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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
It costs £45 in hardback. It has a crashingly dull cover and title. And it has been launched without marketing pizazz. But a new academic book written by David MacKay, a physics professor at the University of Cambridge, is being hailed by some as a "game changer": a text that could revolutionise popular thinking about our future energy needs and how we could supply them.
First published online last summer, Sustainable Energy - Without the Hot Air has gathered fans and accolades from all corners of the energy and climate change debate - politicians, business leaders, environmentalists. Readers have warmed to the book's calm, authoritative voice which steers them, with the aid of wry humour and no-nonsense "back-of-the-envelope" calculations, through the options we have before us if we are ever to wean ourselves off fossil fuels.
Using £10,000 of his own money, MacKay got the book into print last December with the help of a small Cambridge-based publisher. But it was only earlier this month that MacKay hit gold. A review by the influential Boing-Boing blog, which described the book as the "Freakonomics of energy and climate", led to 1,000 copies selling in the US virtually overnight. Then a review by the Economist called it a "tour de force" and an "exemplary" work of popular science - and the initial print run of 5,000 evaporated in days. Earlier this week, as word-of-mouth gathered pace, it broke into the Top 60 bestsellers list on Amazon.co.uk and the publisher is now scrambling to rush out a second print run to meet demand. Quite a result for a book that, on the surface at least, looks like any other dry academic tome destined to gather dust in a library.
Inviting me into his rather chaotic office at the Cavendish Laboratory in Cambridge - whose alumni include 29 Nobel laureates - MacKay admits that he is a little taken aback by the sudden attention his book has received, remarking that he is due to take calls from the New York Times and CNN later that afternoon.
"I was distressed by the poor quality of the debate surrounding energy," he says, explaining why he started to write the book in his spare time four years ago. "I was also noticing so much greenwash from politicians and big business. I was tired of the debate - the extremism, the nimbyism, the hairshirt. We need a constructive conversation about energy, not a Punch and Judy show. I just wanted to try to reboot the whole debate. Most of physics is about energy, and physicists understand inefficiencies. I wanted to write a book about our energy options in a neutral, human-accessible form."
The book's masterstroke is to express all forms of power consumption and production - the car, the washing machine, the wind turbine, the mobile phone charger, the nuclear power station - in a single unit of measurement. So rather than drown readers in a swamp of gigahertz, megawatts, joules, tonnes of oil equivalent and the like, he describes everything in terms of kilowatt hours per day (kWh/d). Put another way, one 40 watt lightbulb, kept switched on all the time, uses one kilowatt-hour a day. Once we learn that driving the average car 50km a day consumes 40kWh/d, we can see that this is equal to the power needed to keep 40 40W lightbulbs constantly lit for a day. This, MacKay argues, sharpens the debate by helping us to focus
on the big things - such as how hopelessly undercooked our current plans for renewable energy are - rather than get distracted by "eco-gestures", such as believing you have done your bit by remembering to switch off the mobile phone charger. ("The amount of energy saved by switching off the phone charger is exactly the same as the energy used by driving an average car for one second.")
One of the book's other strengths - and what sets it apart from other mainstream books about energy and climate change - is that it is refreshingly free (almost) of politics and economics. It is clear that he wants to avoid being sucked into drawing hard conclusions about what might be the best energy policies - one of his first thoughts for the book's title was You Figure it Out - but despite his desire to remain at arm's-length from the fierce debates that rage around the issue of energy, his book has stuck a hefty stick into the hive.
Inevitably, his calculations are being used to furnish various agendas. For example, he is irked that the "anti-wind brigade" is now using his figures to suggest that we would need to cover vast tracts of land in turbines to meet demand. For the record, he says that he is neither anti-wind nor pro-nuclear - as some online commenters have concluded - but, rather, "pro-arithmetic". He admits, though, that his pragmatic talk of needing to cover an area "the size of Wales" in wind turbines, build 100 nuclear power stations and construct country-sized solar parks in the Sahara, if we are to maintain our "European lifestyles", is going to raise hackles. He just wants the debate to be fuelled on facts and honesty.
"One coal-fired power station equals 2,000 wind turbines," he says. "When we retire a technology, we must know we have made the right choice."
Is he pessimistic about our chances of addressing our energy needs in a sustainable manner, without resorting to what he calls "half measures" such as "slightly more efficient fossil-fuel power stations"?
"I am fundamentally optimistic and confident that we can have the conversation I call for in the book," he says. "Making this transformation could actually be fun. Electric cars are really very cool. Air-source heat pumps are great. But it's not going to be easy. We need to stop saying 'no' and starting saying 'yes' to some of these solutions".
• Sustainable Energy - Without The Hot Air, by David MacKay, is published by UIT (£19.99, paperback; £45, hardback), or can be downloaded free from withouthotair.com | <urn:uuid:e93c1abc-f62c-42f2-937b-837329b9c2a0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/apr/30/david-mckay-sustainable-energy | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00047-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968742 | 1,301 | 2.09375 | 2 |
Henna crowns of beauty and life
"We want to empower you. We want to help you feel beautiful, and give you the confidence to be a walking work of art.”
This is the mission statement for a company called Henna Heals, a team of professional henna artists founded by Toronto-based photographer Frances Darwin, Artsci’07. However, this initiative is unique for the emotional benefits it provides.
When cancer patients lose their hair due to chemotherapy, the artists of Henna Heals apply beautiful designs, “henna crowns,” to their smooth pates. The naturally sourced henna dye drawings are intricate, one-of-a-kind, completely safe, and temporary. The artworks are so awe-inspiring that they draw admiring looks and spark in-depth conversations.
Frances’ company also creates henna crowns for people who are suffering from alopecia and for high school students and teachers who have shaved their heads to benefit Cuts for Cancer.
Raised in Southeast Asia, Frances learned about henna as girl, but she only discovered henna crowns when she was living in San Francisco, working as a maternity photographer. She and the world-renowned henna artist Darcy Vasudev talked about providing henna designs for pregnant women’s bellies.
The concept for Henna Heals was developed when Vasudev told Frances about breast cancer patient Tara Schubert, who was sporting a henna crown. When Frances went to photograph her, Tara commented, “I’ve never felt this beautiful, even before I had cancer.”
The henna crown is a recent innovation, so Frances could only find three artists in all of Canada who had done one before she contacted them
As Frances recently told an interviewer for Samaritan magazine, “I couldn’t believe it. My taking Tara’s photograph made her feel more desirable. That, coupled with the power of her henna crown, made her feel unstoppable.”
Sadly, Schubert has died. However, thanks to her story, Henna Heals was born in early 2011. Since then, it has received widespread media attention. “I scrolled down the main page of the UK’s Daily Mail [May 25, 2012], and there was an article on Henna Heals, in between articles on Kim Kardashian and P. Diddy!” says Frances. “I thought, ‘Wow, this idea is really spreading! So many people are going to learn about henna crowns now, and that’s all I’ve ever wanted.’”
The henna crown is a recent innovation, so Frances could only find three artists in all of Canada who had done one before she contacted them. “Recently, though, people have been contacting me from around the world, saying, ‘I just thought of doing this, and here you are doing it!’ It’s a wonderful shift in consciousness.”
Henna Heals is currently a for-profit social purpose business, but Frances is seeking legal counsel about turning it into a non-profit organization.
“I don’t feel comfortable charging a cancer patient for this, but I was initially told that a for-profit social business was the way to go, because funding for non-profits and charities is drying up quickly in our Canadian economy.
“However, now that we’re trying to work with hospitals that are non-profits, it’s become clear that we may also have to become a non-profit company.”
In the meantime, Frances has started the Henna Helps Fund as a way to subsidize the $100 cost of a henna crown for any patient who wants one, but can’t afford it.
She hopes to make henna crowns available in hospitals, convenient places for patients who are undergoing chemo. She’s also hoping to partner with more schools that participate in Cuts for Cancer, and to help out at local special events.
Henna Heals continues to make connections with trusted henna artists around the world. Says Frances, “If someone outside of Toronto contacts me and wants a henna crown, we now have 80 non-affiliated artists who have been recommended to me through the close-knit professional henna artist community, so we can recommend an artist to them.”
Frances was thrilled when that Samaritan article received 10,000 on-line hits, but she’s not done promoting the concept of henna crowns just yet. She’s using her filmmaking skills to capture the henna crown application process for patients willing to share their stories, and some of the videos may be viewed on the Henna Heals Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/hennaheals.
You can visit Henna Heals online at http://hennaheals.ca and follow on Twitter at Frances @hennaheals. | <urn:uuid:5fb2643d-27b0-460b-8baf-91cec832f4db> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.queensu.ca/news/print/37006 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00063-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973218 | 1,049 | 1.859375 | 2 |
Wallach, Jeremy & Berger, Harris & Greene, Paul (eds.)
Metal Rules The Globe (Book Review)
Released: 2011, Duke University Press
This book METAL RULES THE GLOBE wins the award for ‘Most Obvious Book Title Of The Year’. Of course Metal rules the globe! I’ve known that for 30 years. That’s why our founder EvilG named this site, Metal Rules. Metal not only rules the globe, but everything else too. Well, those are strong words and now we have academic proof to back up such lofty proclamations. On a more serious note perhaps METAL RULES THE GLOBE is the latest in an ever increasing quantity of academic books and papers dedicated to the study of and appreciation of Heavy Metal.
Essentially METAL RULES THE GLOBE is a collection of 14 essays about various aspects of Heavy Metal compartmentalized into six chapters. A book review is not the time or place for an in-depth analysis or critique of each essay, it would be an insult to the authors and the book review would be 14 pages long! It's going to be long enough as it is. Instead I'll just say a couple of sentences on each piece giving you an idea of the nature, style and diversity of such a monumental and groundbreaking collection.
As mentioned there are six parts. It starts with the Introduction with two essays about the globalization of Metal. Up next is 'Metal, Gender and Modernity' (two essays), followed by 'Metal And The Nation' (two essays). Part Four was one of my favorite sections with three essays about Metal and extremist ideologies. The pair of essays that comprise the fifth section 'Metal And The Music Industry' are fascinating and Part Six, 'Small Nation/Small Scene Case Studies' rounds out the book with three essays.
Kids, Don't be afraid of my constant use of the word 'essay'. These works are of an academic nature of course but the nature of the topics being covered is so interesting that it is not like sitting in High School being forced to read some crap (probably an essay) you don't care about, or worse yet having to write an essay. (2000 words due on Monday and you haven't started yet...) As for METAL RULES THE GLOBE, if you are interested in Metal in Japan, there is something here for you. If you are into Sepultura there is something here for you. If you like Kiss and Zeppelin, we got ya covered. Don't think of this book as homework, think of it as a collection of Metal Essays Greatest Hits, with a bonus track being the Afterword by Robert Wasler, author of 2001’s, RUNNING WITH THE DEVIL.
Let's look at the guts of this thing. The book starts with a collaborative effort of the three editors, Jeremy Wallach, Harris M. Berger, and Paul D. Greene and they eloquently discuss the project (10 years in the making!) and look at the global Metal scene. Up next likely one of the most famous Metal academics, Deena Weinstein writes a great and self-explanatory piece called, 'The Globalization Of Metal'. You may know her from Sam Dunn's movie, METAL: A HEADBANGERS JOURNEY or her book HEAVY METAL.
Part Two launches with Cynthia Wong's piece about masculinity in Chinese Metal in the 1990's. Because there was so little Chinese Metal, her work is one of, if not the first, to discuss this region. Jeremy Wallach more than adequately discusses the utterly massive scenes in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore of which he is the expert, having immersed himself in the cultural scene of that region for years.
Part Three starts with Paul Greene's work examining not only the Nepalese Metal
Scene but how the rebellion of the scene manifests itself in the music, lyrics and art. Idelber Avelars’ contribution is an in-depth look at Sepultura and their place representing Brazil and Metal on the global stage. This essay was my least favorite as it had some technical errors and was quite subjective, often overstating the importance of Sepultura, as compared to other Brazilian bands like Viper that had made global in-roads before Sepultura had. However, it's still excellent piece and Sep fans will love it.
Extremist ideologies is the ever popular, ever controversial theme of the next three essays. Sharon Hochhauser does a phenomenal job of documenting the marketing of North American racist Metal industry, unfortunately dubbed 'Hatecore'. Call a spade a spade, it's Metal made by racists for racists, the term 'hate' could apply to many other non-racist bands and sub-genres. Next is Ross Hagen's informative examination of good ol Norwegian Black Metal, one of the most studied cultural phenomena is recent memory. I liked his angle; he avoids regurgitating the sensationalist aspects and actually focuses more on music, image, lyrics rather than the actions of a few individuals. Speaking of extreme, the next essay is by Keith Kahn-Harris, author of the pioneering book EXTREME METAL. In his writing he examines Racism and Globalization especially looking at the Israeli Metal scene. Another favorite of mine in this collection, Kahn-Harris expands on his theories of the collection of transgressive sub-cultural capital, more specifically how some bands/people 'pretend' to be racist to gain legitimacy in a scene that rewards shock and the inherent danger of even pretending to endorse hate and crime. He concludes these damaging actions make it even harder for talented, legitimate bands (specifically) from Israel to gain global acceptance.
As an industry dude I also really enjoyed Part Five and the brace of essays about the Metal Industry. Steve Waksman wrote a fantastic comparative piece about mega-bands (Kiss and Led Zeppelin) and their early incursions into (then) non-traditional Metal markets such as Japan, Brazil. One band toured these regions for commerce and one for artistic reasons. I'll let you guess which band was which. I liked this essay immensely and I felt a renewed appreciation for Waksman's work, especially after giving him a bit if a rough ride when I reviewed his book, THIS AIN'T THE SUMMER OF LOVE, which I didn't agree with or enjoy nearly as much as his entry in this book. The second essay of the pair is a collaborative effort by Kei Kawano and Shuhei Hosokawa and what I think will become a definitive work and the title says it all; 'Thunder In The Far East: The Heavy Metal Industry in 1990's Japan. Compare this work to Cynthia Wong's aforementioned work about Metal in China in the 1990's (Part Two) for an interesting counter-point.
If you are still reading this award yourself a B+ and add +10 points to your Metal Cred rating! Lastly, there is a trio of essays about very small Metal scenes from around the world. These writings and studies are all very interesting and well done but perhaps have a limited appeal (unless you live in one of those places) because the focus is very narrow. Albert Bell examines the Maltese Metal scene. Rajko Mursic sheds light on the Slovenia Metal scene and Dan Bendrup talks about the Rapanui Metal scene. Rapanui is better known as Easter Island, you know... the place with the giant, half buried, face statues. They have a Metal scene! I think that truly demonstrates the global nature of Metal when a few dudes on a remote Polynesian island with a population of about 4000 can create a scene.
I believe the editors and authors can all be proud of this monumental work. As one of the crude, unsophisticated, mono-browed, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, unkempt, mono-syllabic, head-banging dudes who has dedicated his entire life to the Metal, my final analysis of this excellent collection of academic papers is this…. | <urn:uuid:e7763590-67a8-46df-acaa-03a1f71e254c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.metal-rules.com/review/viewreview.php?band=Wallach,%20Jeremy%20&%20Berger,%20Harris%20&%20Greene,%20Paul%20(eds.)&album=Metal%20Rules%20The%20Globe%20(Book%20Review)&post_by=JP | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00073-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949401 | 1,665 | 1.601563 | 2 |
Your Body: Your Ally
Exercise can be a huge benefit for breast cancer survivors.
Research shows that the impact of physical exercise and therapy on cancer survival, especially breast cancer, is substantial.
Charlene Gates is a physical therapist at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and a clinical affiliate of Norris Cotton Cancer Center, working with cancer survivors. She says the goal of her PT program for cancer patients is simple: "We want people to get back to their life."
Exercise and cancer: two routes
She points out that at the intersection of cancer and exercise, there are two routes to take, depending on what's the most appropriate treatment at the time. Therapeutic exercise addresses what Charlene calls "impairments" – loss of strength due to chemotherapy and other treatments, loss of a range of motion (frequent for breast cancer survivors), and so forth. Physical activity exercise aims to improve overall health. "Over the past few years, there's been a lot of research about the benefits of moderate exercise for cancer patients," she says. "The immune system gets fired up by exercise. In fact, the benefits of moderate exercise go beyond just breast cancer to include just about all cancers."
More than the immune system is positively affected by exercise. Since the human body is built to be active, almost everything about it improves with even moderate exercise. Muscles become toned, blood circulation improves, lungs take in more oxygen – every benefit that exercise provides for fully healthy people is also provided for cancer survivors.
"Moderate" is the key word in terms of exercise. Physical activity for breast cancer patients and breast cancer survivors needn't involve a membership to the Gung-Ho Triathlete Gym just down the street. Moderate, explains Charlene, means any exercise the increases the heart and breathing rates but allows someone to continue talking. Done in 10-minute increments, a week's worth of moderate exercise should total about 150 minutes. Cancer survivors can meet their goal for moderate exercise by gardening, golfing, just walking around the neighborhood.
Cutting risk of mortality from cancer in half
A recent review article published in the Journal of Cancer Surgery noted that of 12 studies specifically addressing the effect of physical activity on breast cancer survival, "eight showed a statistically significant 50% risk reduction in breast cancer mortality in women who engaged in moderate intensity physical activity before and after their diagnosis of breast cancer." The article goes on to emphasize that the "positive effects of physical activity were seen for all stages of cancer... By adding physical activity to the spectrum of adjuvant therapies offered to women, survival from breast cancer may be enhanced."
The benefits of exercise for cancer patients and survivors have even caught the attention of the American College of Sports Medicine, which has established exercise guidelines for cancer survivors. (The American Cancer Society has created similar guidelines.) These highly detailed guidelines emphasize the increasing need for physical therapists specifically trained to rehabilitate cancer survivors. "A sizeable percentage of the population of cancer survivors, nearly 12 million strong and growing, stand to benefit from well-designed exercise programming led by increasingly well-educated and well-informed fitness professionals," the guidelines state.
Getting your body on your side
Charlene points out that many people tend to slow down right after they are first diagnosed with cancer. "It's natural. You think, I'm really, really sick,'" she says. "But this is exactly when you need to bring everything your body can deliver to your treatment. Exercise is one of the best ways to get your body working for you rather than against you. You can make your body your ally."
Many survivors of breast cancer have a risk of developing osteoporosis, she notes, which is why she likes to encourage two to three sessions per week of "resistive" exercise—weights, isometrics, etc. She cautions, however, not to try weights without receiving some training first. "It's really important to learn how to properly lift weights," she comments, "even light weights."
A diagnosis of cancer pushes many people into a general reassessment of their life. It's always a time of change. "If we could get all the benefits of exercise in a pill, of course we would all take it," laughs Charlene. "But we can't. However, the benefits of exercise are all still right there, just by exercising. It's never too late. It doesn't have to be hard. And it could make a huge difference in your recovery."
August 27, 2012
Subscribe to the Focus Newsletter
Receive Focus Newsletter articles in your Inbox or via RSS Feed. | <urn:uuid:788aa787-4261-4835-a2f3-71d1911f550e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://cancer.dartmouth.edu/breast/your_body_your_ally.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00048-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962469 | 940 | 2.53125 | 3 |
In Honor of Mr. Buckley
This is taken from The New York Times obituary:
Mr. Buckley’s vocabulary, sparkling with phrases from distant eras and described in newspaper and magazine profiles as sesquipedalian (characterized by the use of long words), became the stuff of legend. Less kind commentators preferred the adjective “pleonastic” (using more words than necessary).
In honor of this great and inimitable man, learn ten new words this week. Or, better yet, read (or reread) his classic Up From Liberalism, one of the key books that turned me away from the political liberalism when I read it in 1980. | <urn:uuid:64f10246-50f4-400f-b0c2-e2cfbbae723c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://theconstructivecurmudgeon.blogspot.com/2008/02/in-honor-of-mr-buckley.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939541 | 140 | 1.640625 | 2 |
Becoming a software developer, also known as a computer programmer, you'll be playing a key role in the design, installation, testing and maintenance of software systems. The programs you create are likely to help businesses be more efficient and provide a better service.
Based on your company’s particular requirements, you might be responsible for writing and coding individual programmes or providing an entirely new software resource. The specifications you’ll work on will often come from IT analysts.
Software developers are employed across virtually all industry sectors, from finance and retail to engineering, transport and public organisations, so the projects you work on can be highly varied.
Sometimes you may also use ‘off the shelf’ software. Requiring you to modify and integrate this into an existing network to meet the needs of the business.
As a software developer, your list of tasks can include:
• Reviewing current systems
• Presenting ideas for system improvements, including cost proposals
• Working closely with analysts, designers and staff
• Producing detailed specifications and writing the program codes
• Testing the product in controlled, real situations before going live
• Preparation of training manuals for users
• Maintaining the systems once they are up and running
Currently, about a third of IT jobs are in development and programming and you can become a software developer across virtually all industry sectors. So if you have a particular area of interest, there's a chance you can work in a suitable industry.
In a typical progression path, you could be promoted to senior or principal developer and from there to project manager. Alternatively, you could chose to move into a related field of technology, like systems design, IT architecture and business systems analysis.
If you’re keen to work for yourself, there is a chance you could work as a freelancer or consultant, giving you increased working flexibility. Overseas work is also available for those interested in seeing more of the world and working in a range of locations.
Knowledge of programming skills is a prerequisite. However, the particular language will depend on the requirements of the specific company. Among the skills employers will look for are:
Knowledge of programming skills are a given if you want to get into software development. You'll need to be comfortable with web-based programs, as well as traditional programs like Java and Visual Basic.
The key skills to play up when you're looking for a job as a software developer are as follows:
• Expertise in current computer hardware and software
• Ability to use one or more development language (C++, PHP, HTML, etc.)
• Strong communication skills
• Ability to work in a team
• Eye for detail and identifying problems
• An understanding of business
• Analytical and commercial experience
Most employers will expect you have to have a relevant computing qualification or degree, however there are companies that run trainee programmes for those with AS levels.
If you have a degree, but it’s not related to IT, you could apply for a graduate trainee scheme, or take a postgraduate conversion course to build up the relevant skills.
Some of the most sought after skills by employers include Java, C++, Smalltalk, Visual Basic, Oracle, Linux and .NET. PHP are also becoming increasingly in demand.
It’s essential that you stay up to date with the fast paced IT industry as new developments are always appearing. Many organisations may offer a training programme to keep you updates on the latest movements within the industry, particularly relating to the business’ requirements and resources.
At a junior level, you could learn many skills from more senior programmers and/or go on external courses to boost your personal skills. Much of this training will be focused on programming, systems analysis and software from recognised providers including the British Computer Society, e-skills, the Institute of Analysts and Programmers and the Institute for the Management of Information Systems.
All the software vendors, including Microsoft and Sun run accredited training too.
Hours and environment
In most cases you’ll be working 37 to 40 hours a week, but when deadlines have to be met, you can be required to working longer and later hours or at weekend.
Traveling may be involved, depending whether you work in house or for a range of clients. If you do work for clients, it’s likely you’ll have to visit their sites and spend the majority of your time on their premises. If they're far away, it may be necessary to work away from home for a period of time. Thanks to various technological advances, there’s also the possibility of working remotely from home if you’re self-employed or your company allows it.
As a graduate you'll probably start earning around £20,830 to £25,770. At management level, your pay is likely to increase to £26,000 to £70,000, or even higher with bonuses.
Many of the roles are positioned in London and tend to offer higher salaries.
Find software developer jobs | <urn:uuid:4589c061-edca-4673-918e-e9c450364752> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cwjobs.co.uk/careers-advice/profiles/software-developer | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00041-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94761 | 1,033 | 2.609375 | 3 |
It's comforting and at the same time disconcerting to read a description of security measures in place at Beaufort County's public schools.
They are thorough, and unfortunately necessary, if for no other reason than to give parents and guardians some measure of assurance that their children are safe while away from their care.
The academic world has changed a great deal since many of us were in a classroom, especially after the Columbine school shootings in 1999. The Dec. 14 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., which claimed the lives of 20 children and six educators, brought into sharp focus again why we have taken these precautions.
And it also raised new doubts about whether we are doing enough to protect our children.
But we must not overreact. A bill has been introduced in the state Senate that would allow people who have permits to carry concealed weapons to bring their weapons into schools.
Under current law, weapons are not allowed in schools and must be locked away out of sight when in a vehicle on school grounds.
A House bill would allow a school employee with a concealed weapons permit to bring a gun into a school if authorized by the local district.
State superintendent Mick Zais testified at a Senate committee hearing that he would support a local district's decision to allow a few highly trained and screened employees to carry guns in schools.
All are bad ideas. Mark Keel, head of the State Law Enforcement Division, emphatically rejected civilians carrying guns in schools, and he should be heeded.
"God forbid, if we have a shooting incident where school employees are armed and law enforcement is responding, (and) they don't know who's who," Keel said at the same committee meeting. "When they're confronted by armed individuals in civilian clothes, they don't know who the bad guys are."
Teachers have enough to do without worrying about significant gun training and re-training, he said. In shootings, even law enforcement officers fail to the hit their target half of the time.
Better, Keel said, to have trained law enforcement officers in our schools.
That makes much more sense than risking a student getting a gun left unattended or a teacher or other employee accidentally shooting a child or a co-worker.
Beaufort County's middle and high schools have armed school resource officers on duty. No school resource officers are regularly assigned to elementary schools. In a new program, 16 Beaufort County sheriff's deputies have started visiting elementary schools during routine patrols. It's a good start.
Sheriff P.J. Tanner also wants to reassign six deputies who work at the Beaufort County Animal Shelter & Control to elementary schools.
A bill introduced Wednesday in the Senate calls for a trained a police officer in each of the state's public schools, with the state footing the bill. The plan could cost between $30 million and $40 million a year, Senate Minority Leader Nikki Setzler said. Some lawmakers say the state might provide supplemental support rather than paying the full cost. Federal help also might be available.
Financial help will be key to putting an officer in every school. Spokesman Jim Foster said that this school year, the Beaufort County school district is paying $687,152 for school resource officers in its middle and high schools. That's with the district contributing 75 percent of the cost, and the law enforcement agencies supplying the officers contributing 25 percent.
Still, officers on site, in addition to helping in an emergency, could also be a critical deterrent.
Trained police officers in our schools is a safer and saner approach to protecting our children. We should listen to law enforcement professionals. | <urn:uuid:4165a57d-f894-4ac6-b569-324288dcd7a3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.islandpacket.com/2013/01/20/2347066/trained-officers-in-schools-best.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972333 | 744 | 1.71875 | 2 |
SIMM, Address Lines Order?
trag at io.com
Sun Sep 25 20:59:02 CDT 2005
When connecting DRAM chips to the pins of a SIMM (i.e. laying out the
traces) does it matter if the order of the address and data lines is
preserved? In other words, does A0 on the SIMM need to connect to A0
on the chip, and A0 on all the other chips as well? These are old
DRAM, such as FPM or EDO, used in 30 pin SIMMs. Nothing new and
fancy like SDRAM.
I believe the answer is no. But I know from experience that there
are sometimes odd scenarios that are easily overlooked, so I figured
I'd access the shared experience and knowledge here.
It's a lot easier to layout the PCB for the SIMMs, if I don't
preserve order. And it shouldn't matter, because anything that gets
stored at address X should come back out on a read to address X.
The only circumstance I can think of that could cause a problem is if
the RAM has some kind of sequential read mode where consequeutive
addresses are expected. Reading the datasheet, I don't see a mode
like that. The closest thing is a burst mode where the Row address
stays constant and a series of Column addresses are supplied, but
that should work just fine, I think.
So, any gotchas to disordering the address and data pins between the
SIMM, and the chips and from chip to chip?
More information about the cctech | <urn:uuid:51fe2374-0a29-476e-854e-f9b7cff38629> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctech/2005-September/010702.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943723 | 347 | 2.359375 | 2 |
The Story of the Outlaw A Study of the Western Desperado
In offering this study of the American desperado, the author constitutes himself no apologist for the acts of any desperado; yet neither does he feel that apology is needed for the theme itself. The outlaw, the desperado—that somewhat distinct and easily recognizable figure generally known in the West as the "bad man"—is a character unique in our national history, and one whose like scarcely has been produced in any land other than this. It is not necessary to promote absurd and melodramatic impressions regarding a type properly to be called historic, and properly to be handled as such. The truth itself is thrilling enough, and difficult as that frequently has been of discovery, it is the truth which has been sought herein.
A thesis on the text of disregard for law might well be put to better use than to serve merely as exciting reading, fit to pass away an idle hour. It might, and indeed it may—if the reader so shall choose—offer a foundation for wider arguments than those suggested in these pages, which deal rather with premises than conclusions. The lesson of our dealings with our bad men of the past can teach us, if we like, the best method of dealing with our bad men to-day.
There are other lessons which we might take from an acquaintance with frontier methods of enforcing respect for the law; and the first of these is a practical method of handling criminals in the initial executive acts of the law. Never were American laws so strong as to-day, and never were our executive officers so weak. Our cities frequently are ridden with criminals or rioters. We set hundreds of policemen to restore order, but order is not restored. What is the average policeman as a criminal-taker? Cloddy and coarse of fiber, rarely with personal heredity of mental or bodily vigor, with no training at arms, with no sharp, incisive quality of nerve action, fat, unwieldy, unable to run a hundred yards and keep his breath, not skilled enough to kill his man even when he has him cornered, he is the archetype of all unseemliness as the agent of a law which to-day needs a sterner upholding than ever was the case in all our national life. We use this sort of tools in handling criminals, when each of us knows, or ought to know, that the city which would select twenty Western peace officers of the old type and set them to work without restrictions as to the size of their imminent graveyards, would free itself of criminals in three months' time, and would remain free so long as its methods remained in force.
As for the subject-matter of the following work, it may be stated that, while attention has been paid to the great and well-known instances and epochs of outlawry, many of the facts given have not previously found their way into print. The story of the Lincoln County War of the Southwest is given truthfully for the first time, and after full acquaintance with sources of information now inaccessible or passing away. The Stevens County War of Kansas, which took place, as it were, but yesterday and directly at our doors, has had no history but a garbled one; and as much might be said of many border encounters whose chief use heretofore has been to curdle the blood in penny-dreadfuls. Accuracy has been sought among the confusing statements purporting to constitute the record in such historic movements as those of the "vigilantes" of California and Montana mining days, and of the later cattle days when "wars" were common between thieves and outlaws, and the representatives of law and order,—themselves not always duly authenticated officers of the law.
No one man can have lived through the entire time of the American frontier; and any work of this kind must be in part a matter of compilation in so far as it refers to matters of the past. In all cases where practicable, however, the author has made up the records from stories of actual participants, survivors and eye-witnesses; and he is able in some measure to write of things and men personally known during twenty-five years of Western life.... | <urn:uuid:4a9388cf-a246-4b2a-bd38-2a031d0e27c0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.digilibraries.com/ebook/123986/The_Story_of_the_Outlaw__A_Study_of_the_Western_Despe___/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00043-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978217 | 860 | 2.703125 | 3 |
As chairman of the Defense Policy Board, Richard Perle has been an influential architect of the Bush administration's Iraq policy and war plans. At the same time, it turns out, he has signed on to represent a major telecommunications company that has a strong financial interest in lobbying the Defense Department. This is a conflict pure and simple, and Mr. Perle should immediately drop one of his two roles.
Mr. Perle, who served as an assistant defense secretary under President Reagan, is indisputably an important part of the current Defense Department. His position as chairman of the policy board, to which he was appointed by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, is unpaid. But he is nevertheless considered a ''special government employee'' and is subject to federal ethics rules.
Global Crossing, the telecommunications giant, is now in bankruptcy. It has retained Mr. Perle to help persuade the Defense Department to drop its objections to a proposed sale to foreign buyers in Hong Kong and Singapore. The deal has been opposed by the Defense Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation as a threat to national security because it would put Global Crossing's fiber optics network, which is used by the United States government, under foreign control. Mr. Perle stands to make up to $725,000 from his work for Global Crossing. | <urn:uuid:0f7afb71-20a9-4901-9771-2d8a70bbb1bd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/24/opinion/24MON3.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00049-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977741 | 262 | 1.679688 | 2 |
Mapp v. Ohio
What is Mapp v. Ohio (1961)?
Mapp v. Ohio is considered to be amongst the most famous Supreme Court cases to have taken place within the 20th century; this case was an appeal to the prior arrest of Dollree Mapp by the Cleveland Police Department. Prior to Mapp v. Ohio, Dollree Mapp – the plaintiff – was arrested after police officers had entered her home in order to search for a fugitive whom Mapp was believed to be harboring; the Cleveland Police Department – following several denials for entry on the part of Mapp – were reported to have falsified a search warrant and forcibly enter the residence of Dollree Mapp.
Subsequent to their entry, the police were unable to locate the alleged fugitive; however, they discovered material within the Mapp household that was determined to be “lewd and lascivious” according to police reports – these items were described as books
Dollree Mapp was arrested upon this discovery, but was not charged; however, she maintained that not only did the police lack the grounds to arrest her, but her 4th Amendment rights had been violated, as well
The 4th Amendment prohibits the unlawful search and seizure of resident belonging to citizens of the United States of America; this amendment also defines the rights of privacy awarded to citizens of the United States
The Case Profile of Mapp v. Ohio
The following is a case profile of the legal trial eponymously titled ‘Mapp v. Ohio’:
Date of the Trial: 1961
Legal Classification: Administrative Law; this legal field associated with events and circumstances in which the Federal Government of the United States engages its citizens, including the administration of government programs, the creation of agencies, and the establishment of a legal, regulatory federal standard
United States Reports Case Number: 367 U.S. 643
Legal Venue: The Supreme Court of the State of Ohio
Judicial Officer Responsible for Ruling: Chief Justice Earl Warren
Involved Parties: The following are the parties named with regard to their involvement in the Mapp v. Ohio case:
Dollree Mapp – the plaintiff
The State of Ohio – the defendant
Verdict Delivered: The verdict ruled that Ms. Mapp’s rights were indeed violated as a result of the failure of the Cleveland Police Departments failure to adhere to the tenets of the 4th Amendment of the Constitution of the United States
Associated Legislation with regard to Mapp v. Ohio: The following statutory regulations were employed with regard to the Mapp v. Ohio trial:
Subsequent to the delivery of the verdict in Mapp v. Ohio, a system of due process was outlined with regard to the search and seizure procedure undertaken within an investigation of a private residence
Due process is defined as the government’s obligation to respect, maintain, and uphold the legal rights of its citizen in the event of an arrest; the government must retain an individual’s human rights and liberties – this includes fair, respectful, and ethical treatment devoid of undue violence and harm. If you need legal advice and assistance, contact Ohio lawyers.
NEXT: Massachusetts v. EPA | <urn:uuid:62ec538f-1c43-430c-83f3-4e37a09246ed> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://cases.laws.com/mapp-v-ohio | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.979118 | 658 | 2.921875 | 3 |
The following two queries gives the same output when run in R studio v_0.96
ab<-sqldf('select a.Family_tree_id, a.parent_name from test as a, test as b where a.child_id <> b.parent_id group by a.Family_tree_id')
cd<-sqldf('select a.Family_tree_id, a.parent_name from test as a where a.parent_name NOT IN (select b.child_name from test as b)')
I don't seem to understand the reason behind the same answer though it seems the first one does an entirely different job than the second one. I am not very experienced in SQL so please bear with me. Is some more information about the dataset is required to answer this? | <urn:uuid:161759f0-a473-48c2-8e4e-c74991697411> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://stackoverflow.com/questions/10816187/same-output-for-two-entirely-different-queries | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00061-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.913514 | 173 | 1.875 | 2 |
String or binary data would be truncated
I am sure just about any of us that have done any development work against a database, and who hasn’t, has come across this error, ‘String or binary data would be truncated’. This is really a warning more than it is an error, but will stop any insert of update operation dead in its tracks if ANSI warnings are on, which typically they will be. The real issue is tracking down what column is causing the issue, which when you have one or two columns it is not too big of an issue. But typically there will be more columns involved, making it tough.
The issue occurs when you try to add or change the value of a character based field and the value has more characters than is allocated for the field. The other issue can be when you are trying to store a binary value, like a file, in a field that is too small to hold it. Basically, the problem is you are trying to store data that is too big!
Danny demonstrates a very good technique in tracking down what field is causing the truncation warning to be thrown, http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/danny/archive/2008/01/12/scuffling-with-string-or-binary-data-would-be-truncated.aspx. I recommend visiting that article to learn more about dealing with it in SQL Server.
First let me say, you should validate the size of your string or value before you try to store it in the database. Client validation is one thing, but of course that can be thwarted by most hackers. The business object should enforce any size limits. I typically check this in a property called IsValid I use in every one of my business objects. I admit I am not the most consistent with this, but I use it when I know it can be an issue.
In this example I use a combination of data checking methods to make sure my strings are within tolerance. In this example I have an Event entity that needs to have three fields, Title of 1 to 100 characters, Description of at least 1 character and an Event Date that is more than the min Date value, validated before it is considered a valid entity.
Public ReadOnly Property IsValid() As Boolean Implements IBaseEntity.IsValid
If Helpers.IsValidString(Me.EventTitle, 1, 100) And _
String.IsNullOrEmpty(Me.EventDesc) = False And _
Me.EventDate > Date.MinValue Then
The Description field maps to an ntext field, so it can be large, but I want it to have at least something in it. The String.IsNullOrEmpty (worth jumping to the 2.0 CLR if you are still 3 years behind alone!) is one of my favorite methods to validate a string with.
Dates are a tricky situation and I normally use the SmartDate class from CSLA to work around them. But in this case just making sure I have something more than the minimum allowed value for a date is acceptable. I think honestly you could set some sort of minimum value in the application’s configuration, but for this I will leave it as it is.
Finally I have a Helper class in use in this project. It contains a series of shared (static for your C# folks) methods that are used for a variety of things. In this case I have a method named IsValidString. It takes a string value, a minimum and maximum value and determines if the length criteria are met.
Public Shared Function IsValidString(ByVal vValue As String, ByVal vMax As Integer) As Boolean
Return IsValidString(vValue, 0, vMax)
Public Shared Function IsValidString(ByVal vValue As String, ByVal vMin As String, ByVal vMax As Integer) As Boolean
If vMin > 0 Then
If String.IsNullOrEmpty(vValue) AndAlso vMin <= vValue.Length Then
If vMax < vValue.Length Then
Now, before I get folks leaving comments about extension methods, I know. Let me cover those in another post.
These concepts can can be extended to create a large series of validation methods that are general, or very specific to your application. I also want to point out this can be extended even further to include format validations, such as e-mail, phone numbers and passwords. This is important because more important that a potential truncation of a value is the potential for a SQL Injection attack. Good validation should always be in play to avoid a potential hack.
I have some other post in the works to keep extending these concepts, so stay tuned! | <urn:uuid:c8750b4a-f945-4a2a-8f5c-0aad5ad88382> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://professionalaspnet.com/archive/2008/10/26/String-or-binary-data-would-be-truncated.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00057-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.911124 | 982 | 1.796875 | 2 |
Effects of fertilisation on phosphorus pools in the volcanic soil of a managed tropical forest
Meason, D. F., Idol, T.W., Friday, J.B. and Scowcroft, P.G. 2009. Forest Ecology and Management 258: 2199- 2206.
Request A Paper
If you would like a copy of this paper, we can send it directly to your inbox! Just fill out the form below.
Acacia koa forests benefit from phosphorus fertilisation, but it is unknown if fertilisation is a short or long term effect on P availability. Past research suggests that P cycling in soils with high P sorption capacity, such as Andisols, was through organic pathways. We studied leaf P and soil P fractions in a tropical forest Andisol for 3 years after fertilisation with triple super phosphate. Leaf P concentration and labile P remained high after fertilisation. Fertilisation had increased all the inorganic P fractions over the length of the study, while organic P fractions had not. The results suggested that the organic P fractions had a reduced role as a source of labile P after fertilisation. The size and dynamics of the sodium hydroxide- and hydrochloric acid-extractable P pools would suggest that either pool could be major sources of labile P. Because of the high level of poorly crystallineminerals in Andisols (allophone and imogolite), it would be expected that applied P would quickly lead to strong P sorption onto mineral surfaces and thus a rapid decline in P availability. We propose that the high organic matter present in these soils had masked some of the Al and Fe sorption sites, which allowed the sorption and desorption when large amounts of addition P were applied. | <urn:uuid:5b876b96-893e-4c04-8c21-137ba33fb1b9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.westernag.ca/innov/papers/abstract?id=533 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944594 | 361 | 2.703125 | 3 |
INTERNATIONAL EXPERTS GATHER TO DISCUSS PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT OF MASS TRAUMA
VALHALLA, N.Y., June 9, 2006—Leading experts from the fields of mental health, disaster medicine, emergency preparedness and post-traumatic stress will gather at New York Medical College at a symposium entitled, “Early Psychological Intervention Following Mass Trauma: Present and Future Directions.” The conference will be held on Tuesday, June 13, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., in Nevins Auditorium. A simultaneous web-based seminar will enable participants from distant locations to take part by listening, viewing slides and asking questions via the Internet.
The program features a roster of distinguished speakers who will address the psychological aftereffects of mass trauma, which can stem from incidents ranging from a terrorist bombing or a nuclear accident to a natural disaster. Arieh Y. Shalev, M.D., who heads the Department of Psychiatry at Hadassah University Hospital in Israel and directs its Center for Traumatic Stress, is among the scheduled presenters. Other speakers include experts from the Centers for Disease Control, the Veterans Administration, Uniformed Services University and the National Institute of Mental Health.
Presentations will explore resilience, psychological first aid, the controversy over certain medications taken during or after a disaster, the role of government and communities, and cultural considerations in dealing with mass trauma.
The symposium is sponsored by the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and the School of Public Health at New York Medical College in partnership with the Department of Psychiatry, the Center for Study of Traumatic Stress of Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, and the National Institute of Mental Health. The conference was made possible by a gift of the Sydney E. Frank Foundation, aimed at developing educational and research programs that explore mental health issues stemming from trauma, disaster or terrorism. | <urn:uuid:9665f4c8-fe96-4c20-87a4-06c828aef0f8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nymc.edu/OfficesAndServices/PublicRelations/PressReleases/PressReleaseArchives/06-09-06.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.911155 | 396 | 2.421875 | 2 |
The photo above is from an article about the battle for control of the French parliament now that a socialist has won the presidency. The woman on the left (ha!) is Marine Le Pen the far-right, anti-immigrant, nativist who has made a career on her papa’s (Jean Le Pen) ideas. The man to the right is Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the left-wing candidate.
I find the slogans interesting. Le Pen’s is, “Your only defender,” or “The Only One to Stand Up for You,” appealing to the frustrated sense of victimhood that fuels popular movements everywhere, often with a fascist tinge. It would not be out of place in a Tea Party setting.
Mélenchon’s is “Take the power.“ Can you imagine such a slogan in the US? What I find intriguing is that it recognizes that there is power to be taken! Here, we assume that we have it already, people-power, democracy, all that. His slogan would amount to class-war heresy here in the US. | <urn:uuid:99815a87-4501-46e2-a102-3d94e3431393> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://iamyouasheisme.wordpress.com/tag/class-war/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00074-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953636 | 234 | 1.664063 | 2 |
China is slowly loosening restrictions on its yuan currency. The U.S. thinks China is artificially keeping the value of the yuan low to boost exports. Click photo for more on currencies.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Just like rivals in a bad romantic comedy who shockingly realize they have feelings for each other, China and the United States have a complicated relationship.
The U.S. likes to complain about how it thinks China keeps its currency, the yuan, artificially low in order to make the price of Chinese-made exports cheaper.
At the same time, China has lamented the fact that the Federal Reserve may also be intentionally weakening the value of the dollar with its accommodative monetary policies. It's funny how the leaders of both countries take great pains to not use the word manipulation though.
But both the U.S. and China realize they need each other. That's why it is very interesting that China announced over the weekend it was increasing the range that the yuan could trade at on a daily basis.
In theory, agreeing to let the yuan move in a wider band going forward could mean the currency will appreciate more quickly. Of course, it will have more room to fall as well on down days.
Still, many experts said China's decision to loosen some of the constraints on the yuan should lead to a stronger currency. And it's telling that this was done just a few days before the world's financial leaders gather in Washington for a meeting of the G-20, International Monetary Fund and World Bank. It seems like a preemptive strike against criticism of its currency policy.
"China never wants to appear as if they are being told what to do. Doing this currency move before the G-20 meeting as opposed to after is very significant," said Uri Landesman, president of Platinum Partners, a hedge fund in New York.
The yuan news is more intriguing when coupled with the latest figures from the Treasury Department regarding ownership of U.S. government debt. According to a report Monday morning, China increased its Treasury holdings by nearly $13 billion in February to $1.18 trillion.
This is the second straight month that China has boosted its Treasury position. And that follows five consecutive monthly declines that started last August -- the month that Standard & Poor's downgraded the credit rating of the U.S.
Is China suddenly less worried about the long-term fiscal health of the U.S.? Perhaps. But it may simply be a case of preserving its own interests.
Chuck Butler, president of EverBank World Markets in St. Louis, said that it won't do China any good for U.S. bond yields to skyrocket if it dramatically slowed, or even stopped, buying Treasury debt. So it may simply have to begrudgingly accept lower yields and a weaker dollar.
"There is a give and take. The U.S. wants the dollar to be weaker but not for it to fall off a cliff," Butler said. "It's the same for China. So it will show up and participate in bond auctions occasionally to keep everybody happy."
Although the Treasury's foreign holdings data only is current as of February, a look at how bonds have done since then clearly shows investors have still been eager to buy U.S. debt. That likely includes China. Yields on the 10-year Treasury slipped to 1.95% Monday -- not too far from their low point for the year. (Bond rates and prices move in opposite directions.)
"It's still the same old story with China. Where else are they going to put their money?" said Paul Montaquila, vice president of fixed income trading with Bank of The West in San Francisco. "It probably irks China to keep buying, but the U.S. is still the safest haven on the planet."
Still, the increased pace of bond purchases by China may soon be coming to an end.
Kathy Lien, director of global research and analysis for GFT, a currency broker in Jersey City, N.J., said that the decision to widen the trading band for the yuan could mean that China is less concerned about a hard landing for its economy. And that may lead to fewer big purchases of U.S. debt.
Even though there was some disappointment in the global markets Friday that China's gross domestic product rose by only an annualized 8.1% pace in the first quarter, that is still an incredibly robust level of growth.
"China may be a little more confident now about its economy and it has to gradually appreciate the currency," Lien said. "The need for owning more U.S. dollar-denominated assets lessens with a stronger yuan."
Butler agreed. He said that China understands that in order for its economy to avoid a massive slowdown, it has to take more steps to boost domestic consumption and rely less on exports. Boosting the value of the yuan is one way to accomplish that.
"I think China is gearing up for a nice rebound in their economy," he said. "But they have to let the yuan strengthen in order to reduce exports and ramp up domestic demand."
And Landesman isn't convinced that China wants a stronger currency per se. He argues China must continue to loosen the shackles that keep the yuan from trading freely if it ever hopes to have the yuan supplant the dollar as the world's reserve currency.
"If you believe China's goal is to have the yuan replace the dollar, there is no way it can do that until you have free trading. This is a small step but China is extraordinarily patient," he said.
Best of StockTwits: Bank stocks rallied Monday after Citigroup reported earnings -- although there is still a lot of skepticism. And momentum darlings like Apple ( , Fortune 500) and Priceline ( ) took a big hit, leading some to wonder if the great 2012 tech rally is over.
I hear you. It is tough to take what the big banks have to say at face value since so many investors remember getting burned badly by them during the credit crisis of 2008.
To be fair, Citi (Fortune 500) and other big banks are healthier now and they don't really appear to have Lehman-like exposure to Spain or the rest of Europe. However, it's the U.S. that may be the problem. As I said in today's Buzz video, there are concerns about deteriorating credit quality at Citi, JPMorgan Chase ( , Fortune 500), and Wells Fargo ( , Fortune 500) now that the job market may have stalled.,
StkConfidential: More leading stocks finally starting to join the rest of the market downturn, something we haven't seen up till now.
Nobody should be surprised that Apple, Priceline, Google (Fortune 500) and Starbucks ( , Fortune 500) have hit speed bumps. However, these four all still trade at relatively reasonable valuations and are clear leaders in their respective categories. It's disconcerting that they have all tumbled lately. But it's not a reason to panic if you own them for the long haul.,
Still, like I said in last week's columns about Priceline, Google and Starbucks, investors can't expect these momentum stocks to keep going up indefinitely. These pullbacks are needed ... and a smart investor that's owned any of these stocks for a while would be wise to take some money off the table.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Paul R. La Monica. Other than Time Warner, the parent of CNNMoney, and Abbott Laboratories, La Monica does not own positions in any individual stocks.
|Men's Wearhouse fires the 'I guarantee it' guy|
|Men are disappearing from the workforce|
|I will graduate with $100,000 in loans|
|U.S. oil boom helps thwart OPEC|
|Investors hold their breath for the Fed|
|Overnight Avg Rate||Latest||Change||Last Week|
|30 yr fixed||4.01%||4.04%|
|15 yr fixed||3.11%||3.18%|
|30 yr refi||4.00%||4.03%|
|15 yr refi||3.11%||3.16%|
Today's featured rates: | <urn:uuid:dfaf6b74-581a-42d5-af56-296b8d2ac5a7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://money.cnn.com/2012/04/16/markets/thebuzz/index.htm?eref=aol | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955204 | 1,708 | 1.773438 | 2 |
Williams, J., Russell, I., Durai, D., Cheung, W-Y., Farrin, A., Bloor, K., Coulton, S. and Richardson, G. (2006) What are the clinical outcome and cost-effectiveness of endoscopy undertaken by nurses when compared with doctors? A Multi-Institution Nurse Endoscopy Trial (MINuET). Health Technology Assessment, 10 (40). pp. 1-193. ISSN 1366-5278Full text not available from this repository.
Objectives: To compare the clinical outcome and costeffectiveness of doctors and nurses undertaking upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopy.
Design: The study was a pragmatic randomised controlled trial. Zelen’s randomisation before consent was used to minimise distortion of existing practice in the participating sites. An economic evaluation was conducted alongside the trial, assessing the relative cost-effectiveness of nurses and doctors.
Setting: The study was undertaken in 23 hospitals in England, Scotland and Wales. In six hospitals nurses undertook both upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopy, yielding a total of 29 ‘centres’. The study was coordinated and managed from Swansea. Randomisation, data management and analysis were undertaken at York. Analysis was by intention-to-scope.
Participants: Sixty-seven doctors and 30 nurses took part in the study. Of 4964 potentially eligible patients, 4128 (83%) were randomised. Of these, 1888 (45%) were recruited to the study from 29 July 2002 to 30 June 2003.
Interventions: The procedures under study were diagnostic upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and flexible sigmoidoscopy undertaken by nurses or doctors, with or without sedation, using the preparation, techniques and protocols of participating hospitals.
Main outcome measures: Primary outcome measure was the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Questionnaire (GSRQ). The secondary outcome measures were EuroQol (EQ5D), Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Satisfaction Questionnaire (GESQ), State–Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), cost-effectiveness, immediate and delayed complications, quality of examination by blinded assessment of endoscopic video recordings, quality of procedure reports, patients’ preferences for operator 1 year after endoscopy, and new diagnoses at 1 year.
Results: The two groups were well matched at baseline for demographic and clinical characteristics. Significantly more patients changed from a planned endoscopy by a doctor to a nurse than vice versa, mainly for staffing reasons. There was no significant difference between the two groups in the primary or secondary outcome measures at 1 day, 1 month or 1 year after endoscopy, with the exception of patient satisfaction at 1 day, which favoured nurses. Nurses were significantly more thorough in the examination of stomach and oesophagus, but no different from doctors in the examination of duodenum and colon. There was no significant difference in costs to the NHS or patients, although doctors cost slightly more. Although quality of life measures showed improvement in some scores in the doctor group, this did not reach traditional levels of statistical significance. Even so, the economic evaluation, taking account of uncertainty in both costs and quality of life, suggests that endoscopy by doctors has an 87% chance of being more cost-effective than endoscopy by nurses.
Conclusions: There is no statistically significant difference between doctors and nurses in their clinical effectiveness in diagnostic endoscopy. However, nurses are significantly more thorough in the examination of oesophagus and stomach, and patients are significantly more satisfied after endoscopy by a nurse. Endoscopy by doctors is associated with better outcome at 1 year at higher cost, but overall is likely to be cost-effective. Further research is needed to evaluate the clinical outcome and cost-effectiveness of nurses undertaking a greater role in other settings, to monitor the costeffectiveness of nurse endoscopists as they become more experienced and to assess, the effect of increasing the number of nurse endoscopists on waiting times for patients, and the career implications and opportunities for nurses who become trained endoscopists. Evaluation of the clinical outcome and cost-effectiveness of diagnostic endoscopy for all current indications is also needed.
|Academic Units:||The University of York > Centre for Health Economics (York)
The University of Leeds > Faculty of Medicine and Health (Leeds) > Institute of Molecular Medicine (LIMM) (Leeds) > Section of Clinical Trials Research Unit (Leeds)
The University of York > Health Sciences (York)
|Depositing User:||York RAE Import|
|Date Deposited:||27 Jul 2009 11:11|
|Last Modified:||04 Oct 2010 10:28|
|Publisher:||National Coordinating Centre for Health Technology Assessment|
Actions (login required) | <urn:uuid:0b86c570-ff3f-498c-b50c-58db0806a5b0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/6246/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.93274 | 999 | 1.617188 | 2 |
The Anglican Communion, of which the Episcopal Church in the U. S. A. is a part, has dealt with issues of sexuality in complex ways, not all of them favorable to its glbtq membership.
Apostolic Pentecostals are a group of denominations within Pentecostalism; although most of these denominations condemn homosexuality, there recently have emerged affirming denominations that do not regard homosexuality as sinful.
John Atherton, Bishop of Waterford and Lismore, was hanged in Ireland for sodomy under a law that he had helped to institute.
Carl Bean, founder of Unity Fellowship Church, gave up a promising entertainment career to pursue his vocation as a clergyman to minister to glbtq Christians of color.
John Boswell was one of the late twentieth century's most influential historians of homosexuality and author of one of the first book-length histories on the subject.
In 1977 Malcolm Boyd, an Episcopal priest and prolific author, became the first prominent openly gay clergyman in a mainstream Christian denomination in the United States.
Activist and author Keith Boykin has committed his life to advancing the rights of the African-American and glbtq communities and to enhancing communication between them.
Burned at the stake by the Roman Catholic Church, Italian philosopher Giordano Bruno has been seen as a martyr to religious intolerance; only recently has he also been recognized as a queer hero.
Buddhism is unusual among world religions in that it generally expresses neutrality on the issue of homosexuality.
Best known for his research on peanuts, agronomist and educator George Washington Carver become a cultural icon as the "Wizard of Tuskegee," but at the cost of hiding his homosexuality.
The socially and politically conservative Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has long been antagonistic to the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered people.
Similar to heterosexual weddings, commitment ceremonies of same-sex partnerships are legally recognized in some countries, but generally not in the United States.
An important figure in the European occult movement of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Aleister Crowley was publicly reviled in his time, but he was recently cited by the BBC as one of England's most influential citizens.
Radical feminist philosopher, theologian, and linguist, Mary Daly is an outspoken lesbian-feminist separatist who has provoked outrage by challenging established ideas and institutions that she considers destructive to women's power and creativity.
Michael Dillon, the first person known to have transitioned both hormonally and surgically from female to male, was a man of singular determination who articulated his life as an evolving struggle toward corporeal, intellectual, and spiritual integrity.
Evangelical Christians, who tend to be fundamentalists and socially conservative, have not been welcoming to glbtq people.
In ancient Rome, the galli were castrated priests of Cybele, the Asian Mother Goddess, and of the Syrian goddess Atagartis; they were widely riducled for their effeminacy, cross-dressing, and sexual passivity.
Spurred by the gay liberation movement of the late 1960s, a number of religious groups--including specifically gay-oriented churches and synagogues--have been formed to address the needs of gay and lesbian believers.
The first openly lesbian Bishop of the Episcopal Church, Mary Douglas Glasspool is committed to her calling and confident of "God's ever-unfolding reign of love and justice."
Goddess religions, especially those that feature a singular Great or Mother Goddess, honor female energy for its role in fertility and the creation of new life.
After coming out publicly in 1991, to protest a homophobic incident at Harvard University, the Reverend Peter Gomes lent his eloquent voice to the cause of equality for glbtq people.
Senior Pastor of the Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto, the Reverend Doctor Brent Hawkes has worked with fervor and dedication to secure equal rights for glbtq Canadians.
The dominant religion of modern India, Hinduism is no longer as tolerant of same-sex sexual relations as it seems to have been in the past.
In the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries, the Inquisitions of Aragon and Portugal prosecuted almost 1500 trials for sodomy of various kinds.
Despite religious prohibitions against same-sex sexual relationships, Islamic societies generally extend tolerance through a pattern of collective denial. | <urn:uuid:a13c8845-8402-4376-a562-2ca385149e14> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.glbtq.com/topic/social-sciences_137_1.html | 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 | 0.966198 | 906 | 2.890625 | 3 |
Melbourne's Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens are important as a rare surviving example of venues constructed as part of the late 19th-century world exhibition movement. This was the reason for their addition to the World Heritage List in July 2004. They were also the venue for the opening of the first Australian Federal Parliament. Wander through the leafy grounds of the Carlton Gardens, attend an exhibition or join a guided tour to see the Exhibition Building located on the edge of the Melbourne CBD.
The Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens were included in the National Heritage List on 20 July 2004 and inscribed on the World Heritage List at the same time.
Before you download
Some documents are available as PDF files. You will need a PDF reader to view PDF files.
List of PDF readers
If you are unable to access a publication, please contact us to organise a suitable alternative format.
Links to another web site
Opens a pop-up window | <urn:uuid:9461201b-8b9d-40f0-b067-f7622502194a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://environment.gov.au/heritage/places/national/royal-exhibition/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963118 | 190 | 2.46875 | 2 |
The Aircraft Maintenance Program at the ISU College of Technology continues to grow. Students from this program not only compete nationally but they often excel at that level. Thursday, the program received a generous donation.
The future is now for students in the Aircraft Maintenance program at ISU. That’s because they can receive training and fix real life problems using the same technology that will be required from them after they graduate.
“It’s fully functional, said Tracy Kalbfleisch, Director of Aircraft Services for Western Aircraft. “It’s state of the art. There’s a lot of airplanes out there that are flying around with this exact technology in it today.”
This donation comes from Western Aircraft, a Boise-based company that has taken great interest in helping bolster the aircraft maintenance program at ISU. The simulation machine comes with a price tag of around $100,000 and will be a huge boost to ISU.
“Really what this provides us with, the cockpit trainer, is the ability to do entry level tasks without being in an aircraft,” said Gary Shipley, Aircraft Maintenance Program Coordinator. “We can increase the number of people involved in our group setting and we can parallel the real world installations that this thing has.”
The job placement rate for graduates from the aircraft maintenance program is over 90 percent and that number could actually increase in the coming years.
“The demand globally, as well as nationally for A&P’s is higher than it’s ever been,” continued Shipley. “The average age is about 58 and so there’s a big gap coming up in the next 10 years both nationally and globally.”
You can learn more about the programs offered from the ISU College of Technology program at this link. | <urn:uuid:427d55f2-a937-49c6-93d2-0a937a6aee96> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.kpvi.com/content/news/local/story/ISU-College-of-Tech-Aircraft-Program-Growing/T8aABjd99Uq4JLivfYigyA.cspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950745 | 379 | 1.859375 | 2 |
Adjusted mean visual analog scale pain scores by age, gender and study group. Significant increases in pain scores for female and male community controls and runners were found with increasing age, although rates of increase are relatively modest. Older female runners tend to have the greatest benefit, although these associations are statistically equivalent to differences in male and female runners and controls (p = 0.51).
Bruce et al. Arthritis Research & Therapy 2005 7:R1263 doi:10.1186/ar1825 | <urn:uuid:be8b728b-15f3-4c5f-b38f-57bd67752a7d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://arthritis-research.com/content/7/6/R1263/figure/F4 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00050-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943667 | 101 | 1.664063 | 2 |
story to find out more.
Schoene (foreground), Renee Peters and Jae Park measure the suppression of
adhesive molecules that "glue" platelets to blood vessel walls in mouse
blood. Click the image for more information about it.
New Plant Compounds Could Aid Blood Flow
By Rosalie Marion
Bliss January 17, 2006
An Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientist has identified, defined and
developed look-alike versions of two potentially heart-healthy compounds
produced naturally by plants. Sufficient amounts of the compoundseither
in foods or as dietary supplementsmay prove to inhibit the early stages
of blood clotting that are associated with heart disease.
The research was conducted by ARS biochemist
Park at the
(Md.) Human Nutrition Research Center's
Laboratory. The chemical structures of the two compounds and their
biological activities were detailed in a 2005 patent application. Rigorous
testing and regulatory approval are required before any products based on the
compounds are released.
Park synthesized a larger quantity of the compounds than is likely
found naturally in foods. In separate tests, he exposed each compound to blood
collected from mice. Both compounds suppressed a natural process in which
plateletsdisk-shaped cells circulating in the bloodstick to other
blood cells inside blood vessel walls. Platelets release chemicals that cause
the cascade of events that results in formation of plugs, or clots, at the site
of injury within blood vessels.
At this time, it is not known whether the amounts of these newly
identified compounds normally present in foods are sufficient to cause the
inhibitory effect on platelets. Park is now studying the compounds in a number
of plant sources to gauge their potency.
about this research in the January 2006 issue of Agricultural Research
ARS is the U.S. Department of
Agricultures chief scientific research agency. | <urn:uuid:eaee0eab-1990-44b7-81c2-270bc6928a4a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2006/060117.htm?pf=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00042-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.931709 | 397 | 3.171875 | 3 |
President Kagame answers pertinent questions about third term, DRC, ICTR and other topics during monthly press conference
President Paul Kagame met local, regional and international press for the monthly press conference at Urugwiro Village answering their questions on a wide range of topics.
The first question asked was whether the President would run for a third term therefore amending the constitution. To that, President Kagame responded that the debate had begun long before he even started his second term.
His desire was that the discussion be put in perspective so as to avoid distraction. "We should remember that this is about the future of Rwanda. In the end the people of Rwanda will decide." He again brought up the key elements to an appropriate response: change, continuity and stability.
In the question of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the President emphasised that he could not speak for the DRC but being neighbours meant that what happened in the DRC affects Rwandan and vice versa. President Kagame reiterated Rwanda's desire for peace in the region.
On infighting within M23, the President said that he did not follow the goings on of M23. Instead, he followed closely the FDLR who committed genocide in Rwanda and were continuing to commit the worst atrocities in the DRC.
When asked what the government was doing to host the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda's (ICTR) archives, the President indicated that Rwanda had expressed keen interest in hosting the archives. He said that the government would continue to push for this to happen.
He also commented on the trend within the international justice system of perpetrators becoming victims and vice versa. He pointed out that perpetrators of genocide lived comfortably, evading justice or when captured and tried, were released. He called on all Rwandans to remain vigilant and speak up.
On the matter of opposition parties, President Kagame indicated that everyone is free to start an opposition party in Rwanda. He discussed the relevance of having hundreds of political parties when model democracies have only about three opposition parties. "In Africa, we see the evidence of having hundreds of political parties. What good has this done?" | <urn:uuid:f307df5d-f4a6-4237-8abb-acb680f8ed81> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://allafrica.com/stories/201302280780.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00064-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969224 | 436 | 1.726563 | 2 |
This is a guest post by Jennifer. Jennifer is a feminist and actuary who is travelling the world with her family and profiling notable women of history on her blog.
This entry is cross-posted from Jennifer’s blog.
Submissions are currently open for Wednesday Geek Woman posts.
Branca Edmée Marques was a Portuguese scientist, who studied and worked with Marie Curie. She was born in Lisbon in 1899, and studied chemistry at the University of Lisbon. In 1925 after completing her degree, she was invited to be an Assistant by the Chemistry Professor. He was concerned about whether she would maintain discipline in her classes, being female, but she must have succeeded as in 1930 she was awarded a scholarship to study with Marie Curie at the Sorbonne, in Paris.
Marie Curie was by then very famous, having won two Nobel Prizes. Curie liked her work so much that she gave her one of her most interesting research projects to do, and wrote a letter to the Portuguese government asking them to renew her research grant.
Unfortunately the combination of Marques being a woman, and the Portuguese government being in a state of flux (transforming from military to civilian dictatorship) meant that her grant wasn’t renewed. Curie managed to finagle a continuing scholarship for her anyway, and her doctorate on “new research on the fragmentation of barium salts†was awarded with the highest possible rating of tres honorable. In 1936, the Portuguese Universities recognized the degree, and awarded her an equivalent doctorate.
On returning home, however, she was unable to get an appropriate post at University. This, from all my sources, does appear to be fairly simple sexism, even if the lack of financial support in France might not have been. Instead, she lectured and started up the Laboratory of Radiochemistry and only in 1942 was she awarded the title of First Assistant, which meant that the University was recognizing her contribution more significantly.
She continued to lecture and work towards building up a new department, which eventually became the Department of Radiochemistry and Nuclear Chemistry. She published regularly throughout her professional life, researching many aspects of peaceful application of nuclear technology. In 1966, her contributions were finally recognized with a full professorship at the University of Lisbon.
She died in 1986, at the age of 87.
This post is based on Portuguese language sources (linked below) so anyone who can read the original Portuguese, please feel free to comment if my interpretations were wrong! | <urn:uuid:feb842fb-353a-4ba7-a59b-260a9cc48e42> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://geekfeminism.org/2011/09/14/wednesday-geek-woman-branca-edmee-marques/?wpmp_switcher=desktop | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.985891 | 517 | 2.640625 | 3 |
She was looking for someone who liked boats, liked to dance, and remembered World War II.
He was looking for someone to travel the world with him.
John and Bliss Hill were married on Dec. 5, 1982 aboard their boat Breezy.
JOHN AND BLISS HILL
For John and Bliss Hill, life together began aboard their 55-foot, hand-built sailing boat Breezy.
From Bliss's journal: "It was love at first sight and we spent two years happily finishing the boat. John did the heavy work, whilst I did the interior and exterior varnishing. Six weeks after we launched the boat, we were married onboard in Los Angeles Harbor at sunset."
The Hills will share their sailing adventures in a slideshow at the Ocean Club meeting, 10 a.m. March 1 at Clubhouse 3, Dining Room 2.
John, a former aerospace engineer, designed and built the single-hull ketch rig almost singlehandedly, after purchasing the unfinished hull from a boat maker in Torrance. It took him four years to complete the work, which included pushing the hull out 15 feet to make it higher than a normal boat.
Breezy was the third boat John built.
In December 1983, the couple set off from San Diego to St. Croix, Virgin Islands with their black Doberman, Gale. The 5,000-mile voyage took them down the coast of Mexico, to Costa Rica, through the Panama Canal, and northeast to Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
The Hills' six-month adventure included encounters with native Indians in the San Blas Islands and a voodoo ceremony in Haiti.
Bliss kept a journal written in pencil, which she later typed and compiled with hundreds of photos into a book. In one entry, she writes:
"The third day out from the last port in Mexico heading for Costa Rica, we were hit with 60 mph winds and 20-foot seas that blew us 200 miles off shore. A sail that normally takes two days extended to six. If we could have sailed close to the coast we would have had milder seas, but there was a revolution going on in Nicaragua. Boats were required to stay 20 miles offshore or risk being confiscated."
John describes the swells as higher than the ceiling of their Laguna Woods home. "The boat was going up and down, up and down. The next thing we knew, we were on top of the wave. It was like riding an elevator for two days."
John proved his mettle as a sailor that day. "I learned he really knew what he was doing," Bliss says.
Today, the Hills are active members of the Ocean Club, and often co-skipper the club's sail boat on its regular excursions. John enjoys regaling friends with stories of their adventures aboard Breezy. "I'd do it again if I could."
And Bliss? "I'd go anywhere in the world with him he asks."
Contact the writer: 949-837-5200 or firstname.lastname@example.org | <urn:uuid:e3fef154-4567-429c-9f4e-d58a90dbfcb4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ocregister.com/news/boat-496636-john-bliss.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.984524 | 638 | 1.71875 | 2 |
Waste Management of San Diego encourages customers to honor the mothers in their lives by giving eco-friendly gifts.
SAN DIEGO — May 8, 2012 – Mother’s Day is this Sunday, and while flowers are often the best way to show mom just how grateful you are for all she does to enrich your life, why not give her an eco-friendly gift that also respects Mother Nature. Here are a few gift ideas that will last long after Mother’s Day has passed and make mom feel really special.
- Treat mom to organic bath, hair or skin care products. Many major retailers now carry all-organic personal care products which are often packaged in 100 percent recycled materials and made with all natural ingredients.
- Wrap gifts in recycled or reused wrapping paper or funny papers. Also remember to save or recycle used wrapping paper.
- Give gifts that don’t require much packaging, such as concert tickets and gift certificates.
- When giving flowers as gifts, consider buying long-lasting silk flowers, potted plants, or live bushes, shrubs or tress that can be planted.
- Bake cookies or other goodies for your mom and package them in reusable and/or recyclable containers as gifts. Homemade goodies show how much you care and help you avoid packaging waste.
About Waste Management
As North America’s largest provider of waste and environmental services, Waste Management is on a quest for environmental performance, to maximize resource value and minimize environmental impact. Waste is a valuable resource. Waste Management takes innovative steps to maximize and recover the resource that is in waste. To learn more information about Waste Management, visit www.wastemanagementsd.com or www.thinkgreen.com. Or, engage with Waste Management on Facebook and Twitter. | <urn:uuid:50f81000-078f-41ad-abe9-bf3abacc3fbe> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://coronado.patch.com/groups/announcements/p/an--honor-your-mother-and-mother-nature-this-year | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00055-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.90008 | 364 | 2 | 2 |
|A Most Dangerous Word|
|Movies - Feature Stories|
|Written by Jeff Ignatius|
|Wednesday, 31 October 2007 10:08|
Near the anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, spiritual-documentary filmmaker Martin Doblmeier conducted a survey on his Web site (http://www.journeyfilms.com). He asked whether people supported constructing a "garden of forgiveness" at Ground Zero in New York City.
Thousands of votes later, the results were overwhelming: Roughly 95 percent of respondents said "no."
Doblmeier offered this anecdote in a phone interview last week without judgment. His point was that forgiveness is something that spiritual people tend to embrace as an abstract concept, but putting it into practice is shockingly difficult. For many, he said, forgiveness is the equivalent of a spare tire, something you "keep ... in the back of the trunk and hope to God you never need it.
"Forgiveness is not an easy sell," Doblmeier said. He also called forgiveness "one of the most dangerous words you can put out there. The word itself can be an affront to people."
Doblmeier will speak at Augustana College's Centennial Hall at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, November 1. At 7:30 p.m. that day, he'll attend a screening of his movie The Power of Forgiveness at the college's Olin Center Auditorium and participate in a faculty-led discussion.
Despite the movie's title, the documentary is a nuanced, realistic, and multifaceted look at forgiveness. The director said he wanted to create a work that encompassed the "inconsistencies, all the human struggle that goes on with trying to deal with this stuff. ... The film itself really is laden with contradictions ... different opinions on how to approach a topic."
At one point, he said, he and his crew had more than 100 story ideas on index cards. The topic of forgiveness, he said, is "as broad as humanity and history are themselves, so that was the biggest challenge of all."
Doblmeier stressed that he didn't want to make a facile film, one that oversimplified one of the most difficult things that human beings do. "This is really tough," he said. "This is not a Hallmark card. This is not seven stories that start with a little transgression, and then everybody forgives, and everybody's happy, and it's a sunset shot at the end."
That's putting it mildly. The documentary's most complicated section deals with the emotions of people whose children died in the 9/11 attacks. Many seem to have given up their anger at the terrorists while still holding a grudge against city government for its treatment of the remains of their loved ones; they were hauled off to a dump named Fresh Kill.
"They had come to an easier peace about the act of the terrorists, in concluding that they were simply misguided young individuals," Doblmeier said. The city was more difficult to forgive, he added, because "they did trust that the city that they love would care for the children of their city." In other words, an offense that comes from an entity one trusts can be more difficult to forgive than a more serious transgression by a stranger.
And sometimes the most difficult person to forgive is yourself. One 9/11 victim's mother can't forgive herself for refusing to go to her son's wedding. "One of the great lessons [of making the movie] ... was this aspect of self-forgiveness," Doblmeier said.
The movie certainly advocates forgiveness. It explores how forgiveness, for instance, can improve a person's health. Studies show that the blood pressure of people who are more forgiving recovers more quickly when recounting stories of being wronged than the blood pressure of people who are less forgiving.
This is a recent field of scientific study. "There was a new moment that was happening," Doblmeier said of the genesis of his movie. "The faith traditions had been speaking about the value and the virtue of forgiveness for centuries. But now the health community was starting to see the virtue of forgiveness.
"The intersection between those two worlds ... I thought really provided a context for a really interesting and different kind of film," he said. "Here's a moment when these two universes are coming together, and I think that's a hopeful sign."
Doblmeier admits that the new science of forgiveness casts it not as a virtuous act, but as a selfish one; forgiveness becomes a tool to improve one's health.
"You do hear on a number of occasions [that] forgiveness is all about me," he said. "It's all about me being better, it's all about me letting go of the hurt and the suffering, it's all about me finding a better quality of life."
But forgiveness can be culturally transformative, in the sense that other people might change their behavior based on the forgiveness that they see.
The movie discusses a grade-school curriculum used to address long-held hatred between Catholics and Protestants in northern Ireland.
An academic who studies forgiveness describes the murder of his mother, and how the confessed killer was released on a technicality and never punished for the crime. "He's asked to try and find a way to forgive where the justice system totally failed," Doblmeier said. "His challenge is Herculean, in many ways."
One emphasis of the movie is that justice and forgiveness are not incompatible. One section shows how the father of another murder victim has teamed up with the grandfather of his son's killer to talk to children about forgiveness. The murderer is in prison.
"The society has an obligation to protect its people, but the heart with which it exercises that obligation is what is really in question here," Doblmeier said.
Author, Nobel Peace Prize winner, and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel discusses the concept of forgiveness in the context of the Holocaust, and stresses that the first step for forgiveness in many cases is a request for forgiveness; somebody must acknowledge that they've done something for which they would like to be forgiven.
And it looks at the Amish response to the October 2006 school shooting in Pennsylvania that grabbed international attention.
That tragedy happened as The Power of Forgiveness was being made, Doblmeier said, and he and his crew had to decide whether to include it: "The Amish situation put the word ‘forgiveness' in the headlines of newspapers all around the world, so to ignore that story would have been at some peril."
The Amish section highlights some of the film's tensions, and different philosophies of forgiveness. Several people point out that forgiveness is an individual choice or process. Yet Doblmeier said that "the Amish approach forgiveness in a communal sense. ... The Amish make the decision to forgive, and they stand together with each other. They did it as a community."
Also noteworthy is that "forgiveness is not a process" for the Amish, Doblmeier said. "The Amish didn't have group therapy ... . The forgiveness was immediate. And ultimately their hope was that their emotions would follow suit to the decision that they made. They made a decision to forgive."
Doblmeier isn't saying that the Amish are correct in their approach. He said that his goal was "not to provide a formula for how to apply it, but to simply raise up the word ‘forgiveness' in a way that we don't think it's been raised much in the past, although it seems to be on a lot of peoples' agendas, and it seems to integrate into a lot of peoples' topic areas."
The Power of Forgiveness will be available on DVD starting November 5 from (http://www.journeyfilms.com).
Tags See All Tags | <urn:uuid:831b65f8-c9c3-48ed-8b7e-67b619d5cbc3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.rcreader.com/movies/a-most-dangerous-word/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00052-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978957 | 1,623 | 1.8125 | 2 |
All three rectangles should overlap one another slightly. (c.) Make a duplicate of the top three shapes and flop the duplicate upside down and center it over the top so the edges overlap slightly.
(d.) Fill all the shapes black. Select the top rectangle and using the Fill Tool, apply an Elliptical Fill dragging the center of the fill to the upper 1/3rd of the shape. Change the fill for the tall ellipse to an Elliptical Fill and drag the center of the fill downward as shown. Make a duplicate of the three rectangles, flop them vertically and align them so that the large bottom rectangle overlaps the top group just a little. Move the center of the fills for the bottom rectangles to the top 1/3rd as shown.
(e.) Make a duplicate of all the shapes. Select all the shapes and select Combine Shapes -- Add Shapes (Arrange menu). If all the shapes overlap slightly, you will have a single continuous outline. If they don't overlap slightly, you'll have what the Icelanders call a dog's breakfast. Apply the same wood grain-type fill that we applied to the base to the duplicate, then rotate the fill 90 degrees so the grain runs vertically.
(f.) Place the wood grain-filled shape over the black and white fountain-filled shapes and apply a Flat, Mix Transparency, amount 50%. Group all the elements. | <urn:uuid:d707cf0a-569b-49ad-9479-64a6e2d1ebd9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://xaraxone.com/tutorials/jan99/110199.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.903424 | 292 | 2.46875 | 2 |
Minister for Foreign Affairs Expresses His Concern for Protesters in Burma/Myanmar
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Dermot Ahern T.D., expressed his grave concern at news that the Burmese military have today used physical force and tear-gas to break up the peaceful demonstrations against the government led by Buddhist monks over recent days and arrested many monks and others. The Minister condemned these actions in the strongest terms and described them as unacceptable and deeply shocking.
"I am gravely concerned by news from Burma/Myanmar this morning that, in addition to the imposition of curfews, the Burmese military regime have today deployed troops onto the streets of Rangoon, who have used batons and tear-gas to break up peaceful demonstrations led by Buddhist monks, and that hundreds of monks and others have been arrested. The use of physical force by the military against monks, nuns and unarmed civilians, who have committed their lives to the path of non-violence, and who are simply exercising the basic right of freedom of expression in a peaceful manner, is unacceptable and deeply shocking. All people of conscience throughout the world and all countries, in particular China and India, who have influence with the Burmese military regime, must condemn the use of force against unarmed civilians, demonstrating peacefully and demand the utmost restraint.
Ireland, like the EU, expresses its solidarity with the people of Burma/Myanmar and its admiration for the courageous monks, nuns and other citizens who are exercising their rights of peaceful demonstration.
Burma/Myanmar is at a crossroads. The scale of the demonstrations, led by thousands of Buddhist monks and tens of thousands of ordinary people, is unprecedented. They can leave no room for doubt that, above all else, the Burmese people want rapid, peaceful, political change and genuine, inclusive, national dialogue and reconciliation. The Burmese authorities have an opportunity to respond constructively to the will of the people – so clearly and bravely expressed on streets throughout the country, and to engage meaningfully with the democratic opposition and ethnic groups in open and inclusive dialogue.
The international community has a vital role to play in promoting the path of restraint and reconciliation. At this stage, there is still time to step back from the brink, but we must act immediately and decisively. I believe that the time is right for the Security Council to immediately seize itself of the issue, and I support today’s call to this effect by the British Prime Minister.
At a meeting yesterday with the Chairperson and representatives of Burma Action Ireland, I made clear Ireland’s firm intention to continue to work with all partners, including within the EU and the UN, and with those countries which wield some influence with the Burmese regime, to encourage positive developments in Burma/Myanmar."
End + + + | <urn:uuid:d46ab477-c27a-4811-a45b-c6b7cf75519f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.irelandunnewyork.org/home/index.aspx?id=32622 | 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 | 0.955788 | 576 | 1.773438 | 2 |
and Responsible Law Enforcement
The American Knife & Tool Institute promotes a reasonable and responsible approach to legislation regarding knives and the enforcement of knife laws. We strive for clarity of law and definitions. Clear, objective legislation is the foundation to a free people. Without clarity inconsistent enforcement occurs and law-abiding citizens are subjected to unnecessary anxiety. Individuals should not have to fear the legality of valuable tools used daily in their lives. They should have not be expected to know and understand knife laws in multiple jurisdictions where they may travel for work or recreation with their knife or edged tool.
AKTI encourages knife legislation that:
- Is not based on possession of certain knife design or styles but on the actions and intent of the user. For more information see the Expanded Introduction to the AKTI Approved Knife Definitions.
- Where it has been determined that laws governing possession must exist, they should be based on clear definitions that minimize unexpected interpretations and inconsistent enforcement. Legislators, law enforcement and criminal justice may be guided by the industry’s AKTI Approved Knife Definitions and AKTI Protocol for Measuring Blade Length.
- Is consistent throughout all cities and counties within a state. For more information see About Knife Preemption.
- Is easily understandable by citizens.
AKTI monitors current and pending legislation in all 50 states and on the federal level for issues that need attention and we’ll let you know when you need to Act Now! and what you need to do to support sensible knife legislation.
We need your help in contacting us about county or local issues. We have successfully changed knife laws to keep Americans from being considered criminals for carrying the knives they use in their everyday lives.
Check out AKTI News for articles and the latest information on AKTI’s efforts.
Read more about H.R. 2892 and the successful change to the Federal Switchblade Act of 1958 to keep U.S. Customs from defining nearly all folding knives as illegal switchblades and make de facto criminals of millions of knife owners.
- The Legal Edge: What Every Knife Owner Should Know
- Read through our Success Stories for more about our fight to keep knives in American lives.
- Check out the Resources section for Definitions, Knife Measuring Protocol and other valuable information.
- See sources on Contacting Legislators or Finding Knife Laws for more information.
- We subscribe to a service that helps alert us to knife-related issues. AKTI members have access to the legislation and regulations we are watching. For more information check out the AKTI Members Only section. | <urn:uuid:febac194-92a9-47e2-b872-291844856c5a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.akti.org/legislation/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.914978 | 521 | 1.664063 | 2 |
Your employer and the government can snoop legally.
We use e-mail for everything from business negotiations to quick I-love-yous. Because e-mail resembles a telephone conversation, we too often assume it's private.
It's not. Just ask Sarah Palin. A college student recently broke into her Yahoo e-mail account with frightening ease; he boasted that it took just 45 minutes using Wikipedia and Google to find the answers to Yahoo's security questions about her birth date, ZIP Code, and where she met her husband.
But break-ins are hardly the only threat to our e-mail privacy.
Who can see your e-mail – even en route – is a complicated question, made more uncertain by a recent court decision.
First, your office e-mail is governed by whatever rules your company decides. For example, Harvard University, where I work, states that e-mail "may be accessed at any time by management or by other authorized personnel for any business purpose." Businesses need to be able to investigate fraud, but such sweeping authorizations create opportunities for abuse.
What about government searches? Let's start with the easy case. If you go to China and e-mail or instant message from your hotel room, the Chinese government may read your content. It's scanned for "security" purposes – the government is looking for discussions of Tibetan independence, perhaps. You may never notice anything, or you may mysteriously lose your Internet connection. It recently came out that China monitors and censors text messages among Skype users – a Canadian research group uncovered more than 166,000 censored messages. | <urn:uuid:79c1e7c6-7ed8-47f5-ac60-ff6bc2c64062> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://m.csmonitor.com/Commentary/Opinion/2008/1007/p09s03-coop.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00047-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933381 | 328 | 2.046875 | 2 |
Health Institutes of Texas Overview
The UNT Health Science Center established the Health Institutes of Texas (HIT) to speed research discoveries from the bench to the bedside to create a healthier and more productive Texas. HIT leverages our growing expertise in public health, interdisciplinary scientific research, medical education and health care delivery. HIT's goal is to improve the health of Texans and beyond by reducing disparities, developing new treatments and therapies, and improving access to care in rural and underserved communities in Texas.
Cardiovascular Research Institute (CRI)
The CRI seeks to further our understanding of cardiovascular disease and especially targets myocardial infarction, hypertension, congestive heart failure and stroke. CRI seeks to improve prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation.
Center for Commercialization of Fluorescence Technologies (CCFT)
Funded by an Emerging Technology Fund grant from the state of Texas, the CCFT works to develop and commercialize new approaches for diagnostics and treatment using the emerging fields of nanophotonics and nanotechnology.
Center for Women’s Health (Focused on Resources for her Health, Education and Research - For HER)
For HER is a collaborative, multidisciplinary organization to address and meet the health care needs of women of all ages and ethnic groups.
Institute for Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease Research (IAADR)
The IAADR focuses on early detection of Alzheimer’s, estrogen’s role in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, stroke therapy and identification of oxidation processes to measure brain aging. It has several treatment drugs in clinical trials.
Institute for Cancer Research (ICR)
The ICR provides leadership in all aspects of cancer research, education and training.
Institute of Applied Genetics (IAG)
The mission of IAG is to improve safety, security and quality of life through the application of genetics. The mission is met through the institute’s three centers: the Center for Human Identification, the Center for Computational Genomics and the Center for Biosafety and Biosecurity.
North Texas Eye Research Institute (NTERI)
NTERI is dedicated to preserving vision and curing eye disease by using basic research, clinical research and medical education of clinicians and scientists to improve treatment of glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and other vision disorders.
The Osteopathic Research Center (ORC)
The ORC is the national center focusing on clinical efficacy and mechanisms of action of osteopathic manipulation and on osteopathic health services and policy by performing systematic reviews, analyzing population-based surveys and conducting cost-effectiveness studies.
Texas Prevention Institute (TPI)
The Texas Prevention Institute is dedicated to conducting innovative translational research focusing on primary care and chronic disease prevention. It is composed of the Center for Community Health, the Primary Care Research Center and the Texas Center for Health Disparities.
This page last modified April 25, 2012 | <urn:uuid:5f75d24a-5a44-4ae4-bca1-7521fbe6860e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.hsc.unt.edu/catalog/2012-2013/7-Research%20Centers%20and%20Institutes.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.903239 | 614 | 2.359375 | 2 |
Diabetes and the Foot
Definition: People with diabetes risk serious and disabling foot complications and even amputation. Recent research has shown that the risk for these complications is greatly reduced with good blood sugar levels. Podiatrist can give much help to feet in diabetes.
Diabetes may affect the feet in two ways. Firstly, the nerves which enable you to feel pain, temperature extremes and give early warning of possible trauma, are damaged. Secondly, the blood supply to the feet is diminished due to damage to the blood vessels.
Under these circumstances, even a minor foot problem of little significance to other people can be hazardous for people with diabetes. The importance of proper foot care in diabetes is widely recognised. It is recommended people with diabetes should be assessed by a podiatrist who will advise a common sense, daily care routine to reduce the risk of injuries and complications.
Treatment: Foot Health Tips...
* Maintain blood sugar levels within the range advised for you.
* Encourage good blood circulation by regular walking, wearing good walking shoes.
* Choose footwear which is appropriate for your activity.
* Make sure to have your feet measured properly by a trained fitter.
* Check your shoes regularly for excess wear on the outside and for any rough spots on the inner lining.
* Wash your feet daily in warm (not hot) water, using a mild soap, and then dry thoroughly with a gentle blotting action.
* Use a moisturiser daily to stop heels cracking and to help keep the skin supple.
* Inspect feet daily for any sign of heat, redness, swelling or pain, using a mirror if necessary. Seek immediate help from a Podiatrist or Doctor.
* Blisters, cuts and scratches should be cleansed at once with clean water or saline solution. Cover with a sterile dressing and seek advice from a Podiatrist or Doctor as soon as possible.
* "Corn cures" and medicated pads are caustic-based and can cause catastrophic foot problems. See your podiatrist for treatment of corns.
* Avoid extremes of heat and cold such as hot water bottles, radiators, hot sand/pathways and hot bath water.
HOW TO SEEK PROFESSIONAL ADVICE
It is important to discuss your mobility and footcare problems with your Podiatrist. Your Podiatrist can advise which service or professional support is most appropriate to your needs.
The Podiatrist, after assessing your foot function may recommend orthoses or insoles to help relieve foot pain and discomfort. | <urn:uuid:f283539a-e224-410d-a1da-01aa2df2154f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.podiatry.asn.au/knowledgebase.asp?pid=17&id=21 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.929333 | 522 | 3.390625 | 3 |
In my project, I am creating basic first aid kits for the homeless survival sacks at Sacred Heart. I will put bandages, antiseptic towlettes, gauze pads, and hand sanitizer into a small ziploc bag. I chose to use ziploc bags because they are lighter than boxes and are easier to carry for the homeless population.
I am doing this project for school and also for personal reasons. I once got an infection from an open wound and I have the means to treat it. The homeless population do not have the means to treat infections so I decided that my first aid kits will be the first step in preventing these infections. I plan on creating a project that can be continued in the survival sack program at Sacred Heart so that the homeless population served by Sacred Heart will continue to have the basic medical supplies.
If I receive the grant, it will completely go towards purchasing the supplies. | <urn:uuid:e1690d21-f6f3-4b5d-815d-9142cf0d16fb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dosomething.org/print/webform-submission/725515 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00073-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951601 | 187 | 2.140625 | 2 |
People of all ages need a little help now and then. When you are part of an organized caring community network, your group can provide the support needed to help people through a rough spot, or help them remain in their homes.
At some point in our lives, many of us might face difficult circumstances — from aging-related challenges to major life events like having a baby, battling illness, caring for a frail family member, or recovering from loss. Often these events mean we need help with small tasks such as preparing meals or running errands, or we may need more support for particularly challenging situations. Sometimes people lack sufficient family support in times of need. Meanwhile, others would be happy to lend a hand — but may not know help is needed, nor how to help.
A neighborhood support network can help in numerous ways, including organizing people to provide meals when needed, helping one another shovel snow, sharing offers to drive someone to church or the grocery store, arranging walks for a neighbor’s dog, even identifying a good handyman who will offer discounts in the neighborhood. It also might involve more connections among trusted neighbors, including those who are frail, supplementing the support they receive from family. When friends and family help each other together, everyone feels good.
Several hours a week for a few months to form caring community teams and get things started. After that, you’ll need a few hours per month (or more as you choose) to help neighbors and organize occasional community get-togethers.
Once you get this project rolling you will need to stay committed and be prepared to ramp up activity on short notice. For example, a neighbor might go in for emergency surgery and suddenly need to rely on your caring community for help.
Who can do this?
Great Reasons to do this Project
- Help neighbors who could use a little support.
- Strengthen neighborhood and community bonds.
- Build a network that will be there for you when you need it.
- Coordinate services or activities together; you may be able to get group discounts.
- Have fun engaging with others in your community. | <urn:uuid:7de36efb-facc-4317-b204-bce80597b7ae> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://createthegood.org/toolkit/build-caring-community-network?how-to-toolkit=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00061-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960828 | 433 | 1.890625 | 2 |
Here and there in Santa Rosa neighborhoods and now in it's brief glory; probably would be more popular if not for its habit of shedding it's leaves in the summer. I've been told that this practice is an adaptation to California's dry summer; elsewhere leaves hold until fall.
These will patrol our yard all summer after this point in spring. They love wet foliage. I suspect they suppress caterpillars; although I've not caught one in the act.. it does prove hard to raise any larval lepidopterans to maturity without transferring them to a 'terrarium' I've made of shadescreen cloth.
The last two days I've had Lady--hopefully not virginal--Pipevines fluttering around my little patch of Dutchman's Pipe. They quickly light, then fly away circling back to light again..
While you can see Pipevines dependably around this plant either creekside or on the hills within a few miles of this spot, I've never before seen them in the McDonald subdivision. This old Walnut Orchard is sited on the gently sloping flats between Santa Rosa Creek and the 300' hills that rise above it to the north... I'd speculate that this is like the mysterious trophism that brings Monarchs in the fall to visit my Milkweeds.
On a very sodden and steep patch with a fine southern exposure. A bonus appearance by Blue Eyed Grass: the most prevalent bloom on this fine spring day.
On a soggy slope with good southern exposure.
Lots of these diminutive lilies on the southern edge of a scrubby oak forest.
One of my favorites from Lillian Finley's garden; but very slow to spread despite--or because-- of my efforts. A half-dozen transplants have expanded to 4 times that number in 15 years.
These appear--or try to--every spring in our neighborhood. Sorry for them, they bloom out of a tuft of rather coarse looking grass; and are generally weeded out before bloom.
Among the first of the season in my neighborhood. Pipevines are out; Anise and thenWestern Tigers follow as the season matures. To get this pix, I just waited next to my token anise plant.
Ubiquitous. What I've not seen is the native plantain. Happily, chow for the Buckeye butterfly.
One of many. To see these infest your local greenspace is to marvel that they are said to be hard to hunt. This one and a partner came within 10 feet of me and my large dog.
They alternated cropping grass and nosing around in the shallow water.
Lurking in the alley along King's nursery; poised to beat up the sissy plants if they dare try to leave.
Another local springtime weed; not as common as others.
Remarkably prolific and persisting visitor to our neighborhood; but another one that often looks as if it was planted by a fastidious gardner. My partner often is annoyed when I pull it up.
A very common weed in my neighborhood; here horning in on the space set aside for a botanical garden. I'd guessed it was some sort of mint; several members recognized it at once.
A lovely species... it's hard to think of the saltcedars as 'invasive' when you see them managing in some of our bleakest locales; but certainly they are foreign.
A very common weed in my area. I believe it's the non-native 'cut-leaved geranium' ; certainly it's a real pest locally.
The old boneyard has a 'native garden' gradually built up by volunteers; this is part of that project.
Not much of a shot; but still enough to identify with confidence. Part of the spring furniture in our neighborhood, here enjoying the bit of marshy ground on the fringes of an old stock-tank.
Not present last week. I think I'm right here, although the petals do seem rather large for this plant. We will see what people think.
I've added a second pix of checker mallow in a local botanical collection...
Generally this fine little park features high and exposed pathways; can be unappealing on a hot day. There are, however, a few shady spots with a smattering of nice ferns.
Sampling the Borage that has naturalized in my daughter's garden from the time it was a herb 'farm'. | <urn:uuid:9012c354-a480-43a0-a493-6fa03f6b07b0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.inaturalist.org/observations/icosahedron?on=2012-4 | 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 | 0.965847 | 937 | 1.921875 | 2 |
Kentucky’s Department for Libraries and Archives (KDLA) has received recognition for its strategic planning, mission and vision in a updated version of a national publication, Managing Archival and Manuscript Repositories, by Michael J. Kurtz.
“At a time when the archival profession is in the midst of extraordinary change, it is rewarding that this prestigious manual has selected our efforts in Kentucky as being worthy of note,” said James A. Nelson, state librarian and commissioner, KDLA. “Our strategic plan represents the work of both paid staff and volunteers. Their partnerships with citizens and public agencies are the foundation for our strong service orientation in Kentucky.”
“Kentucky is blessed with a professional and service-driven atmosphere in our Department for Libraries and Archives,” said Virginia G. Fox, secretary, Kentucky Education Cabinet. “For decades, they have operated with a deep sense of purpose and mission. This recognition is both deserved, and long overdue.”
The original version of Managing Archival and Manuscript Repositories was published in 1992 by Thomas Wilsted and William Notle. Changes in organizational theory, communications, information technology, and the increasingly complicated and sophisticated projects performed in the archival setting are reflected in the new 2004 edition. The new book’s fifth chapter deals with mission, vision, values, goals, strategies and operational planning. KDLA’s strategic plan, specifically its mission statement and vision statement, is highlighted by the author as being thoughtful and comprehensive.
The 249-page, 13-chapter book was published by The Society of American Archivists. The society was established in 1936, and is headquartered in Chicago, Ill.
The Kentucky Education Cabinet coordinates learning programs from P-16, and manages and supports training and employment functions in the Department for Workforce Investment. For more information about our programs, visit www.educationcabinet.ky.gov or www.workforce.ky.gov, or call 502-564-6606. | <urn:uuid:2e078039-4c79-40bf-a64b-914df6e04b59> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://migration.kentucky.gov/newsroom/educationcabinet/KDLA+recog.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00066-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933687 | 417 | 1.703125 | 2 |
Ford, like most of the world’s automakers, is moving quickly to expand its position in China. It introduced SYNC, Edge, and Focus at the recent Beijing Auto Show. It also showed the Start Concept, a stunning sub-compact that employs a very small Ecoboost engine.
About the size of a Mini Cooper, Fiat 500, or the European Ford Ka, Start demonstrates how an entry-level small car can be anything but boring. It sports a fluid Italianesque design that is very sophisticated for this class of car. Besides fuel economy, cars in this class are ideal for tight city parking lots and for fitting easily with lawnmowers and boats in suburban garages. A trend we are already seeing in the U.S., Start uses smart phones to perform in-car functions.
Concealed within the smooth body is a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged engine, that would presumably provide incredible fuel economy with energetic acceleration and easy highway cruising. For comparison, that’s the same size and configuration engine that powers the Smart ForTwo, but without the turbos. Sans turbocharging, the engine would likely need another 0.5-1 litre of displacement to produce similar power, which would in turn decrease fuel economy. Even with Ford’s smallest EcoBoost engine, I would expect the Start to be a ball of fun if it is produced.
“The momentum behind the Ford brand is growing even stronger,” said Robert Graziano, chairman and CEO, Ford Motor China. “We capped years of steady growth with another record year in 2009, and the energy continues to build, fuelled by great new products and exciting technologies. The Beijing show is a great demonstration of how the ONE Ford global strategy is paying off for customers in China.”
Ford made no announcements as to whether The Start Concept will transition to production, however the car represents a class of vehicles that are growing in popularity around the world, including the United States. There is no denying its stunning design and efficient power as great starting points for domestic success. | <urn:uuid:bfd2611d-d485-4b65-816e-a84bf9301803> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2010/may/18/ford-start---ford-starts-something-china/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00063-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941599 | 429 | 1.507813 | 2 |
Twitter is Reducing Some Tweets Total Characters
Announced back in December, Twitter will be reducing the character limits on certain tweets. This change has arrived and tweets containing URLs will be reduced to 118 characters, if using a HTTPS URL the tweet will only have 117. This means, in short, that tweeting out links will now be a little tougher for you wordsmiths out there.
Tweets with links having limited characters isn’t new for Twitter. However, anyone who has to write a call to action on a tweet with a link will have less space to work with. The reason for the change is that condensed links will be taking up more characters resulting in a 2 character loss. While that might not seem like much, as someone who tries to avoid typing messages like “U R gonna <3 this" I know personally I may have to adjust to the new restrictions.
How do you think you'll be affected by these new limits?
Do you plan on condensing your tweets?
Image Courtesy of Mashable | <urn:uuid:65f0d877-9cb2-4268-8473-cfcffaf5b5e1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.socialdealer.com/SocialTrends/2013/02/26/twitter-is-reducing-some-tweets-total-characters/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00070-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945601 | 210 | 1.75 | 2 |
Today was all about seeing the local wildlife — this morning saw me taking a trip out into the harbour to swim with dolphins, and this afternoon saw me heading to Pohatu Marine Reserve in Flea Bay to see white-flippered little penguins. I was pretty excited about this, having only seen a few penguins in their natural habitat before.
The trip across to Flea Bay involved navigating a high pass on a gravel road. The views from the top across to both Flea Bay and Akaroa were stunning, as seems to be the norm for NZ! We didn’t have time on the way over to take photos, but on the way back I got to snap some beautiful shots looking down on Akaroa Harbour from above.
Once we arrived, I met the couple I would be kayaking with and my guide, Kevin. Because I was on my own, I would be in Kevin’s boat, which worked out well because I couldn’t use the left pedal in the kayak due to the position it put my knee in. Plus, he didn’t mind occasionally padding while I tried to snap a few photos!
Our trip started with paddling up the northern side of the bay, where the penguins make their home. The owners of the land here have put out plenty of artificial nests as part of a program to get the penguins breeding; apparently when they first put them out, they didn’t put enough and all the penguins started fighting over them! A very interesting thing about these nests is that they aren’t along the shoreline as you might expect; the penguins travel as far up as a copse of trees on top of a hill over 200m high, and they can travel as far as 700m inland as well.
Soon we were spotting more penguins than I ever thought I’d see. Hidden in amongst the rocks were quite a few groups of 2-4 penguins, peering out at us and wondering what to make of the giant yellow things outside their lairs. Occasionally one of the pied shags preening themselves on the rocks would stop, disdainfully look down at us, have a poo, and continue grooming.
Before we reached the end of the bay, we got to paddle a little way into a cave dug out of the soft volcanic rock by the relentless battering from the sea. I felt so small in comparison to what seemed like a giant cave. I couldn’t marvel for too long though because soon we were having to back out to make sure the swell didn’t push us too far into the cave.
Kevin thought it would be a good idea to say hi to the Pacific and I agreed, so we continued padding until we were well and truly in the waves of the ocean. For the second time today, I was treated to the view of the Banks Peninsula looking in. There were islands that had broken off the mainland and many larger caves than the one we had just been in.
The hardest work of the tour definitely came when we were paddling across the bay. Because Kevin wanted to make sure the other kayak didn’t get too far behind, he had tied a tow rope to it. I really noticed the weight when my out-of-shape arms were burning from pushing the paddle through the water! The crossing didn’t take all that long though and soon we were facing back into the bay and letting the waves carry us in.
There is a great divide between the animals in Flea Bay. As I said, the penguins live on the northern side — all but 70 of the 1063 mating pairs that lived there during the last census (as a side note, the census takes place every 4 years; the next one will be at the end of the year and they are looking for people to help count). The southern side is mostly inhabited by New Zealand fur seals. As we reached the area that Kevin said was the colony, we could only see one or two seals. I was thinking that it was a pretty small colony until we got around a rocky outcrop and could see them everywhere! Pups were splashing around in rock pools and adorably trying to scramble up rocks towards their mothers, while the adults lounged on the rocks looking as bored as possible.
Eventually Kevin pried us away from the seals by pointing out a line of white in the water. That line of white was not sea foam…it was a line of around 80 white flippered penguins, having what he described as their “happy hour.” In the late afternoon, they often gather on the water to socialise before night falls. I was amazed. I knew that they had said there were over 1000 mating pairs, but to see even 80 at one time was so cool. We made our way over to them, careful not to get too close or to make too much noise, and just watched as they floated this way and that, eventually dividing up into three distinct groups that floated off in different directions. What a way to end our trip!
Pohatu Adventures operates many tours around Flea Bay, including 1- and 2-day trips. Their kayaking tours run in the afternoon when weather permits and evening penguin tours are also available. | <urn:uuid:439cab9c-1541-4e62-89e0-bfa951c36959> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://wotifblog.com/2012/04/16/day-6-post-2-sea-kayaking-with-pohatu-adventures/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00048-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.985223 | 1,090 | 1.5 | 2 |
I find it pretty easy to take for granted the amazing feats computer engineers pull off these days, mainly because they’re too small to be visible. It often helps my understanding to have an analogy on a larger scale.
For example, according to this article, a new portable storage device for digital cameras / MP3 players has improved efficiency by shrinking the space between the reader and the media. Their analogy is that this increased shrinkage is akin to a Boeing 747 flying a millimeter above the earth’s surface.
Think about the control here. A device moving quickly enough to read data is so amazingly close to the actual media that the slightest deviation would be enough to cause the two to collide and probably destroy them both. But instead, the technique is reliable enough to allow for consistent data storage.
A 747 flying a millimeter above the ground. Now that’s pretty amazing. | <urn:uuid:9fd6db9f-2cd8-4c5b-893c-b59aa7a407be> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://mezzoblue.com/archives/2003/04/17/hardware_eng/?media=mobile | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00020-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942224 | 182 | 2.5625 | 3 |
Although Millenium Hall is fictional, the title-page presents it as a domestic tour, and the explicitly 'improving' aim of the work is not out of keeping with other travels of its day. John Newbery, to whom Scott dedicates her book, was the first major English publisher of books for children, and she shared his sentimental objectives even though she did not write this book for a younger audience.
The use of an anonymous male pseudonym befits the rather unusual voyeuristic
frontispiece (Millenium Hall is a secular convent), but was primarily
a way of lending the book, with its strong philosophical arguments for
female education, a seriousness that Scott rightly believed a woman novelist's
name would not evoke.
Hester Thrale Piozzi
By 1789 Hester Thrale Piozzi was presenting a well-worn tale, but she managed to do so with surprising success. She acknowledges that her journey is unoriginal, but the fineness of her analogy reveals why her perspective might be worth reading:
Italy, at last, is only a fine well-known academy
figure, from which we all sit down to make drawings according as the light
falls, and our seats afford opportunity. Every man sees that, and indeed
most things, with the eyes of his then present humour, and begins describing
away so as to convey a dignified or despicable idea of the object in question,
just as his disposition led him to interpret its appearance.
Here her frank discussion of stereotypes about Venetian women displays
the voice and perceptions that distinguished her from her fellow tourists.
Mary Wortley Montagu
Lady Mary's letters, many to her sister, are wonderfully crafted, yet
retain a sense of directness and immediacy that have ensured their sustained
popularity. Her almost clichéd analysis of the problems facing
travel writers is saved from the mundane by its clever association of
the 'fabulous and romantic' with the 'Arabian Tales'.
Like many of her male counterparts, Ann Radcliffe was given to a sense of English superiority. This disappointed description of the source of Seltzer water combines her real ability in depicting landscapes with her very pedestrian conclusions about the sights. In 1798 Joseph Hunter, an apprentice knife-maker, borrowed her tour from a circulating library and noted that 'I was not so much entertained with it as I expected, tho her descriptions are very fine'. Hunter had read all of Radcliffe's gothic novels and may have approached the book with the wrong expectations.
Radcliffe's Journey is also interesting for its frequent reliance on
Mrs. Piozzi's Observations and because her trip was cut short at the French
border by passport difficulties, whereupon she and her husband decided
to visit the Lakes District. This new destination clearly suited her talents
in depicting picturesque landscapes, but it was very much an afterthought. | <urn:uuid:7bc9e27a-122a-446f-9eb4-1c8d051feadf> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.otago.ac.nz/library/exhibitions/grand_tour/women.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00067-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971728 | 596 | 2.375 | 2 |
The current political environment looks bleak for any congressional action soon on disclosure requirements to narrow the Citizens United ruling, efforts for more public financing of elections, and a fix for the out-of-date presidential public finance system.
That was the general consensus among speakers at a conference held this week by non-profit group Common Cause and its allies in the progressive government reform movement. The event emphasized long-term work more than short-term optimism,
Campaign finance reform activists have reason to be reeling of late.
First came the U.S. Supreme Court’s January ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, which opened the doors for corporations and unions to spend unlimited amounts of money on independent campaign advertising. More recently, Senate Democrats failed for a second time — on a strictly party-line vote — to invoke cloture and end debate on the DISCLOSE Act, which would require corporations and special interests to disclose the donors that pay for their political ads. And, advocates fear, this Supreme Court may also strike down state and local campaign finance reform laws.
Speaker Arianna Huffington, the liberal-leaning website publisher, called changing the role of money in politics “the mother of all reforms” and endorsed full public financing of political campaigns. Others described such reforms as a long-term struggle that needs to use social media and coalition building to rally public support around the issue.
Fred Wertheimer, president of Democracy 21 and a veteran campaign finance reform activist, said that reformers currently operate in a “very hostile environment.” He expressed hope that the explosion of independent spending by outside groups who need not disclose their contributions would be the scandal that triggers a public groundswell. “You never know when the opportunity to win is going to call,” he said.
Mary Boyle, vice president for communications at Common Cause, told the Center that even though it sometimes feels like “pushing rocks up a hill,” a recent poll showed 70 percent support among Americans for reducing the influence of special interests in Congress. | <urn:uuid:5a435326-a992-4371-8faf-2479705f13af> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.publicintegrity.org/2010/10/06/2452/campaign-finance-reform-advocates-face-long-term-challenges | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00043-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958385 | 418 | 1.875 | 2 |
* Cutting edge reviews by leading workers in the discipline.
* In depth dissection of molecular aspects of interest to a broad range of scientists, physisicans and any student in the allied disciplines.
* Leading edge applications of technological innovations in the chemistry, biochemistry and molecular medicine.
Advances in Molecular Toxicology features the latest advances in all of the subspecialties of the broad area of molecular toxicology. Toxicology is the study of poisons and this series details the study of the molecular basis by which a vast array of agents encountered in the human environment and produced by the human body itself manifest themselves as toxins. Not strictly limited to documenting these examples the series is also concerned with the complex web of chemical and biological events that give rise to toxin-induced symptoms and disease. The new technologies that are being harnessed to analyze and understand these events will also be reviewed by leading workers in the field.
Advances in Molecular Toxicology will report progress in all aspects of these rapidly evolving molecular aspects of toxicology with a view toward detailed elucidation of both progress on the molecular level and on advances in technological approaches employed.
For academics in the field of chemistry, biochemistry, toxicology, pharmacology medicine, for Government agencies and those in industry, pharmaceutical and chemical manufacturers | <urn:uuid:8cf714b0-1117-49d7-9757-74d48c0602f4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://store.elsevier.com/product.jsp?isbn=9780444528421 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00071-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.918548 | 258 | 1.71875 | 2 |
Bill Gates. Warren Buffett. Condoleezza Rice. All great leaders. All introverts.
Introverts may be less noisy, but they actually outnumber extroverts in the workplace. Even in the corner office, a full 40% of high-level executives describe themselves as introverts.
In today’s extroverted business world, introverts can sometimes feel overlooked, excluded and misunderstood. But being an introvert doesn’t mean you can’t be a great leader ... and this workshop can set you on that path.
Jennifer Kahnweiler, Ph.D., author of the groundbreaking book The Introverted Leader, shows how introverts can succeed by working with, not against, their natural tendencies. Plus, the first 50 people to register will receive an e-version of Jennifer’s 192-page book.
Join us Jan. 24 for Quiet Strength: The Introvert's Guide to Leadership Greatness. You'll discover:
- Steps introverts can take to thrive in the workplace
- The 4 “hard realities” introverts face at work (“people exhaustion,” etc.) and how they can overcome these hurdles.
- How to avoid introvert/extrovert disconnects
- Profiles of well-known introverts … and lessons learned from each
- How to use the 4 P’s — a unique roadmap for introverted leaders
- How anyone can use the introvert’s tools to sell their ideas with quiet success
- And much more!
|“Jennifer wowed our group … Both introverts and extroverts alike were buzzing about their insights and next steps long after the meeting ended.” — Heather Rocker, former executive director, Women in Technology
Introversion is not shyness. It’s a hard-wired personality type. Introverts process information internally. They focus on depth, favor one-on-one interaction and seek solitude to gain perspective. They think first, talk later.
This workshop isn’t just for introverts. It will help everyone understand their introverted colleagues ... and teach team leaders how to get the best out of introverted workers, resulting in stronger and more effective teams. Plus, extroverts can learn how to adopt these introvert-focused approaches with great success.
The bottom line: It is not the loudest who wins at work. On Jan. 24, learn how introverted professionals can leverage their quiet strength to succeed!
Editorial Director, Business Management Daily
P.S. Early-Bird Bonus. The first 50 people who register will receive an electronic version of Jennifer Kahnweiler’s best-selling book, The Introverted Leader: Building on Your Own Quiet Strength. It will expand on the webinar topics, teaching introverts how to embrace their natural work style. It includes the revealing Introverted Leader Quiz to help readers maximize their results.
P.P.S. Your satisfaction is unconditionally guaranteed. If Quiet Strength fails to meet your needs, we will refund 100% of your tuition — no hassles, no questions asked. The free downloadable book is yours to keep.
Date: Thursday, Jan. 24
Time: 1 to 2:15 p.m. ET
Early Registration Bonus:
The first 50 people to register for this webinar will receive an e-version of presenter Jennifer Kahnweiler’s landmark book The Introverted Leader: Building on Your Own Quiet Strength. The 192-page book expands on the webinar topics, teaching introverts how to embrace their natural work style to advance their career and add value to the organization. It includes the revealing Introverted Leader Quiz to help readers maximize their results. Author Daniel Pink praised the book, saying, “Finally, a book that recognizes the immense value that introverts bring to the workplace. You’ll learn how to lead with quiet confidence through powerful personal examples and practical tools.”
About Your Speaker:
Jennifer Kahnweiler, Ph.D. is an author, speaker, and executive coach hailed as a “champion for workplace introverts.” Her bestselling book, The Introverted Leader: Building on Your Quiet Strength has achieved widespread appeal and was translated into six languages. The companion book, Quiet Influence: The Introvert’s Guide to Making a Difference, will be out this April.
Through keynote speeches, seminars and coaching programs that include her characteristic humor, poignant stories and practical tools, she transfers the lessons introverts teach us across cultures. Clients include GE, NASA, AT&T, and the US Embassy in Vietnam. Jennifer has written articles for Forbes, Bloomberg Business Week and the Wall Street Journal, and has been quoted in more than fifty international news media outlets. She is also a recipient of the 2012 Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) award, the National Speaker’s Association’s highest earned designation.
Who Should Attend:
- HR professionals
- Supervisors and managers
- Office managers
- Business owners
Since this is a webinar, you and your entire staff can attend in the comfort of your office or conference room for one low price! You may include as many people as you wish while listening on a single phone line.
Unlimited number of participants at one site. Contact us for multi-site discounts.
CD & Video Recording(mp4): $197
Webinar, CD & Video Recording(mp4): $297
Can't attend the webinar? We'll reserve a CD & Video Recording in your name.
How do webinars work?
Your no-risk guarantee...
This event is certified for credit hours toward the American Society of Administrative Professionals’ (ASAP) Professional Administrative Certificate of Excellence (PACE). For more information, visit www.asaporg.com. | <urn:uuid:d4900811-35a0-4085-b397-cb646e384362> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.businessmanagementdaily.com/plp/45893/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.913508 | 1,210 | 1.6875 | 2 |
I. UNWARRANTED PRIVILEGES (G.L. c. 268A, § 23(b)(2))
Public employees are prohibited from, knowingly or with reason to know, using or attempting to use their official positions to secure for themselves or others unwarranted privileges of substantial value that are not properly available to similarly situated individuals. "Substantial value" has been set at $50 or more by the courts and the Ethics Commission. In some instances, "substantial value" may not be readily ascertainable, such as when a public employee uses his or her position to get preferential treatment, to secure a special benefit or to retaliate against someone. In such cases, the Ethics Commission will view the totality of the circumstances to determine whether the substantial value threshold has been met. "Similarly situated individuals" can mean, in various situations, other people, businesses or entities in the city, town, state or county who are not necessarily public employees.
Using public equipment and resources for personal business is using an official position to obtain an unwarranted privilege of substantial value not properly available to others. Thus, the use of public resources valued at $50 or more for personal, private or political purposes violates the conflict of interest law. In addition, public employees may not use the "inherently coercive authority" of their position to seek anything of substantial value.
Example: A manager may not use official time, his staff or the supplies or equipment available to him in his office in order to write books.
Example: An elected official may not invoke his position to seek preferential treatment from police officers during a traffic stop.
Example: A public employee may not generally solicit donations for a private or charitable organization from individuals with whom he conducts official business.
II. "APPEARANCES" OF CONFLICTS (G.L. c. 268A, § 23(b)(3))
Public employees must avoid conduct that creates a reasonable impression that any person may improperly influence them or unduly enjoy their official favor, or that they are likely to act (or fail to act) because of kinship, rank, position or undue influence of any party or person. A reasonable impression of favoritism or bias may arise when a public employee, knowingly or with reason to know, acts on matters affecting the interest, whether financial or non-financial, of a friend, a business associate or a relative other than an immediate family member or a non-financial interest of an immediate family member. (1)
The conflict of interest law allows public employees to act on matters, even if it creates the appearance of a conflict, if they openly admit all the facts surrounding the appearance of bias prior to any official action. Specifically, the conflict of interest law states that if a reasonable person having knowledge of the relevant circumstances would conclude that a public employee might be improperly influenced, the public employee can dispel this impression of favoritism by disclosing all the facts that would lead to such a conclusion. For example, it may be necessary for a public employee to disclose a personal relationship with someone appearing before his or her board.
Appointed employees must make such disclosures in writing to their appointing authority (the person or board who appointed them to their job). This disclosure must be kept available for public inspection. An elected employee's public disclosure must be made in writing and filed with the city or town clerk. These public disclosures must be made prior to any official participation or action. In addition, the Commission advises public employees to make an oral disclosure for inclusion in the meeting minutes. Occasionally, an appearance of a conflict of interest arises for the first time during a public meeting. In that case, a public employee should make an oral disclosure at the meeting and file a written disclosure as soon as possible thereafter. Alternatively, instead of filing a written disclosure under Section 23(b)(3), a public employee may simply abstain from participating, i.e. debating, voting or otherwise being involved, in a matter that creates an appearance of a conflict.
Once a public disclosure has been made, the public employee may participate in the matter notwithstanding the "appearance" of a conflict. When public employees do act on matters affecting individuals with whom they have a private relationship, they must act objectively and be careful not to use their official position to secure any unwarranted privilege or benefit for that person.
Example: An elected planning board member participates in the planning board's consideration of a subdivision plan submitted by a contractor who previously built the planning board member's house. Her participation in the planning board's consideration would create a reasonable basis for the impression that the contractor might unduly enjoy the planning board member's favor in the performance of her official duties. To dispel this appearance of bias, the planning board member must disclose in writing her private business relationship with the contractor and file the disclosure with the town clerk before participating. She may then participate in the board's consideration of the subdivision plan, including voting on the plan.
Example: The longtime friend of the head of a state agency applies for a job in the agency. If the agency head gets involved in the hiring process, it would appear to a reasonable person that he might be biased in favor of his friend. To dispel the appearance of favoritism, the agency head must disclose his private friendship with the job applicant in writing to his appointing official. The appointing official may then determine whether further steps should be taken to avoid the appearance of a conflict (e.g., instruct the agency head not to participate in the hiring and delegate the matter to another employee).
III. DEALINGS WITH SUBORDINATES (G.L. c. 268A, § 23(b)(2))
The inherently exploitable nature of the relationship between superior and subordinate requires formal safeguards to protect against even accidental or unintended coercion or undue pressure by the superior. Section 23 of the conflict of interest law prohibits both actual exertion of undue influence and also the appearance of acting in anything but a completely objective manner. Therefore, persons in supervisory positions may not ask their subordinates to work for them in a private capacity or to contribute to any private interest or organization. In such situations, the subordinate employee may feel coerced even if there is no such intent on the part of the supervisor, and it would be impossible to avoid the "appearance" of impropriety in such situations. The limitations of Section 23 also apply to a public employee dealing with vendors and other individuals that the employee regulates.
Example: A public employee is doing substantial renovations on his home, and he knows that his administrative assistant and his brother do roofing work on the side. The public employee may not ask his assistant to re-shingle the roof, even if he is willing to pay a fair market wage for the work. If, however, the solicitation is made by the subordinate, either directly or through advertisement, rather than the superior, private employment of the subordinate by the superior may be permissible if the proper public disclosures are made to the superior's appointing official. Individuals considering such arrangements should contact the Ethics Commission's Legal Division for specific advice.
IV. INHERENTLY INCOMPATIBLE ACTIVITIES (G.L. c. 268A, § 23(b)(1))
A public employee is prohibited from, knowingly or with reason to know, accepting other employment involving compensation of substantial value ($50 or more), the responsibilities of which are inherently incompatible with the responsibilities of his or her public office. For example, a public employee who is acting as a mediator would violate the conflict of interest law by working privately for a union when he was simultaneously involved in mediating a labor dispute with the same union.
V. USE OF CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION (G.L. c. 268A, § 23(c))
No current or former officer or employee of a state, county or municipal agency may, knowingly or with reason to know:
- accept employment or engage in any business or professional activity that will require disclosure of confidential information the employee has gained by reason of his or her position or authority; nor
- improperly disclose material or data that are not considered public records, when an employee acquired such information in the course of his or her official duties; nor
- use such confidential information to further his or her personal interests.
Example: A former employee of the town personnel office sets up her own employment placement service and uses confidential information from the town's personnel records to prepare a client list for use in her private business. This violates Section 23 because she would be using confidential information acquired in the course of her official duties to further her personal interests, and also because she would be using her official position to secure for herself an unwarranted privilege not properly available to similarly situated individuals (i.e., other placement services).
* * *
For more information about the state conflict of interest and financial disclosure laws (G.L. c. 268A & c. 268B), including the subjects discussed in this Advisory, please contact:
State Ethics Commission (Ethics Comm.)
One Ashburton Place, Room 619
Boston, MA 02108
ISSUED: March 1987 [as a Fact Sheet]
REVISED: January 28, 1991
REVISED: December 31, 1992
REVISED: February 3, 2005 [as an Advisory]
1/ The conflict of interest law (in Sections 6, 11 and 19) expressly prohibits public employees from acting on any matter that affects the financial interest of themselves, their immediate family members or businesses for which they serve as an employee, partner, officer, director or trustee. "Immediate family" is defined in the law as the employee and his or her spouse and each of their parents, children, brothers and sisters. The public disclosure process is not available for elected public employees when faced with matters affecting these groups - the officials must abstain from participating in the matter. Public employees who are appointed or hired to their jobs should contact the Ethics Commission or consult its "Advisory 86-02: Nepotism" before taking any action on such matters. | <urn:uuid:442378b8-7596-476e-b91b-02efdb1d5891> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mass.gov/ethics/education-and-training-resources/educational-materials/advisories/advisory-05-01-standards-of-conduct.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956729 | 2,052 | 1.6875 | 2 |
Reporting this week (Thursday 26 April) in the journal Nature, an international team of scientists led by British Antarctic Survey (BAS) has established that warm ocean currents are the dominant cause of recent ice loss from Antarctica. New techniques have been used to differentiate, for the first time, between the two known causes of melting ice shelves - warm ocean currents attacking the underside, and warm air melting from above. This finding brings scientists a step closer to providing reliable projections of future sea-level rise.
Researchers used 4.5 million measurements made by a laser instrument mounted on NASA's ICESat satellite to map the changing thickness of almost all the floating ice shelves around Antarctica, revealing the pattern of ice-shelf melt across the continent. Of the 54 ice shelves mapped, 20 are being melted by warm ocean currents, most of which are in West Antarctica.
In every case, the inland glaciers that flow down to the coast and feed into these thinning ice shelves have accelerated, draining more ice into the sea and contributing to sea level rise.
Lead author Dr Hamish Pritchard from British Antarctic Survey, which is part of the UK's Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), said:
"In most places in Antarctica, we can't explain the ice-shelf thinning through melting of snow at the surface, so it has to be driven by warm ocean currents melting them from below.
"We've looked all around the Antarctic coast and we see a clear pattern: in all the cases where ice shelves are being melted by the ocean, the inland glaciers are speeding up. It's this glacier acceleration that's responsible for most of the increase in ice loss from the continent and this is contributing to sea-level rise."
"What's really interesting is just how sensitive these glaciers seem to be. Some ice shelves are thinning by a few metres a year and, in response, the glaciers drain billions of tons of ice into the sea. This supports the idea that ice shelves are important in slowing down the glaciers that feed them, controlling the loss of ice from the Antarctic ice sheet. It means that we can lose an awful lot of ice to the sea without ever having summers warm enough to make the snow on top of the glaciers melt - the oceans can do all the work from below.
"But this does raise the question of why this is happening now. We think that it's linked to changes in wind patterns. Studies have shown that Antarctic winds have changed because of changes in climate, and that this has affected the strength and direction of ocean currents. As a result warm water is funnelled beneath the floating ice. These studies and our new results therefore suggest that Antarctica's glaciers are responding rapidly to a changing climate."
A different picture is seen on the eastern Antarctic Peninsula (the long stretch of land pointing towards South America). Here, the ice-shelf thinning found by this study can be explained by warm summer winds directly melting the snow on the ice-shelf surfaces. Both patterns, of widespread ocean-driven melting and this summer melting on the Antarctic Peninsula, can therefore be attributed to Antarctica's changing wind patterns.
This research is part of international efforts to improve understanding of the interactions between ice and climate in order to improve the reliability of sea-level rise projections. Professor David Vaughan is the leader of ice2sea - a major EU-funded FP7 programme. He said,
"This study shows very clearly why the Antarctic ice sheet is currently losing ice, which is a major advance. But the real significance is that it also shows the key to predicting how the ice sheet will change in the future is in understanding the oceans. Perhaps we should not only be looking to the skies above Antarctica, but also into the surrounding oceans."
The study was carried out by an international team from British Antarctic Survey, Utrecht University, Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Earth & Space Research in Corvallis, Oregon. NASA's ICESat – Ice, Cloud and Land Elevation Satellite – measurements were collected during the period 2003 – 2008 to detect changes in ice-shelf thickness through time.
Antarctic ice sheet loss driven by basal melting of ice shelves: H.D Pritchard, S.R.M Ligtenberg, H.A Fricker, D.G Vaughan, M.R van den Broeke, L. Padman is published this week in the journal Nature.
Issued jointly by the BAS and NASA Press Offices:
Athena Dinar, BAS, Tel: +44 (0)1223 221414; mobile: +44 (0)7736 921693, email: email@example.com
Stephen Cole, NASA, Tel: +1 202-358-0918; email: firstname.lastname@example.org
Elaina Ford, ice2sea, Tel: +44 (0)1223 221453; mobile: +44 (0)7715 933554, email: email@example.com
Scientist contact details:
Dr Hamish Pritchard, Lead Author, British Antarctic Survey (UK) Tel: +44 (0) 1223 221293; mobile: +44 (0) 7739515392; email: firstname.lastname@example.org
Stefan Ligtenberg MSc, Utrecht University (Netherlands) Tel: +31 30 253 3274; email: S.R.M.Ligtenberg@uu.nl
Associate Professor Helen Fricker, SCRIPPS Institution of Oceanography (US) Tel: +1 619 993 3569; email: email@example.com
Professor David Vaughan, Leader of the ice2sea programme Tel: +44 (0) 1223 221643; mobile: +44 (0) 7729 425 260; email: firstname.lastname@example.org
Professor Michiel van den Broeke, Utrecht University (Netherlands) Tel: +31 30 253 3169; email: M.R.vandenBroeke@uu.nl
Laurence Padman, Earth & Space Research (US) Tel: +1 541 753 6695; email: email@example.com
Notes for editors:
Data were used from NASA's high-resolution ICESat. Launched in January 2003, ICESat was sent into a polar orbit to examine changes in the world's ice and land masses - particularly ice mass balance - as well as cloud and aerosol height. The satellite's lasers have measured the surface elevation of the Earth's ice sheets with unprecedented accuracy. The satellite's repeated passes over both poles create a wide net of coverage, and contribute to a long-term time series of topographic changes.
Glacier – a 'river of ice' fed by the accumulation of snow. Glaciers drain ice from mountains to lower levels, where the ice either melts, breaks away into the sea as icebergs, or feeds into an ice shelf.
Ice sheet – the huge mass of ice, up to 4 km thick that covers bedrock in Antarctica or Greenland. It flows from the centre of the continent towards the coast where it feeds ice shelves.
Ice shelf – the floating extension of the grounded ice sheet. Composed of freshwater ice that originally fell as snow, either in situ or in land and brought to the ice shelf by glaciers. As they are already floating, any disintegration will have no direct impact on sea level. Sea level will rise only if the ice held back by the ice shelf flows more quickly onto the sea.
British Antarctic Survey (BAS), a component of the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), delivers and enables world-leading interdisciplinary research in the Polar Regions. Its skilled science and support staff based in Cambridge, Antarctica and the Arctic, work together to deliver research that uses the Polar Regions to advance our understanding of Earth as a sustainable planet. Through its extensive logistic capability and know-how BAS facilitates access for the British and international science community to the UK polar research operation. Numerous national and international collaborations, combined with an excellent infrastructure help sustain a world leading position for the UK in Antarctic affairs. For more information visit: www.antarctica.ac.uk
Ice2sea brings together the EU's scientific and operational expertise from 24 leading institutions across Europe and beyond. Improved projections of the contribution of ice to sea-level rise produced by this major European-funded programme will inform the fifth IPCC report (due in 2013). In 2007, the fourth Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report highlighted ice-sheets as the most significant remaining uncertainty in projections of sea-level rise. Understanding about the crucial ice-sheet effects was "too limited to assess their likelihood or provide a best estimate of an upper bound for sea-level rise".
Ice2sea is funded by the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7): http://www.ice2sea.eu
The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) is the UK's main agency for funding and managing world-class research, training and knowledge exchange in the environmental sciences. It coordinates some of the world's most exciting research projects, tackling major issues such as climate change, environmental influences on human health, the genetic make-up of life on earth, and much more. NERC receives around £320 million a year from the government's science budget, which it uses to fund independent research and training in universities and its own research centres: http://www.nerc.ac.uk
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system. | <urn:uuid:6d708b8d-a0a3-444d-b599-8102152013e2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-04/bas-woc042412.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00046-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.914423 | 2,022 | 4.125 | 4 |
1. Use a Lip Balm
Posted on 22 October 2010 by irene
Posted on 12 October 2010 by irene
Posted on 01 October 2010 by irene
*~ Have a Beautiful Day! ~*
Posted on 20 September 2010 by irene
I love being a Korean-American.
I always thought I was very “American”… but I realized that there are a few big differences that perhaps Koreans could learn from.
Posted on 09 September 2010 by irene
Posted on 03 September 2010 by irene
The moment you quit smoking, you set in motion an amazing healing process that starts with the feeling of fear and excitement over making such a positive change in your life. The healing process continues:
Your blood pressure goes down. The nicotine in cigarettes stimulates the release of adrenaline , which raises your blood pressure. Chronic smoking then keeps your blood pressure high, which in essence creates ppersistent hypertension. Hypertension is a risk factor for strokes, heart attacks, heart failure, arterial aneurysm, and chronic renal failure.
Your pulse rate also decreases. Just like with blood pressure, the nicotine in cigarettes stimulates the release of adrenaline, raising your heart rate. An increased heart rate, especially over a period of time, can create a number of problems, increasingly inefficient pumping of blood by the heart and an imbalance in oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the hemoglobin in the blood.
Two great things happen in your blood: the levels of poisonous carbon monoxide decrease because you’re no longer inhaling so much CO. This then allows your levels of oxygen in the blood to increase.
Your chances of having a heart attack begin to go down—in just one day after having quit!
Your nerve endings begin to re-grow and your senses of smell and taste begin to improve
You will be largely nicotine-free. Most of the nicotine metabolites in your body will have been passed through your urine. Although nicotine withdrawal will be peaking, your bronchial tubes will be relaxing, increasing your ability to breathe.
Your circulation gets better, simple activities like walking get easier and you fatigue less quickly, the function of your lungs improves, you aren’t coughing nearly as much and your sinuses are less congested.
You will have lowered your risk of coronary heart disease by half compared to smokers.
You will have lowered your risk of stroke down to the same risk as people who have never smoked.
Your risk of lung cancer drops to as little as one-half that of people who continue to smoke. Furthermore, you will have significantly reduced your risk of developing cancers of the oral cavity, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, and pancreas.
Your risk of developing coronary heart disease will be no higher than that of people who have never smoked.
And most importantly, you will have lowered your risk of death—period—nearly to the level of people who have never smoked.
Posted on 27 August 2010 by irene
Posted on 19 August 2010 by irene
You wanted to get a nice dark tan while laying out and you ended up getting burned.
You should know better than to skimp on the SPF, but I’m not here to lecture you (or I’ll try to refrain….)
The Damage is done (literally), so here a few tips to help you deal.
Keep it cool: Apply cold compresses — such as a towel dampened with cool water — to the affected skin. Or take a cool bath.
Keep it moist: Apply aloe or moisturizing cream to the affected skin.
* Try making Aloe Cubes by filling an empty ice tray with Aloe. Use the frozen Aloe Cubes to ease the pain and cool down the skin
-Avoid products containing alcohol, which can further dry out skin. (Beware of sunburn treatment products containing anesthetics, such as benzocaine. There’s little evidence that these products are effective. In some cases, they may even irritate the skin)
Leave blisters intact: If blisters form, don’t break them. You’ll only slow the healing process and increase the risk of infection. If needed, lightly cover blisters with gauze.
Take an over-the-counter pain reliever: If needed, take anti-inflammatory medication — such as aspirin or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) — according to the label instructions until redness and soreness subside.
-(Don’t give children or teenagers aspirin. It may cause Reye’s syndrome, a rare but potentially fatal disease)
Drink Water: A sunburn can cause a mild fever and a headache. Lie down in a cool, quiet room to relieve the headache. A headache may be caused by dehydration, so drinking fluids may help.
Treat peeling skin gently. Within a few days, the affected area may begin to peel. This is simply your body’s way of getting rid of the top layer of damaged skin. While your skin is peeling, continue to use moisturizing cream
Consult a doctor for sunburn treatment if:
- Severe sunburn covers a large portion of your body with blisters
- Sunburn is accompanied by a high fever or severe pain
- Severe sunburn doesn’t begin to improve within a few days
So remember to cover yourself in SPF~
It sucks getting burned…. but at least you’ll end up with that tan you wanted! ;)
Posted on 13 August 2010 by irene
Posted on 08 August 2010 by irene
Positive reinforcement works much better on children than negative reinforcement~ This also applies to you.
Self-Acceptance and Self-Confidence are two of the biggest beauty tips I could ever give you.
*~ Have a Beautiful Day!~* | <urn:uuid:7880b9e8-0027-450f-a01b-88bc019b3e33> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.koreanbeacon.com/tag/beauty-tips/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932936 | 1,217 | 2.046875 | 2 |
As Leap Motion dev units have begun shipping out, developers have been toying with the motion-tracking device to find unique uses for it. One developer in particular ended up using his unit to help him out with his music recording. Stephane Bersot used the Leap Motion to play air drums, change the pitch of his guitar, and even control the EQ on his piano keyboard.
Essentially, the Leap Motion is able to change the pitch of the guitar chords based on the position of the guitar’s headstock, meaning that there’s no need for players to use a tremolo bar or bend the strings while playing. The device can also track specially-made drum sticks that allow the Leap to track the end points of the sticks to play the beats.
However, that seemed to be Bersot’s most difficult challenge. He says “it wasn’t easy to play drums with it,” and it actually needs more work to make it more stable. Essentially, Bersot used the velocities and positions of the drum sticks on the X axis, and had it play the note at just the right time during the down motion.
We’re assuming Bersot’s project is just for fun, since it doesn’t seem like he plans to release something like it anytime soon, but it goes to show the potential of the Leap Motion device. While it can be used to track your hands to move objects on a screen, the implications of such a device go way beyond what one might think. | <urn:uuid:d3530dbd-0fab-409e-bc3a-f575446e6c3b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.slashgear.com/leap-motion-sees-its-potential-as-a-possible-musical-device-10268742/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970284 | 316 | 1.765625 | 2 |
A fascinating article on how one teacher uses technology in the classroom. They even spend some time covering how he uses an iPad, feedback systems, peer instruction and inquiry-based learning.
As soon as kids walk in, Musallam sends out a text blast through Remind101, asking them a challenge question that’s related to the day’s lesson. “First person to tell me the units on K for a second order reaction gets chocolate,” he types and sends off. His students know he does this regularly, so they’re constantly anticipating the question during the day, in and out of class.
“Sure, that’s kind of cute,” he says, admitting that it can be seen as gimmicky. “But more importantly, in my mind that’s saying, ‘You’re carrying around something that I can contact you with.’ It’s a fun ways to stay motivated in our day, which can be pretty dry sometimes. It’s a chance to think about what we’re learning outside the context of state testing.” | <urn:uuid:5f9a0df0-f594-4fa0-b73e-3c9f9a8a8bcc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://appsandstacks.tumblr.com/post/23125882883/how-teachers-make-cell-phones-work-in-the-classroom | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00069-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953267 | 235 | 2.84375 | 3 |
THE U.S. MILITARY
|COLIN WYERS / GETTY IMAGES
|U.S. Marines from the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force march toward Camp Commando on Dec. 31 in Kuwait. The Marines were making their way up Mutla Ridge during the seven-mile walk to their forward camp.
Cutting-edge weaponry eclipses even that used in the Gulf War.
Before leaving Iraq in 1998, United Nations weapons inspectors tagged equipment they thought needed to be destroyed, including some that may have been used for legitimate civilian purposes but could be converted for use in making biological weapons. That exercise has paid off as a second group of U.N. inspectors combs the country for evidence that Saddam Hussein has weapons of mass destruction.
U.S. military capabilities have become more high-tech, more precisely deadly than they were when U.S. forces fought Iraqi troops in the 1991 Gulf War.
The so-called "smart weapons" that dazzled observers of the Gulf War did not work well in clouds or dust. Now, the United States has satellite-guided weapons that can operate in any weather.
New versions of the Tomahawk cruise missiles first used in that war use satellite guidance as well and have the ability to change targets in minutes.
B-2 bombers, used in Afghanistan, would likely be used during the first hours of war to soften up defenses. Drones were used during the Gulf War as decoys during air assaults. High-flying Global Hawk drones would be called on to track troop movements from the air. Low-flying drones would also be used. Last year a Predator operated by the CIA was used in Yemen to wipe out a vehicle carrying al-Qaida operatives.
The Patriot-2 missiles used to protect vital installations have been upgraded but not much changed since 1991. Patriots were not effective against Iraqi Scud missiles in the Gulf War they actually intercepted and shot down few of the clumsy Scuds.
SEARCH FOR SCUDS
In 1991, the U.S. fruitlessly initiated more than 2,000 missions to find and destroy the mobile launchers and missiles, according to Time magazine.
This time, the U.S. has better intelligence about where to find them, and Israeli units have been conducting reconnaissance missions in western Iraq, looking for likely launch sites near possible hiding places.
Computer capabilities have changed since 1991 Air Force and Navy computers couldn’t talk to each other during the Gulf War and target lists had to be flown to aircraft carriers then.
As for manpower, the exact size of the deployment to the region isn't known, but about 250,000 troops were sent to the Gulf War. Two aircraft-carrier battle groups and hundreds of combat aircraft have been at the ready since the first of the year for what could be an intense air and ground assault from the south, north and west.
Thousands of military personnel have been deployed to bases in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain and other locations in recent weeks. Some are combat-ready, including infantry units, officials said.
Many more are members of logistics, engineering and support teams, needed to prepare for the arrival of the larger combat units.
The Iraqi military
Saddam's ability to battle any invasion might hinge on what lies hidden in his arsenal.
The war clouds gathering over Iraq are likely to rain ordnance mostly marked Made in America.
|TAHA AL-RUBAYYH / GETTY IMAGES, 2002
|Iraq's military can still muster a parade, but it faces long odds in a fight against U.S. troops should an invasion occur.
Unless Saddam Hussein seeds the sky with chemical or biological warfare as experts say he may since he may have nothing left to lose the war is likely to be decidedly one-sided.
Saddam has maintained he has no programs to develop chemical and biological weapons of mass destruction, no nuclear-weapons program and no desire to rebuild his arsenals.
But a congressional resolution last fall authorizing President Bush to go to war against Iraq stated that it has sizable stockpiles of chemical weapons, a large-scale biological-weapons program and a nuclear-weapons program that was much closer to producing a bomb than previously believed.
Iraq claimed to have 10,000 chemical weapons after the Gulf War a figure disputed by inspectors, who said it was 10 times that. Iraq can make mustard gas and reportedly has large stores of biological agents including concentrated botulinum toxin which in aerosol form kills by paralyzing the respiratory muscles and anthrax spores.
It's also possible Saddam has retained samples of smallpox virus from a naturally occurring outbreak in Iraq in the 1970s, and he might have stores of the organism that causes plague.
But chemical and biological weapons won't do him any good unless he has the missiles to deliver them. The U.N. sanctions after the Gulf War forbade him having any missile with a range of more than 100 miles.
But in 1998, Iraq admitted having 25 biological warheads for Scud missiles, which can travel well beyond 100 miles, and U.S. intelligence experts believe it kept 24 hidden Scuds when U.N. inspectors left in 1998.
Dozens of suppliers, most in Europe, the U.S. and Japan wittingly or not provided the components and know-how Saddam needed to build an atomic bomb, according to Iraq and U.N. officials.
According to Gary Milhollin, director of the Wisconsin Project, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank on nuclear-arms control, if it hadn't been for the Gulf War, Iraq would now have nuclear weapons.
As for troop counts, Iraq stands to be woefully outmanned in this confrontation. | <urn:uuid:c05b173e-c3cb-45bd-b2ca-869fad64b57b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://seattletimes.com/news/nation-world/usiraq/crisis/military.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964069 | 1,173 | 2.515625 | 3 |
Cervical cancer and pre-cancer cervical growths require single HPV protein
(Medical Xpress)—Human papillomavirus (HPV) has long been implicated in cervical cancer, but details of how it happens have remained a mystery. Now researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have found that a single HPV protein is required for cervical cancer and even pre-cancer growths in the cervix to survive.
In anticipation of a clinical trial in humans, the scientists and their collaborators are moving quickly to test if a gene-silencing technique could cripple the protein and eliminate cervical cancer and pre-cancerous growths in specially-bred mice.
Cervical cancer is relatively rare in the United States, thanks to the widespread use of Pap smears as a screening tool. But pre-cancer lesions in the cervix, called cervical inter-epithelial neoplasias, or CINs, are common.
Low-grade CINs are typically left alone because most will shrink and pose no problem. But women with high-grade CINs have a 10 percent chance of getting cervical cancer, says Dr. Paul Lambert, senior author on the paper. In addition, surgical treatment of high-grade CINs carries a risk of excessive bleeding and even infertility.
Scientists know that two HPV cancer-causing proteins, or oncoproteins—E6 and E7—are always expressed in cervical cancer. Lambert and his team at UW's McArdle Laboratory of Cancer Research conducted experiments in cultured cell lines that suggested that the oncoproteins caused cervical cancer as well as anal and head and neck cancers. The researchers also learned that E7 had a much greater ability than E6 to cause cancer.
Other studies in different types of cancers suggested that when oncoproteins were involved, they needed to work together—blocking the expression of both often led to a more effective reduction of tumors than blocking either one alone.
But Lambert, a member of the UW Carbone Cancer Center, was intrigued with E7's power.
"In thinking of treatments, we wondered in this case if we could target just one oncoprotein, the most potent one, rather than two, which could be much more complicated," he says.
Dr. Sean Jabbar and Soyeong Park in the Lambert laboratory created and bred mice in which they could control the expression of both E7 and E6. They found that when he turned off E7 but left E6 on, the cervical cancers and CINs melted away.
"This told us that E7 should be an excellent therapeutic target for HPV-associated cancers, including pre-cancerous CINs," Lambert says.
If the gene-silencing experiments that are expected to take place soon prove effective, there's a good chance that the blocking approach could be used to control the disease without surgery.
Women in developing countries might benefit greatly, Lambert adds.
"Cervical cancer is prevalent around the world in places where screening does not exist and surgery is not available," he says.
Journal reference: Cancer Research
Provided by University of Wisconsin-Madison
- FDA-approved drugs eliminate, prevent cervical cancer in mice Nov 09, 2009 | not rated yet | 0
- HPV test detects more pre-cancerous cells than conventional smear test Apr 27, 2010 | not rated yet | 0
- Researchers develop and test new anti-cancer vaccine Jun 08, 2012 | not rated yet | 0
- Protein found to be the link missing between HPV infection and cervical cancer development Apr 05, 2011 | not rated yet | 0
- Most anal lesions don't cause cancer in men, research shows Mar 23, 2012 | not rated yet | 0
- Motion perception revisited: High Phi effect challenges established motion perception assumptions Apr 23, 2013 | 3 / 5 (2) | 2
- Anything you can do I can do better: Neuromolecular foundations of the superiority illusion (Update) Apr 02, 2013 | 4.5 / 5 (11) | 5
- The visual system as economist: Neural resource allocation in visual adaptation Mar 30, 2013 | 5 / 5 (2) | 9
- Separate lives: Neuronal and organismal lifespans decoupled Mar 27, 2013 | 4.9 / 5 (8) | 0
- Sizing things up: The evolutionary neurobiology of scale invariance Feb 28, 2013 | 4.8 / 5 (10) | 14
Pressure-volume curve: Elastic Recoil Pressure don't make sense
9 hours ago From pressure-volume curve of the lung and chest wall (attached photo), I don't understand why would the elastic recoil pressure of the lung is...
If you became brain-dead, would you want them to pull the plug?
May 17, 2013 I'd want the rest of me to stay alive. Sure it's a lousy way to live but it beats being all-the-way dead. Maybe if I make it 20 years they'll...
MRI bill question
May 15, 2013 Dear PFers, The hospital gave us a $12k bill for one MRI (head with contrast). The people I talked to at the hospital tell me that they do not...
Ratio of Hydrogen of Oxygen in Dessicated Animal Protein
May 13, 2013 As an experiment, for the past few months I've been consuming at least one portion of Jell-O or unflavored Knox gelatin per day. I'm 64, in very...
Alcohol and acetaminophen
May 13, 2013 Edit: sorry for the typo in the title , can't edit I looked around on google quite a bit and it's very hard to find precise information on the...
Marie Curie's leukemia
May 13, 2013 Does anyone know what might be the cause of Marie Curie's cancer
- More from Physics Forums - Medical Sciences
More news stories
A ground-breaking advance in colonoscopy technology signals the future of colorectal care, according to research presented today at Digestive Disease Week(DDW). Additional research focuses on optimizing the minimal withdrawal ...
Cancer 1 hour ago | not rated yet | 0
(HealthDay)—Concurrent use of two immune checkpoint antibodies—ipilimumab and nivolumab—may be effective for the treatment of advanced melanoma, according to a proof-of-principal study presented in ...
Cancer 20 hours ago | not rated yet | 0
(HealthDay)—The risks of metastasis and death associated with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) are low, but significant, and risk factors for poor outcome include tumor diameter, invasion beyond ...
Cancer 21 hours ago | not rated yet | 0 |
A new review finds cancer survivors suffer a diverse and complex set of impairments, affecting virtually every organ system. Writing in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, Julie Silver, M.D., associate professor at Harvar ...
Cancer May 17, 2013 | not rated yet | 0
(AP)—A California doctor has been sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for bilking her patients out of more than $1 million by promising that an herbal supplement could cure late-stage cancer and other diseases.
Cancer May 17, 2013 | not rated yet | 0
An increasing number of U.S. children are experiencing gastrointestinal issues that require interventions to resolve, according to research presented at Digestive Disease Week (DDW).
1 hour ago | not rated yet | 0 |
Big names in medicine are set to give an upbeat assessment of the war on AIDS on Tuesday, 30 years after French researchers identified the virus that causes the disease.
10 hours ago | 5 / 5 (1) | 0
For combat veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, 'fear circuitry' in the brain never rests
Chronic trauma can inflict lasting damage to brain regions associated with fear and anxiety. Previous imaging studies of people with post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, have shown that these brain regions can over-or ...
11 hours ago | not rated yet | 0 |
(Medical Xpress)—What if the quality of your work depends more on your focus on the piano keys or canvas or laptop than your musical or painting or computing skills? If target users can be convinced, they ...
22 hours ago | 3.7 / 5 (3) | 0 |
The neural machinery underlying our olfactory sense continues to be an enigma for neuroscience. A recent review in Neuron seeks to expand traditional ideas about how neurons in the olfactory bulb might encode information about ...
21 hours ago | not rated yet | 0 |
In 2008 researchers from the University of Southern Denmark showed that the drug thioridazine, which has previously been used to treat schizophrenia, is also a powerful weapon against antibiotic-resistant bacteria such as ...
19 hours ago | 3.7 / 5 (3) | 0 | | <urn:uuid:f498ba0f-d9a6-4224-9d30-2963c3ebaadb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-cervical-cancer-pre-cancer-growths-require.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940363 | 1,848 | 2.984375 | 3 |
I took my Trinity London ATCL performance last year, and the result was 85 marks (Distinction), and 9 marks out of total 10 for programme notes, 28 marks out of 30 for musical sense, and 26 marks out of 30 for technique.
Here was my programme notes about one of my exam pieces - Poulenc Sonata, I wrote this myself and expressed my feeling when playing it:
"3. Francis Jean Marcel Poulenc (1899 – 1963)
Sonata for flute and piano
Movement I Allegretto malincolico (4:38)
Movement II Cantilena (3:55)
Movement III Presto giocoso (3:39)
Francis Poulenc was born in Paris, a reputed French composer in the 20th century. He was a member of the famous Les Six – a group of six composers whose music was against the impressionist music.
This piece was written in 1957, a commissioned piece dedicated to the memory of Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge. But actually Mr. Poulenc was composing it for the leading flutist of the time Jean-Pierre Rampal to play it in 1957.
The abstract, quick change in mood and feeling, and the great contrasts in tempo, rhythm, and dynamics make this piece very attractive and unique to listen to. Technically demanding is also shown in movement 1 and 3, especially in movement 3 where the composer exploited all the techniques of modern flute to its full. Melancholic, Reminiscent, Soothing, and Joyful rhythms and melodies are occillating in this piece. Especially in movement 2, the resolving and relieving mood are again interrupted by the sudden agitating feeling and excitement in the middle of the movement by using contrast in tempo and dynamics, then it returns back to calming resolving mood. (181 words)"
Examiner's comment on my Poulenc: "an authoritative understanding of the context was demonstrated."
Just think of a kid next door killed your cat, you are so angry, thinking why would this happen to me? then the police put him away, and you feel much better, but then you miss your pet, wish this never happened, then your mom bought you another cat. life goes on. | <urn:uuid:4912a39a-e295-4768-bfb3-25979a727d15> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.8notes.com/f/25_256143.asp | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00069-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952166 | 470 | 1.898438 | 2 |
For almost two years now, I have wondered why I find it impossible to understand President Barrack Obama or accept his vision for our country. Why do his actions seem so out of sync with the will of the majority and why does he exhibit such seeming disdain for America and our traditions? Why, for example, would he be the first newly inaugurated President to skip the Salute to Heroes Inaugural Ball that, for 50 years, has recognized the living recipients of the Medal of Honor? And why would he choose to pass on the traditional Presidential visit to Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day in favor of a vacation trip to Chicago? Why would he decline to participate in the National Day of Prayer but attend Muslim prayer services on the capitol grounds? And why would he skip the 100th anniversary Boy Scout Jamboree and instead go to New York for a taping of “The View?“
Sociologists tell us that the one thing common to every society or social group is a “value system”, what Mosby’s Medical Dictionary defines as an “accepted mode of conduct and the set of norms, goals, and values ….. for determining what is right or wrong, good or bad, and desirable or undesirable …… .” These sociologists further tell us that value systems are generally developed between the ages of six and twelve. Most Americans spent those formative years in grade school learning the Pledge of Allegiance and being taught about our Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. We watched Gunsmoke on TV and John Wayne at the movies. We went to the Memorial Day parades and celebrated America’s independence with 4th of July fireworks. We learned the words to our National Anthem and believed that this truly was “the land of the free and the home of the brave.” These shared experiences helped form our national identity.
So where did Barrack Obama, born August 4, 1961, spend those formative years developing his value system? In Jakarta Indonesia, a country that is 90% Muslim. While you were learning the Pledge of Allegiance, he was learning the Koran. In July 1969, as America watched her astronauts walk on the moon, Barrack Obama was studying the Adhan, the Muslim call to prayer, which he has recently described as “one of the prettiest sounds on Earth at sunset.” Perhaps this is why he found it so easy to abandon the Space Shuttle program and to state NASA’s new mission as building ties with the Muslim world. In 1967 as America watched LBJ support Israel during the Six Day War and confront Soviet Premier Alexei Kosygin to stop the spread of communism during the Cold War, Obama watched General Suharto’s purges give rise to Islamic jihad in support of his “New Order.” While Americans saw the creation of the Civil Rights Act , Indonesia was establishing penal colonies and imprisoning dissidents.
The co-founder of the Jesuit Order, Saint Francis Xavier, said, “Give me the child until he is seven and I will give you the man” And, as teacher Jean Brodie said in “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie“, ‘Give me a girl at an impressionable age, and she is mine for life.” Perhaps the reason our current President seems so disconnected from America’s traditions and values is that, culturally, he is simply not one of us. This might explain his indifference to the seventy percent of Americans who oppose government health care and his stand on Arizona’s immigration laws. And it might explain his controversial comments on the Ground Zero Mosque and his knee-jerk reactions to the professor and the policeman, the Fort Hood shootings and the “underpants bomber.“ His value system is just vastly different from ours. And as more Americans discover that his value system simply doesn’t match theirs, his already spiraling approval ratings can only continue to sink lower and lower. | <urn:uuid:1133c59f-507e-4b4a-bbb5-04a11ece96f0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://johnvojtush.wordpress.com/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971525 | 816 | 2.046875 | 2 |
In 2000, Todd Dickinson testified before Congress that the state immunity from patent infringement was unfair - especially because states are such major players in the patent system. Since then the situation has become even more dramatic. States and their entities (largely university systems) have obtained thousands of patents and have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in royalties.
In his testimony, the then PTO director suggested what he saw as a "reasonable and equitable approach" to condition the ability of state institutions to obtain federal protection of intellectual property on their waive of sovereign immunity for patent infringement.
"A legislative solution which elicits state waiver of sovereign immunity in exchange for the right to own federally-protected intellectual property must respect, and be in harmony with, the commercialization goals of the Bayh-Dole legislation."
Clearly, this type of activity is anti-federalist, but it is not far afield from current practices in other areas of government. | <urn:uuid:0b5fd627-38d6-4308-90c2-6bd0da271200> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.patentlyo.com/patent/2009/03/state-immunity-from-patent-infringement-bargaining-for-grant-money.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00066-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952237 | 189 | 1.945313 | 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.
This site is targeted for students aged 9 to 11, though people of all ages will enjoy the fascinating history of Canadian trains presented here. Discover stories of those that built the railway and those that used it: the workers, pioneers, hobos, school children, tourists, royalty – the list goes on an on. Meet some of the First Nations people whose traditional way of life was changed forever with the coming of the railway. Listen to old songs about trains and hear the sounds of the railway. Photographs, illustrations, advertisements, posters and first-hand accounts tell the story by people who were there. Student activities are included in Educational Resources. Suggested Books and Links have been provided for those who want to learn more about trains in Canadian history.
Visit the website ARCHIVED - Canada, by Train | <urn:uuid:c5940b87-f35b-4618-9d05-32b5795039f8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nlc-bnc.ca/trains/enfants/021007-8000-e.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00068-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959022 | 232 | 2.8125 | 3 |
The League’s History
At the first League Convention in 1920, delegates called for “adhesion of the United States to the League of Nations with least possible delay,” in recognition of the need for a mechanism to facilitate settlement of international disputes. When the issue of U.S. participation in the League of Nations turned into a bitter partisan battle, active League support did not materialize until 1932.
During World War II, the League, conscious of its earlier hesitancy, began to study “U.S. participation in the making and execution of plans for worldwide reconstruction and for a postwar organization for peace to eventually include all peoples, regardless of race, religion or political persuasion.” In 1944, the League supported “U.S. membership in an international organization for the peaceful settlement of disputes, with the machinery to handle economic, social and political problems.”
Even before the United Nations was formally established, the League launched an unprecedented nationwide campaign to help build public understanding of the Dumbarton Oaks and Bretton Woods agreements to establish the United Nations, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. The League trained more than 5,000 speakers and distributed more than a million brochures during a six-month period. At the UN Charter Conference in 1945, the League was one of 42 nongovernmental organizations invited by President Truman to serve as consultants to the U.S. delegation. Since then, the League has maintained a presence at the United Nations through its UN Observer, periodically hosting “League Day at the UN” for League members.
The UN position evolved through continued study. By 1948, the League called for strengthening the United Nations and its specialized agencies through increased use, adequate financial contributions and improved procedures. It also supported the UN’s peacekeeping functions. In 1962, the League evaluated “means of strengthening the UN under present conditions,” most notably heightened antagonisms between the United States and the Soviet Union.
In 1976, the League reexamined the UN system “with emphasis on relations between developed and developing countries and their implications for U.S. policy.” Members studied how world issues had changed alignments at the United Nations from a primarily East-West to an increasingly rich-nation/poor-nation focus and its effect on U.S. participation in the UN system. The result was a resounding reaffirmation of support for a strengthened UN system and agreement that the United States should work constructively within the UN to further our foreign policy goals.
The League consistently monitors U.S. actions at the UN – sometimes praising, sometimes criticizing, always urging the United States to upgrade the role of the United Nations in its foreign policy. The League continues to urge adequate funding for the UN, both by regular assessments and voluntary contributions, full payment of U.S. financial obligations to the UN, and full U.S. participation in the UN system.
In addition to supporting increased use and strength of the UN peacekeeping machinery, under the UN position in support of “continuing efforts to reduce the risk of war,” the League has lobbied for Senate ratification of certain disarmament measures, notably the UN-negotiated nuclear nonproliferation treaty. Leagues’ efforts in their communities to develop public understanding and awareness of UN accomplishments, limitations and potential took on special significance in 1995 when the League celebrated its 75th anniversary and the United Nations its 50th.
In 1995, the League participated in the UN 4thWorld Conference on Women and the NGO Forum on Women in Beijing, China, sponsoring workshops on “Organizing Candidate Debates” and “Making Democracy Work: Strategies for Grassroots Organization, Education and Advocacy.” This was followed in 1999 with a League co-sponsored regional conference of the President’s Interagency Council on Women, “Women 2000: Beijing Plus Five,” to prepare for the Special Session of the General Assembly, “Women 2000, Gender Equality, Development and Peace for the Twenty-First Century,” which our UN Observers were accredited to attend in 2000.
In 1997, the League was granted Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, which provides the opportunity to make interventions on issues the League supports. We joined other NGOs in submitting an official statement on behalf of the Girl Child that was presented at the UN Commission on the Status of Women meeting in March 2000. As members of the Steering Committee for the NGO UNICEF Working Group on Girls at the UN, League UN Observers participated in the effort to focus world governments on the plight of girls.
League activity on women/girl-related issues continued in the 2000s. In 2002, the LWVUS submitted testimony to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in support of Senate ratification of CEDAW (UN Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women). The League joined other NGOs in official statements to the UN Commission on the Status of Women: advocating protection of girls’ rights in a life cycle approach to gender issues in 2004; emphasizing that financing for girls’ equality and for the empowerment of girls is a basic and sound strategy for the implementation of all human rights in 2008. The League also joined the United Nation’s Campaign UNITE to End Violence against Women, 2008-2015, whose overall objective is raising public awareness and increasing political will and resources for preventing and responding to all forms of violence against women and girls worldwide.
In 2002, the League urged President George W. Bush to work with the UN to develop clear policy goals and actions with regard to the U.S.’s possible intervention in Iraq. On initiation of combat operations, the League’s Board issued a statement saying that continued diplomatic efforts through the UN would have better served international unity, and military force should have been used as a tool of last resort.
Leagues nationwide work to realize the United Nations' Millennium Goals outlined by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan at the September 2000 Millennium Summit and adopted by 191 states. In 2005, the League urged the Administration to support the goals of the UN’s 2005 World Summit Outcome Document, an historic effort to end global poverty, promote peace and strengthen the UN, and urged Congress to reject the United Nations Reform Act.
The League’s Position
Statement of Position on the United Nations, as Announced by National Board, June 1977 and Updated, June 2002:
The League of Women Voters of the United States supports a strong, effective United Nations and endorses the full and active participation of the United States in the UN system. The League supports UN efforts to:
- promote international peace and security;
- advance the social and economic well-being of the world’s people;
- ensure respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms;
- foster trust and cooperation among nations by encouraging adherence to conventions, treaties, and other international agreements;
- protect the integrity of the world environment;
- achieve the full and equal participation of women in all aspects of civil and political life.
The United Nations should be an important component of U.S. foreign policy. The League supports U.S. policies that strengthen the UN’s capacity to solve global problems and promote prosperity throughout the world. The United States should work actively and constructively within the UN system, exercising diplomatic leadership in advance of decision-making. The United States should not place conditions on its participation in the United Nations, except in the most extreme cases, such as flagrant violations of the Charter.
The League supports UN leadership in a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach to promoting world peace and security that includes ongoing efforts to eliminate the underlying causes of conflict. UN peace operations should include such strategies as
- an increased emphasis on preventive diplomacy and the use of such techniques as an early warning system to identify possible threats to peace and mediation to help resolve disputes;
- preventive deployment of UN peacekeepers to forestall the outbreak of hostilities;
- enhanced capacity to respond rapidly and effectively to contain conflict and establish a just and stable peace;
- UN peacekeeping operations that have strong political and financial support from the world community and the consent of the local parties;
- military intervention, as a last resort, to halt genocide and other crimes against humanity and to prevent the spread of conflict;
- protection of civilian populations, including protection of displaced persons;
- long-term commitment, both pre- and post-conflict, to establishing the institutions and conditions needed for real economic and social development;
- enhanced capacity at UN headquarters to plan, manage and support UN peace operations.
The United States should support all aspects of UN peace operations. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have an important role to play in peace operations, including participating in behind-the-scenes diplomatic efforts and providing humanitarian aid.
The League strongly supports the central role of the United Nations in addressing the social, economic and humanitarian needs of all people. The advancement and empowerment of women is fundamental to achieving peace and prosperity and should be a high priority for UN programs. Other areas for emphasis include
- eradicating poverty and hunger;
- improving basic living standards worldwide;
- promoting the well-being and potential of children, with special attention to the girl child;
- promoting human and political rights;
- ensuring access to a basic education for all;
- ensuring a basic level of health care for all;
- protecting the environment and the world’s natural resources.
The League supports efforts to strengthen the development and humanitarian work of the United Nations through greater coordination among agencies, more efficient use of resources, additional funding as required, and more partnerships with NGOs and other non-state actors. UN-sponsored world conferences are valuable forums for building international consensus and developing practical plans of action to solve global problems.
The United States should provide strong leadership and financial support to the UN specialized agencies, participate constructively in international conferences, and fulfill all agreed-upon commitments.
The League believes that world peace and progress rest in part on a body of international law developed through conventions, covenants, and treaties and on the judgments of international courts. Disputes between nations should be considered and settled in the International Court of Justice, and its judicial decisions should be honored.
The League supports the creation of a permanent international tribunal, such as the International Criminal Court, to try individuals charged with crimes of genocide, war crimes, and other systematic crimes against humanity.
All court procedures must meet the highest judicial standards, including guarantees of due process protections and the integrity and impartiality of the courts’ officials.
The League supports full U.S. participation in the international judicial system and U.S. ratification and observance of international treaties and conventions consistent with LWVUS principles and positions.
The League supports the basic principles of the UN Charter. The League supports one-nation, one-vote in the General Assembly, the veto power in the Security Council, and a strong, effective office of the Secretary-General. The League supports measures to make the Security Council a more representative body that better reflects the diverse interests of UN member nations and the world's people. The United States should work to encourage member nations to consider the needs of the world as a whole and avoid divisive politicization of issues.
Member nations have the collective responsibility to provide the resources necessary for the UN to carry out its mandates, with each providing financial contributions commensurate with its ability to pay. The United States should meet its financial obligations to the UN on time, in full, and without conditions. | <urn:uuid:88002ccd-ca4a-45d8-bccf-cd3119d9ad0c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.lwv.org/content/united-nations | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935703 | 2,376 | 3.453125 | 3 |
Cynthia Arnold ’97
Taking a holistic view toward mental health
When Cynthia Arnold ’97 completed her residency in clinical psychology, people told her she couldn’t go straight from school into private practice, but she didn’t let that change her plans. “I do things other people don’t do,” she said. Arnold and her husband, Michael Fredericks, opened New Leaves Holistic Mental Healthcare Clinic in Beaverton, Oregon, in 2004.
Arnold, who graduated from Transylvania with majors in psychology and sociology, earned her M.S. and Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Pacific Graduate School of Psychology in Palo Alto, Calif. She completed her post-doctoral internship and residency at the Child Development and Rehabilitation Center at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland, Oregon.
“I loved being trained in hospitals,” she said. “Because of that, I understand so much better about multi-disciplinary care, but in that model, you have to push people through the system.” And that, Arnold believes, inhibited her from giving the sort of care her patients deserved.
The New Leaves approach includes family, community, spiritual, and medical resources and is based on the idea that every person has the capacity for growth. Combining scientific research with a variety of modalities, Arnold looks at sleep, hygiene, and nutrition, and she’s likely to advise her patients to practice yoga. “I send people to naturopaths probably more often than to typical medical doctors,” she said, reflecting her preference for the use of natural substances in healing as opposed to medicines and drugs.
She explained that typical mental healthcare follows a medical model. In her practice, she respects both the psychological and medical models. “We’re far more clinical than most psychologists,” she said. “We don’t think of what we do as counseling—we want to be mental health surgeons. Our goal is to not see people, and the best way to do that is to give them tools.”
For this approach to work, the patient must be interested in his or her own well-being. “I’m not doing therapy to a person,” she said. “I hear people say, ‘Oh, I saw somebody for two years,’ and that gives me heart failure because that person wasn’t on the journey.”
Arnold sees the journey as discovering the correct environment for her patients. “We’re all different kinds of animals, and if you mess up one animal’s habitat, it gets anxious and depressed. That’s not a problem, it’s a warning sign that’s telling you your environment is wrong and you need to change it.”
The first step, Arnold said, is to learn through science what kind of animal you are. “Then we have to look at you holistically and say, all right, how do we make the best habitat possible for you to make your anxiety and sadness go away?”
Arnold’s views were influenced by one of her Transy teachers, Philip Points ’57, professor emeritus of religion. “He was directive without being stoic,” she said. “He wouldn’t allow you to get off topic by hiding behind some belief that you couldn’t back up. He really helped me look at an article and assess it.”
It’s an understanding she carries into her practice today as she considers potential treatments. “There are so many treatments out there, and some don’t work,” she said, “but I won’t discount anything that will make someone feel better.”
This holistic view isn’t the only difference between Arnold and typical psychologists. Most are trained to do either assessment or treatment, but Arnold stayed longer in school so that she could do both. “I can understand people a lot better through testing, but be a true human with them in treating the problem,” she said.
One of her specialties is working with autistic children, and when parents ask her about her approach, she answers, “I speak autism. It’s a language.”
Arnold’s interest in autism was sparked while she was a student at Transy. She volunteered to make calls during the alumni phonathon, and requested to be given a list of psychology alumni to call. “I asked them what they did when they were at Transy to get into grad school,” she said, “and one of them told me she had worked with this amazing mom with an autistic child, and I thought that sounded great. I ended up working with the same mom.”
The two became good friends and organized a non-profit in Lexington—Project Future Hope. “We filled auditoriums,” Arnold said, “teaching families about autism. There was no treatment for autism in Lexington, so families would get together and fly practitioners in.”
Arnold’s work with autism led her to work with children with behavior problems, as well. Because of her knowledge of cognitive and behavior disorders, she now works with the adoption community and volunteers for adoption organizations, teaching families about cognitive development.
Arnold, who also considers her job one of her primary hobbies, said, “I live my passion, and that’s what makes me successful. To be the pivotal person, to change someone’s life, makes me a better person and mom.”
Arnold and her husband have two sons, Knight, 2, and Talon, 5 months. | <urn:uuid:c6c7b2f8-8dad-4644-b3ae-98f135666e2c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.transy.edu/magazine/2009/fall/profiles/Arnold.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00037-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974356 | 1,213 | 1.601563 | 2 |
Christos Kakazoukis , pp. 49. MAM/Sektionen för Management, 2011.
The financial crisis has had a deep impact on businesses all around the world. This has affected our purchases, both as retailers and as customers. In this thesis I will investigate how the buying behavior has changed, before, during and after the financial crisis with focus on the second hand truck business. I will also investigate which macro environmental factors have affected the buying behavior.
Purpose: The purpose of this research is to describe changes in buying behaviors from influence of macro environmental forces.
Method: I have used a qualitative method, and as a part of that face to face interviews, to understand and establish a better contact with the respondents. At the selection of companies I have chosen three companies in the second hand truck business, located on the west coast of Sweden. They required to not be mentioned by their name so they are referred to as Company A, B and C.
Result and conclusions: The conclusions which can be drawn from this thesis research is that the macro environmental forces which have had a strong impact on the buying behavior after the financial crisis are the political, economical and legal forces. Both retailers’ and customers’ behavior have changed after the financial crisis. After the financial crisis both retailers and customers are more careful on spending their money. They are more informed about quality and their needs, to make better purchases. Retailers avoid building up stocks instead they are purchasing trucks upon requests. The crisis will likely to continue and make a
difference for some years to come.
Suggestions for further research: A quantitative method would be interesting to add to a qualitative method with many more companies to base the empirical data. Also a qualitative method would be interesting to make upon additional companies.
+ 0046 738 564844 | <urn:uuid:7cc061e0-3d20-426d-be12-06107b9b1d4d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bth.se/fou/cuppsats.nsf/8a05fd15257c7e58c1256608004f0536/dfac78c1badc819fc125783700482845!OpenDocument | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00075-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965919 | 373 | 1.882813 | 2 |
Tue February 19, 2013
Guns and lies
No word yet on how Rhode Island might address the growing debate about gun control and violence prevention. My colleague Ian Donnis and I have been covering the issue (see some related stories, below), and so far we know there's talk of proposing legislation (no details yet) and a vague working group of lawmakers and policymakers discussing the issues. Those issues probably include Rhode Island's participation in a national gun background check database and how to use mental health records when it comes to allowing firearms purchases.
Meanwhile, facts about guns and gun violence seem to get lost in the larger debate. Here's a great example, from the people who brought you the ironically timed "Gun Appreciation Day" on January 19. They're back with a planned "Day of Resistance" (to what, I'm not sure) this month. Their web site encourages supporters to copy or share various cartoons and posters to promote the cause.
And this one caught my eye.
But here are the facts from the Centers for Disease Control's latest surveillance report on the cause of violent and intentional deaths in the U.S.:
"Firearms were used in 66.5% of homicides, followed by sharp instruments (12.9%) and blunt instruments (7.0%). No other single method was used in >3.7% of homicides. Firearms were the most common method used in homicides of males (72.1%) and females (48.8%)." | <urn:uuid:d38d3dbd-eda1-4dad-9f72-5fececf8c8dc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ripr.org/post/guns-and-lies | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947072 | 301 | 1.6875 | 2 |
If you're a current 23andMe.com customer you can now apply to be included in a pilot project, Exome 80x, which will provide a complete sequence of the 50 million DNA bases in your exome, the part of your genome containing the information necessary to encode all your proteins.
The cost, if selected, will be $999, which if memory serves is the price the company put on its original service.
For that you get a data set from an analysis, repeated 80 times to ensure accuracy, of those 50 million DNA base pairs.
I've been asked if this will be useful for ancestry investigations.
The company web page is managing down expectation for genealogical significance:
"Exome data are less suitable for ancestry or genealogical research, since they will not provide mitochrondrial sequence or much information on the Y chromosome."Blaine T. Bettinger posts on his Genetic Genealogist blog
",,, it’s far too early to tell whether genealogists will be able to make use of exome sequencing (of course we will!).I hope this sentiment does not discourage genetic genealogists from pursuing the Exome 80x product."Behind his thoughts is the idea of investigating "rare variants in genetic disorders" and "disease-causing mutations."
However, the exome accounts for only about 1.5% of the total genome, and although it codes for proteins I know of no finding indicating the 1.5% in the exome is any more important for ancestry analysis than the other 98.8%. In fact the STRs widely used for genealogy, and as the CODIS markers for criminal and traditional paternity investigations, are outside the exome.
In addition for the average genealogists, even one with $999 to spare, they are still in for a hard slog to get anything useful out of that 50 million base pair data that will be available as raw data without interpretative tools, although 23andMe indicates they may come later.
This is one I'd advise all but the most leading edge genetic genealogist to let pass for the time being. I'd rather use those funds on airfare to the UK for some hands on documentary research. | <urn:uuid:90a3f8a5-a144-46ee-b430-9e92925696e1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://anglo-celtic-connections.blogspot.com/2011/10/side-order-of-exomes.html?m=0 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00048-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933336 | 460 | 1.539063 | 2 |
The following passage was shared at the memorial for Alice Joy. Also shared was a print Alice created in 2011 entitled "you can never have too much sky" Alice Joy was a creative individual--wonderfully full of love and life--and taken too soon.
"You can never have too much sky. You can fall asleep and wake up drunk on sky, and sky can keep you safe when you are sad. Here there is too much sadness and not enough sky. Butterflies too are few and so are flowers and most things that are beautiful. Still, we take what we can get and make the best of it." From The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros | <urn:uuid:24b212e6-58d1-4e34-bdbb-bfcb54e747ba> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://embraceactivism.com/blog.asp?catid=3&blogid=235 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975919 | 138 | 1.515625 | 2 |
December 15, 2010 - Over the past few months there have been reports of a new “superbug” spreading around the globe. This superbug is resistant to many antibiotics, which is of major concern; fortunately, however, the bug does not cause more severe or new diseases.
One of the causes for these new drug-resistant infections is medical tourism. The problem is worsening particularly as a result of individuals from Europe and America seeking plastic surgery in India, according to a Reuters news report earlier this year. Three patients from the United States have been diagnosed with this “bug;” all had recent medical care in India, where people often travel in search of affordable medical care. The name of the gene which is attached to the superbug is New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase, shortened to NDM-1.
NDM-1 makes ordinary bacteria highly resistant to most antibiotics, including the most powerful classes of the newer infection-fighting drugs, originally developed to control just this sort of resistance. The CDC—Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta—states that the NDM-1 gene confers a specific mechanism of resistance which can be easily transferred from one type of bacteria to another.
It is normal for people to have some 100 trillion bacteria on and in their bodies at all times. One concern is that the NDM-1 gene will be shared among different types of bacteria in the same individual, in addition to spreading from person to person.
In many parts of the world antibiotics are available on an over-the-counter basis and are used freely and indiscriminately. Drinking water is also contaminated with antibiotics. Drugs are introduced into the food chain as cows, pigs, chickens, and fish are often treated with antibiotics to promote animal growth.
There has also been an inappropriate increase in the use of antibiotics as patients seek treatment for common conditions such as a cold, which is a virus. An estimated one-third of people believe that antibiotics are effective for the common cold; this is not true! Good hand hygiene, general sanitary conditions, and overall good health prevent more infections than antibiotics ever treat.
Many large pharmaceutical firms have renewed the search for new, innovative, and more effective antibiotics. Globally, the need has long been recognized that new antibiotics are needed as the existing bugs evolve by developing resistance. This cycle, which started in the mid 1940s with the development of Penicillin, will continue to evolve. Penicillin was a huge addition to the medical arsenal at that time, since only sulfa was available before.
We, as a society, need to be smart, prudent and pro-active so we don't create new infections which we can't control. Getting back to a simpler time with less complicated diseases and treatments will be beneficial for all concerned. This argues for simple preventive measures as opposed to complicated treatments for avoidable problems.
We also need to be mindful that bacteria and other organisms don't respect artificial geographic boundaries. We are now in a global society in so many ways . . . including medical diseases and treatments.
Stay clean, avoid being run down, use antibiotics prudently, and if you need treatment be sure to get the right treatment for the appropriate time. | <urn:uuid:c0d85f98-a6bb-42d8-8b22-37f943cf4453> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nchmd.org/default.aspx?id=1335&link=navmenu&rid=140 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00047-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965235 | 659 | 3.625 | 4 |
Date of Award
MS in Industrial Engineering
Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering
This Master's Thesis compares technologies used in the architecture of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems to evaluate the benefits and advantages of emerging technologies. The emerging technologies, Cloud Computing, Software as a Service (SaaS) and Multi-Tenancy, could significantly alter the current ERP space and become a primary part of ERP Systems of the future. A survey was sent to industry professionals to obtain feedback on their company's ERP Systems and to collect their comments on these new technologies. The survey results and related analysis show that Emerging Cloud ERP Systems outperform Traditional Legacy ERP Systems in all important characteristics - Accessibility, Business Cost, Implementation Time, Mobility, Scalability, Upgradability, and Usability. Cloud Systems were also found to have a shorter implementation time and a larger proportion of Cloud Systems were on the most recent version of software. Furthermore, industry professionals identified Cloud Computing, SaaS and Mobility as the emerging technologies of the coming decade. This thesis demonstrates that there are significant benefits for companies to use ERP Systems that use the emerging technologies and that the shift to Cloud ERP Systems has begun. | <urn:uuid:2e0c0954-1d49-4dcf-aeee-d7e8046ebb73> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/theses/739/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.914972 | 243 | 1.976563 | 2 |
So do you think you need faith, ghoti?
Do you think everyone needs it (faith) in order to get that drive to be a better person?
Eveeryone has faith in something. Since we all have different life experiences we just see the world differently. I'm just asking whether your faith or ethical philosophy inspires you to take actions in your life.
IMO the passage from Matthew 25 is clearly a mandate from Jesus to his followers that they are required to help those in need. How else can you interpret it?
That is not what I asked you.
I'd like an answer.
But, to go on with my own thoughts, you use 'faith' in a manner of which it is meant to be the driving force in what makes people do good things. Insulting to an atheist or not?
Since you are not an atheist, then if others could answer that, please do.
Ghoti, I am very tired of your never answering directly. One has to come at you over and again with what they want answered. You never do.
You also say in your latest posting that you are just 'asking': does your faith or ethical philosophy inspire you to take actions in your life? yet, the beginning of this thread is not a questioning of others. It is you saying that 'faith' is suppose to inspire (my word is, drive) one to do good deeds to better their lives.
I don't need ronnie to tell us what he does in his life. Do you? I tell ya, the reason I called you and merry an ass is because you, as well as starlightangel have asked and asked him to say. Who cares? What will it prove, anything? And, maybe he doesn't feel comfortable answering, for one reason or another. Is it your call to see that he does?
The only thing this thread does, is say that since you do things which are good for others you exemplify the better person than, say, someone who doesn't post everything they do in life for the benefit of others. And I think I'm smart enough to know how these threads have gone in the past....it's damned if you do and damned if you don't: if ronnie answered you here, it's possible that it would come back to bite him by someone down the road. If he does not answer you, then all the posters with a bug up their butt about him will unanimously agree and post that he is some kind of troll...only here for himself.
You know what you all can do with that kind of attitude. Go ... ... ...yeah, that's right. I've been called a troll by shakey over and again in the past...that shit does not fly. it is extremely weak response to someone with a voice who simply ...for what they believe or think...has Gotton under your skin. Screw that, because we all are alike in that regard.
YOuse do the same things over and over again. Wabi,....you had to know what he did for a living. we all know how it went after that. for allll these years. he's gone now. and you can run the likes of anyone else Off this board with you guys' damned tactics....but just know that THAT is what makes for piss poor participation here. | <urn:uuid:0dfdae65-74f0-4b48-85a0-a70515672525> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.newmobility.com/bb/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=195189&page=5 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.985601 | 689 | 1.554688 | 2 |
Shellsuit voted worst fashion trend of 1980sMay 10th, 2010 - 1:53 am ICT by IANS
London, May 10 (IANS) The brightly-coloured, shiny tracksuit, popularly known as Shellsuit, has been voted as the worst fashion trend of the 80s.
More than three quarters of the British women surveyed picked out shellsuit as the ultimate faux pas.
It was followed by spandex leggings, with 39 percent of votes, and the perm hairstyle with 36 percent.
The new research, commissioned by Galaxy Counters, also showed that more than a third of women do not want to see the return of Day Glo make-up and stirrup trousers, reports telegraph.co.uk.
The list of fashion disasters also included Jelly shoes, crimped hair, fingerless lace gloves and “hair metal” such as banana clips.
However, when it comes to best trend of the 1980s, stone wash denim topped the list with 32 percent votes followed by Wayfarer-style plastic sunglasses with 27 percent votes and leg warmers with 17 percent votes.
Ra Ra skirts were endorsed by 14 percent of women and ‘dancewear as fashion’ was voted best by 11 percent.
- Shell suit voted worst fashion crime of the '80s - May 05, 2010
- Cheryl Cole voted 'decade's most stylish woman' - May 04, 2010
- Hairstyles For Women In 2011 - Jan 19, 2011
- Mullet hairstyle voted ''Most Cringeworthy Craze Of All Time'' - Nov 21, 2008
- Amitabh not attending World Cup final (Movie Snippets) - Mar 23, 2011
- The Latest Fashion Buzz: Jeggings! - Dec 03, 2010
- Back to future - with digital, classic leggings - Apr 12, 2011
- The 1980's Fashion is Back! - Oct 31, 2008
- Tips to improve hair health and appearance - Feb 06, 2011
- Waistlines rose, beaded pieces ruled Indian fashion (2010 in Retrospect) - Dec 24, 2010
- Britons feel they had best of times in 1980s - May 20, 2011
- Long or colourful, Delhi re-discovers the overcoat! - Jan 11, 2011
- Madonna is upset with her daughter Lourdes' hair - Aug 03, 2012
- Hairstyling the African way in Indian capital (With Image) - Apr 06, 2011
- More women falling prey to rheumatoid arthritis - May 29, 2010
Tags: 1980s, 80s, banana, british women, crimped hair, dancewear, denim, disasters, fashion trend, hair metal, hairstyle, jelly shoes, lace gloves, leg warmers, ra ra skirts, spandex leggings, stirrup, three quarters, tracksuit, trousers | <urn:uuid:6de3cd04-605b-482e-951e-3072a0902750> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/lifestyle/shellsuit-voted-worst-fashion-trend-of-1980s_100361196.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942396 | 603 | 1.5 | 2 |
Martin Van BurenInaugural Address
Monday, March 4, 1837
Fellow-Citizens: The practice of all my predecessors imposes on me an obligation I cheerfully fulfill - to accompany the first and solemn act of my public trust with an avowal of the principles that will guide me in performing it and an expression of my feelings on assuming a charge so responsible and vast. In imitating their example I tread in the footsteps of illustrious men, whose superiors it is our happiness to believe are not found on the executive calendar of any country. Among th em we recognize the earliest and firmest pillars of the Republic - those by whom our national independence was first declared, him who above all others contributed to establish it on the field of battle, and those whose expanded intellect and patriotis m constructed, improved, and perfected the inestimable institutions under which we live. If such men in the position I now occupy felt themselves overwhelmed by a sense of gratitude for this the highest of all marks of their country's confidence, and by a consciousness of their inability adequately to discharge the duties of an office so difficult and exalted, how much more must these considerations affect one who can rely on no such claims for favor or forbearance! Unlike all who have preceded me, the Re volution that gave us existence as one people was achieved at the period of my birth; and whilst I contemplate with grateful reverence that memorable event, I feel that I belong to a later age and that I may not expect my countrymen to weigh my actions wi th the same kind and partial hand.
So sensibly, fellow-citizens, do these circumstances press themselves upon me that I should not dare to enter upon my path of duty did I not look for the generous aid of those who will be associated with me in the various and coordinat e branches of the Government; did I not repose with unwavering reliance on the patriotism, the intelligence, and the kindness of a people who never yet deserted a public servant honestly laboring their cause; and, above all, did I not permit myself humbly to hope for the sustaining support of an ever-watchful and beneficent Providence.
This provident forecast has been verified by time. Half a century, teeming with extraordinary events, and elsewhere producing astonishing results, has passed along, but on our institutions it has left no injurious mark. From a small co mmunity we have risen to a people powerful in numbers and in strength; but with our increase has gone hand in hand the progress of just principles. The privileges, civil and religious, of the humblest individual are still sacredly protected at home, and w hile the valor and fortitude of our people have removed far from us the slightest apprehension of foreign power, they have not yet induced us in a single instance to forget what is right. Our commerce has been extended to the remotest nations; the value a nd even nature of our productions have been greatly changed; a wide difference has arisen in the relative wealth and resources of every portion of our country; yet the spirit of mutual regard and of faithful adherence to existing compacts has continued to prevail in our councils and never long been absent from our conduct. We have learned by experience a fruitful lesson - that an implicit and undeviating adherence to the principles on which we set out can carry us prosperously onward through all the co nflicts of circumstances and vicissitudes inseparable from the lapse of years.
An imperfect experience during the struggles of the Revolution was supposed to warrant the belief that the people would not bear the taxation requisite to discharge an immense public debt already incurred and to pay the necessary expen ses of the Government. The cost of two wars has been paid, not only without a murmur, but with unequaled alacrity. No one is now left to doubt that every burden will be cheerfully borne that may be necessary to sustain our civil institutions or guard our honor or welfare. Indeed, all experience has shown that the willingness of the people to contribute to these ends in cases of emergency has uniformly outrun the confidence of their representatives.
The capacity of the people for self-government, and their willingness, from a high sense of duty and without those exhibitions of coercive power so generally employed in other countries, to submit to all needful restraints and exaction s of municipal law, have also been favorably exemplified in the history of the American States. Occasionally, it is true, the ardor of public sentiment, outrunning the regular progress of the judicial tribunals or seeking to reach cases not denounced as c riminal by the existing law, has displayed itself in a manner calculated to give pain to the friends of free government and to encourage the hopes of those who wish for its overthrow. These occurrences, however, have been far less frequent in our country than in any other of equal population on the globe, and with the diffusion of intelligence it may well be hoped that they will constantly diminish in frequency and violence. The generous patriotism and sound common sense of the great mass of our fellow-ci tizens will assuredly in time produce this result; for as every assumption of illegal power not only wounds the majesty of the law, but furnishes a pretext for abridging the liberties of the people, the latter have the most direct and permanent interest i n preserving the landmarks of social order and maintaining on all occasions the inviolability of those constitutional and legal provisions which they themselves have made.
In a supposed unfitness of our institutions for those hostile emergencies which no country can always avoid their friends found a fruitful source of apprehension, their enemies of hope. While they foresaw less promptness of action than in governments differently formed, they overlooked the far more important consideration that with us war could never be the result of individual or irresponsible will, but must be a measure of redress for injuries sustained, voluntarily resorted to by th ose who were to bear the necessary sacrifice, who would consequently feel an individual interest in the contest, and whose energy would be commensurate with the difficulties to be encountered. Actual events have proved their error; the last war, far from impairing, gave new confidence to our Government, and amid recent apprehensions of a similar conflict we saw that the energies of our country would not be wanting in ample season to vindicate its rights. We may not possess, as we should not desire to poss ess, the extended and ever-ready military organization of other nations; we may occasionally suffer in the outset for the want of it; but among ourselves all doubt upon this great point has ceased, while a salutary experience will prevent a contrary opini on from inviting aggression from abroad.
Certain danger was foretold from the extension of our territory, the multiplication of States, and the increase of population. Our system was supposed to be adapted only to boundaries comparatively narrow. These have been widened beyon d conjecture; the members of our Confederacy are already doubled, and the numbers of our people are incredibly augmented. The alleged causes of danger have long surpassed anticipation, but none of the consequences have followed. The power and influence of the Republic have arisen to a height obvious to all mankind; respect for its authority was not more apparent at its ancient than it is at its present limits; new and inexhaustible sources of general prosperity have been opened; the effects of distance ha ve been averted by the inventive genius of our people, developed and fostered by the spirit of our institutions; and the enlarged variety and amount of interests, productions, and pursuits have strengthened the chain of mutual dependence and formed a circ le of mutual benefits too apparent ever to be overlooked.
The last, perhaps the greatest, of the prominent sources of discord and disaster supposed to lurk in our political condition was the institution of domestic slavery. Our forefathers were deeply impressed with the delicacy of this subje ct, and they treated it with a forbearance so evidently wise that in spite of every sinister foreboding it never until the present period disturbed the tranquillity of our common country. Such a result is sufficient evidence of the justice and the patriot ism of their course; it is evidence not to be mistaken that an adherence to it can prevent all embarrassment from this as well as from every other anticipated cause of difficulty or danger. Have not recent events made it obvious to the slightest reflectio n that the least deviation from this spirit of forbearance is injurious to every interest, that of humanity included? Amidst the violence of excited passions this generous and fraternal feeling has been sometimes disregarded; and standing as I now do befo re my countrymen, in this high place of honor and of trust, I can not refrain from anxiously invoking my fellow-citizens never to be deaf to its dictates. Perceiving before my election the deep interest this subject was beginning to excite, I believed it a solemn duty fully to make known my sentiments in regard to it, and now, when every motive for misrepresentation has passed away, I trust that they will be candidly weighed and understood. At least they will be my standard of conduct in the path before m e. I then declared that if the desire of those of my countrymen who were favorable to my election was gratified "I must go into the Presidential chair the inflexible and uncompromising opponent of every attempt on the part of Congress to abolish slavery i n the District of Columbia against the wishes of the slaveholding States, and also with a determination equally decided to resist the slightest interference with it in the States where it exists." I submitted also to my fellow-citizens, with fullness and frankness, the reasons which led me to this determination. The result authorizes me to believe that they have been approved and are confided in by a majority of the people of the United States, including those whom they most immediately affect. It now onl y remains to add that no bill conflicting with these views can ever receive my constitutional sanction. These opinions have been adopted in the firm belief that they are in accordance with the spirit that actuated the venerated fathers of the Republic, an d that succeeding experience has proved them to be humane, patriotic, expedient, honorable, and just. If the agitation of this subject was intended to reach the stability of our institutions, enough has occurred to show that it has signally failed, and th at in this as in every other instance the apprehensions of the timid and the hopes of the wicked for the destruction of our Government are again destined to be disappointed. Here and there, indeed, scenes of dangerous excitement have occurred, terrifying instances of local violence have been witnessed, and a reckless disregard of the consequences of their conduct has exposed individuals to popular indignation; but neither masses of the people nor sections of the country have been swerved from their devoti on to the bond of union and the principles it has made sacred. It will be ever thus. Such attempts at dangerous agitation may periodically return, but with each the object will be better understood. That predominating affection for our political system wh ich prevails throughout our territorial limits, that calm and enlightened judgment which ultimately governs our people as one vast body, will always be at hand to resist and control every effort, foreign or domestic, which aims or would lead to overthrow our institutions.
What can be more gratifying than such a retrospect as this? We look back on obstacles avoided and dangers overcome, on expectations more than realized and prosperity perfectly secured. To the hopes of the hostile, the fears of the timi d, and the doubts of the anxious actual experience has given the conclusive reply. We have seen time gradually dispel every unfavorable foreboding and our Constitution surmount every adverse circumstance dreaded at the outset as beyond control. Present ex citement will at all times magnify present dangers, but true philosophy must teach us that none more threatening than the past can remain to be overcome; and we ought (for we have just reason) to entertain an abiding confidence in the stability of our ins titutions and an entire conviction that if administered in the true form, character, and spirit in which they were established they are abundantly adequate to preserve to us and our children the rich blessings already derived from them, to make our belove d land for a thousand generations that chosen spot where happiness springs from a perfect equality of political rights.
For myself, therefore, I desire to declare that the principle that will govern me in the high duty to which my country calls me is a strict adherence to the letter and spirit of the Constitution as it was designed by those who framed i t. Looking back to it as a sacred instrument carefully and not easily framed; remembering that it was throughout a work of concession and compromise; viewing it as limited to national objects; regarding it as leaving to the people and the States all power not explicitly parted with, I shall endeavor to preserve, protect, and defend it by anxiously referring to its provision for direction in every action. To matters of domestic concernment which it has intrusted to the Federal Government and to such as rel ate to our intercourse with foreign nations I shall zealously devote myself; beyond those limits I shall never pass.
To enter on this occasion into a further or more minute exposition of my views on the various questions of domestic policy would be as obtrusive as it is probably unexpected. Before the suffrages of my countrymen were conferred upon me I submitted to them, with great precision, my opinions on all the most prominent of these subjects. Those opinions I shall endeavor to carry out with my utmost ability.
Our course of foreign policy has been so uniform and intelligible as to constitute a rule of Executive conduct which leaves little to my discretion, unless, indeed, I were willing to run counter to the lights of experience and the know n opinions of my constituents. We sedulously cultivate the friendship of all nations as the conditions most compatible with our welfare and the principles of our Government. We decline alliances as adverse to our peace. We desire commercial relations on e qual terms, being ever willing to give a fair equivalent for advantages received. We endeavor to conduct our intercourse with openness and sincerity, promptly avowing our objects and seeking to establish that mutual frankness which is as beneficial in the dealings of nations as of men. We have no disposition and we disclaim all right to meddle in disputes, whether internal or foreign, that may molest other countries, regarding them in their actual state as social communities, and preserving a strict neutr ality in all their controversies. Well knowing the tried valor of our people and our exhaustless resources, we neither anticipate nor fear any designed aggression; and in the consciousness of our own just conduct we feel a security that we shall never be called upon to exert our determination never to permit an invasion of our rights without punishment or redress.
In approaching, then, in the presence of my assembled countrymen, to make the solemn promise that yet remains, and to pledge myself that I will faithfully execute the office I am about to fill, I bring with me a settled purpose to main tain the institutions of my country, which I trust will atone for the errors I commit.
In receiving from the people the sacred trust twice confided to my illustrious predecessor, and which he has discharged so faithfully and so well, I know that I can not expect to perform the arduous task with equal ability and success. But united as I have been in his counsels, a daily witness of his exclusive and unsurpassed devotion to his country's welfare, agreeing with him in sentiments which his countrymen have warmly supported, and permitted to partake largely of his confidence, I may hope that somewhat of the same cheering approbation will be found to attend upon my path. For him I but express with my own the wishes of all, that he may yet long live to enjoy the brilliant evening of his well-spent life; and for myself, consciou s of but one desire, faithfully to serve my country, I throw myself without fear on its justice and its kindness. Beyond that I only look to the gracious protection of the Divine Being whose strengthening support I humbly solicit, and whom I fervently pra y to look down upon us all. May it be among the dispensations of His providence to bless our beloved country with honors and with length of days. May her ways be ways of pleasantness and all her paths be peace! | <urn:uuid:fc3ba894-65ec-4d81-9002-05bd5360d770> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.factmonster.com/t/hist/inaugural/13.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965655 | 3,334 | 1.9375 | 2 |
"Thanks so much! This conference was amazing, and we can't wait to get the book."
--Teacher from Alpine School District and participant in the PreK-12 Virtual Conference
Thank you for participating in the live events!
Virtual Conference Recordings Now Available
Choose the appropriate conference (each conference includes four sessions):
"We really liked it a lot...she was so upbeat about a subject that can raise great defensiveness and ire. Her stories were great and she was really personable. The teachers who were with me really enjoyed it!"
Interpreting the Standards: Maintaining the Integrity of the Classroom in Times of Transformation
Once again, NCTE is situating itself as an integral voice when teachers need it most, as they go about the tough work of interpreting and implementing the Common Core State Standards. Unlike some materials that offer explicit units of study, this series reminds teachers how to maintain the integrity of innovative and student-centered classrooms. While any standards movement can default to sameness, this series shows that the national standards and a national curriculum are not the same. The teachers featured here demonstrate that the most effective curriculum is the one created by individual teachers focused on the learning needs of their students. Join us as we explore how both innovative and reliable teaching remains the most crucial to any classroom.
Learn more about the presenters: Anne Ruggles Gere; Susi Long; Tonya Perry; Sarah Brown Wessling; Jeff Williams
Session 2: Finding Your Way With the Common Core
Session 3: Contextualizing and Building with the Core Standards
- Learn from inspiring teachers who incorporate CCSS into their instruction.
- Consider individualized and whole-class strategies to foster student learning in the CCSS environment.
- Learn to “chart the practice” to connect CCSS and outstanding teaching.
- Employ formative assessment to shape teaching.
Session 4: Developing Planning Strategies
- Develop planning strategies for creating units of instruction that:
- keep students at the center
- address CCSS ELA standards
- involve collaboration with colleagues
- employ formative assessment
- integrate NCTE principles of good teaching with CCSS ELA standards
In Session 2, Susi Long puts the standards in perspective, with a focus on the students. View this excerpt (all excerpts are in low resolution to keep file size small) from the second session.
Click here to learn more about and purchase the Grades PreK-2 Virtual Conference Recordings
In the final session focused on planning strategies, presenter Jeffrey Williams explains some methods of grouping the standards.
Click here to learn more and purchase the Grades 3-5 Virtual Conference Recordings
Classroom teachers Mary James and Claire Harden take you inside their classrooms where they discuss how texts become conversations. Although in very different school settings, both teach The Outsiders.
Click here to learn more and purchase the Grades 6-8 Virtual Conference Recordings
In this excerpt from Session 4, Sarah Brown Wessling, reminds us how common standards do not require common pathways to learning.
Click here to learn more and purchase the Grades 9-12 Virtual Conference Recordings
The PreK-12 Virtual Conference Package includes all four, grade-level conferences above for a reduced price.
Click here to purchase the Grades PreK-12 Virtual Conference Recordings
- The series consists of four books: PreK-2; 3-5; 6-8; 9-12.
- Each book includes authentic, useful advice from an author who teaches or is closely connected with classrooms daily.
- Each book features vignettes and illustrations of principles that apply to a range of grade/developmental levels.
- Pre-order now and the books will ship when available in October. | <urn:uuid:7a9545db-51aa-468b-92db-7e27b2c083c1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ncte.org/virtualconf/commoncore/contenthistory/2011928/31451/8/58/343 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.929239 | 775 | 2.359375 | 2 |
Marios Papalexandrou, Mott MacDonald
October 11, 2011 | 21 Comments
Offshore wind is a new market; it has been just two decades since the first commercial installation. The sector was born mainly due to lack of space for the development of large onshore wind projects in the densely populated areas of Western Europe. The market first evolved in Denmark in 1991 with the construction of the Vindeby offshore wind farm. But real market growth came some 10 years later with construction of Middelgrunden, followed by Horns Rev, which became the largest true offshore project, located some 14-20 km offshore with a total installed capacity of 160 MW.
In addition to Denmark, the U.K., Ireland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Japan and China have constructed offshore wind farms over the last decade. Other countries including France, Taiwan, Canada, the U.S., Greece and other European nations are also looking to tap into this resource. The U.K. market began project construction in 2003 and soon took the lion’s share, which it still holds, from Denmark. For the U.K., everything started with Crown Estate’s Round 1 demonstration projects in 13 locations with a total capacity of around 1 GW. Round 1 projects are quite close to shore (less than 10 km) in shallow waters (less than 15 metres), with an average capacity between 60 and 90 MW. Developers at that time were ambitious mid-sized companies, and the largest offshore wind turbine available was 3.6 MW.
Two years later the U.K. Round 2 projects were awarded, including 15 sites with a total capacity of 7 GW that are currently under construction. They have an average capacity between 150 MW and 500 MW in water depths up to 30 meters. The largest turbine commercially available is 6 MW, while the furthest offshore project under construction in the U.K. is 30 km. Today, developers are mainly large utilities. Simultaneously with these large U.K. developments, we see the first offshore wind farms being constructed in Germany — which, together with the U.K., is expected comprise the dominant market for the coming decade.
U.K. Round 3 projects include nine zones with a total capacity of 25 GW, expected to start construction in 2015. They will have an average capacity between 0.5 GW and 1 GW in water depths between 30 and 60 meters, and with distances to shore that may exceed 50 km. Projects of a similar size are also under development in Scottish territorial waters. New turbine manufacturers are expected to enter the market with turbine sizes up to 10 MW, considered state-of-the-art. Today, the UK has approximately 50 percent of the EU’s total installed offshore wind capacity, accounting for 1.5 GW and is expected to expand to more than 5 GW in 2015 — possibly reaching more than 25 GW by 2020.
So, the market is trending quite clearly toward building in deeper waters, further offshore, using larger machines and building many large wind farms. Considering just the U.K. market alone, about 1 GW in installations per year is expected until 2015, and possibly 4 GW each year after 2015.
This rapid expansion in such a short time has led to a number of projects considered prototypes, either because they use new technologies (new turbines, new foundations, new transmission technologies, new installation concepts) or because they move further offshore into deeper waters than ever before. Dealing with these types of projects poses major challenges for the industry. Can the supply chain follow the tremendous expansion rate of offshore wind development? What construction and technology risks are foreseen? Is the hardware there? Is the skilled manpower there?
Offshore wind farms are highly sophisticated projects that need careful planning and risk evaluation before they are implemented. (Source: Mott MacDonald)
Regarding the hardware, there is currently a shortage of vessels to be deployed for offshore foundation and turbine installation, but this shortfall is expected to be addressed by 2012. Most vessels used today originated with the oil and gas industry, but with significant expansion in offshore wind, dedicated installation vessels are now being ordered and built. These vessels can operate in deeper waters and larger weather envelopes, and are able to carry many more turbines and foundations. This minimises transportation cycles to the marshalling harbour and thus decreases installation time.
Supply of export cables, which transfer power to shore, is regarded as a critical item in the project schedule, as there are few cable suppliers and many projects to be connected. ABB, Nexans, Prysmian, NKT and NSW are the key submarine cable suppliers but more onshore cable suppliers are expected to join the market in the near future. For the moment, 132 kV and 150 kV HVAC export cables using XLPE insulation are the dominant types used, but as projects get larger and go further offshore 220 kV HVAC and High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) cables are expected to be deployed. For a recent project a HVDC export cable was considered because there was no suitable HVAC cable of sufficient capacity available for delivery at the scheduled time. The advantage of HVDC transmission lines is their ability to transfer considerably more power larger distances per cable but at the cost of deploying expensive converter stations. New VSC systems will be used for HVDC links as the long-established current source HVDC systems are not suitable.
Another significant challenge for the market on a per-country basis is the capability of the transmission operator to plan and construct the appropriate infrastructure able to absorb and cope with large offshore wind energy generation. In the case of Germany, for example, the grid operator is responsible for energy transmission from the offshore transformer station to shore. This has created a headache for developers, as project planning is linked to the date of grid connection and involves a third party over which the project company has only limited control. On the other hand, in the long term this will create a transmission system that is well-designed to cope with large offshore projects.
In the U.K. market the developer has been responsible for the electrical infrastructure up to the onshore grid connection point, but the transmission link must be sold to a third party after construction. This system has given developers freedom to plan and implement the first offshore projects, but there have been planning issues in constructing the appropriate infrastructure for Round 3 projects, both for developers (especially regarding the beach landing point and the onshore cable route) and for transmission operators.
Ports and harbours seem to be another bottleneck that can hinder large offshore projects. Germany has invested in major port infrastructures (such as the port of Bremerhaven) in order to cope with the logistical demands of offshore wind expansion. This investment is supported at both state and government levels. But, unlike continental European ports, UK ports are generally privately owned, and thus owners are more cautious about investing in upgrades.
Turbine technology is another key challenge for the market. Until recently, offshore wind was following in the footsteps of onshore wind technology development, with turbines considered as marinised onshore types. There are three turbine suppliers in Europe that own the lion’s share of the market: Vestas, Siemens and REpower. BARD and AREVA Multibrid have recently begun offshore operation, and many more are expected to enter the market, including Gamesa, Alstom, Clipper, Darwind, General Electric, Mitsubishi, 2-B Energy, Nordex, Doosan and others. This multiplicity of new entrants is likely to result in better commercial terms for developers. All of these turbines can be considered state-of-the-art, due either to the technology used or the turbine size upgrade. A rigorous test procedure, together with design built redundancies, is key to offering comfort to potential buyers and their investors. The development of offshore test sites for these turbines is considered very positive for testing their performance before serial production. The final selection of turbines will be a tradeoff between availability, track record and price/guarantees.
Thorough and continuous risk assessment throughout the project’s lifecycle, together with early engagement of market stakeholders, is key to avoiding cost and time overruns.
Regarding skilled manpower, the rapid expansion rate of offshore wind has not been followed by a similar growth rate in trained and skilled personnel. Newcomers face problems, but even experienced players may encounter problems due to a rate and scope of expansion that does not allow for sufficient knowledge transfer.
A platform to share knowledge and experiences in offshore wind, to educate and train, would be a potential solution. A good example on a national level is the U.K.’s National Academy for Skills (Nuclear). Its role is to provide education and training, run events, offer services and develop expertise for the benefit of its members and the industry as a whole. A similar approach to offshore wind could be followed at a European level under the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA). It is promising that offshore oil and gas contracting and consulting companies are getting involved in the offshore wind sector; their experience gained in working in harsh offshore environments can be transferred. But can offshore wind jobs compete with offshore oil and gas in order to get experienced people on board? For the moment this problem seems prohibitive.
Apart from the supply chain challenges that the industry faces, there are a number of risks with which each project has to cope. As offshore wind farm projects are capital-intensive and involve many contractors and interfaces, careful evaluation of construction risks is of paramount importance for a project’s success. There are two key items to be considered when installing offshore: weather conditions and vessel capability. Project completion can be affected because people tend to overestimate equipment capability and underestimate weather in the offshore environment. There are also cases where problems have occurred because the equipment available at the time, rather than the appropriate equipment, was used.
The quality of measured and predicted metocean data (including wind, waves, tide and swell) is key to a good understanding of the real site conditions at the wind farm location. When considering these data, a conservative approach should be taken toward vessel selection and project planning, with contingency plans for weather that is worse than expected, and plans that will allow for float between different contractors’ schedules so that the final project completion date is not affected. Vessels’ operational envelopes should be well understood in connection with the expected metocean conditions in order to ensure that the right tool is used within the planned schedule.
Other construction risks are related to understanding seabed conditions and poor design, especially in relation to cable installation. Although cable work counts for only seven percent of the total capital expenditure of an offshore project, most insurance claims and project delays are linked to the cable installation process. Many offshore projects have failed to achieve the correct burial depth or meet the scheduled installation deadline.
In many wind farms a failure of the connection between the monopile and the transition piece, known as grout, has led to vertical slippage. (Source: Mott MacDonald)
Two issues arose during construction of the Bligh Bank offshore wind farm. Bligh Bank utilises monopile foundations that were transported 46 km offshore, towed by a tug vessel. The monopiles were transported using hydraulic plugs in both ends to keep them sealed and floating. In two cases the monopiles sank due to failure of the hydraulic system in the plugs. A new solution had to be designed, and additional redundancy measures were taken which accounted for more stringent weather restrictions.
Another construction challenge that Bligh Bank faced was the grouting issue on monopile foundations. In many wind farms a failure of the connection between the monopile and the transition piece, known as grout, has led to vertical slippage: the transition piece slips a few millimetres towards the monopile, and this could affect the structural integrity of the foundations. At the time this issue was discovered, the foundations were already fabricated and were being installed. The Bligh Bank team spent considerable effort on a design solution that would cover the project’s lifetime, which has now been certified and implemented.
In both cases neither the project’s schedule nor its commercial viability were affected due to the fast response in managing these unforeseen issues. At the end of 2010 Belwind managed to finish the construction of the furthest offshore wind farm in the world, consisting of 55 turbines, in 15 months, on budget and with no accidents.
Building Success Offshore
So what makes a successful offshore wind project? The most important element is a track record: the involvement of experienced and skilled project managers and contractors. An offshore wind farm developed and constructed under current models is a sophisticated structure with complex interfaces needing strong management. Extensive knowledge of supply chain capabilities and planning interfaces will lead to a good understanding of potential risks. Thorough and continuous risk assessment throughout the project’s lifecycle, together with early engagement of market stakeholders, is key to avoiding cost and time overruns in these multi-million euro projects.
Furthermore, dealing with the multi-contract structure typically used for offshore wind farms requires an experienced and capable construction management team. The Bligh Bank construction management team, for example, was almost identical with the team that worked for the Princess Amalia (formerly Q7) offshore wind farm. This allowed the team to consider the lessons of the past and knowledge gained, while keeping a lessons-learned register. For instance, they implemented an extended quality control and health and safety inspection programme during project construction, which in part led to a project with zero accidents.
Thus, a mix of thoughtful project design, well-defined contractual arrangements and continuous risk management, orchestrated by competent project participants, is key to a project’s success. At the end of the day, that is what defines a good project: a strong and capable management team with the ability to plan and cope with unforeseen situations, collaborate and learn, without making compromises on quality and health and safety aspects.
To add your comments you must sign-in or create a free account.
This supplement is no longer being published as of March 1, 2013. To subscribe to similar wind energy content click here. Or, subscribe to our worldwide Renewable Energy World magazine digital edition here. | <urn:uuid:37ab2d36-1d08-4a20-a2ad-576d77c23695> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2011/10/planning-for-the-challenges-of-offshore-wind?cmpid=rss | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00063-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956542 | 2,916 | 2.578125 | 3 |
A line of verse consisting of eight metrical feet.
A stanza of eight lines.
A metrical line of eight syllables, such as iambic tetrameter. A verse consisting of eight-syllable lines.
An elaborately composed verse that is enthusiastic in tone. It often has varying iambic line lengths with no fixed system of rhyme schemes. It often addresses a praised person or object.
|Odeon or Odeum|
A small roofed theater in devoted to the presentation of musical and poetic works to the public often competing for prizes.
Words used in place of where a reader should hear sounds. Words such as pop, crackle, snap, whizz, buzz, zing, etc.
The second line is a run-on and requires the first line of the next couplet to aid in the completion of its meaning.
A stanza of eight lines of heroic verse, with a abababcc rhyme scheme.
The joining of two words that seem to be contradictory (opposites), but offer a unique effect such as living deaths, freezing fires, deafening silence, and pretty ugly. | <urn:uuid:3f257c64-7006-44ff-b32d-89a44e7f4db0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.shadowpoetry.com/resources/handbook/o.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.927833 | 241 | 2.921875 | 3 |
|Product #: EMC3364004_TQ|
Long Vowel Bingo (Long Vowels: Phonics Games) (Resource Book Only) eBookGrade 1|Grade 2
Please Note: This ebook is a digital download, NOT a physical product. After purchase, you will be provided a one time link to download ebooks to your computer. Orders paid by PayPal require up to 8 business hours to verify payment and release electronic media. For immediate downloads, payment with credit card is required.
This phonics game presents a word game similar to 'Bingo' in which students look for words on a game board, cover them, and win when a row is all covered. Includes directions, game boards for six players, game pieces, answer key, and two activity sheets.
Submit a review | <urn:uuid:e3f8225a-ccd1-4e8b-af23-6959deddb640> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.schoodoodle.com/page_88036_1450/long-vowel-bingo-long-vowels-phonics-games | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00073-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.912011 | 167 | 1.71875 | 2 |
For those of us who didn’t grow up near Disneyland, it sounds like we were missing out of a heck of a fun time: while parents used to be able to drop kids off at a Disney park for the day and have Mickey Mouse and friends babysit their offspring, a new admission policy requires that kids be at least 14 if they’re not with adults. [More]
Leave it to triumphant activists to make the best puns! After Walt Disney pledged it will change its paper purchasing policies for the supplies it gets to make children’s book, including cutting ties with two controversial companies criticized for harming endangered rain forests, a member of the Rainforest Action Network (RAN) put the news this way: “The Jungle Book will no longer be destroying the jungle.” [More]
When you have a theme park as large as Disneyland, you run into some unique challenges. Among them, the gobs of melted Mickey bars and popcorn boxes attract hordes of rodents, and those rodents have attracted an estimated 200-strong feral cat colony that has been going strong for the past 25 years. [More]
There’s a metric assload of Disney-branded products, but currently their vast lineup just doesn’t have anything for the child who’d like to avoid death by chemical weapons while still having fun. This wasn’t always the case. Back in the early 1940s, there was an actual Mickey Mouse gas mask.
Throughout 2009, if you show up on your birthday to any Disney theme park in the U.S., you’ll get in free. Imagine how much money you can save on an awesome birthday, provided you go alone! [Orlando Sentinel] (Thanks to RL!)
The Research Institute has compiled a list of the most reputable companies in the U.S., “calculated by averaging perceptions of trust, esteem, admiration, and good feeling obtained from a representative sample of 100 local respondents who were familiar with the company.” (Then they do some statistical stuff to it.) Coming in at #1 is Google, which we think is remarkable considering how much data the company has managed to collect over the past several years, and continues to collect with new record-keeping initiatives like Google Health.
There’s an excellent piece in the March National Geographic that explores how Walt Disney’s vision of Orlando set the mold for the exurbs (“A region lying beyond the suburbs of a city, especially one inhabited principally by wealthy people”) proliferating across America.
An age-old question finally gets answered: do the costume-wearing Mickeys, Minnies and Goofies at Disney theme parks let off some steam after work by humping each other in a sexy, furry orgy? | <urn:uuid:1c78899f-5ab1-4c42-aef4-646ce7898e7d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://consumerist.com/tag/walt-disney/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00066-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952747 | 575 | 1.632813 | 2 |
At the age of 20, Damián Valencia speaks knowledgeably about every aspect of gender equality. He is a member of Cascos Rosa, a young people's initiative working for cultural change against machismo and violence against women in Ecuador.
The government of Ecuador is determined to curb the growing number of teen pregnancies, and has begun to knock down barriers that stand in the way of the right to a responsible sexual and reproductive life.
Ecuador's attempt to introduce institutional changes in the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights has been frustrated for now. Quito is seeking allies to create parallel regional mechanisms, but the risks of losing at this game are high, according to experts and users of the regional justice system.
Ecuador's President Rafael Correa secured yesterday his third term in office by a landslide, after vowing to radically deepen his project of citizens' revolution by making the changes achieved thus far "irreversible", fully achieving the goals of eradicating poverty, transforming the model of production and consolidating the "rule of the people”. | <urn:uuid:61be40b2-1df6-40e1-a812-3c3f54adfb6c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ipsnews.net/author/leisa-sanchez/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950103 | 214 | 1.570313 | 2 |
Bridal Veil Mountain - Mountain featured on
the comedy adventure HERE COME THE BRIDES/ABC/1968-70. Bridal Veil Mountain,
located in Seattle, Washington (circa 1870s) was owned by Jason Bolt (Robert
Brown), and his younger brothers Jeremy (Bobby Sherman) and Joshua (David Soul).
The Bolt Brothers, Joshua, Jason and Jeremy
The Mountain, given to them by their parents (now deceased) had been turned
into a thriving lumber operation, felling the vast network of trees which
grew on its slopes. However, their lumber business was threatened when the
loggers in camp began to complain of the lack of women in the area.
To solve his problem, Jason Bolt borrowed money from a rival saw mill
operator Aaron Stempel (Mark Lenard) and with the assistance of a sea
captain Roland Francis Clancey (Henry Beckman) and his ship "The Shamus
O'Flynn," Jason sailed back to New Bedford, Massachusetts and picked up
one-hundred eligible brides for his men.
The plan had only one catch. If any one of the women left before one year
was up, Bridal Veil Mountain was to be forfeit as per the loan agreement.
Happily, a year came and went and the mountain remained the property of the
Bolt brothers, much to the dismay of Aaron Stempel.
TRIVIA NOTE: Bridal Veil Mountain was the
backdrop for the STAR TREK novel "Ismael" by Barbara Hambly (Pocket
Books, 1985). In the book, Mr. Spock reluctantly travels back in
time to earth of 1870s where he meets Aaron Stemple, a business man
who helps Spock (who has amnesia) recover from his injuries
inflicted by Klingons.
Theme Song Lyrics
(by Jack Keller, Hugo Montenegro
& Ernie Sheldon)
The bluest sky you've ever seen, in Seattle.
And the hills the greenest green, in Seattle.
Like a beautiful child
Growing up, free and wild.
Full of hopes and full of fears,
Full of laughter, full of tears,
Full of dreams to last a year
When you find your own true love
You will know it
By his smile, by the look in his eyes.
Some set pine trees in the air
Or some stand around and stare
Look out everyone, Here Come the Brides.
The end of the novel revealed that Spock was a descendant
of Aaron Stemple and Biddie Cloom on his mother's side. Both Aaron
and Biddie were prominent characters on the HERE COME THE BRIDES
Of course, Mark Lenard who played the role of Aaron Stemple on HERE
COME THE BRIDES later played the role of Spock's Vulcan father,
Sarek on the original STAR TREK series. See also
BOATS: "The Shamus O'Flynn"
Back to Top | <urn:uuid:1b9a006d-b26b-4402-9147-bb644754e520> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://tvacres.com/mountains_bridal.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00051-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956676 | 631 | 1.6875 | 2 |
The trade deficit in the U.S. widened in October as the biggest slump in exports in almost four years outweighed a drop in imports, evidence of the slowdown in global growth.
The trade gap grew 4.9 percent to $42.2 billion from a revised $40.3 billion in September that was smaller than previously estimated, the Commerce Department reported today in Washington. The median forecast in a Bloomberg News survey of 70 economists called for the deficit to expand to $42.7 billion. Exports declined 3.6 percent, the most since January 2009.
The decrease in exports, which may have been exacerbated by the drought in the Midwest that caused sales of soybeans to plunge, was nonetheless broad-based, indicating cooling economies from Europe to Asia may be sapping demand for American goods, once a mainstay of the economic recovery. The slowdown in imports, which affected everything from electronics to clothing and chemicals, may also be signaling slower U.S. growth.
“The export trend is clearly slowing, and that means the export engine is faltering,” said Carl Riccadonna, a senior U.S. economist at Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. in New York, who projected the gap would grow to $42 billion. “The outlook seems more of the same for growth.”
Stock-index futures held earlier gains after the report as German investor confidence climbed and traders awaited progress on federal budget talks in Washington. The contract on the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index maturing this month rose 0.2 percent to 1,423.5 at 8:49 a.m. in New York.
Bloomberg survey estimates for the trade gap ranged from $40 billion to $44.6 billion. The Commerce Department revised the deficit for September to an almost two-year low from an initially reported $41.5 billion.
The value of exports dropped to $180.5 billion, the lowest since February, from $187.3, today’s report showed. Overseas sales of soybeans slumped by $1.13 billion during the month, and aircraft demand, which is also often volatile, decreased by $1.02 billion. Foreign purchases of engines, industrial machinery, petroleum products were among the other categories that also saw decreases.
Superstorm Sandy, which closed ports in New Jersey in late October and early November, may have been one reason the shipment of U.S. goods decreased.
European countries struggling with a sovereign debt crisis and a cooling expansion in China remain obstacles to U.S. export growth. Growth in China’s overseas shipments slowed to 2.9 percent in November from 11.6 percent in October and exports to the U.S. fell 2.6 percent last month from a year earlier, the first decline since February 2011, according to data released this month by the customs administration in Beijing.
Political leaders in China have laid out a plan to boost per capita income and double economic growth.
“After running double-digits growth for over a decade, we start to see China GDP moderating,” Weiwei Chen, chief financial officer of Yum! Brands’ China division, said at a Dec. 6 conference. “We all know that the past strong growth was largely supported by export and investment, yet we expect, per the government’s plan, that consumption will play an ever greater role in continued economic growth.”
The U.S. trade gap with China widened to a record in October, as both imports and exports were the highest ever, today’s report showed.
Imports declined 2.1 percent to $222.8 billion, the lowest level since April 2011, from $227.6 billion in the prior month, led by a $1.32 billion plunge in cell phones, today’s report showed. The decrease followed a surge in September that coincided with the introduction of the latest Apple Inc. iPhone.
While U.S. job gains are helping sustain consumer spending, fiscal tightening slated for early next year threatens growth and might set back employment. Employers added 146,000 jobs in November, the Labor Department reported last week.
Today, Federal Reserve policy makers begin a two-day meeting at which they’ll consider whether to supplement their $40 billion a month of mortgage-bond purchases with Treasury purchases as well once their Operation Twist program expires at the end of the month.
Adjusted for prices, which are the figures used to calculated gross domestic product, the trade gap narrowed to $46.2 billion in October from $46.6 billion the prior month, today’s report showed.
Trade contributed 0.14 percentage point to GDP in the third quarter, and the October reading is an early sign it will help underpin growth this quarter. | <urn:uuid:f16754ae-8a37-43c9-9497-7f9c03524fc0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.futuresmag.com/2012/12/11/trade-deficit-in-us-widened-in-october-as-exports | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00059-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959997 | 986 | 2.015625 | 2 |
whatever happened to the faster than light stuff?
spaceships go woosh
Haha, my facebook is full of a lot of happy particle physicists.
It bears mentioning, of course, that general relativity was also pure research with no immediate practical application in 1919, and today you can buy a GPS that uses curved space-time to help you navigate. To say nothing of nuclear power.
I guess the tl;dr is, "Human beings are curious and we like to find out things like this, and in fifty years or so somebody with imagination will think of a household device that can take advantage of what we're learning about the Higgs field."
EDIT: Wow, quote post on page one with post on page 6. I guess I should refresh my browser tabs more often.
WAIT. My little brain meats are pondering things they are not qualified to ponder on.
Altering a Higgs could do *mass* things, opening up the possibility of FTL under Einsteins theories that make my space boners go flacid? | <urn:uuid:a092b200-bf2d-49e4-8243-5eaa19172f2e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://failheap-challenge.com/showthread.php?7190-Higgs-Boson-finally-discovered&p=498811 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00062-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948361 | 218 | 1.679688 | 2 |
The Great Paper Heist
Chris Hayes of the Nation has a nice scoop. Apparently, the paper industry has been bilking the federal government in a massive, massive way. Chris explains:
In 2005 Congress passed, and George W. Bush signed, the $244 billion transportation bill. It included a variety of tax credits for alternative fuels such as ethanol and biomass. But it also included a fifty-cent-a-gallon credit for the use of fuel mixtures that combined "alternative fuel" with a "taxable fuel" such as diesel or gasoline.
Enter the paper industry. Since the 1930s the overwhelming majority of paper mills have employed what's called the kraft process to produce paper. Here's how it works. Wood chips are cooked in a chemical solution to separate the cellulose fibers, which are used to make paper, from the other organic material in wood. The remaining liquid, a sludge containing lignin (the structural glue that binds plant cells together), is called black liquor. Because it's so rich in carbon, black liquor is a good fuel; the kraft process uses the black liquor to produce the heat and energy necessary to transform pulp into paper. It's a neat, efficient process that's cost-effective without any government subsidy....
By adding diesel fuel to the black liquor, paper companies produce a mixture that qualifies for the mixed-fuel tax credit, allowing them to burn "black liquor into gold," as a JPMorgan report put it....
Get that? Paper companies are adding an unnecessary and extremely harmful fossil fuel to their manufacturing processes in order to take advantage of a federal subsidy that was intended to help the environment. Hayes says the 10 largest paper companies will get as much as $8 billion this year from this little racket they are running. Hopefully, with enough attention to this story, the federal government can shut it down.
Photo by flickr user toastiest. | <urn:uuid:07fd889b-30de-475c-b6a6-96f0160488cd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2009/04/great-paper-heist | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00049-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960466 | 387 | 2.1875 | 2 |
The Empire of Chairs
“There is another world. There is a better world. Well, there must be.” Those are the last lines from the final issue of Grant Morrison’s Doom Patrol. What story is being told?
This is the story, as unadorned as I can make it. Jane has been sent to a drab world. Without Cliff she falls into manic depression. This, combined with her stories of her superhero world of origin, gets her committed to a mental health institution. She is cured, but ends up flat. One day she goes for a walk and is found by Cliff.
This is the story, as hysterical as I can make it. Jane gets sent to our world. Mental illness is a creative lifestyle choice. In our world we stamp out all imagination and difference. Psychiatry is torture. Jane commits suicide.
There is no death on the page in this story. It is not about suicide on the face of it. There may be death under the page, between the panels, in the allusions. It may be an allegory about suicide. Or perhaps… it might be an allegory about being suicidal…
Because say you are suicidal. Say you do walk out on that bridge. Say that all you can hope for is a better world, another world, beyond death. Say there is nothing in this world for you. You walk out on that bridge… and find a friend waiting. Someone who has been there, someone who has been through it all, someone who has been there for you before, and is there now. It makes me cry just thinking about it. Stories of suicidal ideation need not end in suicide.
When its blackest you can’t see beyond your feet. If the light comes on, you might look back and see you were cared for all along. The light of Danny the Street comes on for Jane. The light came on for me on Sunday, and I looked back at the preceding 44 issues of Doom Patrol and saw a rescue mission.
“There is another world. There is a better world. Well, there must be.” The last lines are those of Jane’s sympathetic doctor. She suspects Jane committed suicide, but she hopes that perhaps Jane’s friends came for her. There is another world. It is this world. Friends make it better. They must, because without them there is nothing. | <urn:uuid:5a43ddae-399e-4ce9-912e-06d966b94e4a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://pah2.golding.id.au/2008/11/21/the-empire-of-chairs/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974352 | 496 | 1.773438 | 2 |
We all trust strangersI liked a recent Mashable post from Universal McCann's Tom Smith, which discussed his report on the usage of social media (which surveyed 17,000 people in 29 countries) called "When did we start trusting strangers?" I'm not surprised to hear that IM and e-mail are the top channels to inform people about products and services, but social media is definitely catching up fast: 29% have commented on a product or brand on a blog and 27% have posted an opinion about a product or brand on a social networking profile. The research clearly shows, he says, that we trust the opinions of strangers online just as much as our closest friends, and certainly more than traditional advertising.
"Participation in social media is not a choice, it is now a default. This is a consumer revolution, they choose who takes part and they are already talking about and commenting on all brands. It is down to companies to decide whether to be actively or passively involved. Secondly, transparency is essential. Consumers are constantly commenting on products and brands, so honesty and openness are vital. Companies should share their inner workings. Mistakes have to be admitted quickly and control has to be loosened to allow consumers to discuss, share and interact with your brand." | <urn:uuid:0002fa5c-a58a-477a-9a64-d8262a7d9ffd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dmnews.com/we-all-trust-strangers/printarticle/150493/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00041-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971534 | 254 | 2.109375 | 2 |
A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown at sacred-texts.com
hos 0:0THE first of the twelve minor prophets in the order of the canon (called "minor," not as less in point of inspired authority, but simply in point of size). The twelve are first mentioned by Jesus, the son of Sirach (Ecclesiasticus 49:10). St. Stephen, in Act 7:42 (in referring to Amo 5:27), quotes them as forming one collective body of writings, "the book of the prophets." So JEROME and MELITO, the first Greek father who has left us a catalogue of these books. The collection of the sacred books is by Jewish tradition attributed to the great synagogue of learned scribes formed by Ezra. Many think Nehemiah completed this collection by adding to the books already in the canon those of his own times. Malachi, the last in the series, probably aided him in determining with infallible authority what books were entitled to be ranked in the inspired canon. The chronological order differs from the canonical. Joel, about 810 B.C.; Jonah, about 810 B.C., or, as others, first, 862 B.C.; Amos, about 790 B.C.; Hosea, about 784 B.C. Hosea, the contemporary of Isaiah, Micah, and Amos, seems to have entered on his prophetical office in the last years of Jeroboam (contemporary in part with Uzziah), and to have ended it in the beginning of Hezekiah's reign, 722 B.C., that is, about sixty years in all, from 784 B.C. to 722 B.C. The prophets, however, were not uninterruptedly engaged in prophesying. Considerable intervals elapsed, though their office as divinely commissioned public teachers was never wholly laid aside. The Book of Hosea which we have constitutes only that portion of his public teachings which the Holy Spirit saw fit to preserve for the benefit of the Church. The cause of his being placed first of the twelve was, probably, the length, the vivid earnestness, and patriotism of his prophecies, as well as their closer resemblance to those of the greater prophets. His style is abrupt, sententious, and unrounded; the connecting particles are few; there are changes of person, and anomalies of gender, number, and construction. His name means Salvation. He was son of Beeri, of the tribe of Issachar, born in Beth-shemesh [JEROME]. His mention, in the inscription, of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, is no proof that he belonged to Judah: for the prophets in Israel regarded its separation from Judah, civil as well as religious, as an apostasy from God, who promised the dominion of the theocracy to the line of David. Hence Elijah in Israel took twelve stones to represent Judah, as well as Israel (Kg1 18:31). Hence Hosea dates from Judah's kings, as well as from Jeroboam of Israel, though he belonged to Israel, with whose sins and fate his book is chiefly occupied. He, however, makes incidental references to Judah. His first prophecy foretells the overthrow of Jehu's house, fulfilled on the death of Jeroboam, Jehu's great-grandson (Kg2 15:12), in Zachariah, Jeroboam's son, the fourth and last from Jehu, conspired against by Shallum. This first prediction was doubtless in Jeroboam's life, as Zachariah, his son, was only suffered to reign six months; thus the inscription is verified that "the word of the Lord came unto him in the days of Jeroboam" (Hos 1:1). Again, in Hos 10:14, Shalmaneser's expedition against Israel is alluded to as past, that is, the first inroad against King Hoshea, who began to reign in the twelfth year of Ahaz; so that as Ahaz' whole reign was sixteen years, the prophecy seems to have been given about the beginning of Hezekiah's reign. Thus the inscription is confirmed that the exercise of his prophetical functions was of such a protracted duration.
Hosea (Hos 11:1) is quoted in Mat 2:15; also Hos 6:6 in Mat 9:13; Mat 12:7; compare Rom 9:25-26, quoting Hos 1:10; Hos 2:1, Hos 2:23; Co1 15:55, quoting Hos 13:14; Pe1 2:10, quoting Hos 1:9-10; Hos 2:23. Messianic references are not frequent; but the predictions of the future conversion of Israel to the Lord their God, and David their king, and of the fulfilment of the promise to Abraham that his spiritual seed should be as the sand of the sea (Hos 1:10; Hos 3:5), clearly refer to the New Testament dispensation.
The first and third chapters are in prose, the rest of the book is rhythmical. | <urn:uuid:4ae13faf-290c-4a7e-94e1-240af685e4b3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://sacred-texts.com/bib/cmt/jfb/hos000.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970712 | 1,105 | 2.859375 | 3 |
Microsoft is making a good chunk of change off of Google’s Android mobile OS. In a series of patent-protection deals announced recently, Microsoft is shown to be basically legally extorting money from Android device manufacturers citing patent infringement as the cause for royalties. One of the biggest and most recent of these deals is with Samsung. The deal is currently under negotiation, and could net Microsoft $15 per handset. According to market analysts, Microsoft is actually making more money from Android than they are from their own mobile platform. To many, this may seem a bit underhanded. In a statement to the press about a similar deal with HTC last year, Horacio Gutierrez, Microsoft corporate vice president and deputy general counsel of Intellectual Property and Licensing, said,
"HTC and Microsoft have a long history of technical and commercial collaboration, and today’s agreement is an example of how industry leaders can reach commercial arrangements that address intellectual property."
One wonders if HTC feels the same way.
While Microsoft hasn’t publicly bared their fangs like this in a while, the company has never really abided by a Google-esque "don’t be evil" methodology. In fact, Microsoft has made somewhat of a name for itself in the world of aggressive business strategy. In a paper published by ECIS, a timeline of Microsoft’s alleged anti-competitive tactics is laid out, beginning with their practices against DR-DOS in the early 80’s, all the way through the Corel WordPerfect days, and eventually leading up to server competition with Sun and Oracle, and their most recent struggle with the inclusion of Internet Explorer in every copy of Windows.
The legality of any of those tactics notwithstanding, the actions Microsoft has taken in the past to quell competition were anything but pacifist. Ex-CEO Bill Gates himself was the leader of this charge, and he’s been known to use rhetoric that explicitly placed Microsoft in an aggressive light.
"What we are trying to do is use our server control to do new protocols and lock out Sun and Oracle specifically"
"If Intel has a real problem with us supporting [Intel’s microprocessor rival, AMD] then they will have to stop supporting Java Multimedia the way they are."
"Intel has to accept that when we have a solution we like that is decent that that is the solution that wins."
"This anti-trust thing will blow over. We haven’t changed our business practices at all."
As Microsoft’s dominion in the market’s eye slowly but steadily diminished in the hands of CEO Steve Ballmer, Microsoft toned down the aggression and began to focus on survival, at least as far as the public was concerned. However, a schoolyard bully is created at home, and Microsoft is no different. While the playground may have gotten a lot bigger and scarier over the last 10 years or so, the culture within Microsoft itself hasn’t changed a bit. According to Scott Barnes, former Microsoft product manager,
"The culture within allows bullying, in fact it’s very "lord of the flies" at times when there is little or no direction and/or worse when there is failure upon failure occurring (as you end up with "hey I can fix that, get of my way…" followed by more…"hey I can fix that fix, get out of my way") moments."
According to Barnes, the destructive culture of bullying and power plays is pervasive enough that getting rid of Ballmer won’t help; it may actually make things worse. What remains would be a power vacuum, a void that the heads of every disparate and misaligned product group will vie for viciously until only one remains.
"90,000+ employees do not take their marching orders from a single man. It goes through layers of bureaucratic passive aggressive stakeholders first."
The recent spate of patent "deals" with Android phone manufacturers are only a small part of a much bigger picture, a picture of a bully that can’t see that its own aggressive behaviors are possibly the single largest factor in the current slide down the tech empire food chain. Sure, money will be made, and many will see that as the only judgment that matters, but Microsoft is not in the same environment it used to thrive in. It no longer has the power and reputation it once enjoyed, and it can’t afford to take pot shots at smaller companies and technologies for marginal short term gains. Maybe this is what David Einhorn saw when he called for Ballmer’s resignation in May.
The industry as a whole is generally optimistic about Windows 8 and the changes that the new OS will bring to the entire Microsoft infrastructure. If implemented correctly, we could see a new level of integration and seamlessness that has become the Achilles heel of Microsoft product groups. Cohesion and synergy, from both a tech and personnel perspective, is what the company needs to get back on its feet, and Windows 8 looks promising. Unfortunately, these patent deals make it look like business as usual for Microsoft. It’s another reminder that the corporate culture within Microsoft is one of aggression and perceived dominance, and it’s an attitude that the company could really do without. | <urn:uuid:415a8cf1-bf3e-4eee-95c9-3de424c50bc8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-patent-deals-are-business-as-usual-for-a-bully | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00072-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956628 | 1,076 | 1.6875 | 2 |
Pimco CEO Mohamed El-Erian talks fiscal cliff, European crisis, China slowdown and more.
Sheila Bair, Karen Hughes, Mellody Hobson and Elaine Kamarck offer Romney and Obama advice for the Presidential debate.
Why Irene Rosenfeld is at peace with her smaller, tastier snack empire Mondelez.
Ex-Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz's advice to the current CEO Marissa Mayer - 'changing culture is not a sprint, it's a marathon.'
Ginni Rometty's mother's advice - 'actions speak louder than words', 'nothing is insurmountable' and 'you define yourself'.
The actress turned entrepreneur discusses what it was like to grow up on a military base and launch her own company.
The venture capitalist says anyone building a startup now must be able to do one thing "uniquely well."
Tyra Banks shares her mother's advice: Always think three steps ahead and be an independent woman.
Cisco CEO John Chambers shares his parents' advice on looking ahead and connecting with people emotionally.
Lululemon CEO Christine Day says that to be a good leader, it is very important to create the space for others to perform.
The author of 'Good to Great' shares the best advice that he got from his 'personal board of directors.'
Xerox CEO, Ursula Burns remembers the advice of her mother who encouraged her to be focus on giving back, not getting rich.
President of the ING Foundation says it is important to share who you are and what you value for a great business career.
Muhtar Kent, CEO of Coca-Cola, says to always look towards the future and never to the past.
Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg says join a company that is growing and you will find more opportunities.
AOL CEO Tim Armstrong says that to be successful, talk about winning and moving forward but never talk about losing.
Bob McDonald, CEO of Procter & Gamble, says the ability to keep learning will lead you to success in business and personal life.
Executive Chairman of Ford, Bill Ford says his father's advice to do what you're passionate about is a key to success.
Attorney David Boies discusses the intense preparation he goes through before trying a case in court.
The CEO of Clorox shares the importance of looking out for your employees.
NBA star Alonzo Mourning shares words of wisdom that inspire his charitable work.
CEO of MediaCom Stephen Allan says this simple advice will never steer you wrong.
In philanthropy, knowing you might never win is all right says the billionaire investor.
Reed Hastings, CEO of Netflix, says strategy is all about making hard choices.
The tennis legend says there's a lot of good on the other side of tired.
Food Network star and restaurant entrepreneur advises 'follow your passion' and don't 'ever accept no as an answer.'
Microsoft co-founder shares what he learned from industry leaders and competitors.
Berkshire Hathaway CEO says the key to investment is less emotion and more business judgment.
Charles Munger, vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, says classic homilies hold true in today's world.
A mentor is crucial to give perspective, says Google CEO.
Jim Rogers, president and CEO of Duke Energy, says it's crucial to keep your ears open at all times.
Gina Bianchini, CEO of Ning.com, says work to the peak of your ability.
The founder of The Vanguard Group says in investing 'nobody knows nothing.'
Microsoft co-founder and his father share their memories of Bill's upbringing.
Azul CEO and JetBlue founder says the mission to change air travel is key to his success.
Know where the other person is coming from and look for the win-win, says Christie Hefner.
John Lasseter says the company's secret is simple: creating relatable characters that have emotions and personalities.
eBay's Stephanie Tilenius says that if you don't risk failure, you aren't trying hard enough.
Under Armour's Kevin Plank says earning consumer trust is more important than getting a patent.
Wall Street investor Wilbur Ross says that 'if it seems too good to be true, it is...'
Pete Peterson, co-founder of The Blackstone Group, learned his best advice from novelist Joseph Heller.
Arianna Huffington says that the best advice she ever got from her mother was to be fearless.
Banking analyst shares her mother's advice - set achievable goals, realize them and recalibrate to keep moving higher.
Tom Freston, ex-CEO of Viacom says that problem solving is endemic of business in general.
Best Buy CEO Bradbury Anderson says managers should discover their own unique leadership message.
The founder of Quicken Loans shares the two most valuable pieces of advice he's received in his life.
The NBA star's father said that he would support him no matter what.
Felix Dennis, chairman of Dennis Publishing, says this is the best piece of business advice he ever received.
Former CEO of AIG says success in business requires courage, conviction and integrity.
Nicholas Negroponte, founder and chairman of One Laptop per Child, says that this advice has driven his whole life and career. | <urn:uuid:f92a3636-bc13-42bd-9dc6-6e8af84c2efc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://money.cnn.com/video/series/bestadvice/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961422 | 1,099 | 1.53125 | 2 |
Rumors are again swirling that Apple and Intel are in discussions about Chipzilla baking the chips Cupertino uses to power its iDevices. "A source close to one of the companies says Intel and Apple executives have discussed the issue in the past year but no agreement has been reached," Reuters reported on Thursday. This isn't …
Pretty sure Intel would sooner push them towards x86, would be a major win for them.
But ARM is more efficient.
The analyses done by AnandTech seem to point towards the new x86 chips being very close to competitive with ARM. If there's any company that can pull off the integrated software and hardware approaches necessary to get enough battery life out of an x86 chip it's Apple: just look at MacBook battery life vs all of their competitors.
That said, it still won't happen, but efficiency isn't the reason. Apple have spent billions setting up their ARM design wing and building iOS specifically for ARM. That's not an investment one can easily throw away. Plus you'd end up with all sorts of fragmentation nightmares - remember Apple never quite got POWER applications running well under x86 OS X, they pretty much just rode the problem out until everyone had switched to the new architecture.
Tom's Hardware were of the opinion that ARM were efficient when doing nothing - good for smart phones - but when they looked at power conspumption by task, the race was far from over. They did note that Intel were taking greatly pains to invite analysis of their power consumption.
I don't know if this rumour is true, but Apple are x86 customers of Intel's, and having their ARM chips made using Intel's fab processes would give them an edge over their iDevice competitors.
"seem to point towards the new x86 chips being very close to competitive with ARM"
But how much of that is down the the chip design (i.e. logical structure) and how much of that is down to Intel having a ~2 year lead on advanced manufacturing processes?
If they are matched simply because a 2 year advance makes the x86 equal to the ARM for power-critical tasks, then ARM is still a winner for most, and if Apple do get access to the best fab service then they will have a major advantage over all others.
That alone, far more than not paying Samsung for fabbing, would help Apple in the premium smartphone arena.
Intel vs. Arm
The ARM architecture is intrinsically more efficient than x86. If one could compare an ARM CPU against an x86 CPU implemented using the exact same fab process, ARM would win. (OK, for flat-out number-crunching the design of the FPU also becomes a very significant factor and Intel may have a sufficient edge to win here - thought Nvidia does it even better if you can run on a GPGPU instead of a CPU).
At present you can get an intrinsically inefficient x86 CPU implemented on Intel's proprietary process, or an ARM CPU handicapped by an inferior process, and the result is something close to a tie.
It would be a very interesting turn for Intel to fab Apple products. Here are some questions to think about.
o The risk for Apple is that Intel is not in the fab business and could lose interest in fabricating Apple products pretty quickly if demand turns up for Intel mainline products. It has happened a number of times with other Intel products that got squeezed out when Intel optimizes it's profit and revenue per wafer.
o Intel fabricating Apple products would mean that Intel has determined that it can NEVER make a competitive x86 mobile product so it must either build the Apple products or develop it's own ARM products to grab a slice of the mobile pie relegating Intel to just another Fab house or ARM vendor with lower margins and smaller profits.
o If Intel where to build Apple products it would improve Apples competitive position and could potentially ensure the lockout of Intel x86 mobile products.
o Intel believes that it's process technology is it's secret sauce and giving that away to Apple would the admission of Intel's failure in mobile.
For all these reasons I think that the likely hood of Intel fabbing Apple products is less than 5%. Intel does not want to cut it's own throat, give away the family jewels or admit failure.
the altera deal...
It might be good for Apple... but it will turn to be a curse and suicide for Intelfidals ... Intel no more will be able to protect its x86 exclusive jargon and companies will taunt them so hard that u make x86 but no ARM for Intel servers that at one stage in approx 1-2 years they will throw in towel and will also "unwilingly" launch ARM servers .. which is what AMD will be found doing for years. This wil be the point where x86 tech will actually spit on Intelfidals face and jump down the drain... Nature keeps creating environment for the downfal of empires and bring weaker ones as the new leaders...
Swift cores on 22nm tri-gate anyone?
If Apple could get Intel to produce it's Swift core ARM chips on Intel's latest and greatest 22nm (future 14nm) tri-gate technology, it would give the company a huge leap ahead of the current competitors using 28nm ARM A15 cores that are quite hungry and expensive.
I feel that this would take a LOT for Intel to produce anything other x86 based chips but, you know what? The fat lady did sing: Apple moved from Power PC to Intel... Stranger things can happen!
Re: Swift cores on 22nm tri-gate anyone?
Technology size has become the property of marketeers now as when people look closely at what is actually being manufactured then intel's 22nm seems to be very similar is scale to everyone else's 28nm ... to such an extent that seems that what would have been 20nm is now being renamed 14nm!
iPhone / iPod only
Intel's been happily licensing, adapting and baking silicon using non Intel designs for years e.g. The ARM based XScale range and the amd64 derived Atom and Core i cores.
Re: iPhone / iPod only
Yep, right since the 4004. However, your examples aren't great. Intel sold off XScale to Marvell (just as the smartphone processor market was taking off) and amd64 is a set of instructions, not silicon design, which they licensed begrudgingly from AMD because of the success of Opteron embarrassing their Itanium business. But AMD is likely licensing far more IP from Intel.
Hopefully, this will mean Intel would bake ARM-based chips, instead of the awful alternative that is having yet-another-PC-disguised-as-something-else in the iPhone.
Maybe it is time for Intel to switch to more promising architectures.
Intel cannot move away from x86 for PCs and servers. There's too big a backward compatibility problem. I mean, they tried with Itanium and it was a complete failure (although it succeeded at killing of HP and DEC's CPUs, which was a win for Intel).
Intel already does bake ARM-based chips, especially after acquiring Infineon's mobile division and their X-GOLD, S-GOLD etc. range.
They could move away, just as AMD managed a transparent shift from i686 to x86.
The easiest route might be something like a bigLITTLE architecture with ARM cores and x86 cores on the same die, sharing cache, memory controller and maybe other internals. Gradually shift the balance of core provision towards more ARM cores and less x86 ones, as software takes advantage of the new feature.
Not quite expecting Intel to jump to the cold water, but at least not force Apple to switch over their ARM stuff (the iGadgets) to x86.
Their Itanium (Itanic) venture actually failed because they were originally trying too hard to keep the x86 compat layer, and their first chips were real slow. Apple had a better way to jump from one arch to another, and they've done so twice: Motorola 86k -> PowerPC -> Intel. Maybe they should've relied more in the OS manufacturers to port stuff instead of trying to emulate everything?
Probably depends on what Apple want to pay Intel ... Intel get a huge amount of $/wafer from x86 chips
True, but if it is a case of money from Apple that is less than x86 or Apple staying with Samsung and getting nothing, not so simple.
I suspect the bigger worry for Intel is if this indirectly leads to more interest in ARM for servers running massively threaded code where lots of cores at high MIPS/Watt is far more attractive than high-profit high-end x86 chips.
Otellini don't mean no ARM
Apparently Apple averaged 10 ARM's per second over the last three months. Intel would have to be pretty stubborn to not want a peice of that.
"This isn't be the first such report."
Stop the presses. Do I speak English? Maybe not this variant.
Intel needs to fill fabs if they want to go to 450 mm wafers
Those wafers are 50% larger than today's 300 mm wafers, thus you get ~2.25x as many chips per wafer. Assuming the 450 mm equipment processes wafers at the same rate, you need half the number of fabs or twice the volume of chips. Intel really only has 4 full sized fabs today, with only two they'd lose a lot of the economies of scale that have helped them for years.
Apple would be a good pick for them because they are highly unlikely to ever go x86, because they're expanding their custom SoC designs to include designing their own GPU (they reportedly hired away an entire team of top ex-ATI guys who mysteriously left AMD last fall) You don't make moves like that if you want to go back to buying off the shelf SoCs designed by someone else.
One other advantage for Intel is that Apple has a lot of cash, and they've demonstrated they're willing to pay in advance for guaranteed capacity. Supposedly they tried to cut a deal with TSMC for guaranteed capacity last year but TSMC turned them down. Problem is, TSMC already has more customers than they have capacity.
This deal can only happen as long as will.i.am signs a contract promising not to be associated with any idevices
Oh yeah, Sammy put their prices up didn't they
By, if accounts are to be believed around $1BN which was the same as that court judgement amount handed down.
Which has just been reduced by around $450M.
Apple are obviously afraid that Samsung will be nuked by North Korea...
"but it would also free them from reliance on Samsung"
Unfortunately, Samsung has taken an interest in a Japanese manufacturer making screens for Apple.
So much for freedom.
I will stick my neck out and say that Apple are developing a i86 version of its mobile processor.
Because Apple want to ditch Samsung,
Because Intel needs to take on Arm on at Mobile, Winning Apple would be a watershed for intel and beginning of the end for Arm dominance (in that Market),
Because Apple has done it before, it would not be a surprise if the code was not compiled already.
Because Intel has seen off every competing architecture that has threatened it.
Because the technological challenges are solvable.
Because of the blurring of the lines between mobile portable and desktop, and its easier to support one architecture than two | <urn:uuid:799736d5-1a66-42ff-98af-174233860d26> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://forums.theregister.co.uk/forum/1/2013/03/07/apple_said_to_be_in_chibaking_talks_with_intel/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964719 | 2,384 | 1.8125 | 2 |
Last summer, two young football players in the Ohio town of Steubenville carried the unconscious body of a local girl from party to party, violating her in ways you’d probably prefer not to think about. (I’m not pretending this incident is merely “alleged,” because there’s video and this column isn’t a court of law.) Today, she’ll face her attackers in court for the first time. It’s a brave act, as she surely knows she’ll not only be facing down the boys who did this to her, but also the adults whose jobs it is to blame her and call her a liar. Only she can know what will make this sacrifice worthwhile: Is it enough for her to be heard in court? Will it only be healing if the boys are convicted? Whatever it is she needs, I hope she gets it.
But rape prosecutions are argued on behalf of the state, not just the victim, and there’s a good reason: Rape doesn’t just harm one person. It tears at the fabric of our communities. And if we treat this trial as simply the story of what a couple of kids did to another, we’re missing the point. This isn’t an isolated incident, and the incident itself didn’t happen in isolation.
This rape is like most in that it was enabled by a deeply entrenched, toxic masculinity. It’s a masculinity that defines itself not only in opposition to female-ness, but as inherently superior, drawing its strength from dominance over women’s “weakness,” and creating men who are happy to deliberately undermine women’s power; it is only in opposition to female vulnerability that it can be strong. Or, as former NFL quarterback and newly-minted feminist Don McPherson recently put it, "We don't raise boys to be men. We raise them not to be women, or gay men." This starts in childhood for many boys, who are taught young that they’ll be punished for doing anything “girly,” from playing with dolls to crying, or even preferring to read over “rough housing” outside.
Toxic masculinity has its fingerprints all over the Steubenville case. The violence done to the victim was born out of the boys’ belief that a) sexually dominating a helpless girl’s body made them powerful and cool, and b) there would be no consequences for them because of their status as star athletes (If you want to see stomach-churning first-hand evidence of this, check out this video of one of their friends gleefully talking about how “raped” and “dead” the victim was). The defense is basing their entire case on it, arguing that this near- (and sometimes totally) unconscious girl’s body was the boys’ to use because “she didn't affirmatively say no." The football community’s response—by which I mean not just the coaches, school, and players, but the entire community of fans—is steeped in the assumptions of toxic masculinity, treating the athletes and the game as more important than some silly girl’s right to both bodily autonomy and justice. Steubenville residents have been quick to rally around the team, suggesting that the victim “put herself in a position to be violated” and refusing to talk to police investigating the assault. The two players who cooperated with police were suspended from the football team, while the players accused of the rape have been allowed to play. The coach even went so far as to threaten a New York Times reporter asking questions about the case. (No surprise there: When it comes to male-dominated sports, toxic masculinity is the rule, not the exception.)
But sports is hardly the only breeding ground for toxic masculinity. Witness the recent, vicious bullying of Zerlina Maxwell by fans of Fox News. Last week, Maxwell was on Hannity and dared to opine that the best rape prevention isn’t about what women can do to protect themselves, but instead focuses on raising men who don’t rape. She also personally identified herself as a survivor of rape. What followed was a nearly inconceivable onslaught of misogynist and racist attacks, including repeated threats of rape and death. All because a black woman insisted that the work of stopping rape—“women’s work” if there ever was such a thing—requires men’s labor. Under the influence of toxic masculinity, the logical response to a man being forced or even encouraged to do something coded “female” is always violence.
The U.N. is in the midst of its 57th Commission on the Status of Women, this year focusing on gendered violence, a global pandemic made all the more urgent by growing evidence that social change leads to increased violence against women. Why? Because destabilizing established social order—even in the interest of what we might agree is progress—can leave people feeling vulnerable. And when men feel vulnerable, toxic masculinity teaches them the way to reassert their power is by dominating women. There’s a pall hanging over the proceedings, a real risk that this year’s commission may wind up like last year’s, failing to come to any policy agreements thanks to the obstructionism of a handful of patriarchal countries who claim that their traditional and religious customs would be infringed upon if they had to take action to end gendered violence in their countries. You can bet that any customs that require impunity for violence against women are built on toxic masculinity.
It’s time for a serious intervention in masculinity. It’s not enough to not be a rapist. You don’t get a cookie or a Nobel Peace Prize for that. If we want to end the pandemic of rape, it’s going to require an entire global movement of men who are willing to do the hard work required to unpack and interrogate the ideas of masculinity they were raised with, and to create and model new masculinities that don’t enable misogyny. Masculinities built not on power over women, but on power with women.
This is going to take real work, which is why so many men resist it. It requires destabilizing your own identity, and giving up attitudes and behaviors from which you’re used to deriving power, likely before you learn how to derive power from other, more just and productive places. There are real risks for men who challenge toxic masculinity, from social shaming to actual “don’t be a fag” violence—punishments that won’t ease until many, many men take the plunge. But there are great rewards to be had, too, beyond stopping rape. Toxic masculinity is damaging to men, too, positing them as stoic sex-and-violence machines with allergies to tenderness, playfulness, and vulnerability. A reinvented masculinity will surely give men more room to express and explore themselves without shame or fear. (It will also, not incidentally, reduce rape against men as well, because many rapes of men are committed by other men with the intention of “feminizing”—that is, humiliating through dominance—their victim.)
These interventions start with a “feminine” activity: introspection. What did you learn about “being a man,” from whom? How are those lessons working out for you, and for the people you love and your communities? Taking action can be as simple as men publicly owning their preference for “female” coded things, whether that’s child-rearing, nonviolence, feminism, or anything else—and being willing to suffer the social consequences. It can be more formal, working with established organizations like Men Stopping Violence. As more men take responsibility for the work, it will surely also take on forms no one has yet envisioned.
Obviously, the mouth-breathing troglodytes who hailed hate down on Maxwell aren’t going to be interested in this project. And there’s strong evidence that most rapes are committed by repeat offenders who may not call what they’re doing by the r-word, but know full-well they don’t have their partner’s consent. Remaking masculinity isn’t about sweetly beseeching those guys until they don “This is What a Feminist Looks Like” t-shirts. It’s about two much more practical things: 1) raising new generations of boys much less likely to grow into rapists and/or Fox trolls, and, meanwhile, 2) undermining the social license to operate which allows the current generation of assholes to keep trolling and raping with impunity.
In other words: What if misogynist trolling got you shunned by their friends and family? What if raping someone was actually likely to result in your expulsion from your team, and your conviction in court? If the rest of us shift our relationship to masculinity, ideas like “she was asking for it” or “don’t be a pussy” won’t make sense anymore, and the guys who try to cling to them will find themselves isolated, facing serious social and legal consequences.
There’s already some sign that this can work, and that the work is underway. Vancouver’s new initiative placing the focus on preventing offenders, not victims, is showing early promise. The Feminist Wire just launched a “Masculinities Forum” to create a more explicit dialogue on just these issues. And the organization Breakthrough has launched a global "Ring The Bell" campaign that is poised to take the lead on this very issue, calling for one million men to take concrete action to end violence against women.
It’s not a moment too soon. Just as putting the onus on women to prevent their own rapes on an individual basis is both wrong and ineffective, so to is putting the onus on women to stop rape as a social phenomenon. It’s time to “sack up” and step up, men. I promise it will hurt you a lot less than it’s hurting me.
Editor's Note: On May 17, the two young football players were adjudicated delinquent of rape, comparable to a guilty verdict in adult criminal court.
You need to be logged in to comment.
(If there's one thing we know about comment trolls, it's that they're lazy) | <urn:uuid:86b543a9-5c23-469a-ab0e-efa8dd7619b4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://prospect.org/comment/19685 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960882 | 2,185 | 1.953125 | 2 |
During his Reddit "Ask Me Anything":
There was one question everyone on the team wished Obama had answered. [Teddy Goff, head of Obama’s digital team,] probably would have selected it, according to his colleagues, but he didn’t see it at the time.
Would you rather fight 100 duck-sized horses or one horse-sized duck?
In the days following, staffers debated the answer. Most immediately chose the 100 duck-sized horses— they would be easy to stomp on and were, generally, a reflection of the usual day-to-day conflicts in life. A danger to the shins, but possibly manageable. "Ducks are not exactly teeny-tiny—so 100 duck-sized horses (as opposed to duckling-sized horses), while smaller than a miniature pony, are still probably clocking in somewhere around ten pounds each," one Obama official argued. "That’s a lot to kick/throw/battle."
Who would choose to fight a duck the size of a horse? The beak. The wingspan. The ability to defend and attack in the air, on land, and in the water. "Also, lacking a weapon of some kind, how exactly do you defeat it? Wrestling it to the ground seems unlikely. Can you break its legs? Snap a wing?" the official continued. "Yet, it’s just one opponent—you can focus all your energy, attention, and strength on outsmarting it. Maybe it tires easily. Hard to know." | <urn:uuid:1a84f090-827d-4490-a6d1-125061239991> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://dish.andrewsullivan.com/2013/01/09/the-33/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00048-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.979443 | 316 | 1.601563 | 2 |
How old is this old PC? The guys above me are right - you can't make an "Arduino" out of one, but if it's of a certain age (we're talking early/mid 80s and green/black screens here!), you may still be able to salvage some useful bits out of it.
On VERY old kit, you sometimes see MCS-48/51 family microcontrollers used for keyboard scanning processors and other low-level pin twiddling tasks. These may be useful, but are also a pain in the arse to harvest and do something with. If they're not socketed it can be quite hard to de-solder a 40 pin DIP and extract it without damage.
Also, they are probably mask-programmed with no provision for you to burn code directly on to them, and far less than 1kB of SRAM. So, you would need to set them up to execute instructions from external memory, and provide this memory for them. An EEPROM to hold your program code, and some SRAM, and more than likely some I/O expansion chips depending on what you want to do. Then the address decoding logic... and either learning some assembly language for them or finding a suitable C compiler. It's certainly do-able, you'd end up with something a little bit like this
But, in the time it took you to do all that, you could have gone to work and earned enough to buy several nice genuine Arduino boards | <urn:uuid:86ec7920-a445-4973-9d75-d77199aa17f8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=150591.msg1130774 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963775 | 305 | 2.40625 | 2 |
The recently-published Trustwave 2012 Global Security Report details the current threats to user data and identifies the vulnerabilities that persist within organizations. The statistics were generated from their investigation of about 300 breaches across 18 countries. They also analyzed the usage and weakness trends of more than 2 million real-world passwords used within corporate information systems. The verdict? After an initial foothold in a system (via malware and other threat vectors), 80% of security incidents were due to the use of weak administrative passwords.
Yes, that's correct: 80 percent. From weak passwords.
"The use of weak and/or default credentials continues to be one of the primary weaknesses exploited by attackers for internal propagation," the report comments. "This is true for both large and small organizations, and largely due to poor administration."
They found that writing down passwords is still prevalent in the workplace, particularly in organizations that implement complexity requirements, password expiration cycles, and password histories to prevent recycling of old passwords. While these policies are often implemented to improve password management, the reality is that increasing password complexity directly corresponds with a decrease in memorability, hence the insecure practice of writing down passwords. The report found that in 15% of the security tests performed, written passwords were found on or around user work stations.
What's even more astonishing is that rather than find a tool that can help with the password problem, users are getting creative in overriding the policies meant to enforce the use of strong passwords. They exploit loopholes such as:
- Setting usernames as the password when complexity requirements aren't forced
- Adding simple variations to fit complexity requirements, such as capitalizing a letter and adding an exclamation point to the end
- Using dictionary words or applying simple modifications
Default and shared passwords are also a massive point of failure. Companies assign poor default passwords such as "changeme" and "welcome" but don't later enforce an update of those defaults. Applications and devices that are shipped or installed by default on company systems also utilize default passwords that are rarely modified, a particularly dangerous situation for applications accessible from the Internet. The result: they found a proliferation of simple combinations such as "administrator:password", "guest:guest", and "admin:admin".
The top 10 passwords identified by the study were:
Variations of "password" made up about 5% of passwords and 1.3% used "welcome" in some form.
In some ways, we're impressed by the creative effort people put into avoiding strong passwords while still operating within the "complexity requirements" imposed on them.
However, moving forward into 2012 and beyond, it's clear there are steps both end users and businesses should be taking to change their password habits, prioritizing:
- Education of employees on basic security practices
- Tracking of company data and pinning it to an individual every time
- Standardizing implementation across all platforms and devices
and, most importantly:
- The implementation of a password management tool that makes it easy to maintain high security standards.
For as long as we force people to create their passwords and remember them, we'll be stuck with bad passwords. Recognizing the prolific use of poor passwords is one thing - empowering people to act on these recommendations, in a way that doesn't inconvenience them or tax their memory, is the true source of change. Only with password management solutions like LastPass and LastPass Enterprise will we enable people to follow best security practices.
The LastPass Team | <urn:uuid:faeec771-9dc9-4e9e-97b2-d174b2022e27> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.lastpass.com/2012/03/latest-review-of-security-issues-and.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944542 | 707 | 2.6875 | 3 |
It has been nearly four years since even 30 percent expressed approval of Congress, according to the Post-ABC survey, and support hasn’t recovered from the historic low it reached last fall.
In the face of the public dismay, House Republicans and Senate Democrats are fashioning less far-reaching agendas for the year ahead, in part to avoid the bitter political showdowns of 2011 and also to best position themselves for the fall elections.
Because of reelection politics, the second session for any Congress is traditionally less ambitious than the first because lawmakers are campaigning and therefore generally spend less time in Washington. This year’s legislative business, however, will take place in the shadow of $5 trillion in deficit reduction achieved through tax increases and spending cuts that are scheduled to take effect next Jan. 1 . The move was triggered by an unsuccessful effort by a congressional “supercommittee” last fall to reach a compromise on the federal deficit and expiring George W. Bush-era tax cuts.
The expectation is that fiscal issues will again be the central battleground in the presidential and congressional elections. If voters clearly embrace one party’s position over the other’s, it could tilt negotiations on a broader tax-and-spending deal in a lame-duck session after the elections or in early 2013.
In the meantime, with the House reconvening on Tuesday and the Senate returning next week, Congress is poised to resume a series of smaller skirmishes on provisions that were temporarily extended into the new year.
Most prominent among them is President Obama’s proposal to extend a payroll tax holiday for workers through this year, an issue that hamstrung House Republicans before the holidays.
Rather than agreeing on a full-year extension, Congress reached accord only on enough offsetting spending cuts to extend the tax holiday until Feb. 29. Democrats say that puts them in the driver’s seat at the start of the new session by allowing them to resume a debate that divided Republicans, many of whom opposed the provision. Senate Democrats also hope to repeatedly push smaller-bore items focusing narrowly on particular sectors, such as highway and school construction, that would either lead to bipartisan deals or demonstrate Republican obstruction to their agenda.
“The issues that are most salient in 2012 — jobs, helping the middle class, income inequality — are much better for Democrats than last year. Overall, this is going to be a much better year for us,” said Sen. Charles E. Schumer (N.Y.), the No. 3 Democratic leader. | <urn:uuid:2be0196f-77a4-4027-bb0f-cf272b0e2b4e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/84-percent-of-americans-disapprove-of-the-job-congress-is-doing-poll-finds/2012/01/11/gIQAhQVr3P_story.html?hpid=z1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00070-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950781 | 518 | 1.703125 | 2 |
Fibromyalgia, formerly known as Fibrositis, is characterised by chronic, widespread aches and pains, stiffness and fatigue. In conjunction with this, people with Fibromyalgia also tend to suffer headaches, poor concentration, irritable bowel and a host of other common symptoms. In some cases Fibromyalgia can be a severe disabling illness, whilst at other times it can present in more milder forms. The important thing to realise is that something can be done. It is a potentially reversible syndrome. See one of our expert practitioners for a detailed personal plan of action to address your specific condition. | <urn:uuid:b0ea1fed-5938-478a-b047-e4da2e678eef> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.backcare-sports.com.au/bodycare6i_fibromyalgia.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00023-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.930631 | 122 | 2.09375 | 2 |
Photo: Adam MinterAbout five years ago, I began to argue that future historians would look back at the Kyoto Protocol period (from the mid-1990s to today) as the climate-policy equivalent of trying to fight inflation with wage and price controls in the 1970s: a hopeless approach based on an outdated framework. Winston Churchill’s summary dismissal of disarmament negotiations in the 1930s — another instructive parallel — also fits: “a prolonged and solemn farce.”
The root of the problem is the misconception of greenhouse gas emissions as a simple variation on traditional air pollution, to be addressed with the traditional regulatory framework. But, as Michael Shellenberger and Ted Nordhaus have observed, greenhouse gas emissions are to traditional air pollution what nuclear weapons are to street gangs — completely different in nature and scale. This observation needs to be taken to heart.
With the collapse of cap-and-trade in Congress, it is no longer possible to avoid the inconvenient truth that serious carbon constraints are a non-starter. As a conservative critic of the environmental establishment, I’m tempted to kick its advocates when they’re down. Oh, what the heck — I’ll give in. The campaign to adopt carbon constraints has to be judged the least successful marketing effort since New Coke or the Edsel. This ought to provoke the most searching reflections within the environmental community, but so far it seems most environmentalists are stuck in the “denial” and “bargaining” phases of their grief over the death of cap-and-trade, grasping desperately to the hope that their Edsel of a policy can be revived after the next election. If the environmental establishment sticks with this vain hope, by “turning up the volume” as Michael and Ted put it, they will only marginalize themselves further. (The volume has been turned up to 11 for years, hasn’t it?)
The world needs lots of new, cheap energy. This will mean more fossil fuels unless the price of low- and non-carbon energy comes down on a mass scale. If there were energy technologies ready to do this on a massive scale (as there were ready substitutes when the Montreal Protocol phased out CFC’s in the 1980s), we wouldn’t have had these interminable energy debates for the last 35 years.
In their introductory essay, Michael and Ted offer an olive branch to their environmentalist friends, saying that a technology-first policy is not the same as a technology-only policy. This generously recognizes that asking environmentalists to give up their regulatory bias is like asking Catholics to give up the certitudes of the Catechism. Although it is logically true that cheap energy technologies would make a regulatory system affordable and therefore politically possible, real breakthroughs in cheap low-carbon energy will make regulation unnecessary.
The climate story has always had a little-recognized and unhappy paradox: If the U.S. and Europe were to adopt expensive, low-emission energy sources on a large scale, fossil fuels would become only cheaper and more attractive for the developing world, thereby defeating the purpose of the whole effort. The happy paradox of emphasizing technological innovation is that it would render moot the debate about technology-first versus technology-only. If low- or non-carbon energy can be made cheaper than fossil-fuel energy, the marketplace will rush to adopt faster than regulations can be made to force it.
Blunt-force government spending and mandates won’t spur energy innovation, which remains a massive intellectual and policy challenge. Understandably, people across the political spectrum will be uncomfortable with the unpredictability and serendipity such a strategy entails. The political risk is substantial. If progress is slow or the government is seen to be wasting money, political support for energy innovation will dry up. This is why it is essential that a new strategy have broad support. If environmentalists cling to a regulation-first mindset, it may never get off the ground. | <urn:uuid:65d157c9-1706-4016-aaef-933e170f3d1c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://grist.org/article/2010-11-17-tech-will-solve-the-climate-crisis-faster-than-laws/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948651 | 817 | 1.929688 | 2 |
How much are we prepared to pay for art music?
It has cost the Philadelphia Orchestra $10 million (U.S.) to restructure itself over a period of 14 months. The musicians have taken a pay cut, and Kimmel Center managers traded reduced rent for the storied symphony for the virtual disappearance of classical programming from its music season.
The orchestra is, officially, out of bankruptcy protection, but, as Philadelphia Inquirer music critic Peter Dobrin wrote yesterday, there’s still a lot of behind-the-scenes arranging of endowment monies and creditors’ claims to deal with.
Imagine spending $10 million to clean house. Businesses do it all the time, but their money was (hopefully) earned, and not presented as a gift with a particular purpose.
The pot-holed path most arts presenters are on in these culturally and economically uncertain times should help remind us of the true cost of high culture, but it probably doesn’t.
The combination of government grants and patronage by private individuals and businesses subsidizes the cost of every concert ticket and nearly every classical music album. Because this happens behind the scenes and is acknowledged in fine print at the back of the programme, most listeners and audience members take this support for granted.
Think about it: A few select individuals, foundations and corporations give away several millions of dollars every year to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Canadian Opera Company, the Royal Conservatory of Music, the National Ballet of Canada and every one of the dozens of smaller music and dance presenters — not to mention theatres and museums — in order to allow as many people as possible to experience and enjoy higher culture.
And these are not one-time gifts; development managers have to return year after year after year with their visions and plans and dreams to convince patrons to keep on giving.
One day, when I have the time, I want to sit down and add up a season’s worth of private support for classical music and opera in one season. I’ll precede it with a little contest to see who can come closest to guessing what the actual amount is, so we can all behold what I’m assuming is a Grand Canyon of disconnect between perception and reality.
The real point I’m trying to lead to is to ask what happens in a world where more and more people expect to enjoy their music for free?
I’ve written many times before how we don’t have to fear for an audience for classical music. But I think we do need to fear expectations — of free access, unleavened by knowledge of how much someone else it taking out of their pocket in order to ensure this can happen.
Mr X loves the artist so much that he has covered their fee, airfare and accommodations, Mme E has sponsored the seat in the hall, the W Foundation has covered the rental costs, and ABC Bank’s sponsorship provides for the extras. So, please, enjoy the music.
Here is what I think needs to happen: Every concert presenter should, several times a season, line up all the people responsible for making that event financially possible on stage before the music begins, holding up a sign that says, we paid for half of your concert ticket — and you’re welcome.
The alternative is that no one will realise that arts money is finite until the Baby Boomers expire, or the 1 per cent earnings on their investments get the better of their chequebooks. | <urn:uuid:0e38d0b0-d419-4e77-acf8-441920348ec7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.musicaltoronto.org/2012/08/01/comment-its-time-to-line-our-arts-patrons-up-on-stage-before-the-music-starts/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961683 | 721 | 1.578125 | 2 |
CANTON - Any opportunity for War of 1812 commemoration funding from the state has probably come and gone, but the budget battle wages on in Albany for education, Fort Drum and agriculture as the majority parties and Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo attempt to deliver an early budget.
The states fiscal blueprint is due April 1, but theres a chance this year it will come a week early. Before that happens, north country representatives are scrambling to highlight their priorities through one-house budgets.
Theres real movement back and forth, Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell said via telephone from Albany during a session break.
The one-house budgets have no real chance of becoming law, but they reflect the wishes of the Senate Republican majority and the Assembly Democratic majority as final negotiations heat up with Mr. Cuomo.
Not everything that the budgets tweak becomes a reality, but the fact that neither the Senate nor the Assembly included any funding for War of 1812 bicentennial planning in their hypothetical fiscal plans means that it probably wont happen this year.
Mr. Cuomo vetoed a bill last year that would create a commission of volunteers to organize activites, because it would cost the state $300,000.
At this point, our efforts might be much better served if we try to find ways to promote our region and its significance in the War of 1812 using a more local approach, Mrs. Russell said. We just dont have a partner in the governors office on this issue. Thats unfortunate.
Maryland and provincial and federal governments in Canada have provided direct funding to celebrate the wars bicentennial.
The separate Assembly and Senate budgets both restore funding to agriculture programs that Mr. Cuomo had cut. A similar series of events occurred last year: Mr. Cuomo cut programs that help farmers promote and research their products, lawmakers put it in one-house budgets and the governor relented, agreeing to let the programs be funded.
The Senate pledged $5 million to help fight military base closures amid the looming spectre of a Base Realignment and Closure round. BRAC could downsize or eliminate military installations in New York state, which are major economic drivers.
This funding would be available in the event another round of base-closing cuts could target the post to help make the case why New York and the nation needs Fort Drum, state Sen. Patricia A. Ritchie, R-Heuvelton, said in a news release.
Mrs. Ritchies office said in a news release that the Assemblys budget didnt include funding for military bases even though it did.
I guess I would beg to differ, Mrs. Russell said when told of the Ritchie offices erroneous claim.
The Assembly pledged $5.4 million for military base retention efforts, according to budget documents.
Mr. Cuomo has pledged $500,000 to study the economic impact of military bases in the state.
The Senate and Assembly both restored funds to education by eliminating a good portion of a proposed $250 million competitive grant program. North country schools complained that they wouldnt be able to compete for the funds. | <urn:uuid:6561f53d-7e5c-4706-85b1-95d64c3ba89d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mpcourier.com/article/20120315/DCO01/703159915 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952827 | 630 | 1.757813 | 2 |
Just curious-and not being snarky, I promise-but it seems to me that Christmas is a Christian celebration of the birth of Christ, yet atheists and people of non-Christian faiths choose to celebrate it as a "secular" holiday, which it isn't. Yet you never hear of atheists choosing to celebrate Chanukah or Ramadan or other non-Christian celebrations in a secular way. It just strikes me as odd and sort of a double standard.
Pretty much every culture in existence has come up with a way to have a nice celebration of food, light and good cheer somewhere around the winter solstice where the days are short and everybody could do with a bit of a boost.
Early Christians took elements of older pagan and Roman festivals and beliefs and incorporated them into Christmas to make the transition easier. You'll notice that there are no mentions of Christmas trees, turkey dinners, yule logs etc. in the bible, and no indication that Jesus was actually born on the 25th December.
For lots of non religious people in western countries, Christmas is celebrated as a mid winter cheer up festival, a chance to enjoy good food and drink with good friends and family, a time to have a day off work and do a little celebrating when its otherwise cold, dark and generally depressing. It makes sense to do this at Christmas rather than Eid, Diwali or Chanukah as its a national holiday, the logistics are easier and Christmas is part of their culture even if its not part of their religion.
Neither way of viewing Christmas is more right than the other.
(I do actually celebrate Diwali in a non religious way by attending the awesome fireworks display in my city.) | <urn:uuid:766550ad-4560-43bc-8450-05e7eabe3e01> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.etiquettehell.com/smf/index.php?topic=111556.msg2603092 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959343 | 344 | 1.828125 | 2 |
The Second Greatest Offer in the World
by Dean Rieck
It was just a plain jane mailer.
Cheap yellow paper with black and blue ink. No pictures, only copy. It was from The Teaching Company out of Springfield, Virginia. They offer taped lectures by prominent professors philosophy, physics, economics, astronomy, literature, history, and other academic subjects that start my heart racing.
I remembered receiving mailers from this company before, although I had never purchased anything. As I glanced at this one, though, something caught my eye. They offered a lifetime satisfaction guarantee on every tape in their catalog.
What? I had to read that again. But there it was right on the front page and again spelled out on the order form:
LIFETIME SATISFACTION GUARANTEE
If you are not completely satisfied with the purchase you have paid for, you may return it with a note describing why you are disappointed and we will issue a full refund or credit your charge card for what you paid for the course or courses.
Now to understand just how powerful this is, keep in mind what this company sells. These aren't little audio tapes with 30 minutes of fluff, they're HUGE, in-depth taped lectures from some of the best minds in the country.
One is "How to Listen to and Understand Great Music" by Professor Robert Greenberg of The San Francisco Conservatory of Music. You get 48 lectures at 45 minutes each. We're talking 36 hours, folks! At a sale price of $149.95 for audio tapes and $199.95 for videotapes. And it's guaranteed for life.
When I saw that guarantee, I was sold. I thought, "I have to buy something for myself, maybe 'The History of Ancient Rome' or 'The Great Principles of Science.' And I can get 'The History of the United States' for my wife, the history buff. Where's my credit card. I gotta order something now!"
After all, with a guarantee that strong, these have to be the best tapes ever, right? I was absolutely convinced, even before I heard a single word. That's the power of a guarantee. That's why I call the money-back guarantee The Second Greatest Offer in the World.
Reducing Risk with a Guarantee
There's a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson that says it all:
"The louder he talked of his honor, the faster we counted our spoons."
Too many businesses spend a lot of time merely talking of their honor. "We're the best." "Quality, service, selection." But it's all drivel. If you really have a good product or service, stand behind it. A guarantee isn't a burden, it's a boon. It's a powerful marketing tool. A solid guarantee is tangible proof that you're reputable, and it helps to lower the perceived risk your prospects feel.
And that's the key risk reduction. Remember, in direct marketing, people usually can't personally experience the thing you're selling before they part with their money. They can't see it, hear it, touch it, taste it, or smell it. So there's always a level of uncertainty and risk.
Unchecked, this feeling of risk develops into one of your primary enemies inertia. When in doubt, most people put off a decision. This applies to large purchases, but it is especially true for impulse buys. And "I'm not sure" is the same as "no" to a direct marketer because the longer a decision is postponed, the more likely a decision will never be made.
However, the sooner you can provoke a decision, the more likely it is to be in your favor. Therefore, you should simplify the decision-making process in every promotion to encourage a quick response whenever possible. And a guarantee is the perfect decision-making shortcut. A guarantee helps you lower the feeling of risk by answering silent questions: "Is it all you say it is? What if it isn't? Can I return it if I want to? Is there a catch?"
But there's another reason to use a guarantee ethics. Thomas Rollins, president of The Teaching Company, said his company values clients so much, he simply doesn't want them to have any product they don't absolutely love. In our lively phone conversation, he said, "We call our lectures The Great Courses on Tape, and if we don't deliver great courses, we don't deserve the money."
Wow! Most people think of customer loyalty as customers being loyal to a business. But how about a business being loyal to customers? This is a recipe for long-term success if I've ever seen one. And it all stems from that powerful offer the money-back guarantee.
A Guarantee is an Offer?
Now hold on, you're saying. Why are you calling a guarantee an offer let alone The Second Greatest Offer in the World? If the guarantee reduces the feelings of risk, doesn't it serve in a support capacity for the primary offer? Aren't the offer and the guarantee different things?
Well, you're right. Sort of.
Technically, the guarantee is an element of every offer just one of many parts, including the price, payment terms, and premiums. So it IS a support element.
However, it is also an offer, because you are making a promise: "You must be happy or I'll give your money back." Moreover, it is a tacit form of a call to action because you are saying in effect, "Try it. You'll like it. If you don't ..."
Plus, I want you to stop thinking of your guarantee as MERELY support for your offer. I want you to show it off, bring it up front, treat it as strongly as you do any offer. So if you have a primary offer, I want you to think of your guarantee as a secondary offer. Of course, you can feature it as your primary offer as well.
And remember, with few exceptions, most guarantees offer money back in one form or another. It is specifically this "money-back" guarantee that I'm calling The Second Greatest Offer in the World. As for the greatest, please be patient. I'll get to that momentarily.
The Basics of Writing Your Guarantee
A guarantee may be the most important copy you ever write, but it isn't rocket science. Your guarantee should do four primary things:
- Assure your customer of the quality of your product.
- Spell out your terms and conditions clearly.
- Specify a generous time period for evaluation.
- State what you will do if the customer is dissatisfied.
Here's the classic guarantee:
We provide the finest widgets in the world. If you are not fully satisfied for any reason, just return your widget within 60 days for a full refund of your purchase price.
You can be more personal. Or stronger. Just keep it short and sweet.
Also, make sure you're not promising something you don't intend to. Make sure what you do promise is legal. And make sure your guarantee will stand up in court if you have any customer complaints down the road.
And what about setting limits? You might have a time limit: "If you're not satisfied, return within 30 days for a full refund." You might have usage conditions: "With normal use ..." or "When used according to directions ..." You might have a liability limit: "Liability limited to the replacement cost of this item." You might want to specify repair or replacement rather than return: "If it doesn't work as promised, we'll repair or replace it free." But don't use limits unless you must.
And for heaven's sake, avoid legal-looking teeny type and asterisks. Unless you are subject to heavy regulation or have a reasonable fear of some specific problem, keep it simple. After all, why alienate all your honest customers to protect yourself from a handful of unscrupulous ones?
Boosting Response with Your Guarantee
There are thousands of techniques in direct marketing, but very few are universally applicable. And even fewer can promise to raise response each and every time you use them. However, the guarantee is on this short list.
- Make your guarantee visible. It should be one of the featured elements of your promotion. If it's a direct mail package, it can appear in the letter (especially near the end), the brochure, the order form or order form stub (for the customer to keep), even in a stand-alone insert. The more places, the better. If it's a print ad, highlight it in a box. In broadcast, say it and show it on screen along with the main offer.
- Use your guarantee copy to sell. The whole point of the guarantee is to help stimulate a response, so whenever possible, I like to include sell copy in the guarantee. For example, I might say, "Fill out the order form and mail it today. Try your gizmo for 60 days. If you're not completely satisfied ..." and so on.
- Prefer unconditional guarantees. They're stronger than conditional guarantees and easier to administer. However, if you have to use a conditional guarantee, the longer the term the better a 60-day free examination is better than 30 days, for example. (Hint: Often people don't think that a month is long enough to avoid payment if they change their mind.) Craftsman tools offers an unconditional lifetime guarantee. I've seen guys break a wrench they bought 30 years ago, walk into a Sears store, and walk out with a free replacement.
- State your guarantee in the strongest possible terms. Unconditionally Guaranteed. No-Risk Guarantee. 100 Percent Satisfaction Guarantee. No-Questions-Asked Guarantee. As long as it's believable, and you can back it up, the stronger your words, the better.
- Go beyond money back. How about "Double Your Money Back" or "115% Credit" for another purchase? Or maybe "We won't cash your check for 30 days" or "We'll return your own check to you" to assure that the customer will never have money at risk? To really assure your prospect, put yourself on the line with a super powerful guarantee that appears to carry some risk for you.
- Offer a competitive guarantee. If you have direct competition, meet it head on: "Try Time for 3 months without cost. If you don't like it, we'll ask Newsweek to send you their best offer."
- Dramatize your guarantee. You don't have to promise to run naked through Grand Central Station if your customer isn't satisfied, but you can certainly make your guarantee dramatic in other ways. For example, "Clip this coupon and bring it to our store. If we can't match the lowest price in town, we'll pay for the gas you used to drive here."
- Match your guarantee to your product. Provide a money-back guarantee for ordinary purchases, a buyback for collectibles, cancellation privileges and a refund for subscriptions. Think of the characteristic of your product or service and the perceived risk involved, then formulate your guarantee to match. How about guaranteed acceptance? "You are already qualified for a widget. You can't be turned down." Guaranteed quality? "Your widget is manufactured to work full-time for 20 years." Guaranteed performance? "Your widget will work three times faster than any other." Guaranteed repair or replacement? "If your widget ever breaks, we will fix it or replace it free of charge." Your options are endless.
- Strengthen your guarantee with a signature. One of my favorite brochures was a piece I designed with the guarantee right on the front cover. I spelled out the guarantee in strong, clear terms, included a picture of the company president, and surrounded the guarantee with a certificate border. Then I had the president sign his name to it. The headline even referred to the personally guaranteed offer. Nothing shows your commitment to a product like signing your name to the guarantee.
- Extend your guarantee for as long as possible. Short guarantee periods can help prevent returns, but the reverse logic often works better. Give your customers loads of time, and most will never make a return. First, there's no rush to return. Second, after a while, most people forget about the guarantee or feel too guilty to return used items. Instead of 30 or 60 days, how about a one-year guarantee? Or a lifetime guarantee?
- Make your guarantee look official. Certificate borders, certificate paper, watermarks, icons like eagles and flags, dollar values in the corners, and other touches can help strengthen the look of your guarantee. You can even create a seal or stamp with your basic guarantee copy in it.
- Add a kicker. Third-party approval can power up your guarantee a Good Housekeeping seal of approval or an endorsement from an organization.
- Offer a valuable bonus or keeper. For example, "If you don't like TaxSaver Software, send it back at our expense, get a full refund, and keep the Day Planner and mouse pad as our gift to you."
- Be specific about return procedures. For example, state your guarantee, then give a phone number and the name of the person to talk to if the customer has a complaint. This costs you nothing and raises the believability of your guarantee to its highest possible level.
Guarantee = Customer Benefit
No one has to buy from you. Your customers are doing you a favor by making a purchase, not the other way around. So offer your guarantee is just one more solid benefit of dealing with your business. Make it strong enough to persuade the fence-sitters to act.
And if you say it, mean it. Make sure everyone in your organization understands the guarantee inside out, especially phone operators, complaint handlers, management, and anyone else who deals directly with your customers.
Don't be afraid of a guarantee ever. It will almost certainly create more profit than will be lost through the few people who will take advantage of it. A high rate of return is simply evidence that your product or service is defective. Thomas Rollins from The Teaching Company says his returns are minuscule compared to his profits. And that's been my experience with every client I've worked with.
Here's a simple, elegant guarantee from an L. L. Bean Christmas catalog:
Our products are guaranteed to give 100% satisfaction in every way. Return anything purchased from us if it proves otherwise. We will replace it, refund your purchase price, or credit your credit card, as you wish. We do not want you to have anything from L. L. Bean that is not completely satisfactory.
Here's a classic guarantee from the Sears, Roebuck and Co. catalog from 1902:
We accept your order and your money, guaranteeing the goods to reach you in due time and in perfect condition, and if they are not perfectly satisfactory to you when received, you can return them to us at our expense of freight or express charges both ways and we will immediately return your money.
The Greatest Offer in the World?
Did you guess it?
The only offer better than promising to give your customer's money back is to never ask for money in the first place. So the free trial offer is The Greatest Offer in the World. But we'll save that for another time.
For now, I just want to sit back and enjoy listening to Professor Alex Filippenko of the University of California at Berkeley explain the origins of the universe. Considering that his lecture spans 20 billion years, I'm sure I'll develop an all new appreciation for that "lifetime" guarantee.
Copyright © 2000 Dean Rieck. All Rights Reserved.
Click here for reprint policy.
Copyright © Direct Creative. All Rights Reserved. | <urn:uuid:6cda58a6-34a8-4f8b-ab0b-5b036d7f9bde> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.directcreative.com/the-second-greatest-offer-in-the-world.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00075-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953288 | 3,266 | 1.546875 | 2 |
WEDNESDAY, March 21 (HealthDay News) -- The α2-agonist dexmedetomidine is not inferior to the standard sedatives midazolam or propofol in its ability to maintain light-to-moderate sedation during mechanical ventilation, according to research published in the March 21 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
To investigate the efficacy of dexmedetomidine for sedation during prolonged mechanical ventilation, Stephan M. Jakob, M.D., Ph.D., of the Bern University Hospital in Switzerland, and colleagues conducted two randomized, double-blind trials, the MIDEX trial and the PRODEX trial, involving adult intensive care unit patients receiving mechanical ventilation who required light-to-moderate sedation for longer than 24 hours. In the MIDEX trial, 251 patients received midazolam and 249 received dexmedetomidine; in the PRODEX trial, 247 patients received propofol and 251 received dexmedetomidine.
The researchers found that time at target sedation was similar for all sedatives. The median duration of mechanical ventilation with dexmedetomidine was significantly shorter compared with midazolam, but not compared with propofol. Patients were better able to communicate pain to nursing staff with dexmedetomidine treatment compared with either midazolam or propofol. The duration of hospital and intensive care unit stay and mortality rates did not differ significantly between the treatment groups. However, dexmedetomidine was associated with more hypotension and bradycardia than midazolam.
"These two randomized controlled trails provide important evidence that dexmedetomidine is an effective sedative compared with both midazolam and propofol, and its use may be associated with decreased time to extubation, easier communication with patients, and better assessment of pain," writes the author of an accompanying editorial.
Several authors disclosed financial ties to pharmaceutical and nutrition companies, including Orion Pharma, which funded the study and is the originator of dexmedetomidine.
Copyright © 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
|Previous: Alcohol Effects on Brain Activity Vary With Blackout History||Next: Total Extraperitoneal Hernia Repair Tops Lichtenstein Repair|
Reader comments on this article are listed below. Review our comments policy.
Submit your opinion:
Are you a Doctor, Pharmacist, PA or a Nurse?
Join the Doctors Lounge online medical community | <urn:uuid:84c14442-98e6-48bf-86a0-ffdfdb965280> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.doctorslounge.com/index.php/news/pb/27648 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.92968 | 510 | 1.671875 | 2 |
Early voting in NC on track to break records
To view our videos, you need to
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.
Then come back here and refresh the page.
RALEIGH -- Early voting is in full swing in North Carolina.
The state Board of Elections office said more people are voting early this cycle than they did in 2008, which is keeping workers busy and there have been requests to all counties to try and ease the wait times.
For Mary Horn, voting early was the right way to go this election.
“I can get it done on my schedule and not have to wait on anyone else's schedule,” she said.
Horn waited for about 20 minutes in Wake County but others have had to wait for hours.
“We're monitoring everything, fielding a lot of calls, trying to provide voter information,” said State Board of Elections Executive Director Gary Bartlett
Bartlett adds that the number of people voting early has exceeded their expectations.
“The chances are great that more people will vote before election day, in fact we think we're going to break a record,” he said.
With 13 days until election day, more than 817,000 people have voted early. At this time in 2008, that number was more than 647,000.
Bartlett said times have changed since then,
“We have grown in population and we have probably a little more than 400, 000 more new registrations," he said.
Because the number of polling sites are already set, there are no plans to open others. Bartlett said counties are extending their hours to reduce wait times.
“A couple of hours a day at each site what we currently have will go a long way in helping the voter have a better voting experience and not have to wait in long lines,” Bartlett said.
While there have been glitches with touch screen voting machines, bartlett says no voter has complained that their choice was not accurate.
Bartlett said all voters need to review their ballot thoroughly before submitting their decision.
“Once they vote, it's a final act,” he said.
Early voting ends Nov. 3. | <urn:uuid:de235904-7cb1-4608-bd74-f8d188156a01> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://charlotte.news14.com/content/top_stories/667051/early-voting-in-nc-on-track-to-break-records | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00041-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974367 | 460 | 1.828125 | 2 |
During the ongoing analysis of the condition of countries with or without a free press, a very interesting and encouraging fact came to the forefront. While taking a close look at Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), we found that between 2002 and 2008, the SSA countries with a Free Press (a classification based on Freedom House’s yardstick) have been successful in attracting a sharply increasing inflow of FDI. Infact in these countries the gap between the share of foreign aid to GDP and the share of FDI inflows to GDP seem to be closing down – an indication of investors gaining confidence in these economies.
This is in sharp contrast to the SSA countries with a Not Free Press where the share of FDI inflows to GDP has not seen much change over time and the gap between aid and FDI is actually widening (implying a marginal increase in aid dependence).
This observation is worth a discussion – is free press responsible for the extent of FDI inflow in to economies or is it just a co-existing factor?
Sanjukta Roy is a Research Analyst for The Media Map Project. | <urn:uuid:170d8f77-a643-453f-b27a-5b3d497be6bc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mediamapresource.org/2010/10/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00037-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944132 | 229 | 1.875 | 2 |
Most people of my philosophic persuasion believe that the power that moves individuals and cultures is, at root, philosophy. Specifically, that power lies in the "basic premises" which we accept about the world and ourselves: our beliefs about the nature of existence; about how we know things; about what constitutes good and bad; about how we should live together.
This view of the power of philosophic premises is true. However, those of my philosophic persuasion also make an additional assumption: that to change one's own life, or to "change the world," the most important and effective thing is to adopt and advocate the "right" systematic, abstract philosophy. In practice, this means: addressing thinkers and intellectuals, teaching students formal philosophy, planting "our" kind of professors in university chairs, and otherwise engaging in specifically abstract, philosophical pursuits. The tacit assumption here is that the basic philosophic premises that govern our lives are decisively communicated and absorbed in individuals and cultures by means of formal philosophical education.
That premise is mistaken.
We do not suddenly acquaint ourselves with our core worldviews in college courses, after we are already in our teens or twenties. By that time, our basic premises are usually already well-established and, in many cases, set in psychological cement.
So when, and in what form, do we really encounter and accept our foundational beliefs about ourselves and the world around us?
We do so early in life, and in the form of stories -- or what I call Narratives.
The myths that we learn in childhood, at Mother's knee, in church, in schools, in films and novels, represent primitive, fundamental interpretive stories about our world: how it works, what it means, what is right or wrong, who are the Good Guys and the Bad Guys.
These Narratives are pre-philosophical; in fact, they are acquired in their germinal forms while we are still far too young to subject them to critical analysis. They thus actually tend to determine which abstract philosophies, ideologies, economic theories, and political policies we later find appealing. These latter "feel right" to us largely because they mesh with the myths, fairy tales, parables, and stories we already absorbed during childhood.
Moreover, the more deep-rooted the myth--either personally and/or culturally--the more desperately we cling to it. We cling to it even when it may sometimes be utterly false, and lead us over a cliff. We cling to it because to challenge or criticize it means to unravel a lifetime of investments in values, choices, relationships, careers, emotions, and money. And who wants to do that?
So, like sleepwalkers, most people continue to be directed by Narratives they have never consciously identified, let alone soberly considered. Here are just a few familiar ones:
"Untouched nature is paradise; human choices and actions only upset the natural balance." That's what the Garden of Eden myth declares. Its eventual philosophical fruit? Environmentalism.
"We should take from the rich and give to the poor." That's what the tale of Robin Hood (at least, contemporary versions of it) tells us. Its eventual political fruit? Communism, socialism, and their many "progressive" variants.
"David is morally superior to Goliath." That's what the Old Testament dramatized. Its eventual global fruit? Decades of disastrous U.S. foreign policy, blindly aimed at toppling powerful regimes in favor of the "little guy" in the streets of foreign nations--even if that little guy is a jihadist wearing a suicide vest, and is eager to slaughter us.
So how, exactly, do each of us arrive at our basic Narratives?
When we're infants, we perceive the world around us strictly perceptually, and we react to "good" and "bad" in terms of raw emotions. We either like the way something makes us feel, or we don't; we're comforted, or we're uncomfortable and fearful. As our ability to integrate our perceptions of things improves, we initially do so in the form of primitive concepts.
The next stage of interpretation, though, is at the level of story-telling and myth. We do not graduate from perceptions into concepts, then go directly into philosophy. Long before we ever arrive at the ability to tie all those concepts together into anything like a systematic, abstract philosophy (for those of us who even get to that stage of thinking), we interpret the world through the stories we are told. Those may be bible stories, Aesop's fables, messages in cartoons and picture books, tales told by our parents, good-guys-vs.-bad-guys TV shows.
These provide us with our foundational interpretive template for understanding the world around us. What binds every culture or subculture together are the value-laden messages conveyed by these tales. That's because Narratives work for a culture just as they do for an individual. Looking at the glory that was Greece, for example, it is instructive to note that Homer, that society's seminal poet and storyteller, preceded by hundreds of years Aristotle, who represented the apex of formal Greek philosophical thought. The former was the true father of Greek culture, while the latter lived during its waning days. If abstract, systematic philosophy were the true fountainhead of a culture--or its salvation--then the sequence of their appearances should have been reversed.
And this should tell us where the true "power of ideas" lies: not in concepts and philosophies per se, but in concepts and philosophies as embodied, enshrined, dramatized, and propagated by compelling Narratives. In other words, the narrative medium is just as necessary and potent as the philosophic message.
This explains the enduring power of religion. Religions communicate largely on the narrative level, utilizing the power of myth, parable, and storytelling. Ask yourself: How many people are attracted to a given religion because of the incisive, intellectually satisfying arguments of its clever theologians? By contrast, how many followers instead find themselves gripped, touched, inspired, and persuaded by the stories and parables that the religion offers?
Therefore, let me offer a word of advice to people who share my own secular philosophic outlook, Objectivism.
It's futile to complain about the intractable hold of "mysticism" on people's lives. Trying to argue people out of their reigning Narrative is almost always impossible, because we all need a reigning Narrative. Instead, you have to replace a person's (or culture's) reigning Narratives(s) with something better--something more persuasive, compelling, and inspiring.
You don't have to believe me; Ayn Rand reached the same conclusion. Why did she write fiction? Read closely her Romantic Manifesto, particularly her essay, "The Psycho-Epistemology of Art." In writing about the power of "art," she is really talking about the vital role and indispensable power of Narratives in our lives.
That is certainly the conclusion I have drawn. Rather than try hopelessly to deprive people of their existing Narratives, mystical or otherwise, I believe the only practical course is to create a rich, compelling, emotionally satisfying counter-Narrative. That is a task Rand began with her own fiction. But it is a task that should be continued by other artists--at least by those artists who wish not only to objectify their own values (which should be their primary focus), but who also would like to help create a better world.
So, a personal note of explanation: If you find less current-events commentary here lately, in part it's because I've found it to be increasingly pointless to argue philosophy, economics, and politics with most people. Why? Because we are talking past each other. You may prove a point with unassailable facts and irrefutable logic. However, the other person replies, "Yes, but . . ." Those words usually signal that you've reached the ultimate barrier to further reasoning and communication: You've challenged his Narrative. And in my experience, that is ground he'll rarely, if ever, concede.
The invisible forces directing the flow and outcomes of such debates, then, are rarely those issues under explicit discussion. Rather, they are the unidentified, unspoken, implicit Narratives that we carry with us, and which are constantly reinforced in the plots of popular novels, films, TV shows, and Sunday sermons. That is the enormous subtext of most arguments, and it poses a virtually insurmountable challenge. After all, it is very, very difficult to joust successfully and intellectually with someone when you are simultaneously fighting Adam, David, and Robin Hood.
That said, I'll return now to the personal pleasure of crafting my own counter-Narratives. | <urn:uuid:50e0649a-abe2-4ab9-a779-43e7c838d6e7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://bidinotto.blogspot.com/2011_04_18_archive.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952412 | 1,809 | 2.265625 | 2 |
Since 1858 Baker has gained a reputation for providing an exceptional education and has offered programs for working adults since 1975.
Baker instructors are leaders in their fields and have years of first-hand professional experience.
More than 85 percent of the students who begin their program of study at Baker University complete their degree.
Students build strong connections: supporting each other, collaborating on projects, and celebrating new jobs and promotions.
Baker classes are held year-round, and new classes start frequently, so you can get started sooner rather than later.
Revising does not always mean rewriting the entire paper, although it generally calls for, at the least, cutting and pasting. In her text, Work in Progress: A Guide to Writing and Revising, Lisa Ede explains the importance of revision by analyzing the word. She notes that "[r]evision combines the root word vision with the prefix re-, meaning "again." When you revise, you "see again": you develop a new vision of your essay's shape or of the most emphatic way to improve the flow of a paragraph to help readers understand your point" (160). It is now the writer's responsibility to "see" the paper through the reader's eyes, and make necessary changes to accommodate the reader.
The first step in the revision process is to make sure that the body of your paper demonstrates your thesis. For beginning writers it might be helpful to write the thesis on a note card and hold it beside every paragraph as you ask; "How does this paragraph develop these ideas?" If you can answer that question immediately, and you have evidence within the paragraph that proves the idea, then you have a solid paragraph. If you cannot, then you may need to redirect the paragraph or adjust your thesis.
The next step will be to look at organization. How is the paper connected? Does the development follow a logical flow? For example, if you are discussing effective leadership skills, does the paper provide transitions between these skills? Examine carefully the "readability" of the paper.
If you haven't created your introduction and conclusion, now is the time to do so. Your introduction should "pull" your reader into the piece and lead into your thesis.
Your conclusion should bring the paper to a close. You do not need to restate the thesis, but you certainly want to give your main ideas closure.
Examples of an introduction and a conclusion.
Send a revision for comments through the student portal.
Continue to Proofreading | <urn:uuid:06a56a9a-4852-474e-896e-abf13c6b8913> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bakeru.edu/spgs-current-students2/academic-tools/writing-assistance/academic-writing/paragraph-development/949-revising | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94607 | 509 | 2.296875 | 2 |