal of nontrade tariffs along its border routes, removal of multiple checkpoints and the effective monitoring of its highways to ensure the safety of citizens. The flagship protocol was signed in 1979 by ECOWAS heads of state and government as an instrument to facilitate the intracommunity movement of citizens. The goal was to boost intraregional trade to stimulate West Africa’s economy and promote employment. | <urn:uuid:194225a7-74c8-496a-80b6-b6d0a66348f0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dialogo-americas.com/en_GB/articles/rmisa/features/global_panorama/2011/01/01/feature-05 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00047-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964603 | 194 | 1.820313 | 2 |
This Month in History: “Aversion Therapy for Sexual Deviation”
February 29th, 2008
Attempts to cure homosexuality have taken many forms, many of them cruel. Perhaps the cruelest might be the use of electric shock aversion therapy. This method was first described in the academic literature in 1935, and reports of its continued use persisted through the 1970′s and even later. Two of sixteen participants at a Brigham Young University program committed suicide in the mid-1970′s, and there are similar reports of suicide and long-term psychological and physical damage elsewhere.
There are literally hundreds of reports of various forms of aversion therapy in the literature between 1935 and 1980. Thirty-five years ago this month, one such report appeared in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology by two researchers from the University of Vermont. Dr. Harold Leitenberg and Ph.D candidate Edward J. Callahan wrote the following in an article titled, “Aversion therapy for sexual deviation: Contingent shock and covert sensitization“:
Contingent shock: …Shock levels varying from “pain” to “tolerance” were then randomly selected for administration as part of a punishment procedure which made shock contingent upon erection. These shock levels ordinarily ranged from .5 milliampere to 4.5 milliampere, and shock duration was varied randomly from .1 second to .5 second. Erection was monitored by a penile strain gate. Five slides of deviant material and two heterosexually oriented slides were presented for 125 seconds apiece in each session while the subject was instructed to imaging whatever was sexually arousing with the person on the slide. An attempt was made to obtain slides appropriate to each person’s idiosyncratic sexual arousal. If during the “deviant” material slide, the penile circumference increase exceeded a level of 15% of full erection, shock was administered through electrodes on the first and third fingers on the subject’s right hand.
Covert Sensitization: This technique involves the presentation of verbal descriptions of “deviant” acts and the description of aversive consequences, such as nausea, vomiting, discovery by family, etc. … For example, a man might be asked to imagine going to the apartment of a homosexual contact, approaching the man’s bedroom, initiating sexual activity, feeling increasingly nauseous, and finally vomiting on the contact, on the sheets, and all over himself. A variation of this scene might involve the patient finding the homosexual contact rotting with syphilitic sores, or finding that the contact had diarrhea during the sexual encounter.
This was a 19-year-old homosexual with no prior sexual or dating experience with girls. … Sexual contacts [with other men] led to guilt feelings and vacillation over whether he wanted to learn to accept homosexuality or to change his pattern of sexual arousal. After discussing his dilemma with a few friends and relatives, he decided to seek treatment.
Phase 1: Contingent shock was administered for 10 sessions. Penile circumference changes were reduced during slides of males and females initially; however, this suppression during slides of females was only transient. There was an increase in average daily homosexual urges to slightly more than two per day and a slight increase in frequency of daily homosexual masturbation, while homosexual fantasies were slightly decreased. The patient was somewhat disturbed by the experience of shock, but was willing to undergo it in order to change his sexual arousal pattern. He had one homosexual contact late in this phase.
Phase 2: Covert sensitization was administered for seven sessions. Penile circumference changes to slides of men reduced greatly, and penile circumference changes to slides of women continued to increase. Rapid progress was reported by the subject in this phase. … After seven sessions, the subject reported he was progressing more quickly than he could stand “physically.” He felt his progress was strong enough to drop treatment and continue to make adjustment alone. After 3 months, however, he returned to treatment because of “unwanted” homosexual contact which unnerved him about the stability of his progress.
… An attempt was made to return the subject to contingent shock treatment. The subject became very upset by this and misapplied the electrodes during the first scheduled shock session in order to reduce the shock. At the next session, he explained that the felt shock had not helped him and that he did not want to go through the painful experience since he felt it had not therapeutic effect. At this stage, he said he would have to quit treatment rather than go through contingent shock again.
Source: Callahan, Edward J.; Leitenberg, Harold. “Aversion therapy for sexual deviation: Contingent shock and covert sensitization.” Journal of Abnormal Psychology 81, no. 1 (February 1973): 60-73. Abstract available here. | <urn:uuid:00c298d8-e66b-4557-b6e9-5535ff5fddad> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2008/02/29/1419 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969389 | 992 | 2.359375 | 2 |
To be better or to be worst? The post is very subjective so it's up to you to decide what is good and what is bad after reading this post.
Foods are always the most important part of human life, in fact, it is the most basic need for human being. Looking into the foods trend nowadays, most of it are meats and fried stuff that interested most parties.
I'm a student specializing in culinary arts. So we basically need to learn a lot about foods and that's real bad/good. Cause there are facts that we will never want to(maybe you will want to) know for the rest of your life.
People always want better things in their life and also better foods. So there will be people coming out with idea to help improve the foods(quantity and quality) for those who wants it., simple rule of demand and supply. How they do it?
GMO- Genetically Modified Organism/Foods or Injection of hormones into chickens, cows and sheeps. All this are create to help to improve the quality and quantity of foods supply. Injection of hormones can help to fasten the growth of the chickens or cows so that they reach maturity in short time so that can be supply to the market. While GMO helps to improve the length of harvest, so that shorter time needed to harvest the products and more batches of products can be produce to supply to the market. GMO doesn't only help to improve the length of harvest but also have others benefits to the production. Find out more from Google.
Now the question is, where are the hormones goes? Pretty obvious that the hormones will eventually end up in a human body. And since the hormones able to fasten the growth of chickens and cows, there is possibility that it can help to fasten our growth/ maturity. If we are aware enough of the news around us, you might notice there are news somehow/indirectly can be related to this matter. Early maturity for young girls and boys, man boobs and other relevant stuff.
So things create are suppose to improve human life but it is true? It's all up to your own judgement. Have fun reading it.
I'm not here to promote vegetarianism or trying scare the shit out of you all but I just want to share what I know and what I learned. Simply because we human are built to survive not to die. So think of it a little bit, choose what you believe. Find out more information. Don't simply trust without facts.
There are more to be share, there are more to be known, there are more to find out, and there are more lies to cover up. | <urn:uuid:297397aa-bf2a-44a4-a761-3371f279d88f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://chungkiddo.blogspot.com/2012/02/to-be-better-or-to-be-worst.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00051-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963725 | 546 | 2.21875 | 2 |
(CNN) - Will she or won't she?
That's the question political observers are asking when it comes to whether Hillary Clinton will go after Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin - the first woman named to a Republican presidential ticket and potentially the first female vice president.
Clinton, who hits the campaign trail for Barack Obama Monday for the first time since her rousing speech at the Democratic presidential convention, has remained hesitant to attack on the Alaska governor since she joined the Republican presidential ticket 10 days ago. She initially offered congratulations to McCain and Palin on her "historic nomination," and the New York senator repeatedly dodged chances to criticize the Alaska governor during public appearances in New York City and Staten Island on Saturday.
"This election is about issues, and that's what's going to matter to people at the end of the day," Clinton told reporters after being repeatedly asked about Palin. In fact, she only directly named Palin once the whole day in an update of her convention speech line: "No way, no how, no McCain, no Palin."
But as polls show McCain receiving a bump since naming Palin as his running mate, and as the GOP vice presidential candidate continues to reference Clinton's historic presidential bid in her own stump speech, the New York senator may face increased pressure to level more direct shots at the Alaska governor.
Watch: The Palin sensation
Obama aides are remaining mum on exactly what Clinton will say during her campaign stops in Tampa and in Kissimmee, Florida later Monday - events scheduled before Palin was even named to the GOP ticket.
"Sen. Clinton will address the choice we have in this election – between a new direction for our economy or four more years of the Bush failed economic policies that McCain-Palin is offering," Obama spokesman Nick Shapiro said. "She will talk about the Obama-Biden plan for immediate and lasting relief for America's working families." | <urn:uuid:2bc3119e-8fd5-4e32-9496-fee2e167f75f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/08/will-clinton-go-after-palin/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968433 | 380 | 1.59375 | 2 |
FEARS that the housing market is set for a new slump strengthened yesterday after new figures showed a decline in both house prices and mortgage lending.
The Nationwide revealed that UK house prices fell by 0.5 per cent in July, after a static June and several months of slowing increases. And the Bank of England reported that the number of mortgages approved by UK banks fell in June to its second lowest level since May 2009.
House prices are now just 6.6 per cent higher than a year ago, compared with 8.7 per cent in June and a peak 10.5 per cent in April, according to the Nationwide, supporting other downbeat data published this month.
The Halifax house price index fell for the third successive month in June, while the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors recently reported that buyer demand had slumped to its lowest point for two years.
Martin Gahbauer, chief economist at Nationwide, attributed the slowdown to a combination of reduced demand and an increase in the supply of homes for sale. Last year's house price inflation was driven largely by an excess of demand over supply that pushed up asking prices. However that is now being reversed as the uncertain economic outlook deters potential buyers from entering the market.
Mr Gahbauer said: "Despite the introduction of a second stamp duty holiday for the vast majority of first-time buyers and record low interest rates, the number of properties changing hands across the UK is still running at only half the levels seen prior to the financial crisis and recession," he said.
Mr Gahbauer added that it was unclear in which direction prices would go next. "It will take several more months to establish whether house prices are now simply oscillating around a flat price trend or whether a period of downward trending prices may be in store," he said.
Meanwhile the Bank of England has reported that the number of mortgages approved fell from 49,461 in May to 47,643 in June, compared to a recent peak of 58,995 last November and 6 per cent lower than the same month in 2009.
Leading economists said the figures published yesterday suggested that house prices would fall further over the coming months. Howard Archer, chief UK and European economist at IHS Global Insight, said the latest evidence of a weakened housing market reinforced his belief that house prices will fall over the remainder of 2010 and then soften further next year.
"Housing market activity is currently low, the economic fundamentals are far from ideal for the housing market (notably high unemployment and muted wage growth), a major fiscal squeeze is getting under way, and house price/earnings ratios have moved up overall from their early-2009 lows and are above their long-term averages," Mr Archer noted.
And Paul Diggle, property economist at Capital Economics, said that while mortgage approvals are unlikely to get much lower there is little prospect of a strong recovery.
"While weak lending did little to hold back the strong gains in house prices in 2009, we think that the fresh falls in house prices that appear to be getting under way now are consistent with the lack of mortgage lending," said Mr Diggle.
"With June's mortgage lending numbers not likely to feed fully through to house prices for another six months, further falls in prices for the remainder of this year are likely."
Search for a job
Search for a car
Search for a house
Weather for Edinburgh
Saturday 18 May 2013
Temperature: 8 C to 12 C
Wind Speed: 25 mph
Wind direction: East
Temperature: 9 C to 17 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: North east | <urn:uuid:1b6219f2-377a-4eeb-abc0-900936b4f392> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.scotsman.com/business/house-prices-and-home-loans-falling-1-819168 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00044-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965977 | 732 | 1.59375 | 2 |
Jeff Treadway served as aerospace physiologist in Navy11:44 am | February 5, 2013
Treadway’s own Navy training led to a role that included teaching aircrew members how to handle low pressure, low oxygen and unexpected situations.
It was his own goal of earning a medical degree that led Treadway to enlist in the Navy to gain a scholarship to help pay for college.
The knowledge gained in medical school resulted in a position as an aerospace physiologist, where he was able to help train the Navy’s pilots.
Treadway entered medical school at the University of Tennessee in 1976 on a Navy scholarship. He finished two years of medical school at UT and enlisted in the Navy to fulfill his obligation. Because of his background taking classes in medical school, he was given the assignment of aerospace physiologist. He said the details of the scholarship required one year of service for each year of school the Navy helped to pay for.
He was stationed at the Naval Aerospace Medical Institute, or NAMI, in Pensacola, Fla., from June 1979 to June 1982. Treadway completed six months of training before starting work as a physiologist.
He packed basic training, some primary flight training and survival skill training into those six months.
“They tried to put us through as much flight training as possible,” Treadway said. “Some of the guys had flown before and made it all the way through. I made it about half-way. I had not flown before, so one of the guys in my class who had a private plane took me up in it before we started so I could have a feel for it.”
After the six-month period, Treadway was given his wings — and his orders.
The 103rd flight physiologist to gain wings from NAMI, he was one of three Navy members selected to remain in Pensacola at the medical institute, and was charged with training the aircrew members who were stationed at NAMI. | <urn:uuid:fb8ffe0a-9578-45a8-a8f1-e453b86f29a7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://starhq.com/jeff-treadway-served-as-aerospace-physiologist-in-navy/?wpmp_switcher=mobile | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.990813 | 415 | 1.820313 | 2 |
This archived Web page remains online for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. This page will not be altered or updated. Web pages that are archived on the Internet are not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards. As per the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada, you can request alternate formats of this page on the Contact Us page.
Victoria Belcourt Callihoo was born in Lac Ste. Anne, a Métis community northwest of Edmonton. Living in Lac Ste. Anne for all her 104 years, she witnessed the many changes in Canadian life that took place in this time period. Questioning the value of money the first time she saw it, she preferred the "fur" system of barter which did not foster the hoarding of wealth. She was more approving of the telephone, as it permitted Callihoo, a woman related by blood or marriage to the Cree, Iroquois and French, to communicate in the language of her choice.
The daughter of a Cree medicine woman, she went to her first buffalo hunt in a Red River cart at age 13, when the great western bison herds could still be described as "a dark solid moving mass." She later farmed with her husband, Louis Callihoo, and raised 12 children. An expert teamster, she also freighted for the Hudson's Bay Company between Edmonton and Athabasca Landing.
Callihoo's vivid recollections, outlined in the Alberta Historical Review, are a remarkable window into 19th-century Métis daily life and customs. Indeed, she was still dancing the laborious Red River jig "the way it should be done" well past the age of 100.
Callihoo, Victoria. — "Early life in Lac Ste. Anne and St. Albert in the eighteen seventies". -- Alberta historical review. — Vol. 1, no. 3 (November 1953). — P. 21-26
______. — "The Iroquois in Alberta". — Alberta historical review. — Vol. 7, no. 2 (Spring 1959). — P. 17-18
______. — "Our buffalo hunts". — Alberta historical review. — Vol. 8, no. 1 (Winter 1960). — P. 24-25
MacEwan, Grant. — "Victoria Callihoo: granny". — Mighty women: stories of western Canadian pioneers. — Vancouver/Toronto: Greystone, c1995. — P. 190-199. — ISBN 1550544160 | <urn:uuid:88c3b822-affd-4d97-851f-2a1e9b50a05b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/women/030001-1452-e.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.913877 | 507 | 2.09375 | 2 |
A beautiful woman practicing modesty in swimsuit burqa / Two women oppressed in abbayas
Throughout time it has been rough being a woman. The role of mother and wife have been held in such high esteem that men have viewed it their duty to protect women. The protection quickly becomes control and the woman, once viewed as a personal queen, becomes nothing more than an object.
Right now the worst place to be a woman seems to be the Islamic world with a distance-decay of things getting worse as one is closer to Wahhabi Saudi Arabia.
Things are still pretty bad in the
An outlier is
The borders of the Islamic world tend to be more tolerant to women. Eastern European Islamic women dress in Western or traditional clothing and have about the same amount of rights compared to their male peers. The same goes for
The borderland theory of people becoming more passionate as they become more distant from the core becomes evident as things take a sharp turn towards horrible for some in Europe. In the Western world where women are considered legal equals and are "liberated" some Muslim men believe their duty is to enforce Arab morals to "protect" women. Those who are "too Western" run the risk of being killed by their families. Organized groups exist to enforce harsh rules. The persecution of Ayaan Hirsi Ali is an example of what happens when a women steps "out of line."
Just as the West once had horrible restrictions on women; the Islamic world may change. Time will tell. | <urn:uuid:0c68856c-0368-453e-879f-1b81ba6347e5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.geographictravels.com/2006/05/oppression-of-muslim-women-and.html?showComment=1174955280000 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968719 | 306 | 1.648438 | 2 |
Job Training for Gender-Studies Majors
This month Yale began offering a new class on bartending.
The Yale College Dean’s Office will host three free bartender-training sessions beginning Jan. 28 in an effort to raise awareness about alcohol and decrease high-risk drinking. The training includes a two-hour course in mixology and a four-hour course in Training and Intervention Procedures (TIPS) — a national program designed to reduce risky drinking by improving the knowledge and intervention skills of alcohol servers. Twelve students attended a pilot training session held Dec. 10 and 11, and 30 students will be allowed at each spring event.
“We know underaged people are drinking,” said Director of Yale Catering Robert Sullivan. “We’re trying to see what we can do to make sure underage students understand what a drink is supposed to look and taste like.”
I applaud Yale. This new bartending class will be perfect preparation for the likely future jobs of Yale graduates in majors such as Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. It’s also much needed for students who have chosen Environmental Studies or the Ethnicity, Race, and Migration major.
The fact that the class is open to underage students will make it that much more effective. Students will have four whole years to master the martini before hitting the working world. | <urn:uuid:069e19b7-6568-4e6b-82fd-089cf7c2db73> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://nationalreview.com/phi-beta-cons/338071/job-training-gender-studies-majors-nathan-harden | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00028-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941476 | 281 | 1.71875 | 2 |
This is an excerpt from my article Building Super Scalable Systems: Blade Runner Meets Autonomic Computing in the Ambient Cloud.
If datacenters are the new castles, then what will be the new gunpowder? As soon as gunpowder came on the scene, castles, which are defensive structures, quickly became the future's cold, drafty hotels. Gunpowder fueled cannon balls make short work of castle walls.
There's a long history of "gunpowder" type inventions in the tech industry. PCs took out the timeshare model. The cloud is taking out the PC model. There must be something that will take out the cloud.
Right now it's hard to believe the cloud will one day be no more. They seem so much the future, but something will transcend the cloud. We even have a law that says so: Bell's Law of Computer Classes which holds that roughly every decade a new, lower priced computer class forms based on a new programming platform, network, and interface resulting in new usage and the establishment of a new industry. A computer class in this context is defined as a set of computers in a particular price range with unique or similar programming environments (e.g. Linux, OS/360, Palm, Symbian, Windows) that support a variety of applications that communicate with people and/or other systems.
We've been through a few computer evolutions before. Here's a list:
- Mainframes (1960s)
- Minicomputers (1970s)
- PCs and Local Area Networks (1980s)
- Datacenter is the Computer (1990s)
- Smartphones (2000s)
- Wireless Sensor Networks (>2005)
- Body Area Networks (> 2010). These are dust sized chips with a relatively small numbers of transistors enable the creation of ubiquitous, radio networked, implantable, sensing platforms to be part of everything and everybody as a wireless sensor network class. Field Programmable Logic Array chips with 10s-100s of million cells exist as truly universal devices for building “anything”.
The first part of this list may be somewhat familiar. Though hardly anyone living has seen a mainframe or minicomputer, they really did indeed exist, much like the dinosaur. Companies like IBM, Honeywell, HP and DEC dominated these eras.
After mainframes and minis came personal computers. Much like the production of affordable cars brought us the freedom of the open road, PCs freed us from centralized bureaucracies and allowed us to travel the Internets without restriction. Companies like IBM, Microsoft, Apple, and Dell dominated this era. This also happens to be the era we are just leaving. Please wave a hearty and warm good bye.
Fickle beings that we are, it turns out we want both the freedom of an open mobile road and centralized IT. PCs became too complex and way more powerful than even a hardened gamer can exploit. This has brought on the era of the cloud. The cloud treats large clusters of powerful networked computers like a single abstraction, thus the Datacenter is the Computer. Notice how clouds combine aspects of mainframes, minis, and networked PCs into a whole new thing. We've been entering the cloud era for a while, but they are really just starting to take off. Companies like Google, Facebook, and Amazon are dominating the cloud currently. Microsoft, IBM, and others are trying like heck not to get left behind.
At one point I thought the cloud was just a transitory phase until we took the next technological leap. This is still true in the far future, but for the long now I see the cloud not as a standalone concentration of dense resources, but as one part of a diffuse overlay constructed from the cloud and the next three generations of Bell's Classes: Smartphone, Wireless Sensor Network, and Body Area Network.
While we have cloud masters creating exquisite platforms for developers, we haven't had much progress on mastering smartphones, wireless sensor networks, and body area networks. Why this would be isn't hard to understand. Smart phones are just coming into their own as computer platforms. Wireless sensor networks hardly even exist yet. And body area networks don't exist yet at all.
There's also a capability problem. What would kill the cloud is to move the characteristics of the cloud outside the datacenter. Create super low latency, super high bandwidth networks, using super fast CPUs and super dense storage - that would be a cannon shot straight through the castle walls of the datacenter.
The likelihood of this happening is slim. Part of the plan, super fast CPUs and storage are well on their way. What we, in the US at least, won't have are wide spread super low latency and super high bandwidth connections. These exist between within datacenters, between datacenters, and as backhaul networks to datacenters, but on a point-to-point basis the US bandwidth picture is grim.
Nielsen’s Law holds that Internet bandwidth grows at an annual rate of 50 percent, while capacity grows at 60 percent. A seemingly small difference, but over a 10-year time period this means computer power grows 100x, but bandwidth only grows at 57x. So network speeds won't grow as quickly as servers can be added. Ironically, this is the same problem chip designers are having with multi-core systems. Chip designs can add dozens of processor cores, but system bus speeds are not keeping pace so all that computational power goes under utilized.
What Bell's 3 Classes do provide in abundance is almost unimaginable parallelism. Fortunately for us the absolute driving force of scale is parallelism. So it seems what is needed to create an open, market driven Ambient Cloud is an approach that exploits massive parallelism, fast CPUs, large pools of fast storage, and a frustratingly slow and unreliable network. In later sections we'll see if this may be possible.
If this sounds impossible take a look at Futurist Ray Kurzweil's explanation of The Law of Accelerating Returns. The basic idea is that change happens much faster than we think: An analysis of the history of technology shows that technological change is exponential, contrary to the common-sense "intuitive linear" view. So we won't experience 100 years of progress in the 21st century -- it will be more like 20,000 years of progress (at today's rate).
The lesson is if you think all the stuff is really far off in the future, it's actually just around the corner.
The Amazing Collective Compute Power of the Ambient Cloud
Earlier we talked about how a single botnet could harness more compute power than our largest super computers. Well, that's just the start of it. The amount of computer power available to the Ambient Cloud will be truly astounding.
2 Billion Personal Computers
The number of personal computers is still growing. By 2014 one estimate is there will be 2 billion PCs. That's a giant reservoir of power to exploit, especially considering these new boxes are stuffed with multiple powerful processors and gigabytes of memory.
7 Billion Smartphones
By now it's common wisdom smartphones are the computing platform of the future. It's plausible to assume the total number of mobile phones in use will roughly equal the number of people on earth. That's 7 billion smartphones.
Smartphones aren't just tiny little wannabe computers anymore either. They are real computers and are getting more capable all the time. The iPhone 3GS, for example, would have qualified as a supercomputer a few decades ago. It runs at 600 MHz, has 256MB of RAM, and 32 GB of storage. Not bad at all. In a few more iterations phones will be the new computer.
The iPhone is not unique. Android, Symbian, BlackBerry, and Palm Pre all going the same direction. Their computing capabilities will only increase as smartphones are fit with more processors and more graphics processors. Innovative browsers and operating systems are working on ways of harnessing all the power.
Tilera founder Anant Agarwal estimates by 2017 embedded processors could have 4,096 cores, server CPUs might have 512 cores and desktop chips could use 128 cores. Some disagree saying this too optimistic, but Agarwal maintains the number of cores will double every 18 months.
That's a lot of cores. That's a lot of compute power. That's a lot of opportunity.
It's not just cores that are on the rise. Memory, following an exponential growth curve, will be truly staggering. One Google exec estimates that in 12 years an iPod will be able to store all the video ever produced.
But all the compute power in the world is of little use if the cores can't talk to each other.
The Cell Network Bandwidth and Latency Question
Aren't cell phone networks slow and have high latencies? Currently cell networks aren't ideal. But the technology trend is towards much higher bandwidth cell connections and reasonable latencies.
Here's a rundown of some of the available bandwidths and latencies. For cell connections your milleage may vary considerably as cell performance changes on a cell-by-cell manner according to the individual site's local demographics, projected traffic demand and the target coverage area of the cell.
- WiFi networks provide latencies on the order of 1 to 10 milliseconds at 1.9 Mbps (megabits per second).
- Ping times on the EDGE network are reported to be in the 700 to 1500ms range at 200 Kbps to 400 Kbps (often much lower).
- In New York HSPDA (High-Speed Downlink Packet Access, which is 3.5G type nework) has latencies between 100 to 250 milliseconds and 300KB/s of bandwidth. Note that's bytes, not bits.
- Amazon has average latencies of 1ms across availability zones and between .215ms and .342ms within availability zones.
- In 2012 AT&T plans to move to a 4G network based on LTE (Long Term Evolution). LTE is projected to offer 50 to 100 Mbps of downstream service at 10ms latency.
- On a 1Gbps network a 1000 bit packet takes about 1 microsecond to transmit.
- Within datacenters using high bandwidth 1-100Gbps interconnects the latency is less than < 1ms within a rack and less than 5ms across a datacenter. Between datacenters the bandwidth is far less at 10Mbps-1Gbps and latency is in the 100s of ms realm.
Current bandwidth rates and latencies for cell networks don't make them a sturdy a platform on which to build a cloud. Projected out they are looking pretty competitive, especially compared to the between datacenter numbers, which is the key competition for future cloud applications.
True HPC (high performance computing) low-latency-interconnect applications won't find a cell based cloud attractive at all. It's likely they will always host in specialty clouds. But for applications that can be designed to be highly parallel and deal with short latencies, cell based clouds look attractive. Starting 10,000 jobs in parallel and getting the answers in the 100ms range will work for a lot of apps as this is how applications are structured today. Specialty work can be directed to specialty clouds and the results merged in as needed.
Won't faster networking and more powerful processors use more power? Aye, there's the rub. But as we've seen with the new iPhone it's possible to deliver more power and a longer battery life with more efficient hardware and better software. Inductive chargers will also make it easier to continually charge devices. Nokia is working on wireless charging. And devices will start harvesting energy from the surroundings. So it looks like the revolution will be fully powered.
Smart Grid 1,000 Times Larger than the Internet?
Another potential source of distributed compute power are sensors on smart grids. Literally billions of dollars are being invested into developing a giant sensor grids to manage power. Other grids will be set up for water, climate, pollution, terrorist attacks, traffic, and virtually everything else you can think to measure and control.
While these are certainly just educated guesstimates about the potential size of the smart grid, it's clear it forms another massive potential compute platform for the cloud.
33 Million Servers (and growing) in the Traditional Cloud
According to the IDC as of 2007 there were 30.3 million servers in the world. Is the number 50 million now? Will it be 100 million in 5 years? New datacenters continually come on-line, so there's no reason to expect the total to stop growing. The Ambient Cloud has full access to these servers as well as non-datacenter computer resources.
Body Area Networks
Body Area Networks are the last of Bell's set of computer classes and are probably the least familiar of the group. BANs are sensor networks in and around the human body. They are so strange sounding you may even be skeptical that they exist, but they are real. There's an BAN IEEE Task Group and there's even a cool BAN conferences in Greece. You can't get much realer than that.
Clearly this technology has obvious health and medical uses, and it may also figure into consumer and personal entertainment.
Where do BANs fit into the Ambient Cloud? There are billions of humans and with multiple processors per human and communication network, it will be possible to integrate another huge pool of compute resources into the larger grid.
What if smartphones become the cloud?
Let's compare the collective power of PCs + smartphones + smart grid + smart everything + BANs with the traditional cloud: it's trillions against many 10s of millions. This number absolutely dwarfs the capacity of the traditional cloud.
One author wrote we'll be all set when smartphones can finally sync to the cloud. What if that's backwards? What if instead smartphones become the cloud?
It's really hard to get feel for what having all this distributed power means. As a small example take a look at Texai, an open source project to create artificial intelligence. It estimates that if one hundred thousand volunteers and users worldwide download their software and donate computer resources, then assuming an average system configuration of 2 cores, 4 GB RAM and 30 GB available disk, they have a potential Texai peer-to-peer aggregate volunteered processing power of: 200,000 cores, 400 TB RAM, 30 PB disk. A stunning set of numbers. I was going to calculate the cost of that in Amazon, but I decided not to bother. It's a lot.
SETI@home as CPU Cycle User
Of course we knew all this already. SETI@home, for example, has been running since 1999. With 5.2 million participants SETI@home now has the staggering ability to compute over 528 TeraFLOPS. Blue Gene, one of the world's fastest supercomputers, peaks at just over 596 TFLOPS. And there are many many more distributed computing projects like SETI@home supplying huge amounts of compute power to their users.
Plura Processing. Their technology lets visitors to participating webpages become nodes in a distributed computing network. Customer buy time on this network to perform massively distributed computations at over a 1/10th the cost of running the same computation on a cluster or in the cloud. Nobody goes hungry at a pot luck.
An example Plura customer is 80legs. 80legs has released an innovative web crawling infrastructure using Plura that can crawl the web for the low low price of $2 per million pages using a network of 50,000 computers. It's cheap because those computers already have excess capacity that can easily be loaned without noticeable degradation.
Exploiting all that Capacity
In the future compute capacity will be everywhere. This is one of the amazing gifts of computer technology and also why virtualization has become such a hot datacenter trend.
It's out of that collective capacity that an Ambient Cloud can be formed, like a galaxy is formed from interstellar dust. We need to find a more systematic way of putting it to good use. Plura is an excellent example of how these resources can be used as a compute grid, the next step is think of all these resources can be used as an application runtime.
Nicholas Carr reminds us in the The coming of the megacomputer, we might not even be able to imagine what can created with all our new toys:
Every time there’s a transition to a new computer architecture, there’s a tendency simply to assume that existing applications will be carried over (ie, word processors in the cloud). But the new architecture actually makes possible many new applications that had never been thought of, and these are the ones that go on to define the next stage of computing.
If you would like to read the rest of the article please take a look at Building Super Scalable Systems: Blade Runner Meets Autonomic Computing in the Ambient Cloud. | <urn:uuid:f11a5137-90c7-491e-86c6-5748268c5351> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://highscalability.com/blog/2010/2/1/what-will-kill-the-cloud.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940353 | 3,493 | 3.09375 | 3 |
For the uninitiated, “My nerves are shot!” is a phrase very commonly heard by this wandering pilgrim in his days seeking to help those suffering from seemingly insurmountable anxiety and stress. It basically means, “I can’t take all this anxiety anymore!! I’m completely beaten down by all of it! Please help!!!!”
After hunting around, I managed to find some pictures that illustrate the following fact:
Even though I myself might not have the courage to trust in rickety, rusty, rotting stairs to climb to the top of tall belfries, and then to lean out over the top to look down at the tiny buildings, cars, and people below, some folks DO possess this bravery, and I tip my hat to them!
For example, these young ladies certainly had a lot of intestinal fortitude while mounting up to this belfry at the top of the Basilica in Quito, Ecuador:
But, once they reach the top, what a view they received as their reward!!
And then here is another young man who overcame, undoubtedly, tremendous fear to climb out onto the precipice of imminent disaster to capture great photos:
I’ve got to hand it to him … he’s got a ton of courage! Courage which I do not possess. And likely never will. Which, taken with the long range view in mind, is perfectly ok by me.
I do very much appreciate the photographs he has given the rest of us, though!
As we decided in our last installment (well, at least I decided!) anxiety is the degree to which our bodies are activated, in any given situation, moreso than is needed to deal with that situation. And as we also talked about, anxiety disorders are extremely common, with as many as 40% of American adults having a diagnosable anxiety disorder at some point in their lives (in many cases, for their ENTIRE lives!). That means 2 of every 5 of us will be impaired by anxiety in some way, shape, or form during our journey! This outnumbers almost any other illness we might ever face. And as such, anxiety disorders ought to be taken very seriously.
Now, we also discussed the fact that there is a very big difference between having an “anxiety disorder”, and having an “anxious” or “fearful” state of mind. This is a huge distinction, and we’ll talk more about that later on, down the road.
Currently, the most common form of treatment for anxiety disorders is medical, i.e., medication. Whether it ought to be or not is a debate for another venue and time.
There are 3 primary classes of medicine used to help people with anxiety disorders:
1) Tricyclic Antidepressants: The word “tricyclic” refers to their chemical molecular structure. The word “antidepressant” means that all of these medicines were originally marketedas antidepressants. It has very little to do with how they actually work within the nervous system. And they are used to treat far more than just depression. Anxiety, chronic pain, insomnia, migraine prevention, etc. are all within their purview these days. The class includes: Amitriptyline (Elavil), Nortriptyline (Pamelor), Desipramine, Imipramine, Clomipramine (Anafranil), Doxepin, and Trazodone, among others.
2) SSRIs (aka, Selective Serotonin-Reuptake Inhibitors): This class also is primarily considered to be “antidepressants”, but once again, we find them being used to treat other problems, most especially anxiety. The list includes: Fluoxetine (Prozac), Paroxetine (Paxil), Sertraline (Zoloft), Citalopram (Celexa), Fluvoxamine (Luvox), and Escitalopram (Lexapro). All of these medicines can lessen anxiety, though they typically take longer to achieve this dampening effect.
3) Benzodiazepines. This is by far the most effective class of medicine if you simply want to lessen anxiety in its global context. It includes: Diazepam (Valium), Alprazolam (Xanax), Clonazepam (Klonopin), Lorazepam (Ativan), Chlordiazepoxide (Librium), Clorazepate (Tranxene), etc.
The problem with “Benzos” is that they have developed a negative connotation and reputation for many people, both inside and outside of the mental health profession. ’Tis true, some people do abuse benzodiazepines. A slender few become addicted to them. Not even close to a majority, but that fact seems to matter little to many people. In my experience, VERY few people who truly do struggle with a real anxiety disorder will ever abuse their medicine. They simply want relief! NOT to get high. But, as with so many things, a few people with selfish or unhealthy intentions can often ruin things for many others, and this has been the case with these medicines. However, it is also true that many prescribers have too often written scripts for these medicines without really finding out whether and to what degree their patient actually has a crippling anxiety problem. I have been guilty of this at times. Most of the time, though, when I prescribe such a medicine for someone, I have been careful in the diagnosis, but I do often choose to trust people until such time that they might prove to be not trustworthy. The vast majority of the time my trust in them has been well-founded, and they end up very grateful for the help with this hugely disabling condition!
There are other medicines commonly used to help with anxiety, but they are usually fairly unique-type meds, not a part of a larger class. Examples include Buspirone (BuSpar), Hydroxyzine (Vistaril or Atarax), Gabapentin (Neurontin), and a couple of other more obscure medicines not used much in a number of years.
However, there are other ways beside medicine to treat anxiety disorders.
There is what is called, “Cognitive Therapy”. This is a form of treatment in which you work with your therapist to identify some of the “automatic thoughts” that go through your head in certain situations. In this case, these would be situations in which you ordinarily begin to feel symptoms of anxiety arise within your body. Then, while you are in a safe and calm place, you begin to REALLY examine these thoughts, as well as the beliefs that underlie them, and see just how true and accurate these beliefs and thoughts actually are. For any of us who do this sort of exercise, we quickly realize that there is an incredible amount of pure junk (I wanted to use a word that includes a large case ‘B’ next to a large case ‘S’ here, but as this is a “family” forum, I’ll stick with ‘junk’!) percolating around in our minds, and it has a huge impact on our lives. But, again, that’s a discussion for another day.
As you identify the falsehoods and silly thinking or logic that permeates your belief systems, you begin to try to change those automatic thoughts with other self-talk which you, yourself, script out. Some people will actually write down a few “true” statements on a 3×5 index card and carry it around with them, to pull out whenever they start to feel anxious. You could also write a few such lines on your cell phone. As you begin to practice responding with more accurate statements about yourself, the situation, the worst case scenario, and other “outside-the-box” choices you can make for yourself in that instant, and as they become more habitual for you, the less your anxiety and worry become.
Almost all forms of therapy are really exactly like this, though other forms don’t have the specific “homework” assignments that cognitive therapy does. They are all about looking at what we do (and feel and think), why we do it, and how unsound our thinking is that undergirded the reasons why we did so. Then we look deeper to find truths about ourselves and others around us, and try to build our future upon more truthful and sound foundations. Some therapies will have us delve back into our childhoods, or walk through traumatic experiences over again, or examine the relationships we had with our parents, or siblings, or various authority figures, etc. But the goals are still pretty much as I’ve laid out above, when you distill them all down.
Other forms of treatment are not exactly “therapy” in the common lingo, but they are still ‘therapy’ in the purest sense of the word! These other forms I categorize as “Mind over Matter”! Or, in this case, “Mind over Body”! These forms include such things as Biofeedback, Deep (Abdominal) Breathing Techniques, Progressive Muscle Relaxation, and Visual Imagery. In addition, while they are not specifically treatments for anxiety problems as the things listed above are, Yoga, T’ai Chi, Pilates, and other forms of exercise which emphasize breathing, flexibility, and mindfulness, are excellent tools for people to explore who deal with anxiety disorders.
In all of these endeavours, the goal is for the person practicing these things to maximize one’s control over one’s body. To slow things down to at least a manageable level. When we again think about how the body automatically begins spitting out huge amounts of adrenaline (epinephrine) and norepinephrine in response to, say, standing on the parapet of a 500-foot tall belfry, and how this leads to dramatic increases in heart rate, breathing rate, cold sweats, dizziness, churning guts, shaky hands, weak knees, and a strong feeling that we may very well die, the one thing we would most wish for is the ability to control some of this, so we could make it go away! If by deepening and slowing our breathing, or by closing our eyes and imagining ourselves in a “safe place” (for me, it’s always been sitting on the sand at Holden Beach, North Carolina, on a warm, breezy summer day, with the constant and soothing sound of the surf driving all fear from my mind!), we can actually direct our bodies to shunt some of that adrenaline away and feel quickly less tense and panicky, so much the better. The best thing about these techniques, if practiced repeatedly, is that they can be called upon at any time in any place, and no external chemical is needed!
Actually, one of the best non-specific treatments for anxiety is to simply exercise. Walking or running, or any of the numerous forms of dance-type exercises now popular … really, any kind of what is called “aerobic” exercise … will help build resistance in your cardiovascular and respiratory systems to the over-stimulating effects of adrenaline. I often tell my patients of the stories I saw a number of years ago during a summer olympics broadcast of a couple of marathon runners who first started out running, in response to their doctor’s recommendation that they start exercising as a way to prevent or lessen panic attacks. Lo, and behold! They became world-class long-distance runners, and had no more panic attacks to boot! Now, of course, one does not need to run 26.2 miles in 3 hours or so in order to overcome panic disorder … but you get the idea.
I’ve very superficially described only a few of the many treatments available for anxiety disorders. Some of these disorders, such as Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, require very intensive treatments that have to be tailored to that person’s specific patterns and O-C drives. Social phobia or specific phobias (such as fear of heights!) will often require a form of therapy known as exposure, or progressive desensitization, to help someone go from the panic caused by even the mere thinking about the thing they dread, to actually being able to be in that situation for several minutes, and to see that you CAN live through it and do okay.
The one thing I have hoped above all in these last two posts is to convey the truth that if you or someone you care about is dealing with some kind of anxiety disorder, there is hope. In many cases the hope is that it can be managed better, feel better, and NOT be an obstacle to living a normal and happy life, or to achieving your goals and dreams. In some other cases, there is good hope for a complete cure … learning and finding a way to live free of whatever anxiety has haunted you for so long. Either way, I urge you to seek help, as it is out there.
I wish you calmness and peace.
Craig Meek, M.D. | <urn:uuid:a8019048-7582-47a1-9461-e0f0c832a4d4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://cmquest.wordpress.com/tag/progressive-muscle-relaxation/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95995 | 2,761 | 1.601563 | 2 |
From School Library Journal.
Amazon has apparently created new rules governing the use of its Kindle ereader in school libraries. The website of the ecommerce giant states that content cannot be loaded across multiple devices at one time, and an Amazon rep told at least one school librarian, Buffy Hamilton, that ebooks cannot be ported to more than one device. Amazon also requires that each Kindle be tethered to its own account.
If permanent, the new rules could hamper the use of Kindles in school libraries, where ebooks, up until now, have typically been shared among up to six devices and having to manage content on each single device would be impractical.
Although Amazon would not confirm the new rules despite several emails and phone calls from School Library Journal, a "School FAQ" on Amazon's site reads: "At present, it is not possible to load content across multiple independent devices at one time; this must be done on each device separately." | <urn:uuid:0f1b8ae3-134f-4fb5-a676-10a39f74ed6a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://lisnews.org/amazon_alters_rules_kindles_school_libraries | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964426 | 193 | 1.875 | 2 |
Originally Posted by melgross
This is like fiberglass, it's almost impossible to recycle. But with fiberglass thay can grind it down for certain uses.
Also these carbon nanotubes used for some of the newest, most exotic stuff, which is expected to become much cheaper (it's mucho times more expensive than the stuff used for bikes and cases), is considered to be a health hazard.
That's why it's called FRP (Fiber Reinforced Plastic).
There is no such thing as production SWNT (Single Walled Nano Tubes).
Carbon fibers themselves have the worst compressive properties due to kink banding. That's why you don't see high modulus ropes made from carbon fibers, the carbon fibers break quite easily relative to Zylon (PBO), Kevlar/Twaron, Dyneema/Spectra, Technora, or Vectran. DuPont has yet to produce production quantities of their M5 fibers, and if so, will first be used exclusively in military applications.
Carbon fibers, or Kevlar make excellent structural panels once bonded with resin, however the specific strength and specific modulus are reduced significantly due to the resin and woven fabrics to less that a factor of two strength wise and will never be as stiff pound for pound as existing high strength metals. No existing high strength woven fibers can currently match steel with a modulus of 29,000 ksi, or aluminum with a modulus of 10,000 ksi, or titanium with a modulus of 16,000 ksi.
Some basics are in order, EI is the product of modulus and moment of inertia (bending), this produces the inherent bending stiffness of any material, similarly EA/L produces the inherent axial stiffness (or K). While high modulus fibers have high strength to weight ratios relative to metals, this is reduced significantly as noted above due to the necessary addition of resins and to woven fabrics with warp and weft fill components (the fibers no longer lie in a straight line, although unidirectional multiply laminates are always possible, say 6 plies at 60 degrees each).
For instance, structural panels use a very light weight foam core (PE, PU, PET, or PVC) bonded to high strength metals such as 7075-T6 or 6061-T6 aluminum or FRP panels. Also see the Airbus A-380 which used such a material patented as Glare (can't remember at this very moment if it's a foam core or an FRP core though).
Dyneema is a very poor material due to it's linear creep properties inherent in it's low temperature limitations (70 C max, 50 C for long lifetime). Dyneema is not 15 times stronger than high strength metals (A factor of 10 is the most I've ever seen the Dyneema literature claim), stainless steels can easily exceed ~250 ksi yield stress, aluminum ~80 ksi, and titanium ~200 ksi.
Apple has zero direct experience with FRP, the SME's would all be from other private sector industries. Anyone with half a brain can do metals, apparently Apple has at least half a brain (the Asians). | <urn:uuid:e81d8a20-804e-4262-a5f6-0e89a72dcec8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://forums.appleinsider.com/t/92710/apple-may-turn-to-carbon-fiber-for-lighter-macbook-air/40 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.921571 | 658 | 2.828125 | 3 |
Are you better than Thebes, situated by the Nile, waters surrounding her, whose fortress is sea and whose city wall is waters?
Cusha and Egypt constituted her strength, without limit; Put and the Libyans were herb help.
Yet even she was destined for exile; she went into captivity. Indeed, her infants were dashed to pieces at the head of every street. They cast lots for her officials; all of her powerful citizens were bound in chains. | <urn:uuid:99c4ea90-e39d-4110-8c40-6e175769cccc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.biblestudytools.com/bible/passage.aspx?q=nahum+3:8-10&t=ceb | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00070-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.994279 | 95 | 1.710938 | 2 |
Flattery can be dangerous to corporate leaders, Assistant Professor Ithai Stern finds
3/9/2012 - Are you a junior manager trying to curry favor with your boss? A CEO who never hears a dissenting opinion? You could be driving your organization into the ground.
Assistant Professor of Management & Organizations Ithai Stern
and his co-authors discuss the hazards of professional flattery in their study “Set up for a Fall: The Insidious Effects of Flattery and Opinion Conformity Toward Corporate Leaders
.” You’ve written about flattery in corporate culture before. What got you interested in the subject? Ithai Stern:
It started in the early 2000s when the Enron thing was going on. The question at the time was, where were the boards when all this misconduct was happening? The implicit assumption in many of the articles we read in the popular press was that the problem was that boards were so homogeneous. It was an old boys’ club, and there were all these white males in their 40s and 50s from the same social and educational backgrounds.
Since then, we have seen an increase in the number of women and minorities on boards of directors. But surprisingly, we didn’t see much change in this norm — directors do not really challenge the CEO. On the contrary, there was anecdotal evidence that the norm has actually been strengthened. So people are even less likely to question the CEO?
Yes. So the big question for us was, how do people get to be directors? The argument from some scholars was that it’s people who can function well as directors, which means, one, that they can supervise the CEO and state the shareholders’ best interests, and two, that they can give good advice and provide social networks and so forth to the CEO and to the executives of the firm. But empirical data about those two assumptions didn’t really support them. So the people who get board seats aren’t necessarily the ones who would be the best board members. IS:
Exactly. Assuming that we define “doing the job well” as both representing the shareholders’ interests and advising the corporate leaders. So the question was, what can explain that?
In social psychology, there’s a lot of emphasis on interpersonal influence tactics. We started to look at people’s ability on a personal level to ingratiate. There is a lot of research that says, for example, that people who know how to ingratiate in job interviews do much better. People who ingratiate in the workplace usually get promoted more, get higher salary increases and so forth. That’s a pretty powerful incentive to flatter and conform. But your most recent paper is about how this kind of ingratiation can make leaders — and sometimes entire organizations — fail. How can organizations discourage opportunists from kissing up to the boss?
IS: I’m not sure that we can actually tell people not to. I think when we’re looking at the negative effects, we are looking at how it affects the CEO’s own decisions in the long term. What we need to do is explain this to CEOs — that we are all human, we are all biased by these interpersonal influence tactics. If you are the boss, should you always assume your admirers might have selfish motives?
It’s not part of the research, but if I need to give one piece of advice, it’s to make sure that high-ranking individuals don’t get advice only from people with whom they have a dependency relationship.
I’ll give you an example: In the White House, there is something called the President’s Forum. The idea is that the current president brings in former presidents and gets their advice and opinions about issues. Those are people who have as much experience — often more — than the current president, and they do not have any kind of dependency on him, so they can tell him what they really think. Your research seems to give us two conflicting messages. One is that you must ingratiate yourself to get ahead, and the other is that if you do too much ingratiating, it will probably interfere with your boss’s ability to make good decisions and ultimately harm your company. How do you make sense of this contradiction?
It depends on who’s asking. People were asking me a year or so ago, “Are you going to start a course at Kellogg that will teach students how to ingratiate?” And my answer was, “God, no.” We are social scientists who are trying to explain these phenomena. But for a good friend who has a hard time getting ahead in the corporate world, I’ll try to tell her how important her relationship with the boss is. On the other hand, if a high-level executive tells me, “I’m getting all of my information about my decisions and how things are going and how successful we are from the people who surround me,” I would tell him, “If you want to succeed in the long term, you should probably get advice from others as well.” Further reading: | <urn:uuid:d9a231c5-0398-41cc-a789-02c2af7d747a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.kellogg.northwestern.edu/News_Articles/2012/CEO-Warning.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00065-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973239 | 1,087 | 1.8125 | 2 |
Michaela Binder, Durham University
After seven weeks in Sudan, we’ve just returned to England, and are looking back on a very successful season full of interesting new results. During the 41 days of excavation, Dyan Semple, Carina Summerfield-Hill and I were able to excavate 25 graves, 42 more or less complete skeletons and a large range of small finds and pottery.
Most importantly, in the chamber tomb G234 we found evidence that Cemetery C was already in use during the New Kingdom, much earlier than previously thought.
The last few days at Amara West were quite busy, as is usual in excavation projects like this. On one hand, all the fieldwork has to be finished.
My work at the end of the season focused on a slightly elevated area with several small shallow burial mounds (tumuli) made up of scattered schist stones and alluvial silt. In the three graves we excavated, the dead were also buried in side-niches at the bottom of a vertical shaft. However, the size and depth of the tombs (up to 1.8 metres) as well as the presence of the superstructures distinguish them from the other niche burials found further north in the cemetery.
Even though the graves were also disturbed and looted, they still yielded ceramic vessel fragments and a few objects, among them pieces of an ivory plate and a wooden pigment container decorated with carvings of lotus flowers.
It is possible that the prominent location and size of these graves indicates that they were meant for the burial of individuals from a higher social class.
At the same time, everything back at the house had to be packed and stored away. The skeletons excavated during this season had to be wrapped and packed in crates, not always an easy task, in order to make sure they are safely transported back to England. | <urn:uuid:24602e89-378c-43f0-910a-71fb765f99e2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.britishmuseum.org/2011/03/16/looking-back-on-the-2011-season-in-the-cemeteries-at-amara-west/?like=1&_wpnonce=4955ae37a8 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.981527 | 386 | 1.679688 | 2 |
by AUE mySalvos | 16th August 0 Comments
For a week in July, 14 people entered into a journey of Sydney’s “dark places” as part of Edify STUMP – The Salvation Army’s Short Term Urban Mission Project, based at Streetlevel Mission. What they discovered was light, hope and Jesus. These are their stories:
Day Five: Thursday, 11 July
Sydney’s medically supervised injecting centre in Kings Cross taglines itself as, "a practical and compassionate response to the unfortunate reality of drug addiction". It's a kind of liminal space, you might say. You could be standing outside the door of the centre one moment and be arrested for the possession of illegal drugs, but once inside the door, possession of those same drugs becomes legal.
Liminal, or “threshold” spaces are always uncomfortable places. But when you look at the gospels, you see that this kind of mixing of black and white is what Jesus was all about.
More and more I’m being reaffirmed in my understanding that this isn't even about who's in and who's out. In fact, Jesus problematised that whole concept of “in” and “out”, and in our youth ministry in Blacktown, we couldn't solve that problem even if we wanted to. We have kids who set Australia Post mail boxes on fire, kids who light up in the parking lot, some who turn up to youth a little bit high and try to convince us they're just particularly happy that night! So if it was about who's “in” and who's “out”, we'd have abandoned this mission field a long time ago rather than, by the grace of God, staying.
Don't get me wrong: we love our kids!
Isn't it funny how it always comes back to that? Behind every appearance there's a story, and at the centre of every story is a real, living, breathing, feeling, often hurting individual, made in the image of God, as human as anyone. This week I have shared meals with a HIV-positive heroine addict, a homeless man with an overactive imagination, and a bed-less backpacker with a Canadian accent who couldn't seem to decide which country he was from. Of course, the labels don't do any good, because again, they're all as human as anyone. And tonight I had the privilege of hearing my fellow STUMPers' testimonies, only to realise, to my discredit, that I'd made some arrogant, incorrect assumptions and had forgotten: yes, we're all as human as anyone.
Jesus had no problem with seeing people as people. Prostitute, tax collector, wretched sinner: all human. He entered into the liminal spaces and when there weren't any, he created them; in the crap and the chaos and the brokenness of our lives he plants the Kingdom like a seed …
And the Kingdom blooms, mixing the black and the white into innumerable shades of grey so that individuals can cross a threshold into a Kings Cross building and legally inject illegal drugs, for their own safety. The reality of the Kingdom defies our obsession with “in” and “out” and brings youth leaders back, week after week, to counsel and serve a growing number of lovable ratbags. The Kingdom advances with every meal shared with another, an alien, an outsider; it can only be flourishing when 14 STUMPers who have known one another for just a few days are able to bare their souls to one another. - Troy Wong
Troy is 18 and lives in Prospect, NSW. He serves faithfully at a local church in western Sydney.
Day Six: Friday, 12 July
The day began with preparing breakfast for the community members at Streetlevel. The next activity scheduled for the day was having a BBQ with asylum seekers. This was a very good experience. It was like having a BBQ with the family, as the asylum seekers were so warm-hearted and open. It was nice to learn about Hazara culture and each person’s past. It would be interesting to teach one-on-one English, as I would also learn their language and culture. I’m considering it.
A touching experience was the Streetlevel church service. I could sense the strong community, as the worship team consisted of both Salvos and the homeless. Also, many homeless individuals shared their personal issues, and it was nice to see they could be honest without being judged or laughed at. - David Antonio
David is 21 and lives in Marsfield, NSW. He is a youth leader at Ryde Baptist Church.
Day Seven: Saturday, 14 July
Being the last day of STUMP, it was quite interesting. Debriefing was good, to go over all the good times we had over the week and what our highlight was. But, honestly, my whole week was a highlight. I enjoyed every day this week and learnt a lot and somewhere, some part of me has changed for the good.
Kingdom training was the best, learning what the Kingdom is really about and some influential people in history.
Leaving was hard because I’d built friendships with everyone and I knew I’d miss Streetlevel. But I could see God working in that afternoon as we said our goodbyes and wrote our letters to our future selves. I knew we would all see each other again someway, someday. -Britney Starling
Britney is 16 and is a year 11 student who lives in Toongabbie, NSW
To find out more about STUMP, head to edify.org.au.
(Photo supplied by Edify STUMP) | <urn:uuid:42832e6a-224a-429e-8729-9a36ef4b210a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://my.salvos.org.au/news/2012/08/16/stories-from-stump-part-3/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00058-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978875 | 1,190 | 1.648438 | 2 |
Not to say that technology did not play a role in aiding the world’s ability to follow and support the revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt, but we must understand that Twitter and Facebook were mostly utilized by Egyptians (such as Wael Ghonim) in order to continue spreading information on the locations and times of protests. When Mubarak’s regime, with the complicity of Vodafone and other communications companies, quickly shut down internet and mobile connections, the protests continued. In fact, they grew larger. And this was solely by word of mouth combined with the infuriatingly obvious lack of coverage by Egyptian state-owned television coverage. When you cannot find a single stall open to buy bread, and your ful vendor is running down the street with hundreds of others, waving an Egyptian flag over his head, does one really need Twitter or Facebook to figure out that something is happening?
Twitter and Facebook is a lifeline for those of us unable to contact our families back home and hear first-hand what they are hearing, doing and thinking. Al Jazeera Arabic’s coverage was addictive but I certainly spent more time on Twitter communicating with those closer to home for most of my news. For that, I am immensely grateful that these particular tools of social media exist. I will not, however, concede the incredible unity and power of the people to their use of social networking tools. The time I spent translating speak-to-tweet messages into English is not a confession that the revolution could not have happened without Twitter, but something that made many limited to watching the revolution unfold feel useful, if only for a short time, in advancing our fight for freedom.
For the non-Egyptian, non-Yemeni (again, the list goes on) observer in the West, Al Jazeera’s English coverage (and the effect of the manufactured controversy surrounding Al Jazeera in the first place) introduced many to these revolutionary movements who would otherwise lack access to such detailed coverage. During the first week or so, live communiqué translations, video feeds of Meydan Tahrir, Alexandria, and the shifts in Egyptian state-run news service coverage would have been limited to the Arabic-speaking world without Al Jazeera English. Hell, even the White House depended on good ol’ Al Jazeera to get past Mubarak’s internet shutdown. It is still necessary to remember, however, that Al Jazeera provided a service (an amazing one, of course) to those of us outside of Egypt. Egyptians used the presence of Al Jazeera news cameras to their own end – for instance, displaying the police identification cards of the “pro-Mubarak supporters” – and we benefited from the people’s ingenuity.
In the end, it is the people of Tunisia and Egypt who threw out the regimes that were suffocating them. In the end, for Algeria, Iran, Gabon, Yemen, Bahrain, Jordan and Morocco (maybe soon, Puerto Rico?), it will be the people who are fighting for their freedom. Victory will belong to the people. People, who use social networking to advance their causes and share news with the outside world, but people, just people, nonetheless.
As a friend remarked the other day: “Not to engage in Glenn Beck-style Iran-parallel drawing, but there was another February 11th that didn’t require Twitter to happen.” | <urn:uuid:944f0732-4cf2-44bb-acd7-5df8920e1049> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://africasacountry.com/2011/02/15/we-are-not-all-clay-shirky/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00069-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96177 | 691 | 1.789063 | 2 |
Having failed on two previous occasions to get inside, I made sure that I was there at precisely 12:30 p.m. one recent Sunday for the hourlong public tour. After coffee and cookies downstairs with parishioners, church historian Stanley Lemons led us upstairs and explained that the design is really a composite of two styles, the English Renaissance (Georgian) and the Puritan, the latter evidenced by the square shape, white walls and complete lack of religious iconography. He said that its size -- large enough to accommodate one-third the late-18th-century population of Providence -- is owing to its "worldly" function, to accommodate commencements at nearby Brown College.
Directly across from the church is the Rhode Island School of Design Art Museum, one of the great small museums in America -- except that it really isn't all that small. Three floors and 40 galleries take you from ancient Egypt to the present day in a stylishly designed (this is RISD, after all) free-flowing structure that also incorporates the Federalist-style Pendleton House, opulently decked out in the finest American decorative arts, especially furniture, from the 18th and 19th centuries.
A little farther up Benefit Street is the Providence Athenaeum, built of gray granite in the shape of a Greek temple in 1753 and still exquisitely fulfilling its original mission as a public lending library and exhibit space. A block farther, and pre-dating the Athenaeum by nearly 50 years, is 10-time governor and signer of the Declaration of Independence Stephen Hopkins' red clapboard home, whose interior is tastefully furnished in period antiques. Not surprisingly given Hopkins' late 18th-century prominence, George Washington really did sleep here -- twice.
Just off Benefit Street, past the First Unitarian Church, stands the John Brown House, Providence's premier house museum, built in 1816 and boasting the largest bell ever cast from Paul Revere's foundry. Completed in 1788, the magnificent three-story brick edifice was merchant, civic leader and family patriarch John Brown's notice to the world that he had finally "made it."
One of the ways that Brown had made it was via the slave trade. In this, however, he was not alone. As we learned during the hourlong tour, an estimated 60 percent to 90 percent of American-flagged slave-trading ships in the late 1700s hailed from Rhode Island, even though the colony itself had prohibited the importation of slaves as early as 1774. The Brown family's involvement in human trafficking is traced in a poignant exhibit downstairs, just as the material fruits of it are displayed throughout the meticulously restored mansion.
It was Brown's abolitionist nephew, Nicholas, for whom the fledgling College of Rhode Island was renamed in 1804, and no exploration of the East Side is complete without a stroll through Brown University's leafy, compact campus atop College Hill. Many of the older libraries and galleries around the Quad are open to the public, so don't be shy about opening doors. But don't even bother with the ornate, iron Van Wickle Gates: They are only opened twice a year, first to let out the graduating seniors, then again to let in the incoming freshman.
After a mile of history, visitors to Providence may think they've seen it all, but that isn't the half of it. The other half is the commercial downtown, known as Downcity, which lies just across the Providence River. This was the part most in need of reviving. A stroll along Riverwalk's stone-sculpted passageways to Waterplace, a circular basin in the Woonasquatucket reclaimed from decades of not-so-benign neglect, reveals that Downcity really has cleaned up its act.
Towering behind Waterplace, ground zero as it were of WaterFire, is Providence Place Mall, a 1.4-million-square-feet retail behemoth that spans the Woonasquatucket on the site of what had once been a parking lot. Providence Place is the most conspicuous example of Downcity's multibillion-dollar revitalization, but other very big renaissance babies include the former Union Station (now offices and restaurants), the Dunkin' Donuts Center and the Rhode Island Convention Center. Nor is the process over: Two luxury condominium towers overlooking Waterplace are slated for completion this summer, and ground has been broken on One Ten Westminster, a 40-story combination office-condo-hotel that will eventually become the city's tallest building. | <urn:uuid:b52dfc04-d4ec-4314-954a-844741fdf294> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2007-06-10/travel/0706120311_1_braziers-urban-aesthetics-rhode-island/2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967702 | 939 | 2.609375 | 3 |
with poll: Car-deer crashes up in Scio Township, down in Southeast Michigan
Photo courtesy of Flickr user Royalty-free image collection
The township just west of Ann Arbor recorded 153 vehicle-deer crashes in 2010, compared with 119 the year before, according to data released recently by the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments.
Statewide, the number of car-deer crashes dropped 9 percent to 55,867 from 61,486. The number of vehicle-deer crashes also dropped in Washtenaw County from 1,202 in 2009 to 1,174 in 2010, a 2 percent decline, and in southeast Michigan, which had 6,560 crashes in 2009 compared with 6,062 in 2010, a drop of about 8 percent.
Kajal Patel, SEMCOG transportation engineer, said there’s no clear reason for why the number went up in Scio Township. “Deer crashes are very random,” she said.
SEMCOG said no one died last year in car-deer collisions, but there were 11 fatalities involving deer, including 8 motorcycle wrecks.
The SEMCOG report notes that the number of car-deer crashes in general has grown in recent years because of more development in rural areas and a growing deer population.
The deer herd in southeast Michigan is 10 times larger now than it was in 1970 and 4 times larger across the state, SEMCOG said.
Oakland County had the most car-vehicle collisions in 2010 among the 7-county SEMCOG region with 1,836.
Michigan State Police note that while deer are most active in fall and spring, car-deer crashes occur all year. State police offer these tips for drivers:
- Deer are herd animals and frequently travel in single file. If you see one deer cross the road, chances are there are more waiting.
- Be alert for deer, especially at dawn and dusk. If you see one, slow down.
- Don't rely on gimmicks, flashing your high-beam headlights or honking your horn to deter deer.
If a crash is unavoidable:
- Don't swerve. Brake firmly, hold onto the steering wheel and bring your vehicle to a controlled stop.
- Pull off the road, turn on your emergency flashers and be cautious of other traffic if you leave your vehicle.
- Report the crash to the nearest police agency and your insurance company.
More information about car-deer crashes is available on the SEMCOG website. | <urn:uuid:d51cb5e2-03ee-40f1-9937-5ea51e172d29> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.annarbor.com/news/car-deer-crashes-up-in-scio-township-but-down-in-southeast-michigan/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00046-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95179 | 526 | 1.992188 | 2 |
This is to be kept packed in an easy to reach location incase of emergency: flood, earthquake, evacuation - depending on where you live!
In the past couple of weeks I have seen several emergency evacuations in areas that would have been thought of as safe. This is just a good provision to have.
Think of the things that you would need the most ! I have included a supply list of basic items, remember you have to be able to carry it.
A sample of basic food/ water, rescue services are normally with you pretty quick but 2/3 days basic supplies is a good rule of thumb.
Some equipment, remember it is different for different countries . Foil blankets are a must!
A few hygiene bits and medication. These need to be updated as things change. Put up to date repeat slips for meds in with your documents.
Waterproofs, black bags ect
Dry clothes in a waterproof bag, also a vac bag to save space. I have thermals, track suit, undies, hat , scarf, gloves and a coat! (it's cold in the uk!)
All packed and able to carry! Now put in an easy to access area, remember its called a grab and go bag for a reason !
Important documents , these are copies of passport, Id card, drivers licence, birth certificate , medical docs. Cash, List of emergency contacts, family , friends ect.
Remember to only pack essential things! Hair straighteners are NOT essential ! 😊
Hope this is has given you some ideas, I thought it was pointless at first but in the last year I have seen people have to leave their homes due to riots , flash floods, and costal erosion in my area!
Any questions just ask! And remember, be prepared! Xx👍 | <urn:uuid:3da463d0-2f97-40c9-89b5-3b23655e4f29> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://snapguide.com/guides/pack-an-emergency-grab-and-go-bag/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966125 | 372 | 1.742188 | 2 |
Many of you are wondering ...
"What exactly is AP Statistics???"
"Statistics" is the Science of Data. This data comes in different forms: lists, tables, charts, graphs, words.
In previous math courses you were provided some introductory statistics concepts like linear regression, box-whisker plots in Algebra 2, mean, median, and mode in middle school, graph reading using pie charts and bar graphs among others. During the 04-05 school year my algebra 2 students compared box-whisker plots for the grade averages amongst the three sections of Honors Algebra.
This course goes way beyond just entering data (mucho data) and drawing pictures. Statistical analysis, gathering data through experiments or surveys, describing the data, forming conclusions, and making predictions are really what statistics is all about. We'll use a few familiar words like mean, median, and probability and learn lots of new concepts with "freaky formulas". We often will want to make statements or predictions about an entire population of individuals.
Sometimes, most times, the population is too large to study directly. If we desire to find the approximate mean (average) age of the residents of Georgia, it would be too costly to visit each person. So...we take samples. Specifically, random samples that contain manageable amounts of data. Each sample has its own mean and we need to take many, many samples because only then will the mean of the means "approach" the mean of the population. Are you getting all this???
Randomness is an important part of data gathering - how we use random events is frequently done through simulation, a pretend experiment. Probability and its many rules will play an important part eventually.
Looking at graphs of data, giving numerical descriptions,
drawing conclusions all lead to the "ultimate" - making decisions and/or
predictions about not only other samples but even the entire population.
Of course our predictions will only be as good as our data and our "methods".
We will never be 100% sure, but hopefully we can be somewhat confident.
Statistical INFERENCE is the process of "inferring" information beyond the scope of the actual data with some attempt at accuracy. Back to the mean age of all residents of Georgia. I say 52 - this is just a guess and I am not at all confident...maybe too high, maybe too low. There are procedures for determining confidence intervals from which we can say we are very confident about our conclusion. The typical confidence intervals are 98, 95, and 90%. Any less confidence than that and the conclusion is not very reliable.
Let's get a little more specific with some terminology. | <urn:uuid:7a5e4e36-4dfa-48f4-a4ed-2ce619298bef> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.henry.k12.ga.us/ugh/apstat/chapternotes/intro1.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00067-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.934344 | 549 | 3.359375 | 3 |
A few weeks ago, I first warned readers about the increase in green card lottery scams. Today one of my Iraqi Refugee Resettlement Project clients in Jordan received one of the scam emails purporting to be from the U.S. Department of State. Some excerpts from the email:
Congratulations ! You are among those randomly selected and registered for further consideration in the diversity immigrant program. Selection guarantees that you will receive a United States Permanent Resident Card(also known as Green Card or Diversity Visa) only if you follow the instructions for further processing.
Is the Diversity Visa FREE ?
No. There is a big confusion. Only the participation in the Diversity Visa Lottery was free but the winners must pay the visa processing fees.The fee is used to process your visa related documents and verify your identity.
Great news, right? But wait, there’s more:
Please read and follow all the instructions very carefully. With the Diversity Visa (also known as Green Card) you will enjoy all the advantages and benefits of a US permanent resident, including health and education benefits, and employment opportunities along with guidance in your new country, orientation sessions and programs to integrate into mainstream American society. Once received you can use it at any time you want to move in the United States or just travel. The visa must be renewed after 10 years.
Although you will have all the rights that a U.S. citizen has in the United States, without a relative or friend in the United States you may find the relocation difficult and expensive due the lack of experience in the American society. Therefore the U.S. Government helps you with the accommodation and offers you along with each visa Health Insurance (Freedom HSA Direct Individual Health insurance for 1 year), Dwelling(Apartment in any city you prefer, 1 bedroom for 3 months ), a guaranteed job(in the field that you are are currently qualified so you can start working even from the first week you arrive in the United States and get paid as U.S citizen. ) and education (for U.S. Students or Higher Education through EducationUSA. It includes transfer to a U.S college or Univeristy so you can continue your educational study. More details can be found at http://educationusa.state.gov/.)
We remind you that only the visa processing fee ($880) is mandatory and the visa is guaranteed upon receiving the payment.
Accompanying family members(wife/husband, fiancee, brothers, sisters, children, cousins) may be included in the program and their visas will be provided at the same time with yours so you can travel/move together in the same time. However the fees must be paid per person and each member(e.g wife, brother, parents, children, cousin) must pay $880. There is no discount for children.
All this can be yours for only $880 per person!
Visa Payment processing instructions
The fees must be paid using Western Union money transfer and will be processed by the U.S. embassy in the United Kingdom.Western Union is a leading provider of International person-to-person money transfer. With more than 150 years experience and 245,000 Agent locations in over 200 countries and territories, Western Union is recognized for sending money quickly, reliably, and safety.
You can send the payment in U.S. dollars or equivalent of your local currency.
Click on the following link to find the nearest Western Union agency and send the fees payment :
Find Western Union Agency
If you are unable to find a Western Union agency near your location, you may ask a relative or friend to pay the fee on your behalf.
After you find a Western Union agency you need to go with cash money, an identity card(e.g passport or national identity card) and send the payment to the U.S. embassy agent address in United Kingdom:
Name : Lloyd Walker
Address: 24 Grosvenor Square
London, W1A 2LQ
The payment must be sent to the above U.S. embassy agent address in United Kingdom because the U.S. Government decided this based on the diplomatic relations with your country.
I had to break the news to my client that it is all a well-known scam and his family will have to continue waiting in exile for their refugee case to be approved. Refugees are among the groups of people that are particularly vulnerable to these types of scams as the State Department resettlement program confers benefits similar to those promised in the fraudulent email. The only way to stop the thieves is through educating those at risk, and I hope refugee relief organizations are getting the word out. | <urn:uuid:1673f582-29fb-4629-a2af-95ffabef0d7f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.whittfirm.com/2011/04/green-card-lottery-scams-targeting-refugees/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947551 | 946 | 1.609375 | 2 |
The Everyday Sexism Project
collects user-submitted reports from women to document their day-to-day experiences with normalized sexism, including sexual harassment and job discrimination. Entries can be submitted at the site, in an email to founder Laura Bates or to their twitter
account. [more inside]
posted by zarq
on Feb 20, 2013 -
A woman wanting a mans-style hair-cut was denied
one by a Toronto barber because his religion forbids him from touching a woman he is not related to. The Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario is expected to hear the issue if mediation
fails, as a competing rights
issue where there is a conflict between two individuals exercising their rights. The OBA
(warning, cheesy music autoplay) defends some Barbershops as a men's-only space tradition dating back to Ancient Greece, while others point to womens-only spaces like spas
that are allowed to continue to operate while discriminating against men.
posted by saucysault
on Nov 15, 2012 -
"I am here because when I was young, I wanted very badly to be a writer, I wanted to be a filmmaker, but I couldn’t find anyone like me in the world and it felt like my dreams were foreclosed simply because my gender was less typical than others."
On Saturday, Lana Wachowski (co-director of the "Matrix" franchise and "Cloud Atlas") received a "Visibility Award" from the Human Rights Campaign for her recent decision
to publicly come out as transgender. In a powerful 25-minute acceptance speech, Lana spoke about the pain she went through growing up and how she developed self-acceptance. Video
with the Hollywood Reporter.
posted by zarq
on Oct 24, 2012 -
is a new Israeli crime comedy, released here this weekend. The poster
features the film's central players sitting around a table loaded with booze, weed, bongs, joints and other drug paraphernalia. For the stricter populace of Jerusalem, a modified version of the poster
was prepared, one which removes all trace of...
You guessed it: Women.
The pot and booze? Untouched. [more inside]
posted by Silky Slim
on Jul 22, 2012 -
"Ben Barres's work is much better than his sister's,"
one scientist remarked to another. The only problem is that Ben Barres and his “sister” Barbara Barres were the same person. An FTM transsexual offers a unique view
of the impact of gender discrimination in science, having seen it from both sides. Despite the fact that recent studies have shown that a woman has to be 2.5 times as productive
to be judged as scientifically competant as a man in the sciences, many still argue that there is actually a level playing field,
a source of some frustration for
many women in the field. (For a somewhat easier to read and referenced response to the Physics Today letters, check out Evalyn Gates’ reply at the end.)
posted by kyrademon
on Jan 10, 2007 -
This issue has been building up for the last few years, ever since Title IX
has been enforced in high schools and colleges. Now a coalition of male athletes, primarily wrestlers, has sued the Department of Education for depriving men the opportunity to participate in collegiate sports (due to the lack of funds). Here are two contrasting perspectives of the Title IX issue: The Myth of Title IX
posted by jacknose
on Jan 25, 2002 - | <urn:uuid:522b4059-742e-4140-bc41-e9fe67059335> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.metafilter.com/tags/gender+discrimination | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960914 | 735 | 1.53125 | 2 |
After IMF head Christine Lagarde urged European leaders to modify their demands for increased austerity in distressed European economies, Germany’s Finance Minister rebuked her, suggesting a divide among high-level European officials about how to handle the debt crisis, according to the Financial Times.
At a Tokyo meeting of finance ministers and central bankers, Lagarde had cited a new study suggesting the EU and the IMF had underestimated the effect of austerity measures on economic growth. Germany’s Wolfgang Schaeuble said Lagarde’s remarks seemed to contradict previous IMF calls to deal with high debt levels.
Lagarde has also called for giving Greece more more years to meet the fiscal targets it agreed to in exchange for a bailout.
See the full story here. | <urn:uuid:25ef8ffe-4f5d-46b7-8c30-fa567a952f73> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.treasuryandrisk.com/2012/10/12/german-finance-minister-rebukes-imf-head-on-auster?t=green-strategies | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944263 | 152 | 1.578125 | 2 |
Washington Irving, carte de visite
In the last post we established that Christmas is a Mister Potato Head reconstruction of older holidays, traditions, and even birthday celebrants. The Puritans banned it and the Presbyterians, Methodists, and Baptists closed their churches on December 25 to signal their disapproval of this clandestine celebration of ancient Rome’s Saturnalia. Even the ubiquitous tree and church decorations at Christmas have their roots in the Saturnalian greening of the temple (in old church calendars, Christmas Eve is marked Templa exomantur—churches are decked).
Far from the remembered cry of “restoring Christ to Christmas,” or the current bandwagon to restore Christmas to seasonal marketing, the Colonial period in America was marked by a widespread revulsion against the holiday’s grafted origins and its wintry wantonness, as if Oliver Cromwell ruled the New World. The abstemious tract author Hezekiah Woodward had written thus of Christmas in 1656:
The old heathens’ Feasting Day, in honor of Saturn, their Idol-God, the Papists’ Massing Day, the Profane Man’s Ranting Day, the Superstitious Man’s Idol Day, the Multitudes’ Idle Day, Satan’s—that Adversary’s—Working Day, the True Christian Man’s Fasting Day....
Diedrich Knickerbocker's History of New-York, first published in 1809
All this began to turn with the century, as the former colonies directed their vitriol against not Christmas but John Bull. Still needing heroes and traditions, however, New Yorkers especially reflected on their region’s Dutch heritage, older than that of the English, more tolerant and fun-loving. In 1804 the New-York Historical Society was founded with Nicholas as its patron saint. Five years later Washington Irving, as “Diedrich Knickerbocker,” went a step further, reinventing St. Nick to become the prototypical American Santa Claus. (Coincidentally, ten years later Irving would transplant the German legend of Peter Claus to the Catskills, rename its protagonist Rip Van Winkle, and reinvent the Hudson Valley.)
Irving’s History of New-York from the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty was published on St. Nicholas Day, December 6, 1809. In it he made dozens of references to a pipe-smoking elf who brings gifts down chimneys. Describing the love of the Dutch for Saint Nicholas, Irving wrote:
And the sage Oloffe dreamed a dream—and lo, the good St. Nicholas came riding over the tops of the trees in that self-same wagon wherein he brings his yearly presents to children; and he came and descended hard by where the heroes of Communipaw had made their late repast. And the shrews Van Kortlandt know him by his broad hat, his long pipe, and the resemblance which he bore of the bow of the Goede Vrouw. And he lit his pipe by the fire and he sat himself down and smoked; and as he smoked the smoke from his pipe ascended into the air and spread like a cloud overhead.... And when St. Nicholas had smoked his pipe, he twisted it in his hatband, and laying his finger beside his nose gave the astonished Van Kortlandt a very significant look; then mounting his wagon he returned over the tree tops and disappeared. (Book II, Chapter V)
The phrase “laying his finger beside his nose” would reappear soon enough. Irving’s Diedrich Knickerbocker further observed:
... in the sylvan days of New Amsterdam the good St. Nicholas would often make his appearance in his beloved city of a holiday afternoon, riding jollily among the tree tops or over the roofs of the houses, now and then drawing forth magnificent presents from his breeches pockets and dropping them down the chimneys of his favorites. Whereas in these degenerate days of iron and brass he never shows us the light of his countenance nor ever visits us, save one night in the year; when he rattles down the chimneys of the descendants of the patriarchs, confining his presents merely to the children in token of the degeneracy of the parents. (Book II, Chapter II)
Finally, the ironist contrasted the Peter Stuyvesant years with those of Anglicized New York:
Irving's Eminent Burghers; from History of New-York
The good old Dutch festivals, those periodical demonstrations of an overflowing heart and a thankful spirit, which are falling into sad disuse among my fellow citizens, were faithfully observed in the mansion of Governor Stuyvesant. New Year was truly a day of open-handed liberality, of jocund revelry and warm-hearted congratulation—when the bosom seemed to swell with genial good-fellowship—and the plenteous table was attended with an unceremonious freedom and honest broad-mouthed merriment, unknown in these days of degeneracy and refinement. Paas and Pinxter [Easter and Whitsuntide] were scrupulously observed throughout his dominions; nor was the day of St. Nicholas suffered to pass by without making presents, hanging the stocking in the chimney, and complying with all its other ceremonies. (Book VII, Chapter IX)
In 1821 William B. Gilley of New York published a sixteen-page booklet titled A New Year's Present for the Little Ones from Five to Twelve. Part IIIwas published with eight wood engravings. Sold for twenty-five cents colored and eighteen cents plain, it was the first work to depict a fur-clad Santa Claus in a sleigh drawn by (a single?) reindeer. The booklet’s author is unknown but is worthy of credit:
Old Santeclaus with much delight
His reindeer drives this frosty night,
O’er chimney tops, and tracks of snow,
To bring his yearly gifts to you.
The steady friend of virtuous youth,
The friend of duty, and of truth,
Each Christmas eve he joys to come
Where love and peace have made their home.
Through many houses he has been,
And various beds and stockings seen;
Some, white as snow, and neatly mended,
Others, that seem’d for pigs intended.
Where e’er I found good girls or boys,
That hated quarrels, strife and noise,
I left an apple, or a tart,
Or wooden gun, or painted cart;
To some I have a pretty doll,
To some a peg-top, or a ball;
No crackers, cannons, squibs, or rockets,
To blow their eyes up, or their pockets.
No drums to stun their Mother’s ear,
Nor swords to make their sisters fear;
But pretty books to store their mind
With knowledge of each various kind.
But where I found the children naughty,
In manners rude, in temper haughty,
Thankless to parents, liars, swearers,
Boxers, or cheats, or base tale-bearers,
I left a long, black, birchen rod.
Such as the dread command of God
Directs a Parent’s hand to use
When virtue’s path his sons refuse.
“An Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas,” Troy Sentinel 1823
On Christmas Eve of 1822 another New Yorker, Clement Clarke Moore, is said to have read to his children a series of verses; the poem was published anonymously a year later in the Troy, New York Sentinel as “An Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas.” It is more commonly known today by its opening line, “‘Twas the night before Christmas.” In 1837 Moore claimed authorship, but today there is reason to believe that the real poet may have been Henry Livingston, Jr., of Poughkeepsie. In either event, the poet gave St. Nick eight reindeer (and named them all), and he devised the now-familiar entrance by chimney. This Nicholas was still a tiny figure, however, like Irving’s: the poem describes a “miniature sleigh” with a “little old driver.”
The finishing touch to Santa Claus as we know him today was provided by Thomas Nast, the Bavarian-born caricaturist famous for bringing the Boss Tweed Ring to heel with his scathing illustrations for Harper's Weekly. His biographer, Albert Bigelow Paine, recorded that to the boyish Nast had come
the German Santa Claus, Pelze-Nicol, leading a child dressed as the Christkind, and distributing toys and cakes, or switches, according as the parents made report. It was this Pelze-Nicol—a fat, fur-clad, bearded old fellow, at whose hands he doubtless received many benefits—that the boy in later years was to present to us as his conception of the true Santa Claus....
Thomast, Christmas in the Civil War, Harper's Weekly
Nast supplied such enduring details as Santa’s workshop at the North Pole (although reindeer could hardly have grazed there, so maybe the workshop was really in Finnish Lapland) and Santa’s list of the good and bad children of the world.
Surely among the best children in the world was one Virginia O’Hanlon of 115 West Ninety-Fifth Street in New York City. Her letter to the editor of the New York Sun, and his fervent reply, are as fresh today as when they were first printed on September 21, 1897. Virginia had written:
I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, “If you see it in The Sun, it’s so.”
Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?
Francis Pharcellus Church at first “bristled and pooh-poohed the subject,” wrote Edward P. Mitchell, his editor in chief, “but took the letter and turned with an air of resignation to his desk.” Church replied on the editorial page that day, and his reply was reprinted annually for the remaining fifty-two years of The Sun's life:
Yes, Virginia; from the New York Sun, 1897
We take pleasure in answering thus prominently the communication below, expressing at the same time our great gratification that its faithful author is numbered among the friends of The Sun.
Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men’s or children’s, are little. In this great universe of ours, man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The external light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.
Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies. You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if you did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that’s no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.
You tear apart the baby’s rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.
No Santa Claus? Thank God! he lives and lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay 10 times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.
Sinterklass, Sint Nicolaas, or Sancteclaus; Jesus, Horus, Dionysus, or Tammuz; September 15, December 6, or December 25; Saturnalia, Feast of the Nativity, or Multitudes’ Idle Day; Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa.
Happy holidays to all. | <urn:uuid:fa81e0ad-4a22-4a46-9cfc-4d964281a64d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bestthinking.com/thinkers/john-thorn?tab=blog&blogpostid=16203 | 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 | 0.96343 | 2,827 | 2.75 | 3 |
A fascinating read, from beginning to end, in GQ about what’s going on behind the “New Social Media” phenomenon in Silicon Valley, “The Viral Me”. The answer appears to be a peculiar form of narcissism, which is as idealistic about changing the way people relate as it is cynical in its understanding of how to do so. In other words, these guys are attempting to (and succeeding in) exploit our addictive tendencies (via endlessly random incentives) and predict our self-justifying impulses for the sake of efficiency and harmony. At bottom, all this new tech is exciting, terrifying and very, very human (ht KW):
I still have an embarrassingly antiquated idea of what people mean by “privacy” when they complain about, say, Facebook. To me the danger is basically some Russian guy who steals my credit card number. Or Google knowing my porn predilections. Both of those things are certainly happening. But the “private” stuff that’s most likely to get you into trouble is the information you willingly share—semipublic stuff provided by you that can become known by audiences you don’t anticipate. My reflexive response to that privacy fear would be to pull all data whatsoever from the public sphere—erase my Facebook account, stop with the Twitter. People like Rahul have the opposite solution: Flood the social layer with information you want out there about yourself.
(If you’re confused by the term social layer, think of the word layer as meaning “lens.” The social layer is one lens you can look through to see the content of the Internet. Who you’re connected to, what they’re connected to, what they like and don’t like.)
“More and more people are going to have careers where they move from one thing to another fairly publicly,” Rahul says. “And what people are really investing in is your track record. Your brand. What you do and what you say and what you think are just as important as your skills. Specifically for me, for our company, it’s very important for me to be known, to have credibility, and to have opinions.”…
The first thing I want to know is why, apparently, people on [DailyBooth] don’t feel exposed, vulnerable, embarrassingly narcissistic. “There was a study done,” Brian says. “They gave people video cameras. Everyone over the age of 25 would turn it outward, and everyone under the age of 25 would turn it inward. This is the first platform that captured this behavior of turning the camera inward. It created a platform for communication around that one behavior. Look at the iPhone 4. It has two cameras—they added one specifically to face inward. And the fact that Steve Jobs, who’s sort of the person who defines what’s acceptable in technology and behavior, put this here? So this behavior is becoming even more acceptable.”
When you buy something, Blippy asks you to review it—to do more of the filtering the social layer needs to organize the Internet for you. Every time I reviewed something, it went into the live feed, and a few minutes later I would get a bunch of positive responses. People clicked “awesome” or “informative” or “funny.” It felt good. It felt like I’d finally found what most of us are looking for: a place where people would listen to us and congratulate us on our opinions about everything.
The system is gamed for that to happen. How do you make people be nice to one another? First, you install buttons for “awesome” and “funny.” Second, you use real identities. The social layer means that you have a static identity on the Internet. And while that’s more likely to help your future boss find the picture of you with the cock and balls drawn on your forehead (thanks, Rahul!), it also makes the Internet a kinder, more compassionate, more polite place. If people know it’s really you commenting on something on Blippy—you, the guy with the Facebook account and the girlfriend named Polly and the Phish fan page and all that—you’re much less likely to act like a creep. And third, you establish that behavior immediately. If the first hundred people who use the site behave a certain way, the next hundred thousand will behave the same way. It’s creating a feedback loop that makes you want to come back to the Web site. And the feedback loop is what forms the right addictive behavior for the site to work. Addiction is requisite.
“Now that the social layer has been built, some people say the next layer will be the game layer. The game layer will install game mechanics in everything, and game mechanics are a way to manipulate human behavior. The optimists say that we can use game mechanics to manipulate ourselves to be better—nicer, more productive, not as fat—and that the companies who figure out how to install that layer will be the next Facebooks. Here’s how Rahul explains it: ‘The biggest trend in Web applications right now is adding game design. With the theory of game design, you want a curve like this: increasingly large payoffs at random but increasingly spaced intervals. So the first payoff is very small, and the next payoff is a little bigger, and the next one… To begin with, you get a payoff one out of five actions, then it’s one out of twenty, then it’s one out of fifty—but those intervals have to be random. That is the key to human addiction. And any system that has that property, whether it’s Facebook, World of Warcraft, or physical drugs—that’s what makes business work. Facebook is very watered-down. They could ratchet up the gaming significantly.’”
Friction is what you don’t want. Friction is what keeps people from signing up for your site or downloading your app. Because it’s too expensive, because it’s too embarrassing, because it’s too difficult, because it’s difficult at all. The Internet has been working to reduce friction. To make everything easier to use, easier to sign up for, easier to navigate, cheap, free, freer than free. In a perfect world, there’d be friction if someone didn’t sign up for your thingy. Again, FB has it right: It’s frictive to not have an FB account; just ask anyone who has to explain six times a day why he doesn’t have one…
“[Silicon Valley]‘s a small world, filled with highly educated people with similar interests and a deep philosophical understanding of what the point of all this stuff is. That it’s the perfect social network doesn’t just mean Silicon Valley is more efficient at making stuff. It affects the products they make. Products that promise to, if we can work together, systematize the world. It’s a place where there’s a deep belief that human society can be perfected. These people, the Ashvins, are optimistic not only because theirs is the last ascendant American industry but because implied in all those products is the idea that the human problem can be solved. They’re working in a world—the Internet—that’s wholly manipulable, that behaves according to rules. A world like a geometry textbook. And that way of thinking bleeds out into how they design stuff for us to use.
But you know why I think they’re really happy? Because they get to build all this stuff. The act of creation is maybe the most frictive thing going. Using the stuff is meant to be frictionless, but making it isn’t. And their happiness comes from friction. Most happiness probably comes from friction.“
Or get in touch. | <urn:uuid:91172373-b93b-408a-9cba-5372f47ec704> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mbird.com/2011/03/friction-and-addiction-in-new-social/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00023-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947387 | 1,688 | 1.539063 | 2 |
| || |
Learn The Basics
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked questions about rheumatoid arthritis.
InteliHealth Medical Content
Frequently Asked Questions
Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that causes inflammation of multiple joints over time. Both sides of the body tend to be affected in the same way that is, the signs and symptoms of arthritis are usually "symmetric." If one wrist is swollen and painful, the other wrist also tends to be. Rheumatoid arthritis is relatively common, affecting about 1 percent of the population. Symptoms may develop in parts of the body other than the joints. Examples include fatigue, low-grade fever, lumps under the skin and eye inflammation.
The cause of rheumatoid arthritis is unknown, but most experts believe it is an autoimmune disease. In an autoimmune disease, the immune system attacks the body's own tissues rather than attacking outside threats such as infection. One theory suggests that people who develop rheumatoid arthritis are born with an immune system that is prone to abnormal function, especially if stimulated by a trigger (an example of a trigger could be an infection). Somehow, in rheumatoid arthritis, the combination of an abnormally functioning immune system and an outside trigger provokes the body to attack its own joints and other tissues.
The disease is more common among family members of persons with rheumatoid arthritis, but if a parent or sibling has rheumatoid arthritis, there is no guarantee that others in the family will have it also. In other words, the risk is increased among family members (suggesting that rheumatoid arthritis is inherited), but the risk is well below 100 percent.
Rheumatoid arthritis affects women more often than it does men. For example, of the more than 2 million Americans with rheumatoid arthritis, 75 percent are women. Onset is most common between the ages of 20 and 50. A family history of rheumatoid arthritis increases a person's risk of getting this disease, but most persons with this disease are the only ones in the family with it. Besides genetic factors and female gender, smoking also appears to increase the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis.
A person with rheumatoid arthritis has a number of treatment options, many of which were not available only 10 years ago. It is predicted that many more options will become available in the next few years. The following are drugs that may provide significant relief of arthritis pain and other symptoms:
- Pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs relieve symptoms. Examples include acetaminophen, ibuprofen and prednisone (a corticosteroid).
- Disease-modifying drugs may reduce the activity of rheumatoid arthritis and protect the joints. The most commonly prescribed drugs in this group are hydroxychloroquine, sulfasalazine, methotrexate, leflunomide, adalimumab, etanercept and infliximab. They may be taken individually or in combination.
- There are many others, including some complementary and alternative therapies (such as herbal remedies and nutritional supplements).
A number of nondrug approaches are available for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. These tend to be recommended in addition to drug therapy, not as a replacement, because medications can slow or stop joint damage while these nondrug treatments cannot. Nondrug approaches include:
- Physical and occupational therapy (wearing splints, exercising, learning ways to protect the joints), shoe inserts, warm wax treatments or ultrasound may be helpful.
- Complementary and alternative therapies, including massage, acupuncture and chiropractic care, are unproven. However, many people report improvement with these approaches
- Joint replacement, removal of inflamed tissue and repair of injured tendons near the inflamed joints are examples of surgical options that may help relieve rheumatoid arthritis. Surgery is usually offered as a last resort if other approaches have not been effective and symptoms are severe.
Unfortunately, there is no known way to prevent the development of rheumatoid arthritis. Complications of this disease may be prevented with exercise (to maintain motion). And treatment can protect joints from further damage.
Although rheumatoid arthritis used to be called "the crippling arthritis," severe disability related to rheumatoid arthritis is now much less common than in the past. A number of drugs, taken one at a time or in combination, are effective for most patients, and surgery prevents disability in those persons for whom drug treatment is inadequate in protecting the joints.
A number of prospects are being investigated for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Among these are new drugs that target the chemicals responsible for joint inflammation (tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-1 and others) or those that target a type of white blood cell involved in antibody formation (anti-B-cell therapy, such as rituximab). In 2006, two new medications were approved for rheumatoid arthritis: rituximab (Rituxan) and abatacept (Orencia). Some researchers believe that, in the future, rheumatoid arthritis may be treated using gene therapy.
Last updated April 03, 2009
rheumatoid arthritis,arthritis,drug treatment,immune,inflammation,surgery,wrist | <urn:uuid:1a5dc304-0382-4dcf-a310-1363b48dd73f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/31522/31537/348053.html?d=dmtContent&b=t | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.927236 | 1,107 | 3.515625 | 4 |
Australian National Botanical Gardens
Name: Australian National Botanical Gardens
Location: Clunies Ross Street, Black Mountain Drive, Acton, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 2601
Opening hours: Open daily 8.30am - 5pm, (extended to 6pm weekdays, 8pm weekends in January)
Description: The Australian National Botanical Gardens is one of the most beautiful exhibit of native flora and fauna in the nation. Weather dependent.
Price Guide: Free entry
Phone: 02 6250 9540
When you're visiting the Australian National Botanical Gardens, located at the base of Black Mountain, you can enjoy a wonderful and large array of Australian flora and fauna.
Whether you want to relax over a picnic or go walking through the park there is something to do for everyone. Take one of the garden's educational walks for free or explore the rainforest area and may other areas in the 50hectare sanctuary.
The Australian National Botanical Gardens also has a lookout and places to bird and view animals, including rare and endangered species. With so much natural beauty around it's the perfect spot for taking your camera.
There are plenty of other things to do while you're at the Australian National Botanical Gardens. You are welcome to view the Public Glasshouse, or visit the Bookshop and if you want to relax over a coffee or light refreshment, the cafe is open from 8.30am until 4.30pm daily. | <urn:uuid:3c4c1ca1-1f26-420e-97f8-6664fb72d3aa> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.canberra.com.au/canberra-attractions/australian-national-botanical-gardens/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00057-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.926814 | 301 | 1.523438 | 2 |
Newly escaped from his cramped, low-ceilinged enclosure in the zoo for strange human/animal hybrids (where he subsisted on tasteless fodder, dispensed three times daily, and was prodded and laughed at by his visitors and keepers alike), Giraffe Boy looks to the trees of the English countryside for fleshy, succulent leaves, longing to stretch his long, slender neck up into the tall canopies and feast on the tastes and textures of his idealised motherland.
Well, he doesn’t mind starting out a little lower to the ground. Here he gets his teeth into the miniature jungle of Lime leaves, suckering from the base of a tall tree at the entrance to a local graveyard:
Mmm, soft and flannelly and soothing to the mouth and throat, only just emerged from their red buds. The Southern lowlands used to be full of Lime woods until they were cleared by the first farmers or herdsmen. Now they are nearly all planted specimens of the small-leaved, large-leaved or hybrid varieties. Later on in Summer the leaves get all sticky and sweet from aphids sucking on the sap and pooing out the sugary excess. Yum!
A little further on he finds a rare Wych Elm which he recognises from the thousands of small, flat-winged seeds (also edible) he saw earlier in the year:
A deeper, richer, more mealy flavour. Thought to be the first elm to establish itself in the primeval woodland, and, like Lime, a large component of that ‘wildwood’. Beloved by livestock and susceptible to disease, so it has suffered and dwindled long in this land. Giraffe Boy grazes only where he can reach and leaves the rest of the tree to drink in light and air and produce its vital pollen and seeds.
Mmm, let’s try some more Lime. Higher up this time:
And now a venerable Silver Birch:
A bit more bitter, but refreshing, and it’s lovely to see the the slender tree sway and shiver in the wind. If he gets really hungry, Giraffe Boy can nibble through to the inner bark. The yellow catkins also have an interesting, polleny flavour. And if he gets cold he has heard that the flaky outer bark is really good for lighting fires (though his hooves make it difficult to make a friction ember). Here’s another one he found later on that day:
Ah, Beech. Some beautiful, tall specimens occasionally generous enough to lower branches down to a young Giraffe Boy’s height:
Best when young, soft and slightly hairy (older they get more tough and papery), the leaves have a delicious lemony tang, leaving the mouth feeling wonderful. Giraffe Boy likes to reach down and feast on the small, pointy brown nuts in the Autumn.
A little further on, Giraffe Boy finds a hedge of Hornbeam. He tastes the leaves, which have a rather strong, not entirely pleasant flavour. It looks similar to Beech, but the leaves have deeper grooves, more like the Wych Elm. Hmm, not sure about this one…
Later on he finds a full-grown tree with its curious knarly bark:
Ooh boy, here’s a lovely Hawthorn!
Both the flowers and the leaves taste delicious. Heady & aromatic, and sweet & nutty. ‘Bread and Cheese’ as the country children used to call them. Mind the thorns Giraffe Boy! They start out soft but toughen up to a sharp point later in the season, and you wouldn’t want to impale your tongue on one! Don’t eat too many of the flowers, either – you know how much you like to eat the sweet, red berries they turn into by Autumn-time!
Oh dear, Giraffe Boy seems to be suffering from a headache. No fear! Someone has been good enough to plant an ornamental Weeping Willow by the lake. A brief nibble releases the salicylic acid – present in all Willow species, and a precursor to aspirin – into Giraffe Boy’s body. In a little while he feels as right as rain (and appears to have discovered that he has thumbs):
Giraffe Boy doesn’t care if a tree isn’t ‘native’ to Britain. If it feeds or heals him well then he will accept it joyfully. After all, he and his long-necked, rough-tongued ancestors came to these shores in exactly the same way. Likewise, for obvious reasons, he doesn’t get all pompous about the genetic ‘purity’ of any weird or wonderful varieties, noticed and propagated by human individuals. Speaking of which, oh my goodness, would you look at this glorious Copper Beech – what a luscious feast for the senses (taste included)!
All the same, Giraffe Boy feels at most at home among the trees in English woodland.
But, oh no! What has happened here?
Our story ends in tragedy, for Giraffe Boy has eaten the deadly foliage of the Yew tree! Oh Giraffe Boy, you felt your freedom so sweetly, but you didn’t know that some plants refuse to be eaten by curious human/animal hybrids, and instead of sustaining life they bring death. Oh the high price of wisdom! What a sad fate befalls the wide-eyed and innocent!
I bid you all to learn from Giraffe Boy’s example. Stretch your necks high and escape into the wonderful wildness of trees, but take care not to dive too deeply or too quickly without reasonable confidence in your knowledge, and keep a gentle, loving regard for your own safety and well-being.
[Photo credit: HC] | <urn:uuid:c7ad7d37-f739-446e-b226-066e88d24f1b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ondisturbedground.wordpress.com/tag/silver-birch/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95081 | 1,221 | 2.25 | 2 |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Authorities say a 65-year-old Northern California woman is the only person to die in a nationwide salmonella outbreak linked to ground turkey.
Sacramento County health officials identified the victim's age and sex late Thursday after media requests. They're not releasing her name or when she died.
The woman was one of six known state victims.
On Wednesday, the Agriculture Department asked Minnesota-based Cargill to recall 36 million pounds of ground turkey, saying the meat was linked to the death in California and at least 77 illnesses. The request came nearly five months after the first illness. | <urn:uuid:443c54e8-d713-45a4-924d-eb4df77806fa> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.monroenews.com/news/2011/aug/06/california-woman-65-died-of-tainted-turkey/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00035-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961017 | 133 | 1.59375 | 2 |
LaToya Ruby Frazier: Notion of Family
LaToya Ruby Frazier’s complex work recounts the social injustice in her hometown of Braddock, Pennsylvania, a community pushed to despair after the closing of the steel mills and other vital infrastructure. The socio-political instability that has destroyed the African-American community in Braddock as what she describes “contemporary day redlining”. An on-going documentation in words, still photos, and videos that has covered nearly 10 years so far, she mixes social commentary with an intimate glance into her troubled relationship with her mother, and her connection to her grandmother.
Her photography and video is utterly poetic, distressing and intimate and in a generous Q&A she highlighted the collaboration with her mother, who serves as a subject but also an artist. A powerful end to the series of Master’s talks at Look3 2011: Frazier touched on themes that wove throughout festival – working from anger and to the urgent need to document and share human injustices that news media often steers away from, Frazier’s powerful work left an absolutely searing and gripping impression.
David Liittschwager: One Cubic Foot:
David Liittschwager presented his fascinating wildlife project recording how much life grows or passes through one cubic foot of space either in the water or on the ground. In short: a lot.
The placement of the cube frame was based on the advice of biologists and done in Central Park, Morea, San Francisco Bay and Costa Rica. His cube spaces can hold anywhere from 100 to 2.6 billion specimens and hundreds of species. Liitschwager’s beautiful documentation and close collaboration with scientists has helped illuminate the surprising multitude of life found in fragile ecosystems, and presents viewers a unique way to grasp the scale of life (and lifeforms) in our world.
Steve McCurry: The Last Roll of Kodachrome
A film made legend in song and by the master’s who captured iconic images rendered in its unique tonalities, Eastman Kodak ceased production of Kodachrome in 2009. In a story closely followed by photography enthusiasts around the world – Steve McCurry was given the last roll of Kodachrome produced. He made a circuitous trip to the last lab still processing the film in Parsons, Kansas – via India, Turkey and New York – carefully snapping 36 frames along the way.
During the third and final round of Look3 Masters talks in the Paramount Theater, McCurry discussed the experience of shooting that last roll. Interviewed by Tony Bannon, Director of George Eastman House – he walked the audience through the story of the frames captured on that final cassette and the journey to the lab in Parsons. Despite the romantic ideal of the passing Kodachrome era, McCurry told the audience in response to an audience question: “I don’t look back”. McCurry instead focuses on what he’ll do next. | <urn:uuid:7c3b7951-7379-464e-a120-c12d0f7db070> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.look3.org/2011/06/14/day-3-masters-talks-frazier-liittschwager-and-mccurry/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00043-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.926412 | 605 | 1.539063 | 2 |
The collaboration will support a number of full-time researchers at NemGenix’s facilities in Perth. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
“This exciting collaboration capitalizes on the strengths of both Dow AgroSciences and NemGenix to develop next-generation technology to help combat parasitic nematodes, which plague millions of crop acres across the globe,” said Daniel R. Kittle, Ph.D., vice president of R&D for Dow AgroSciences. “Dow AgroSciences is continuously exploring and leveraging enabling technologies – such as those from NemGenix – to provide new crop protection solutions that benefit growers around the world.”
Sean Hird, Ph.D., chief executive officer of NemGenix, said, “This multi-year collaboration is a key milestone in our corporate development and underscores our growing reputation as one of Australia’s most exciting new biotechnology companies. Our research team is excited to have the opportunity to build on our expertise in nematode control with the strength and capabilities of a partner such as Dow AgroSciences.” | <urn:uuid:d1294bd9-4dae-40b9-80a9-e26bb0d208b6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://cornandsoybeandigest.com/print/dow-agrosciences-nemgenix-establish-new-collaboration-plant-biotechnology | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00020-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945499 | 236 | 1.617188 | 2 |
BASIC FUNCTION: Performs daily scheduled floor care to prevent the spread and growth of harmful bacteria in the hospital and to maintain a cheerful and attractive environment.
QUALIFICATIONS: Education: High school diploma or equivalent. Must be fluent in English in order to read and comprehend departmental policies/procedures, MSDS sheets, etc. Experience: At least one year floor care experience.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES: Position requires ability to maintain a daily floor care schedule. Must demonstrate experience using floor care equipment including: buffer, shampooer, and floor stripper. Ability to perform hard physical labor.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, sit, use the hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. Must be able to lift and/or move up to 70 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus. Must be able to safely work with chemical agents, including soaps, germicides and bleach. Occasionally required to help Nursing or Ancillary personnel lift/transfer patients in emergency situations.
WORKING CONDITIONS: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is exposed to weather conditions prevalent at the time. There is frequent exposure to conditions common to a medical/clinical facility, such as exposure to communicable diseases, biohazardous substances, blood and/or tissues, ionizing radiation and medical preparations.
It must be understood that this job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties you will be required to perform. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or is a logical assignment to the position.
Our mission is to improve the health and well being of our communities. | <urn:uuid:27754e8c-e073-4de3-9dcd-84d4df86f79d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://grandriverhospitaldistrict.org/evening-floor-care-specialist/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00048-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.92146 | 469 | 1.734375 | 2 |
We’re sad to report that ‘Lonesome George’, the world’s last Pinta giant tortoise died last night at the young age of 100 in the Galapagos Islands, off the coast of Ecuador. He was found dead in his enclosure by his long-time keeper Fausto Llerena. As the last surving member of the sub-species ‘Chelonoidis nigra abingdoni’, George was famous for being the world’s rarest creature.
Hungarian scientists were surprised to find George in 1971, having believed his species to be extinct. When humans arrived on the Island the giant tortoise was hunted to near extinction by sailors and fishermen, but the park and the Charles Darwin Foundation has been able to increase the overall population of tortoises from 3,000 in 1974 to today’s 20,000.
Several attempts have been made to save his sub-species from complete extinction. Females from genetically similar tortoise species were brought in with no result. George also lived for several years at a breeding centre where his close courtship with two females from another closely related breed only resulted in infertile eggs.
Passing away at the age of 100 is considered an early death for tortoises – many reach the respectful age of 200 years old, and might have even crossed paths with Mr. Darwin himself. As the last of his sub-species, George’s body will be embalmed for future generations.
R.I.P. Lonesome George.
+ Galapagos Conservancy
+ Charles Darwin Foundation
Lead image by A. Davey via Flickr. Used under Creative Commons license. Image of Lonesome George being carried by Reuters via Guardian.co.uk | <urn:uuid:96a5310b-1cfa-4ad8-96df-d5a16c3039d0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://inhabitat.com/rip-lonesome-george-worlds-last-pinta-giant-tortoise-dies/lonesome-george-5/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966888 | 368 | 2.65625 | 3 |
Title : Living Fully – Finding Joy in Every Breath
Author : Shyalpa Tenzin Ripoche
Publisher : New World Library
ISBN : 978-1-60868-075-7
Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche was born in Himalayas and was trained as a Lama from the age of four. Rinpoche received transmissions from all the major schools of Tibetan Buddhism and he is a lineage holder of the Great Perfection (Dzogchen) tradition. Dzogchen is an ancient spiritual teaching developed in Tibet within Tibetan Buddhist tradition. The word ‘Dzogchen’ means ‘total perfection’ which refers to the true inherent nature of all beings. It is the knowledge that Tibetan masters have transmitted without being limited by sectarianism.
He begins by narrating a wonderful analogy of human life with that of one day stay in a hotel room where we go to relax but instead of relaxing for even a single moment, we start finding faults in that single room and spend those limited hours of the day in fixing up the things which bother us. I found this analogy very apt and clever.
He goes on to explain it as “Our most pressing challenge is to live fully. Our deepest aspiration is to experience the richness and fullness of our being in every moment. Fulfillment of worldly pleasures bring momentary feeling of euphoria and the lonely and empty feeling returns soon. We do not experience the pure fulfillment inherent in every moment and therefore, we tend to use sense pleasures as a temporary slave”.
The accumulated timeless wisdom shared by Shyalpa is very practical. He talks on many subjects – take the first steps by making the heart pure, approach every single thing sincerely, the indispensable human qualities that are absolutely required for a positive living, importance of consciously being in the moment, challenge of liberation from self, the law of Karma – creating action and facing the reaction, meditation, ocean of wisdom – our mind and then he wraps his teachings by highlighting the importance of having a master whose presence itself makes all sorts of confusions fade away from our lives. Very rightly he lays a lot of stress on the fact that knowing these teachings is just half the work done, what is absolutely necessary is to put them to practice and start experiencing the results. If the teachings fail to transition from theoretical plane to execution level no change will happen.
“In closing, I strongly urge you to practice. These teachings must be applied to your daily life – they must be put into practice – in order to have an effect and lead to true realization”.
Shyalpa Ripoche’s writing is simple and easy to follow but the only point at which many of the self-help books falter is the way the teachings are presented ,which seems like a list of do’s and don’ts and unfortunately ‘Living Fully’ falls in the same category. There are not many anecdotes or incidents to explain the points or elaborate upon them. With all human challenges and character frailties, I would have preferred him to be discussing those and how an individual can surmount the hurdles through practically feasible diversion of thoughts or some such methods. But I guess for this kind of guidance Shyalpa recommends all to have a spiritual guide or guru in the life so that the journey of life becomes a guided tour rather than a directionless event. | <urn:uuid:8d5e0248-b774-4cb9-9714-1f97ef9136e2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bookrack.in/2012/02/living-fully-by-shyalpa-tenzin-rinpoche/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948557 | 694 | 1.96875 | 2 |
Memorizing the Books of the Bible
- First memorize the segments of the Bible by using the peg system which relates a word or phrase you don't know to a word you do know.
- Be sure to use your imagination when linking your words. The more outrageous the image is that you can picture, the easier it will be to remember.
- Try imagining a story by linking all of the books of the bible in the segment you are memorizing.
Need a verse in the Bible to encourage someone or yourself? Memorizing the books of the Bible make it much easier to recall quotes and passages for real life situations.
As large as the bible is, it is not all that hard to memorize. In fact, if you read our more advanced memory techniques, you can learn how to recall any page of a book or magazine and cite what that page is about.
Memorizing can be done by anyone. With the memorization techniques you learn here, it will allow you to recall any of the 66 books of the Bible.
Memorize Books of Bible
Note: The Bible has two major segments: the Old and New Testament.
Step 1 : Memorizing the Segments of the Bible
List the different segments of the Bible as follows:
- Letters of Moses
- History of Israel
- Wisdom Books
- Major Prophets
- Minor Prophets
- Life of Jesus and the Early Church
- Paul’s Letters
- Apostle Letters
First off, we are going to memorize these segments before we memorize the books. To do this, we are going to use whats called the peg system. The peg system is good to use when memorizing a short list. Since there are only 9 segments, this will be a good system to use.
This is how it is done: Memorize the following list (this should only take about a minute since we are using rhyming words that are easy to remember):
- (1) one = gun
- (2) two = shoe
- (3) three = tree
- (4) four = door
- (5) five = hive
- (6) six = sticks
- (7) seven = heaven
- (8) eight = gate
- (9) nine = line
- (10) ten = hen *ten will not be used since there are only 9 segments, but you should still memorize it for future use.
Once you've memorized these words in order we will now easily memorize the segments of the Bible. To do this, you must create an image for each of the segments and tie it to your peg word. Every image you create needs to be pictured in your mind (even if it's only for a split second) to burn it into your long term memory. The good thing about this is you only need to do it once and you will never forget it. There is no need to repetitively repeat the segments or write them down on flash cards. Creating a photographic image will allow you to learn them in one shot. Let's begin with an example.
Tie the peg word "(1) gun" to "Letters of Moses".
Picture this: You see someone with a gun and they shoot the gun but only a bunch of letters fly out of the gun. If you need to memorize who's letters they are (Moses) then picture the letters flying out of the gun with a few bright red Roses (Roses rhythm with Moses). Be sure to picture this image in your mind - close your eyes for a split second and imagine this bizarre scenario. The crazier, more outrageous image that you create, the easier it will be to remember.
Tie the peg word "(2) shoe" to "History of Israel".
Picture this: You're dreaming about walking down the street in your town, everyone is staring at you. As you are curious to why, you glance down at your shoes and notice you're not wearing normal shoes, you're wearing your History text books for shoes. Then you notice another thing, impossible as it might seem, it's not a dream, it IS REAL. (Is real = Israel).
Tie the peg word "(3) tree" to "Wisdom Books".
Picture this: There is a giant tree on a hill. The strange thing about this particular tree is that there are books hanging from the tree limbs. Picture a bunch of owls (who symbolize "Wisdom") trying to eat the books off of the tree.
Try the next 6 segments on your own...remember the more outrageous the picture you create in your head, the easier it will be to remember. Once you are finished memorizing the 9 segments, you can move on to memorizing the books of the Bible.
Step 2 : Memorizing the Books of the Bible
Now that you have the segments of the Bible memorized, list out each of the segments with the books that are in them.
- Letters of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy
- History: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1-2 Samuel, 1-2 Kings, 1-2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther
- Wisdom Books: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon
- Major Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentation, Ezekiel, Daniel
- Minor Prophets: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
- The Life of Jesus and Early Church: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts
- Paul’s Letters: Romans, 1-2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1-2 Thessalonians, 1-2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon
- Other Apostles: Hebrews, James, 1-2 Peter, 1-2-3 John, Jude
Since you already know the segments of the Bible, these segments become your new "peg words". However this time, because we have a list of books in each of the segments, we will learn the books a bit differently than we learned the list of Bible segments. Let's begin:
We know that the first segment of the Bible is the Letter of Moses (peg word gun = letters shooting from barrel with Red Roses). To learn the books of the Bible, we are going to create an outrageous photographic story (Letter of Moses being the chapter and Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy being the characters or highlights of that chapter). We have an image of "Letter of Moses" as a bunch of letters and roses shooting from a gun barrel. The first book of the "Letter of Moses" is "Genesis", so let's picture the rose that shot out of the barrel is sitting on one of those letter's and playing Sega "Genesis" -Wait! Hold on! A Rose playing a game? Might seem extremely silly however picture this image in your mind and you will never forget it even if you try. Sega Genesis is that old video game system with 'Sonic the Hedgehog' (If you are not familiar with the Sega Genesis gaming system you might incorporate a Genie in your story instead since the word Genie is similar to the word Genesis). You will now go on to memorize the next book of the Bible, "Exodus". The Rose sitting on the letters (Letters of Moses) is playing Sega Genesis (Genesis) and suddenly gets sucked into the TV screen by the game. With all his might he pushes against the screen to try an "Exit" (Exodus) the game (Exit sounds a lot like Exodus = derives from the Greek word Exodos, meaning "departure"). There is no way of getting out of the game by pushing on the screen, the only possible way is to "levitate" (Leviticus) out of the top of the TV screen. Again your true memory will remind you that this particular book of the Bible is not levitate but a word that sound much like it, Leviticus.
Now that we have gone through a few, try the rest on your own. You will be surprised at how fun, easy, and quick it is to memorize the books of the Bible. | <urn:uuid:bcc0567b-1e0e-435a-ac57-161d68abeafc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.how-to-memorize.com/books-of-bible.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00062-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.927359 | 1,740 | 3.1875 | 3 |
June 22, 2012
Palfrey and Gasser's Interop: The Promise and Perils of Highly Interconnected Systems
The co-authors of Born Digital: Understanding the First Generation of Digital Natives (Basic Books, 2008) recently published a new book, Interop: The Promise and Perils of Highly Interconnected Systems (Basic Books, June 5, 2012). John Palfrey, very soon to be, if not already, former Professor of Law and Vice Dean for Library and Information Resources at Harvard Law School, and Urs Gasser, Executive Director of the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, gave a talk about their new work at Harvard Law School on May 30, 2012. The video can be viewed here.
From the blurb for "Interop":
In Interop, technology experts John Palfrey and Urs Gasser explore the immense importance of interoperability—the standardization and integration of technology—and show how this simple principle will hold the key to our success in the coming decades and beyond.
The practice of standardization has been facilitating innovation and economic growth for centuries. The standardization of the railroad gauge revolutionized the flow of commodities, the standardization of money revolutionized debt markets and simplified trade, and the standardization of credit networks has allowed for the purchase of goods using money deposited in a bank half a world away. These advancements did not eradicate the different systems they affected; instead, each system has been transformed so that it can interoperate with systems all over the world, while still preserving local diversity.
As Palfrey and Gasser show, interoperability is a critical aspect of any successful system—and now it is more important than ever. Today we are confronted with challenges that affect us on a global scale: the financial crisis, the quest for sustainable energy, and the need to reform health care systems and improve global disaster response systems. The successful flow of information across systems is crucial if we are to solve these problems, but we must also learn to manage the vast degree of interconnection inherent in each system involved. Interoperability offers a number of solutions to these global challenges, but Palfrey and Gasser also consider its potential negative effects, especially with respect to privacy, security, and co-dependence of states; indeed, interoperability has already sparked debates about document data formats, digital music, and how to create successful yet safe cloud computing. Interop demonstrates that, in order to get the most out of interoperability while minimizing its risks, we will need to fundamentally revisit our understanding of how it works, and how it can allow for improvements in each of its constituent parts.
In Interop, Palfrey and Gasser argue that there needs to be a nuanced, stable theory of interoperability—one that still generates efficiencies, but which also ensures a sustainable mode of interconnection. Pointing the way forward for the new information economy, Interop provides valuable insights into how technological integration and innovation can flourish in the twenty-first century. | <urn:uuid:37a66f4f-8b05-4b7f-86ec-fdeed5d162c2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/law_librarian_blog/2012/06/palfrey-and-gassers-interop-the-promise-and-perils-of-highly-interconnected-systems.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00058-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.922637 | 613 | 2.203125 | 2 |
Women with heart disease are at greater risk than other women when going through a pregnancy, but most still have positive outcomes, a registry showed.
Compared with healthy pregnant women, those with structural or ischemic heart disease had higher rates of preterm birth (15% versus 8%), fetal death (1.7% versus 0.35%), and maternal mortality (1% versus 0.007%), but absolute rates remained relatively low, according to Jolien Roos-Hesselink, MD, of Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, and colleagues.
The risks conferred by heart disease were magnified in women with cardiomyopathies and in those living in developing countries, the researchers reported online in the European Heart Journal.
However, they wrote, "most patients with adequate counseling and optimal care should not be discouraged and can go safely through pregnancy."
Because of a limited amount of data detailing the effects of heart disease on pregnancy outcomes, the European Society of Cardiology started the European Registry on Pregnancy and Heart Disease in 2007. The ongoing registry enrolls pregnant women who have valvular heart disease, congenital heart disease, ischemic heart disease, or cardiomyopathies.
For the current analysis, the researchers looked at data on 1,321 pregnant women who were enrolled from 60 hospitals in 28 countries from 2007 to 2011. The median age was 30.
Most of the patients (72%) were in New York Heart Association class I, and only 0.3% were in NYHA class IV.
The most frequent diagnosis was congenital heart disease (66%), followed by valvular heart disease (25%), cardiomyopathy (7%), and ischemic heart disease (2%).
The median duration of pregnancy was 38 weeks, and the median birth weight was 3,010 grams (6 pounds 10 ounces).
Thirteen of the mothers died -- seven from cardiac causes, three from thromboembolic events, and three from sepsis. The highest mortality rate occurred in patients with cardiomyopathy, who also carried higher rates of heart failure and ventricular arrhythmias.
"Cardiomyopathy is uncommon during pregnancy, but it is difficult to manage a pregnancy in the context of left ventricular dysfunction or peripartum cardiomyopathy with a high risk of an adverse outcome for both the mother and the baby," the authors noted. "Our study shows that more attention needs to be paid to this group."
During pregnancy, 26% of the women were hospitalized, a much higher rate than seen in healthy pregnant women (2%). More than one-third of the admissions (39%) were for heart failure; 31% were for obstetric reasons, including pregnancy-induced hypertension, vaginal bleeding, pregnancy-induced diabetes, and abortion/missed abortion; 21% were for cardiac reasons other than heart failure; and 9% were for other reasons.
The rate of cesarean delivery was significantly higher among the women with heart disease than has previously been seen in healthy pregnant women (41% versus 23%, P<0.001).
Fetal mortality beyond 22 weeks of gestation or when the fetus was greater than 500 grams (1 pound 2 ounces) occurred at a higher rate in the women with heart disease. Most of those cases (62%) were listed as intrauterine fetal death without any further information, 21% were attributed definitely to the mother's condition, and 17% were related to structural fetal abnormalities.
Neonatal mortality (within the first 30 days of life) occurred in 0.6%, a rate that was not significantly higher compared with historical controls (0.4%, P=0.27).
Women living in developing countries (185 of the registry patients) carried greater risks of both maternal mortality (3.9% versus 0.6%, P<0.001) and fetal mortality (6.5% versus 0.9%, P<0.001).
The authors noted that developed countries have much greater access than developing countries to optimal prenatal care and preconception counseling, even if it isn't used in all cases.
"This is a very complex issue, but if achievable, pre-conception counseling focusing on the severity of the heart disease with a clear statement of the consequences of pregnancy may save lives," they wrote.
The researchers acknowledged some limitations of the study, including the inability to perform extensive subgroup analyses because of small patient numbers, the fact that the input and quality of data was checked in only 5% to 10% of cases, and uncertainty about how representative the patient population is, considering the voluntary participation in the registry.
From the American Heart Association:
Primary source: European Heart Journal
Roos-Hesselink J, et al "Outcome of pregnancy in patients with structural or ischemic heart disease: results of a registry of the European Society of Cardiology" Eur Heart J 2012; DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehs270. | <urn:uuid:67590eca-3da1-4574-b25c-3566d00461e4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.medpagetoday.com/OBGYN/Pregnancy/34726 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952332 | 1,022 | 2.796875 | 3 |
Women in Technology Offers Atlanta Women Business Leaders a Place to Network and Develop Their Careers
It takes years of hard work to reach the top – but once you’re senior management, women in leadership positions know to stay at the top they must continually improve their skills, network, and find creative ways to lead their teams to top results.
Women in Technology (WIT) is the technology community leaders association of choice for leadership training and development, executive networking events and the place to volunteer their time. Based in Atlanta, WIT works with the top Atlanta business leaders and technology leaders in Georgia to stay on the cutting edge of leadership, technology and training trends.
WIT – Training and Networking with Today’s Technology Leaders
Top companies including The Coca-Cola Company, Delta Air Lines, The Home Depot, NCR, and Turner Broadcasting Systems and many more support Women in Technology by attending events, volunteering their time and participating in our programs. With a wide range of events including our monthly leadership series WIT Forums, signature events including WIT Connect - hailed as “executive networking at its best”- and our Women of the Year in Technology, plus multiple volunteer leadership positions, there’s a place for every executive volunteer at WIT.
This variety of opportunities why Atlanta women business leaders are actively involved in WIT, and through WIT’s training and networking opportunities continue to see their networks expand and their careers grow. Wherever you are in the technology career ladder, WIT is where Atlanta’s top executives get their start and keep giving back.
For more information on upcoming Atlanta women business leaders, visit Women in Technology at www.mywit.org. | <urn:uuid:ad9b96d4-4bd4-4c21-9517-d5532b78a0de> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mywit.org/atlanta-women-business-leaders | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955466 | 349 | 1.5 | 2 |
A native of the South Bronx who went on to Bowdoin College and Harvard University, Geoffrey Canada launched the Harlem Children's Zone in 1994 as a comprehensive network of services for neighborhood youth and their families, aimed at saving children from drugs, violence and poverty and getting them through college. His program is being used by the Obama administration as a model for Promise Neighborhoods, a set of 20 poverty reduction campaigns in areas around the country.
Canada lives with his family in Valley Stream, on Long Island, but comes to work at the Harlem Children's Zone headquarters on the corner of 125th Street and Madison Avenue. His sun-soaked corner office, facing southeast, offers views of the city spread like a glittering banquet on an asphalt table. Seated at a round conference table, wearing a crisp button-down monogrammed "GC" over his heart, a striped tie, his omnipresent gold bracelet and gold knot cufflinks, Canada spoke with City Limits in early January. Here are highlights from that interview.
You have said that the Harlem Children's Zone is midway through a 20-year completion cycle. How do you define success? What benchmark tells you the work is successful—or not?
The only benchmark of success is college graduation. That's the only one: How many kids you got in college, how many kids you got out. Everything else is interim.
Look, people make a big deal of fourth-grade reading scores. It's great, they're indicators, they give you some idea. Kids reading well, that just gives us an indication of how much more work we have to do. If you ask me, kids that get good reading scores, then they don't get any other help—where are they going to be in a few years? They're not going to do well. They could fail the 4th grade reading test. I guarantee you, if that kid stays in the [HCZ] program, that kid is going to college. I guarantee it. No doubt in my mind.
We know GEDs mean nothing—they mean nothing. Getting a kid through high school means nothing, nothing. So what? You get a kid doing well in eighth grade. They graduate high school and get into college. That means nothing. There is only one answer: You've got to get these kids to graduate college, that's the only thing that means something. Everything else is interim.
So, are the results suggestive of success? Yes—they give you some indication you're moving in the right direction. But meaningful in and of itself? No. It's just an indicator that we're moving in the right direction.
If you can't measure actual success for another decade, do you know whether your programs are working? How do you evaluate them now?
That's a great question. You have to have interim success measures. Each of my programs, starting with Baby College, has a set of outcomes that we look at which suggest to us that we're on the right path. They're just suggestive. So, did the parents learn key essentials in brain development? We think that if more did, then that's a precursor for getting their children prepared to enter pre-K on grade level. And then, we test all the kids to see who's struggling, who's not struggling.
You have set a 65 percent "tipping point" as a universal goal for your programs, after which you think success becomes inevitable. How did you determine that 65 percent was the tipping point?
Why that number? Why that number and not 70, 80 percent? There's no science there. You don't go look up, find the tipping point of a poor community—there's no science there. You take your best educated guess. …
I'll tell you what my belief is, and what's my underlying logic. Kids do what their friends do. If your friends smoke, you smoke. If your friends drink, you drink. That's just the way things are. Kids do what they're around. If you're around kids who fight, you better learn how to fight. If you get a whole bunch of kids doing positive things instead of negative things, should you expect that to have an impact on other kids? Absolutely. But there's no science.
If the question is, is there science, has someone done a randomly controlled double-blind study? No, no. But ask anybody. You want the Harlem Children's Zone on your block, working with the kids on your corner, or not? You don't need a random study to decide what the answer to that is. You ask people, when a shooting happens, do you want folks from the Harlem Children's Zone to go in there and make sure no one else gets shot or not? You live in Harlem, guess who you're calling? You're calling me.
… Ask any parent. I want for my kids what every middle-class person wants. That's my science. If it's good enough for the middle class, it's good for my kids. When the middle class don't want it, I don't want it. Outside of that, there's no science.
If the Harlem Children's Zone is a work in progress, and the "acid test" of college graduation is still 10 years out, can the HCZ be the template for a national antipoverty model?
Should the program replicate? Sure it should. Because there is not another answer. I tell everybody, give me plan B. Chicago, Baltimore, Camden, you give me plan B. There is not a plan B. If there is one, someone should tell me—I'd love to do that.
When I was in college, I was absolutely focused on only one thing: How could I improve the outcomes for these poor kids that I knew growing up? Every single class I took, I was looking for the answer. [Today] there are 10,000 talented, smart young people like I was, looking for the answer. One of the things they run into is that maybe you need something much more comprehensive, more holistic, than what's been tried. …Younger, smarter people will improve on this, they will take it to the next level. They will say, "Yeah, Canada had that part right, but this one over here…he really missed this."
As an exportable commodity, what's the most important concept or practice of the Harlem Children's Zone?
There are some very basic concepts that we tell folks are the underpinnings of our work. One is that you create pipelines for kids and you keep them in it, you don't stop. You figure out a series of supports for kids that gets them into college and gets them through college. That's our pipeline.
The second is we think you have to do scale. If you have 5,000 kids in trouble, and you serve 200 kids, you're not going to change the outcome.
Third is you have to use evaluation: Some things will work and some things won't work, and you have to use evaluation.
Fourth is you've got to rebuild community. There are communities that are falling down around kids, that are unsafe, literally unsafe, and there's no one out there saying, "We've got to change this, make sure that the 15- and 17-year-olds don't develop a culture where they're shooting and killing." Someone's got to say, "This has to change," saying, "No, not Harlem."
Has that made a difference? Yeah. Can you measure that difference? Someone probably could. I can't tell you that it's been measured. If you lived in Harlem, would you get that? Yes, you would.
Does replicating the Harlem Children's Zone model through President Obama's Promise Neighborhoods diminish the visibility of other antipoverty models?
I didn't have anything to do with Promise Neighborhoods. The President, he was still the Senator, said he was going to announce this [antipoverty initiative]. I think it's a great idea. Obviously, I'm going to do anything I can to support it, but I didn't tell him, "You should do this versus doing disconnected services." The President, not at my request, decided this is something he wanted to celebrate as a strategy.
… There's a sense that, well, Geoff is driving the Harlem Children's Zone project across the country, going to places that are desperate for a solution. There is some concern that there has been this strategy, that we're pursuing this as an issue versus some other options for young people. Absolutely not. There are some places where we believe this is a solution; not every place. Since Promise Neighborhoods, the interest has mushroomed. If there's money involved, even folks who weren't interested want to find out about it.
The President has put a huge amount of money into Race to the Top, into education. In my opinion, that's absolutely right. HUD has Choice Neighborhoods; they've got the Innovation Fund. That's all exactly right. Promise Neighborhoods as one part of that strategy doesn't necessarily crowd anyone out, in my opinion.
… This is the deal that people have misunderstood: There is nothing new about what we're doing. There is no brilliant concept. …You ask people, "Should we provide poor kids with comprehensive services?" Show me the person who's gonna say, "No." Should you stay with kids long enough to make a difference? Show me the person who's gonna say "No" to that.
There's nothing radical about what we're trying to do. It doesn't undermine anything anybody else is doing. It doesn't crowd anybody else out of the field. It simply says, we took private dollars and we decided to do what everyone else is talking about.
The Harlem Children's Zone is your life's work. Do comparably dedicated and experienced leaders exist in cities nationwide, if Promise Neighborhoods are to replicate the HCZ model nationally?
One of the things I think is happening now is that you need to be smart and talented and I think as good as anybody else in the country to do this work, which had not been the case [decades earlier], when people thought about coming into this field. This was not the field that needed the smartest and the brightest. "If you're really smart, go and be a lawyer, go be a doctor, go to Wall Street." That's what people believed. "If you weren't so good, go and get into the nonprofit world." As more of the business schools have started to focus on nonprofits and social justice, I think it's becoming a lot more salable, that you're going to bring some of the best and brightest in the field. I have a lot of hope.
… The thing that people don't understand—and I spend a lot of time thinking how to train leaders—most of it is whether or not people are prepared to work harder and be more strategic than others. I'm surrounded by A students, all of them come from elite institutions, all of them very very smart, talented people; there are like 50 of us. And that's what it takes to do this work. When people think you can be an inspired leader and do this yourself and get anything done, they are totally mistaken about what happens behind the scenes. I don't save any kids, it's not what I do—I don't care how good I am, if the people saving the kids are lousy, nothing happens.
In New York City, powerful forces intersect and multiply: Outstanding talent, profound need, ample access to social services, geographic density, unparalleled financial resources and the philanthropists and civic leaders who control them. Can this kind of "perfect storm" exist in other American cities?
The answer to that is probably unknown to me. On the one hand, you're right—there are places where we may not have it. But what's the problem? You tell me it's 2,000 kids, I can put together a team down here and we can do it. That is not a huge lift. And that's one of the most exciting but little-understood aspects of this.
…. That's mostly what this problem looks like across America. It's not Chicago or Detroit or New York. Mostly it's the [smaller towns]: You've got 1,500 kids in trouble and nobody with a strategy for how to save them. Now, you don't need 50 people from elite colleges to do that.
… Everyone's not going to get a Promise Neighborhood. Does that mean that communities can't take steps to improve? If you run a Head Start program, you should be thinking about where your kids are coming from. Even if you couldn't take it any further than, "I got this early childhood Head Start program and I talk to the kindergarten teachers." That would be further than 95 percent of Americans in poor communities.
That seems very different from the HCZ's cohesive, integrated pipeline model. Can the schools be separated from the programs? The most rigorous academic review of your programs to date, the Roland Fryer-Will Dobbie study out of Harvard, says that it's not possible to tell whether the schools alone are crucial to the kids' academic success, or if the programs and services that wrap around the schools make any kind of difference. They say they can't measure an effect for the social programs—or prove anything conclusive.
This is what my position is: We provide dental services to all of our kids. Does that improve third-grade reading scores? I doubt it. Would I not do that? Under no circumstances would I back away from doing that; it's unethical and immoral.
For someone to say, "I'm not going to do dental, because it doesn't impact third-grade reading scores," they've missed the whole point of the Zone. Does having good teeth make you a better reader? Probably not. But does it make you a better young person? Yes, it does. And that's what we're trying to do. It'll never show up in your measurements.
If you're a young girl or a young boy and you have a healthy smile, I think there's probably less chance you're going to feel disconnected and run to join the outlaws because you don't fit in. I believe that. No evidence—I don't have evidence of that at all. But that just makes logical sense to me.
I make sure my kids get their kids their $35 every two weeks, I make sure about that. (HCZ pays students who have good attendance and participate in HCZ afterschool programs a twice-monthly stipend.) I want them to feel good, to look good, to smell good, feel good about themselves. And I think that's gonna help. It's not enough. …But it's a different model we're looking at when we're talking about these kids. What I want is for these kids to have as close to a middle-class existence as possible.
Speaking of trouble, in October 2009, HCZ board member, investment manager and donor Raj Rajaratnam was arrested and charged with participating in multi-billion dollar insider trading. You and four others co-signed for his $100 million bail. Does that make you responsible for $20 million?
More or less. The way the law goes, if Raj leaves the country, the five of us are responsible for the $100 million. And they can take all of your assets, until you have nothing, which they would obviously have to take, to satisfy those requirements. There's no one of the five has that kind of money.
… It was a personal gesture. I had to sign for it personally, it had nothing to do with the Harlem Children's Zone. I would do it again. In a heartbeat, I would do it again.
The Times recently reported that African-Americans are no longer the majority of Harlem residents. Did this news surprise you, and does it affect the work you are doing at the Harlem Children's Zone? What might it change, ten years out?
I was stunned by that, absolutely stunned by that. Obviously, everyone knows you've got gentrification going on in Harlem. You've got an influx of more affluent and white New Yorkers and others coming in. But to actually see the numbers, the way African-Americans were no longer the majority, was quite shocking, because it's happening so remarkably quickly. When you look at the data, the influx is really quite stunning.
Here is the challenge of people moving into Harlem: If you are upper middle class and you have children, you're not going to send them to the public schools. They are still not strong enough. Our population, the children of the poorer parts of Harlem, is still in the public schools. If this trend continues for another 10 years, will it have an impact? I think the answer to that is yes. But it does not impact us right now. | <urn:uuid:e0fd7fec-1051-4852-baa3-437abfa22921> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.citylimits.org/articles/3874 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.979864 | 3,488 | 1.984375 | 2 |
The New York City medical examiner’s office said on Tuesday that it had identified the remains of Ernest James, 40, a victim of the World Trade Center attack.
The remains were identified “within the last few days” through DNA testing, said Ellen S. Borakove, a spokeswoman for the office. She declined to disclose more specifics about what type of remains were tested.
Mr. James, who worked for the professional services company Marsh & McLennan, was one of nearly 300 members of the firm who died on Sept. 11, 2001. In addition, more than 60 consultants working with the firm that morning also died.
A spokesman for the company said, “We continue to mourn their loss and honor their memory.”
So far, Ms. Borakove said, officials in her agency’s DNA/World Trade Center Identification Group have identified 1,629 of the people who died in the attack. Before Mr. James, the most recent identification of human remains was made in May.
Ms. Borakove said efforts to identify remains would continue.
“As long as there is technology available, doctors have made a promise that we would continue to try to identify people,” she said. | <urn:uuid:dff8e4f4-e41f-44ae-bbfd-a5001e7b9df2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/23/a-911-victim-is-identified-by-the-medical-examiner/?ref=marshandmclennancompanies | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00043-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.986714 | 256 | 1.671875 | 2 |
|Easton's Bible Dictionary|
Increase, the eldest of Saul's two daughters (1 Samuel 14:49). She was betrothed to David after his victory over Goliath, but does not seem to have entered heartily into this arrangement (18:2, 17, 19). She was at length, however, married to Adriel of Abel-Meholah, a town in the Jordan valley, about 10 miles south of Bethshean, with whom the house of Saul maintained alliance. She had five sons, who were all put to death by the Gibeonites on the hill of Gibeah (2 Samuel 21:8).
Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia
me'-rab (merabh "increase"; Merob): The elder daughter of Saul (1 Samuel 14:49), promised, though not by name, to the man who should slay the Philistine Goliath (1 Samuel 17:25). David did this and was afterward taken by Saul to court (1 Samuel 18:2), where he was detained in great honor. Merab was not, however, given to him as quickly as the incident would lead one to expect, and the sequel showed some unwillingness on the part of some persons in the contract to complete the promise. The adulation of the crowd who met David on his return from Philistine warfare and gave him a more favorable ascription than to Saul (1 Samuel 18:6-16) awoke the angry jealousy of Saul. He "eyed David from that day and forward" (1 Samuel 18:9). Twice David had to "avoid" the "evil spirit" in Saul (1 Samuel 18:11). Saul also feared David (1 Samuel 18:12), and this led him to incite the youth to more dangerous deeds of valor against the Philistines by a renewed promise of Merab. He will have David's life, but rather by the hand of the Philistines than his own (1 Samuel 18:17). Merab was to be the bait. But now another element complicated matters-Michal's love for David (1 Samuel 18:20), which may have been the retarding factor from the first. At any rate Merab is finally given to Adriel the Meholathite (1 Samuel 18:19). The passage in 2 Samuel 21:8 doubtless contains an error-Michal's name occurring for that of her sister Merab-though the Septuagint, Josephus, and a consistent Hebrew text all perpetuate it, as well as the concise meaning of the Hebrew word Yaladh, which is a physiological word for bearing children, and cannot be translated "brought up." A Targum explanation reads: "The 5 sons of Merab (which Michal, Saul's daughter brought up) which she bare," etc. Another suggestion reads the word "sister" after Michal in the possessive case, leaving the text otherwise as it stands. It is possible that Merab died comparatively young, and that her children were left in the care of their aunt, especially when it is said she herself had none (2 Samuel 6:23). The simplest explanation is to assume a scribal error, with the suggestion referred to as a possible explanation of it. The lonely Michal (2 Samuel 6:20-23) became so identified with her (deceased) sister's children that they became, in a sense, hers.
Merab (4 Occurrences)
1 Samuel 14:49 Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishvi, and Malchishua; and the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal: (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)
1 Samuel 18:17 Saul said to David, "Behold, my elder daughter Merab, I will give her to you as wife. Only be valiant for me, and fight Yahweh's battles." For Saul said, "Don't let my hand be on him, but let the hand of the Philistines be on him." (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)
1 Samuel 18:19 But it happened at the time when Merab, Saul's daughter, should have been given to David, that she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as wife. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)
2 Samuel 21:8 But the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons of Saul to whom Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah, had given birth; and the five sons of Saul's daughter Merab, whose father was Adriel, the son of Barzillai the Meholathite: (BBE NAS RSV NIV) | <urn:uuid:8a48846c-6ccc-4114-bbd5-e3091f9fd685> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://refbible.com/m/merab.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00066-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972185 | 1,022 | 2.65625 | 3 |
At Truro School Prep, we are proud of our warm, friendly and family atmosphere. With small class sizes of 20 and under, your child is treated as an individual, and valued for what they are and could become.
During their time here, your son or daughter will learn how to learn and how to become an independent learner. They will be taught by specialist teachers from the age of seven. Every day we encourage your child to try new things - and with a full and extensive range of co-curricular activities, they will be able to turn their hand to a variety of different pursuits.
The quality of the provision is outstanding. Children respond positively to the warm and nurturing environment which ensures they feel happy and secure.
Comment on the Early Years provision in the Pre-Prep from the Interim ISI Inspection, 2011. | <urn:uuid:6c2b862c-192a-45e7-99ab-aac39290a239> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.truroschool.com/thinking-of-joining-us/?c=curriculum-join-us | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00073-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964265 | 169 | 1.578125 | 2 |
Have you ever seen anyone who speaks at others, but rarely with them? Such people may say many words, but they often miss the mark - no lasting or impactful message is received. It is as if they are shooting a gun, or at times a machine gun, but never taking the time to take aim. Let's take a moment and unpack a verse of Scripture that can really help us understand how to best communicate.
"Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak ..." (James 1:19) If we are going to communicate well with anyone, we are going need to practice both principles.
Listening: We have three options when it comes to listening.
- We could not listen to others, and simply say whatever is on our minds. This is a most selfish way to communicate. This is communicating for our own purposes, and taking others conversationally captive to get or experience what we want. Some people do this all the time, but never realize it - they are too busy talking to notice whether others are participating or not.
- We could also be slow to listen. This is a kind of half-hearted listening. We might be distracted by TV, another conversation, or our own thoughts. We are listening, but not very well. This kind of listening is very unsatisfying; nuances and meanings are missed and neither party is very satisfied. We cannot multi-task and listen well.
- We need to be quick to listen. This means that we give ourselves to the task of listening and understanding the other person. Good listening is hard work; it requires discipline, and active, probing questions. This is a positive expression of love to others. When you listen well to others, they feel cared for and built up.
Speaking: We have three options in the area of speaking.
- We could not speak to others in a passive or lazy way. Listening, without speaking, is not real communication. It puts all the responsibility of the conversation on the other person. Mutual communication requires two people listening and speaking with each other.
- We could also be quick to speak. This is referring to times when we speak before we have understood what is needed or best. We will rarely be helpful to others if we don't take the time first to understand what they want.
- We need to be slow to speak. We need to make sure we understand what is needed, we need to make sure that what we have to say is worth saying and said in a way that is helpful. This requires consideration - and many times prayer.
When you relate with someone who takes the ways of God seriously, who is quick to listen and slow to speak, you will be encouraged and built up (even when being challenged or corrected). When you communicate this way with others, they will be blessed.
Learning to Communicate with you, | <urn:uuid:1214a536-72d1-43f1-b462-01ce6bc9782a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://neighborsforneighbors.org/profiles/blogs/when-you-speak | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00055-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965636 | 583 | 2.546875 | 3 |
WASHINGTON, DC - With President Bush's National Energy
Policy citing the potential of new technologies to boost America's oil
and gas production while protecting the environment, Secretary of Energy
Spencer Abraham today commissioned a review of ongoing federal oil and
gas research programs.
The review will include three public hearings - in Denver (Aug. 8), Pittsburgh
(Aug. 13), and Houston (Aug. 14) ? at which invited panels of industry
experts, elected officials, and others will present their views on future
directions for government oil and gas research and development.
"The President's energy policy makes it clear that new technology
will be key to finding and producing more oil and gas both in the United
States and globally," Secretary Abraham said. "The review I
am directing will help us define the technology investments the U.S. Government
should be making with industry to keep oil and gas flowing from America's
wells, improve prospects for U.S. technology abroad, and safeguard our
Abraham said that results from the review, to be completed in September,
will help shape the Administration's fiscal 2003 budget due to be submitted
to Congress early next year. The review will help the department in its
efforts identify new sources of energy production, aggressive conservation
measures, and new technologies that will enable America's producers to
find and extract more oil and gas without endangering the environment.
Such advancements will be necessary to support the President's balanced
The current review will also build on the findings of the department's
report, Environmental Benefits of Advanced Oil and Gas Exploration
and Production Technology, which profiles modern-day improvements
that have dramatically reduced the "footprint" of drilling operations,
minimized waste produced in oil and gas operations, and protected resident
and migratory wildlife. The report was produced in October 1999 by the
Department of Energy during the Clinton Administration.
The review will cover the complete spectrum of the Energy Department's
current oil and gas technology programs, from innovations in exploration
and production to advanced technologies for pipelines. It will also deal
with how best to implement two recommendations from the President's National
Energy Policy that deal specifically with new oil and gas technologies:
...that the President direct the Secretaries
of Energy and the Interior to promote enhanced oil and gas recovery
from existing wells through new technologies; and
...that the President direct the Secretary
of Energy to improve oil and gas exploration technology through continued
partnership with public and private entities.
In carrying out the review, the Energy Department will also compile data
gathered in several recent analyses of federal oil and gas technology
activities, including information prepared for an ongoing review by the
National Academy of Sciences.
The public hearings will be held on:
August 8: Denver, Colorado - Doubletree
Hotel, 3203 Quebec Street, from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm;
August 13: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Hyatt Regency (at the Pittsburgh International Airport) from 1:00
pm to 5:00 pm
August 14 Houston, Texas - Sheraton
North Houston Hotel (near Intercontinental Airport), 15700 John F.
Kennedy Blvd, from 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Those not on the formal panels can submit written statements of up to
four single-spaced pages through August 30. Statements can be sent by
e-mail to OilGasReview@hq.doe.gov
or by mail to the Office of Natural Gas and Petroleum Technology, FE-30,
U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, DC 20585, Attn: Strategic Review.
The statements should address the following questions:
What should the Federal Government's objectives
be in promoting advanced oil and natural gas technologies?
Have government/industry technology partnerships
proven valuable in the past and how can they be improved in the future?
Is Federal financial support needed in all
sectors of the oil and gas industry - exploration, production, distribution,
processing, regulatory compliance, etc.? Are there sectors or technologies
in which Federal support is especially important?
Given that small independent businesses
account for 50 and 65 percent, respectively, of oil and gas production
in the lower 48 states, is the current federal program properly focused
on this sector's critical technology needs? If not, what should be
Are there research areas not being properly
addressed in the current program? If so, what changes should be made?
What actions should the U.S. Government
undertake to promote the global competitiveness of U.S.-developed,
advanced oil and gas technologies? | <urn:uuid:36986b0a-fbe6-43a5-a34b-efe83b063a64> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.netl.doe.gov/publications/press/2001/tl_oilgashrgs.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00041-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.915701 | 964 | 1.679688 | 2 |
Dr. Victoria Hill - Old Dominion University, Bio-Optics Group
February 7, 2012
Very little data of any kind exists from the early spring in the Arctic. The reason? It's extremely cold and that makes it difficult to survive, let alone conduct science. From March through the end of April, 2011, scientists from around the world braved temperatures of -48°C in the high Canadian Arctic in the name of science. At the Catlin Arctic Survey's floating 'Ice Base' off Ellef Ringnes Island, Dr. Victoria Hill was investigating how organic material in fresh water near the surface of the ocean may be trapping heat from the sun, causing the upper ocean layers to warm. This is a very new area of research and this mechanism represents a key uncertainty in accurate modeling of ice thickness and upper ocean heat content. In this presentation Dr. Hill will talk about living and working at the ice base and discuss preliminary data from the expedition.
Is the space above this area blank? If so, there may be a problem loading the embedded version of the video from YouTube. Either their server is having issues or your school is actively blocking access to YouTube. | <urn:uuid:72629779-c322-412e-aebe-74303914d010> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://education.jlab.org/scienceseries/2012_freezer.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00071-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.919533 | 237 | 3.28125 | 3 |
|Index to Course Material||Index to Section 1|
Here begins a self-paced learning tutorial which was designed initially for the benefit of MSc (Master of Science) students in Computer Modelling of Molecular and Biological Processes, which is a course offered by the Department of Crystallography, Birkbeck College, London.
In its current form, the tutorial attempts to cater for users with little or no previous knowledge of IT (Information Technology) ; however, some familiarity with the very basics of manipulating Windows on PCs and/or UNIX style machines is always helpful !
Shown below is the overview of this tutorial on the Internet. You can enter it at any point but it is probably better to progress through the documents in the order they are given. Don't worry if some of the terms mean nothing to you ; explanations and definitions will be given in each block of text.
If this is your first time on this tutorial, then start at the beginning by clicking here using the mouse. | <urn:uuid:d9371d6b-8d0c-43a9-9b99-30e91cdbd020> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cryst.bbk.ac.uk/pps97/course/section1/internet/Overview.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.918068 | 203 | 2 | 2 |
Good Study Habits Begin at Home
Homework is a good thing
At times, it can seem like your child’s homework is endless and with all those other things to get done, helping your child complete this homework can seem like an impossible task. However, completing homework is an important part of your child’s education; it not only helps children practice what they are learning in the classroom, but it also encourages self-discipline and a sense of responsibility.
How you can help your child
- Take an interest in your child's homework. The American Academy of Pediatrics issued a statement regarding a child’s increased success in school when parents take an active interest in homework. Your interest sends the message that not only is education important to you, but also that your child’s activities in general are important to you, and you are there to support your child.
- How much is too much? According to the U.S. Department of Education, children in first through third grade should not have more than about 20 minutes of homework each school day. The recommendation for children in fourth through sixth grades is about 20 to 40 minutes a school day, and for children in seventh through ninth grades the recommendation is up to 2 hours per school day. These are just recommendations and the amount of homework your child will have may vary greatly depending on the school and your child’s teacher(s). The best way to know how much homework to expect is to speak with your child’s teacher.
- Get to know your child's teacher. Attend parent-teacher conferences and ask the teacher about the homework policy and what your role should be in helping with your child’s homework as this may vary from teacher to teacher. Building this relationship with the teacher initially will be helpful if you have any questions or concerns throughout the school year about your child’s homework situation.
- Schedule in homework time. Although it can be difficult with your own and your child’s busy schedules, make sure homework time is part of your child’s daily routine. Try and find a regular study time each day that works the best for your child. By doing this, you are modeling good time management as well as sending the message that education is important.
- Find a homework-friendly area at home. This may differ depending on the age of your child or what type of homework he is doing. Ideally, this should be a relatively quiet place with plenty of light. In addition, help your child gather the necessary tools to complete his homework before he begins.
- Be available. How much you help your child with homework will depend on your child’s age, her teacher, and the assignment. Hovering over your child as she completes her homework may be distracting. However, assuring her that you are there if she needs you will let her know that you are there to support her.
- Encourage learning. Even when your child has free time, he can learn from his activities. Reading for pleasure, participating in an after school activity, visiting a museum, helping you with cooking or errands, or even watching an educational program on television are all things that help your child to learn outside the classroom and develop hobbies and interests.
This information was compiled by Sunindia Bhalla, and reviewed by the Program Staff of the Massachusetts Children’s Trust Fund. | <urn:uuid:60cc48ec-2764-4e3a-a852-832cd799653f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://onetoughjob.org/tips/school-age/good-study-habits-begin-at-home | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00023-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972448 | 693 | 3.5625 | 4 |
Last modified: 2011-05-14 by andrew weeks
Keywords: rawicz |
Links: FOTW homepage | search | disclaimer and copyright | write us | mirrors
Here is the flag of Rawicz County in the vojvodship of Wielkopolska.
Jens Pattke, 20 Aug 2002
On 11 Aug 2002 the County of Rawicz, obtained its own flag and Coat of Arms.
Both symbols are closely related to the local traditions. The field
of the Arms features the white eagle without the crown (as in the historical
Arms of Wielkopolska), the bear and the gold boat. The bear is an element
of the city arms of Rawicz, which were granted
to the town by its founder, Adam Przyjemski, in 1638.
The boat appears on the seals of two prominent and distinguished families from the area - clans of Gorek and Opalinski.
The Arms are placed in the center of the flag of two, equal, horizontal stripes - yellow and red.
The symbols were worked out by the specialists from the Centrum of Polish Heraldry in Warsaw."
Source: this website.
Chrystian Kretowicz, 14 Nov 2002 | <urn:uuid:1f5ca788-0e03-40f1-a06f-845b39abc65f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.crwflags.com/FOTW/FLAGS/pl-wp-rw.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.90362 | 260 | 2.125 | 2 |
When organic waste is sent to rot in landfill it creates methane, which has 21 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide. Research conducted by The Australia Institute reveals Australians dump $5.2 billion worth of food every year – enough to meet the shortfall in the UN emergency relief fund. Fruit and vegetables make up the bulk of the wasted food, accounting for $1.1 billion, followed by unfinished restaurant and takeaway food and $872.5 million worth of fresh meat and fish. Recent studies estimate that 45% of the average Australian household’s waste is comprised of food.
It is possible to reduce the amount in your own home using some of the tips below.
Six ways to reduce food waste at home
1. Plan meals in advance and avoid excess purchasing by always using a list when shopping.
2. Maintain your fridge temperature at 5°C or lower. Avoid overcrowding your fridge - it can affect its ability to cool, and warm food will not last as long.
3. Be aware of the difference between “best by” and “use by” dates. “Best by” is only a suggestion. It doesn’t necessarily mean food will spoil once it passes that date.
4. Invest in a compost bin and/or a worm farm for your food scraps. If you have limited space or live in an apartment, a Bokashi bin (a small benchtop composting
system) helps reduce kitchen waste by fermenting food scraps into a nutrient-rich soil conditioner.
5. Rentachook provides chickens and coops Australia-wide and offers a “try before you buy” scheme.
6. Some local councils offer food recycling services to residents in multi-unit dwellings. If there is none in your area, contact your local council and ask them to consider setting up such a scheme.
Four ways to avoid excess packaging
1. Change the way you buy Consider buying things you eat a lot of in bulk. Shop at a local farmers’ market or food co-op where you can provide your own containers. Not all organic and farmers markets charge exorbitant prices. A bit of peer research can reveal a lot. Find out which markets your friends shop at and if the produce is fresh and the prices reasonable.
2. Think before you buy Could you find the same product with less packaging?
3. Learn what can be recycled Spot recyclable packaging at a glance. Check with your local council to find out what is accepted in your area.
4. Complain Contact the retailer or manufacturer if you believe the packaging used at a store is excessive.
Worm-farms & composts
Preplanning meals and shopping to a list can help limit the amount of food wasted created by a household kitchen. However, for some families – especially those with younger children - it can be hard to plan exactly what the children will want and need at any one time. Being creative about using leftovers can stem some of the flow through to the garbage. Composts are a great way to dispose of unwanted family food but can’t always keep up with the waste created by a growing family. If this is the case, add a worm farm, which can be used to manage up to 100% of household food waste, so it all goes back into the garden.
Not sure how to go about setting up your own organic waste system? Some city councils, like City of Sydney, offer free advice sessions for local residents. Some even include free bins. Visit your local council’s website or give them a call to find out more about what they currently have on offer.
Provided you have a suitable yard, chickens can be a great investment. They can eat food scraps, provide eggs and fertiliser for your backyard. Make sure you research thoroughly before buying as they are a commitment and are not suited to every living situation.
Organic waste & apartment living
Living in an inner-city apartment can make dealing with organic waste more of a challenge. Before resigning yourself to adding your waste to landfill, find out if your apartment has a communal compost bin that’s currently in action. If not, talk to your building secretary about raising the need for a bin at the next strata meeting. Also, find out if your building is making full use of all the eco services provided by your local government.
Are there any community gardens in your local area and within walking distance of your home? Most would welcome your waste with open arms. | <urn:uuid:83d3c340-202c-4591-9784-8fc3c0db252c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.choice.com.au/reviews-and-tests/household/energy-and-water/saving-energy/household-waste-management-guide.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00049-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943316 | 930 | 3.03125 | 3 |
Just as the IRS taxes individuals' income, such as income from a job, the IRS also taxes the income a business brings in. A small business can lower its taxable income through deductions and credits, just like an individual.
Before learning about business deductions, it's necessary to understand what the tax code means by the term "income" and "gross income."
What Is Income?
The tax code (IRC § 61) reads: "Except as otherwise provided gross income means all income from whatever source derived." This includes all of the following:
Goods and services. Taxable "income" doesn't mean just cash; it can take many forms. Goods, property or services received have all been held to be within the definition of income.
If you barter (exchange goods or services for the same), the fair market value of the item or service you received should be included in your tax reported income. Of course, a lot of bartering goes on, and the IRS isn't any the wiser, but getting away with it doesn't make it right. Anything of value that you or your business receives is income, unless it specifically falls within the exclusions discussed below.
Constructive income. Income also includes anything you have the right to put your hands on but don't for some reason. The legal doctrine of "constructive receipt" says that as soon as money or property is available to you, or is credited to your account, it becomes income -- whether you grab it or not. For instance, you can't get a check for services in November 2003 and hold it for deposit until 2004 without being taxed on it in 2003, the year received.
Illegal income. Note that IRC § 61 is morally neutral; it doesn't distinguish between illegal and legal income. If you earn a living as a hit man for the mob, you still are earning income as far as the IRS is concerned, and you'd better declare it on your tax return. Al Capone wasn't sent to prison for murder, bootlegging or racketeering. He was convicted of tax evasion for not declaring his income from bootlegging and racketeering.
Worldwide income. Americans are taxed on their worldwide income; no matter where it's earned, it's still income taxable in the United States. There is one exception: A person who resides outside the United States for most of the year can exclude some or all of his foreign income. For more information, see IRS Publication 54, Tax Guide for U.S. Citizens and Resident Aliens Abroad.
What Is Not Income?
Some kinds of income fall into the "except as otherwise provided" exception of IRC § 61 and are not taxable to a business. For instance, the tax code specifically excludes gifts and inheritances from taxable income. (Sorry, the $10 million that is being dropped off by the Prize Patrol from Publisher's Clearinghouse is not legally a gift and is taxable.)
Fringe benefits. Thankfully, many so-called fringe benefits provided by businesses to owners and employees are specifically excluded from income. Most of the statutory exclusions from income granted by Congress are found in IRC §§ 101 to 150.
Return of capital. Owners and investors in businesses are very glad to know that the return of a capital investment is not taxable income. In other words, to the extent that you sell a business or an asset and get back your money exchanged for the asset, you haven't earned any taxable income. Only the profit, if any, is taxed. And it is taxed at capital gains tax rates.
Tax-free withdrawals. If you borrow against an asset, whether it belongs to your business or to you personally, the loan proceeds are not income. Borrowing is a valuable tool for taking money tax-free out of an unincorporated business that holds an appreciated asset, such as real estate. | <urn:uuid:a47ed493-080d-40dc-a74a-2470ecf5725e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/business-income-defined-29023.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00029-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976099 | 786 | 2.4375 | 2 |
By Kathy Chu, Calum MacLeod and Jon Swartz, USA TODAY
HONG KONG Less than a day after Google said it would no longer censor its search engine in China and began redirecting web surfers to its Hong Kong site, it said some searches were blocked.
"It seems that certain sensitive queries are being blocked, but the full site is currently not being blocked," Google spokeswoman Christine Chen said Tuesday.
The obstruction of searches on politics, porn and other topics — the apparent work of Chinese authorities — ratcheted up an already tense impasse between the world's most powerful Internet company and the government of the world's most populous nation.
'A NEW APPROACH': Statement from official Google blog
POLICY CHANGE: Google to stop censoring search results in China
The conflict underscores analysts' warnings that Google's gambit on Monday could damage the company's ability to maintain a foothold in this promising market.
The company said that, for the time being, it would keep offering services such as Google maps and music, as well as maintain research and development operations in China.
But Google's ability to offer such services may hinge on how successful the company is in mending its relationship with the Chinese government in upcoming days, experts say.
"This is an ongoing negotiation," said Mark Natkin, founder of Marbridge Consulting, a Beijing firm that advises Internet-technology companies. "What Google has tried to communicate is that 'we have a clear stance on censorship, but we are still committed to participating in the market.'"
The Chinese government's sharp rebuke of Google's actions signals the uphill battle the company faces in maintaining — and even expanding — some of its operations in China. The Chinese government called Google's move "totally wrong" and blasted the company for what it termed "unreasonable accusations and conducts," according to China's official Xinhua news agency.
Adding to Google's troubles, Chinese Internet and mobiles-services provider Tom Online, run by Li Ka-shing, one of Asia's wealthiest businessmen, said that it had stopped using Google's search services after an agreement with the company expired. "As a Chinese company, we adhere to rules and regulations in China where we operate our businesses," Tom Group said in a statement.
Natkin fears that other Chinese companies could follow suit: "There may be some sort of tacit pressure for (companies) not to cooperate with Google if the current relationship between Google and the authorities" doesn't improve, he says.
Ding Xipo, an independent Internet analyst in Beijing, says public reaction to Google's move — as well as the performance of the company's stock — could shape how hard the Internet giant works to keep its other business operations in China. Google's China business brings in only a sliver of its $24 billion in annual revenue, but analysts believe the market has ample room for growth.
Investors sold off Google shares Tuesday, possibly on concerns about the company's ability to continue operating in China. Google's stock slipped 2% in mid-day trading to $544.42.
Meanwhile, organizations such as Human Rights Watch are lauding Google's decision. HRW called the company's move a "strong step in favor of freedom of expression and information," and said other companies should follow its lead.
Chu reported from Hong Kong, MacLeod from Beijing, and Swartz from San Francisco
Guidelines: You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. Read more. | <urn:uuid:a0c75ed8-ca27-42f2-9b0b-78e8629570f6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/tech/news/2010-03-23-google-china-reaction_N.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00054-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963416 | 745 | 1.640625 | 2 |
Darryl Geddes 315 464-4828
Cell cycle checkpoints found to do double duty, according to researchers at the State University of New York
Researchers at SUNY Upstate Medical University have found that cell-cycle checkpoints may do double duty in preventing cells from irregular replication, which leads to cancer.
David M. Gilbert, Ph.D., associate professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at SUNY Upstate, found that when cells experience conditions that make it difficult for them to finish duplicating their DNA, “checkpoint” controls not only shut down the replication process, but may also be required to actively maintain the integrity of the partially replicated DNA strands. Defective checkpoints controls could explain why some individuals have genetic pre-dispositions to cancer, said Gilbert. The study was reported in the October issue of Nature Cell Biology.
Gilbert uses the following analogy to explain his finding: “If factory A is making a widget and all of sudden the mechanics fail and threaten the widget’s development, the checkpoint sends out a signal to halt all further production and hold all the pieces of the partially assembled widget in place until the factory receives the go ahead to continue making the widget.
Gilbert’s research is significant for another reason. Previously researchers found that cell-cycle checkpoints that shut down the replication process had existed in yeast. “Now we have a solid foundation to link single-cell organisms [yeast] to humans, and the confidence to look at the research that has been done with yeast and know that it is relevant to humans,” he said.
“However, replication shut down was not in itself sufficient to explain why checkpoint defects lead to cancer,” Gilbert noted. “The real surprise was that, in the absence of checkpoint controls, the cellular factories that duplicate DNA fall apart. Without the ability to complete the replication process, information contained within the DNA becomes lost, increasing the risk that cancer causing mutations will occur.”
Gilbert suggested that knowing the fundamental steps that enable the faithful duplication of DNA in all cell types may allow the development of therapeutic approaches that treat the common denominator of cancer as a whole, rather than requiring different treatments for different types of cancer.
Gilbert was aided in his research by one of his post-doctoral associates, Daniela S. Dimitrova, Ph.D.
Search Upstate News
Upstate in the News
- SEFCU donates $250,000 to Upstate Medical University
Central New York Business Journal
- State to fund $21 million energy efficiency upgrade at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse
- Doctors explain injuries, treatment and rehab of marathon victims
News 10 Now
- What is ricin?
News 10 Now
- On Health Care Decisions Day, talk to your loved ones about end-of-life care
Syracuse Post Standard
- Legislation introduces to increase physician residency programs
News 10 Now | <urn:uuid:acb8e487-715b-4387-b571-462d8965f6d3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.upstate.edu/news/article.php?title=206 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948222 | 609 | 2.5625 | 3 |
When social psychologist Shelley E. Taylor, PhD, found out that she’d be receiving the 2010 Lifetime Achievement Award in San Diego, she thought about the first APA convention she attended as a college senior, shepherded by Yale University graduate students.
“I was in awe of all these people whose work I had read and who I’d heard about, and I wanted so badly to be able to make a contribution,” said Taylor, now a distinguished professor of psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles.
She certainly has. APA recognized Taylor as one of the most influential psychologists of all time for her work, which includes founding the modern social cognition, health psychology and social neuroscience fields.
In bestowing the award, APA President Carol D. Goodheart, EdD, said she first met Taylor during a master lecture at convention in the 1980s, and that while editing the “Handbook of Girls’ and Women’s Psychological Health” (Oxford University Press, 2006), Goodheart realized that Taylor was the most frequently cited researcher across the book’s 50 chapters.
“Equally at home in the lab and in the field, in brilliant research and field defining theory, you are an inspiring role model who enjoys a much-admired and well-deserved reputation as a wise person,” Goodheart told Taylor, who received the award during the convention’s opening session.
Taylor said the award means a great deal to her by recognizing the efforts she and her lab colleagues undertake to bring together experts in biology, genetics, social psychology, physiology and clinical practice for a unified inquiry into such questions as how people manage intensely stressful events of their lives.
“It’s always done in a team. … I feel I’m sitting here taking credit for the numerous talented students and collaborators I’ve been privileged to work with over many, many years,” she said. | <urn:uuid:de7f545b-384c-47e1-93be-b241a2b36afb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.apa.org/monitor/2010/10/taylor.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96442 | 407 | 1.648438 | 2 |
It’s a little unfair to pick on this book in particular. The book’s main problem is endemic in much journalism about political campaigns: a belief that campaigns matter, but an unwillingness to look hard for actual evidence. I am going to examine five events, all of which Balz and Johnson (and, in one case, David Axelrod) believe were important. This posts examines the first two.
First, at the Oct. 30, 2007, debate among the Democratic, candidates Hillary Clinton’s answer to the question about driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants. Balz and Johnson write:
Hillary Clinton’s stumble over immigration proved to be highly damaging to her campaign. (p. 99)
See also Balz’s blog post at the time.
The second is Obama’s Nov.10, 2007, speech at the Jefferson-Jackson dinner in Iowa:
The next morning, David Yepsen, the most influential political columnist in the state,wrote, ‘Should he come from behind to win the Iowa caucuses, Sunday’s dinner will be remembered as one of the turning points in his campaign here.’ Obama’s speech created an immediate surge of energy for his campaign, and a growing sense that caucus night in Iowa could become a climactic showdown.” (p.120)
The first graph below is from all national pre-primary polls. The second is from all Iowa pre-primary polls—where Obama’s speech might be expected to matter more. The graphs are pretty self-explanatory. The key is the vertical lines demarcating the events.
In the national polls, it sure looks like something happened after these two events: Clinton’s poll numbers dropped and Obama’s increased. But were these events responsible? Probably not. For one, the timing wasn’t really right. Clinton’s “gaffe” was on October 30. Her standing in the polls, according to the smoothed trendline, was 44%. A week later, it was…44%. Two weeks later it was…44%. Here are some apples-to-apples comparisons from before and after. Zogby, October 26: 38% for Clinton; November 16: 38%. Rasmussen was in the field during the debate. They put Clinton at 42%. A week later, they had her at…42%. Where is the “damage to her campaign”?
Let’s consider Obama’s speech in light of the graph above and this one with the Iowa polls:
In the graph of the national polls, Obama’s numbers trend upward in the weeks after the speech, but it’s very difficult to peg that to the speech itself. According to the trendline, Obama was at 23% on the day of the speech and at 24% two weeks later. The same apples-to-apples comparisons don’t suggest much of anything. The Economist/YouGov did 4 polls in November, one before the speech and three after. In these polls, Obama’s numbers were 24, 23, 18, 25. No evidence of any “speech bump” there.
But it’s Iowa where the speech should matter most. There, the evidence is even more equivocal. Obama’s numbers were improving in Iowa in a pretty linear fashion throughout 2007. After the speech, they improved at a slightly faster rate, but it was still a pretty slow increase over a long period of time. His numbers on the eve of the Iowa caucus are only 3 points higher than his numbers right before the speech. Some specific polls tell a similar story: Zogby showed no Obama bounce between its early and late November polls (actually, a 1 point decrease). Strategic Vision was in the field right around the speech and then two weeks later. They showed a 2-point increase, well within the margin of error. In short, there appears to be no “turning point” here.
Both the national polls and Iowa polls found Obama gaining ground as 2007 came to a close. But he was doing so gradually, not in sudden leaps after any barnburner speeches. Similarly, Clinton’s declining standing in the national polls did not begin until well after her purported stumble. And even if you think I’m wrong, and these events somehow mattered, the candidate’s poll numbers changed by only a few percentage points—changes that seem much smaller than phrases like “highly damaging” and “immediate surge” would suggest. Whatever effect these events had was much larger in the minds of journalists than the minds of voters. | <urn:uuid:d6912759-1dfa-495e-9967-226f73342711> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://themonkeycage.org/2010/03/30/what_mattered_in_2008/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00061-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969798 | 969 | 1.5625 | 2 |
Colorado’s Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal from a former University of Colorado professor trying to get his job back after he was terminated during a public outcry for his essay comparing some Sept. 11 victims to a Nazi.
A jury in July 2009 found that the school unlawfully fired Ward Churchill. A Denver District Court judge then ruled in favor of the school saying it was entitled to “quasi-judicial immunity” and awarded Churchill $1 in damages. The Colorado Supreme Court on Tuesday announced that it agreed to hear the case.
Churchill’s termination in 2007 came after an essay he wrote describing some victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks as “little Eichmanns,” a reference to Adolf Eichmann, the Nazi leader who helped orchestrate the Holocaust. | <urn:uuid:2a1444df-788d-47a9-9671-aa7683a00fac> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://csbj.com/2011/05/31/colorado-supreme-court-to-hear-ward-churchill-case/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00073-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.983738 | 167 | 1.515625 | 2 |
Cheese is rich in fat, protein, and calcium plus minerals which are needed by our body.
Phosphorous, zinc Vitamin A, Riboflavin and Vitamin B1
- Since it is high in Calcium it prevents decay of teeth and cavity prevention. It makes teeth healthier and strong. It also prevents the decaying of your teeth specially if you regularly eat it
- It has been found put in research studies that it can also prevents cancer because of the two substances present in milk — Conjugated Linoleic Acid plus Sphingolipids
- Cancer Prevention – Cheese contains substances called that help prevent cancer. In addition the vitamin B in cheese is good for maintaining body functions and protecting the body from disease.
- It is good for the body’s metabolism
- Cheese contains fat, protein, calcium,plus vitamins and minerals which keep muscles and bones healthy and strong which are needed by pregnant women, children and everybody — good for lactating women
- Can help prevent osteoporosis — mostly all dairy products are if taken in the right amount
- Cheese contains Vitamin B which helps in the absorption and distribution of calcium
- Cheese with has low sodium are helpful in reducing the negative effects of some substances which caused heart diseases.
- Cheese are rich in Vitamin B which is helpful in our blood pressure. | <urn:uuid:8e9dc4d7-c123-4276-b464-bc22acabfb6e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.myorganicrecipes.com/health-benefits-of-eating-organic-cheese/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00035-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942029 | 272 | 3.3125 | 3 |
Ancient maritime inscriptions dating back to the early 1600s have been found on the coast of Madagascar by Flinders University researchers.
Dr. Wendy van Duivenvoorde (pictured), a lecturer in maritime archaeology, returned from the worlds fourth largest island last month with evidence of more than 40 inscriptions from Dutch sailing ships that once traversed the region en-route to South East Asia.
The team of researchers, including Flinders archaeology research associate Mark Polzer and Jane Fyfe, a PhD candidate and rock art specialist from the University of Western Australia, discovered the messages carved into rock outcrops and boulders on an island in the Bay of Antongil, on the northeast corner of Madagascar.
While some of the inscriptions were originally found in the 1920s, researchers have always believed there were no more than a dozen postal stones.
Dr. van Duivenvoorde said the inscriptions, which were carved into the rocks between 1601 and 1657, offered important insights into early Dutch seafaring to the Indies, and were a unique example of Dutch cultural heritage overseas.
In the 1500s, the Portuguese were the only Europeans who knew the route to South East Asia so they supplied all the spices and exotica to the Netherlands, Dr. van Duivenvoorde said.
The Dutch made their way to Batavia, which is modern day Jakarta, for the first time in 1595 but they didnt have any systems in place to communicate via other Dutch ships to send messages back home and relay their last port of call, she said.
From the first voyage on, they went to a small beach in the Antongil Bay because they knew from the Portuguese that they could get fresh water there and that it was the only place in the bay where they could anchor safely to ride out a storm or repair a ship.
They started using the beach as a communications area by inscribing messages on the rock faces and frequently leaving letters for other ships to pick up.
Basically it was like an early postal system.
Dr. van Duivenvoorde said the messages left by at least 13 different ships included official communications that recorded the names of ships and the times and dates of their arrivals, as well as unofficial messages left by higher-ranked seamen, who chiselled their names into the stone.
One inscription reveals that the ship Middelburg reached the bay after a cyclone in 1625, without masts, and was anchored there for a good seven months while it was being repaired, she said.
Its quite amazing to think that they managed to sail into the bay without masts and sails.
While the team is still in the process of transcribing and studying the inscriptions, Dr. van Duivenvoorde said she hoped to return to Madagascar in 2013 to create a 3D rendering and to lobby relevant authorities for cultural heritage protection.
Its definitely under threat from sea erosion, cyclones and rain, as well as from jungle vegetation and moss growing on the rocks which have faded the inscriptions over time.
Im also hoping our discovery will reinvigorate interest in the stones and lead to better education for local tourist guides these inscriptions have been forgotten for decades and even specialists who study postal stones from this period do not mention them in their books.
Explore further: US scientist not involved in classified research: witnesses | <urn:uuid:7a7532d6-e968-49fa-9bbf-79f97528edbc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://phys.org/news/2012-05-flinders-clues-early-dutch-postal.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00076-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963424 | 687 | 3.53125 | 4 |
Home Away From Home
Dances, dinners, communion breakfasts, memorial masses, picnics, excursions, field days, trips to Ireland, protest marches, installations of officers, and monthly meetings filled a busy year-round social calendar for Irish immigrants. All of the gatherings provided opportunities to meet old friends and to make new ones, especially for young Irish men and women adjusting to life in a city like New York. It was hard to feel homesick when surrounded by so many others from the same part of Ireland who were pursuing similar American dreams. County activities were often a lifeline for older immigrants, as well as a chance to hear the latest news from home first-hand.
The waltzes and Stacks o’ Barley at an Irish county society dance led to many a wedding, more often than not followed by a christening. In childhoods that happily revolved around events with county connections, the next generation came of age instilled with a special pride in Irish origins as well as powerful bonds with their parents and older relatives. For a generation without grandparents in America, socializing in these ways was vital to the transmission of key folk memories and traditions. It significantly deepened the meaning behind the answer, “My mother and father are Irish.” | <urn:uuid:ea7ae6ad-9851-49ed-8189-06ef8d131bf7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nyu.edu/as/irelandhouse/fifthprovince/community.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971301 | 261 | 2.953125 | 3 |
Here is an announcement from the Director of the CAS Coastal Center at Milford Point, Frank Gallo:
Adult Nature History Lecture Series
At the Connecticut Audubon Society Coastal Center at Milford Point
Join us each month at the Coastal Center as conservation and wildlife experts come in to share with you their knowledge on an array of topics. Pre-registration is required for all programs. No fee but donations are appreciated.
Osprey in Connecticut - Thursday, March 17th, 7:00-8:00 p.m.
Join us as Julie Victoria, wildlife biologist for the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, gives a lecture on one of the most fascinating birds of prey - the osprey. Did you know that fish make up to 99% of an osprey’s diet and they can dive from some 30-100 feet in order to catch their food? Therefore, the food-rich salt marsh habitat around the Coastal Center makes it the ideal place for osprey. With luck, we may spot one that has returned from its long journey back north.
Amphibians in Decline - Wednesday, April 6th, 7:00-8:00 p.m.
Did you know that one-third of the world’s amphibian populations are in decline and that just in the last two decades alone 168 amphibian species have gone extinct? Come find out the causes for these staggering statistics as Connecticut Audubon Society conservation biologist Twan Leenders shares with you recently collected information from his trip to study amphibians in Costa Rica.
Horseshoe Crab Tagging and Lecture - Tuesday, May 31st, 7:30-8:30 p.m.
Although usually overlooked, horseshoe crabs are one of the most remarkable creatures on our planet. Having changed little over the last 250 million years, these arthropods are frequent visitors to our shorelines. Come join Dr. Jennifer Mattei and Dr. Mark Beekey of Sacred Heart University as they teach you even more about these amazing creatures. The program will even conclude with a horseshoe crab tagging session out on the beach for those who are interested. Wear old sneakers or water shoes.
Bats - Tuesday, June 14th, 7:00-8:00 p.m.
With the 1,100 different type of bat species representing nearly 20% of all mammal species, these animals are definitely worth learning about! Join Christina Kocer and Jenny Dickson, wildlife biologists for the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, as they teach us about these incredible flying mammals.
Call Louise at 203-878-7440 to register.
Cost: Free (donations appreciated) | <urn:uuid:71a26236-0dc5-4a4b-b82f-b3bbc09ad5b1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ctaudubon.blogspot.com/2011/03/adult-nature-history-lecture-series.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00074-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.929311 | 554 | 2.375 | 2 |
The UN Yugoslav war crimes court acquitted Kosovo's ex-Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj and two aides in a retrial on charges of murder and torture during the 1990s war of independence from Belgrade.
"The chamber finds you not guilty on all counts in the indictment," Judge Bakone Justice Moloto told the Hague-based court, ordering the men released.
Judges in the retrial ruled on Thursday that there was no evidence that Haradinaj and two accomplices had taken part in such a plan.
The court's public gallery erupted in cries of joy as the acquittals were announced.
The proceedings were broadcast live on a giant screen in the Kosovo capital Pristina, where Haradinaj is considered a hero by Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority who had high hopes of an acquittal.
Prosecutors had said Haridinaj participated as a commander in the Kosovo Liberation Army in a criminal plan to drive Serbs out of the province, which at the time was ruled from Belgrade, and had demanded at least 20 years in prison for all three men.
'Miscarriage of justice'
Thursday's verdicts came in the UN court's first retrial so far, which was ordered after appeals judges branded the 2008 acquittal of Haradinaj and Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) fighter Idriz Balaj and the conviction of a third KLA commander, Lahi Brahimaj, a "miscarriage of justice" because of widespread intimidation of prosecution witnesses.
Moloto said that one witness may not have been in the Jablanica detention camp where alleged abuses took place and "may have told what he heard from others."
After one incident of abuse "a KLA solider apologised for the incident and blamed it on extremist groups within the KLA," the judge said.
"There is no credible evidence that Haradinaj was even aware of the crimes committed at Jablanica," Moloto said.
The acquittal clears the way for a possible return to the political scene for Haradinaj, seen before his 2005 indictment as a unifying force in deeply divided Kosovo.
He is now likely to continue his political career in Kosovo and is expected to run again for prime minister.
Haradinaj had quit his job as prime minister after 100 days in office to hand himself over to the tribunal. He established the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo party after the conflict, and has been on provisional release since May 10 and living at home in Pristina.
A slap in the face
The ruling is almost certain to be perceived by Serbia as a new slap in the face after the court earlier this month acquitted Croatian General Ante Gotovina of war crimes against the Serbs.
Senior Serbian officials had said that should Haradinaj walk, EU-sponsored talks between Pristina and Belgrade - which still considers Kosovo to be its southern province - could be jeopardised.
The most senior KLA commanders to be tried, Haradinaj as well as Balaj, his lieutenant and commander of the feared "Black Eagles" unit, were acquitted in April 2008 on 37 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Haradinaj is still considered a war criminal by Belgrade and an arrest warrant has been issued against him by Serbia's war crimes prosecutor for his alleged crimes.
Oliver Antic, legal adviser to Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic, had said that should Haradinaj be acquitted "it will surely jeopardise negotiations".
"Haradinaj's acquittal will distance us from reconciliation," he added.
The conflict in Kosovo ended when NATO forces intervened to stop a crackdown on ethnic Albanians by the troops loyal to Milosevic.
In one of the most brutal episodes of the Balkans conflicts in the 1990s, more than 10,000 people died in the fighting.
Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in 2008, but Belgrade opposes its international recognition. | <urn:uuid:a59941e8-2ba8-4d6f-b927-a07bcc6ca2bc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe/2012/11/201211299622442852.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.979819 | 807 | 1.726563 | 2 |
Model Curriculum » Home
Mathematics (K-12) » Math Home
Algebra I Overview
Many of the concepts presented in Algebra I are progressions of the concepts that were started in grades 6 through 8; the content presented in this course is intended to extend and deepen the previous understandings.
Unit 1 begins with setting the stage for work with expressions and equations through understanding quantities and the relationships between them. The work in unit 2 will build on the grade 8 concepts for linear and exponential relationships. Success in unit 2 will lay the groundwork for later units where the students will extend this knowledge to quadratic and exponential functions.
The standards included in unit 3 blend the conceptual understandings of expressions and equations with procedural fluency and problem solving. The students will not encounter solutions of quadratic equations that are complex.
The standards presented in unit 4 involve functions and extending the concepts of integer exponents to concepts of rational exponents. The understandings will be applied to other types of equations in future courses. Unit 5 will build on previous work with descriptive statistics. Linear models will be used to assess how a model fits data.
Specific modeling standards appear throughout the high school standards indicated by a star symbol (★). (Identified from COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS for Mathematics pg. 73).
If you do not have the username and password to access assessments please email this address: MCPass@doe.state.nj.us
Provide the following information in the body of the email:
- School District
The username and password is to be used by educators (teachers, principals, directors of curriculum, district administrative staff, etc.) of New Jersey ONLY. By emailing this address you certify you are an educator in New Jersey. | <urn:uuid:07631c71-47c0-497d-8bac-9de91cd233b7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nj.gov/education/modelcurriculum/math/AlgebraI.shtml | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00067-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.917151 | 364 | 4.0625 | 4 |