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SIPI Students to Help ID Meteorites
19 Dec 2000
(Source: Albuquerque Journal)
By John Fleck
With the help of some money from NASA, University of New Mexico scientists plan to enlist students at Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute in the search for meteorites.
UNM's Institute of Meteoritics gets some 200 rocks a year from members of the public who bring them in for analysis, thinking they might be meteorites, according to institute scientist Horton Newsom.
Most aren't, but the process of telling the good from the bad will offer SIPI students a lesson in geology and the chance to help make the occasional rare find, Newsom said.
Thanks to a $402,000 grant from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, UNM and SIPI will set up a Meteorite Identification Laboratory next year at SIPI's Albuquerque campus.
The students will learn how to help Newsom and his colleagues with the endless job of sorting through the rocks brought in by the public, hunting for real meteorites.
Sometimes people bring in pieces of lava thinking they are a meteorite - a rock that has fallen from space.
Sometimes they are slag from old mines, or "iron mill balls" of metal used in cement plant crushers.
In about 80 percent of the cases, a quick look tells the scientists all they need to rule out the possibility that the rock is a meteorite.
The rest take more careful study, sometimes using powerful electron microscopes at UNM.
The NASA money will help SIPI students learn how to judge whether a rock might be a meteorite, said Cathy Abeita, director of special programs at SIPI.
And there is a chance that one of the rocks they study will turn out to have come from space.
"We do find one or two a year," Newsom said. | <urn:uuid:affcd0fb-5b5b-4e89-8bd6-f975b5a98019> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/display.cfm?News_ID=571 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00035-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.921613 | 391 | 3.1875 | 3 |
The Coming Age: Macbeth and the Birth of the Modern World
an online essay by Ashok Karra, in 4 parts
for Jill Jeffrey, Teresa Sapp, and Nancy Ruggeri, all of whom understand Shakespeare far, far better than I do.
Note: References in parentheses are to act, scene and line, in that order.
1. When we first hear of Macbeth, he has cut Macdonwald, who had all the privileges of Fortune, to pieces (1:2, 14-15). Fortune may have seduced Macdonwald, but it cannot seduce Macbeth, who “disdains” it and seems to regard Macdonwald as far less than a worthy opponent, far less than human, perhaps, as he
ne’er shook hands, nor bade farewell to him,
Till he unseam’d him from the nave to the chaps,
And fix’d his head upon our battlements (1:2, 21-23).
We then hear of Macbeth’s triumph over Norway, who is less benefited by Fortune, as he saw an opportunity (1:2, 31), got the aid of a traitor (1:2, 53) and had to be confronted through “self-comparisons,”
Point against point rebellious, arm ‘gainst arm
which “curbed” his “lavish spirit” and gave the Scots the victory (1:2, 56-8). The two figures of Macdonwald and Norway explain Macbeth through their contrast with him: not only does he have complete mastery over Fortune, but he has mastery over those who can make use of their opportunities. That latter category might be thought indistinguishable from the former, but the key to seeing the difference is provided by the text: while Macbeth chops one to pieces, it is almost as if the other one, Norway, self-destructs comparing himself to Macbeth. Mastery of Fortune and sheer strength of will are complementary, but is the latter necessary for the former, or is the former necessary for the latter?
We can see the distinction, and the resulting problem, in the lines used by the servant to introduce both villains. Here is 1:2, 7-9 -
Doubtful it stood;
As two spent swimmers, that do cling together
And choke their art.
The image involves pushing through water, at first with art, and then later, because of a lack of physical strength, with whatever is left. One could say that since this refers to the fight between Macbeth and Macdonwald, what allows the one swimmer to win is his strength of will. There is certainly that idea at work here, but notice, as art falls apart, what is used to propel one swimmer – the other swimmer. One has to wonder about both art and will in the face of that implication, as the art, by itself, did not seem to achieve anything, as if it were without a goal. Further, the “will” wasn’t exercised merely in terms of winning a race, but exercised for the purpose of pushing another aside, and using them to move forward. There is a dark irony about will and fortune here, I think: both involve subjugation of another, and both emerge from the failure of art to do more than enable. Perhaps all those implications, though, have to do with the location of the image: water is prior to order of any sort, after all.
The other set of lines to introduce Norway, 1:2, 25-8, expands on the significance of water:
As whence the sun ‘gins his reflection
Shipwrecking storms and direful thunders break,
So from that spring whence comfort seem’d to come
Light and water stand proximate to each other, and that common location is confusing for man. One tends to confuse the clarity of light with the murkiness of water, out of all things, since peace seems to be coming from the same place that war might break from. This sounds ridiculous until one realizes that Creation, in the Bible, happens at least twice: first, there is the creation of light and the separation through firmaments in the cosmological account of Genesis 1; later, in the Noah story, there is the re-creation of the earth, which turned evil. That latter “Creation” is the destruction of the earth through water, the primordial chaos that was there at the beginning being unleashed anew.
If the issue involved with “mastering Fortune” was merely pushing through chaos as far as possible, then the issue with one’s “strength of will” seems to be involved with making sense of Creation in some small way. At the very least, regarding the latter issue, one should be able to recognize whether one is being harmed or helped. When one adds, though, to the metaphorical introduction to Macbeth’s battles the personages attached, Macdonwald and Norway, the implications we have teased out here collapse into each other. Macdonwald is beaten because he relies on Fortune, whereas Macbeth charges ahead; Norway, in being matched to the point of self-destruction by Macbeth, is a fortunate opponent for Macbeth.
We have to wonder why this distinction between mastering Fortune and having strength of will is presented to us. We know as the play progresses that Macbeth’s strength of will wavers, and as it does, he ties himself to Fortune increasingly. Finally there comes the point where Fortune runs away from him, and all he is left with is a will that takes nothing seriously, and that will serves him, ironically enough, admirably in battle. It is as if the play has come full circle to describe what fully went on in these battles. It looks like, at first glance, that Macbeth is indeed superior to these opponents. But his later failure, which will involve some degree of martial success, is contingent on him becoming like these initial opponents, a process that is started through these very victories.
If strength of will is the “spirited” element of the soul, then we can see very clearly what is being put forth. The question is whether strength of will should be used for the sake of mastering Fortune. It seems to us mere humans that strength of will in any given case is the attempt to master Fortune; hence, the conjunction of these two at the beginning of the play is our descent into the depths with Macbeth. The question is to what degree the spirited element can be separated from this “end,” and we have a hint of how that separation can take place from the contrast of the water/primordial chaos imagery, that defines the setting of these battles, with other sorts of imagery that are more evocative of divinity later.
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Florida protects four shark species
News Release by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC):
FWC moves to protect tiger sharks, hammerheads
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Media contact: Amanda Nalley, 850-410-4943
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) moved Nov. 16 to prohibit the harvest of tiger sharks [Galeocerdo cuvier] and three species of hammerheads [Sphyrna lewini, Sphyrna zygaena, Sphyrna mokarran] from state waters in an effort to further protect these top predators that rely on Florida waters to survive.
The action was taken during the first day of the Commission’s two-day meeting in Key Largo.
“Sometimes the appropriate measures of conservation are the problems we avoid, not the problems we have to fix,” said Commissioner Brian Yablonski.
The new measures, which also prohibit the possession, sale and exchange of tiger sharks and great, scalloped and smooth hammerhead sharks harvested from state waters, will go into effect Jan. 1, 2012. These sharks can still be caught and released in state waters and can be taken in adjacent federal waters.
The change got its start in 2010, after concerned citizens, shark researchers and shark anglers expressed their desires to the Commission to see increased protections for sharks.
Florida waters offer essential habitat for young sharks, which is important for species such as the slow-to-reproduce tiger shark, which takes about 15 years to reach maturity.
Sharks have been strictly regulated in Florida since 1992, with a one-shark-per-person, two-sharks-per-vessel daily bag limit for all recreational and commercial harvesters and a ban on shark finning. Roughly two-dozen overfished, vulnerable or rare shark species are catch-and-release only in Florida waters.
The FWC is also working on an educational campaign highlighting fishing and handling techniques that increase the survival rate of sharks that are caught and released while ensuring the safety of the anglers targeting them.
Source: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) | <urn:uuid:4852c70f-d885-4859-94dd-b92a925c55f7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://sharkyear.com/2011/florida-protects-four-shark-species.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.925292 | 454 | 2.703125 | 3 |
This report looks at the characteristics and extent of private sector involvement in health financing and provision in East and Southern African countries. For the purpose of the report, a broad definition of private health sector is adopted and is taken to include the (formal and informal) for-profit hospitals, private health insurance, private medical officers, private pharmacies/ drug sellers, not-for profit/ faith-based organizations. As external financial resources play a key role in the funding of private sector initiatives (both for-profit and not-for-profit), the extent of external funding is also considered. Thereafter, an overview is provided of the presence (or not) of private health insurance, and different types of private providers. A trend observed in this review is the expansion of South African private health care organizations into other African countries. The review showed that while private health insurance plays a small yet growing role in some of the countries reviewed, very few have any form of mandatory health insurance. There is a considerable burden of out-of-pocket (OOP) payments at point of service by households. Private for-profit hospitals are quite limited in most countries, but some countries are developing these hospitals specifically targeting medical tourism. At present, not-for-profit health services and informal private providers are very prevalent in most African countries. | <urn:uuid:a15974fa-628e-4636-a51d-6b5908fb89c2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://cloud1.gdnet.org/~research_papers/Private%20sector%20involvement%20in%20health%20services%20in%20East%20and%20Southern%20Africa:%20country%20profiles | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954642 | 264 | 2.4375 | 2 |
American Society of Hematology
Dr. Steven Rosen
In recent years, experts in the field of hematologic malignancies have seen a panoply of drugs gain a place in our treatment armamentarium. Some of the breakthroughs include the approval of histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and peripheral lymphoma; the application of novel alkylating agents, such as bendamustine (Treanda), in CLL and various lymphomas; and the incorporation of dasatinib (Sprycel) for treating chronic myeloid leukemia patients who prove resistant to imatinib (Gleevec).
We now find ourselves focusing on how to design the most effective strategies, including drug sequencing, to maximize benefit for our patients. The 2010 American Society of Hematology meeting (ASH) offers the chance to delve deeper into the best ways to maximize treatment for our patients. Join Oncology NEWS International for onsite reports from ASH 2010 as we bring you a bird’s eye view of the research, trials, scientific advances, and controversies that are changing the way hematologic malignancies are managed and treated.
Check back here daily during the meeting and watch your inbox for our exciting reports from the ASH 2010 meeting.
Ofatumumab generates high response rates in refractory CLL
December 10, 2010
Ofatumumab (Arzerra) demonstrated clinical benefit was superior to historic outcomes with salvage therapies in this setting, according to lead investigator William G. Wierda, MD, PhD. After about 26 months of median follow-up, progression-free survival and overall survival improved in fludarabine-refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia and in fludarabine-refractory CLL with bulky lymph nodes.
Novel HDAC inhibitor offers hope in heavily pretreated HL patients
December 9, 2010
Phase II study results are encouraging because this patient population generally sees a median of five prior lines of therapy including transplants, explained Jeffrey M. Besterman, MD, PhD, executive vice president and chief scientific officer for MethylGene, the developer of mocetinostat (MGCD0103).
Nilotinib Exerts Positive Effect in Early Chronic Phase Ph+ CML
December 7, 2010
At a median follow-up of 36 months, multiple survival rates were nearly perfect at 99%. The leader of the Italian study called the low number of treatment failures reassuring news as to the durability of nilotinib response at three years post-therapy
Deeper Molecular Responses Seen with Dasatinib in New Chronic Myeloid Leukemia
December 7, 2010
The median reductions in Bcr-Abl transcripts at one year were greater with dasatinib (Sprycel) than with imatinib (Gleevec), according to the results of an intergroup phase II trial. A better molecular response should eventually correlate with better outcomes, making dasatinib a serious contender for upfront therapy in CML.
Nilotinib Continues to Surpass Imatinib in Newly Diagnosed CML
December 6, 2010
The 24-month follow-up data from the ENESTnd trial showed that patients treated with nilotinib (Tasigna) had significantly better response rates and significantly lower rates of progression to accelerated phase or blast crisis when on treatment.
Showing 1 - 10 of 16 results. | <urn:uuid:fea1e072-8944-4871-94d5-9291ddbac751> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cancernetwork.com/conference-reports/ash2010 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.907619 | 721 | 1.601563 | 2 |
Former Hackaday contributor [mikeysklar] has been trying to etch a QR code into a sheet of copper. Although his phone can’t read the CuR codes he’s made so far, he’s still made an impressive piece of milled copper.
The biggest problem [mikey] ran into is getting Inkscape to generate proper cnc tool paths instead of just tracing a bitmap image. He’s got the CNC part of his build under control, but he still can’t find a QR code reader that will register his work.
We’re no stranger to QR codes here at Hack a Day, and it’s very possible the only thing that could be stopping [mikey]‘s QR code from being read by a phone is the contrast of the image. We’re thinking a little bit of printer’s ink forced into the non-copper part of the PCB would make the QR code register. Since [mikey] already has a very nice negative etching of his QR code, he could easily use his new board as a printing plate, making infinite paper copies of his copper-based QR code.
If you’ve got any ideas on how [mikey] can get his QR code working, post them in the comments. | <urn:uuid:c9046b05-345f-4bb3-9e94-26c6997dcb06> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://hackaday.com/2012/04/12/putting-qr-codes-in-copper/?like=1&source=post_flair&_wpnonce=1a35c759c1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965539 | 282 | 2.4375 | 2 |
The Child's Reading
( Originally Published Early 1900's )
THE modern mother is nothing if not systematic. Her child's hours, its food, and its studies are all carefully planned to the smallest detail, yet when it comes to its reading she is told by some authorities that she should let the child itself take the lead. Not "what must children read," but "what will they read," is the question. A child should develop along its own lines as far as possible. To destroy its individuality, if that could be done, would be the greatest possible wrong. We can only look on, see the bent of the childish mind and, not by antagonizing it, but by training it, secure the best results. This is true of its reading more than of anything else. What is mental pabulum for one is husks for another.
Juvenile Books Plentiful.-The child is initiated into literature by way of "Mother Goose," "Red Riding-Hood," "The Three Bears," and "Cinderella," and naturally its imagination develops first. It demands stories-fairy stories prefer-ably. Luckily for it, we have more to-day than ever before, and better ones. Andersen's and Grimm's are the simplest, then come Lang's "Red," "Blue," and "Green" books of the wonder-stories of all countries. These lead up to "Alice in Wonderland," "The Water Babies," and the stories by "Uncle Remus."
About this time the child's desire to investigate will make it desirous to know more about nature. Never were children so happy in their opportunities for this study as to-day. Our book-shelves are crowded with volumes each more delightful than the last. There is the series of stories for the smallest children, called "Feathers, Furs, and Fins"; there are those fascinating volumes, "Wild Animals I have Known," "The Red Animal Book," "The Jungle Tales," and those charming companion volumes, "Among the Forest People" and "Among the Meadow People"; there are "The Bee People" and its sequel, and there are numberless books on birds. All of these are valuable, and the more of them children read the better.
After this the child will want books about other children story-books; and good ones of this sort are not too easy to find. They are in the book-stores, but side by side with others that are sentimental, or too pathetic, or simply trashy. The only way to choose is to read for yourself before buying. Do not fill your child's mind with rubbish. Know your author; see that the style is good, the matter simple and wholesome. It is a safe rule to reject nine books before taking the tenth.
Instructive Interest of the Classic Tales.-It will be found that the famous stories are the best after all. "King Arthur" will hold the attention for a long period. The love for stories of adventure will become more pronounced after this is read, and then may come "Robinson Crusoe" and Church's "Stories from Homer and Virgil." In connection with these last two there may be some reading of mythology, beginning with AEsop's "Fables" and Hawthorne's "Wonder-Book." The simplified forms of the "Nibelungenlied" may follow these, and the stories from Norse folk-lore. There will certainly be a call for stories about fighting, at this point, and the mother in gratifying it may quietly introduce a little history. The tales of the Crusades and the life of Robin Hood and his "merrie men" will give a glimpse of England under Richard Coeur de Lion and John, and explain Magna Charta. After this the story of Raleigh and his adventures in South America will give interest to the beginnings of our own history. Nothing could be more fascinating than the exploits of Drake, of La Salle, and of Marquette, and the experiences of the early colonists. The French and Indian War is full of romantic incident, and so is the Revolution, from the Boston Tea-party to the treason of Arnold and the surrender of Cornwallis. There are any number of delightful books for children on all these subjects.
The desire to know more of individual heroes will open the subject of biography, and the lives of Washington and Putnam, and after these the lives of Napoleon and Wellington, and those of the heroes of the War of 1812, may be read. The Henty books will be enjoyed along this line.
Of course children will be interested in Indians. They will learn of Massasoit, Pocahontas, and Black Hawk in the course of their reading of history, and a little later they will delight in Cooper's novels. We know now that his might be called " wooden Indians" and are far from being true to life; nevertheless they will serve. The real Indian will be found in Park-man's " Oregon Trail."
Romance and Poetry.-Probably before this your child will have been introduced to Shakespeare, either directly or by way of the "Tales" by Charles and Mary Lamb. How early children should read Shakespeare is often discussed, but it is to be settled by the children themselves; they should read him just as early as they will. In that exquisite book "Captain January," the minister gives the old captain a Bible, a dictionary, and Shakespeare, as comprising a complete curriculum for little Starlight. If there is evil in Shakespeare, there is none which will contaminate a child's mind, and there is a wealth of good to bless it. It is scarcely necessary to say that the Bible should be read, whether perfectly understood or not. Its stately measures, its stirring stories, its wealth of imagery and beauty will be a means of education quite apart from its sacred value. With the Bible should be given "Pilgrim's Progress," which will be a real delight to the imaginative child, especially in some of the newer editions with their artistic illustrations. It is said that Lincoln's wonderful use of English came from reading over and over his little library of five volumes, two of which were the Bible and "Pilgrim's Progress."
The love of poetry varies greatly in children. Many wish to hear it read simply for its rhythmic sound, while others will not listen to it at all. One mother recently said that she read to her five-year-old boy the whole of "Paradise Lost" and Pope's translations of the "Iliad" and the "Odyssey." Naturally enough, perhaps, she considered that she had a genius to train, whereas really the child's ear alone, and not his mind, was attracted. But without inquiring too closely into the reason why children listen to poetry, we should seize the earliest opportunity to teach them some of the best. Macaulay's "Lays of Ancient Rome" will appeal to all, as will the martial bits from "Marmion" and "The Lady of the Lake." There are the famous old English ballads and the stirring songs of the Cavaliers; "Hiawatha" and parts of "Evangeline" are delightful; so are "Sir Launfal" and the "Idylls of the King."
Guard a child sedulously against everything sensational and vulgar; give it books which are the best of their kind, books of real worth, and its taste is already trained.
There is a word to be said in favor of teaching children to read aloud. It not only impresses upon them what they are reading, but it cultivates a habit which is capable of giving much pleasure to others. It also enables the parent who listens to correct a mispronunciation or give some explanation, and make it certain that the child's reading is intelligent. A word of warning may be given against letting children read too rapidly. When books are drawn from a public library they are apt to be devoured-" skipped" through half comprehended. If it is understood that only one book, or at the most two, may be drawn during a week, they will be read carefully and perhaps twice over.
Instead of buying a whole library of books for children or depending on the local public library to supply them, it is a good idea to buy one of the best collections of literature for children, such as our Library, which in its twelve volumes has the choicest stories and poems, exactly what they need. There they will find selections from "Robinson Crusoe," "Uncle Remus," "Alice in Wonderland," fairy tales from the best sources, stories of natural history, of animals, birds, and bees, and much delightful poetry. With a quantity of such things as these always at hand, a child acquires a love of good literature and a taste for it before he knows it.
The Love of Books.-While the public library is an inestimable blessing, it should never be used to furnish the whole of a child's reading. Children should own their books as far as possible, and learn to treat them with respect. A bookcase should belong to them alone, which they will take pride in filling. As they grow older the volumes they prize at first may be hidden away and their places filled with others, but every book should be valued. Let their birthday and Christmas presents consist largely of books which have more than temporary worth.
If a child loves its books it will not wish to lend them, and at the risk of seeming selfish, one must deprecate the passing about of its treasures unless it is so situated that this seems really necessary. When children have access to a lending library it does not seem wise that they should be permitted to borrow indiscriminately from one another. Books are soon injured by going from hand to hand, and it is a real grief to have them hurt. All of us whose books are our personal friends, tenderly loved and cherished, must desire to see our children grow up with the same feeling. | <urn:uuid:75ff87f7-f4b0-49c9-a1ca-1a4e952d5b77> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.oldandsold.com/articles26/mothers-book-77.shtml | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00061-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973306 | 2,053 | 3.09375 | 3 |
Tuesday, December 30, 2003 at 11:21 AM
Perhaps one of the most talked about stories out of northeast Ohio this year was the controversial West End Development project in Lakewood. It not only got major play in local headlines, but became a national fixation as well. Lakewood Mayor Madeline Cain was at the story's center: painted as a villain by some, and a hero by others. With only days left in office, Mayor Cain sat down with ideastream's Renita Jablonski and reflected on being the leader of one of Ohio's best-known suburbs.
A holiday wreath hangs on the door to Madeline Cain’s office in Lakewood City Hall. The gold letters under “Office of the Mayor” will soon be replaced with the name of long-time councilman Thomas George. Next to the door, is a wall with more than a dozen portraits of Lakewood mayors past, each one a black and white photograph, all men, in suits and ties.
Madeline Cain: To have demonstrated as the first woman mayor that this administration could manage tax dollars prudently and at the same time to demonstrate that we could be aggressive in rebuilding a city.
Mayor Cain says she has a long list of accomplishments she’s proud of when looking back at her years as a politician, first in the Ohio House, and then the last eight as Lakewood’s mayor.
Madeline Cain: How many people today can look back on 15 years of public service with really no controversies, well, I mean…
Sound of protestors: Council and mayor are blighted! Their houses aren’t being torn down! Save our homes! Save our homes!
The mayor recognizes that some would disagree. That’s thanks mainly to the mixed-use development project Cain supported building in Lakewood’s West End neighborhood. It would have meant bulldozing dozens of homes and several apartment buildings.
Madeline Cain: Lakewood, like all inner-ring suburbs, we have very high taxes and, particularly property taxes, and property taxes, 75-to-80% of those taxes go to our schools. If we are not able to support an outstanding school system, then this community’s future looks very, very bleak to me. That’s what the West End was trying to do for Lakewood and so I truly believe it’s a tragedy.
The mayor’s support of the $151 million West End project remains in the national spotlight as other inner ring suburbs continue to watch to see if in the end, after legal battles and ballot initiatives, the city will be able to use eminent domain as a tool for economic development. Mayor Cain says it’s something she wonders herself.
Madeline Cain: I don’t know the answer to that question, I really do not know. And it’s hard for me to at this point get my arms around that and those issues. I am confident that the mayor-elect is committed to pursuing something relative to the West End and I will support his efforts.
The mayor admits that the issue may have played a factor to her bid for re-election but says overall she’s pleased with the outcome.
Madeline Cain: This was also the largest turnout that we have seen in a local election in decades and so I look back on this as one of the most vibrant and energizing years in this community’s history.
But this is not what Cain hopes she’s remembered for. She instead points to other initiatives like creating an office of Community Relations, and for the transition a few years back to a combined EMS and fire department. She does say though, that she would have liked to make more headway in other areas.
Madeline Cain: Over the course of eight years it wasn’t until the last two years that we really started to devote energy and resources to improving our recreation infrastructure here in Lakewood.
Construction is ongoing to improve the infrastructure of Lakewood Park. This summer, work will begin to open up the park’s edge to include the lakefront. Boardwalks and paths to the water’s edge will be built. The plans include having a full beachfront eventually developed. In the coming months, the mayor says ground will be broken for Rockport Square, a project including 100 condominium units with live-work lofts on both sides of Detroit, just east of city hall. She makes sure to re-iterate that no homes will be taken for that project. 2003 will certainly be a year that Mayor Cain will remember, as will many Lakewood residents. The mayor says if she could do it again, she wouldn’t do anything differently.
Madeline Cain: And I really don’t walk away with any regrets. And I think that’s, I think that’s a good way to close the door behind you and move towards the next one.
But Mayor Cain says she’s not closing the door to politics, though she won’t say whether her name will be on another ballot in the future. For now, she’s taking her experience into the classroom. Next month, with the start of the new semester, she’ll be teaching a class at Cleveland State called “State government and politics,” watching any developments in the West End situation from the sidelines. In Lakewood, Renita Jablonski, 90.3.
Please follow our community discussion rules when composing your comments. | <urn:uuid:d326d783-8c62-427f-aba4-8260d4fc834e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ideastream.org/news/feature/6503 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00073-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961045 | 1,143 | 1.65625 | 2 |
History is cool. If you read the right history books, they sound like exciting thrillers, full of murder, lies, lust and everything else that would, in theory, make a good film. Unfortunately, screenwriters often think that they can one-up the truth. They take an historical name and strip and rewrite the character's life story until -- sometimes -- there's nothing but the name left in common. In the case of BBC's show, Merlin, rewriting history (and possibly legend) has worked quite well. Sadly, there are also times when it's just a blatant lie that offends anybody who is even somewhat attached to the character -- even if they just happen to have the same name or country of origin.
Here are eleven, both the fantastic and the awful. | <urn:uuid:e3c3b811-05c5-4b49-ae1f-dcca1c831fee> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ugo.com/movies/best-and-worst-fake-movie-history?cmpid=sm_tw_ugo_twcomment | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00063-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969069 | 158 | 1.695313 | 2 |
This segment was originally broadcast on Oct. 8, 2011.
Before he won the Nobel Prize in Physics, Adam Riess had already won a MacArthur "genius" grant, and just about every prize there is to win in his field. So there's really only one place left for him to be victorious: the Not My Job game.
In memory of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, who died Wednesday, we've invited Riess to play a game called: "Hello? Hello, are you there? Hello?" To honor the man behind the iPhone, we'll go back in time to the invention of the cellphone — that day in 1973 when inventor Martin Cooper of Motorola placed the first modern cellphone call. | <urn:uuid:fde8ff1c-2994-463e-a9e1-ad0da508e11f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://wamu.org/programs/wait_waitdont_tell_me/12/11/24/astrophysicist_adam_riess_plays_not_my_job | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975038 | 144 | 1.664063 | 2 |
(ARA) - How safe is your kitchen? It’s a question you should always be asking yourself.
The majority of Americans find food safety important both at restaurants and in their own kitchen, according to new National Restaurant Association research. America’s restaurants serve 130 million customers each day, making the restaurant industry a critical component of the food safety universe. The industry has a long-standing commitment to food safety as there is nothing more important than the health and safety of guests. Almost all consumers say it is important to them to know that the restaurants they visit train employees in food safety.
When it comes to cooking at home, virtually all consumers say they have at least basic knowledge of food safety. Sixty-three percent say they are aware of proper food safety practices and always follow them, while 33 percent say they are familiar with some food safety practices and follow those when they can.
In order to prevent foodborne illness, avoiding cross-contamination is essential. When cooking at home, remember to follow these tips from food safety experts at the National Restaurant Association:
1. Wash your hands: Hand-washing is the first defense against cross-contamination. Wash your hands before handling any food and always after handling raw meat.
2. Touch nothing but your food: Don’t rub your nose, touch your hair or cough into your hand while preparing food, as germs from anything you touch can be transferred onto food.
3. Keep foods apart: Don’t store raw meats next to or above ready-to-eat foods in your fridge and use different utensils, knives, cutting boards and prep surfaces for raw and cooked food. A good way to remember which is which is to use different colored cutting boards, for example red for meats and green for vegetables.
4. Treat friends with food allergies to a safe meal: Take extra care to prep dishes for guests with food allergies, as it’s not enough to simply pick the item in question off a dish. Prepare the dish separately from other food, including using separate cutting boards and utensils.
September is National Food Safety Month, with an annual campaign to heighten awareness about the importance of food safety education. This year’s National Food Safety Month theme is “Be Safe, Don’t Cross-Contaminate,” providing tips and education on preventing the transferring of germs from one surface to another.
National Food Safety Month highlights components of the NRA’s ServSafe Food Safety program – the leading source of food safety training and certification for restaurant and foodservice industry professionals for nearly 40 years.
While the campaign is held each September, remember that food safety is critical year-round and should be practiced every day. For more information and free resources, visit FoodSafetyMonth.com. | <urn:uuid:9f950964-d910-4182-8c8f-b4f6a3c4b20f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bladenjournal.com/pages/full_story/push?article-Keep+food+safe+in+your+kitchen+with+these+tips%20&id=20107796 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941381 | 577 | 3.34375 | 3 |
Garrison Keillor once called Philip Roth the author of America’s greatest satire. Back when Portnoy’s Complaint was published, in 1969, I knew students who sat around in coffee shops, student unions, and Hillel houses reading the entire book out loud to one another, a kind of spontaneous, burlesque Bloomsday. We—and I don’t just mean American Jews—began to refer to its characters, or should I say its targets, as if using a kind of shorthand: Sophie (especially Sophie), The Monkey, “my father,” Rabbi Warshaw, Cousin Heshie, Dr. Spielvogel. These became instant archetypes, which younger readers particularly gained a feel for, or had an opinion about, or thought they should have; characters personifying new (or newly admitted) emotions, standards, disturbances. We laughed and mocked and blushed.
But if you are Alex Portnoy, what’s so funny?
Who in the history of the world has been least able to deal with a woman’s tears? My father. I am second. He says to me, “You heard your mother. Don’t eat French fries with Melvin Weiner after school.”
“Or ever,” she pleads.
“Or ever,” my father says.
“Or hamburgers out,” she pleads.
“Or hamburgers out,” he says.
“Hamburgers,” she says bitterly, just as she might say Hitler, “where they can put anything in the world in that they want—and he eats them. Jack, make him promise, before he gives himself a terrible tsura, and it’s too late.
“I promise!” I scream. “I promise!” and race from the kitchen—to where? Where else.
I tear off my pants, furiously I grab that battered battering ram to freedom, my adolescent cock, even as my mother begins to call from the other side of the bathroom door. “Now this time don’t flush. Do you hear me, Alex? I have to see what’s in that bowl!”
Doctor, do you understand what I was up against? My wang was all I really had that I could call my own . . .
We thus remember Portnoy, impaling with pitiless thrusts invasive mothers, plugged-up fathers, dizzying shikses in heat. We remember, with sympathetic relief, Portnoy’s letting go with an utter version of himself, the way we could only imagine someone erupting on the analyst’s couch, as if when the book was published we could really imagine, let alone afford, the analyst’s couch. Let’s get this out of the way: you still can get intelligent, graying people to laugh out loud simply by coupling “Alex” with “liver.”
And Portnoy took on—or, more accurately, refused to let off—his American Jewish family. This was immediately assumed to mean Jews in general, which in 1969 seemed especially brazen. It was only 27 years after 1942 and 21 years after 1948. American Jews thought they had earned a kind of moral intermission that Portnoy seemed not to be respecting. It was also just two years after the 1967 war, which had made Diaspora Jews and organized American Zionists inarguably (now, unimaginably) cool. Portnoy’s tribal wordplay suggested, prophetically, that if Jews had power and bodies, this only meant they’d be struggling with the world-historical sinfulness they had customarily projected onto Gentiles. You put the id back in Yid, Portnoy instructed, and you come to understand the “oy” in goy.
Well, who after reading Portnoy’s Complaint could speak the word “love” without thinking of Portnoy’s determination to plank a wilderness of Monkeys?
So Portnoy—or so it seemed—was the satirist par excellence, particularly of the American Jewish comedy. I mean, he had such a mouth on him—so textured, so open, so often on the money. Young readers especially could hardly avoid identifying with him. Roth’s great book gave Portnoy scope to rail against what was comic, even grotesque, in families—Jewish families, and by contrast, WASP families, immigrant families.
In his early stories, collected in Goodbye, Columbus, Roth had proven the menace of his wit. Didn’t the narrating Portnoy, under the cover of the psychoanalytic couch, simply take the author’s own views to a new level of astringency and allow him to say things with no ordinary constraint?
No, it did not: a novel in the form of a confession is, for God’s sake, not a confession in the form of a novel.
There is more going on in Portnoy’s Complaint than this, and it brings us, not coincidentally, to an appreciation of comedy in the fuller and more challenging sense that we need; comedy in the sense of freedom to invent and reinvent yourself, comedy as tragedy softened by time.
Start with the surface layer of the novel. Yes, Portnoy is awfully clever and he’s made us laugh out loud. But if Portnoy is himself our satirist, he is merely shocking the bourgeoisie in rather conventional ways. The writer James Carroll, a newly minted Paulist priest in the late 1960s, told me he read Portnoy’s Complaint as a revelation: “Here I was, a celibate Catholic male, for whom sex was forbidden, surrounded, I felt, by sexual license in the imaginations of fervent young Jews. Portnoy’s Complaint was absolutely rooting to me. The political claim of it, the unabashed idea that sexuality was central to human experience.”
But the object of Alex Portnoy’s satire is not sexual desire per se. It is the falling away of restraint. Our shock is not from indecency, but from the absence of self-possession, the ultimate bourgeois possession. After reading Stephen Crane’s The Red Badge of Courage, could Americans ever again discuss why we go to war without thinking of Henry Fleming’s eagerness? Well, who after reading Portnoy’s Complaint could speak the word “love” without thinking of Portnoy’s determination to plank a wilderness of Monkeys?
And it’s in this context, mostly, that Portnoy’s skewering of the Jews makes so much sense. Roth’s point, which he writes about in his wonderful 1974 essay “Imagining Jews,” is that even a Jew could not mount a successful fight against “non-negotiable demands of crude anti-social appetite and vulgar aggressive fantasy.” Even a Jew, because American Jews had become something like the poster children for the kind of restraint and public decorum that the word “bourgeois” conveyed.
Hollywood in post-war America had served up images of Jewish lawyers and doctors and agents who kept their heads while others didn’t: Elizabeth Taylor and Sammy Davis Jr. went down into crisis and came up converted. It was naturally a Jewish soda-fountain owner who lamented the violence afflicting the Sharks and the Jets. Who else but a bearded rabbi marched with Dr. King?
Portnoy had enough of this, that’s for sure. Jews presumed to control themselves so well—partly because they had been a scorned minority and had learned to ingratiate themselves—but also because they had a religious culture that could seem an endless restraining order. Portnoy knew better. He had seemed to come around to something like D.H. Lawrence’s rebellion against the confinements latent in this curiously Ben Franklinish culture:
What else, I ask you, were all those prohibitive dietary rules and regulations all about to begin with, what else but to give us little Jewish children practice in being repressed? Practice, darling, practice, practice, practice ... Why else the two sets of dishes? Why else the kosher soap and salt? Why else, I ask you, but to remind us three times a day that life is boundaries and restrictions if it’s anything, hundreds of thousands of little rules laid down by none other than None Other ...
Thus, the American embodiment of self-restraint cannot restrain himself, at least not in private, where lovers and analysts learn the truth. And if a Jew can’t hold it all together, then surely Everyman can’t. “Jews are members of the human race,” Roth once wrote, “worse than that I cannot say about them.”
And yet, almost from the opening lines Portnoy suggests skepticism mostly about Portnoy, and thus a seriousness of purpose in his creator, that one might not have initially supposed. In fact, Roth taught the book himself at a class at Bard and shared his lecture notes with me. There he writes: “Lets the grotesque into the satiric conception of a Jewish family, the son included. The greatest object of the satire is the narrating Portnoy!”
Portnoy’s lewdness, rage, ingratitude, et cetera, are just a small part of what was wrong with him, Roth’s notes go on. With Portnoy, Eros flies away and he is left with panic, then cover-up, then ironic distance from crime and punishment, then despair over his sense of alienation. Portnoy’s Complaint, in other words, gave readers a satirist who cannot mock without mocking himself, and with mastery and erudition. (“I am the Raskolnikov of jerking off,” Portnoy laments.)
Which means that Roth gave us an enigma that has been lodged in the back of our minds along with the caricature of the bourgeois family. It’s something enduring because it was so disorienting. I mean the sound of a psychoanalytic room, in which nothing is held back, but which leaves us no way to judge or sympathize with what we were hearing—no vantage point, no moral pivot, nothing but an eavesdropping on analysand and analyst, both of whom seemed verging on parody.
And here is the book’s virtuoso achievement: stylized as the narrator is, any analysand would immediately sense the way his associations constitute a kind of imaginative network, each woven crossing entailing the other. Thoughts of the father, for example, lead to thoughts of supersession, culminating in memories of emancipation at college, of Wordsworth and ambition. But this leads to new guilty rushes—can I go to college and leave my parents behind?—and then nearly metaphysical thoughts of being so hedged in by Jewish law, so in pursuit of “the mean,” that Maimonides would be positively kvelling. The laws of kashrut are yanked from the world of celebration of the divine and plunked into the world of adolescent taboo:
The hysteria and the superstition! The watch-its and the be-carefuls! You mustn’t do this, you can’t do that—hold it! don’t! you’re breaking an important law! ... It’s a family joke that when I was a tiny child I turned from the window out of which I was watching a snowstorm, and hopefully asked, “Momma, do we believe in winter?”
You start with the grievance, then move to the fantasy of retribution, then to guilt, and then to an original childhood fear. You dwell on the fear and then, in a tribute to the safety of the couch, move to sadness. As you search for the sources of sadness, you uncover memory, which provokes feelings of poignancy, of loving connection, then hunger, then erotic charges, then loss, and then new—or putatively new—grievance. You start with pain, burrow into dirt, get to memory, and end with motive.
There is nothing really free about the associations here. One thing leads to another because, at least in psychoanalytic terms, each thought follows from the other. Roth presumed an audience familiar with the rhythms of the psychoanalytic project, or half-mischievously, half-presumed it. So he let things rip. The thing is, the analysand ripped mainly at himself.
Portnoy’s Complaint is funny, you see, because it’s so determined by what “growth” means to Freudians. (“Stop saying ‘poopie’ to me—I’m in high school!”) But for alert readers it is doubly funny because in Portnoy’s family totem and taboo are stood on their heads. There was supposed to be the nurturing mother and the sexualized little boy; there was supposed to be an imposing father whose appropriation of the mother’s body-and-desire turned said boy into a bundle of repressed rages ultimately shaping—dare I say it?—identity.
What if there is castration anxiety, and in this topsy-turvy family, it comes as Mommy’s kitchen knife? Imagine that the superego comes as a low-voltage father who cannot stop struggling with his bowels. And what if the family and community collude in this inversion? The Jewish home was just the right place to find such a neurotic case, a place where the superego anyways had a 5,000-year head start.
Some readers therefore concluded that the forbearing Dr. Spielvogel must be the hero of the novel. Certainly, it was hard to hear all the kvetching and not sense what Spielvogel must have been thinking, that freedom was not (or not only) complaint, that narcissism could become what Christopher Lasch would call “a culture.”
Alas, the enigma of Portnoy’s Complaint is bigger yet. For the novel leaves us with the lingering suspicion that the analyst, too, was a little too prone to extreme inventions; that he represented an orthodoxy that thought it had an explanation for everything, from pleasure to process—that psychoanalysis took liberties for Spielvogel, too.
Now vee may perhaps to begin. Yes?
Indeed, Portnoy’s stories raise questions about how seriously we are supposed to take Spielvogel’s authority; questions about whether some orthodox psychoanalytic template is not an object of satire, too. By the end, Portnoy seems so eager to please his analyst by telling him a story that fits the theory. He treats his insecurities almost entirely with a combination of self-sarcasm and bravado. You find yourself reading, impressed, entertained, identifying, yet vaguely repulsed and apprehensive for him. If you read between the lines—and how can you not?—the über-objects of Roth’s satire are these very orthodox psychoanalytic expectations, which Portnoy implicitly pays homage to by gushing out this particular story.
Not coincidently, Roth told me he had just finished an analysis with a psychoanalyst quite like Spielvogel, who tried to persuade Roth that his narcissism was the source of his art, and his domineering mother and weak father were the source of his narcissism. “It frustrated me terribly,” Roth told me. “But he gave me a good idea. It was a better family to use than my family. It was the poor father ... I said: ‘OK, you want this Jewish family? I’ll give it to you!’”
“Once you take the categories of illness and health seriously,” Roth told me, “then you are leaving the atmosphere of this book—then you are beginning to impose another vocabulary—and a foreign and alien vocabulary—on this book.” In fact, of all the orthodoxies undermined in Portnoy’s Complaint, psychoanalytic orthodoxy may be the most insidious because it is the most hidden. Spielvogel is also a weaver of fictions. But to write fiction well, Roth implies, you first have to acknowledge that you are doing it at all.
Though I know I shall be pitied for saying this—I consider Portnoy’s Complaint the culmination of a decade advancing civil rights, our awakening to liberalism’s full implications. We were supposed to be judged, said Dr. King, not by the color of our skin but by the content of our character. The trailing insight of Portnoy’s Complaint was that judging character was not going to be as easy as it sounded. Character is made of enmeshment and described by fictions. Portnoy’s Complaint proved liberalism’s most precious moral claim, that precisely because all perception is relative, the principle of tolerance must be absolute. | <urn:uuid:4866b236-5c0e-4108-8be0-fabcf244e8dd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/08/28/who-is-philip-roth-s-portnoy-satirizing.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00075-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966996 | 3,687 | 1.515625 | 2 |
A selection of articles related to ujjain geography.
Original articles from our library related to the Ujjain Geography. See Table of Contents for further available material (downloadable resources) on Ujjain Geography.
- Everyday Earth
- When you think of "Earth" what comes to mind? Perhaps you feel the stable element of solidity and grounding. Or maybe you see Earth as the third planet from the Sun. Or for you, is Earth the rich brown soil in your own backyard? Earth is all these...
The Elements >> Earth
- Egyptian Temples, part VI: The House of Life
- Library - Archive 'The House of Life' could well be called a library. It was that part of the temple where all records and texts were kept and stored. These papyrii encompassed many different fields of learning as well as the accountings on the daily and...
Religions >> Egyptian
- Everyday Water
- When you think of "Water" what comes to mind? A tranquil lake, gentle rain, or raging sea? Whether magical element or just a simple cup of tea, water can be a very special part of your life. Water Spirits Every body of water is an entity. Each lake,...
The Elements >> Water
- Pagan Roots of the Bible
- "The Bible is the innerrent word of the living God. It is absolutely infallible, without error in all matters pertaining to faith and practice, as well as in areas such as geography, science, history, etc. Jerry Falwell I have heard this assertion...
Saga of Times Past >> History & Anthropology
- Mother Of The Gods And The Father Of The Gael
- There is no surviving, or as yet translated, Creation story within Irish mythology. We learn from the Lebor Gabala Erenn, a text from the Christian Middle Ages, of the Tuatha De Danann, or "People of the Goddess Danu", who came to Ireland either...
Deities & Heros >> Celtic, Welsh, Irish & Brittish
- A Treatise on Astral Projection, Part 4: More Rope Techniques
- ROPE is a very effective projection technique, but it still has to be learned to be effective. I would like to elaborate on a couple of points about the technique, inspired by the feedback I have received so far. There is NO visualization required - AT ALL -...
Parapsychology >> Astral Projection
Ujjain Geography is described in multiple online sources, as addition to our editors' articles, see section below for printable documents, Ujjain Geography books and related discussion.
Suggested Pdf Resources
- NAGI FIRST CIRCULAR 2011.p65
- Y.G. Joshi (Ujjain) Initiatives of Geographical Hotspot-Thematic Areas/Places.
- south Asia's geography of Conflict
- Indian geography and geopolitics throughout its that geography delivers one to the core of South .
- Visual FoxPro
- PSC Selection. UR. 02/01/1952.
- UGC Supported Orientation Programmes and Refresher Courses for
- Applied GIS (Geography, Geology, . Sciences/Geography/Physics/ Chemistry/ Mathematics). U.
- American Geographical Society
- There is a sacred geography to the built environment; pilgrims travel .
Suggested Web Resources
- Ujjain - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Geography. Ujjain is situated on the Malwa Plateau in Central India. The soil is black and stony.
- Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh
- Jun 8, 2011 Geography of Ujjain Ujjain is located on the banks of river Shipra.
- Ujjain is situated on a unique geographical location. from where tropic of cancer passes. It is the 'Greenwich Mean Time'of India for Panchang.
- Madhya Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh Map, Maps of Madhya Pradesh
- India Geography · History of India · India Census Maps · Business and Economy · India Bhopal, Chambal, Gwalior, Indore, Jabalpur, Rewa, Sagar, and Ujjain.
Great care has been taken to prepare the information on this page. Elements of the content come from factual and lexical knowledge databases, realmagick.com library and third-party sources. We appreciate your suggestions and comments on further improvements of the site.
Ujjain Geography Topics
confederated slave holdings
list of international schools lesotho
file allocation table history
buddhism vs hinduism
eunuch castrato singers
mary pickford later years | <urn:uuid:0742387d-9346-48e2-a56c-3a06dfced7e9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.realmagick.com/ujjain-geography/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.900195 | 982 | 2.4375 | 2 |
Despite the recession, the building continues.
That is the message of a new exhibition, “The Future Beneath Us,” at the Science, Industry and Business Library at the New York Public Library and at the Grand Central Terminal gallery annex of the New York Transit Museum.
The exhibition, which opened on Feb. 17 and is on view through July 5, takes a decidedly — some might say undeservedly — optimistic view of things.
To be sure, New York is indeed building on a gargantuan scale, even if new residential and commercial construction has mostly come to a halt. It might even be true, as the introduction to the show asserts, that “the eight projects in this exhibit comprise New York’s greatest infrastructure advancements in generations.”
The four projects featured in the Transit Museum all relate to efforts underway by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which is in the throes of its own fiscal crisis. While the authority says its major capital projects are largely assured, the prospect of looming deficits hangs over any discussion of mass transit’s future in the region.
And the projects will take years to complete. East Side Access, the project to link the Long Island Rail Road’s Main and Port Washington lines to a new terminal beneath Grand Central Terminal, is now projected to be completed by 2015, with a price tag of $7.2 billion.
Also to be completed by 2015 is the first of four phases of the long-planned Second Avenue Subway, which will eventually extend to Lower Manhattan from Harlem. The first phase, at a cost of $4.3 billion, includes tunnels from 105th Street and Second Avenue to 63rd Street and Third Avenue, and new stations at 96th, 86th and 72nd Streets.
A third big M.T.A. project, the Fulton Street Transit Center, has had a troubled history. The project, a block from the World Trade Center site, was originally financed by the federal government with $750 million designated for rebuilding Lower Manhattan after 9/11. But costs kept rising, and last January the authority said that while work would continue on the underground portions of the project, it could no longer afford to move ahead with the above-ground structure. Now the M.T.A. hopes to use $497 million in federal stimulus money to complete the project. The date is uncertain.
The final M.T.A. project — the westward extension of the No. 7 line to the so-called Hudson Yards area — arose from the Bloomberg administration’s failed efforts to build a football stadium to lure the 2012 Olympics to New York. Late last year, officials acted to keep the project within its $2.1 billion budget, by eliminating plans for one of two stops along the 1.1-mile extension from the current tunneling contract. The stop, at 41st Street and 10th Avenue, would sit between Times Square and the new terminus of the No. 7 line, at 34th Street and 11th Avenue. The city has been urged to restore the stop.
The four projects featured at the Science, Industry and Business Library are no less complex, and several are fraught with the same financial questions as the M.T.A. projects.
One is the Croton Water Filtration Plant in the Bronx, which will provide up to 290 million gallons a day of filtered water — up to 30 percent of the city’s water needs — from the Croton watershed in Westchester and Putnam Counties. (Ninety percent of the city’s water supply, from three watersheds over 2,000 square miles, is unfiltered.)
“The beauty of the filtration plant is that when it is completed, you won’t see it,” the wall text explains (without noting the extensive community negotiations that had to occur before the plans for the filtration plant could go through). “It is a piece of modern underground infrastructure. The landscape above it—the largest, continuous, intensive green roof in North America—will be returned to its prior use as a golf course and driving range and will also serve as a model for stormwater and groundwater reuse.”
Another water-related project is City Water Tunnel No. 3, which is taking shape 800 feet below ground and will eventually extend 60 miles. Started in 1970, the tunnel’s first, 13-mile segment went into service in 1998, and its 5.5-mile second segment in Brooklyn, which connects to a five-mile section in Queens, was completed in 2001. Tunneling on the Manhattan section of the second segment was finished in 2006 and the section is to be in use by 2013. The tunnel’s main purpose is to allow the shutdown, inspection and repair of its predecessors, Tunnels Nos. 1 (1917) and 2 (1936), which have been in continuous use since they opened.
Another project in the library’s part of the exhibition is the Trans-Hudson Express Tunnel (also known as Access to the Region’s Core), which would improve the commutes of New Jersey Transit riders traveling to Pennsylvania Station. The project would add two new tracks, doubling the existing track capacity, and other improvements.
Planning began in 1993, and preliminary engineering began in 2006. Construction is to begin this
year, with the added train capacity in effect by 2017. The cost is estimated at $8.7 billion, to be paid for by the federal government, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and the State of New Jersey.
The final project in the exhibition is World Trade Center Transportation Hub, which, like other projects, has been repeatedly pushed forward in schedule. First announced in 2004, the hub, which is to be principally used by PATH trains, was to open in 2009. Ground was broken in 2005. Now the cost is estimated at $3.2 billion (drawn from federal and Port Authority funds), 50 percent higher than the original budget, and the project could take as long as 2014.
The exhibition takes a cheery tone in describing the project, designed by the architect Santiago Calatrava:
The 800,000 square foot project will be the third largest transportation hub in New York City — a Grand Central Station for Lower Manhattan — serving users of subway, PATH, and ferry lines from two states and all five boroughs.
Although the show mostly glosses over the problems that have confronted several of the eight projects, it does offer some historical perspective on why big, ambitious building projects have often encountered resistance:
These infrastructure projects evoke controversy. Major undertakings generally do. In 1832, New York’s first substantial underground infrastructure, the Croton Aqueduct, was marked by lawsuits, engineering disputes, public protest, and predictions of failure and financial ruin. Efforts to create New York’s first subway began three years after the Civil War in 1868; New Yorkers took their first subway ride in 1904.
These infrastructure projects are expensive. When New York dug its first public wells 330 years ago, residents paid for them by direct assessment or, if they balked, by forced sale of their possessions. New York’s first subways were built by private companies. Financing and construction of today’s urban infrastructure is far more complex. Thickets of government regulation that make projects safe and secure and protect historic and environmental resources also raise costs and extend deadlines.
These infrastructure projects differ from how they were first conceived, some decades ago. Some have changed even during the months of planning for this exhibit. No matter. As the American humorist O. Henry said of New York a century ago, “It’ll be a great place if they ever finish it.” | <urn:uuid:197659bf-60ff-4a7b-98f5-60af2ec6bf3c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/17/despite-recession-8-big-projects-lumber-on/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959198 | 1,597 | 2.171875 | 2 |
As we embark on Arizona’s next century, I am constantly reminded of our beautiful state’s promise. My optimism is rooted in the people of Arizona — its workers, entrepreneurs and business owners who make up our vibrant economy.
Arizona has always been the land of opportunity, and I’m confident it will remain so in our next century. This is a place where — with hard work, dedication and perseverance — anyone can achieve his or her dream. Our history is filled with these success stories, from the early settlers who raised cattle or cotton to today’s entrepreneurs building a business with nothing more than an idea — and a website, of course.
As a state government, we can’t make a new business venture take root. But we can provide the fertile ground it requires by ensuring that our regulations are not too heavy-handed, that taxes are reasonable and our schools and higher-education institutions produce an educated, trained work force. In short, state government can help set the stage for economic success. Over the last century, the people of Arizona have proved plenty capable of doing the rest for themselves.
In this issue of In Business Magazine, Brett Maxwell uncovers the incredible advances and unique opportunities that Arizona has to move quickly and prosperously into the next 100 years. He speaks with key leaders of Arizona industry and looks at the sectors of business that will catapult us into this important next century for Arizona’s economy. Arizona’s business environment in the next century will be very different from the last, and the insights of local business leaders paint the picture of what we can expect in the coming years.
Sue Kern-Fleischer complements this view of the future with an article on some of today’s leading businesses that have helped build our economy. Intel, TGen and APS contribute their histories as important players who have helped to create the Arizona we know today.
Solar energy, a subject frequently in the headlines, continues to broaden its impact on Arizona’s economy. Robrt Pela follows the growth of the industry, including a look at incentives that will help further development in this sector. Also in this issue, Alison Stanton focuses on the vulnerability of small businesses to computer hacking via the Internet, and explores how they can use technology to identify risks, counter hacking and protect themselves. Our leadership article offers suggestions from Michael Feuer, founder of office-supply retail giant OfficeMax, on the ways in which a company can innovate by encouraging input from its employees.
This is an important time for us as Arizonans, and a great time to celebrate everything that is unique to our state. Happy Birthday, Arizona — here’s to another prosperous century.
Janice K. Brewer
The State of Arizona
Governor Jan Brewer has served the people of Arizona for nearly three decades. Her path of public service has taken her from the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors to the Arizona Legislature, the Secretary of State’s office and, ultimately, the Governorship. Through it all, she has been guided by a personal motto to do the right things, make the tough decisions and leave her place in life a little better than she found it. Governor Brewer’s term expires in early 2015. | <urn:uuid:d5d96353-df97-40e7-947f-6f05d25b6154> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://inbusinessmag.com/in-business/our-centennial | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00054-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953708 | 669 | 1.835938 | 2 |
piddockArticle Free Pass
piddock, any of the marine bivalve mollusks of the family Pholadidae (Adesmoidea). Worldwide in distribution, they are especially adapted for boring into rock, shells, peat, hard clay, or mud. Most species occur in the intertidal zone, a few in deeper water.
One end of each of the two valves is armed with rows of serrated cutting edges for boring. Some species drill to a depth only slightly more than the length of the shell. Others, with extensible siphons, may bore to depths several times the length of the shell. The siphons of many deep borers are protected by tough plates. Like most bivalves, piddocks feed on minute organisms in the water, especially phytoplankton.
The great piddock (Zirfaea crispata), which attains lengths of up to eight centimetres (about three inches), occurs on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. Found from the intertidal zone to depths of 75 metres (250 feet), Z. crispata bores into limestone and wood.
The wood piddock (Martesia striata), up to 2.5 centimetres long, commonly occurs in waterlogged timbers cast up on the beach and ranges from North Carolina to Brazil. M. pusilla and M. cuneiformis have similar habits and distribution. Smith’s martesia (M. smithi), which resembles a fat, gray pea, bores into rocks and mollusk shells in the Atlantic Ocean from New York to the Gulf of Mexico.
The flat-topped piddock (Penitella penita), from the Arctic Ocean to Lower California, bores into hard clay, sandstone, and cement, sometimes damaging man-made structures. Some Penitella and Diplothyra species bore into the shells of other mollusks, particularly oysters and abalone.
Pholas dactylus, which bores into gneiss—a very hard rock—is luminescent. At one time it was highly esteemed in Europe as food. Pholas chiloensis, found on the Pacific coast of South America, is eaten locally.
What made you want to look up "piddock"? Please share what surprised you most... | <urn:uuid:14041107-d5af-4254-8568-6ddba3793196> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/459658/piddock | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00052-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.901102 | 492 | 3.703125 | 4 |
|Muscles of the lower abdomen.|
|Gray's||subject #119 424|
|Origin||back of the pubis and from the anterior part of the obturator fascia|
|Insertion||coccyx and sacrum|
|Actions||controls urine flow and contracts during orgasm|
The pubococcygeus muscle or PC muscle is a hammock-like muscle, found in both sexes, that stretches from the pubic bone to the coccyx (tail bone) forming the floor of the pelvic cavity and supporting the pelvic organs. It is part of the levator ani group of muscles.
It controls urine flow and contracts during orgasm. It aids in urinary control and childbirth.
A strong PC muscle has also been linked to a reduction in urinary incontinence and proper positioning of the baby's head during childbirth.
Kegel exercises are a set of exercises designed to strengthen and give voluntary control over the pubococcygeus muscles. They are often referred to simply as "kegels", named after their inventor Dr. Arnold Kegel. These exercises also serve to contract the cremaster muscle in men, as voluntary contraction of the pubococcygeus muscle also engages the cremasteric reflex, which lifts the testicles up, although this does not occur in all men. Kegel exercise have been prescribed to help men control premature ejaculation and to treat urinary incontinence in both sexes.
The pubococcygeus arises from the back of the pubis and from the anterior part of the obturator fascia, and is directed backward almost horizontally along the side of the anal canal toward the coccyx and sacrum, to which it finds attachment.
Between the termination of the vertebral column and the anus, the two pubococcygei muscles come together and form a thick, fibromuscular layer lying on the raphé (anococcygeal raphé) formed by the iliococcygei.
The greater part of this muscle is inserted into the coccyx and into the last one or two pieces of the sacrum.
This insertion into the vertebral column is, however, not admitted by all observers.
The pubococcygeus muscle is discussed in the feature film The Oh in Ohio (2006), which focuses on female orgasmic dysfunction, and includes the pubococcygeus muscle to deepen a main character's awareness of what triggers the female orgasm. | <urn:uuid:5704db60-6509-4ca3-b224-cda70697f133> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thefullwiki.org/Pubococcygeus_muscle | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00074-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.90376 | 514 | 2.171875 | 2 |
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25 February 2013
A new report has highlighted serious concerns for the health of otters in the UK. The otter is one of the country’s best loved predator species, but research indicates that they may not be in the best of reproductive health. The report, co-authored by the Cardiff University Otter Project and CHEM Trust (Chemicals, Health and Environment Monitoring Trust), raises the question as to whether modern chemicals - particularly endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) - could be to blame.
The current report shows that despite an increase in the otter population, male otters in particular are showing worrying signs of change in their reproductive organs. The report - entitled Persistent organic pollutants and indicators of otter health: other factors at play? - was written by two of the UK’s leading researchers on otters: Dr Elizabeth Chadwick and Dr Eleanor Kean of the Cardiff University Otter Project.
The researchers looked at several indicators of male reproductive health and found several signs of change that give cause for concern: shrinking reproductive organs; an increase in cysts on the tubes that carry sperm during reproduction, and an increase in undescended testicles (cryptorchidism).
It is not possible to determine exactly what the causes of these changes are, but various studies, both in the laboratory and in wildlife, have suggested links between hormone disrupting chemicals and problems with male reproductive health.
Dr Kean of Cardiff University’s School of Biosciences stated: "The otter is an excellent indicator of the health of the UK environment, particularly aquatic systems. Our contaminant analyses focused on POPs that were banned in the 1970s, but which are still appearing in otter tissues now – other chemicals, in current usage, are not yet being monitored in wildlife. There is a clear need to regularly revise the suite of contaminants measured – failure to do so may lead to a false sense of security and cause emerging threats to otters and UK wildlife to be missed." Gwynne Lyons, Director of CHEM Trust, added: "If we are to protect our wildlife, we need good information on the reproductive health of key species in both the terrestrial and aquatic environments. These findings highlight that it is time to end the complacency about the effects of pollutants on male reproductive health, particularly as some of the effects reported in otters may be caused by the same EDCs that are suspected to contribute to the declining trends in men’s reproductive health and cause testicular cancer, undescended testes and low sperm count."
CHEM Trust is calling for the UK Government and the EU to urgently identify hormone disruptors to ensure that chemicals suspected of playing a role in male reproductive health problems are substituted with safer alternatives.
School of Biosciences
Cardiff University Otter Project
Shaping Public Policy
Innovation and Impact Awards
Reshaping the BBC’s news agenda
Improving community policing
Reading the Unreadable
Rise in type 2 diabetes amongst young
Uniting to solve the mystery of mental illness
This is an externally hosted beta service offered by Google. | <urn:uuid:aeafcd9b-72a5-4c60-b213-16ce6d974ade> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/news/articles/are-chemicals-damaging-the-health-of-male-otters-10408.html | 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 | 0.941911 | 646 | 3.328125 | 3 |
Consumer Advisory Board Manual for Health Care for the Homeless Projects
At the 2003 National Health Care for the Homeless Conference, it was decided that the National Consumer Advisory Board (NCAB) would develop a manual that could be used as a guide for local groups who are beginning to form CABs. This document is the result of that work.
The manual is meant to be used as a guide only; nothing is written in cement. It is our hope that the manual will assist consumers in working with senior management and Boards of Directors of Health Care for the Homeless (HCH) projects.
We, the NCAB Executive Committee, have used the experiences we have had in developing our own local CABs. We will cover such things as recruitment, meeting management, by-laws/guidelines, and how to make recommendations for changes within the local Health Care for the Homeless Program. We hope that this manual will be helpful to you. It is also our wish for you to make recommendations to NCAB on things that should be included in another edition. At the end of the manual you will find names and addresses so that you can contact us.One of the things that we want to stress is that there is not one way of doing things. What works for one CAB may not work for other CABs. There are many different ways that local CABs are structured. Many of the recommendations that we make can be altered to fit your locality. Please feel free to use this manual in any way that you feel will be helpful to you. (Authors)
Type of Resource: | <urn:uuid:1d663790-ad19-43e9-aaf0-747262de18d9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://pathprogram.samhsa.gov/(S(gglrf0mwmdxx0m55kadur145))/Resource/Consumer-Advisory-Board-Manual-for-Health-Care-for-the-Homeless-Projects-26066.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958436 | 322 | 1.515625 | 2 |
What follows, in timeline form, is a brief account of some major milestones of Welsh history and the development of medical education in Wales.
Electron microscope studies, in conjunction with the London School of Tropical Medicine, lead to the discovery of ‘podoconiosis’, a strain of elephantiasis commonly affecting people in mountainous areas of Ethiopia, The Cameroons and Andes.
WNSM obtains a new Royal Charter and is renamed the University of Wales College of Medicine (UWCM).
Launch of ‘Heartbeat Wales’, a campaign to combat the high incidence of coronary heart disease by the Institute of Health Promotion. The project is led by Professor John Catford, Health Education Council Professor of Health Education & Promotion and Director of the Welsh Heart Programme.
UWCM’s first Honorary Fellowship is conferred on Dr Harold Scarborough, Professor of Medicine in the WNSM 1950-1969.
Tenovus Institute scientists, as part of the British Prostate Group, begin to undertake extensive studies on the effect of Zoladex as a treatment for prostate cancer.
Institute of Medical Genetics at the Heath Park site, Cardiff is opened by HRH The Prince of Wales.
The College acts as host to the Court of the University of Wales for the first time. At this meeting final approval is given for the elevation of the College to full College status within the University of Wales. UWCM also acts for the first time in its history as host to the Honorary Degree Ceremony of the University of Wales. The degrees are confirmed by HRH The Prince of Wales, in his capacity as Chancellor of the University.
The Masters in Public Health (MPH) course is launched, involving several College departments, the South Glamorgan Institute of Higher Education and associated bodies. This development forms the basis of a new School of Public Health.
Ann K. Allen, first Co-ordinator of the MPH Course
The UWCM academic sub-department of Psychological Medicine is opened at the North Wales Hospital, Denbigh.
Major breakthrough with the isolation and characterisation of the myotonic dystrophy gene by Dr Duncan Shaw and colleagues at the Institute of Medical Genetics, Cardiff.
The proposal to establish the Welsh Combined Centres for Public Health is secured by the end of the 1992/3 session under the direction of Dr Stephen Palmer. The extension and refurbishment of the Sir Herbert Duthie Library is completed. Commissioning targets for Postgraduate education throughout Wales negotiated annually with each District General Hospital/Trust.
UWCM wins national UK competition for best designed University Prospectus.
The establishment of ‘The Partnership Board’ with the University of Wales, Cardiff, strengthens the relationship between the two institutions. Three specific areas for development are identified — medical molecular biology neurosciences and societies, health and the environment. First cohort of students to pursue the new medical curriculum in Cardiff admitted to the College in September. One of its key aspects — first year one-day clinical attachments. Major expansion of the College with the integration of the South East Wales Institute of Nursing and Midwifery Education and the Institute of Health Care Studies, both previously managed by the NHS.
Research Assessment Exercise produces outstanding results, particularly in Clinical Medicine. The Vice Chancellor, Professor Ian Cameron, writes in the Annual Report, "these results put us firmly with the leaders in clinical research".
Vice-Chancellor, University of Wales College of Medicine (1994-2001) | <urn:uuid:e45c2439-660f-4c70-9de9-ade1435b1a51> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://cardiff.ac.uk/insrv/libraries/scolar/special/milestones/1981-1996.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.930432 | 711 | 2.21875 | 2 |
Full-body scanners, pat downs, protests to make for stressful Thanksgiving travel
Air passengers already bracing themselves for nerve-grating gridlock may have something else to be ungrateful for this Thanksgiving: invasive full-body scanners and pat-downs.
Many of the millions of Thanksgiving travelers taking to the skies this week will be subjected to the controversial measures for the first time, and protesters say it’ll be more ogle than gobble. And a planned grassroots protest could make waits at the airport even longer.
“They’re virtual strip-search scanners that produce a detailed nude image of everyone who passes through them,” City Councilman David G. Greenfield said yesterday. “The problem is they don’t work.”
Greenfield cited security experts at Israeli airports, widely hailed as the safest in the world, who say terrorists can sneak enough explosives through the scanners to “blow up a jumbo jet.” The councilman is spearheading legislation that would ban them in the city.
Homeland Security officials, however, said the machines are meant to detect non-metal explosives and said they don’t plan on easing security policies.
Kennedy and LaGuardia airports, which installed the machines last month, are among 69 airports that feature the $200,000 scanners. About 20 percent of travelers will be asked to use 400 scanners.
Outraged protesters are calling for a National Opt-Out Day this Wednesday — one of the busiest travel days of the year — urging travelers to forgo the scanners for the more intimate pat-downs.
TSA officials called the movement, which threatens to snarl airport traffic and create even lengthier lines, “irresponsible.”
Marc Rotenberg, president of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, said the measures violate Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable search and seizures as well as certain federal laws.
His organization filed suit asking the program be suspended.
“The TSA is pretty off the rails. It feels it no longer needs to be held accountable,” said Rotenberg.
New Yorkers yesterday agreed that there’s a line to be drawn.
“They’re violating our civil rights and our right to privacy. The only good is for the people who invented those machines,” said Mike DiGuilio, 52, of the Rockaways.
Heidi Lee, Emma Diab and Reuters contributed to this story.
The pros and cons of full-body scanners:
Case for scanners:
* Intended to detect non-metal explosives carried by potential terrorists, in light of recent chemical bomb plots
* A CBS News Poll found 4 in 5 Americans are supportive of the scans
Cases against them:
* No record yet available of effectiveness; no attacks thwarted
* Health risks associated with radiation, though TSA says there’s less radiation during a scan than during two minutes aboard a flight | <urn:uuid:137e7ad1-ed41-4183-bcee-a21b834955a0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.amny.com/urbanite-1.812039/full-body-scanners-pat-downs-protests-to-make-for-stressful-thanksgiving-travel-1.2484594 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00062-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933844 | 606 | 1.515625 | 2 |
With hundreds of thousands of people flooding Washington for the 2013 Presidential Inauguration on Jan. 21, law enforcement agencies from Northern Virginia—including Alexandria—are chipping in to help with security in the nation's capital.
A contingent from Alexandria, made up of 21 police officers and 18 sheriffs deputies, will be helping.
In preparation for the inauguration, the Northern Virginia HazMat Teams will receive STARS satellite radios purchased by the state and issued to the teams, according to Cheryl Lee of the VDEM Grants Management Office.
Alexandria’s HazMat professionals are receiving $5,530 worth of STARS equipment.
Gwendolyn Crump, spokeswoman for the Metropolitan Police Department, said her agency is working collaboratively with other agencies to make sure the event will be safe and secure for those that travel to Washington to witness the events. Crump would not say how much the security effort for the inauguration would cost.
“Our goal is to develop and implement, with the numerous participating agencies, a seamless security plan that will create a safe and secure environment for our protectees, other dignitaries, event participants and the general public,” Crump said.
Officers from Fairfax County and the City of Falls Church will also be sending officers to assist with the inauguration crowds in some capacity. About 120 officers from Fairfax County police will be heading into D.C. for the inauguration, said agency spokeswoman Lucy Caldwell.
Dustin Sternbeck, a spokesman for Arlington County Police, said his agency isn't sending any officers into D.C., but will have between 50 and 60 officers monitoring Metro stations in the county. He said the tactical team will monitor movement of assets from the Pentagon to D.C. (See more on traveling to the inauguration here.)
The United States Secret Service is responsible for developing the security plans for the inauguration. A combined air and water security plan will be implemented to around the inauguration parade route and viewing areas. Enhanced airspace restrictions on general aviation have been released and can be accessed online at the Federal Aviation Administration web page at www.faa.gov.
Most inaugural events start Sunday, Jan. 20 and continue through late in the day Monday, Jan. 21. While attendees can watch the festivities from the National Mall, the Secret Service said only attendees with a ticket issued by the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies could watch from the U.S. Capitol.
See: 2013 Presidential Inauguration: Do You Need a Ticket?
For security purposes, everyone attending festivities, with or without tickets, will have to go thorough a security screening before entering the inaugural parade route, the White House reviewing stand and the inaugural balls, according to a statement from the Secret Service. Officials suggest allowing extra time for this process.
Entry points for the parade route will be open starting at 6:30 a.m. on Jan. 21 and will remain open until there is no more space to fit people safely. Individuals with disabilities will be accommodated. Here is a list of entry points for the parade route:
- 2nd St. NW and C St. NW
- John Marshall Park at C St. NW
- Indiana Ave. NW between 6th St. NW and 7th St. NW
- 7th St. NW and D St. NW
- 10th St. NW and E St. NW
- 12th St. NW and E St. NW
- 13th St. NW and E St. NW
- 14th St. NW and E St. NW
- 12th St. NW and Constitution Ave. NW
- 10th St. NW and Constitution Ave. NW
- 7th St. NW and Constitution Ave. NW
- Constitution Ave. NW between 6th St. NW and 7th St. NW
The Secret Service has said the following items are banned from the inauguration, the inaugural parade route, the White House reviewing stand and the inaugural balls:
- Animals other than helper/guide dogs
- Bags and signs exceeding size restrictions (8"x6"x4")
- Bicycles (see 'Biking to the Inauguration' for more on this)
- Firearms and weapons of any kind
- Glass or thermal containers
- Laser pointers
- Mace/Pepper spray
- Supports for signs and placards
- Any other items determined to be potential safety hazards
Keep up with more 2013 Presidential Inauguration news throughout the week with the Patch email newsletter. Learn more here! | <urn:uuid:a68dfb31-2bfb-4261-802e-e73827a8bb8b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://westendalexandria.patch.com/groups/politics-and-elections/p/alexandria-police-officers-to-aid-with-inauguration-security | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00071-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.926185 | 925 | 1.625 | 2 |
Final Year Project proposal for Telecommunications billing System with Fraud Prevention Sopport.
Fraud Prevention of telecomunication system is great idea for Graduate and post graduate students at both college and university level.
This is great Final Year Project proposal for software engineering students.
This is very good proposal of Final Year Project proposal for Computer Engineering and telecommunication students.
Final Year Projects Proposal Idea for University Students
Final Year Project Proposal :
Telecommunications billing System with Fraud Prevention Sopport Project propsal.
Our project “Telecommunication Billing System with Fraud Prevention Support” addresses various issues in telecommunication system. Our project comprises of two modules. The inner complete module is billing system, above that is module of fraud prevention, which prevents the fraud in telecommunication network.
Billing involves gathering data for customer use and the provision of features, calculating costs, and sends the record to the customer for payment. A company’s ability to represent and bill accurately for these newer and more complex services will become a bigger challenge over the next few years. The issues which our billing system deals with are accuracy, reliability and availability of information regarding customer’s use and services.
A fraud management system is then to be implemented to detect and curb the fraudulent activity in the network. This, typically, is a sophisticated software solution that intelligently profiles each subscriber and alerts operators of possible fraudulent activity in a timely fashion. It is very critical to understand the peculiarities of the market and the behavior of fraudsters within the network before the solution is selected. An intelligent selection has to be made after a thorough study of the various options will lead to a steep decline in the loss due to fraud.
Final year project proposal from telecom engineer.
Final Year Project idea for telecom engineer. | <urn:uuid:9c8ceb94-a399-4121-ac4b-0d45245e638c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://itsmyviews.com/?p=2555 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.908429 | 361 | 1.664063 | 2 |
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Page Last Updated: 21 February 2013 | <urn:uuid:68e6db94-e327-49bb-a3c9-845243c2de96> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ryde.nsw.gov.au/Council/Councillors | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00054-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.90822 | 155 | 1.789063 | 2 |
Will Gattaca Come True?
Noninvasive, early fetal tests for sex, paternity, and chromosomal conditions will change pregnancy dramatically—and raise tricky ethical questions.
Photograph by Comstock.
In 2003, back when such things remained unpredictable, a woman gave birth to a baby boy with Down syndrome. Her family was shocked. She had undergone the standard screening tests while pregnant—a blood test followed by an ultrasound—but the results had come back negative. Nor did she have the risk factors associated with Down, like advanced maternal age; she was 32. “She was not prepared for this,” recalls Matthew Rabinowitz, her brother. When the boy died six days later, his mother was devastated.
The event left a deep impression on Rabinowitz. A young Silicon Valley entrepreneur who had recently left Stanford with a Ph.D. in electrical engineering, he had just sold the second of two successful IT startups and was casting about for a new venture. Current methods of prenatal screening carry a significant margin of error, and his sister’s false negative suggested an opportunity. “I saw that we were applying our information technology and signal processing to various aspects of life, including cell phones and laptops, but not enough to the area of helping parents have healthy children,” says Rabinowitz.
A scientist in Hong Kong had recently shown that a pregnant woman’s blood contains a small amount of fetal DNA, and the prenatal screening world was buzzing about the potential of that discovery. Accurate blood tests, it was said, might soon reveal abundant information about the fetus as early as seven weeks of pregnancy. Rabinowitz drew on that excitement in 2004 when he founded Gene Security Network, later renamed Natera. Among the tests the company would develop was one to diagnose Down syndrome.
That test, called Parental Support, is currently in trials funded by the National Institutes of Health. Natera is one of several companies vying to commercialize fetal DNA tests, or noninvasive prenatal diagnosis (NIPD). A few years ago, a handful of these companies began offering NIPD to determine fetal sex and detect Rh-factor incompatibility—left undiagnosed, a woman with Rh-negative blood carrying an Rh-positive baby can produce antibodies that attack the baby’s blood cells. Recently, we’ve seen a new wave of NIPD applications: Beginning last fall, the San Diego-based company Sequenom rolled out tests for Down syndrome and Trisomies 13 and 18, and Silicon Valley-based Verinata entered the market with tests for the same conditions in March. Rabinowitz expects Parental Support to be available by the end of the year. (He claims Natera’s technology is more accurate than other tests.)
Now insurance companies are getting involved. Last week, Sequenom announced a partnership with the managed health care company MultiPlan, and others are marketing heavily to insurers. The tests currently available still carry a margin of error and thus can’t yet be sold as a replacement for the likes of amniocentesis. Even as a supplement to existing methods, though, NIPD could be commonly used with high-risk women, predicts an article in the April issue of the insurance industry magazine Managed Care. And as companies like Sequenom and Natera boost their accuracy rates, Managed Care says, NIPD “has potential to become a standard screening procedure.” Because blood tests are less invasive than existing screening methods, and because they help insurers avoid the long-term costs of caring for people with expensive medical conditions and disabilities, they aren’t a hard business sell.
The potential benefits of NIPD are many: elimination of the risks associated with amniocentesis, the replacement of aggravating probabilities with accurate information, and more time for expectant parents to make difficult decisions. But because insurance providers have an incentive to cover them, fetal DNA tests stand to be introduced before we have time to consider the slew of ethical and political challenges they will introduce.
Scientists have known for decades that the blood of a pregnant woman contains a few stray fetal cells. In the 1990s, labs began exploring blood-borne fetal cell testing as an alternative to amniocentesis, which carries a risk of miscarriage. But gleaning information from those cells entails the difficult process of distinguishing them from the mother’s cells—and from fetal cells from earlier pregnancies, which can linger in a woman’s blood long after a baby is born.
Then, in 1997, Dennis Lo, a medical researcher at Chinese University of Hong Kong, discovered that the mother’s blood also contains floating strands of fetal DNA unattached to cells. Today scientists commonly believe the fetus contributes about 10 to15 percent of the DNA in the mother’s plasma. Lo licensed a technique of analyzing cell-free fetal DNA, or cffDNA, to Sequenom in 2005, and the batch of tests the company recently introduced are based on his technology.
Lo says an accurate Down syndrome test was originally considered the Holy Grail of prenatal diagnosis. But in the process of reaching that target, scientists also developed methods of determining fetal sex, which is one of the easier qualities to test for—and which became the first commercialized by companies looking to capitalize on Lo’s discovery. While fetal sexing is helpful for couples with a genetic propensity toward sex-linked diseases like hemophilia, companies like Consumer Genetics, DNA Plus, and Prenatal Genetics Center now offer NIPD direct-to-consumer for parents simply intent on getting a girl or boy. In 2005, an early-generation mail-order blood test, Baby Gender Mentor, briefly inspired a media frenzy culminating in an appearance on the Today show—before it was found to be inaccurate. (Disappointed parents filed a class-action suit, and Acu-Gen Biolab, the company offering the test, filed for bankruptcy.)
The latest sex tests will almost certainly wreak havoc on countries with already significant sex ratio imbalances as they spread overseas. When news of Baby Gender Mentor reached India, for example, it sparked an outcry. Sex determination, whether through blood tests or ultrasound, is illegal in India, but many doctors flout the law. And if women can one day obtain results without the help of a physician or technician—by pricking a finger and sending in a spot of blood, as Baby Gender Mentor promised—gynecologist Puneet Bedi says India’s sex ratio at birth would reach a “level unthinkable by any means so far.” India’s campaigners are prepared to fight the introduction of NIPD. But activist Sabu George says the fledgling anti-sex selection campaign is a poor match for the Goliath of the Western medical technology industry.
When Lo licensed his technology to Sequenom, he stipulated that it could not be used for sex selection. Rabinowitz says Natera won’t test for sex at this point, either. But how long such provisions will hold is unclear. Meanwhile, NIPD’s reach is expanding as the technology used to analyze cffDNA improves. In December 2010, Lo published a paper in Science Translational Medicine showing that in principle, at least, scientists can piece together the entire fetal genome from cffDNA. Lo says that exceeded even his own expectations: “If you asked me prior to 2008, I would have probably said that was science fiction.”
At the time his paper was published, the process cost $200,000. Now, with the cost of DNA sequencing dropping faster than that of computing power, he estimates the bill may come to one-tenth of that—still expensive, but no doubt tempting for some parents. Lo wagers complete fetal genome testing might be widely available in a clinical setting within a decade. What fetal genes might one day suggest about a baby’s eye color, appearance, and intellectual ability will be useful to parents, not insurers. But with costs coming down and insurers interested in other aspects of the fetal genome, a Gattaca-like two-tiered society, in which parents with good access to health care produce flawless, carefully selected offspring and the rest of us spawn naturals, seems increasingly plausible.
There are considerable hurdles to clear still before full fetal genome testing is available in a clinical setting. For the present, Lo envisions tailored packages targeting the 10 to 15 diseases most relevant to a couple’s genetic history. But the ethical and logistical issues raised by accessing even portions of the fetal genome are tricky enough.
How to explain the test to patients is a particularly thorny question. Currently, genetic counselors are brought in only with parents who undergo amniocentesis or other diagnostic tests after finding out the fetus has an elevated risk of, say, Down syndrome. Widespread introduction of NIPD means all parents will need counseling, and without enough counselors to go around, the burden of explaining the test will most likely fall on the OB-GYN(though Verinata provides an in-house genetic counseling hotline). “You’ll have a lot of women with OB-GYNs who are not really trained in genetics who are going to try to explain to them the implications of NIPD,” says Jaime King, a law professor at University of California Hastings College of the Law. “And it’s not just what happens when you get a high-risk result. It’s: Do you even want this testing? And what do you want it for? And do know what you’ll do with the results around a whole range of conditions? That’s not something that women are currently prepared to decide—or that doctors are currently prepared to help them decide.” That may be why in February, the National Society of Genetic Counselors adopted a statement opposing the routine use of NIPD for low-risk women. But since fetal DNA tests are risk-free, some doctors might offer them simply to ward off lawsuits.
More fantastically, the government might require testing. University of Texas-Austin bioethicist John A. Robertson recently outlined, for the sake of argument, a scenario in which states mandate that pregnant women undergo fetal DNA tests to avoid the costs of caring for the disabled people who might otherwise be born. There is constitutional precedent, he pointed out, in requiring suspected drunk drivers to submit to blood tests. (A state would have more trouble forcing women to hear or act on the results, he wrote.)
Marcy Darnovsky, executive director of the Center for Genetics and Society in Berkeley, Calif., notes that NIPD will provide women with “enormous amounts of information about the fetus that they’re carrying at a very early stage. And it’s available at a time when you can terminate a pregnancy with a pill.” In one calculation by the Stanford Law School bioethicist Henry T. Greely, if just two-thirds of pregnant American women undergo NIPD, the number of fetal genetic tests done in the United States will jump from fewer than 100,000 a year to about 3 million. Just what that will do to the abortion rate is impossible to predict—but it probably will rise. (Some experts argue that an increase will be offset by our expanded ability to treat some conditions in utero.)
Even if the overall abortion rate increases, though, it may become more difficult for some women to get abortions. Anti-abortion activists are prepared for the new technology. Think Rick Santorum’s recent tirade about amniocentesis allowing us to “cull the ranks of the disabled” was overblown? It was just the beginning. A recent LifeNews.com article calls NIPD a “seek-and-destroy mission against any life in the womb.”
For instance, pro-life activists might seek to ban Medicaid coverage of NIPD along the lines of the Hyde Amendment prohibition on the use of Medicaid funds for abortion—a change that would disproportionately affect poor women.
Just how soon the bulk of insurers will cover NIPD—and transform the discussion surrounding pregnancy and abortion in the process—is still unclear. A lot will depend on the accuracy rates to come out of trials like Natera’s. If those cement NIPD as a replacement for amniocentesis, the new tests will undoubtedly mean less suffering for women like Rabinowitz’s sister. But for the rest of us, things will get a lot more complicated.
This article arises from Future Tense, a collaboration among Arizona State University, the New America Foundation, and Slate. Future Tense explores the ways emerging technologies affect society, policy, and culture. To read more, visit the Future Tense blog and the Future Tense home page. You can also follow us on Twitter.
Mara Hvistendahl is a correspondent with Science and the author of Unnatural Selection: Choosing Boys Over Girls, and the Consequence of a World Full of Men. Follow her on Twitter here. | <urn:uuid:bf3f3288-82e6-4434-8794-0e02978f802b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/future_tense/2012/04/noninvasive_prenatal_diagnostic_tests_ethics_abortion_and_insurance_coverage_.single.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948071 | 2,708 | 2.765625 | 3 |
Tourism board suggests the city is a 'gateway' to the country
People on adventure holidays in Kenya should spend some days in the city of Mombasa, as it has a range of great elements and serves well as a base to explore the rest of the country.
Mombasa, which is the second-largest city in Kenya (behind the capital of Nairobi), is located on the southern coast of the country, looking out on to the Indian Ocean.
Angie Sloan, the director of the Kenya Tourist Board in the United Kingdom, said that the city can be seen as a stunning "gateway" to the rest of the country.
"Mombasa is the gateway to 500 km of breathtaking Indian Ocean coastline with year round warm temperatures and is a great value for money winter sun destination for British tourists," she said.
"The region is also easily accessible from a number of national parks around Kenya and is the perfect spot to chill out after a safari."
Another thing that people can do when they are taking adventure holidays in Kenya is see the Rift Valley lakes, a stunning formation which are the oldest, largest and deepest lakes in the world. | <urn:uuid:85a03044-8f84-42ea-92c9-dd43fccfedb2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.exploreworldwide.com/features/10631-mombasa-is-a-breathtaking-destination-for-adventure-holidays?cc=US&nr=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00064-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957507 | 241 | 1.742188 | 2 |
13 Dec 2012, Posted by admin in Uncategorized, 0 Comments
Story by Jack Ellenberger; video by Keith Bowers
Graffiti is a part of everyday life in Cincinnati. We walk past it everyday — from a gang member’s scribbles to a nationally renowned street artist’s delicate wheat pastes.
Some employ it as a means of expression and rebellion. Street artists have created a popular appeal around the practice of public, illicit stenciling, sticker placement and spray painting.
But the city, police, and some local organizations look as it as no more than illegal destruction of property — and they are stepping up efforts to stop it.
“It makes me very angry, in a lot of respects,” says Linda Holterhoff of Keep Cincinnati Beautiful, a local affiliate of Keep America Beautiful that handles the complaints about graffiti. “It’s costing us taxpayers money, money that we don’t have anymore.”
Annually, the city spends around $200,000 on graffiti cleanup and removal.
“It still all comes down to permission…” Holterhoff says. “[Graffiti artists] know it’s illegal. You learn that when you’re coloring on the walls when you’re three years old and get in trouble with your parents.”
Holterhoff subscribes to the “broken window theory,” a criminological theory that arose in the early 1980s. It states that when a building is left in disarray in urban areas, it leads to an increase in crime.
“When you leave the graffiti on, it sends that signal to the outside that nobody cares about the place, so therefore illegal activity comes in,” Holterhoff says.
Not all are opposed
Some business owners in the Northside neighborhood, home to many artists, have taken a different stance on graffiti.
Jim Blase, co-owner of Shake It Records, says of a new graffiti painting above the shop’s façade, “If they would have asked me, I certainly would have said yes (to the graffiti). We’ve kind of embraced graffiti throughout the history of the store.”
Blase has had multiple graffiti designs commissioned for the store’s interior, and he even published a children’s book featuring local graffiti artist’s illustrations. To Blase, the “broken window theory” doesn’t hold up.
“It (graffiti) brightens the neighborhood,” Blase says. “If it’s art, if it’s done with some originality and skill, then I think it looks fantastic.”
Tori Houlihan, who moved to Northside in 1990 and now spends much of her time volunteering with beautification projects in the area, doesn’t agree.
“I do try to talk to property owners who are more tolerant about it (graffiti) and encourage them to talk to authorities about removal,” Houlihan says.
After joining Citizens on Patrol more than a decade ago, she started doing community walkthroughs. “You see all the little forms of disrespect that neighborhoods like Northside have to go through, graffiti being one of the most obvious,” Houlihan says.
She spends a few hours a week removing or painting over offenses, which are often tags or stickers placed on traffic signs.
Houlihan thinks that the taggers act out of a desire to be seen or heard, but in her eyes “it’s totally disrespectful and narcissistic.”
Although some business owners are OK with moderate amounts of artfully done pieces, even if illegal, Houlihan finds her graffiti removal is met with a good response.
“When I started taking graffiti down, I had the concern that people would start hassling me, but I found that it was the exact opposite,” Houlihan says.
Legit street-style painting
Some in the city have capitalized on graffiti’s appeal.
Danny Babcock and Matt Dayler of Higher Level Art are two artists who’ve chosen to use the street-style painting as a form of fine art design.
When the economy crashed, Babcock and Dayler took it upon themselves to provide contracted and commissioned artwork for nearly every design studio in the city, as well as exhibition projects for corporations like P&G and Fifth Third Bank. Their work can be seen all over Cincinnati and is a prime example of an increasingly common oxymoron – “legal graffiti.”
His view on graffiti is that of a street-artist-turned-graphic-designer. He sees it as the misunderstood expression of artists who don’t necessarily know of any other means to showcase their work.
“I see both sides,” Babcock says. “I understand property destruction, and it is a crime, but clearly somebody doing graffiti doesn’t care that property destruction is a crime.”
Throwing the book at taggers in the courts for acts of misguided expression is considered excessive to some.
“In any crime, you know, the criminal should be assessed… what is their background, what’s their aptitude, what’s their future? It’s case by case,” Babcock says.
Tim Siewert of Tone House Records in Northside shares this view of meting out punishment.
“I don’t think there’s that big of a deal. The crime should fit the punishment in the eyes of the business or building owner,” Siewert says.
After his building was tagged a couple of months ago, another business owner reported it to the police. Siewert hasn’t taken any action to remove it.
“I thought it was a pretty nice piece. I thought it added to the neighborhood,” Siewert says.
Babcock sees the issue as one of ownership.
“Usually people who destroy things don’t own anything,” he says. “If you want to truly help these people, then give them the opportunity to own something.”
Fining and limiting a youth’s future doesn’t encourage this, Babcock says.
At the end of the day, this isn’t a matter of negotiation. “We’re not here to talk about graffiti as an art form,” Holterhoff says.
For law enforcement and the beautification department, it’s a simple matter of unlawful property destruction, which is a felony. The authorities can bang their heads against the proverbial brick wall for now, but it’s essentially a game of cat and mouse where there is no end in sight. For many of these kids, it’s a need.
“Punish them. So what? They’re still going to do it anyway,” says Dayler of Higher Level Art.
In 2013, Holterhoff and Keep Cincinnati Beautiful will ramp up operations to stop graffiti as it happens. Those who get caught can expect to pay up to $5,000 in legal fees or do up to 500 hours of community service.
“If we catch you, the city is going to come after you, hook line and sinker, “ she says.Continue Reading... | <urn:uuid:1b7258b3-6960-4247-bd2a-f8c0961b4ce0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ucjournalism.org/archives/category/uncategorized | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00060-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955399 | 1,564 | 2.453125 | 2 |
Food Inflation Kept Hidden in Tinier Bags
As an expected increase in the cost of raw materials looms for late summer, consumers are beginning to encounter shrinking food packages.
With unemployment still high, companies in recent months have tried to camouflage price increases by selling their products in tiny and tinier packages. So far, the changes are most visible at the grocery store, where shoppers are paying the same amount, but getting less.
For Lisa Stauber, stretching her budget to feed her nine children in Houston often requires careful monitoring at the store. Recently, when she cooked her usual three boxes of pasta for a big family dinner, she was surprised by a smaller yield, and she began to suspect something was up.
Read full story here | <urn:uuid:d0fc8041-e0ac-4f48-b4e5-96f547c382ac> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thelibertyvoice.com/food-inflation-kept-hidden-in-tinier-bags | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00073-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965633 | 152 | 1.851563 | 2 |
Calcutta, Feb. 12: Rattled by protests and their possible repercussions in next year’s panchayat polls, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s government is trying to balance its acquisition drive by doling out tilling rights to the landless.
The land department has set an April 14 — Bengali New Year — deadline for allotting pattas (deeds that ensure a landless peasant’s right to cultivate a patch of government land) for 10,000 acres.
Since coming to power in 1977, the Left Front has distributed pattas for over 9 lakh acres, but the process had been neglected after 1987.
Land and land reforms minister Abdur Rezzak Mollah today said the patta distribution was a routine exercise, but admitted that the sudden flurry of activity was to “protect farmers in the face of the land acquisition drive”.
Pattas ensure compensation to small farmers in case the government decides to use its land for some other purpose and allow them to seek bank loans. “Once a farmer has a patta, he need not fear eviction,” land reforms commissioner P.K. Agarwal said.
He will supervise patta distribution in the districts once a week.
The land department has also requested urban development minister and Siliguri MLA Asok Bhattacharya to monitor the process in north Bengal and panchayat minister Surjya Kanta Mishra to do so in the south.
“We’ll continue the process at a steady pace till the panchayat elections. The panchayat samitis have been told to carry on the job in association with the block land and land revenue office,” Mollah said.
The chief minister distributed deeds in East Midnapore’s Khejuri yesterday, days after a land war rocked the area.
Mollah will distribute pattas in West Midnapore’s Jhargram later this month and attend a programme to distribute pattas at Canning I and II blocks in mid-March.
Agarwal, too, has his itinerary drawn up. He will travel to Birbhum, Purulia and north Bengal. “Once we finish giving out the land in our possession, plots locked in litigation will figure on our agenda. Around 1 lakh acres are now useless because of court cases involving them,” he said.
The land department has prepared a list of non-agricultural land across the state. It will be handed to the commerce and industries department and agencies like the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation, which will conduct a survey to determine which project can be set up where. | <urn:uuid:9f89ad7a-d9e7-4473-bcff-a6c6aa0f5599> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070213/asp/bengal/story_7386572.asp | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941122 | 561 | 1.617188 | 2 |
Your daily news briefing, with the video of the day, top news and quote of the day.
Hot video: Barbara Walters hospitalized
News to know
President Barack Obama was sworn into office at the 57th presidential inauguration earlier today. In his inaugural address, the president cited climate change, the federal deficit, equal rights and health care costs as challenges to be faced in the next four years. The president specifically mentioned equal pay for women and same-sex marriage, and received cheers from the crowd. Later in the day, the president was scheduled to lead a traditional parade to the White House and to attend two inaugural balls.
Quote of note
"It is now our generation’s task to carry on what those pioneers began. For our journey is not complete until our wives, our mothers and daughters can earn a living equal to their efforts. Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law -- for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well. Our journey is not complete until no citizen is forced to wait for hours to exercise the right to vote. Our journey is not complete until we find a better way to welcome the striving, hopeful immigrants who still see America as a land of opportunity -- until bright young students and engineers are enlisted in our workforce rather than expelled from our country. Our journey is not complete until all our children, from the streets of Detroit to the hills of Appalachia, to the quiet lanes of Newtown, know that they are cared for and cherished and always safe from harm." - President Barack Obama, during his inaugural address.
GateHouse News Service | <urn:uuid:30a6abd7-6d9f-41e8-9f2a-4ca4b33abac8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.kiowacountysignal.com/article/20130121/NEWS/301219965/0/Entertainment%20%20%20Life | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968861 | 340 | 1.890625 | 2 |
All right things in the right tone were said and delivered in Barack Obama’s Middle East policy speech and the subsequent interview with Andrew Marr but is it/he going to change anything? The grey area appears less grey, but it has not changed the fundamental problems; the Palestinians would not recognize the existence of the State of Israel as it is (the starter condition in his speech), Obama’s security pointer is piffle when every Palestinian attack is met by tenfold Israeli retaliation, Obama only has a meagre majority in the Senate and the Republicans control the House of Representatives, and average Americans are most concerned about their own economy.
Read The Israel Lobby and US Foreign Policy by John J Measheimer and Stephen M. Walt (2007). ’Americans need to understand the real history of Israel’s founding and the true story of its subsequent conduct. Instead of passively accepting the Leon Uris version of the Arab-Israeli conflict, Americans need to absorb and reflect on the findings of Israel’s “new historians,” whose courageous scholarship has shed much-needed light on what the Zionists’ campaign to build a Jewish state in the midst of an indigenous Arab population entailed. Although the two situations are hardly identical, one cannot understand Zionism without understanding the long history of Christian anti-Semitism, and one cannot fathom contemporary Palestinian nationalism without being aware of the events surrounding the 1948 war, which Israelis call the War of Independence but Palestinians call al-Nakba, or “the Catastrophe.” (p350-1) | <urn:uuid:9ebdbc2e-d0a9-4150-abd2-ab1d82446d6c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.kishiyamamoto.com/obamas-middle-east-policy-anything-new-2/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00045-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940743 | 322 | 2.09375 | 2 |
The People's New Testament, B.W. Johnson, , at sacred-texts.com
mat 21:0SUMMARY.--The Lord Leaves Bethany to Enter Jerusalem. The Charge to the Two Disciples. The Fulfillment of Prophecy. The Great Multitude Who Prepare the Way. Hosanna to the Son of David. Jesus Enters the Temple. The Money-Changers Cast Out. The Barren Fig Tree. The Controversy with the Rulers. John's Baptism. The Parable of the Two Sons. The Parable of the Vineyard and the Husbandmen. The Stone That the Builders Rejected.
When they drew nigh unto Jerusalem. Jesus passed through Jericho, where he bestowed sight on BartimÃ&brvbr;us and salvation on Zaccheus, came up the mountain pass from Jericho to Jerusalem, stopping over the Sabbath in the congenial home of Martha, Mary and Lazarus, in Bethany, and so on Sunday morning made his entry into Jerusalem. Compare Mar 11:1-11; Luke 19:29-44, and Joh 12:12-19. As they drew nigh to Jerusalem they ascended the Mount of Olives. There were three paths over the Mount of Olives: (1) on the north, in the hollow between the two crests of the hill; (2) over the summit; and (3) on the south, between the Mount of Olives and the Hill of Offence--still the most frequented and the best. Along this Jesus advanced.
To Bethphage. Bethphage and Bethany were suburban villages near to one another, and lying on the direct line of road that led to Jerusalem from the east.
Mount of Olives. A hill just east of Jerusalem, so called from the olive trees upon it. It was about a mile from the city. It was their open ground--for pleasure, for worship; the "Park" of Jerusalem; the thoroughfare of any going or coming in the direction of the great Jordan valley.
Into the village over against you. Bethphage is in view, over against them, perhaps separated from them by a valley.
Ye shall find an ass tied. In the East the ass is in high esteem. Every Jew expected, from the words of one of the prophets (Zac 9:9), that the Messiah would enter Jerusalem riding on an ass.
The Lord hath need of them. It is probable that the owner was a disciple.
That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet. See Isa 62:11, and Zac 9:9. The prophet here describes him as riding upon one of the humblest of animals, and in the fulfillment we find, (1) that the animal was borrowed; (2) that he rode without a saddle on borrowed garments; (3) that it was a colt on which no man had ever before rode. Only animals hitherto unused were regarded fit for sacred uses. See Num 19:2; Deu 21:3; Sa1 6:7. This is the only instance reported in which the Lord ever rode on any animal.
They set him thereon. Hitherto he had entered the holy city on foot; this day he would enter as David and the judges of Israel were wont--riding on the ass.
And a very great multitude spread their garments. Vast multitudes were gathered at Jerusalem at the Passover. The law required the assembling of the Jewish nation. Josephus says that several millions were wont to gather. Among these were thousands of Galileans who had heard of Jesus, seen his miracles, and believed in him as their Messiah King. When the people of Bethlehem, during the war between Turkey and Egypt in 1836, sought the protection of the British consul, they "spread their garments in the way" of his horses, in order to do him honor.
Cut down branches from the trees. John (Joh 12:13) says that these were the branches of palm trees; rather, the wide, spreading, branch-like leaves of the palm tree, well fitted to form a soft, level carpet. The only branches of the palm tree are its leafy crown.
Hosanna. A Greek modification of the Hebrew words rendered, "Save now, I beseech thee," in Psa 118:25, the next verse of which formed part of their song, "Blessed," etc. It is used as an expression of praise, like hallelujah.
That cometh in the name of the Lord. The words are taken in part from Psa 118:25-26, a hymn which belonged to the great hallelujah chanted at the end of the Paschal Supper and the Feast of Tabernacles. The people were accustomed to apply it to the Messiah.
All the city was moved. The procession burst into full view of Jerusalem as it appeared on the Mount of Olives, two hundred feet higher than the temple mount. There, as the city appeared in all its splendor, according to Luke, he stopped and wept over its coming sorrows. As the procession descended, it was in plain view of all Jerusalem, and its magnitude, shouts and songs excited the wonder of the whole city.
Jesus the prophet of Nazareth. The inquiry arose everywhere, "Who is this?" to which the Galileans who composed so large a part of the procession, responded: "It is Jesus, the prophet of Nazareth, of Galilee." Of this they were sure; of his real character none but his own disciples knew, and they imperfectly. The Galileans regarded him the prophet named by Moses in Deu 18:18.
And Jesus went into the temple. According to Mark, on this day, after the triumphal entry, he entered the temple, looked around, perhaps to note the abuses, and then at eventide went out to Bethany. The next day, returning, he again entered the temple, and wrought the cleansing that is here recorded. He went into the temple, not as a worshiper, but as its Lord.
Cast out all them. This casting of the traders out of the temple is not to be confounded with that recorded in Joh 2:13-17, at the commencement of Christ's ministry. See notes there.
Them that sold and bought in the temple. A market was held there for the sale of animals and those things necessary for the temple service. Not the less a desecration because so great a convenience. The part of the temple occupied by the traders was not in the temple proper, but the Court of the Gentiles. In the accompanying plan of the temple, the open space next to the outer walls is this court.
It is written. In Isa 56:7.
A house of prayer. A place of sacred worship.
A den of thieves. A cave or den of robbers. The language indicates that it was a corrupt and fraudulent traffic, which a corrupt and fraudulent priesthood had permitted to encroach on the worship of God. It is a desecration of religious institutions to use them for worldly gain.
The chief priests and scribes . . . were sore displeased. These inveterate enemies were displeased, not only at the authority he had assumed over the temple, but at the acclamations of approval, the cries of the children, and the evident favor of the people.
Hearest thou what these say? Christ's answer to the priests is a rebuke to all who would check religious enthusiasm on the part of children. The quotation is from Psa 8:2. The praise of the innocent child is the perfection of praise.
Went to Bethany. Two miles east of Jerusalem. During the eventful week, he seems to have passed his nights, until Thursday, at the congenial home of Lazarus.
Now in the morning. Compare Mar 11:12-19, and Luk 19:45-48. This was Monday.
Seeing a fig tree. On the route from Bethany to the city. The fig is common in Palestine.
Found nothing thereon, but leaves. Mark adds that "the time of figs was not yet;" that is, of ripe figs. The green figs ought to have appeared among the leaves in April, though the fruit began ripening in June.
Let there be no more fruit from thee. Peter calls this a cursing (Mar 11:21). It was doomed to death and withered. On the next morning (Tuesday) it "was dried up from the roots" (Mar 11:20). It was a parable in action, illustrating how the fruitless Jewish nation should wither away. It had leaves, but no fruit.
If ye have faith. See note on Mat 17:20.
When he was come into the temple. Compare Mar 11:27, and Luk 20:1. This was on Tuesday, after the discourse on the fig tree, which occurred the morning after the curse was pronounced.
The chief priests and the elders. Mark and Luke add "the scribes." These three classes made up the Sanhedrim, and this was probably a deputation from that body.
By what authority doest thou these things? Such acts as driving the money-changers and traders out of the temple, done the day before.
I also will ask you one question. A malicious question is often best answered by a question which will expose the questioners.
The baptism of John. Though the people generally had obeyed John, they had rejected his baptism. Yet they dared not say it was of men, for fear of the people; nor that it was of heaven, because they had disobeyed it. They therefore say,
We cannot tell. Hence the Lord refuses to answer their question, but immediately addresses them in a parable. As his death approaches, his parables are unusually solemn.
A man had two sons. The two sons represent (Mat 21:31) the priests, elders and scribes on the one hand, and the publicans and harlots, "the sinners," on the other. Both classes were bidden to work in the Lord's vineyard. The publicans and sinners had refused, but repented at the preaching of John. The others professed to obey, but did not. The design of the parable is to show that the publicans and harlots, whom they so much despised, were morally superior to his questioners.
Repented not afterward. The Greek word here translated "repent," is not the one which is used in all commands as, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand," "Repent and be baptized," "Repent and be converted," etc. This term means, rather, regret or sorrow; the word in the other passages means "change your minds" or "hearts." The regret, or sorrow, for sin leads to repentance (Co2 7:10). The scribes and Pharisees did not regret their course, when they saw sinners repenting, so that they could come into a penitent belief.
Hear another parable. Compare Mar 12:1-12; Luk 20:9-19. The second parable is also a rebuke of the ruling classes that were seeking his death.
There was a certain householder. The head of a family is here selected to represent God. In what follows is portrayed the blessings he had bestowed and the care he had taken of Israel.
Which planted a vineyard. Our Lord draws, as was his wont, his illustration from common life and familiar objects. Palestine was emphatically a vine-growing country.
And hedged it round about. God in his care not only planted Israel, but hedged the nation around by the law which separated it from the Gentiles.
Digged a wine-press in it. The wine-press consisted of two parts: (1) the press, or trough, above, in which the grapes were placed and there trodden by the feet; (2) a smaller trough, into which the expressed juice flowed through a hole. Here the smaller trough, which was "digged" out of the earth or rock and then lined with masonry, is put for the whole apparatus, and is called a wine FAT.
Built a tower. Towers were erected in vineyards for the accommodation of keepers, who defended the vineyards from thieves and from troublesome animals. The hedge and wine-press and tower represent the various advantages conferred by God upon the Jewish people (Rom 9:4).
Let it out to husbandmen. Representing the rulers of the Jews, and also the people as a whole, a nation, are included.
Went into a far country. Better, "into another country," as in the Revised. "For a long while" (or time), adds Luke. It means that God left Israel to itself to see what use it would make of the favors he had bestowed.
When the time of the fruit drew near. Probably no definite time, but whenever any special duty was to be done, or special call to repentance made, as by the prophets.
He sent his servants. The prophets.
That they might receive the fruits of it. The householder's share. The rent was to be paid in a stipulated portion of the produce. The fruits were obedience, love, righteous living, teaching the true God to the nations, etc.
And the husbandmen took his servants. According to the obvious design of the whole parable, this is a lively figure for the undutiful and violent reception often given to the prophets or other divine messengers, and the refusal to obey their message. See Mat 23:29-31, Mat 23:34, Mat 23:37; Luk 11:47-50; Luk 13:33-34. Compare Th1 2:15; Rev 16:6; Rev 18:24.
Killed another. Some of the prophets were not merely maltreated, but actually put to death.
Last of all he sent unto them his son. This was the last and crowning effort of divine mercy; after which, on the one side, all the resources, even of heavenly love, are exhausted; on the other, the measure of sins is perfectly filled up.
This is the heir. He for whom the inheritance is meant, and to whom it will in due course rightfully arrive. Christ is "heir of all things" (Heb 1:2).
Come, let us kill him. The very words of Genesis (Gen 37:20), where Joseph's brethren express a similar resolution. This resolution had actually been taken (Joh 11:53).
Let us seize on his inheritance. If Christ prevailed, Judaism must fall; if they could destroy Christ they could maintain their hold on the vineyard; or, in other words, seize the inheritance. Such was their hope.
Cast him out of the vineyard. This may involve an allusion to Christ suffering "without the gate" (Heb 13:12-13; Joh 19:17).
Slew him. This is a prophecy of his own death at the hands of the men whom he was addressing.
When the lord . . . cometh, what will he do? This question is addressed to the Jews, who seem to have been so carried away by the vivid description that they answered without seeing that they pronounced their own sentence (see Mat 21:41).
They say unto him . . . and will let out his vineyard to other husbandmen. Their answer is not only their own decree of judgment upon themselves, but an unconscious prediction. The nation was nearly destroyed in the Roman war; 1,100,000 perished in the siege of Jerusalem; the Jewish polity was destroyed, and "another people," the Church of Christ, mostly Gentile aliens before, received the inheritance and the kingdom.
The stone which the builders rejected. "The Scripture" that speaks of this stone is Psa 118:22-23 --a psalm which the Jews applied to the Messiah. Peter twice applied it to him (Act 4:11; Pe1 2:7). The figure represents a stone rejected by the builders as worthless, and then found to be the chief corner-stone of the building. The stone is Christ, rejected by the Jewish nation, but "the chief corner-stone," for this is what is meant by the "head of the corner." The "corner-stone" joined two walls. Alford thinks this is a reference to the union of Jews and Gentiles in the church.
Marvellous. That the rejected stone should become the "chief corner-stone, elect and precious," on which the whole structure of the spiritual temple rests.
Given to a nation bringing forth the fruits. The kingdom was taken from the Jews and given to the "chosen nation" (Pe1 2:9); not any particular nation, but those chosen out of the nations to be a "peculiar people."
Whoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken. Two fates are named for opposers in this verse; those who fall on the stone shall be broken; those on whom the stone shall fall shall be ground to powder. While the principle is general, the special application is to the Jewish opposers. Their falling upon the Stone (Christ) was the ruin of their nation. When the Stone fell upon them, in the judgment he had predicted because they rejected him, they were ground to powder in the awful desolation that occurred about thirty-seven years later.
When the chief priests and Pharisees had heard, etc. When the application of the parable was made, they perceived that they were meant and that they had condemned themselves.
When they sought to lay hands on him. Jerusalem was filled with people, and the demonstration, two days before, on Sunday, showed that thousands of Galileans, at least, regarded him a prophet. Hence, they find some darker and safer way than an open assault in the day. None can oppose Christ without injury. Even the silent opposition of indifference will cause us to be "broken" unless repented of. To continue our opposition until the day of grace is over will result in irretrievable ruin. Those who are "ground to powder" are beyond hope. | <urn:uuid:32cd4c2b-58a4-458c-9809-2994fc32d9e5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/cmt/pnt/mat021.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00055-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973338 | 3,805 | 2.515625 | 3 |
Newly synthesized proteins can only fold into their correct three dimensional structure thanks to chaperones. In case of membrane proteins chaperones do not only prevent their aggregation, but also escort them to their destination and aid in membrane insertion. The underlying molecular mechanism has now been resolved for tail-anchored membrane proteins.
A newly synthesized protein is as fragile as a newborn baby. It could never fold into its correct three dimensional structure if it was not protected by chaperones within the densely populated cytosol. In case of membrane proteins chaperones do not only pre-vent their aggregation, but also escort them to their destination and aid in membrane insertion. The underlying molecular mechanism of how a certain family of membrane proteins is targeted and inserted into membranes has now been resolved by an international research team with participation of the Goethe University Frankfurt. These proteins are anchored within the membrane via a single helix and thus are called "tail-anchored" (TA) proteins.
The key for proper protein sorting are signal sequences which are decoded by chaperones. As soon as they - together with their "foster child" - arrive at their destination the interaction with a specific receptor within the target membrane initiates membrane insertion. Protein components responsible for the insertion of TA proteins have recently been identified. The molecular mechanisms of how these sorting systems work, however, were not known so far.
In this interdisciplinary study, that will be released in the current "online" issue of "Science", the research groups of Prof.Volker Dötsch (Goethe University Frankfurt), Prof. Irmgard Sinning (Heidelberg University Biochemistry Center) and Prof. Vlad Denic (Harvard University (USA)) were able to solve the question by a combination of diverse methods such as X-Ray Crystallography and NMR-Spectroscopy as well as biochemical and cell-biological approaches.
In detailed biophysical studies Volker Dötsch´s research group showed that the central cha-peron of the responsible protein complex, called Get3, regulates both binding to TA proteins within the cytosol and their release at the membrane. The two receptor proteins Get1 and Get2 aid in TA protein insertion. They use overlapping interfaces for the interaction with the Get3 ATPase. On the basis of different crystal structures the researchers suggest a model for the mechanism of how TA proteins are inserted into the membrane. Upon interaction with its membrane receptor the Get3 dimer gradually opens up to allow for the controlled TA protein insertion. "Those results are particularly important because they enabled us to establish the first model of the receptor-assisted membrane insertion of TA proteins that will now be the basis for further studies" comments Dötsch.
Explore further: Intestinal bacteria protect against E. coli O157:H7
More information: Stefer, S. et al: Structural basis for tail-anchored membrane protein biogenesis by the Get3-receptor complex, Science (2011), DOI: 10.1126/science.1207125 | <urn:uuid:c2c9985e-6ccd-4bf3-b06d-da279dd08512> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://phys.org/news/2011-07-chaperone-tail-anchored-membrane-proteins-destined.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940399 | 625 | 2.234375 | 2 |
Euthanasia debate to be reignited in parliament
AUSTRALIAN Greens MP Adam Bandt will use question time in parliament next week as an attempt to reignite the voluntary euthanasia debate.
"The old parties have vacated the political battlefield of ideas, so they shy away from advancing issues like dying with dignity... despite having popular support to do so," said Mr Bandt.
The Melbourne MP said he was a longstanding supporter of voluntary euthanasia.
If Australia could not have national legislation the Greens would continue to work to achieve the change through state and territory parliaments, he said.
The push to reignite the debate in federal parliament follows a recent three year prison sentence handed down to Queensland man Merin Nielsen who was found guilty of assisting the suicide of 76-year-old Frank Ward.
Mr Bandt, who is set to ask his question on Wednesday, said question time itself needed to be overhauled, despite recent changes by Speaker Peter Slipper to make questions and answers shorter and more direct.
"Between the government and the coalition, question time is a pale imitation of what it could be," he said. | <urn:uuid:466b1d4e-8fb9-4ce6-8915-463bdf45f587> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.medicalobserver.com.au/news/euthanasia-debate-to-be-reignited-in-parliament | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969529 | 232 | 1.640625 | 2 |
International panel selectively chooses scientists it knows will push a 'melting planet' agenda
With the ongoing media coverage of a well-known scientist lying to get confidential documents from the Heartland Institute regarding global warming, there’s been consistent reporting in the media about the “scientific consensus” that climate change is manmade.
Numerous articles on blogs and news sites cite that scientific “consensus” of man-made global warming without citing any reference.
The phrase may be a reference to the body of work done over the years by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which involves work done by thousands of scientists from more than 120 governments.
John Christy, director of the Earth System Science Center and a climatologist from the University of Alabama-Huntsville, says the IPCC’s process does not promote a disparity of opinion on global warming and is more political than scientific. Christy says the problem is the degree of warming. He thinks 90 percent would agree that mankind has some impact on the climate. “But a lower percentage would say it was a dangerous impact. You really can't get a good answer to this,” Christy said.
Christy has served as a “lead author” for a report done by the IPCC.
He said he believes a problem is that the scientists selected to be considered by the IPCC are nominated by governments that for the most part have a man-made global warming bias.
"The selection of lead authors through a two-step political process is a problem,” Christy wrote. “Presently, national governments nominate to the IPCC those who over the years, they can generally count on to be consistent with national policy. From this pool, the IPCC itself selects those it wants to be lead authors."
Christy said he believes IPCC-selected authors have significant authority over what they accept and reject when determining a paper’s conclusions, adding that lead authors are allowed to judge their own work against their critics. “This has led to biased information in the assessments and thus raises questions about a catastrophic view of climate change because the full range of evidence is not represented.”
One example Christy cited the work of Penn State University’s Michael Mann, who was a lead author on a report for a chapter of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
In the email scandal known as “Climategate,” Mann wrote an email to members of the University of East Anglia’s Climatic Research Unit about how to deal with research that countered their own theories on global warming.
“… I believed our only choice was to ignore this paper,” Mann’s email read. “ … The last thing we want to do is bring attention to this paper…” Mann later wrote they should “encourage our colleagues in the climate research community to no longer submit to, or cite papers in, this journal.”
A Penn State University investigation cleared Mann of any scientific misconduct.
“The term ‘consensus science’ will often be appealed to in arguments about climate change. This is a form of ‘argument from authority,’ ” Christy wrote. “Consensus, however, is a political notion, not a scientific notion. … the IPCC and other similar assessments do not represent for me a consensus of much more than the consensus of those who already agree with a particular consensus. The content of these reports is actually under the control of a relatively small number of individuals — I often refer to them as the ‘climate establishment’ — who through the years, in my opinion, came to act as gatekeepers of scientific opinion and information, rather than brokers. The voices of those of us who object to various statements and emphases in these assessments are by-in-large dismissed rather than acknowledged.” | <urn:uuid:f556e37c-5c9c-4d4b-994c-6e1437b3e06e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.michigancapitolconfidential.com/16505 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00055-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96027 | 791 | 2.5 | 2 |
LONDON — The quality of aircrew training among NATO’s European members is holding up despite the strains on defense budgets from the continent’s ongoing financial crisis, a senior British analyst said.
The most recent theater to expose the levels of competence of NATO’s European members was the 2011 Arab Spring revolt in Libya, as the West backed anti-Gadaffi rebels in their campaign against the Libyan leader’s armed forces.
There were some problems, notably the rapid diminution of precision guided weapon stocks in what was a relatively limited campaign. However, countries were “able to turn up and slot into a very ad hoc coalition,” said Douglas Barrie, senior fellow for military aerospace at London’s International Institute of Strategic Studies. “Once they sorted out the politics and command structure, the actual operations went reasonably well. They did more than muddle through.”
The average annual training figure for NATO air arms is 170 hours. Some, notably the U.S., comfortably exceed this, meaning other nations come in below the average figure.
“Some countries are closer than others in hitting the NATO target,” Barrie said. “Standards do vary. But generally in NATO countries people make real efforts to keep up their standards as much as they can.”
Actual operations can replace training sorties “up to a point,” Barrie said, but the risk is that campaigns such as Afghanistan and Libya can skew pilots’ capabilities towards a relatively narrow spread of skills.
This can be a risk for air forces that want the ability to move from COIN to full-blown, high-intensity conflicts. The tendency to focus on one particular area of operations in a crisis is a particular problem for medium-sized air arms that do not have the resources available to train for other roles while engaged on actual operations.
Although defense budgets have shrunk, so have the inventories of aircraft and pilots. This means that the smaller amount of money available is generally still able to cover training for admittedly smaller numbers of pilots.
The increasing sophistication of simulators means that a greater proportion of training syllabi can be carried out in them, with the attendant substantial savings in costs.
“The interesting question is how far you can go with synthetic training,” Barrie said.
For example, the U.K. Royal Air Force and Royal Navy plan to conduct 50 percent of their training on Lockheed Martin’s forthcoming F-35 on simulators.
“If you hit a problem in a simulator you can wipe your brow and walk away. But in a fast jet blasting down a Welsh valley at 200 feet, you can get yourself into a real mess,” Barrie said.
“As always, the proof of the pudding will be in the eating. They may find they can do even more — or they may find you actually need to put the men or women in the cockpit, otherwise the veracity just isn’t there.” | <urn:uuid:ad8d72b6-c021-40d7-9ad3-6455a5108348> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.defensenews.com/article/20121129/TSJ01/311290007/U-K-Aircrew-Training-Holds-Steady | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957659 | 624 | 1.726563 | 2 |
by Jon Dilts
Ernie Pyle came to Indiana University to study journalism in 1919 but left in his senior year without a degree. Some say it was because of a romance. Some say it was because he had a job offer at the La Porte (Indiana) Herald. In any case, he worked at La Porte for only a few months before going to Washington, D.C., to join the staff of the Washington News, first as a reporter and eventually as its managing editor, a job he never liked.
What Ernie Pyle did like was writing. In the 1930s he became a roving reporter for Scripps Howard Newspapers, traveling widely and writing a column about the lives of ordinary folks coping with the Depression. He was already a popular journalist, noted for his humor and humanity, when the United States went to war in the 1940s. His popularity soared when he traveled to Europe and later to the Pacific to write about the lives of ordinary soldiers coping with war. For many at home, Ernie Pyle's columns were the real story of World War II-the story of sons and husbands living a deadly adventure day by day in a foreign land.
Ernie Pyle came back to Indiana University in 1944. He visited with students working at the Indiana Daily Student, a newspaper for which he had once served as editor-in-chief. The university presented him with the first degree of Doctor of Humane Letters it had ever bestowed. Shortly afterward, he made arrangements to join the American armed forces fighting in the Pacific.
Ernie Pyle died on the Pacific island of Ie Shima on April 18, 1945. A sniper fired at his jeep and Pyle took cover in a ditch. He raised his head to look for one of the soldiers who was with him and he was killed instantly.
Ernie Pyle Hall is the only building on campus named for a student. And for us who study here, he will always be a student-always working on that elusive bachelor's degree, always editing the student newspaper, always admonishing us to write about the people who matter, not the people who think they matter. | <urn:uuid:fb3a02af-df31-4017-9bd9-9a7821de6651> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.indiana.edu/~bulletin/iu/journalism/2002-2004/pyle.shtml | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00065-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.987611 | 440 | 1.835938 | 2 |
Office for Disability
The Office for Disability leads and supports Victorian Government effort to help improve the lives of people with a disability and drive universal change.
The first of its kind in Australia, the Office for Disability was established in 2006. The Office’s mandate is to put disability on the agenda across the Victorian Government.
The Office works to implement a coordinated, Victorian Government response to disability. Its aim is to improve the lives of people with a disability and help address barriers to community participation.
The Office's role includes:
- Providing expert support and policy advice to the Minister for Community Services
- Supporting the Victorian Disability Advisory Council
- Leading the development and implementation of Victorian Government policy for people with a disability
- Working to improve community attitudes to disability
- Running programs that support people with a disability to speak for themselves and protect their rights.
What we do
The Office for Disability works to implement a coordinated, whole-of-government response to disability. What we do can be described as:
- Coordinate Victoria's input into federal and state policy development and implementation in partnership with key stakeholders, including the National Disability Strategy
- Develop the Victorian state disability plan 2013-2016
- Coordinate meetings of the Inter-departmental committee on disability
- Research and policy analysis
- Support the disability advocacy program, including self-advocacy and self-help grants
- Work with private and public sector partners to promote inclusion of people with a disability in arts, sport, recreation, leisure and tourism
- Facilitate the delivery of the Disability Employment Advisory Service (DEAS) to advance the employment and retention of people a disability in the Victorian Public Service
- Build inclusive organisations to support people with a disability through disability action planning.
- Provide support to the Victorian Disability Advisory Council
- Develop strategies to improve community attitudes and behaviour
- Manage the DiVine website, an online community for and by people with a disability.
Related information on this website
- Disability in Victoria
- Victorian state disability plan 2013-2016
- Communicate and consult with people with a disability
- Disability Action Plans
- Disability advocacy and Self Help Grants
- Promoting positive attitudes and awareness
- Equitable employment
- Participation in social and cultural life
- Victorian Disability Advisory Council
Office for Disability
1300 880 043
Tel: (03) 9096 0574
TTY:(03) 9639 2417
Fax: (03) 9650 3812 | <urn:uuid:b56157b6-6b85-4d3c-bd12-911f0d9518ea> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/about-the-department/our-organisation/organisational-structure/our-divisions/industry,-workforce-and-strategy-division/office-for-disability | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00052-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.917678 | 512 | 2.0625 | 2 |
NEW YORK (AP) - A retooled training program aims to teach New York Police Department officers the right way to stop someone on the street.
A demonstration of the training on Wednesday came amid growing public criticism of the NYPD's tactic of stopping, questioning and sometimes frisking people.
Each year hundreds of thousands of people are stopped. A judge allowing a federal class action lawsuit against the nation's largest police department said earlier this year there was evidence of thousands of illegal stops.
Police have retooled training in response and meet monthly with clergy and community leaders.
More than 1,200 of the department's 35,000 officers have received the training in the Bronx. More are scheduled.
Officers take turns acting as regular people being stopped to help train their colleagues. They're also given seminars on courtesy and the laws governing street stops.
(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
Doctors saved this boy's life with a medical first involving a printer.
Top music stars are battling for your summer concert tour dollars.
Clothes have a starring role at the Cannes Film Festival. (Photos)
"Jenny from the Block" wants you to buy Verizon phones from her. | <urn:uuid:d8561da9-3fc0-4729-9213-8e09f22f9a19> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://wtop.com/209/2912307/NYPD-officers-retrained-on-street-stops-policy | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956739 | 258 | 1.882813 | 2 |
“Very few things happen at the right time, and the rest do not happen at all: the conscientious historian will correct these defects.” ~Herodotus, the ancient Greek often called “The Father of History.”
1993: Construction begins on Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
1988: Michael Dukakis is chosen as the Democratic nominee for President.
1987: Fox TV network premieres. The first show is Married With Children.
1974: The world’s tallest building at the time (110 stories), the World Trade Center opens in New York City.
1972: Baseball season debut is delayed due to a strike.
1971: U.S. Lt William Calley is sentenced to life in prison for his role in the Vietnam My Lai killings.
1965: Battle of the musicals. At the Academy Awards My Fair Lady beats Mary Poppins for Best Movie. It’s star Rex Harrison wins Best Actor while Julie Andrews as Mary Poppins is Best Actress. Guess who played opposite Rex Harrison in the stage version of My Fair Lady. Julie Andrews.
1965: Lava Lamp Day is celebrated.
1963: Beatles receive their first Silver Disc – for Please Please Me.
1961: Budding pop music star Barbra Streisand appears on the Jack Paar Show. | <urn:uuid:a6770516-cd7b-4339-aacd-d2a48d14bd52> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.babyboomerdaily.com/2012/04/05/baby-boomer-history-today-14/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00023-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.929244 | 280 | 1.96875 | 2 |
- Measurement of the Force Produced by an Intact Bull Sperm Flagellum in Isometric Arrest and Estimati...
Biophysical Journal, Volume 79, Issue 1, 1 July 2000, Pages 468-478
Kathleen A. Schmitz, Dana L. Holcomb-Wygle, Danial J. Oberski and Charles B. Lindemann
AbstractThe force generated by a detergent-extracted reactivated bull sperm flagellum during an isometric stall was measured with a force-calibrated glass microprobe. The average isometric stall force from 48 individual measurements was 2.5±0.7×10−5dyne (2.5±0.7×10−10N). The force measurements were obtained by positioning a calibrated microprobe in the beat path of sperm cells that were stuck by their heads to a glass microscope slide. The average position of the contact point of the flagellum with the probe was 15μm from the head-tail junction. This average lever arm length multiplied by the measured force yields an estimate of the active bending moment (torque) of 3.9×10−8 dyne×cm (3.9×10−15N×m). The force was sustained and was for the most part uniform, despite the fact that the flagellum beyond the point of contact with the probe usually continued beating. It appears that the dynein motors in the basal portion of the flagellum continue to pull in an isometric stall for as long as the motion of the flagellum is blocked. If dynein motors in the flagellum distal to the contact point with the probe were contributing force to the displacement of the probe, then the flagellar segment immediately past the point of contact would have to show a net curvature in the direction of the probe displacement. No such curvature bias was observed in the R-bend arrests, and only a small positive curvature bias was measured in the P-bend arrests. Our analysis of the data suggests that more than 90% of the sustained force component is generated by the part of the flagellum between the probe and the flagellar base. Based on this premise, the isometric stall force per dynein head is estimated to be 5.0×10−7 dyne (5pN). This equals ∼1.0×10−6 dyne (10 pN) per intact dynein arm. These values are close to the isometric stall force of isolated dynein. This suggests that all of the dynein heads between the base and the probe, on the active side of the axoneme, are contributing to the force exerted against the probe.
Abstract | Full Text | PDF (314 kb)
- Distribution Patterns of Postmortem Damage in Human Mitochondrial DNA
The American Journal of Human Genetics, Volume 72, Issue 1, 1 January 2003, Pages 32-47
M. Thomas P. Gilbert, Eske Willerslev, Anders J. Hansen, Ian Barnes, Lars Rudbeck, Niels Lynnerup and Alan Cooper
AbstractThe distribution of postmortem damage in mitochondrial DNA retrieved from 37 ancient human DNA samples was analyzed by cloning and was compared with a selection of published animal data. A relative rate of damage (ρv) was calculated for nucleotide positions within the human hypervariable region 1 (HVR1) and cytochrome oxidase subunit III genes. A comparison of damaged sites within and between the regions reveals that damage hotspots exist and that, in the HVR1, these correlate with sites known to have high in vivo mutation rates. Conversely, HVR1 subregions with known structural function, such as MT5, have lower in vivo mutation rates and lower postmortem-damage rates. The postmortem data also identify a possible functional subregion of the HVR1, termed “low-diversity 1,” through the lack of sequence damage. The amount of postmortem damage observed in mitochondrial coding regions was significantly lower than in the HVR1, and, although hotspots were noted, these did not correlate with codon position. Finally, a simple method for the identification of incorrect archaeological haplogroup designations is introduced, on the basis of the observed spectrum of postmortem damage.
Abstract | Full Text | PDF (1835 kb)
- The Counterbend Phenomenon in Dynein-Disabled Rat Sperm Flagella and What It Reveals about the Inter...
Biophysical Journal, Volume 89, Issue 2, 1 August 2005, Pages 1165-1174
Charles B. Lindemann, Lisa J. Macauley and Kathleen A. Lesich
AbstractRat sperm that have been rendered passive by disabling the dynein motors with 50μM sodium metavanadate and 0.1mM ATP exhibit an interesting response to imposed bending. When the proximal flagellum is bent with a microprobe, the portion of the flagellum distal to the probe contact point develops a bend in the direction opposite the imposed bend. This “counterbend” is not compatible with a simple elastic beam. It can be satisfactorily explained by the sliding tubule model of flagellar structure but only if there are permanent elastic connections between the outer doublets of the axoneme. The elastic component that contributes the bending torque for the counterbend does not reset to a new equilibrium position after an imposed bend but returns the flagellum to a nearly straight or slightly curved final position after release from the probe. This suggests it is based on fixed, rather than mobile, attachments. It is also disrupted by elastase or trypsin digestion, confirming that it is dependent on a protein linkage. Adopting the assumption that the elasticity is attributed to the nexin links that repeat at 96nm intervals, we find an apparent elasticity for each link that ranges from 1.6 to 10×10−5N/m. However, the elasticity is nonlinear and does not follow Hooke’s law but appears to decrease with increased stretch. In addition, the responsible elastic elements must be able to stretch to more than 10 times their resting length without breakage to account for the observed counterbend formation. Elasticity created by some type of protein unfolding may be the only viable explanation consistent with both the extreme capacity for extension and the nonlinear character of the restoring force that is observed.
Abstract | Full Text | PDF (229 kb)
Copyright © 1978 All rights reserved.
Trends in Neurosciences, Volume 1, Issue 2, 160-163, 1 December 1978
Techniques and their uses
In vivo electrochemical recording — a new neurophysiological approach
a R. N. Adams is Professor of Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, U.S.A.
b Professor of Neurobehavioral Sciences at the Menninger School of Psychiatry, Topeka, Kansas, USA
The neurophysiologist's understanding of the on-going electrical activity in the brain has reached an extremely high state of development. The corresponding knowledge about the dynamic neurotransmitter chemistry of the CNS — which, in fact, produces the electrophysiological signals — is far less advanced. Until a few years ago, postmortem assays were the only means of detecting what was happening biochemically some time earlier in the brain. Even today, the most advanced methods for sampling brain chemicals, such as push-pull cannuloe and ‘cortical cups’, operate with external analyses. What is needed is an in situ microprobe capable of detecting continuously the ebb and flow of neurotransmitter species with a minimum of perturbation to the mammalian brain. The electrochemical approach described here by Ralph Adams is a very limited but promising step in that direction. | <urn:uuid:ab56609f-2a3f-4802-8476-0690ccb401b9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cell.com/trends/neurosciences/abstract/0166-2236(78)90098-X | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00045-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.917901 | 1,645 | 1.765625 | 2 |
|Let's Celebrate Pet Birds!|
T.J. Lafeber D.V.M.
Birds seem to epitomize joy and happiness more than any other animal.
Singing, whistling, lively talking, dancing, spirited activities and friendship represent joy and happiness in the lives of people. Birds characteristically do all these things and so we understand them to be happy animals.
Birds, seem to continuously vocalize that they are doing fine-life is good to them and meant to be enjoyed.
''Whoppee" Given the opportunity pet birds show their happy ways.
Many birds' activities seem to be playful pursuits, and play is almost synonymous with fun and joy. While young birds learn much about their environment and improve their skills through play, adult birds continue the playful habits of youth and enlarge them to include many more games and tricks. Both play and learning continue as long as they live. | <urn:uuid:970b1958-3a6c-447e-b740-21f9735bb50a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.doglogic.com/birds/reference/lafeber/2/joy.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968175 | 191 | 2.796875 | 3 |
What is online grocery shopping?
Online grocery shopping is gaining popularity in the US, but it still has some work to do before it is something that the average American family is able to do.
Photo Credit: Tom Mc Nemar
Are you tired of waiting on long lines at the grocery store? Sick of loading up your car trunk with bags and bags of food? Well, you're in luck. You can give up the grocery carts for good by switching over to online grocery shopping. That right - you can actually shop for groceries in the comfort of your own living room. No need to get dressed and load the baby in the car. Just kick back in your pajamas and sit down in front of your computer. Does this sound too good to be true? Well, in some ways, it is. Grocery shopping online has yet to be perfected in the United States, so there are some downsides. However, if you are lucky enough to live in an area where an online grocer is willing to deliver, it is definitely worth giving it a try.
First things first - before you can decide to make the switch to online grocery shopping, you have to make sure that there is an online grocer that delivers to your area. Unfortunately, there are lots of rural areas that these companies have not yet expanded to. If you live in a big city, there is a good chance that you will be able to find an online grocer. New York City is hands-down the top US city for online grocery shopping, so New Yorkers currently have the widest selection of companies to choose from. If you search for "online grocery shopping" through the search engine of your choice, you will be able to find several results. Currently, the top companies are Peapod and NetGrocer. When you visit an online grocer's website, the first thing that you should do is check that they deliver within your zip code.
Online grocery shopping came about in the US in the mid-1990s during the "dotcom" craze. However, it really didn't take off at the time - consumers weren't yet ready to trust the internet with something as important as their grocery lists. However, now that internet shopping is such an enormously gigantic business, it's no wonder that there is a new buzz around online grocery shopping. If you are going to give it a try (and you have already checked that the company of your choice delivers to your hometown), you should have a high-speed internet connection. Using a dial-up connection will be very slow and frustrating, and you'll end up having to spend more time buying groceries from your home computer than you would probably spend driving to the store as you normally do.
Hopefully some of the American online grocery stores will take a look at the great online grocers that New Zealand has to offer. New Zealand is really at the top of the pack when it comes to high-quality, convenient online grocery shopping. Woolworths in NZ is an absolutely phenomenal online grocer, and they have high-quality produce and vegetables that are just as affordable online as they are in the stores. They offer a huge selection of foods from a wide selection of brands, and there really isn't an American online grocer that even comes close to comparing to their quality and usability. Hopefully, within the next few years, America will catch up! | <urn:uuid:7d1d2f50-0e98-4c30-92f1-9bfd37ed3de4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.happynews.com/living/online/online-grocery-shopping.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975775 | 680 | 1.570313 | 2 |
The families of 29 men killed in the 2010 explosion of Massey Energy's Upper Big Branch mine in southern West Virginia are facing what could be a pivotal day Tuesday, talking to both federal mine-safety investigators and federal prosecutors. The U.S. Attorney's Office is holding a morning teleconference with the families and their lawyers to discuss what prosecutors will only call "significant developments" in the criminal investigation that grew from the deadliest U.S. mine disaster in four decades.
Then at noon, officials with the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration will present the families with the agency's final investigation report on the disaster. The public release of that report is set for later Tuesday in Beaver.
Gary Quarles, whose son Gary Wayne died in the explosion near Montcoal in April 2010, is hoping for criminal indictments.
"Somebody's got to pay for what's been done," he told The Associated Press late Monday.
Quarles, a miner for nearly 40 years and a former Massey employee, had been inside Upper Big Branch and knew his son faced bad conditions every day he went to work. But in the months since the blast, previous MSHA briefings and comprehensive reports by independent investigators and the United Mine Workers of America have revealed "it was worse than what we thought -- a lot worse," he said.
Federal investigators have long blamed a combination of methane gas, coal dust and broken or malfunctioning equipment for the blast. The UMWA, the nation's largest coal miners' union, said last month that conditions were so dangerous that Massey -- now owned by Virginia-based Alpha Natural Resources -- should be prosecuted for "industrial homicide."
MSHA's final report is likely to include a list of specific violations that contributed, but the agency wouldn't comment on the report before its official release.
Alpha, which bought Massey and the Upper Big Branch mine in June, has said it's still reviewing the explosion. The state mine safety office, meanwhile, expects to complete its report by the end of January.
But all the reports so far agree on the mechanics of what happened: Poorly maintained machines cutting into sandstone created a spark that ignited both a small amount of naturally occurring methane gas and a massive accumulation of explosive coal dust. Malfunctioning water sprayers allowed what could have been a small flare-up to become an epic blast that traveled seven miles of underground corridors, doubling back on itself and killing men instantly.
All three also say the explosion could have been prevented or contained. Had the mine been sufficiently dusted with pulverized limestone to render the coal dust inert, the spark wouldn't have had the fuel to propagate.
Vicki Smith, Associated Press | <urn:uuid:cfd4db6b-86ff-4376-bb8d-415baabe531c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nola.com/business/index.ssf/2011/12/families_of_west_virginia_mine.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00058-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970168 | 549 | 1.640625 | 2 |
Colonies of the nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium Nostoc are visible as dark spots in the thallus of the hornwort Dendroceros crispatus.
Nitrogen is essential for plant and animal growth. Nitrogen makes up about 80% of the earths atmosphere, but most organisms cannot use free nitrogen. They must wait until it has been fixed, or chemically transformed, into a more usable form. Cyanobacteria can fix atmospheric nitrogen and all hornworts and many lichens contain cyanobacteria. Once in the lichen or hornwort, the nitrogen can become available to plants and animals in several ways:
- Nitrogen compounds may be leached from the lichen or hornwort.
- Some invertebrates eat the lichens and hornworts and release nitrogen-enriched droppings.
- When the lichen or hornwort dies and decays the nitrogen compounds are released.
Studies in areas from the arctic tundra to the equator have shown that lichens are important nitrogen sources in most ecosystems but the hornwort inputs to ecosystems have been less well studied.
Lichens, Plants and Snail Poo
The harsh Negev Desert in Israel is strewn with limestone boulders, which have nitrogen-fixing lichens growing on them. Various species of land snails feed on the lichens during the night. Once the sun comes up the snails retreat to the sheltered areas under the boulders and release their faeces down there. Research has shown that about 11% of total soil nitrogen inputs in the Central Negev Highlands of Israel come from the snail poo!
Plant seeds that land in the shelter of the boulders have a better chance of growing into mature plants than seeds that germinate in the open. Moreover seeds that germinate near the boulders do so in a nitrogen-enriched area, gaining an extra advantage. There are nitrogen-fixing lichens in the arid areas of Australia, but so far no studies have been done on their interactions with snails or other animals.
This tiny land snail Euchondrus desertorum from the Negev Desert in Israel is only about 12 mm long. It is one of several species that play an important role in the nitrogen cycles in the ecology of this arid area. | <urn:uuid:6fffda23-edc4-442f-b6dd-c1ef27eaf4d4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://anbg.gov.au/cryptogams/underworld/panel-12/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00065-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937821 | 482 | 3.890625 | 4 |
We do not yet know exactly what led a young man to carry a semi-automatic pistol into the lobby of the Family Research Council, a conservative Christian advocacy organization, and to instigate a confrontation that left a security guard with a gunshot wound to the arm. But the suspect's volunteer work for a Washington gay rights group, early eyewitness accounts that he made statements critical of the FRC's mission, and reports that he was carrying a bag of Chick-fil-A — a recent touchstone in the gay marriage debate — have instantly framed his action in a political context.
Although gay rights organizations have been quick to condemn the alleged actions of Floyd Corkins, a 28-year-old Virginian, some on the right have suggested that the Wednesday attack was the result of the demonization of gay marriage opponents. Gary Bauer, a former FRC head, decried "a disturbing level of intolerance and hate aimed at those who share traditional values." A National Organization for Marriage official sought to connect the shooting with the designation of the FRC as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
No matter what Mr. Corkins did or why, an attempt at violence against the FRC is reprehensible and no more representative of the gay rights movement than Jared Lee Loughner's attempted murder of former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was representative of the conservative movement. But if this incident leads to a protracted debate about how groups like the FRC should be labeled, it presents a risk for marriage equality advocates nonetheless.
"Hate group" is a loaded term, and FRC's designation as such has provided an opening for social conservatives to complain that gay rights groups are the ones who are intolerant. But the SPLC did not bestow that dishonor on the group just because it opposes gay marriage. Instead, it lists decades worth of efforts by the group to oppose equal protection under the law for gays and repeated attempts to connect homosexuality with pedophilia. The group relies on politically biased pseudo-science and still subscribes to the widely debunked notion that gays can — and should — be "converted" to heterosexuality.
Those ideas are as false as they are hurtful. But despite the group's influence with some conservative politicians, its has also been left behind by the nation's laws and culture. The Supreme Court has struck down laws against homosexual conduct. The medical establishment has recognized that homosexuality is a natural, inherent and immutable characteristic of a certain percentage of the population. Gay characters and themes in popular culture have become unremarkable, gay public officials are becoming increasingly common, and millions of American families openly love and accept their gay friends and neighbors. The question now is not whether views like those the FRC espouses will prevail — or whether they should even be considered a valid part of the public dialogue — but whether the great multitudes who believe gays should be treated fairly and equally can overcome the last, persistent vestige of legal inequality: marriage.
The analogy between the current gay rights movement and the civil rights movement of the 1950s and '60s is imperfect, but it does provide a useful guide for marriage equality advocates in how they should deal with groups like the FRC. In his Letter from a Birmingham Jail,Martin Luther King Jr.wrote that "the Negro's great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen's Counciler or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to 'order' than to justice." He continued: "Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection."
King did not hesitate to call the evil of outright segregationism by its name, but he recognized that the path to justice was not in the attempt to convince those who could never be convinced. Rather, it was in making explicit the tension between white moderates' beliefs that blacks should be treated equally with the reality of segregation. His non-violent protests forced the nation to recognize the human dignity of those who were being discriminated against.
The SPLC has its own mission and its own criteria for evaluating organizations. Whether it was right in calling the FRC a hate group is not a debate that gay rights leaders need to have; doing so simply provides an opening for those who oppose same-sex marriage to use the deranged actions of an individual to make the conversation about intolerance and hate. Just as it was in King's day, those who are struggling for equality win by making the conversation about love. | <urn:uuid:0441a0cb-0188-4802-804c-82967546e27f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.aberdeennews.com/topic/bs-ed-family-research-council-shooting-20120816,0,3211307.story | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966417 | 922 | 1.515625 | 2 |
CYCLOPS genes an Achilles’ heel in tumors?
The genomic tumult within tumor cells has provided scientists at the Harvard-affiliated Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT with clues to an entirely new class of genes that may serve as an Achilles’ heel for many forms of cancer.
Although most cancer therapy targets genes that cause normal cells to turn cancerous, these new potential drug targets are genes that are essential to all cells, but that have been disrupted as cancer progresses.
“One of the hallmarks of cancer is genomic instability, in which entire sections of chromosomes can be lost or duplicated many times over,” said study co-leader Rameen Beroukhim, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School (HMS) and researcher at Dana-Farber. “The result is that genes residing in those areas are either deleted or significantly over-copied.”
This roiling of the chromosomes often leads to partial loss of essential genes, leaving cancer cells with barely enough of them to survive. Such genes become lifelines for tumor cells. Blocking them with drug molecules is far more likely to harm cancer cells than normal cells.
As reported in the Aug. 17 issue of the journal Cell, the researchers identified 56 such genes, only a few of which had previously been identified as potential targets for cancer therapy.
One way that cancer cells lose these essential genes is in the process of becoming cancerous themselves. When cancer cells lose tumor suppressor genes — which normally act as a brake against runaway cell growth — it’s common for nearby genes to be lost as well, said the study’s co-senior author William Hahn, associate professor of medicine at HMS and director of Dana-Farber’s Center for Cancer Genome Discovery.
The work builds on a theory published nearly 20 years ago by Dana-Farber’s then-physician-in-chief, Emil “Tom” Frei III, who suggested in 1993 that blocking the remaining copies of these neighboring genes would cripple cancer cells’ ability to grow and divide.
At the time, the tools didn’t exist to determine whether the theory was valid. Only now, with the development of genomic technology, were researchers able to put it to the test.
Investigators began by scanning more than 3,100 samples of different types of cancer and found that most were missing copies of genes across wide stretches of the genome. They then analyzed data from Project Achilles, a Dana-Farber research effort that has uncovered hundreds of genes critical to the reproduction of cancer cells.
Researchers combined both sets of data to find instances where the loss of one copy of a gene rendered the remaining copy especially important to the cancer cell. From an initial pool of 5,312 genes, researchers identified 56 that met the desired criteria. They dubbed them CYCLOPS genes (for Copy number alterations Yielding Cancer Liabilities Owing to Partial losS), evoking the mythical giant who was dependent on his one eye rather than the normal complement of two.
When researchers checked to see if any of the CYCLOPS genes were neighbors of missing tumor suppressor genes, as Frei had hypothesized two decades earlier, they found that, indeed, many were. Investigators next surveyed the CYCLOPS genes to see if they have similar or divergent functions within the cell.
“We found that they’re heavily involved in the components of three critical cell structures: the spliceosome, the ribosome — which use genetic information to construct proteins for the cell — and the proteasome, which is a vital protein machine that disposes of unneeded protein material. This suggests that they’re required for cell proliferation or survival,” Hahn said.
When the researchers ranked the 56 CYCLOPS genes by the degree to which the cancer cells were dependent on them, the gene that topped the list was PSMC2. When they administered a PSMC2-blocking agent to mice whose tumors lacked a copy of the PSMC2 gene, the tumors shrank dramatically.
“It was a powerful demonstration of the potential of CYCLOPS genes to serve as targets for cancer therapies,” Beroukhim said.
The fact that CYCLOPS genes are often neighbors of tumor suppressor genes makes them even more attractive as drug targets, the study authors said. Tumor suppressor genes themselves have proven exceedingly difficult to target. In cancers with missing copies of tumor suppressor genes, blocking nearby CYCLOPS genes offers a promising way to dampen cell proliferation.
“This study represents a bringing-together of two approaches to understanding the basic mechanics of cancer,” Hahn said. “One involves research into the effect of gene copy number changes on cancer. The other is a systematic exploration of the function of individual genes. By combining these approaches, we’ve been able to identify a distinct class of cancer-cell vulnerabilities associated with the copy number loss of essential genes.”
Tags: Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cancer, Cancer treatment, Center for Cancer Genome Discovery, Copy number alterations Yielding Cancer Liabilities Owing to Partial losS, CYCLOPS genes, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Dana-Farber’s Center for Cancer Genome Discovery, Emil Frei, Genetics, Harvard Medical School, HarvardScience, Health & Medicine, Journal Cell, Project Achilles, PSMC2, Rameen Beroukhim, William Hahn
Posted in: Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cancer, Cancer treatment, Center for Cancer Genome Discovery, Copy number alterations Yielding Cancer Liabilities Owing to Partial losS, CYCLOPS genes, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Dana-Farber’s Center for Cancer Genome Discovery, Emil Frei, Genetics, Harvard Medical School, HarvardScience, Health & Medicine, Journal Cell, Project Achilles, PSMC2, Rameen Beroukhim, William Hahn | <urn:uuid:3356d7b1-65f8-4dfa-9731-2669b2ac787f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.knock3.com/cyclops-genes-an-achilles-heel-in-tumors/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.929116 | 1,243 | 3.140625 | 3 |
Anyone who loves creative writing and wants to write well can tell you that it’s hard work. I can sweat, open a vein, and/or pound my head against the monitor with the best of them. But like anything worth doing, the more you practice writing, the easier it gets.
In one of the great writing books, Writing Down the Bones, Natalie Goldberg talks a lot about daily writing practice. Pick a word or phrase and just write what comes to mind. It doesn’t matter whether it’s dialogue, scenes, or poetry. You can write from your own memory, from a weird dream, or your neighbor’s soap-opera life. Just not my life – that’s my own story fodder!
I know, I know. Daily writing practice sounds tedious. But it’s actually the chance to write just for the joy of writing. You get to play with words – how they sound, how they go together – without the pressure of writing for publication. Make up your own words. Change a nice word to a naughty one and see where your writing takes you. Get fanciful, without worrying about a scene being to sappy to fit into a story. Let out your inner horror writer.
Note: while your practice writing isn’t for publication, the long-term effect will be to increase your skills and therefore your chances of getting published. Consider yourself warned!
Do you start a story or scene with words tumbling in your head? Does the scene play in your mind visually, like a movie? Is translating it into words on paper as gut-wrenching for you as it is for me? Hmmm . . . on second thought, don’t answer that.
Anyway, the effect of each practice writing exercise is that I you get better at saying what you want to say, better at recording the thoughts or movies in your head. That doesn’t mean your future writing won’t need editing, just that the act of getting the first draft down will become easier. And the more you write, the more your own style of writing begins to come through.
Writing practice doesn’t need to be long. Ten to fifteen minutes on an exercise can be plenty, or you can stretch it out longer if you’re on a roll. But do it every day, and set a timer – you want to stop while it’s still fresh and fun, or you’ll get intimidated and won’t come back for a second time.
Now, you know I like to give writing prompts. But before I get to the list, here’s how the word Thunderstorm might trigger your writing:
- What does a thunderstorm mean to you? Excitement, while you’re safe inside? Clammy fear? Worry about a tornado? Massive flooding?
- Write the inner thoughts of a person watching a thunderstorm.
- Write a scene between two people fighting, with the storm interrupting or accenting their fight.
- Make a list of vivid, concrete words about thunderstorms and people/objects affected by them.
- Write a childhood memory of being caught in a thunderstorm.
Now use similar ideas for the following words and phrases. Get your pen and paper, find a comfy chair, set a timer, and . . . GO!
- Lavender (mentioned in Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones)
- Sand and Surf
- Planting a vegetable garden
- Sharpening pencils
- Shopping with your sister
- Losing weight
- “He who laughs last . . .”
- Favorite uncle
- Moonlight walks
Anything and everything is fair game for practice writing. Create your own list of prompts:
- Type a double- or triple-spaced list of your own, cut it up, and draw one out of a jar each day.
- Read Let Characters Reveal Themselves to see how a fiction workshop did practice writing with dialogue only.
- Find other writing prompts here (check the category cloud in the right sidebar) or on the internet, but feel free to take only the main concept if you don’t like the complete assignment.
After you’ve done a practice-writing session or two, pop back here and let us know how it was! | <urn:uuid:83bc5c32-a452-4410-a8c7-485c34829633> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://jenswritingdesk.jenniferjensen.com/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.91649 | 904 | 1.867188 | 2 |
The tenets of software testing a number of guiding principles that apply to software testing. These software testing tenets document some key obsorvations and learning’s from over the years working as a Test Manager, Principal Consultant and Development Manager for various software development and testing shops. The seven original tenets origionally appeared on this blog as a series of posts written back in 2005. This page links directly to those posts.
- You can’t test everything so you have to focus on what is important.
- If you are going to run a test more than once, it should be automated.
- Test the product continuously as you build it.
- Base your decisions on data and metrics, not intuition and opinion.
- To build it, you have to break it.
- Apart from Test-Driven Development, A developer should never test their own software.
- A test is successful when the software under test fails. | <urn:uuid:e1881604-27a5-4bcc-ad19-7c1fb6cf23b4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.teknologika.com/tenets-of-software-testing/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00071-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.920807 | 193 | 2.125 | 2 |
Art review: Emilie Halpern at Pepin Moore
Emilie Halpern’s new exhibition of sculpture and photography at Pepin Moore is both poetic and diffuse, tracing somewhat mystical connections between astronomy, geography and ancient Egyptian mythology. Halpern has a knack for quiet, elegant pieces that gesture toward larger existential questions, but in this case she seems to be stretching a bit for big ideas that don’t quite come together.
The show is divided into two rooms, one representing the “East” of ancient Egypt, thought to be the birthplace of the sun, and one symbolizing the “West,” or the origin of darkness. This Manichaean scheme is only gleaned from the press release; although the two rooms certainly feel different, the only explicit reference to Egypt is a pair of identical photographs of the top of a pyramid that align to form an inky black diamond — the afterlife mirrored and turned on its head.
This arrangement appears in the “West” or “dark” room, which is far more interesting than its partner. Its works, which all have to do with the moon, stars, stones and meteorites, explore human attempts to impose order on natural phenomena. A scale model of the eponymous constellation, “Big Dipper” is made of rocks suspended from the ceiling at heights corresponding to each star’s distance from Earth. The rocks don’t look like much until one gazes into the mirror on the floor beneath them, where the familiar constellation suddenly materializes. Reflecting an earthly version of our own sky back to us, it’s a lovely distillation of the process of finding meaning in randomness.
It’s too bad the show doesn’t pursue this direction further. The works in the “East” room — including a series of photographs of blue sky arranged from light to dark, shards of gold-coated ceramic, and a framed piece of magician’s flash paper (a kind of potential, artificial sun, I suppose) — feel a bit slight by comparison. They may be intended as a foil to the richer examination next door; the dark side, after all, is always more seductive.
-- Sharon Mizota
Pepin Moore, 933 Chung King Road, L.A., (213) 626-0501, through Oct. 23. Closed Monday through Wednesday. www.pepinmoore.com
Images: "Pyramid" (top) and installation view of "Sunrise" and "Aurum I." Courtesy of the artist and Pepin Moore. | <urn:uuid:8a0ff1c1-ad51-4258-a84f-0bbd89a92da8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2010/10/emilie-halpern-at-pepin-moore.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00054-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936957 | 545 | 1.757813 | 2 |
May 11th, 2012
It ain’t easy being green: Hacking on Nike open data to make sustainability easier for designers
When it comes to materials, it’s pretty obvious that a something like polyester isn’t exactly gentle on the environment. But you know what’s almost as bad? Wool. That’s right. Good old sheep. Well, if you’re not right near them.
But how are apparel designers and furniture makers and other manufacturers supposed to know that? Well a little local apparel company called Nike is hoping to help.
On Saturday, May 19, Nike will be hosting a hackathon that gives developers and visualization types the opportunity to muck with the Nike Materials Sustainability Index, a collection of materials used in Nike products and those materials’ impact—or lack of impact—on the environment.
That’s right. Data on everything from “Should I use natural or synthetic material?” to “Just how bad is wool?”
Why? Well, it’s Nike’s hope that opening this data to the world—data they’ve spent a significant amount of time and money to collect, analyze, and categorize—will help developers find interesting ways to incorporate sustainability metrics into tools that help designers make better choices about the products they’re building. Or maybe even encourage some entrepreneurial types to build whole new tools that improve the way product designers choose materials.
Nike MSI is one of many approaches to evaluate the environmental sustainability of materials and the suppliers that produce them. We have created this forum to capture feedback and new ideas from users and reviewers.
We hope that releasing this framework and data will jumpstart a rich conversation within the footwear and apparel industry. Please participate with questions and comments regarding the value of our approach, ways to improve and build upon Nike MSI, data to populate new materials and a wider variety of supply chains, and the development of a centrally managed, open-source center of excellence that provides access to all.
But it’s not just apparel. It’s any product that uses a recipe of materials. Cars, bikes, airplanes, furniture, architecture… the list goes on and on.
It’s all part of the Nike Better World open data project, a pursuit that begin last year with a bunch of hackers that resulted in Nike hiring Ward Cunningham—inventor of the wiki—as their Data Fellow.
Well, Ward and his peers have been hard at work over the last year. Opening up that materials index data by providing access via an API is one of the results of that effort.
Sound interesting? I thought it might. And I’m sure you’ve already got some interesting ideas percolating about what could be done with that data. As with any hackathon, whatever you come up with is yours. Nike is just hoping the data inspires you to do something interesting. And if you come up with something groundbreaking? Well, it’s highly likely they’ll find ways to encourage you to keep working on it. *nudge nudge* *wink wink*
Besides. When was the last time you had a massive global corporation offering to let you hack on their data?
The event will be held at PIE on May 19 from around 9:30AM to whenever. During the day, Nike will be sharing details about the API, demonstrating a prototype app they’ve built using the data, and then setting folks loose to do what they will with the data. The team that built the API and the app will be on hand to help, as well.
Hashtags: #nike #hackathon #nikebetterworld #nmsi #green | <urn:uuid:33087113-df49-46fa-8c83-f33db24a6335> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://siliconflorist.com/2012/05/11/easy-green-hacking-nike-open-data-sustainability-easier-designers/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.928462 | 776 | 1.992188 | 2 |
Assassinations and Arts/Culture
The influence of assassinations on arts and culture
At first glance, the numerous influences and relations between assassinations and the domains of art and culture stick out. Particularly, the paintings have to be mentioned. One of the most famous assassinations for political and religious causes, the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, brought the painting arts an immense mass of works dealing with this subject. Few artists care for the still controversial exactly historical visualizing of the case, rather Jesus should be shown as a martyr of the Christian believe. French painter Jacques-Louis David had have the same intention when imaging his death friend Jean-Paul Marat in the bathtub. There are more accurate pictures of this deed, but David wanted to draw Marat as a victim of the French revolution. The many theatre plays treating political murders might not be forgotten. The most popular performances include the stabbing of Gaius Julius Caesar and the beheading of Maria Stuart. Besides, there had been a direct influence on a theatre play by the shooting of Abraham Lincoln. The play's name had been the comedy "The American Cousin", performed at Ford's Theatre. Since the businesslike theatre manager told the news about Lincoln's visit at the play, audience as well as assassins knew of the high visitor. The actor John Wilkes Booth who worked at the playhouse spontaneously changed the text of his role to "Sic semper tyrannis" or "The South is avenged" after he had shot Lincoln, jumped onto the stage and escaped. The appearance of cinema techniques led to the movie-making of such exciting events like assassinations. The films of this category repeatedly belong to the most controversial of their genres, especially their historical preciseness. Basically, one have to distinguish between documentaries and feature films whereas the first ones better belong to the category of media. The cultural aspect of features films supremes the one of the documentaries since the directors partially use fictional elements and content. It's remarkable that especially the assassinations of the pre-Christian era and those until the end of the Middle Ages are most abundant under the feature film topics. Well-known visualizings of recent years are the 1992-directed film epic "JFK" by Oliver Stone which re-instigated the rumors about the John F. Kennedy assassination. Besides the re-recording of scenes described by eyewitnesses, he also uses a short fragment of the legendary original film by the amateur Zapruder who captured the bloody attack on celluloid. The next discussed group of arts is music. The US-American rock musician Billy Joel dealt with even four famous political murders in his 1989-published song "We didn't start the fire". All in all, the song tells the worldwide post-war history with catch phrases, without avoiding criticism. Already in the first strophe, he mentions the Rosenberg Case in the same line with the hydrogen bomb. The song's climax can be found in the verse "JFK, blown away, what else do I have to say". Kennedy was shortly named before, as well as the unambiguous hints to the murdered Eichmann and Malcolm X. There's another song dealing with the topic, particularly with a terrorist uprising. The 1983-published song "Sunday, Bloody Sunday" by the Irish rock band U2 tells about the IRA fight against the British occupation. In Irish history, there are two events called "Bloody Sunday": On the one hand the Easter Uprising of April 24, 1916, which had been brutally precipitated by the British after five days, and on the other hand the bloody Sunday of January 30, 1972. This partly violent demonstration by some 30,000 Irish nationalists was also merciless cast down. U2 put this song on their album "war", but it cannot be clearly said which of the days mentioned above is described in the song. At long last, we deal with the statuary. As an example we can refer to the memorial of Empress Elisabeth of Austria-Hungary which had been inaugurated in the Viennese People's Garden in 1907. In analogy to the mysterious assassination of foundling and might-be ruler Kaspar Hauser, a commemorative plaque had been established in the Courtyard Garden of Ansbach (Germany). The pillar's inscription which is still valid today, reads as follows: "Hic occultus occulto occisus est", which means: "Here, a mysterious person was murdered by a mysterious person." | <urn:uuid:fa40a35e-c382-408b-aaa1-9ed9acc1f819> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://library.thinkquest.org/C0111261/pages/inform_society_arts.php?interlang=englisch | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968291 | 904 | 2.71875 | 3 |
(CNN) -- The small, World War II-era plane that crashed Friday during a Reno, Nevada, air race was equipped with data and video recording devices that investigators hope to use to help determine what happened and why.
Seven people, including the pilot, were killed when the plane crashed into spectators at the race, with two others later dying at area hospitals. Close to 70 people were injured.
National Transportation Safety Board member Mark Rosekind on Sunday described this realization, as well as the discovery of information and pieces that may have come from the devices, as "significant new information." It was also not entirely expected, given the size and nature of the P-51 aircraft.
"I'm not aware of a lot of aircraft having it, this is the first one I came across," said Howard Plagens, who is the NTSB official heading the investigation.
Plagens was referring to a "box" that recorded key variables such as altitude, latitude and oil pressure. In addition, there was an outward-facing video camera on the plane, according to Rosekind.
Several memory cards have been found at the wreckage site that may have come from either device, and will be sent to the NTSB laboratory in Washington, D.C., for a full analysis, Rosekind said. They may belong to some of the 200,000 spectators then at the annual National Championship Air Races and Air Show.
Investigators do have a copy of the "box" data, since it was sent in real time by telemetry to sources outside the aircraft.
Besides the cards, Rosekind said parts of a plane's tail, an "elevator trim tab" and video camera fragments have been found.
"There were thousands of pieces of debris," Plagens said, explaining how the site had been laid out in a grid system to help organize the probe.
As with the memory cards, one of the authorities' first goals will be to determine if these came from the plane being piloted by 74-year-old Jimmy Leeward. Countering earlier reports, Rosekind said on Sunday that Leeward did not send a "Mayday call," indicating he was in distress.
Investigators have repeatedly stated that it is not now known why the aircraft nosedived. Some speculation has surrounded the elevator trim tab -- which was breaking apart prior to the crash, a photograph shows.
Besides the plane's trim tab, parts of a tail, the memory cards and already known plane data, investigators also will pore over "a tremendous (amount of) video that was captured" at the scene, according to Rosekind.
While a preliminary report will be available Friday, Rosekind has said the full investigation could take six to nine months.
"It's not just what happened, it's why it happened," he said Sunday. "(We're) trying to make sure this doesn't happen again."
Meanwhile, the crash's toll became clearer Sunday as more of those killed were identified.
Besides Leeward, the dead include Michael Joseph Wogan, a 22-year-old from Phoenix who was attending the event with his father as part of a father-and-son vacation, his family said in a statement. His father, William, was "seriously injured," the statement said.
Wogan was diagnosed at an early age with muscular dystrophy, and was wheelchair-bound his entire life. However, his 19-year-old brother James Wogan said in the family statement, "He was about moving past that and always driven toward independence. Michael liked to get out and travel, and he was so excited about getting on a plane as part of this trip."
Michael Wogan graduated magna cum laude from Arizona State University with a finance degree in May, his family said. He had operated a web development company and was in the process of developing a second business.
Memorial service details were pending, the statement said.
Also identified Sunday were George and Wendy Hewitt, members of Cascade EAA Warbirds Squadron 2. The Hewitts were killed when the plane crashed into the seating area, said R.D. Williams, a spokesman for the squadron.
According to its website, the squadron aims to "promote and encourage the preservation and operation of World War II and other such aircraft that are representative of military aviation operations" along with educating people on safely operating and maintaining such aircraft. The plane that crashed Friday -- dubbed the "Galloping Ghost" -- was one such plane dating from that era.
Several witnesses have portrayed Leeward -- a real estate developer from Ocala, Florida -- as a hero because he appeared to manuever the plane away from the crowded grandstands at the last moment.
He went down around 4:15 p.m. PT Friday while taking part in a qualifying round in the "unlimited class" division of the air race, said Mike Draper, the show spokesman. The final rounds, which had been slated for the weekend, were cancelled.
"This is the first time in 40 years, I think, that we've had a visitor injured or killed," Reno Mayor Bob Cashell told reporters Saturday. "We've lost some pilots, but we've never had a major catastrophe."
One local hospital, Renown Medical Center, received 34 patients, four of whom were in critical condition as of Sunday afternoon. Two patients -- a male and a female -- died, the hospital said Friday.
Dr. Mike Morkin, the medical director of emergency services at the hospital, was on duty when the call about the crash came in Friday.
"The severity of this accident was the worst I've seen since I've been at Renown," Morkin, a 16-year veteran at the hospital, said.
Renown South Meadows Medical Center received and discharged five patients, the hospital said Saturday.
St. Mary's Hospital in Reno said it had accepted 28 patients from the accident: As of Sunday afternoon, two were in critical condition and six in serious condition. The remainder have been released.
CNN's Divina Mims contributed to this report. | <urn:uuid:8996b32c-08b3-4454-ab2b-826a48cbd6b8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/09/18/nevada.plane.crash/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00061-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.986914 | 1,257 | 1.90625 | 2 |
People of Northwest Public Radio
Our Northwest Energy
Tue November 10, 2009
Experts Question Hanford’s Waste Treatment Plant, Now That Yucca Mountain Is Not An Option
RICHLAND, Wash. - The Obama Administration says it plans to appoint a blue ribbon panel soon to determine the fate of the nation's radioactive waste. For years now the waste at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation has been destined for a deep hole in Nevada's Yucca Mountain. But as he promised in his campaign, President Obama stripped funding for Yucca. Now, Hanford officials are wondering where all the high-level waste in Washington State will go. Richland Correspondent Anna King reports.
The Hanford Nuclear Reservation is home to 53 million gallons of radioactive sludge and chemicals. Right now that witch's brew is held in leak-prone, underground tanks just miles from the Columbia River. The plan is to turn that gunk into 15-foot glass logs.
We're here at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's glass lab in Richland. A lab technician is using a metal spatula to break up a piece of blue-green glass that's cooling. Gary Smith is one of the scientists looking for just the right glass that will bind up Hanford's radioactive sludge. He says it's like matching a lock and key. You have to have the right kind of glass for the environment that you plan to put it in.
Gary Smith: “Lot of engineering. So you have to understand the geologic environment and then tailor your waste forms, and engineered containers and systems to contain the waste.”
Anna King: “So one depends on the other.”
Gary Smith: “Yeah. The site that you pick dictates what you want to do with the waste form, the containers, the engineered barriers, etc.”
Well, here's the problem. For years, scientists like Smith have been working to tailor their glass to match the environment of Yucca Mountain. The government has spent billions dollars so far studying Yucca. And Hanford's building a 12.2 billion-dollar glass making plant. Blue prints have been drawn. Concrete has been poured. All for a plant that now might not be designed to make the right kind of glass. That's because under the Obama administration it looks like Yucca Mountain is not going to be the national nuclear waste repository any longer. And if not Yucca, where?
This uncertainty prompted Congressman Doc Hastings to write a letter to the administration, asking where is the promised blue ribbon panel? The Washington Republican says Secretary Chu said last spring the work would start immediately.
Doc Hastings: “Well, we are obviously now well into the administration and we have seen absolutely no activity on when this blue ribbon commission is going to be picked, or who's going to be on it, or what they are going to look at when the commission is formed.”
Hastings says it's folly to wait. He estimates that it will take a blue ribbon panel at least two years to come to any consensus or decision – and then those options will have to be studied.
That's fine with state officials in Nevada. Marta Adams is the state's chief deputy attorney general. She's been fighting against Yucca Mountain for more than 10 years. She says the site was chosen because Nevada was politically weak at the time.
Marta Adams: “Come to Nevada and we're going to stick it in the ground where there's active volcanoes and more water than they ever imagined. I mean it's just crazy. I don't know the answer, but I do know that Yucca Mountain is not the place to put it.”
Adam's cause got a big boost when Nevada's Senator Harry Reid became majority leader and an important supporter of President Obama. But finding another nuclear repository beyond Nevada's borders is a political hot potato. What state wants to become a repository for the nation's nuclear waste? Not Washington State according to Tom Carpenter, from the Seattle-based watchdog group Hanford Challenge.
Tom Carpenter: “What happens if Hanford becomes the offsite waste repository? Even though we are the de-facto repository for some types of waste, we should not become the repository for the rest of the nation's waste as well. This is not the right place for that.”
This tension has made for strange bedfellows. Critics like Carpenter and Hanford officials rarely agree. But they do on this next point. Erik Olds is from the Department of Energy. He says policy makers and workers at Hanford have to keep their eye on the near-term goal.
Erik Olds: “The risk today is the waste in the tanks. The waste is sitting in tanks, some of them were constructed in the early 1940s. They were never meant to be a long term storage solution or storage units for this type of material. We need to get the waste out of those tanks and we need to get it immobilized in a high quality waste form like glass as soon as possible. And when it's in glass it can't easily move out into the environment.”
Back at the glass lab in Richland, scientists continue their trials. And at Hanford's vitrification plant, construction workers keep building the facility to convert 53-million gallons of waste into glass logs. But where all this glass will go isn't exactly clear.
Copyright 2009 Northwest News Network | <urn:uuid:9fd45a95-4fc9-4736-8b51-f24d75925963> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://nwpr.org/post/experts-question-hanford%E2%80%99s-waste-treatment-plant-now-yucca-mountain-not-option | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00073-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958088 | 1,119 | 2.359375 | 2 |
Joanelle Mulrain grew up on the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, Florida, USA. Following a penchant for archaeology and ancient history, she obtained a degree in Fine Arts, and studied the Mayan culture in Mexico. Her professional career began in retail, continued for 20 years as an executive in healthcare, then into politics while working for a U.S. Senator in Washington, DC, where her love of art and nature’s seasons flourished. There she began consulting through Mulrain Resource Group (strategic planning, marketing communications, outreach).
Mulrain moved back to Jacksonville and started to paint again after 30 years. She picked up her camera once again and began her nature photography, and wrote a book, “Re-Rooting: Life’s Journey,” now in Special Collections at the University of North Florida (Amazon.com). The dual images – the heron and cattails – inspired her and, subsequently, became the logo and signature images. Her work offers a radiant palette of bold colors balanced in a spiritual and calming manner. Photo essays now include "The Little Monks of Bhutan" and the "Zachariah Kingsley Plantation Suite." Her commune with nature is evident as she visually asks the viewer to participate with her in this journey through nature on canvas and paper and share her deep understanding of the importance of sustaining our ecosystems while protecting and preserving our natural environment for generations to come. An adventurous spirit, Mulrain and her oldest son crewed the HMS Bounty tall ship from Jacksonville to South Street Seaport, New York; later they summited Mount Kilimanjaro; and he recently reached Mount Everest Base Camp 2.
Her work appears in many private collections, and she continues to participate in one-woman as well as group shows. When the Karpeles Library Manuscript Museum offered her a show, she immediately focused on their upcoming exhibit of Florence Nightingale manuscripts. Her vision was to create an important suite of paintings to complement the Museum's exhibit. As she began to research Miss Nightingale, she was further inspired when she came upon a 1890 phonograph recording in the British Library Sound Archive. Soon her research brought her to the Library of Congress (Washington, DC) and to England (The Florence Nightingale Museum, British Army Museum, Lea Hurst, and Claydon House), as well as meeting the inspirational Dr. Jean Watson, this millennium’s nursing pioneer. This personal journey also broadened into a blog www.thenursinginspirationproject.com asking nurses to “share their story” in 1,000 words or less why they chose nursing as their life’s work. She hopes to print a coffee table book in 2011 with the top 100 stories.
Mulrain presently resides in Jacksonville with her two sons, Jeffry Arthur Mulrain/24 and John Wood Mulrain/18. She is a member of the National League of American Pen Women (Washington DC), National Museum of Women in the Arts (Washington, DC), and The National Arts Club (New York, NY).
Mulrain was profoundly inspired by Florence Nightingale as a beacon of hope and a bright light in the world for those who have chosen the profession of nursing as their calling and has enjoyed this experience as well as her new collection of Nightingale ephemera, part of the traveling exhibit. This exhibit is dedicated to the Artist's mother, the late Nelle Beryl Rucker Wood, R.N., and her late mother-in-law, Mina Larson Mulrain, an artist.
For information of the artist go to Great Blue Heron Studios.
For information on the original traveling Exhibit, the entire/partial suite, suite of prints, or speaking engagements, please email firstname.lastname@example.org.
©2009 Mulrain Resource Group - All Rights Reserved - Jacksonville, Florida USA | <urn:uuid:9779ac39-077c-4648-afc5-c5e9cef258b8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://florencenightingaleexhibit.com/about-Joanelle-Mulrain.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00058-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954611 | 803 | 1.804688 | 2 |
The primary role of diet is to provide sufficient nutrients to meet the nutritional requirements of an individual. There is now increasing scientific evidence to support the hypothesis that some foods and food components have beneficial physiological and psychological effects over and above the provision of the basic nutrients. Today, nutrition science has moved on from the classical concepts of avoiding nutrient deficiencies and basic nutritional adequacy to the concept of "positive" or "optimal" nutrition. The research focus has shifted more to the identification of biologically active components in foods that have the potential to optimise physical and mental well being and which may also reduce the risk of disease. Many traditional food products including fruits, vegetables, soya, whole grains and milk have been found to contain components with potential health benefits. In addition to these foods, new foods are being developed to enhance or incorporate these beneficial components for their health benefits or desirable physiological effects.
2. What are functional foods?
The concept of functional foods was born in Japan. In the 1980s, health authorities in Japan recognised that an improved quality of life must accompany increasing life expectancy for the expanding number of elderly people in the population if health care costs were to be controlled. The concept of foods that were developed specifically to promote health or reduce the risk of disease was introduced.
Functional foods have not as yet been defined by legislation in Europe. Generally, they are considered as those foods which are intended to be consumed as part of the normal diet and that contain biologically active components which offer the potential of enhanced health or reduced risk of disease. Examples of functional foods include foods that contain specific minerals, vitamins, fatty acids or dietary fibre, foods with added biologically active substances such as phytochemicals or other antioxidants and probiotics that have live beneficial cultures (see Annex).
As interest in this category of foods has grown, new products have appeared and interest has turned to the development of standards and guidelines for the development and promotion of such foods.
3. Why do we need functional foods?
Consumer interest in the relationship between diet and health has increased substantially in Europe. There is much greater recognition today that people can help themselves and their families to reduce the risk of illness and disease and to maintain their state of health and well being through a healthy lifestyle, including the diet. Ongoing support for the important role of foods such as fruits and vegetables and wholegrain cereals in disease prevention and the latest research on dietary antioxidants and combinations of protective substances in plants has helped to provide the impetus for further developments in the functional food market in Europe.
Trends in population demographics and socio-economic changes also point to the need for foods with added health benefits. An increase in life expectancy, resulting in an increase in the number of elderly and the desire for an improved quality of life, as well as increasing costs of health care, have stimulated governments, researchers, health professionals and the food industry to see how these changes can be managed more effectively. There is already a wide range of foods available to today's consumer but now the impetus is to identify those functional foods that have the potential to improve health and well-being, reduce the risk from, or delay the onset of, major diseases such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer and osteoporosis. Combined with a healthy lifestyle, functional foods can make a positive contribution to health and well being.
4. How is the area of health claims regulated?
Many academic, scientific and regulatory organisations are actively working on ways to establish the scientific basis to support claims for functional components or the foods containing them. Any regulatory framework will need to protect consumers from false and misleading claims and to satisfy the needs of industry for innovation in product development, marketing and promotion. For functional foods to deliver their potential public health benefits, consumers must have a clear understanding of, and a strong confidence level in, the scientific criteria that are used to document health effects and claims.
Japan has led the world in this area. In 1991, the concept of Foods for Specified Health Use (FOSHU) was established. Foods identified as FOSHU must be approved by the Minister of Health and Welfare after the submission of comprehensive science-based evidence to support the claim for the foods when they are consumed as part of an ordinary diet.
In the European Union, there is no harmonised legislation on health claims, which means that they are dealt with at a national level. The challenge in the EU Member States, under the existing regulatory framework, is to communicate messages that avoid any reference to reducing the risk of disease, even if the scientific evidence supports such statements. European labelling legislation prohibits attributing to any foodstuff the property of preventing, treating or curing a human disease or referring to such properties. In the absence of a Directive on health claims, EU Member States have applied different interpretations of the existing labelling legislation. At the same time, there is broad consensus that health claims must be properly substantiated to protect the consumer, to promote fair trade and to encourage academic research and innovation in the food industry.
Over the last decade, starting in Sweden, a number of initiatives have been taken in order to facilitate the use of health claims, including the adoption of guidelines and codes of practice in the various Member States of the EU, including Sweden, The Netherlands and UK, the latter with the Joint Health Claims Initiative (JHCI). In most of these countries, a partnership of industry experts, enforcement authorities, consumer groups and scientists have been involved in drawing up the rules for the scientific justification, communication and presentation of health claims.
In the USA, "reduction of risk of disease" claims have been permitted since 1993 for certain foods. Health claims are authorised by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on the basis of "the totality of publicly available scientific evidence and where there is significant scientific agreement amongst qualified experts that the claims are supported by the evidence". Although manufacturers may use health claims to market their products, the FDA's stated intention is that the purpose of health claims is to benefit consumers by providing information on healthful eating patterns that may help reduce the risk of disease such as heart disease and cancer. The FDA announced that claims can also be based on "authoritative statements" of a Federal Scientific Body, such as the National Institutes of Health and Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as from the National Academy of Sciences.
What are the latest CODEX developments on the use of health claims on foods?
Codex Alimentarius is a joint programme between UN Organisation for Food and Agriculture (FAO) and Health (WHO), for setting food standards. It gains authority from its role in world trade, since countries that are developing new legislation as the basis for that legislation often use Codex standards. Discussions in Codex are at an early stage and the key areas that require more work before a consensus is reached include reduction of disease risk claims, the need for scientific substantiation and labelling issues.
5. European legal framework of functional foods and health claims
5.1. FUFOSE concerted action
Because of increasing interest in the concept of "Functional Foods" and "Health Claims", the European Union set up a European Commission Concerted Action on FunctionalFood Science in Europe (FUFOSE). The programme was coordinated by the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) Europe and the aim was to develop and establish a science-based approach to the evidence needed to support the development of food products that can have a beneficial effect on an identified physiological function in the body, that can improve an individual's state of health and well-being and/or reduce the risk of disease. The FUFOSE project looked at six areas of science and health: growth, development and differentiation, substrate metabolism, defence against reactive oxidative species, functional foods and the cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal physiology and function, and the effects of foods or behaviour and psychological performance. The final document was published in the British Journal of Nutrition.
The report takes the position that functional foods should be in the form of normal foods and they must demonstrate their effects in amounts that can normally be expected to be consumed in the diet. A functional food can be a natural whole food, a food to which a component has been added, or a food from which a component has been removed by technological or biotechnological means. It can also be a food in which the nature of one or more components has been modified, or a food in which the bioavailability of one or more components has been modified, or any combination of these possibilities. A functional food may be targeted at the whole population or for particular groups, which may be defined, for example, by age or by genetic constitution.
The EU Concerted Action supports the development of two types of health claims relevant to functional foods, which must always be valid in the context of the whole diet and must relate to the amounts of foods normally consumed.
1. TYPE A: "Enhanced function"claims that refer to specific physiological, psychological functions and biological activities beyond their established role in growth, development and other normal functions of the body.
This type of claim makes no reference to a disease or a pathological state, e.g. certain non-digestible oligosaccharides improve the growth of a specific bacterial flora in the gut; caffeine can improve cognitive performance.
2. TYPE B "Reduction of disease-risk"claims that relate to the consumption of a food or food component that might help reduce the risk of a specific disease or condition because of specific nutrients or non-nutrients contained within it (e.g. folate can reduce a woman's risk of having a child with neural tube defects, and sufficient calcium intake may help to reduce the risk of osteoporosis in later life).
5.2. Validation of claims and safety aspects
The FUFOSE conclusions and principles need to be implemented. Therefore, a new EU Commission Concerted Action programme, the Process for the Assessment of Scientific Support for Claims on Foods (PASSCLAIM) project is aiming to resolve some of the ongoing issues of validation, scientific substantiation of claims and communication to the consumer.
The project started with and will build upon the principle that "enhanced function" and "reduced risk of disease" claims should be based on well designed studies using appropriately identified, characterised and validated biomarkers. PASSCLAIM aims to establish common criteria to assess the scientific substantiation of health-claims, providing the framework to prepare scientific dossiers supporting claims. The PASSCLAIM Consensus Document will assist those making claims, those who regulate claims and it will also improve the credibility of claims for consumers. This integrated strategy will generate more consumer confidence in the science base related to claims on foods and will better address the concerns of consumers.
Although there is no European legislation regarding safety of functional foods as such, the food safety aspects are already covered by existing EU regulations. However, foods with health claims must consider the overall dietary significance, including the amount and frequency of consumption, any potential interactions with other dietary constituents, any impact on metabolic pathways and potential for adverse effects, including allergy and intolerance factors.
Functional foods offer great potential to improve health and/or help prevent certain diseases when taken as part of a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle. The subject of health claims is becoming increasingly important and there is broad consensus that there needs to be a regulatory framework in the EU that will protect consumers, promote fair trade and encourage product innovation in the food industry. The research opportunities in nutrition to explore the relationship between a food or a food component and an improved state of health and well-being, or reduction of disease, present the greatest challenge to scientists now and in the future. The communication of health benefits to consumers is also of critical importance so that they have the knowledge to make informed choices about the foods they eat and enjoy.
- Functional Food Science in Europe. (1998). British Journal of Nutrition, 80(1):S1-S193.
- Scientific Concepts of Functional Foods in Europe: Consensus Document. (1999). British Journal of Nutrition, 81(1):S1-S27.
- European Commission Community Research (2000) Project Report: Functional food science in Europe, Volume 1; Functional food science in Europe, Volume 2; Scientific concepts of functional foods in Europe, Volume 3. EUR-18591, Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, L-2985, Luxembourg.
- ILSI Europe Concise Monograph: Concepts of Functional Foods. To be published August 2002.
- Ashwell, M. (2001). Functional foods: a simple scheme for establishing the scientific basis for all claims. Public Health Nutrition, 4:859-863.
- Committee of experts on Nutrition Food Safety and Consumer's Health (1999). Ad hoc Group on Functional Food, Council of Europe.
Examples of functional foods
|FUNCTIONAL FOOD ||ACTIVE FOOD COMPONENT ||TARGET FUNCTION |
|Yogurts, sugar ||Probiotics: Foods with beneficial live cultures as a result of fermentation or that have been added to improve intestinal microbial balance, such as Lactobacillus sp. Bifidobacteria sp |
Prebiotics: A non-digestible component that has beneficial affects by stimulating the growth of bacteria in the colon. Examples include inulin and oligofructose.
|Optimal intestinal function and intestinal microbial balance |
|Margarines ||Added plant sterols and stanols esters ||Decreased LDL-cholesterol (bad cholesterol) |
Decreased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD)
|Omega-3 fatty acids enriched eggs ||Omega-3 fatty acids ||Control of hypertension, lipids metabolism | | <urn:uuid:b603b571-fd64-4b9f-b9ac-0d5ede1e4b86> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.eufic.org/article/en/page/BARCHIVE/expid/basics-functional-foods/?lowres=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943412 | 2,794 | 3.8125 | 4 |
Autopsies, also known as necropsies or postmortem examinations, are performed by anatomic pathologists who dissect corpses to determine the cause of death and to add to medical knowledge. "Autopsy," from the Greek autopsia, means seeing with one's own eyes.
Greek physicians performed autopsies as early as the fifth century B.C.E. ; Egyptian physicians used them to teach anatomy between 350 and 200 B.C.E. ; and doctors with the Roman legions autopsied dead barbarian soldiers. In 1533 the New World's first autopsy supposedly determined whether Siamese twins had one soul or two. In 1662 the Hartford, Connecticut, General Court ordered an autopsy to see if a child had died from witchcraft (she died of upper airway obstruction). Into the early twentieth century, many physicians performed autopsies on their own patients, often at the decedent's residence.
In the twenty-first century, pathologists perform nearly all autopsies. After at least four years of pathology training (residency), anatomic pathologists spend an additional one to two years becoming forensic pathologists. These specialists are experts in medicolegal autopsies, criminal investigation, judicial testimony, toxicology, and other forensic sciences.
While autopsies are performed primarily to determine the cause of death, they also ensure quality control in medical practice, help confirm the presence of new diseases, educate physicians, and investigate criminal activity. Modern medicine does not ensure that physicians always make correct diagnoses. More than one-third of autopsied patients has discrepancies between their clinical and autopsy diagnoses that may have adversely affected their survival. By identifying treatment errors, autopsies also helped clinicians develop the methods in use today to treat trauma patients. Society also benefits from autopsies; for example, between 1950 and 1983 alone, autopsies helped discover or clarify eighty-seven diseases or groups of diseases.
Who Gets Autopsied?
Whether or not people are autopsied depends on the circumstances surrounding their deaths, where they die, their next of kin, and, in some cases, their advance directives or insurance policies. For many reasons, pathologists in the United States now autopsy fewer than 12 percent of nonmedicolegal deaths. Less than 1 percent of those who die in nursing homes, for example, are autopsied.
Medical examiners perform medicolegal, or forensic, autopsies. The 1954 Model Post-Mortem Examination Act, adopted in most U.S. jurisdictions, recommends forensic examination of all deaths that (1) are violent; (2) are sudden and unexpected; (3) occur under suspicious circumstances; (4) are employment related; (5) occur in persons whose bodies will be cremated, dissected, buried at sea, or otherwise unavailable for later examination; (6) occur in prison or to psychiatric inmates; or (7) constitute a threat to public health. Many also include deaths within twenty-four hours of general anesthesia or deaths in which a physician has not seen the patient in the past twentyfour hours. They can order autopsies even when deaths from violence are delayed many years after the event.
Not all deaths that fall under a medical examiner's jurisdiction are autopsied because they generally work within a tight budget. Approximately 20 percent of all deaths fall under the medical examiner/coroner's purview, but the percentage that undergoes medicolegal autopsy varies greatly by location.
In the United States, medical examiners autopsy about 59 percent of all blunt and penetrating trauma deaths, with homicide victims and trauma deaths in metropolitan areas autopsied most often. Some states may honor religious objections to medicolegal autopsies, although officials will always conduct an autopsy if they feel it is in the public interest. In 1999 the European Community adopted a comprehensive set of medicolegal autopsy rules that generally parallel those in the United States.
While medical examiner cases do not require consent, survivors, usually next of kin, must give their permission before pathologists perform a nonmedicolegal autopsy. A decedent's advance directive may help the survivors decide. Survivors may sue for damages based on their mental anguish for autopsies that were performed without legal approval or that were more extensive than authorized; monetary awards have been relatively small.
Autopsy permission forms usually include options for "complete postmortem examination," "complete postmortem examination—return all organs" (this does not include microscopic slides, fluid samples, or paraffin blocks, which pathologists are required to keep), "omit head," "heart and lungs only," "chest and abdomen only," "chest only," "abdomen only," and "head only." Limitations on autopsies may diminish their value.
U.S. military authorities determine whether to autopsy active duty military personnel. Some insurance policies may give insurance companies the right to demand an autopsy, and Workman's Compensation boards and the Veterans Administration may require autopsies before survivors receive death benefits.
Consent is not required for autopsies in some countries, but families may object to nonforensic autopsies. When individuals die in a foreign country, an autopsy may be requested or required upon the body's return to their home country (even if it has already been autopsied) to clarify insurance claims or to investigate criminal activity.
College-educated young adults are most likely to approve autopsies on their relatives. Contrary to popular wisdom, the type of funeral rite (burial vs. cremation) a person will have does not affect the rate of autopsy permission, at least in the United States. Although most people would permit an autopsy on themselves, the next of kin or surrogate often refuses permission based on seven erroneous beliefs:
- Medical diagnosis is excellent and diagnostic machines almost infallible; an autopsy is unnecessary.
- If the physician could not save the patient, he or she has no business seeking clues after that failure.
- The patient has suffered enough.
- Body mutilation occurs.
- An autopsy takes a long time and delays final arrangements.
- Autopsy results are not well communicated.
- An autopsy will result in an incomplete body, and so life in the hereafter cannot take place.
Increasingly, however, survivors contract with private companies or university pathology departments to do autopsies on their loved ones because they either could not get one done (e.g., many hospital pathology departments have stopped doing them) or they do not accept the results of the first examination.
Religious views about autopsies generally parallel attitudes about organ or tissue donation. They vary not only among religions, but also sometimes within religious sects and among co-religionists in different countries. The Bahá'í faith, most nonfundamentalist Protestants, Catholics, Buddhists, and Sikhs permit autopsies. Jews permit them only to save another life, such as to exonerate an accused murderer. Muslims, Shintos, the Greek Orthodox Church, and Zoroastrians forbid autopsies except those required by law. Rastafarians and Hindus find autopsies extremely distasteful.
Complete autopsies have four steps, including inspecting the body's exterior; examining the internal organs' position and appearance; dissecting and examining the internal organs; and the laboratory analysis of tissue, fluids, and other specimens. In medicolegal cases, an investigative team trained in criminal detection first goes to the death scene to glean clues from the position and state of the body, physical evidence, and the body's surroundings. They also photograph the body, the evidence, and the scene for possible use in court.
The first step in the autopsy is to examine the corpse's exterior. Pathologists carefully examine clothing still on the body, including the effects of penetrating objects and the presence of blood or body fluid stains, evidence most useful in medicolegal cases. They use metric measurements (centimeters, grams) for the autopsy records and the U.S. system of weights and measurements for any related legal documents. Disrobing the body, they carefully examine it for identifying marks and characteristics and signs of injury or violence. They scrape the corpse's nails, test the hands for gunpowder, and collect any paint, glass, or tire marks for future identification. The pathologist also tries to determine the number, entry, and exit sites of gunshot wounds. Radiographs are frequently taken.
In the second step, pathologists open the thoracoabdominal (chest-belly) cavity. The incision, generally Y-shaped, begins at each shoulder or armpit area and runs beneath the breasts to the bottom of the breastbone. The incisions join and proceed down the middle of the abdomen to the pubis, just above the genitals. The front part of the ribs and breastbone are then removed in one piece, exposing most of the organs. Pathologists then examine the organs' relationships to each other. They often examine the brain at this stage. To expose the brain, they part the hair and make an incision behind the ears and across the base of the scalp. The front part of the scalp is then pulled over the face and the back part over the nape of the neck, exposing the skull. They open the skull using a special high-speed oscillating saw. After the skull cap is separated from the rest of the skull with a chisel, the pathologist examines the covering of the brain (meninges) and the inside of the skull for signs of infection, swelling, injury, or deterioration.
For cosmetic reasons, pathologists normally do not disturb the skin of the face, arms, hands, and the area above the nipples. For autopsies performed in the United States, pathologists rarely remove the large neck vessels. However, medical examiners must examine areas with specific injuries, such as the larynx, in possible strangulation cases. In suspected rape-murders, they may remove reproductive organs for additional tests.
In the third step, pathologists remove the body's organs for further examination and dissection. Normally, pathologists remove organs from the chest and belly either sequentially or en bloc (in one piece, or "together"). Using the en bloc procedure allows them to release bodies to the mortician within thirty minutes after beginning the autopsy; the organs can be stored in the refrigerator and examined at a later time. Otherwise, the entire surgical part of an autopsy normally takes between one and three hours. During the en bloc procedure, major vessels at the base of the neck are tied and the esophagus and trachea are severed just above the thyroid cartilage (Adam's apple). Pathologists pinch off the aorta above the diaphragm and cut it and the inferior vena cava, removing the heart and lungs together. They then remove the spleen and the small and large intestines. The liver, pancreas, stomach, and esophagus are removed as a unit, followed by the kidneys, ureters, bladder, abdominal aorta, and, finally, the testes. Pathologists take small muscle, nerve, and fibrous tissue samples for microscopic examination. Examining and weighing the organs, they open them to check for internal pathology. They remove tissue fragments anywhere they see abnormalities, as well as representative pieces from at least the left ventricle of the heart, lungs, kidneys, and liver.
Pathologists remove the brain from the skull by cutting the nerves to the eyes, the major blood vessels to the brain, the fibrous attachment to the skull, the spinal cord, and several other nerves and connections. After gently lifting the brain out of the skull and checking it again for external abnormalities, they usually suspend it by a thread in a two-gallon pail filled with 10 percent formalin. This "fixes" it, firming the tissue so that it can be properly examined ten to fourteen days later. (Bone is rarely removed during an autopsy unless there is suspected to be injury or disease affecting it.) Pathologists then sew closed any large incisions.
Step four, the most time consuming, consists of examining minute tissue and fluid specimens under the microscope and by chemical analysis. Medical examiners routinely test for drugs and poisons (toxicology screens) in the spinal fluid, eye fluid (vitreous humor), blood, bile, stomach contents, hair, skin, urine, and, in decomposing bodies, fluid from blisters. Pathologists commonly test infants with congenital defects, miscarried fetuses, and stillborns for chromosomal abnormalities, and fetuses and infants, as well as their placenta and umbilical cords, for malformations suggesting congenital abnormalities.
After an autopsy, pathologists usually put the major organs into plastic bags and store them in body cavities unless they have written permission to keep them. Medical examiners must keep any organs or tissues needed for evidence in a legal case. Medical devices, such as pacemakers, are discarded. They routinely keep small pieces of organs (about the size of a crouton) for subsequent microscopic and chemical analysis. National standards require that "wet tissue" from autopsies be held for six months after issuing a final autopsy report, tissue in paraffin blocks (from which microscope slides are made) must be kept for five years, and the slides themselves along with the autopsy reports must be retained for twenty years.
After completing the autopsy, pathologists try, when possible, to determine both a "cause of death" and the contributing factors. The most common misconception about medicolegal investigations is that they always determine the time of death. The final autopsy report may not be available for many weeks. The next of kin signing a routine autopsy authorization need only request a copy of the report. In medical examiners' cases, if they do not suspect suspicious circumstances surrounding the death, next of kin need to request the report in writing. When the autopsy results may be introduced into court as evidence, a lawyer may need to request the report.
Forensic pathologists also perform autopsies on decomposing bodies or on partial remains to identify the deceased and, if possible, to determine the cause and time of death. Pathologists usually exhume bodies to (1) investigate the cause or manner of death; (2) collect evidence; (3) determine the cause of an accident or the presence of disease; (4) gather evidence to assess malpractice; (5) compare the body with another person thought to be deceased; (6) identify hastily buried war and accident victims; (7) settle accidental death or liability claims; or (8) search for lost objects. In some instances, they must first determine whether remains are, in fact, human and whether they represent a "new" discovery or simply the disinterment of previously known remains. This becomes particularly difficult when the corpse has been severely mutilated or intentionally misidentified to confuse investigators.
Anderson, Robert E., and Rolla B. Hill. "The Current Status of the Autopsy in Academic Medical Centers in the United States." American Journal of Clinical Pathology 92, Suppl. 1 (1989):S31–S37.
Brinkmann, Bernard. "Harmonization of Medico-Legal Autopsy Rules." International Journal of Legal Medicine 113, no. 1 (1999):1–14.
Eckert, William G., G. Steve Katchis, and Stuart James. "Disinterments—Their Value and Associated Problems." American Journal of Forensic Medicine & Pathology 11 (1990):9–16.
Heckerling, Paul S., and Melissa Johnson Williams. "Attitudes of Funeral Directors and Embalmers toward Autopsy." Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine 116 (1992):1147–1151.
Hektoen, Ludvig. "Early Postmortem Examinations by Europeans in America." Journal of the American Medical Association 86, no. 8 (1926):576–577.
Hill, Robert B., and Rolla E. Anderson. "The Autopsy Crisis Reexamined: The Case for a National Autopsy Policy." Milbank Quarterly 69 (1991):51–78.
Iserson, Kenneth V. Death to Dust: What Happens to Dead Bodies? 2nd edition. Tucson, AZ: Galen Press, 2001.
Ludwig, Jurgen. Current Methods of Autopsy Practice . Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders, 1972.
Moore, G. William, and Grover M. Hutchins. "The Persistent Importance of Autopsies." Mayo Clinic Proceedings 75 (2000):557–558.
Pollack, Daniel A., Joann M. O'Neil, R. Gibson Parrish, Debra L. Combs, and Joseph L. Annest. "Temporal and Geographic Trends in the Autopsy Frequency of Blunt and Penetrating Trauma Deaths in the United States." Journal of the American Medical Association 269 (1993):1525–1531.
Roosen, John E., Frans A. Wilmer, Daniel C. Knockaert, and Herman Bobbaers. "Comparison of Premortem Clinical Diagnoses in Critically Ill Patients and Subsequent Autopsy Findings." Mayo Clinic Proceedings 75 (2000):562–567.
Start, Roger D., Aha Kumari Dube, Simon S. Cross, and James C. E. Underwood. "Does Funeral Preference Influence Clinical Necropsy Request Outcome?" Medicine Science and the Law 37, no. 4 (1997):337–340.
"Uniform Law Commissioners: Model Post-Mortem Examinations Act, 1954." In Debra L. Combs, R. Gibson Parrish, and Roy Ing eds., Death Investigation in the United States and Canada, 1992 . Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1992.
Wilke, Arthur S., and Fran French. "Attitudes toward Autopsy Refusal by Young Adults." Psychological Reports 67 (1990):81–91.
KENNETH V. ISERSON | <urn:uuid:daf3e37d-414e-43ff-9f58-562150c28c4e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.deathreference.com/A-Bi/Autopsy.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00053-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.917976 | 3,730 | 3.640625 | 4 |
Despite less than stellar job growth over the past few years, college graduates remain in demand. In fact, employers plan to hire 19.5 percent more 2011 college graduates than they did in 2010, which is up nearly 6 percent since 2009-2010, according to a recent Job Outlook study by the National Association of Colleges and Employers.
Despite less than stellar job growth over the past few years, college graduates remain in demand. In fact, employers plan to hire 19.5 percent more 2011 college graduates than they did in 2010, which is up nearly 6 percent since 2009-10, according to a recent Job Outlook study by the National Association of Colleges and Employers. But today's job market is not your parents' job market. Huge demographic and employment trends are changing the way America works, and would-be employees will need to remain flexible. Here are some tips to help you stay on top of the career market:
- Expect to change jobs numerous times in your career. In today's career world, job stability does not always equal job security. The U.S. Department of Labor Statistics reports that the average person born in the latter half of the baby boom has held an average of 11 jobs, and that three-fifths of those job changes occurred between the ages of 18 and 27.
- Know where the jobs are. "Our nation is experiencing huge demographic and economic changes, which are creating major shifts in the types of jobs available today," says Veronica Tarango, director of education at Everest College-West Los Angeles. "Students should prepare themselves for a changing job market." In particular, even though the U.S. economy is expected to grow by 10 percent between 2008-18, these jobs will not be evenly distributed across all industries, according to Bureau of Labor statistics. In fact, projections show a substantial decline in manufacturing positions, while service-providing industries are expected to add 14.5 million jobs to the economy in the coming years.
- Consider going back to school for additional career training. Today's job market requires that employees keep their skills current, and as a result, more and more adults are going back to school. The Bureau of Labor Statistics' occupational projections show that jobs requiring some form of post-secondary education will have greater growth through 2018 than those without. | <urn:uuid:e8df1ae3-9e76-49d2-95aa-e1d8263a8593> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mpnnow.com/community/blogs/biz-bits/x354106439/Career-trends-every-student-should-know-about | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00057-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966211 | 466 | 2.171875 | 2 |
LONDON - SEPTEMBER 27: Bars of confectionary are seen on display in a newsagent on September 27, 2004 in London. Larger sized chocolate snack bars are to be shelved to reduce portion sizes as one of seven pledges in the first Manifesto for Food and Health by the Food and Drink Federation. The document comes ahead of a Department of Health White Paper due in the autumn. (Photo by Bruno Vincent)
Decoding genomes, DNA testing and examining germplasm all sound like heady stuff, perhaps related to curing cancer or some other deadly disease. But for a group of scientists in Miami, it's all about chocolate.
Biochemists and plant geneticists in South Florida have been hard at work studying chocolate and where it comes from, in the hopes that decoding the cacao genome might help everyone from farmers to candy bar cravers.
This Saturday, at the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden's International Chocolate Festival in Coral Gables, geneticist Dr. Raymond Schnell will discuss his chocolatey research, according to the Miami Herald.
Schnell and his group of scientists have been working with the Mars Candy Company for the past ten years to identify specimens of cacao. The hope is that by decoding the genes, it could make it easier to breed better chocolate, which will grow faster and be more resistant to weather and pests.
Maybe after they figure out the whole chocolate thing, there'll be time for diabetes research. | <urn:uuid:f2e60515-ec01-40c7-b98a-ccc3ab605191> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/Sweet-Science-SoFla-Geneticists-Making-Better-Chocolate--83251217.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00048-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940132 | 297 | 2.890625 | 3 |
Fleischmann Planetarium and Science Center
- Type: Museums
- Time to Spend: 2 hours to Half Day
|About these ratings|
Casinos aren't the only places with dazzling light displays in Reno; there's also the Fleischmann Planetarium and Science Center. Located on the University of Nevada campus just north of downtown Reno, this attraction offers all the usual planetarium activities with star-gaze and space-age educational programs to boot (in fact, many agree that this is a good choice for travelers with kids). The Fleischmann Planetarium also boasts a variety of hands-on exhibits and enlightening films.
There are some who mention that the facility could use a face-lift, however. As one recent visitor tells Yelp.com, "The displays could use some updating, but working with limited funds, the planetarium does the best it can." When it comes to the star viewings and the films, visitors recommend that you get there early, since seating is limited.
The Fleischmann Planetarium and Science Center is open every day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with extended evening hours on Fridays and Saturdays. General admission is free, but you will have to pay a few bucks to see the films. For more information, visit the planetarium's website. | <urn:uuid:196f30c9-4857-401f-819c-760637c55ffa> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://travel.usnews.com/Reno_NV/Things_To_Do/Fleischmann_Planetarium_and_Science_Center_62113/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00061-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.924757 | 271 | 1.625 | 2 |
Some say he was the greatest warrior in history, building an empire that extended from Europe to Africa and on to India and Central Asia. In a stirring narrative, famed historian John Gunther tells the story of Alexander the Great who, at only age 21, became King of Macedonia and set off on a 12-year journey to conquer the known world and extend the boundaries of Greek civilization. Gunther takes us from Alexander's boyhood to his victory over the Persian Empire, and, in vivid detail, describes Alexander's battles, as well as the palace intrigues that surrounded him.
- Type: Hardcover ()
- Category: > Home Schooling
- ISBN / UPC: 9781402745195/1402745192
- Publish Date: 4/1/2007
- Item No: 96222
- Vendor: Sterling Publications Co. Inc. | <urn:uuid:1738efb9-4dcf-43fa-9096-e2ba34c47fb7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.c28.com/products/books-home-schooling-alexander-the-great-96222/?iadid=sn-booksbible-homeschool-subject-biography | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00055-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.915415 | 176 | 2.796875 | 3 |
I have a pan of brownies sitting on my counter. I keep an eye on what I eat, but that doesn't mean that I can't eat a sweet or two. The problem that I run into is that it's hard to decide just how much brownie I can have. I've looked around, but I haven't found any helpful information. One recipe suggested that 1/20 of a pan is the appropriate serving size for a brownie. However, I'm not going to spend my time dividing a pan that precisely.
When it comes to solar these days, it's go big or go home.
Utilities are being pushed to use more renewable energy, heating up the business of large-scale solar power. (Click here for related photo gallery.)
There are competing designs for utility-scale solar farms. By concentrating light to make steam, some designs use heat to generate electricity. In parallel, other companies concentrate light onto photovoltaic cells to generate electricity.
The latter, known as concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) systems, may make more sense in a broader set of geographies, compared with concentrating solar thermal. Both forms of concentrating solar power are … Read more
A few days ago we ran an item noting the faux pas of giving a Wii Fit as a Mother's Day gift and suggested sarcastically that a scale be included to round out the package (pun intended). Some disagreed with our post and, we fear, may actually make matters worse by doing just that.
For those misguided souls we have another unsolicited suggestion: Rather than a scale used to weigh Mom, here's one for the kitchen instead that's a little more subtle. Tanita's stainless steel KD-400 is supposedly the Cadillac of kitchen scales, "designed to … Read more
It's not often that we have one of those why-didn't-I-think-of-that moments at Crave, but this is definitely an exception. That's probably why we just write about inventions instead of create them and retire.
The idea behind the aptly named "Spoon Scale" is as useful as it is disarmingly simple: Just scoop what you think you need and let the integrated digital meter do the fine-tuning. Showing immediate results on its built-in LCD, this battery-powered scooper is purportedly accurate to "down to the last 1⁄10 gram," according to OhGizmo--and, thankfully, can be programmed … Read more
Every now and again, we'll come across a piece of technology that works just fine, does exactly what it's supposed to, and yet, and yet... Something about it just isn't right. We can't put our finger on why, but even thinking about it makes us feel a bit funny. This is technology that's just... wrong.
Crave UK has highlighted, in no particular order, some of the inventions that we could happily live without, and would in fact prefer if they'd never been invented. We've placed each wrongosity onto our patented "Scale of … Read more
We should have seen this one coming after learning of Matsushita's plans to make slimmed-down massage chairs. Now another Japanese company has developed what appears to be the ultimate fat-analysis machine.
Tokyo-based Tanita--whose slogan is "the body fat experts"--has gone well beyond its bevy of smart scales to produce "a precise electronic, abdominal fat meter that can measure the amount of fat deep inside of you, even around your organs," according to Popgadget. The AB-101 does seem more civilized than being assaulted by those inhumane calipers, but it still looks like a cross between … Read more
There may yet be a day when the ubiquitous treadmill is replaced by the Wii at the gym, and the first step could very well be on the Wii Fit. The machine, as you'll recall, senses the movement of your entire body using a device that resembles a scale. And, like a scale, it can insult you by breaking if you weigh too much.
There was a relatively small acquisition on Tuesday: nCipher, a U.K.-based encryption specialist, purchased storage encryption appliance vendor NeoScale Systems. This could be looked at as basic industry consolidation, but the impact could ripple further.
Encryption and, more specifically, key management really needs a set of standards to prosper and grow. Key management standards must include standard ways to connect encrypting devices to key managers, key managers to key managers, and so on. There are a few nascent standards efforts in this area, but nothing concrete.
Here's how this niche merger could impact the stalemate. nCipher has … Read more
If you live in Kansas, the Japanese obsession with earthquake-detection devices might seem a bit insane. But we can guarantee they'll be of interest to anyone from California or other parts of the world where fault lines run free.
Usually, the gadgets we've seen claim to give some kind of early warning--and are therefore of dubious value. The unpronounceable "GraGraph," however, seems more realistic: It supposedly indicates the Richter-scale strength of a temblor as it's occurring in real time, according to SCI FI Tech. That's something people might actually buy, as evidenced by … Read more | <urn:uuid:3d1900c0-1f35-422c-b7e2-c498d9500cd2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://news.cnet.com/8300-5_3-0-7.html?keyword=scale | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00056-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96448 | 1,095 | 2.234375 | 2 |
|FHWA > Engineering > Construction > Quality > FHWA-HIF-07-012 > Concrete Pavement Technology Program Introduces New and Improved Tools for Pavements|
Highway Quality Compendium
Concrete Pavement Technology Program Introduces New and Improved Tools for Pavements
Since 1999, the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) Concrete Pavement Technology Program (CPTP) has conducted research on improved methods of using concrete pavement in the construction, reconstruction, and repair of Federal-aid highways. More than 30 research projects centering around the following six focus areas have been initiated under CPTP: advanced pavement design, improved concrete materials, improved construction processes, repair and rehabilitation, workforce training, and enhanced user satisfaction. Products resulting from this research that are now available or soon to be released include software, concrete materials guidelines, and construction management tools.
The Total Environmental Management for Paving (TEMP) software system, for example, can be used to monitor temperatures in newly placed pavements to determine the appropriate times to open the pavement to traffic. TEMP combines temperature, maturity, and strength predictions into a single measurement system that can be accessed on a project site or remotely with a handheld or laptop computer, providing instant feedback on pavement temperature and concrete strength development. "The strength prediction system is mature and implementable now for pavement applications," says Shiraz Tayabji of Construction Technology Laboratories, Inc. (CTL), which has been overseeing CPTP product implementation for FHWA. The software is expected to be released in 2005.
The new concrete materials guidelines resulting from the CPTP cover rapid repair and rehabilitation techniques. One example is a set of techniques for using precast concrete pavement to perform full-depth repairs of existing concrete pavements and to rehabilitate or reconstruct existing pavements. The goal is to minimize user delays by reducing the time needed for project repairs or rehabilitation, while ensuring a quality product. The full-depth precast repair technique has been demonstrated in several States to date, including Colorado, Michigan, and Virginia. The precast pavement system developed for use in rehabilitation or reconstruction incorporates prestressed panels and has been demonstrated in Texas and California. Several other States, including Indiana and Missouri, are looking at holding demonstration projects for precast paving.
Construction management tools researched under CPTP include a variety of products, from procedures to actual hardware. One promising piece of technology recently reviewed is known as MIT Scan-2. This new device is based on principles of magnetic pulse induction. The CPTP research project tested its usefulness in evaluating dowel bar placement in concrete pavements and found it to be reliable, efficient, and accurate. The device rides on tracks as it is pulled across fresh or hardened concrete and can be used to determine the position and orientation (vertical and horizontal alignment) of all dowels in a joint in a single pass. Preliminary results are available almost immediately. Developed in Germany, the scanner's algorithms and user interface have been adapted for U.S. conditions. The device is available commercially and is already in use in Europe.
CPTP has also developed 2-day workshops on high-performance, long-life concrete pavements. Workshops available are:
Each workshop incorporates innovative concrete pavement technologies and research findings that have resulted from CPTP projects. To schedule a workshop in your State or region, or to have a condensed version of the workshop presented in conjunction with a conference or meeting, contact Sam Tyson at FHWA, 202-366-1326 (email: email@example.com).
CPTP's current technology transfer effort is scheduled to run through 2005. FHWA is developing a long-term plan to continue existing research and expand the program, with funding potentially coming from a consortium of Federal, State, and industry sources.
Reprinted from Focus, December 2004. | <urn:uuid:3b5527db-201c-4ea6-af47-9e875be1bfba> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/construction/pubs/hif07012/27.cfm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.91888 | 790 | 2.25 | 2 |
Sterling has introduced Cellular Frames for Doors and Windows for the first time in Pakistan, with the use of its Technical Ability. Please click below for further details
The merits of cellular frames
1.Cellular Frames are made out of mature and seasoned Rep Maple Wood.
2.These frames are made after removing the major knots by using the Finger Jointing Technique. This process has reduced the wastage of wood, as well as price, without compromising strength and quality.
3.Usually 3 or 4 mm plywood is used on these frames, but we use ¾`` plywood or solid wood planks on these frames and it becomes the integral part of the frame, thus making it a lot more durable than normal frames. (Extra item.)
4.Both the side rails of the Cellular Frame have an inner groove so that it can the concrete and hence becomes the integral part of the masonry / concrete wall.
5.The frames are chemically treated and are immune to insect attack. (Extra item.)
6.The Company has designed special D-Type holdfasts for these frames to have a permanent grip with the masonry. (Extra item)
7.The above-mentioned technique has made the frames more durable and much cheaper as compared to conventional frames. | <urn:uuid:ad444864-62e9-4661-84d6-7d379445c6fb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://sterling.com.pk/cellular.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00069-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.931161 | 261 | 1.804688 | 2 |
Dr. Max Morgan and his clinic staff are participating with the University of Utah in a study to help patients and doctors team up to manage health concerns. The clinic is currently helping patients to use a Web site that interacts directly with the clinic and allows patients to request medication refills, e-mail their doctor, or even have an "e-visit." Patients can use this secure web site, called DirectMD, to maintain their "Personal Health Record," listing their medications, medical problems, past medical history, and anything they want to share with their doctor.
"I think it will really be a good program, it saves a lot of time," said Shelly Millring, the office manager at Dr. Morgan's practice in Price who has about 50 people signed up for the program.
Dr. Morgan and his staff believe that patients who can communicate easily with their doctor can become a real partner in their health care.
This electronic personal health record allows patients to keep up to date health information. No more, "I can't remember what pills I take," or trying to remember what year you had your appendix removed. All of that information is available by accessing your personal health record on the Web site using a secure password. Also, this is a free service offered by Dr. Morgan's clinic through his participation in the project with the University of Utah in partnership with a Utah-based medical software developer, CaduRx.
T. Adam Callahan, PA-C, who works with Dr Morgan, says, "A few of my patients have already signed up with DirectMD. It's really great to see the information each patient has shared with me through the Web site. It keeps me more informed on their current health status." | <urn:uuid:344a0801-5ccd-42c3-82ab-b6908d884309> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sunadvocate.com/print.php?tier=1&article_id=16876&poll=233&vote=results | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973067 | 353 | 1.65625 | 2 |
Import Policy and Information by Product
Policy on Importation of Drugs (1998)
Information on Importation of Drugs
Prepared by the Division of Import Operations and Policy, FDA
The United States Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (Act) (21 U.S.C. section 331) prohibits the interstate shipment (which includes importation) of unapproved new drugs. Thus, the importation of drugs that lack FDA approval, whether for personal use or otherwise, violates the Act. Unapproved new drugs are any drugs, including foreign-made versions of U.S. approved drugs, that have not been manufactured in accordance with and pursuant to an FDA approval. Under the Act, FDA may refuse admission to any drug that "appears" to be unapproved, placing the burden on the importer to prove that the drug sought to be imported is in fact approved by FDA. Absent evidence that the specific drugs sought to be imported from a foreign country/area have been manufactured pursuant to an approved new drug application, in the manufacturing facility permitted under the application, such drugs would appear to be unapproved new drugs subject to FDA enforcement action.
The use of FDA resources to provide comprehensive coverage of unapproved new drugs imported for personal use is generally not justified, however, the agency developed guidance in its Regulation Procedures Manual (RPM) entitled "Coverage of Personal Importations" (copy enclosed). This guidance sets forth the agency's enforcement priorities related to the personal importation of unapproved new drugs, with enforcement being focused on products apparently intended for the commercial market and on fraudulent products and those that pose an unreasonable health risk. The guidance recognizes that circumstances may exist where, for example, a person has begun treatment with an unapproved drug in a foreign country/area or suffers from a condition for which there exists no FDA approved treatment. If such circumstances can be substantiated, as the text of the guidance quoted below notes, the guidance suggests that refraining from taking action against the illegal importation, in the exercise of enforcement discretion, may be appropriate. The guidance document is not, however, a license for individuals to import unapproved (and therefore illegal) drugs for personal use into the U.S., and even if all the factors noted in the guidance are present, the drugs remain illegal and FDA may decide that such drugs should be refused entry or seized. Similarly, the factors noted in the guidance, and documentation that should be obtained from individuals importing the drugs, are not mandatory requirements. They are intended to guide FDA enforcement discretion and should not be represented as binding requirements. The statements in the RPM are intended only to provide operating guidance for FDA personnel and are not intended to create or confer any rights, privileges, or benefits on or for any private person.
That said, FDA's guidance for coverage of personal importations of unapproved drugs identifies several factors that should be considered by FDA personnel when determining whether to exercise enforcement discretion and refrain from taking action against the importation of unapproved drugs. The General Guidance Section states that FDA should consider not taking enforcement actions against such importation:
"when 1) the intended use [of the drug] is unapproved and for a serious condition for which effective treatment may not be available domestically either through commercial or clinical means; 2) there is no known commercialization or promotion to persons residing in the U.S. by those involved in the distribution of the product at issue; 3) the product is considered not to represent an unreasonable risk; and 4) the individual seeking to import the product affirms in writing that it is for the patient's own use (generally not more than 3 month supply) and provides the name and address of the doctor licensed in the U.S. responsible for his or her treatment with the product or provides evidence that the product is for the continuation of a treatment begun in a foreign country/area." (Emphasis added)
The above guidance does not specify that a U.S. citizen may import an unapproved drug only with a prescription from a U.S. licensed physician, or that a foreign citizen may import an unapproved new drug only with a foreign prescription. Rather, to ensure that the importation is for personal use only (and not for resale), and to ensure that the use of the unapproved new drug sought to be imported into the U.S. is supervised and does not represent an unreasonable risk, the guidance provides that the individual affirm in writing that the drug is for his or her personal use, and provide either the name and address of the U.S. licensed physician who will supervise its use or some evidence that the treatment was begun in a foreign country/area and that the drugs are being imported to continue/conclude the already begun treatment. Thus, while not the only documentation, either a U.S. or foreign prescription, along with an affirmation of personal use, could be supplied as evidence that this factor exists.
The guidance also provides that the importation should generally not represent more than a 3 month supply of the unapproved products. The purpose for this provision is in keeping with the intent that the guidance relate to only drugs for personal use, not commercial distribution. As the document sets forth only guidance, the 3 month limitation is not a "requirement" or a "restriction." If an individual presents evidence that he or she requires more than a 3 month supply for the full treatment of his or her illness, and it appears that the reordering of a one or two month additional amount may be inappropriate, FDA may consider the release of the full amount. Similarly, if a foreign traveler to the U.S. seeks to import unapproved drugs during his or her stay in the U.S., the amount sought to be imported should represent the amount needed for personal use during the U.S. visit. Where the evidence appears to indicate that the drugs may be imported for commercial distribution, the guidance provides that FDA should refuse admission of such drugs.
It must be emphasized that the intent of the personal use importation guidance is to save FDA resources and to generally permit, through the exercise of enforcement discretion, medical treatments sought by individuals that are not otherwise available in the United States (where such treatments are not promoted/commercialized in the U.S.). Thus, foreign-made chemical versions of drugs available in the U.S. are not intended to be covered by the policy. For example, a person may decide that his or her FDA approved heart medication is cheaper in Mexico, and attempt to import the unapproved version of the drug from Mexico. FDA cannot assure that such products have been properly manufactured and are effective; therefore, given that such products are available in the U.S., their use would present an unreasonable risk and the guidance would not apply (unless the person seeking their importation could establish that the drugs were needed to refill a prescription while traveling or were otherwise needed while traveling).
Likewise, a drug such as Valium is available in the U.S. and, as such, a foreign-made version of the U.S. approved drug would not generally be considered a candidate to be permitted entry under the guidance. However, because the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) may have specific requirements that apply to the importation of controlled substances such as Valium, FDA's guidance on personal importations specifically provides that controlled substances should be returned to Customs for handling.
FDA will not approve a particular form or format for information to accompany personal use shipments, or approve any scheme proposed to facilitate the importation of an unapproved new drug, because to do so would be to imply that such importation meets FDA's personal importation guidance and is legally permitted.
Congress has the power to determine which articles may be permitted importation into the United States from a foreign source and the terms upon which the importation will occur. An article subject to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act is still in "interstate commerce" even if it is purchased before being shipped across state lines. This is true even if the article is intended solely for personal consumption. Therefore, the Act properly regulates personal articles imported into the United States for personal consumption. The Act also prohibits the importation into the United States of any unapproved new drug.
We appreciate that there is a significant cost differential between drugs available here and those in other countries/areas. However, many drugs sold in foreign countries/areas as "foreign versions" of approved prescription drugs sold in the United States are often of unknown quality with inadequate directions for use and may pose a risk to the patient's health. FDA approves a drug on the basis of scientific data proving it to be safe and effective. FDA approved labeling provides information on how and when the drug can be used to maximize effectiveness and minimize any harmful side effects. The manufacturing facilities and procedures for approved products are also carefully regulated by FDA to ensure product integrity. Since FDA cannot assure the consumer that the drug purchased in the foreign country/area would be the same product his or her physician's prescription is written for, we recommend the product covered by the prescription be acquired in the United States.
drafted: Marvin A. Blumberg, HFC-170, 4/3/98 | <urn:uuid:daa835dc-d394-4ce4-8b48-906bb701ee84> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.fda.gov/ForIndustry/ImportProgram/ImportPolicyandInformationbyProduct/default.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00069-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948428 | 1,876 | 1.640625 | 2 |
From about the early 1930s until the mid 1990s beer was quite boring. It was produced much like any other commercial industrialized product: on a large scale, for the least overhead as possible, and with little concern for the quality of the final product.
This was the Age of the Macro Lagers. Before this age beer production was too small and decentralized to be industrialized, and after this time consumers finally snapped out of the spell of slick marketing.
This age was a period of beer production focused on a product so lifeless, so completely devoid of flavour that eventually all the other lagers out there got upset, had a meeting, and kicked the macros into a oft-ignored sub-category: Pale Lager.
Actual Pale Lagers then said “The fuck?!” and promptedly re-kicked macros into the newly minted American-style Pale Lager category and there they’ve been stuck ever since.
But all that’s over, right? Starting in the mid-80s, and really getting steam in the mid-90s, Craft Beer has emerged and we’re done with macros! The 60-odd years of Macro Dominance will be remembered as a curiosity, as a short period when humanity didn’t like good beer for whatever reason.
No, not really. Good beer is only just starting the process of waking up. The problem is that we just don’t grasp how huge the macros were, and how huge they remain today. They didn’t just reshape beer and the population’s attitude towards beer, but they reshaped the entire process of brewing beer itself.
When craft brewers had finally had enough, and wanted to produce something different, they had a problem. The only products available on the market to make beer with were focused on making huge vats of pale, insipid lager. I’m not just talking equipment, either.
Barley and Hops had also become a manufactured product focused on lager production. If you were a barley producer in 1960s you had a choice: grow beautiful barley that maybe the bakery down the might buy, but no one else, or plant a specific version of crappy barley you could sell to the brewery all in one go. Coincidentally bakeries started sucking around this time too.
In fact, because they bought so much product, the macros controled barley and hops production to such a large degree that even today many commericially available blends of both bear the name “Coors” or “Anheuser Busch.” Yes, they had so much buying power that farmers bred out the flavour to impress the macros (or more specifically, bred out certain enzymes so the macros could use more corn… seriously. How messed is that?).
Thus enters our inteprid craft brewer in the summer of 1984. He opens a brewing catelogue to order product for his amazing beer and it quickly becomes apparant that all he can make on a commercial scale is maybe a decent pale ale. Or perhaps a bitter, which is basically a pale ale with more hops.
And that’s what we got: better made, and definitely hoppier, beer but even this slight difference changed things. Hops suppliers noticed this minor increase in demand for their product (which was not exactly ordered by the tonne by macros), and they started playing around. They started planting older varieties that the macros wouldn’t buy. They started importing new varieties that had never been grown here. They even started cross breeding new varieties that had never existed before.
This caused the hops explosion of the late 1990s and early 2000s, and we’re still reaping the benefits today (mostly because it’s still the early 2000s). New and fantastic hop strains are streaming into the market, and today’s newer hoppy beers bear very little ressemblence to the “same thing, just bitter-er” ales of even just ten years ago.
Barley growers have alse taken notice of this trend (but also of the steadily increasing price of high grade barley), and now we’re starting to see the emergence of barley farms growing malting barley specifically for the craft brewing industry, and on a large scale.
This is only a recent development, and I suspect it will be some time before we start seeing the high-quality malt-forward ales that will be the natural result of such a trend, but trust me, they’re coming. This might take a while, though, because high-proof malty ales are exactly the sort of thing you want to stick in a barrel for a few years before releasing in your fancy cork & wiretop bottles, but when they show up I’ll be the first in line to buy ‘em.
As I tell anyone who will listen: this is an exciting time to be a craft beer fan. The industry is changing rapidly, and thanks to the exponential growth of the craft beer-drinking consumer base, the rate of change will only accelerate.
The craft beer we have today has little resemblence to the craft beer we had ten years ago–it’s much better and more varied. I can only believe this will continue. | <urn:uuid:2f67438e-93ba-4e7a-9798-1a3f65d4b493> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://barleymowat.com/2012/10/22/beer-slowly-wakes-up/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00043-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972071 | 1,092 | 1.59375 | 2 |
By GREG JORDAN
Bluefield Daily Telegraph
Children climb off the school bus and wait until driver Mary Taylor gives them the thumbs up signal, telling them it’s okay to cross the road. Taylor, other school bus drivers and the West Virginia State Police are asking other motorists to use just as much caution when students are getting on and off school buses.
This week is National School Bus Safety Week, so state troopers have been riding aboard school buses — and following them — to help catch drivers who ignore stop signs that the buses deploy when students are getting off or climbing aboard.
Trooper J.L. Morris of the state police detachment near Princeton rode Taylor’s school bus Wednesday while Trooper S.R. Moore followed in a police cruiser. If anybody drove through the bus’s stop sign, Morris was ready to relay the information to Moore.
School bus drivers flash yellow warning lights before stopping and swinging out their stop signs. Motorists must stop until the lights cease flashing and the sign is pulled back, Morris said.
“It’s a good practice to stay stopped until you see the bus start moving,” Morris advised. “Because the bus won’t start moving until the bus driver sees that all of the students are out of the way.”
Taylor took her vehicle out of the parking lot and headed for Courthouse Road. The first stop was Glenwood School. Seeing a driver go through the stop sign is an almost daily occurrence.
“I’m glad you’re doing this today,” she told the trooper sitting behind her. “With our luck, we won’t see one today, but we sometimes get five or six a week.”
During one recent incident, a man talking on a cell phone pulled his pick-up truck — which was hauling a trailer — toward the bus while children were getting off. Taylor honked her horn to get his attention. Startled, he shrugged and moved on.
Counting the daily runs to Glenwood and transporting Princeton Senior High School students, Taylor estimated that she drives 189 students to and from school every day.
Parents waiting at Glenwood School said they have seen drivers trying to beat school bus stop signs.
“The lights will come on and people will be trying beat the stop sign,” said Terri Ellison, 30, of Princeton. “I’m just scared that some kids had to walk across the street.”
While stopping to drop off a little girl on Route 20, a car stopped suddenly just short of the sign.
“See? If she hadn’t seen him (trooper), she would have gone on,” Taylor said.
Bus driver Darrell Cook said Mercer County started a “thumbs up” program two years ago. Children waiting to cross a road are told to wait until the bus driver gives them the thumbs up signal to go ahead.
“It’s been a pretty good program,” he said.
Unfortunately, children do not always remember to follow this rule, and there is only so much a bus driver can do to keep them safe, Taylor added.
“It’s an awful feeling,” she said after some children safely crossed the road. “When I’m up here, I’m helpless as to what I can do. The drivers in Mercer County do their part to keep the kids safe. I’d like to encourage the public to do the same.” | <urn:uuid:56642216-0803-4149-88af-bee53ec88d64> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://bdtonline.com/local/x1400198396/Trooper-rides-on-school-bus-to-promote-safety/print | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964604 | 739 | 1.984375 | 2 |
For nearly 25 years, American Peptide has manufactured high-quality peptides. The company started in 1987 as a contract manufacturer of custom and catalog peptides in Sunnyvale, CA, and in 2002, opened a 34,000 sq. ft. facility in Vista, CA, that specializes in manufacturing cGMP and pharmaceutical-grade peptides. The company was acquired by Japan’s Otsuka Chemical in 2008, but operates under its original name.
In the last three years alone, American Peptide has produced 20,000 peptides, and 200 of them have progressed to be active pharmaceutical ingredients (API). “We have extensive experience in manufacturing milligram to multikilogram quantities and in conjugation and PEGylation technologies,” says organic chemist Firuz Shakoori, director of sales.
The company continues to develop new peptides, as well as new ways to conjugate and label peptides for research and clinical use. Among the new products in the upcoming 2012–2013 catalog will be a synthetic phalloidin. This bicyclic, 7-amino acid peptide toxin binds specifically at the interface between F-actin subunits, where it stabilizes actin filaments, promotes actin polymerization, and blocks the conversion of F-actin polymers to G-actin monomers.
Phalloidin originally was isolated from the poisonous mushroom Amanita phalloides. The synthetic phalloidin is conjugated to biotin or fluorescent dyes to precisely label actin filaments. Researchers use phalloidin to study cellular processes involving actin, such as tumor formation, neurodevelopment, birth defects, and tissue regeneration. “The synthetic form is easier to use and cheaper to work with than natural phalloidin,” says Shakoori.
Custom peptides labeled with heavy isotopes are another expanding area. Researchers use heavy isotopes to identify and develop novel biomarkers for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen, three elements naturally abundant in proteins, exist in light and heavy forms. For instance, 13C has the same number of protons and electrons as 12C and behaves the same chemically, yet it has one extra neutron that makes it heavier. Similarly, 2H and 15N are heavy isotopes of hydrogen and nitrogen.
About 1% of natural proteins consist of these heavy isotopes. However, heavy isotopes can be artificially incorporated into synthesized peptides and exploited in various ways, most notably as internal standards for protein quantification by mass spectrometry.
Biomarkers, allergens, and other clinically important proteins are present in minute quantities in complex biological mixtures like cell lysates, making them difficult to detect and quantify. But once a peptide labeled with stable isotopes is generated, the ratio of light native peptide to heavy isotopic peak intensities provides a relative measure of protein abundance. This permits numerous proteins to be evaluated simultaneously in biological samples.
“We make custom heavy isotope peptides via customer request by cold labeling amino acid derivatives and inserting them into sequences,” says Shakoori.
Peptide drugs are increasingly complex and require challenging modifications, such as incorporating unnatural amino acids or being linked to carrier molecules to enhance drug delivery and efficacy. Although peptides have tremendous therapeutic potential, they often are difficult to synthesize and retain activity.
The scientists at American Peptide reportedly excel at PEGylation technology, which attaches chains of polyethylene glycol (PEG) to improve drug performance. The benefits of PEGylation include decreased immunogenicity, increased half-life in vivo, and reduced renal clearance.
PEG can also act as a repellent to prevent bacteria from contaminating medical implants and catheters. Grafting PEG to plastics and metals is challenging and requires linking it to hydrophobic molecules. “We have good expertise at making hydrophobic peptides,” says Shakoori. These peptides contain high concentrations of hydrophobic amino acids, such as leucine, isoleucine, and alanine, which are insoluble and hard to purify.
Clients come to American Peptide in various stages of the drug development process, but most are in Phase I and II. They receive help with stability, solubility, degradation, and impurity issues. Other services include process development, scale-up production, analytical and process validation, stability studies, and regulatory support. As genome mapping information increases, clients are able to find and develop specific peptides that target a variety of diseases.
Custom and catalog peptides make up about 40% of the company’s business, and cGMP and API manufacturing form the other 60%. The cGMP business is thriving and expected to grow even more as more peptide therapeutics advance through Phase II and III trials. American Peptide works with customers to validate lots, submit a drug master file, and eventually make the drug after FDA approval.
American Peptide takes pride in making all components of its cGMP peptides in-house. “All of the small-to-large scale and solid-phase to solution-phase processes are done under the same roof at Vista,” says Shakoori.
Although, some peptide manufacturers contract out stages of production to Chinese or European facilities, keeping all activities in-house provides better quality control because the same rules apply to all steps of production, according to American Peptide. | <urn:uuid:b1d95744-5902-4d3d-a413-af85ed01960f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://genengnews.com/gen-articles/american-peptide-expands-within-its-niche/3715/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00020-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.92878 | 1,144 | 1.9375 | 2 |
I have had the opportunity lately to tap into “Marketing” something to get some traction on a Vote for Me scenario. It made me wonder about Networking and what it really is and what I would use it for. There are many spammers and others out there who would just send anything and everything out to the masses in the name of Marketing. I thought about this concept and this contest for a Cute Girls Hairstyle blog, that I am trying to get people driven to. This a neighbor of mine and I think that it is a nice gesture to support their cute family in this contest.
Now when people think of Marketing, that word, in and of itself can make you think of many things about what it is. That is why I wanted to write this post about Networking.
When someone wants to “tap his network”, what kind of things are fair game? I am part of many networks, LinkedIn, FaceBook, Microsoft MVP, Twitter, Blogging and some others. Now when you think of the purpose of those networks, are there topics in them that are taboo? If you opened the floodgate on them, would you have problems with complaints? What exactly is “tapping the network” in these cases? Many could successfully argue about LinkedIn being more professional contacts, Facebook being highly social and only that, MVP being Technical and Twitter being a hybrid of all those. So how do you use them to get traction on something of a cause or contest or whatever, that you feel strongly about helping out with? Would you cry foul if this came over a professional networking site? Maybe, maybe not.
Here are my views, and I encourage you to weigh in on this topic, because it would be interesting to compile thoughts and post them about how this affects the online universe we all live in every day.
I think that networks are a great tool for finding jobs, friends, viewpoints and information about topics. Each one seems to have a purpose, and I think it would be out of line to violate the purposes of those networks. A list of purposes are below and what I think they are used for.
- Professional networks are mainly used to connect people in like professions for a few reasons. The first reason I think of is needing help with problems that you just need another set of eyes. This can get you in trouble a little in the IT world as it could be construed as “free consulting”, but could be valuable to both parties, so you could choose to overlook or to scold in this one.
- The next reason would be Job Search and contacting about jobs. This is a tricky one because of the recruiting that goes on. Recruiters get in your network, and yet they are not technical like, at least in most cases. So do they belong? The job potential may be one that you could overlook their involvement in your network at that level, but I am not sure that it is the right networking opportunity and should be shied away from.
- People connections. This one can be done on many networking sites, and is probably appropriate on the majority of networks. But at the same time, probably the most tricky, because of the boundaries of the above networks, when your topic is not in harmony with the purpose of the networks. You can be friends with many in the professional networks, but how would your message be received about this contest above that I have pointed to? This is tricky, is the best answer for me to this one.
- Association networking. You belong to a group or an association and you want to use this network for the above purpose. This is probably out of line here as well, due to the charter of the organization or association.
With these thoughts in mind, I just find it frustrating that there is not a better way than Facebook to communicate out something that you want to get people involved in. Now there is one network that I neglected to put down for a reason, and that is because it deals with a valuable sanctuary that most if not all of us have, and that is the “Email Box”. Because of all the spam we get out there, it seems that the email box is being protected and is not seen at first as a networking method. I just have been having a dilemma on how to get the word out to people that I know would vote or participate, but being overly respectful of all the requests for our time that we have in this ever changing world. As we get more fast-paced, and crazy with time constraints, it becomes easy to have 5+ networks and to not be sure how to use each one of them appropriately.
For this contest, I have turned to Facebook, Blogging, LinkedIn as a status update instead of a mass message, Twitter as a plea for assistance, and I will turn to my family on Email and certain others that I know would not be offended in this venture. What do you all think? Where would this contest be appropriately submitted for help to get votes? What are networks used for in your opinion? And a topic for another day, how do you build networks to a level of effectiveness to assist you when you are in need of assistance? I am sure that I have not done this topic justice, but wanted to get it out there so that I can continue to think about it, but get some weigh-in about your thoughts about “Networking” as it has been very much on the forefront of my mind lately with requests to “tap into my network” for assistance with a myriad of things.
Thanks for listening.
Cross-posted from http://dbaduck.com | <urn:uuid:2decfbf9-1d95-4550-b926-a4d644a056f4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www2.sqlblog.com/blogs/ben_miller/archive/2011/05/16/networking-what-exactly-is-it-and-how-do-you-use-it-appropriately.aspx | 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 | 0.979559 | 1,157 | 1.578125 | 2 |
Starting Up A New Business
Most people have a vision, and they see the creation of a business or organization as a means to manifest their vision. But many people have a difficult time articulating their plans.
Self Assessment Tool
While this section - the Self Assessment Tool - is not essential in a Business Plan, you may find the self-insight to be invaluable. You may discover you have marketable strengths that you hadn't thought of before, or you may decide that you need to do more background work before launching a business.Combined with a well-written and researched Business Plan, this is a tool that may make the difference between financial prosperity, or financial disaster.
1. Summarize your autobiography. Review all facets of your past career, including hobbies. Review personal relationships and free time entertainment.
2. List areas of special interest & knowledge.
3. List skills.
4. List talents
6. List all skills and attributes you lack. Define which ones you can improve, how, and how long it would take to get there (and cost).
7. Of skills and attributes you cannot improve, list how they will affect business and solutions for dealing with the lack.
8. List the 10 top projects you want to do and write up in detail, and WHY - get emotional. Identify the projects that make you feel a sense of joy and passion, then focus on those. Successful business owners are passionate about their work.
Who are your Customers?
9. Identify potential clients and customers. Why will they want your product or services? What needs do they have, and what makes you unique in filling those needs?
10. Imagine your personal life in the future. What do you want it to be like, how does it look, feel sound, smell? Spiritually, financially, socially, and personally. What do you want for yourself and your family - what kind of hours are you willing to work?
11. Project how you want to operate your business. List the important stages and time frames of your business over the next one, three and five years.
Building your Business Plan
A Business Plan is a valuable tool to clarify your ideas, to identify your goals, and to create a roadmap on how to achieve success. If you plan on asking lending institutions for money, or applying for non-profit status, the Business Plan is mandatory. The more time you spend up front clarifying your Mission, Goals, Objectives, and Strategies, the quicker you will be able to determine which of your plans fit within the scope of your vision.
If you've been in business for a while but feel that your business isn't as successful as you would like, better late than never! By taking the time to write a business plan you will begin to see how you can define your marketing niche and become more focused. Associations and non-profit organizations also benefit from this tool. If you do not operate a non-profit as if it were a "for profit" business, you won't be around long enough to provide the services that motivated your organization to form in the first place. Even if you run a home-based business, you will still have to plan for your operating expenses and revenue streams. | <urn:uuid:aa3f5129-cb95-4906-a2a0-5aeb4fefe459> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thunderboltpublishing.com/business.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959361 | 666 | 2.078125 | 2 |
Many (frontier) roads lead to Yuma
1 of 6
This early Yuma photograph shows the railroad bridge spanning the Colorado River.
Many (frontier) roads lead to Yuma.
Every day, thousands of people and tons of commerce pass over the Colorado River in Yuma, unknowingly following an ancient path that has been used to safely traverse the waterway for millennia.Without the Yuma river crossing, the course of regional history would have been much differe. Read Many (frontier) roads lead to Yuma... | <urn:uuid:e91b0a2d-6a1d-4036-91f8-4c8cdb93a21c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.yumasun.com/sections/article/gallery/?pic=1&id=67979 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00072-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936982 | 110 | 2.140625 | 2 |
Dog Training Resources at Your Library
The recent release of the Marley and Me DVD got me thinking...
If you plan on getting a new dog or already have a pooch that could improve his doggie manners, check our dog training section here at the library. From puppy training to teaching an old dog new tricks we've got a wide selection of books and DVDs to help you better understand and train your dog.
Many animal shelters like the Humane Society of Huron Valley and the Michigan Humane Society also offer free animal behavior assistance .
Just for fun, please feel free to post a comment and share one of your most "embarassing" moment with your dog. | <urn:uuid:30febb5c-edd7-4cb8-b020-c37e343ae3e9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cantonpl.org/blog/adult/dog-training | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00035-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9399 | 136 | 1.632813 | 2 |
Most Active Stories
Sun July 29, 2012
London Olympics, 1948 and 2012: Local Brits Remember
The 2012 summer Olympic Games are underway in London, and millions around the world are expected to tune in over the next few weeks to watch the international athletes. This is the third time Great Britain has hosted the games. The last was in 1948, in the wake of World War II.
But at least two former British residents in our region say the games then weren’t the spectacle they are today.
On July 29, 1948, Donald Finlay, British Athletic Team Captain, read the Olympic Oath ... In the true spirit of sportsmanship, for the honor of our country, and for the glory of sport. ... at the start of the summer games.
History remembers the Olympics that year as an important event because it was the first time the games had been held following a 12-year hiatus brought about by World War II. The war in Europe had concluded just three years before, and London still showed the scars of bombings.
“And I think ’48 symboled in many ways, let’s get back to normal," Murray State History Professor Bill Mulligan said. "We’ll gather together and celebrate sport, celebrate this Olympic experience, and try to put the world, which has been all in turmoil for so long, behind us and try to move forward.”
One might imagine then the whole nation gathered together around their radio sets on the day of opening ceremonies, ready to cheer on the athletes. Right?
"Um, no. No, not really," said Terry Carlton. He lives in Paducah, but in 1948, he was a 15-year-old school boy. Carlton said in his hometown of Leeds, England, the family radio only picked up local sports.
“Mum and Dad, you never heard them talk about ‘Oh, well, there’s this big thing down in London. It’s called the Olympics,'" said Carlton.
What about Patricia Perkins, of Murray? In 1948, Perkins had just moved to Weston-super-Mare, an English seaside resort. Does she remember the Olympics?
“No, I don’t," she said. "No, I guess I was too busy doing other things.”
What gives? Shouldn’t a big event like the Olympics be a major part of a young person’s memory? Mulligan said you have to remember what had just happened a few years before. For one thing, World War II had a much bigger affect on Great Britain than it did on the United States.
“In 1948, if you’re a young person, the Olympics far away in London might not register very much as opposed to trying to get back into normal routine, your city being rebuilt, trying to reestablish the normal pattern of your lives," he said.
Mulligan also noted that the Olympics weren’t an overnight success.
“It really has been an evolutionary things, both as media coverage as expanded and the ability to travel to the sites has become easier," Mulligan said.
But that doesn’t mean the Brits didn’t care about sport. Carlton said sport has always been an important part of British culture. In 1947, he held the country’s third highest record for high jump. That same year he remembers participating in a local games competition.
“We did the four by 60 yards relay, and we won it with flying colors," he said. "And I was going that fast in that last lap that I think I went another half a lap before I could stop. But that’s what sports were about in those days.”
Carlton said he’s become an Olympics watcher over the years. He particularly enjoys gymnastics. And he has a strong opinion about the games returning to his home country after 64 years.
“Well, only thing I can say is it’s about time," he said.
Few countries can compare with Great Britain’s spirit of sportsmanship, he added. | <urn:uuid:83e36af5-3a57-4922-ade1-2becd4fa2d99> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wkms.org/post/london-olympics-1948-and-2012-local-brits-remember | 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 | 0.976903 | 858 | 2.3125 | 2 |
Drinking too much Coca-Cola killed mother of eight Natasha Harris, the coroner has found.
Ms Harris drank up to 10 litres of Coke every day - equal to more than twice the recommended safe daily limit of caffeine and almost 1 kilogram of sugar.
She died aged 30, on February 25, 2010, from a cardiac arrest.
Her partner, Christopher Hodgkinson found her seated on the toilet, slumped against the wall and gasping for air.
Coca-Cola has argued that the huge quantities of Coke drunk daily by Ms Harris day could not be proven to have contributed to her death.
But in findings released today, coroner David Crerar said Ms Harris would not have died if it wasn't for her dependence on Coke.
''I find that, when all of the available evidence is considered, were it not for the consumption of very large quantities of Coke by Natasha Harris, it is unlikely that she would have died when she died and how she died.''
In the months leading up to her death her health had deteriorated, Mr Hodgkinson said.
''She had no energy and was feeling sick all the time ... She would get up and vomit in the morning.''
He said her Coke habit had become an addiction: ''She would get moody and get headaches if she didn't have any Coke and also feel low in energy.''
Mr Hodgkinson's mother Vivian said Mr Harris got ''withdrawal symptoms'' if her Coke ran out, including getting ''the shakes'' and becoming angry.
The family did not consider Coke was harmful because its labels do not contain warning signs.
The coronial decision revealed Ms Harris likely suffered from a myriad of medical conditions, including a racing heart and ''absent teeth'', which her family say had rotted out from Coke consumption.
They contend, also, that the amount of Coke Ms Harris drank ruined her children's teeth, with at least one of her kids being born without enamel on their teeth.
Ms Harris drank up to 10 litres per day, the coroner estimated - which works out to more than twice the recommended daily caffeine consumption and more than 11 times the recommended sugar intake.
In a statement, Coca-Cola said: "The Coroner acknowledged that he could not be certain what caused Ms Harris' heart attack.
"Therefore we are disappointed that the Coroner has chosen to focus on the combination of Ms Harris' excessive consumption of Coca-Cola, together with other health and lifestyle factors, as the probable cause of her death.
"This is contrary to the evidence that showed the experts could not agree on the most likely cause."
- © Fairfax NZ News
Do you always wear a helmet while cycling?Related story: Cyclists creative on cycle helmet waivers | <urn:uuid:661d7191-bff1-45a2-a32d-0c462ad1a36f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/8293654/Coke-habit-killed-mum-says-coroner | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.980298 | 560 | 1.65625 | 2 |
Detroit, Michigan is great city that can be greater.
The cliché is that the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. In Detroit, we see the grass as emerald everywhere else and not only brown and dormant on our side of the fence, but that we have no grass at all. It is just not true. The city and its surrounding areas have so many great assets that we often do not appreciate. I believe that in southeast Michigan and possibly throughout all of Michigan, we have the greatest mass inferiority complex ever. We need to get over it. We need to embrace the many things that make our state and our cities great, face our shortcomings with the understanding that we can overcome them, and then boldly move forward to make our cities shine and our state second to none.
We have so much to be thankful for. We have one of the finest arts facilities in the country, if not the world, in the Detroit Institute of Arts. We have a premier destination for history in The Henry Ford. We have great architecture, great live theatres, professional teams in the four major sports, and other entertainment venues. Our state has a great coastline, over 11,000 inland lakes, and lush woodland. Michigan has an excellent university system and is the headquarters for many major companies. These are just a few of things that make cities and our state great.
As a state, we need to stop relying so heavily on the automobile, both for our livelihoods and for our own transportation system. We need to have comprehensive transportation plans that include the automobile and truck, must also invests heavily in rapid urban transit, high speed rail between major cities, and allows cars to share the road with bicycle and other forms of transportation.
Michigan is a great place to live and Detroit is the city that I love to live in. By applying urbanist principles to our city, we can make it an even better city to live in. | <urn:uuid:bee1068a-12be-48af-b513-ffe62868ca5d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.urbanismtoday.com/html/detroit.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96225 | 394 | 1.632813 | 2 |
Decision Sciences and Public Health
The Prevention Effectiveness Fellowship (PEF) is a 2-year, highly-selective research fellowship for recent doctoral graduates with a background in
- Policy analysis
- Operations research
- Decision sciences
- Other quantitative areas
The PEF allows applicants to apply their academic training in quantitative methods to the science of health protection, health promotion, and disease prevention. Fellows have the opportunity to work with leading researchers on issues of critical importance.
The PEF is an ideal opportunity for emerging researchers to join an energetic, innovative setting where they can collaborate to create the expertise, information, and tools that people and communities need to protect their health—through health promotion, prevention of disease, injury and disability, and preparedness for new health threats. | <urn:uuid:dc59db8c-c12f-41bd-b8d2-cb46971dae26> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cdc.gov/pef/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.931617 | 158 | 1.617188 | 2 |
Cut some Easter eggs out of construction paper. Cut into two pieces using crazy designs (scrapbooking scissors make these EASY). On one side, write a number. On the other, put the same number of stickers. Have your child match them up. They can check their own work because the lines will match. It’s also fun to have your child then line them up in numerical order.
Another version: You could use plastic eggs instead. Write the number on the outside and have your child place small objects inside each one.
You could also do this with ABCs or rhyming words or any other concept your child needs help with. This would also be a good way to reinforce patterns (pink, purple, blue, pink, purple, blue, etc). | <urn:uuid:238d7af4-9b65-406e-b36e-76bf0983a291> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://dressesandmesses.wordpress.com/2009/04/09/easter-egg-counting-or-abcs/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942301 | 160 | 3.421875 | 3 |
Found 0 - 10 results of 30 programs matching keyword "physics of singing"
Since 1969, the Exploratorium has set the standard for hands-on, inquiry-based education. See how our new Pier 15 home, with its new exhibits and expanded resources, is helping us achieve our mission: to change the way the world learns.
Ongoing through March 31, 2013 | Times and locations TBA
Location: Multiple locations in San Francisco; for specific locations, follow @theexplainers on Twitter.
In the months before our grand opening, orange-vested Explainers will bring the Exploratorium experience to unexpected spots around San Francisco. These weekly site-specific activities will be designed to make you notice and engage with the world around you, and to shake you out of your normal, everyday routines.
Explainers will help you notice clouds at Aquatic Park, find north without a compass at Ghirardelli Square, experience our mobile Camera Obscura in Union Square, and challenge your sense of perception out in the neighborhoods. In January locations will vary; in February and March, look for those orange vests along the Embarcadero, in front of Pier 15.
Music by Pat Spurgeon
Cheer on the competitors in this zany science cook-off, where teachers compete before a live webcast audience for the sought-after title, "Iron Science Teacher." How can a wind-powered sailboat move faster than the wind? Why do the America's Cup sails look like airplane wings? With the beginner in mind, Exploratorium senior scientist Paul Doherty introduces the basic physics of sailing and sail design. Come out to play on the concrete slides at Seward Street Mini Park in the Castro. A series of speed tests guided by physicist Paul Doherty takes on the question asked by sliders everywhere: How can I go faster?
No one puts the laws of physics to the test quite like the urban skateboarder. Join us for a closer look at the science behind the tricks of the sidewalk-shredding trade, from the basic ollie to high-flying aerial maneuvers. Have you ever really listened to a ball bounce? Exploratorium staff physicist Thomas Humphrey describes the elegant mathematics of a bouncing ball. Exploratorium graphic artist David Barker describes the physics of baseball bats, and makes some sweet music in the process! Dr. Laura Peticolas is a physicist at UC Berkeley's Space Physics Research group. She studies the Aurora to learn more about the Earth and the workings of our Solar System. She's currently working with NASA's Mars data to understand why the Martian aurora looks the way it does. In this podcast she discusses her research, her inspiration and how and why scientists sonify data. The film Between the Folds is a 2009 work by filmmaker Vanessa Gould. Between the Folds chronicles ten artists and scientists who have devoted time to the unlikely medium of modern origami. Vanessa Gould, who has degrees in physics and architecture, explores the expression of mathematics through origami. She became captivated by the art and science of transforming sheets of paper into three-dimensional geometric shapes — and exposed a hidden subculture. The film will screen at the Exploratorium on Saturday, October 18th, at 2pm. | <urn:uuid:c05cbc6b-8df7-41d6-a32c-5c33506c1560> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.exploratorium.edu/tv/archive.php?keywordtext=physics%20of%20singing&cmd=keyword | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.916952 | 666 | 2.546875 | 3 |
secau Security Research Centre, Edith Cowan University, Perth, Western Australia
This paper presents findings from a study of computer data remanence in New Zealand and considers three research questions. Those questions are “What is the level of data remanence in New Zealand?”, “How does it compare with other countries?”, and “Are there industries in New Zealand that are more likely to have data remanence issues?” Computer data remanence is data that remains on a hard disk drive after that hard drive has been prepared for disposal. Typically data remanence research involves purchasing second hand hard drives without knowing the original source and then a variety of tools and techniques are used to determine what if any data remains. That data can range from the mundane such as holiday snapshots, to data of concern such as the credit card details used to book the holiday. This research uses a very similar methodology to the research of an Australian-British led consortium into computer data remanence that has been conducted since 2005 (Jones et al., 2005). For this research, 100 hard drives were sourced from companies based in New Zealand that deal in second hand hard drives. A total of 24 hard drives were found to have identifying information on them and this is consistent with the results of the consortium. When examining “Are there industries in New Zealand that are more likely to have data remanence issues?” there was an effective sample size of 14 hard drives which was not considered to be a large enough sample size to adequately draw conclusions. The data does suggest that schools are likely to be of concern however. | <urn:uuid:ccf788b1-44c8-47f8-9e22-05ad45661505> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ro.ecu.edu.au/adf/102/ | 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 | 0.969662 | 331 | 2.578125 | 3 |
Description from Flora of China
Diplophragma (Wight & Arnott) Meisner; Exallage Bremekamp; Gonotheca Blume ex Candolle (1830), not Rafinesque (1818); Hedyotis sect. Diplophragma Wight & Arnott; Metabolos Blume; Oldenlandia Linnaeus; Thecagonum Babu.
Herbs, subshrubs, or shrubs, annual or perennial, procumbent to erect or climbing, unarmed. Raphides present. Leaves opposite [or rarely whorled], sometimes clustered at ends of stems, without domatia; secondary venation rarely triplinerved or palmate; stipules persistent, interpetiolar, fused to petiole bases, or united around stem, triangular to truncate, entire or ciliate to laciniate, erose, 1- to several lobed and/or -setose. Inflorescences terminal, pseudoaxillary, and/or axillary, few to many flowered and fasciculate, cymose, paniculate, capitate, or glomerulate or reduced to 1 flower, sessile or pedunculate, bracteate or bracts reduced. Flowers pedicellate or sessile, bisexual and monomorphic or distylous [to unisexual on dioecious plants]. Calyx limb shallowly to deeply (2-)4-lobed (or 5-lobed, Hedyotis hainanensis). Corolla white, pink, purple, or blue, tubular, funnelform, salverform, rotate, or urceolate, variously glabrous or pubescent inside; lobes (2-)4(or 5, H. hainanensis), valvate in bud. Stamens 4(or 5, H. hainanensis), inserted in corolla tube or throat, included or exserted; filaments developed to reduced; anthers dorsifixed often near base. Ovary 2-celled, ovules few to numerous or rarely 1 in each cell on axile placentas; stigma 2-lobed with lobes linear to clavate or rarely undivided, included or exserted. Fruit indehiscent, schizocarpous, or capsular, generally subglobose to ovoid or dicoccous, crustaceous to membranous or leathery, when schizocarpous splitting into 2 mericarps, when capsular splitting partially to entirely septicidally and/or loculicidally, subsequently sometimes splitting other way, apically flattened or with short to well-developed beak (i.e., disk area inside calyx limb), sometimes dehiscent primarily through beak, with calyx limb persistent; seeds few to numerous, small, angular or plano-convex; testa smooth, reticulate, or otherwise variously ornamented; endosperm fleshy; radicle clavate or terete.
This is a very problematic genus or group of genera. Neither the overall identity and limits of this lineage---distributed throughout the tropics and warm temperate regions of the world, with numerous species with often reduced morphology---nor the evolutionary patterns within it are at all understood or delineated. Widely differing taxonomies and species-level characters have long been used in different regions and floras. It is generally accepted now that Hedyotis is closely related to or at least in some cases perhaps includes Houstonia Linnaeus, Kadua Chamisso & Schlechtendal, Kohautia Chamisso & Schlechtendal, Neanotis, Oldenlandia, and a number of smaller segregate genera including Exallage, Oldenlandiopsis Terrell & W. H. Lewis, Pentodon Hochstetter, Stenaria Terrell, Stenotis Terrell, and Thecagonum. The situation is far from resolution or even general consensus. This genus is treated broadly here, as done also by many recent authors working our flora region (Fukuoka, S. E. Asia Stud. 8(3): 305-336. 1970; W. C. Ko in FRPS 71(1): 26-77. 1999; Wang & Zhao, J. Trop. Subtrop. Bot. 9(3): 219-228. 2001; Dutta & Deb, Taxon. Rev. Hedyotis. 2004). Recently, some authors have separated Oldenlandia; but, as outlined by Terrell and Robinson (Taxon 52: 775-782. 2003), recent molecular studies have concluded that the circumscriptions and relationships of these two groups are less well understood than had been thought, and these groups are probably paraphyletic and/or polyphyletic with relation to each other as well as several other genera.
The taxonomy of Hedyotis is further complicated by nomenclatural issues, in particular the designation of the type species. Dutta and Deb (loc. cit. 2004 - a late publication of a 1991 manuscript), following majority opinion of the time, considered H. auricularia as the type of Hedyotis; however, subsequently, H. fruticosa Linnaeus instead was successfully proposed as the conserved type of the genus (Nicolson, Taxon 41: 564. 1992; see Vienna Code, App. III, p. 343). The typification of Hedyotis and corresponding generic names were reviewed in detail by Terrell and Robinson (loc. cit.).
Terrell and Robinson (loc. cit.) also summarized the infrageneric classification and species groups of Hedyotis, including those accepted by W. C. Ko (loc. cit.), but without noting a few differences between Ko’s classifications and theirs, nor the use of some incorrect sectional names by Ko (e.g., H. sect. "Euoldenlandia" would have been called H. sect. "Oldenlandia" if it had been published, but it was not; Ko’s H. sect. "Diplophragma" included the species that is now the type of the genus, thus this should have been called H. sect. Hedyotis, while this particular section was synonymized by Terrell & Robinson). The genus circumscription as well as the infrageneric classification of Hedyotis are very far from understood at present (Groeninckx et al., Scripta Bot. Belg. 44: 33. 2008).
The information available about Hedyotis bodinieri is inadequate to include this species in the key. Because of the complexity of this genus or group of genera and the large number of species in China, the descriptions here are more detailed than in some other Rubiaceae genus treatments here. W. C. Ko (loc. cit.) described the fruit of most species of Hedyotis as dehiscent into 2 mericarps at maturity, with mericarps vertically dehiscent at ventral part, but these fruit are considered capsules by other authors. In some cases, this description was not entirely accurate because the fruit are actually truly schizocarpous (i.e., with indehiscent mericarps) or primarily loculicidal.
About 500 species: tropical and subtropical regions worldwide, most in Africa and Asia, a few in warm temperate regions; 67 species (38 endemic) in China.
(Authors: Chen Tao (陈涛); Charlotte M. Taylor) | <urn:uuid:389061e9-f07f-4dcb-809f-de7a12fef993> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=600&taxon_id=114827 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00057-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.907182 | 1,621 | 2.015625 | 2 |
Scholastic News Sticky Situation • March 22, 2010
Khaleel is on a debate team. His friend Tania is on an opposing team. The two teams will soon face off. Tania sits next to Khaleel in class, and he realizes that he can see her debate notes. Khaleel knows that cheating is wrong, but the information in her notes could help his team win. What should Khaleel do?
Scroll down to the space provided, and write a paragraph explaining what you think Alexis should do.
Other Scholastic News readers will be posting their thoughts about this week's ethical dilemma, too. So come back to the Sticky Situation blog to discuss their solutions! | <urn:uuid:0ef31bdc-2313-41b9-84e9-026379deee8e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://news.scholastic.com/stickysituation/2010/03/scholastic-news-sticky-situation-march-22-2010.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00049-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968988 | 145 | 2.671875 | 3 |
So Much for Diversity
Gov. Jennifer Granholm gave her LAST State of the State speech Wednesday. The only thing I found interesting was her comments about diversifying Michigan's economy:
"Where the old Michigan economy was all about autos and manufacturing ... the new Michigan economy is much broader: clean energy, life sciences -- like bio-economy and medical devices -- homeland security and defense, advanced manufacturing, film and tourism," she said.
Granholm, still upbeat and encouraging, said shaping the state's economy is a long haul, and she called for a step-by-step, day-by-day effort to attract new businesses and train Michiganders for those new jobs.
Gone, she said, is the old industrial model that provided high-wage jobs requiring comparatively little education. Now, she said, small businesses represent a salvation. And she presented several plans to promote it.
She said her administration "laid the groundwork" for the state's new economy. Huh. Seems like the same old state to me; what do you think?
Full text of the Gov's address available here.
The Detroit News gave its take. A highlight:
"This plan -- diversifying our economy, educating our people, protecting them along the way -- this is the path forward," she said.
Among the initiatives Granholm proposed:
• Expanding a Michigan Economic Development Corp. entrepreneur training program to 1,000 people. The 10-week training course will be offered at a dozen business and technology centers around the state.
• Launching a partnership with 30 or more credit unions to provide $43 million in loans -- averaging $20,000 -- to 2,100 budding small businesses.
• Refurbishing about 15 abandoned auto manufacturing sites in places such as Willow Run and Flint and getting them ready for new uses. The state will provide up to $100,000 at each site to assess environmental cleanup.
• Changing the Angel Tax Credit program to enable investors in small businesses to get a tax credit up front, rather than wait until the business has matured before receiving the break.
• Providing adequate funding for road repairs, or leave some $2 billion in federal money on the table. She stopped short of supporting a gas tax increase.
• Establishing "learning labs" through the No Worker Left Behind job program to train people in basic skills, such as reading, writing and math.
• Calling for funding of the Pure Michigan tourism TV and radio ad campaign, which lost its $30 million funding source this year and saw spending reduced to $5.4 million.
If Granholm can get a majority of her proposals enacted, she will have accomplished more in terms of restructuring state government in her final months than in the previous seven years. Perhaps most importantly, she will have done a lot of heavy lifting that otherwise will fall to her successor, who will be a rookie governor dealing with a lot of rookie legislators -- potentially a disaster waiting to happen.
Also from the Freep:
Despite her efforts to diversify Michigan's economy, with state tax breaks as a main draw, the near-meltdown of the Detroit Three automakers and a long national recession outpaced the new jobs gained in various industries, most notably alternative energy, which she sought doggedly.
It also has sunk Granholm's job approval rating among voters to the lowest in her eight years, below 40%.
To many, her ill-advised exhortation in her 2006 speech that "in five years, you're going to be blown away," has become a sardonic anthem of the state's economic nose-dive. | <urn:uuid:c54fcaca-6f94-44db-a743-5fac00fe040c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://detroit.blogs.time.com/2010/02/04/so-much-for-diversity/?xid=rss-topstories | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00075-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960251 | 743 | 1.546875 | 2 |
|G8 leaders from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Russian Federation, the UK and the USA with Junior 8 youth delegates in Heiligendamm, Germany.|
By Anwulika Okafor
NEW YORK, USA, 7 June 2007 – For nine young people participating in the Junior 8 Summit in Germany, today was the opportunity of a lifetime.
These 9 were chosen by their peers – a group of 74 youths from 18 countries – to present the J8 recommendations to world leaders attending the G8 Summit of industrialized nations in Heiligendamm.
The recommendations were the culmination of a week’s work done by the diverse group of young people, addressing what they see as the needs of the world’s future generations.
“We know that tomorrow our generation will have to cope with the legacy of today. So we have united at this third Junior 8 Summit to work intensively on ways to brighten this legacy,” the children stated in the introduction to the Junior 8 Summit Declaration discussed at a 45-minute meeting with the world leaders.
|J8 Summit delegates head off to present their recommendations to G8 leaders.|
Speaking for future generations
Developed at the J8 Summit held this week in Wismar, Germany, the Declaration touched on issues such as economic development in Africa, climate change, energy efficiency and HIV/AIDS – the same subjects on the G8 Summit agenda. The youth delegates urged G8 leaders to:
Prior to sitting down with the G8 leaders, the youths had met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel as well as with UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Sir Roger Moore. They also heard from former child soldier Ishmael Beah, who read to them from his memoir of life during the conflict in Sierra Leone.
|German Chancellor Angela Merkel and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Sir Roger Moore (both in front row) pose with the full group of J8 youth delegates.|
And South African HIV/AIDS activist Thembi Ngubane spoke to the J8 participants about her own struggles as a teenager living with HIV, and now as the mother of a two-year-old child who is HIV-free.
‘We are here to make a change’
For these young people, representing both developed and developing nations, the J8 Summit was an opportunity to come together across cultural divisions and work for a healthier, happier future for all of the world’s children.
In concluding their Declaration to the G8, the young people said: “We are here to make a change. We will continue to address the challenges which confront our world to the best of our abilities. In seeking to resolve these challenges, we need your support.
“We see that with great power comes great responsibility. You must fulfil your promises, both old and new,” the Declaration continued. “Together it is possible to make a difference.”
J8 Summit 2007
J8 Summit opens in Germany [with video]
Youth delegates gather for J8 Summit [with video]
Junior 8 Summit 2007
(external link, opens in a new window) | <urn:uuid:370f701b-b446-4f00-a2d7-14e0e12b36c1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.unicef.org/adolescence/germany_39945.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949541 | 655 | 1.851563 | 2 |
Carl Zimmer is an excellent writer. In Soul Made Flesh (Arrow, £7.99) he is on the trail of revolutionary science. He engages from the start by conjuring up the smell of the past as he leads you by the nose from dung heap and botanist to the "freshly cracked skull" of a nobleman, the brain smelling of curds. There is a point to this stench trail. We are in 17th-century Oxford, where brain science began. How the brain was thought of changed utterly in under a century, and Zimmer is a great guide to the story.
To continue reading this article, subscribe to receive access to all of newscientist.com, including 20 years of archive content. | <urn:uuid:3fdf4a3b-d728-4e6d-9538-bbc756b55e7a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg18624932.200-out-now-in-paperback-brainiac.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962384 | 152 | 1.984375 | 2 |
Today's tip, how to recognize roof damage from hail, comes from a Dallas roofer. Signs of hail damage to a roof include: Broken pieces of shingles on the ground; broken shingles up on the roof; puncture marks in the roof. Flat roofs suffer more during sever hail storms than sloped roofs. Older roofs are more prone to hail damage than newer roofs. South facing roofs are often the most-susceptible to hail damage, compared to sides of the roof that get less direct sunlight.View original post. | <urn:uuid:3f101264-d010-4476-a6e5-3d25fff55210> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thedailyreporter.com/article/20130313/BLOGS/303139991/0/blogs01 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951989 | 111 | 2.46875 | 2 |
The old rhyme "Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bedbugs bite" has become a frightening reality lately. With bedbug outbreaks so common they're hardly even newsworthy anymore, people are on high alert for the tiny insects. But with increased awareness comes an onslaught of rumors, myths and flat-out fallacies. So WD went to the experts to differentiate fact from fiction, and found out everything you never knew about bedbugs. [via]
1. The term bedbug is a misnomer.
The Latin name for bedbugs is Cimex lectularius, which means "bug of the bed." But don't let that fool you—the pesky creatures can be found anywhere. "Bedbugs want to feed on you at night while you're still, so they're commonly found in your bed," says John Furman, president of New York City–based pest management company Boot-A-Pest. "But I always say the bed is 70 percent of the infestation and the rest of the room is the other 30 percent. They can be all over your apartment—in the sofa, behind picture frames or in the crevices of baseboards." Photo by Shutterstock.
2. Bedbugs don't discriminate.
"There's an unnecessary stigma associated with bedbugs," says Susan Jones, PhD, associate professor of entomology at Ohio State University. "Anyone can get them. They're not associated with poor housekeeping or a certain poverty level or anything like that." So if you have them—or know someone who does—remember that it has nothing to do with personal hygiene habits. "Every woman whose home I treat tells me how often they shower, how clean they are, that they get manicures—none of that matters," reports Jeff Eisenberg, founder of Pest Away Exterminating. Photo by iStockphoto.
3. Bedbugs haven't been proven to transmit any harmful diseases.
Unlike with many other pests and insects, research has not yet proven that bedbugs do anything more harmful than give you the heebie-jeebies. But that doesn't mean people should brush them off as no big deal. Dr. Jones believes the research is "incomplete and inconclusive." And Eisenberg insists they are a mental health risk. "People can become so obsessed with bedbugs they don't sleep for weeks—they miss work, they spend hours Googling the topic. I call it bedbug paranoia." Bedbugs have also been shown to aggravate allergy and asthma symptoms in people who already suffer from them. Photo by Shutterstock.
4. No two people's bedbug bites will look the same.
It's easy to notice a suspicious bite and head straight to the Internet to diagnose yourself. But just because a website tells you bedbug bites look a certain way doesn’t mean your bites will follow that pattern. According to Dr. Jones, bites often appear in a grouping of three or a "1-2-3—breakfast, lunch, dinner" pattern, but many people—around 30 percent, according to Furman––don't react to bites at all. And others may have singular scattered bites. Photo by iStockphoto.
5. Bedbugs aren't truly nocturnal.
Though these pests like to come out before dawn, don't think you can wait up all night to outsmart them. "A bedbug is an opportunist, and while their peak feeding time is between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m., if you work nights they will come out and feed on you during the day," says Furman. Dr. Jones explains that they're attracted to a human’s body temperature and, even more so, the carbon dioxide we exhale. Photo by John Downer / Getty Images.
6. Even if you can't see them, you may have them.
While itchy bites may indicate you have a bedbug problem, a thorough inspection is necessary to prove it. "If you have a low-level infestation, most people will miss the signs. You really need to call a professional who will spend the time to find the evidence," says Furman, who takes at least an hour inspecting rooms for signs of bedbugs. Things you should look for include "peppering," which are black fecal spots that are usually imbedded in the mattress seams or on the box spring, as well as insect skins (immature bedbugs shed their skin five times before becoming an adult). You may also see actual bedbugs, which, depending on their age, will be clear or rust-colored. You can never be too careful, but don't panic. "I've had people email me photographs of Hostess cupcake crumbs, lint, fingernails, you name it," says Furman. Photo by Tetra Images / Getty images.
7. Properly trained dogs can sniff out bedbugs.
Well-trained and properly handled canines can track down bedbugs because, like bomb-sniffing and drug-sniffing dogs, they are taught to home in on the scent. But according to Furman, "a dog is a tool to bring a handler to a defined search area. You’ve still got to find the bugs in the area they alerted you to." Photo by iStockphoto.
8. You don't have to throw away your belongings if you have bedbugs.
A common misconception about bedbugs is that if you have them, you have to trash your mattress and send all your clothing to the dry cleaner’s. Not true: According to Furman, heat is the number-one killer of bedbugs. Exterminators treat rooms and furniture with a combination of dry steam cleaning, deep heat and chemical treatments. If your clothes have been in an infested room, throw them in a hot dryer (at least 120 degrees) for 30 minutes to kill any bugs. Photo by Shutterstock.
9. You should never treat your home for bedbugs yourself.
Whatever you do, don't attempt to fumigate your house for bedbugs yourself. "Don't use a bug bomb or fogger, even if it claims it's meant for bedbugs," warns Dr. Jones. "All it will do is scatter them throughout your home, and if you have an apartment, it will give them to your neighbors." She reports that boric acid and other grocery store sprays won't work either. Calling a professional is essential—and call one early. "You have to deal with this right away," insists Dr. Jones. "One single female bedbug can lay 500 eggs at once, so it can get out of control quickly." Photo by iStockphoto.
10. Bedbugs aren't going anywhere any time soon.
Did you like this post? Leave your comments below! Found this Post interesting? Receive new posts via RSS (What is RSS?) or Subscribe to CR by Email | <urn:uuid:70554d17-84c6-4471-87f8-be38115e0a68> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.curiousread.com/2010/09/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-bedbugs.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00065-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963214 | 1,432 | 2.65625 | 3 |
The stash file is a local copy of the master key that resides in encrypted form on the KDC’s local disk. The stash file is used to authenticate the KDC to itself automatically before starting the kadmind and krb5kdc daemons (e.g., as part of the machine’s boot sequence). The stash file, like the keytab file (see The keytab file) is a potential point-of-entry for a break-in, and if compromised, would allow unrestricted access to the Kerberos database. If you choose to install a stash file, it should be readable only by root, and should exist only on the KDC’s local disk. The file should not be part of any backup of the machine, unless access to the backup data is secured as tightly as access to the master password itself.
If you choose not to install a stash file, the KDC will prompt you for the master key each time it starts up. This means that the KDC will not be able to start automatically, such as after a system reboot. | <urn:uuid:6e6fae80-4a57-4c62-b7ba-17136d53b1f4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://web.mit.edu/kerberos/www/krb5-current/doc/basic/stash_file_def.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.900246 | 226 | 2.046875 | 2 |
A silver coffee pot, a couple of knives, a fork, a coaster for a bottle of wine: the goods were spread out on the table the way the police would spread out guns or drugs hauled in from a raid that would make the 11 o’clock news.
But the well-polished table was made of African maple, fancier than anything in the usual police station. And this was no precinct house; it was the Waldorf-Astoria. The stolen goods had been returned under an amnesty program.
Bring back our spoons, the Waldorf said. Our forks. Our long-lost teapots that had been “secretly checked out,” as the hotel put it on its Facebook page. “We’re giving you the chance to give it back, no questions asked.”
Some newspaper articles were more pointed after the hotel announced the amnesty program in June: “Do you have a souvenir from New York’s legendary Waldorf-Astoria hotel that perhaps you shouldn’t have?” USA Today wondered. “Perhaps Aunt Bessy had sticky fingers?”
The Waldorf does not know how many Aunt Bessies have left with larceny in their luggage. The hotel has not kept track of items that have disappeared over its long history, first as side-by-side hotels on Fifth Avenue, then for the past 81 years at 301 Park Avenue at 50th Street.
And hotel officials acknowledged that even a Perry Mason would have a hard time proving that some items had been stolen.
“Our towels aren’t branded,” said Meg Towner, the hotel’s social-media manager. “The bathrobes are. But bathrobes take up a lot of space in a suitcase.” (A “plush terry robe” sells for $125 on the Waldorf’s Web site.)
The silver coffee pot sent back by Judy Schreiber, a psychotherapist who lives in San Diego, would have crowded a suitcase — probably her father’s, she said.
“My dad and my mom had a one-night honeymoon in 1938,” she said. “I think going to the Waldorf was a huge deal in those days, huge. There was not a lot of money around. And, the story goes, my dad stole it, basically. Every year on their anniversary, he took it out and served coffee on it.”
Matt Zolbe, the hotel’s director of sales and marketing, said that Ms. Schreiber was one of about 15 people who returned items before the amnesty program ended on Sept. 15. An additional 15 or so items have been promised.
He said he was pleased by those numbers. After all, the Waldorf did not start the amnesty program because it needed used silverware, he said, but because it was looking for attention on social media.
“Social media is ravenous for content,” he said, and that puts pressure on hotel executives to hold their Facebook followers’ interest. The Waldorf had 15,882 of them as of last Friday, and the amnesty program will give them something to see. The hotel is posting images of the returned items and will eventually display them in the lobby — but not police photos of the people who handed them in.
“The word ‘amnesty’ was always used as a word that would be compelling in and of itself,” Mr. Zolbe said. “The idea that we would be litigious was never part of the program, and the word ‘amnesty’ was probably less useful for social media. ‘Amnesty’ is probably why we got snarky comments like ‘What do you think the statute of limitations is on something taken in 1935?’”
He said some items came from John Does and Jane Does, people who had slunk in and, desperate to avoid the third degree, had declined to give their names as they slipped the pirated items across the front desk.
Most of the objects, though, came from people who signed their names and told stories that might or might not hold up in the interrogation room.
Paula Herold, a theatrical producer, said her mother’s response to the amnesty program had been straight-faced. She had summoned Ms. Herold and sent her off to the Waldorf with two butter knives that Ms. Herold’s grandmother had pocketed at charity lunches in the 1950s — one knife one year; the other the next.
“She only went those two times,” Ms. Herold said. “God only knows, the Waldorf might not have any silverware if she’d gone more.”
Nathanael Mullener, a retired psychologist from New Orleans, said he was sending back a teapot, “a compact, pink one-cupper with silver trim” that had had a place in a corner cabinet in his family’s house in Queens when he was growing up.
“It looks like it may have come from the ’20s or ’30s,” he said. “I’m 75 years old, and it’s been in my life as long as I can remember.”
Its provenance troubled him, he said, even when he was younger. “I actually couldn’t enjoy using it,” he said. “There was no doubt it was pilfered. I could understand why someone would want it, but I couldn’t understand anyone in my family taking it, with a few exceptions.”
Other hotels have tried amnesty programs: the Mayflower Hotel in Washington announced one in 2007, but did not accept everything that was offered.
“We had somebody who wanted to return a bathtub,” Keith McClinsey, the director of sales, said.
He said hotels had to be careful about the authenticity of items they took back. One item the Mayflower would not accept if it had another amnesty program was the brass-plated plaque from Room 871, the suite in which Eliot Spitzer stayed with a prostitute.
Mr. McClinsey had the plaque that was there when Mr. Spitzer checked out taken down as soon as the story hit the newspapers.
“We replaced it with an identical one,” he said. “That one was stolen, as we expected it might be.”
He said the hotel replaced the plaque with ones “that we would print out in Word and put in a little black frame.” He added, “We went through about five of them.”
He said one was soon advertised for sale on eBay. | <urn:uuid:4667459f-d598-4c1d-89c8-492f71cd7b34> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/26/dear-waldorf-mummy-stole-your-teapot-back-in-1935-so-sorry/?hp | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.984017 | 1,432 | 1.648438 | 2 |
AHVLA’s Bird Management Unit is recognised around the world as a leading provider of consultancy, research and training.
We specialise in two industry sectors:
- Aviation, providing aerodrome safeguarding and bird strike services
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We have developed a unique depth and breadth of specialist expertise to support our work in these sectors, including mobile bird radar, sophisticated data processing, modelling systems and analytical skills – a combination not found elsewhere.
AHVLA’s independence guarantees complete impartiality. This is a fact that all stakeholders with an interest in the outcome of our project work find reassuring. Whatever their perspective, they respect the fact that the reports we produce will be of the highest standards for quality and scientific accuracy.
If you would like more information about a particular service or would like to discuss your requirements with a member of the team, contact us via firstname.lastname@example.org.
Bird management services
AHVLA offers a wide range of services that deliver environmentally sensitive solutions to safeguarding and bird strike issues. We specialise in planning applications within a safeguarding zone, airport audits, bird management techniques training, bird remains identification and bespoke studies.
Our team of experienced and highly skilled ornithologists can provide accurate, objective and impartial information for development applications. AHVLA’s mobile bird detecting radars allow us to offer unrivalled expertise in Ecological Impact Assessments (EcIAs), Envrionmental Impact Assessments (EIAs), offshore research and conservation research on bats.
Our bird radar equipment can be deployed either on land or at sea and collects data on bird movements round the clock, whatever the weather. Being deployed on numerous sites pre- and post-development and with an easy to understand report at the end of the study, the range of applications for our radar is growing.
AHVLA has extensive experience of monitoring birds using both conventional ornithology and radar-based techniques. | <urn:uuid:1a8334f3-0a97-4730-97b3-42f551c5940e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.defra.gov.uk/ahvla-en/tests-and-services/bird-management/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.916522 | 425 | 1.765625 | 2 |
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- All Balkan Countries
Four Kosovo Serbs arrested for breaching Kosovo’s Constitutional Order and suspected of organising Serbia’s election in Kosovo, are now being charged with inciting hatred and intolerance among ethnic groups.
A Kosovo prosecutor amended charges against four Serbs arrested for allegedly carrying material to be used in the Serbian local elections.
Instead of charging them for breaching Kosovo’s Constitutional Order, charged them with inciting hatred and intolerance among ethnic groups.
Kamenica’s Municipal Court President, Zijadin Spahiu, told Balkan Insight on Friday that the defendants were brought before his court on Thursday afternoon and charged with inciting hatred under Clause 115, Article 1 of the Penal Code of Kosovo which carries a maximum penalty of five years.
The Court ordered the four suspects should be put under house arrest for 30 days.
“They have no right to contact each other or anyone else, other than members of their families,” Spahiu said.
Serbian minister for Kosovo, Goran Bogdanovic, said the arrests were “ethnically motivated” with the aim to frighten Serbs who are engaged with Serbian institutions on Kosovo.
“These counts are ridiculous, this is abuse of law and selective enforcement of the law by so-called Kosovo authorities.
„The fact they were working for Serbian insitutions and they were carrying election lists is no basis for acusations of spreading hate and intolerance. This is indeed absurd,“ Bogdanovic told Balkan Insight.
A Balkan Insight source explained that the prosecutor has the right to amend charges filed by the police, then change them again when filing the indictment, after the period of house arrest expires.
Given that another article of the Kosovo's Penal Code Clause 115 includes the breach of Constitutional Order the prosecution can add more charges later.
According to the source, Kosovo prosecution is planning to expand the case by adding the charges for breach of Constitutional Order at a later stage.
The Kosovo Serbs were arrested on Tuesday night at the Kosovo-Serbia border crossing of Dheu I Bardhë/Bela Zemlje.
They included the Mayor of Vitina, Srecko Spasic, two of his employees, and a police officer from the Ferizaj/Urosevac police. The four were on their way to Gnjilane/Gjilan.
After their arrest, the police found a list of eligible Serb voters in the municipalities of Gjilan and Vitina in their possession, and another list of those working for the Serb parallel institutions in Kosovo.
The Serbian police retaliated by arresting two Kosovo Albanians on Wednesday. Hasan Abazi, the President of the Metalworkers Union, was arrested for alleged espionage, while Adem Urseli was arrested for drug smuggling.
Both sets of arrests have drawn criticism from non-governmental organisations, who describe them as politically motivated and based on the men's ethnic background.
Earlier this month, Serbia announced that it was extending its May 6 local elections to Kosovo, which it still considers part of its territory, even though the country declared itself independent in 2008.
This move was condemned by the Kosovo government and by the international community as a violation of Kosovo's territorial integrity and sovereignty, which Belgrade does not recognise.
The Kosovo Police announced on Thursday that is has drawn up operational plans for implementing the government’s call to prevent the Serb ballots within the territory of Kosovo.
Economists from Kosovo and Serbia debated the future of the disputed Trepca mine complex, which according to estimates could be exploited profitably for decades to come.
A court ordered house arrest for former minister Sylejman Selimi and six other Kosovo Liberation Army ex-guerrillas over alleged war crimes against civilian prisoners in 1998.
Kosovo said it will sue companies that establish contracts with the Trepca industrial complex after the US firm New Generation Power did so without due consultation.
Leaders of Serbia and Kosovo have agreed on a harmonized plan to implement the recent Brussels-led agreement, the EU foreign policy chief announced.
Ahead of Tuesday’s meeting between Kosovo and Serbia, German foreign minister Guido Westerwelle urged both sides to take real steps to implement their EU-brokered agreement.
Officials have launched a week-long series of events aimed at raising awareness about tolerance, reconciliation and peaceful coexistence between different religious faiths in Kosovo.
As Pristina and Belgrade seek agreement on implementing their EU-brokered deal, Albanian leaders in Serbia’s Presevo Valley are urging the Kosovo authorities to help them win more rights.
The Serbian paramilitary who became a key prosecution witness at his former comrades’ trial for war crimes in Kosovo says he had to speak out about the brutal massacres his unit committed.
Despite two failed meetings about the implementation of the EU-brokered deal between Kosovo and Serbia, officials hope that prime ministerial talks next week will see progress.
EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton has invited the Serbian and Kosovo prime ministers to a meeting next week to discuss how to implement their Brussels-brokered deal.
Kosovo's authority will be introduced to Serb-run northern Kosovo in three stages, BIRN can reveal, as Kosovo Serb leaders warn the EU-backed plan may prompt them to emigrate. | <urn:uuid:5d326aaf-7125-4ec2-bf72-fc2241f45ff8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/serbs-jailed-for-spreading-hatred | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962021 | 1,111 | 1.507813 | 2 |
“Constitutional law creates obligations in the same way as private law, but its reactions as to persons possessed of political power are extra legal : revolutions, active and passive resistance the pressure of public opinion. The sanction is derived from the threat of these consequences.”—Vinogradoff, Outlines of Historical Jurisprudence.
On account of the indisputable fact that in the span of six years a number of constitutional conventions have been broken in this country, it may serve some purpose to examine the scope and importance of conventions in a constitutional framework.
A constitutional structure comprises both legal rules and non-legal rules. The rules of strict law are those which are recognised and applied by a court of law in the determination of disputes. Non-legal rules are neither recognised nor enforced by a court of law. However, if at any time a court recognizes and applies a non-legal rule, then that particular rule becomes a part of the body of law, strictly so called.
It is abundantly clear to a constitutional lawyer that in a constitutional structure it is essential to have a perpetual interaction between legal and non-legal rules. Without this imperative amalgam a constitution cannot function successfully. Legal rules give the constitution a coercive sanction; the non-legal rules give it the required modicum of flexibility which is so necessary to its organic life. On this issue K.C. Wheare is unusually dogmatic:
“In the British constitutional development, it is not the isolation of law from convention, but the association of law with convention within the constitutional structure which is the essential characteristic.”
Although this reference is to the so called “unwritten constitution” of Britain, in essence it is not restricted to the unique constitutional structure of Britain. With a slight variation in emphasis, it is true of all democratic constitutions. For instance, in the written constitutions of France, Sweden and the United States there is an inter-relationship of rules of strict law and non-legal rules. Convention governs the exercise in France of the legal powers explicitly conferred upon the President in the constitution of 1875. Convention has established in Sweden a system of cabinet government. In the United States the most striking case of constitutional change through the operation of convention is found in the exercise of the powers of the presidential electors.
It is, therefore, manifestly clear that an interaction and fusion of legal and non-legal rules is characteristic of all constitutional structures. But it is a matter of conjecture whether equal emphasis is placed on both the legal and non-legal rules, and whether one set of rules is more important than the others. The answer to this question is dependent upon the attitude and social behavior of each community. The Anglo-Saxon race in general and the British in particular, place as much emphasis on the one as the other, and there are several incidents in the constitutional history of Britain which seem to make non-legal rules the central theme of their constitution.
This is well illustrated by the Parliamentary records of the famous Statute of Westminster, 1931. When the Bill was presented in Parliament some members objected to the proposal not because of the terms it contained, but because it threatened to reduce conventions of the constitution to rules of strict law. Lord Buckmaster, an ex-Chancellor, said:
“It is not that its actual terms offend any of the relationships existing between ourselves and our Dominions. It is that it is, as I believe, for the first time, an attempt made to put into the form of an Act of Parliament rules which bind the various component parts of the Empire, and that I regard as a grave mistake. The thing which has made this country grow is that it never has had a written constitution of any sort or kind, and the consequence has been that it has been possible to adapt, from time to time, the various relationships and authorities between every component part of this State without any serious mistake or disaster.”
This is a misleading statement as regards written and unwritten constitutions, but it nevertheless indicates in no uncertain language Lord Buckmaster’s caution and reluctance to transform non-legal rules into legal ones. Again, at the Imperial Conference in 1921, the majority of the delegates from the Dominions agreed with Mr. W.M. Hughes, the Australian Prime Minister, that there was no need “to set down in black and white the relations between Britain and the Dominions.”
In the British Constitution, the role of convention is an exceedingly crucial one, and it is inconceivable to think of the constitution only in terms of pure law. The political and social repercussions would be of the most serious nature if an important convention were to be violated. Convention is the source of so many vital features of the British Constitution, that even if one of the non-legal rules were to be alienated, the constitution would fall utterly to the ground. The following are some of the more important conventions:
a. Most of the King’s prerogative powers are entrusted to Ministers.
b. The cabinet is responsible to Parliament as a body for the general conduct of affairs.
c. The King acts upon the advice of his Ministers.
d. The King is bound to invite the leader of the party which commands a majority in
Commons to form the Government.
e. The King is bound to dissolve Parliament on the advice of the Prime Minister.
f. The King must appoint as his other Ministers such persons as the Prime Minister advises him to appoint, although in law the King can appoint and dismiss his Ministers at his pleasure.
g. The King must assent to every Bill passed by the Houses of Parliament.
h. Parliament must be summoned to meet at least once each year.
All these rules are non-legal and cannot be enforced in a court of law, but in spite of this, it is unthinkable for any Monarch of Britain, or for any Prime Minister, to violate any of these hallowed rules. But it is quite reasonable to ask why conventions are followed and obeyed with such respect and regularity when they are not legally enforceable. What is the sanction by which obedience to the conventions of the constitution is ensured?
According to Dicey the paramount motives are:
a. The desire to carry on the tradition of Constitutional Government;
b. The wish to keep the intricate machinery of the ship of state in working order; and
c. The anxiety to retain the confidence of the public, and with it office and power.
“These influences secure that the conventions of Cabinet Government which are based on binding precedents and convenient usage, are observed by successive generations of Ministers.” Dicey championed the cause of conventions with egregious force and feeling, determined to establish that conventions were “intended to secure the ultimate supremacy of the electorate as the true political sovereign of the State.”
A convention is so inextricably inter-linked with rules of law strictly so called that the ultimate ramification of breaking a convention will inevitably be a breach of a rule of positive law itself. Furthermore, in an enlightened and a politically conscious social order a violation of a constitutional convention will produce mass resentment which in turn may lead to a conflagration. In view of these considerations, the chances are that a mature people, possessing a sense of responsibility will prefer to follow the path of tradition and precedent.
However, it is not possible for all people to view all problems in identical terms, and to have the same social and political values, especially if the history and culture of the communities are diametrically opposed to each other. Each community evolves for itself a pattern of government peculiar to its intrinsic needs, in consonance with the values and mores of its people. But for this to happen it is presupposed that the community is free to evolve its own social pattern, unhampered by extrinsic influences.
One of the anomalies and evils of imperialism is that the subjugated people are prevented from developing according to their innate needs and social values. Foreign standards are superimposed upon them. In the course of time some of the customs of the foreigners become a part of the colonial people, but some never fit into the social fibre of the enslaved community.
Unfortunately, not appreciating that the people of this subcontinent do not regard non-legal rules with the same reverence, the British gave and left us with a constitutional structure in many ways similar to their own. The consequences of this constitutional anomaly have been alarming on more than one occasion. The prorogation of the Sindh Assembly is the most recent example of breaking an important convention with impunity.
If we believe, or can be made to believe, that a convention is a vital feature of a constitutional structure, to be respected and honoured, then we should retain the existing conventions notwithstanding the events of the past six years, for the utility of these elastic rules is immeasurably great; but if we consider them to be semantic blanks, existing entirely on the sufferance of expediency, then it is far better to transform all the important conventions into rules of positive law. This indeed is a poignant choice but under the circumstances, if our political and social values do not encourage us to defend our conventions, it is better to give them the coercive and binding sanction of positive law rather than retain them in our constitution as deadweights. | <urn:uuid:6fe062fb-1282-430d-8c77-ed954fdf005c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bhutto.org/1957-1965_speech26.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00074-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958739 | 1,909 | 3.5 | 4 |
Dive in and be wowed by the many strange, beautiful and fascinating creatures of the deep as you journey through the amazing underwater world of the SEA LIFE London Aquarium. Prepare for astonishingly close views of everything from Gentoo Penguins to tropical sharks. To get any closer you’ll have to get wet!
Added to the attractions at Sea Life this season is the revamped shark reef. Encounter sinister Sand Tiger sharks, Bow Mouths, Black Tips and Grey Reefs (and a shoal of less menacing fish to keep them company!). It’s as close as you can be to these fascinating and eerie creatures of the deep without getting wet!
SEA LIFE’ London Aquarium's Ice Adventure is a very different - and much chillier experience to any other, giving guests a totally unique way to get close to, and learn about, the Gentoo penguins.
Working with British Antartic Survey, SEA LIFE London Aquarium has created an area that transports guests to a research station in the coldest and most inhospitable place on earth. Visitors can journey through an icy landscape full of interactive features – from freezing touch pools to looking at the world through snow goggles.
In the penguin viewing ice cave visitors get a direct window into the habitat of the Gentoo penguin as a select group of the magical creatures dive beneath the water and play in a carefully created icy home from home.
Please note that all bookings made through our site receive priority entry into the LONDON AQUARIUM! All under 16s must be accompanied by an adult aged 18 or over. | <urn:uuid:65e3d1a3-28c3-4d82-9c32-cb7d2d4427b1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.lovetheatre.com/tickets/1681/SEA-LIFE-London-Aquarium | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.924507 | 325 | 1.523438 | 2 |
Summary: Since 1990, Mel Silberman's classic book, Active Training, has been a runaway best-seller for trainers at all levels and a popular text for university level courses in adult education and training. The active training method--which turns the spotlight away from the instructor and put the emphasis on the learner--has emerged over time as a proven and reliable method for enhancing involvement, learning, and change.
The third edition of Active Training, provi ...show moredes a thorough introduction to the core principles of active training design and delivery and includes a wealth of examples, tips, and techniques. The book has been revised to reflect the latest trends in workforce training and key sections, such as assessment and evaluation, have been thoroughly updated. In addition, a completely new chapter has been included to cover the design of active training for e-learning and online applications. ...show less | <urn:uuid:f7889798-daed-4241-81f2-1b7325f82f96> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.textbooks.com/Active-Training-Handbook-of-Techniques-Designs-Case-Examples-and-Tips-3rd-Edition/9780787976231/Mel-Silberman.php?mpcond=LikeNew | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00048-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949507 | 177 | 1.710938 | 2 |
|Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary|
1:1-11 We are encouraged to come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. The Lord is able to give peace to the troubled conscience, and to calm the raging passions of the soul. These blessings are given by him, as the Father of his redeemed family. It is our Saviour who says, Let not your heart be troubled. All comforts come from God, and our sweetest comforts are in him. He speaks peace to souls by granting the free remission of sins; and he comforts them by the enlivening influences of the Holy Spirit, and by the rich mercies of his grace. He is able to bind up the broken-hearted, to heal the most painful wounds, and also to give hope and joy under the heaviest sorrows. The favours God bestows on us, are not only to make us cheerful, but also that we may be useful to others. He sends comforts enough to support such as simply trust in and serve him. If we should be brought so low as to despair even of life, yet we may then trust God, who can bring back even from death. Their hope and trust were not in vain; nor shall any be ashamed who trust in the Lord. Past experiences encourage faith and hope, and lay us under obligation to trust in God for time to come. And it is our duty, not only to help one another with prayer, but in praise and thanksgiving, and thereby to make suitable returns for benefits received. Thus both trials and mercies will end in good to ourselves and others.
Verse 11. - Ye also helping together by prayer for us. St. Paul had a deep conviction of the efficacy of intercessory prayer (Romans 15:30, 31; Philippians 1:19; Philemon 1:22). By the means of many persons; literally, from many faces. Probably the word prosopon here has its literal meaning. The verse, then, means "that from many faces the gift to us may be thankfully acknowledged by many on our behalf." God, he implies, will be well pleased when he sees the gratitude beaming from the many countenances of those who thank him for his answer to their prayers on his behalf. The word for "gift" is charisma, which means a gift of grace, a gift of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:4).
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
You also helping together by prayer for us,.... Though the apostle ascribes their deliverance solely to God, as the author and efficient cause of it; yet he takes notice of the prayers of the saints for them, as helping causes or means of their obtaining it. It was a very laudable practice in the churches, and worthy of imitation, to pray for the ministers of the Gospel, and especially when under affliction and persecution; see Acts 12:5, and the prayers of those righteous ones were heard by God, and often effectual for the deliverance of them, as they were in the present case: for
by the means of many persons, who wrestled together in prayer with God,
the gift of deliverance from so great a death, which the apostle looked upon as a wonderful mercy, "a free grace gift", was "bestowed upon" them, which was granted for this end,
that thanks may be given by many on our behalf; which is but reasonable, and ought to be observed; for since many were concerned in asking for, and obtaining the mercy, they ought to join in thanksgiving for it: and the apostle's view in this is to stir them up to a joint acknowledgment of the deliverance with them, which better became them than to side with the false apostles in their charge against him.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
11. helping together by prayer for us—rather, "helping together on our behalf by your supplication"; the words "for us" in the Greek following "helping together," not "prayer."
that for the gift, &c.—literally, "That on the part of many persons the gift (literally, 'gift of grace'; the mercy) bestowed upon us by means of (that is, through the prayers of) many may be offered thanks for (may have thanks offered for it) on our behalf."
2 Corinthians 1:11 Parallel Commentaries
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Bible Hub: Online Parallel Bible | <urn:uuid:458d1959-b16b-4e97-b7a0-b7830325204b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://biblehub.com/2_corinthians/1-11.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00057-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975575 | 973 | 2.03125 | 2 |
| Quote #10
"I wish I had the boy" the old man said aloud. "I’m being towed by a fish and I’m the towing bitt. I could make the line fast. But then he could break it. I must hold him all I can and give him line when he must have it. Thank God he is travelling and not going down." (2.77)
The old man’s feelings for the boy are based on the boy’s helpfulness and assistance.
| Quote #11
Then he said aloud, "I wish I had the boy. To help me and to see this." (2.87)
The old man’s feelings for the boy are based on companionship.
| Quote #12
His choice had been to stay in the deep dark water far out beyond all snares and traps and treacheries. My choice was to go there to find him beyond all people. Beyond all people in the world. Now we are joined together and have been since noon. And no one to help either one of us. (2.96)
The old man and the fish necessarily have companionship because of their mutual isolation from the world. | <urn:uuid:0f07b2be-c756-4e51-99a9-20d2e8bfd4b5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.shmoop.com/old-man-the-sea/friendship-quotes-4.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00053-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.982998 | 255 | 1.9375 | 2 |
Now that President Barack Obama has secured another four years in the Oval Office, and Congress has retained its basic power structure, what will be different? And what do the results tell us about the political landscape going forward?
Short-term uncertainty remains, while medium term certainty prevails.
The Demographic Wave
It’s now undeniable: The makeup of the electorate is changing. Mitt Romney won a greater share of the white vote than any presidential candidate since Ronald Reagan’s landslide victory in 1984, but he lost the race as a record number of Hispanic voters pulled the lever.
As SFGate.com points out, the number of nonwhite voters has tripled over the past 40 years, with this bloc making up an estimated 28% of voters Tuesday. The GOP’s reliance on white men (women broke for Obama 55-44) might have cost Romney the White House.
But Republicans can’t simply court these growing voting pools without rethinking some of its fundamental policies. Hispanics don’t support Democrats simply on the immigration issue alone — and the idea that the GOP can woo these voters by dangling the immigration carrot in front of them is myopic. Healthcare, social welfare programs, education — these issues are vitally important to nonwhite voters, and the GOP will be wise to rethink its policies in these areas. Expect the coming debate about the future of the Republican Party to be a bitter one.
The Fiscal Cliff: Uncertainty Ahead
Ever since the Republicans swept the House in 2010 in a wave of anti-government, anti-spending, anti-Obamacare sentiment, there has been a showdown between House Speaker John Boehner and President Obama about how to deal with the ballooning debt and deficit. The GOP refused to consider raising taxes at all, and the Democrats refused to consider entitlement reform without raising taxes. This dance resulted in the debt ceiling standoff in the summer of 2011 and the consequent downgrade of America’s debt.
In response, Congress created the so-called supercommittee that was charged with finding a compromise between the parties that would cut trillions from the deficit. The supercommittee famously failed at its task and triggered automatic spending cuts that will begin to take effect on Jan. 1. These cuts will coincide with an expiration of the Bush tax cuts, the payroll tax cut and much of the other stimulus the economy has relied on for three years.
Conventional wisdom suggests that now that the election is behind us, Congress will begin to work more seriously with Obama in forging a compromise on taxes and spending. But the basic power structure of the House and Senate remains the same. Republicans are in charge of the House, Democrats in charge of the Senate. While Obama won a decisive victory in the Electoral College, he only barely won the popular vote. If anything, the election simply confirmed deep divisions in this country. The only cause for optimism in this scenario is that Obama is not running for re-election and should have the flexibility that accompanies a second-term president.
Markets generally and corporations more specifically crave certainty in their tax and regulatory burdens. President Obama and his congressional colleagues have a big job to accomplish in just two months. Boehner claimed just yesterday that he and his party will not under any circumstances raise taxes on the wealthiest Americans. Obama claims just as fervently that he will not proceed with any tax reform unless it demands more of top earners. If nothing is done before the end of the year, everyone’s taxes will go up significantly … and the economy will tip back into recession.
The Republican Party has spent almost four years fighting Obama on healthcare reform. The president passed his signature piece of legislation without Republican support and then spent two years defending the Affordable Care Act both publicly and in the courts. In fact, every single one of the GOP primary candidates promised to repeal Obamacare if elected.
When the Supreme Court upheld the controversial law this summer, Mitt Romney doubled down on his vow to repeal Obamacare on his first day in office. Romney argued that the added taxes and regulations produced by the legislation were preventing businesses from hiring.
So, with Obama at the helm for another four years, we are assured that Obamacare will be fully implemented in 2014. Regardless of their feelings or opinions about the efficacy or wisdom of the legislation, businesses will have to prepare for its inevitability. There are no more elections or court decisions that might overturn it.
While health insurance companies expect to profit as a consequence of the new customers Obamacare will mandate, other sectors will not fare so well. As we’ve noted before, the businesses that stand to lose the most in the implementation of Obamacare are those that have large numbers of hourly employees — particularly restaurants. Indeed, as recently as last month, the Darden Restaurant (NYSE:DRI) group began to move many of its full-time staff to part time, in order to sidestep the Obamacare requirement that all full-time employees be provided health insurance.
In a similar vein, financial reform will continue its inevitable march forward. Mitt Romney and his GOP challengers had all promised to repeal the Dodd-Frank legislation immediately upon assuming office. Wall Street threw its support behind the Romney campaign in large part because the finance sector expected a Republican administration to roll back much of the regulation that they considered onerous.
Now, with no hope of a repeal, the finance community can plan for the full implementation of Dodd-Frank. While the legislation provides a basic framework for financial reform, it leaves much of the details and rule-writing to the bureaucracy. Many of the specific rules have not yet been written. The big banks that worked hard and dug deep to elect Romney will now have a chance to work with the SEC, CFTC and the like to participate in the rule-writing and detailing of Dodd-Frank.
Last night’s results provide a framework for legislation and reform that — like it or not — businesses will have to implement. That clarity should help companies look forward and plan for the future. That’s good. Less certain is the near-term effect of the fiscal cliff. There’s still much work to be done, and an intransigent Congress charged with doing it. We’ll have to wait and see whether Obama’s re-election is the catalyst needed to spur cooperation on this pivotal issue.
The opinions contained in this column are solely those of the writer.
Want to share your own views on money, politics and the 2012 elections? Drop us a line at email@example.com and we might reprint your views in our InvestorPolitics blog! Please include your name, city and state of residence. All letters submitted to this address will be considered for publication. | <urn:uuid:ac9c7daf-ef44-4574-8f02-d67b9fca2140> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://investorplace.com/investorpolitics/2012-presidential-election-demographics/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00076-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959756 | 1,361 | 1.882813 | 2 |
Shoshoni, Wyo., 1906
Although the Wind River Basin began to be settled as early as 1860, Shoshoni dates its founding to
1904 when laid out by the Pioneer Townsite Company, a subsidiary of the
Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad, later a part of the Chicago and Northwestern.
The Townsite Company was, thus, responsible for founding of a number of towns in
Nebraska and South Dakota including Belle Fourche, SD, Davey, Neb. and Bruno, Neb. Within
a short time the area had a population of 2,000 and boasted of 23 saloons and was hardly
slowed down by fires in 1907 and 1908 which destroyed many of the original wooden buildings.
Shoshoni Congregational Church and Parsonage, 1910
The church was first established when many of the residents of Shoshoni were still living in tents or
log dwellings with dirt floors. The meeting to establish the church was held in the jail. Later
services were conducted in a tent until the above depicted church could be constructed. The church was dedicated in Augustin
1908. The first church parsonage, however,
consisted of a small one-room log cabin which the church rented for its pastor at $8.00 a month.
First Congregational parsonage, approx. 1906
With the end of the boom which accompanied the town's founding, Shoshoni has lost population and
now has a population of approximately 500.
Rock Drilling Contest, Shoshoni, 1908
Across the street from the viewer is
the C. H. King Company and the First National Bank. Note that the town had two banks.
Charles Henry King (1853-1930) was the paternal
grandfather of President Gerald Ford and previously operated merchantile businesses
in Fetterman City and Douglas. President Ford's mother divorced his father, Leslie L. King,
a wool dealer in Omaha, and
upon his mother's remarriage Ford adopted his stepfather's name.
Another view of rock drilling contest, 1908
By 1906 Asmus Boysen had commenced the construction
of his dam in the Wind River Canyon to provide electrical power to the area,
gold and copper mining in the Owl Creek Mountains to the north of the town had commenced, and
the Wyoming and Northwestern Railroad had run its line from Casper to Lander so that the
area would be served by two railroads. Arnold Oliver Heyer (1877-1938), the publisher of the
above panoramic photo, was active in the Republican Party and was an alternate delegate
to the 1932 Republican Convention. Photo of the Heyer-Berger building constructed in
1908 further below on the page. Riverton, pictured to lower right, at the time of the panoramic photo at the top
of the page, did not exist. Riverton was founded on August 15, 1906, as a tent town and
was named Wadsworth after the railroad station manager. Within two weeks it was renamed
Riverton. Today Riverton has a population of over 10,000 and Shoshoni barely 500.
Riverton, c. 1910
The Wind River is known by two names. Below the Wind River Canyon the river is known as the Big Horn.
Above the entrance to the canyon is it known as the Wind River. The reason is that early explorers
coming up the Missouri came across the stream and named it the Big Horn. Explorers in the Wind River
Basin named the river the Wind River. It was only after the names stuck that it was
discovered that it was the same stream. To add to the confusion Shoshoni is not on the Shoshone River which is
near Cody, but is on Poison Creek. The Shoshone River, originally called
Stinking Water, was renamed at the insistance of residents of Cody who thought the name
might not be good for business. Of course, however, this eliminates confusion with other streams
called Stinking Water Creek in Laramie, Natrona, and Converse Counties and in
Hayes County, Nebraska, along which the old Texas Trail to Ogallala passed.
C. H. King Company and First National Bank, Shoshoni,
The building occupied by C. H. King and the Bank is
now on the National Historic Register and is occupied by a drugstore and ice cream parlor
famous for its real milkshakes, not a miracle of modern chemistry.
In 1907 Henry C. Beeler, the state geologist, noted the prospects for mining near Shoshoni:
Copper Mountain is the name locally applied to that portion
of the Owl Creek Range of the Wind River Mountains which lies east of the
Big Horn River, and has been the scene of active prospecting for both gold
and copper for the past year or two. The territory embraced is about
twenty miles long by about six or eight wide, and the formations shown
are schist, diorite, two distinct granite flows, and the whole skirted
by the sedimentaries which overlie the uplift on the north and east sides
of the mountain.
On the west end the canon of the Big Horn River cuts through the range,
and the properties of the Boysen Company are situated here. A power plant
is being built to furnish power for the mines of this locality, light the
Central Wyoming towns, and supply power for the other enterprises of this
section. A dam is being constructed, and the plant is being installed as
rapidly as possible.
Much prospecting has been done here, and some deep tunneling done from the
canon side, but so far no results have been given to the public. Near by
are several promising properties, and considerable gold ore has been
reported from this end of the mountain.
The Hale property, near Birdseye, is a gold property, is developed by
tunnels, and a considerable ore reserve shown up. On this showing a
stamp mill has been erected and operated for a part of the season,
until stopped by shortage of water. Plans for a cyanide plant to treat
the tailings are now being considered for construction next spring.
On the east end of the mountain the Williams-Luman mine bids fair to make
Central Wyoming famous for both gold and copper, and in point of
production and occurrence of the ores. The ore is found in a crushed
and fissured diorite, much altered and almost unrecognizable in spots,
and at the surface shows about fifty or sixty feet wide.
Heyer-Berger Building, Shoshoni, undated
The high hopes, however, has faded. The copper industry is, as discussed with regard to
Grand Encampment faded in 1908. The gold mining never panned out. At the
height of the Cold War there was the Uranium Rush and Fremond County became the
leading producer of uranium in the United States. But even that has faded.
Jeffrey City in the southern part of Fremont County arose and has again faded into
obscurity. In the area of Shoshoni the railroad from Riverton to Lander was abandoned in
in 1977. In 1993 the Shoshoni segment was sold to the Badwater Line until it too was abandoned and the
right-of-way was accepted by Fremont County as part of the Rails to Trails program.
Next Page: Riverton | <urn:uuid:e1426800-323c-4a9f-b5ac-398d57a2e9b8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wyomingtalesandtrails.com/shoshoni.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00035-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966678 | 1,560 | 3.09375 | 3 |
Here at Ed Money Watch, we often focus on things we want to change or problems we see in education policy that need improving. But in the spirit of the season, we would like to dedicate this pre-Thanksgiving blog to things we are thankful for in the education arena.
- No Child Left Behind has increased the availability of education data in states and districts across the country. While this data is currently used primarily for accountability purposes, it has the potential to become an integral part of education research, development and practice in the future. Some states, districts, schools, and teachers have already started using data to improve classroom instruction and we look forward to seeing how those practices can be scaled up for wider use.
- The teachers unions appear to be willing to play ball with the new administration with regards to teacher-focused reforms. With any luck, this will open the doors for equalizing the distribution of high-quality teachers across schools, and innovations in teacher pay structures.
- Gutsy school system leaders have been popping up all over the country attempting to tackle serious district malfunctions. Here in DC, Michelle Rhee has made major strides in streamlining the distribution of books and resources, supporting motivated school leaders, and bringing data-focused improvement into schools.
- Researchers, policymakers, and practitioners are starting to pave the way towards a community of practice. Last week we attended an event at AEI where Carnegie President Anthony Bryk discussed new ways to link education research and practice in order to increase innovation, speed up turnaround for reform practices, and enable teachers to be better consumers of research. At the same time, the National Academy of Education released a series of working papers intended to inform education policy by making research more accessible and applicable to practice.
- The increased attention paid to the selection of Secretary of Education suggests that policymakers, stakeholders, and the public care about and are invested in the future of public education in America. Whoever is selected as Secretary certainly has work to do and a diverse constituency to satisfy. We wish him or her the best in these endeavors. | <urn:uuid:e5997d03-d695-4bd5-acce-10d00d84b811> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://edmoney.newamerica.net/blogposts/2008/some_things_to_be_thankful_for-19013 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00072-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954411 | 416 | 1.820313 | 2 |
By purifying glassware in a high-temperature Carbolite oven, ELGA LabWater has been able to stop using chromic acid for the preparation of samples in the research and development laboratory where new high-purity water systems are designed. Minimal total organic carbon (TOC) levels, which are used as an indicator of overall organic purity, are a key requirement for users of pure water in laboratories. ELGA’s PURELAB Ultra system achieves TOC levels as low as 1 μg/liter.
In order to keep water samples from being contaminated by organic compounds on the glassware, ELGA used to soak it in chromic acid, which is both toxic and corrosive. Now, following the recommendations in Preparation and Testing of Reagent Water in the Clinical Laboratory (CLSI 4th edition, 2006), sample bottles are rinsed in ultra-pure water, then heated to 450°C for two hours in the high-temperature oven. Tests have shown that any organic contamination present after this procedure is not detectable, according to Paul Whitehead, Ph.D., R&D laboratory manager.
The equipment has a maximum temperature of 500°C and a 60-liter capacity stainless-steel chamber. A PID controller is fitted to ensure temperature stability, and fan-assisted air circulation provides temperature uniformity of better than ±5°C, as well as fast heat-up and recovery times. The ovens are available in three sizes (30, 60 and 120 liters), each with a choice of 400, 500, and 600°C maximum temperatures.
For additional details, visit www.carbolite.com | <urn:uuid:5bc83abf-bd52-429c-b9e7-f0a2e52ce32d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ceramicindustry.com/articles/print/carbolite-oven-ensures-ultra-clean-glassware-for-lab-equipment-supplier | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00075-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937269 | 338 | 2.59375 | 3 |