text stringlengths 213 24.6k | id stringlengths 47 47 | dump stringclasses 1
value | url stringlengths 14 499 | file_path stringlengths 138 138 | language stringclasses 1
value | language_score float64 0.9 1 | token_count int64 51 4.1k | score float64 1.5 5.06 | int_score int64 2 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Google Release ‘Disavow Links’ Tool
Yesterday, Google unveiled a new tool that allows webmasters to disavow links via Google Webmaster Tools. This means that those who have been caught up in link spam and received a message from Google about unnatural links being detected can upload a text file list of links to ensure that those links are disregarded.
Google head of webspam Matt Cutts has made a video in which he gives some advice to anyone who might be thinking about using the tool:
“First and foremost, the main thing that we recommend is getting those (low quality/spammy) links removed from the web. We recommend you write to people, as many as you can, to get those links taken down. At the point where you have written to as many people as you can, multiple times, you’ve really tried hard to get in touch and you’ve only been able to get a certain fraction of links down and there’s still a small fraction of links left, that is where you can use our disavow tool.”
The key point made by Matt in the video is that webmasters should make considerable attempts to have links removed manually before thinking about using the disavow links tool.
Matt talks about ways in which the tool can be used, highlighting a method of looking at the most recent links for sites where an unnatural link warning message has only just been received.
Google are also reportedly working on ways to include examples of low quality and/or paid links within any warning messages that are sent to webmasters. Matt stated that up to three examples will be included in future warning messages.
How to use the disavow links tool:
The following steps were given by Matt as advice for anyone wishing to use the tool:
- Create a text file listing the URLs of individual links to disavow (one URL per line)
- Use the domain: parameter to disavow all links from a single domain e.g. domain:example.com
- Use hash symbols (#) to indicate comments. This can be used to document previous attempts to have links removed or provide extra levels of context which will be read by Google’s webspam team
- Upload the text file to the tool via Google Webmaster Tools (one file per domain)
- Google has added a function which allows uploaded text files to be downloaded and edited if further linking URLs need to be added at any time.
How will Google treat this information?
Matt Cutts went on to give insight into how the information submitted via the tool will be treated by Google:
“We will treat it [disavow requests] as a very strong suggestion but not as something we absolutely have to abide by – basically we treat it as ’nofollow’ and will drop that link out of our processing”
An important point to note is the timescale in which the information will be processed:
“We do expect that it will take probably weeks once you upload your list of links to disavow for all of those links to be disavowed, because we have to recrawl, reindex and reprocess all of those pages in order to attach the attribute that says ”don’t treat this link with the same weight, treat it with zero weight””
- Only use the disavow links tool if you have good reason to think that you need to
- If you are submitting reconsideration requests, explicitly mention that you have also submitted links to be disavowed (where applicable)
Matt talked about a hypothetical scenario in which a link that had been submitted via the tool and disavowed was then requested to be reavowed. He suggested that it would take a considerable amount of time for disavowed links to be reinstated, and that they may not carry the same weight as they once did.
At the end of the video, Matt reiterated that the disavow tool is an advanced one, and that most people (proportional to those on the web) will not need to use it. He compares the tool to the rel=”canonical” attribute, stating that if a canonical tag points to a non-existent place then you can “shoot yourself in the foot”. Similarly, he advises users to perform an audit of their backlinks and get an idea of the “truly spammy” links before uploading lists to the tool to avoid disavowing links which are not spammy.
You can watch the whole video below:
Further to the disavow link tool being released Christoph Cemper from Link Research Tools announced that their Link Detox tool has been integrated with the Disavow Links tool to allow users to get a one-click export of low quality links in the correct text file format.
You can find more information on the Link Detox tool integration here. | <urn:uuid:912ce18d-f065-4634-a67c-f67724963e0a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.freshegg.com/blog/google-release-disavow-links-tool_14770 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00058-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961924 | 1,002 | 1.515625 | 2 |
More Muslim marriages in North America are breaking up in their first year than ever before, according to Shahina Siddiqui, executive director of the Islamic Social Services Association of the United States and Canada (ISSA).
The first five to seven years are the most challenging of any marriage. They are a time a couple spends getting to know each other better and adjusting to each other’s habits and personalities.
Below are some of the main problems couples face in the early years and some possible solutions.
1. Lack of proper information before marriage
A number of problems are caused simply by the fact that the couple and their families have not discussed crucial issues beforehand. Some of these include:
- whether or not the wife will work outside the home
- will the couple wait to have children
- which city and country the couple will live in after marriage
- will they live with his parents or have their own apartment
These and other relevant issues need to be discussed and decided in the beginning stages of the marriage process.
2. Who’s in charge?
One of the biggest problems is the tug-of-war between couples over who is in control in the relationship. This has led to a stalemate in disagreements, as well as bitter feelings.
Many couples today are refusing to compromise within moderation when differences arise.
While from an Islamic perspective, the husband is given the leadership role in the marriage relationship, this does not mean he runs the couple’s family life like a dictatorship.
It must be remembered that Islamically, a leader is one who serves, manages, provides and nourishes. A leader must also have humbleness and humility.
A husband exercises the right kind of leadership by being listening to and consulting (doing Shura) with his wife.
Also, a husband is bound to follow the rules of the Quran and Sunnah. So differences in opinion should be referred back to these sources, instead of becoming a source of tension and problems.
3. The divorce option
Once upon a time, “divorce” was the seven-letter word most Muslim couples avoided using. Today, amongst many Muslim couples in North America, it is one of the first recourses turned to when conflicts occur in marriage.
It should be remembered that out of all of the things Allah has made Halal, divorce is the one He hates the most. Couples need to look at several other alternatives before turning to this drastic measure.
They should seek the help of older, wiser and trustworthy elders who will try to help them resolve their differences. Generally, they need to make a sincere, concerted effort to try to work things out before divorce is seriously considered.
4. Sexual problems
It is unrealistic to expect the issue of sex and sex-related problems to mysteriously disappear once a couple gets married.
In the sex-saturated culture of North America, couples tend to place very high expectations of each other in this area. They also expect instant results.
In reality, it takes time, commitment, disappointment and investment to establish a sexual relationship in marriage which is in tune with the needs of each partner.
It’s important for Muslim couples to walk into marriage with proper information about sex and sexual etiquette from an Islamic perspective. They need to know what is Halal (permissible) and what is Haram (forbidden). They should also keep in mind that spouses must never discuss their sexual relationship with others, unless it is to get help for a specific problem with the right person or authority figure.
On a similar note, it’s important for both the husband and wife to remember that they need to make themselves physically attractive to each other. Too many couples take marriage to mean an excuse to now let themselves go. The couple or one of the partners may gain too much weight, or may not care about hygiene and their looks in general. The reverse should be true: spouses should take the time out for these things and give them even more attention after marriage. Our beloved Prophet has recommended husband and wife both to do that, May Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him.
The first few years of marriage are not just a period of adjustment for the married couple. It’s one of getting used to in-laws and vice-versa.
Husbands, wives and in-laws need to practice the Islamic rules of social relations with each other. These include: avoiding sarcasm, backbiting, calling each other by offensive nicknames, and making a special effort to respect each other as family members.
As well, comparisons need to be avoided, since every individual and every couple is different. So wives should not be compared to mothers and sisters. Husbands should not be compared to fathers and brothers. In-laws should not be compared to parents, etc.
In addition, there should be regular, healthy contact between spouses and in-laws. This can mean visiting each other at least once or twice a month, or calling if distance makes it difficult to get together.
Boy meets girl. They fall in love. They live happily ever after.
This is the plot of many a Hollywood and Bollywood movie, where everyone is “perfect”. Real life is very different.
Couples may enter marriage with high-flying romantic ideas and expecting their partner to be the ideal human. But all humans have good and bad points. Husbands and wives have to learn to accept each other, warts and all.
6. Making a schedule and establishing rituals
Making a schedule may seem like an end to spontaneity but it’s not.
This allows you to establish your own lifestyle and rituals as a couple. It’s especially important if both the husband and wife are going to school and/or working. In this scenario, a schedule helps in setting time aside for each other during a fast-paced week of work and studies.
Some rituals couples can establish may include:
- praying at least one prayer together
- attending a study circle together once a week
- deciding on a weekly menu
- having a pancake breakfast every Saturday morning
- setting aside one day on which no work or studying will be done
- setting a day when both the husband and wife will clean up the house
- setting a time to discuss finances and a budget
- making a phone contacting during the day
- deciding on a particular day and time once a month at least to visit each other’s parents
By discussing and setting up these rituals, couples learn how to talk to and feel responsible for each other. They also learn to become a team instead of two people living in the same with separate lives.
7. Marriage as a restriction
Muslim men who have grown up in North America may find marriage restricting. After all, before, they could hang out with their buddies and get home by 11:00 p.m. and no one would say a word. After marriage though, they have to be home by 7:00 p.m if not earlier.
While marriage comes with responsibilities and a tighter schedule, the benefits are also there. It takes time and patience to realize that in the end the benefits (i.e. a life partner, kids, etc.) are greater than the restrictions.
8. Friends and Islamic activities
Friends are a joy and a good friend is someone you want to be close to for the rest of your life.
But friends are often the source of many marriage conflicts. Too much time spent with friends, either hanging out or on the phone, means time lost with a husband/wife.
Also, friends, especially if they are of the same age group, may give the wrong advice on marriage, due to their own inexperience in the area.
Some possible solutions to the friends dilemma could be:
- working out a “friends time” at least once a week where the husband and the wife meet and/or talk with friends privately
- developing friendships with other married couples so spouses can befriend spouses
Islamic activities fall in a similar category. Young Muslim activists may think they can keep attending those three-hour Muslim Students’ Association meetings as they did before marriage. Not so.
Too much focus on outside Islamic activities takes away from spouse time. Give Islamic activities their due but within a balance of everyone’s rights, including those of your spouse.
9. Not keeping secrets
A number of young married couples are notorious for not keeping secrets, especially related to sexual matters, and exposing their spouse’s faults. This is not only unacceptable. It’s unIslamic.
Couples should seek to hide each other’s faults. They should seek advice on marriage problems from a “marriage mentor”, someone who is older, wiser, trustworthy and has the best interests of both parties at heart.
How much should be spent on furniture, the house, food, etc. These are staple issues of any household and can lead to a tug-of-war between husband and wife.
To keep spending in check, husbands and wives need to draft a budget then stick to it. The household will run more efficiently and that’s one less source of conflict in the marriage.
A special note to husbands: in the beginning of marriage, husbands tend to shower their wives with gifts. They do this as an expression of love and because they want to provide for their wives. However, as time passes and they keep giving, they go into debt or experience financial difficulty. As well, wives get used to a certain level of comfort which husbands can no longer afford.
Providing for a wife (and later on, a family) is not just reserved to material things. It includes spending time with her, and treating her with equity and kindness. In fact, most wives would prefer this kind of provision over expensive gifts.
11. Give each other space
A number of couples think being married means always being together and serving each other hand and foot.
Wives may initially take over all household chores, not letting the husband help or even do his own things (i.e. ironing his own clothes). They later regret this as household responsibilities increase and their husbands become dependent on them for the smallest things.
Husbands may think getting married means being with their wives all the time. This later may lead them to becoming irritable and cranky.
The key is to focus on being caring, fond of and accepting each other and giving each other sufficient space. Doing this provides a necessary balance in a relationship which is so close physically and emotionally.
Source: Soundvision, http://www.soundvision.com/Info/marriage/survivalguide.asp | <urn:uuid:ac249988-3d74-4a15-bb49-f0bf41c1a40a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.icna.org/the-first-two-years-a-marriage-survival-guide/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966298 | 2,203 | 1.84375 | 2 |
For centuries, Christians have struggled to articulate an effective Biblical position regarding the church’s interaction with culture. In his classic 1951 book Christ and Culture, which is still influential today, H. Richard Niebuhr suggested five potential methods of modeling the interface between Christ and culture. Although Niebuhr’s theology is not always evangelical, his insights remain helpful as we think through the issues of cultural engagement.
- Christ Against Culture: this first alternative encourages opposition, total separation, and hostility toward culture,and a commitment to creating a separate, pure community (that is, culture) of Christians. Tertullian, Tolstoy, Menno Simons, and, in the 20th century, Jacques Ellul are exponents of this position. The Amish, Mennonites, and Anabaptists have their roots in an oppositional stance between Christianity and culture. This group tends to culturally withdraw from the world, either trying their best to ignore it or providing negative criticism from a safe moral distance.
- Christ of Culture: this second alternative is exactly the opposite of “Christ Against Culture” because it attempts to bring culture and Christianity together, regardless of their differences. Liberation, process, and feminist theologies are recent examples. “Liberal” Protestantism would fit into this category.
- Christ Above Culture: this third position, as explained by Donald Bloesch, attempts “to correlate the fundamental questions of the culture with the answer of Christian revelation.” Thomas Aquinas is the most prominent teacher of this viewpoint. It is embraced by both the Roman Catholic and the Eastern Orthodox Churches.
- Christ and Culture in Paradox: in this fourth viewpoint, the Christian belongs “to two realms (the spiritual and temporal) and must live in the tension of fulfilling responsibilities to both.” Martin Luther adopted this view. He reasoned that a person experiences Christ through simultaneous interaction between two kingdoms.
- Christ the Transformer of Culture: proponents of this fifth and final view include the “conversionists” who attempt to convert the values and goals of secular culture into the service of the kingdom of God. Augustine, Calvin, John Wesley, Jonathan Edwards, John Knox, Ulrich Zwingli, Abraham Kuyper and Francis Schaeffer are the chief proponents of this last view. Gabe Lyons, a 21st century proponent of this view expresses it this way:
…to rediscover the cultural mandate, embracing the opportunity to influence culture. In the church, we must teach about calling and cultural influence and provide vital support to cultural leaders. We must become an integral piece of the local culture, convening and encouraging creation of future culture that serves the common good. We must become connoisseurs of good culture, recognizing and celebrating the good, true and beautiful to the glory of God and begin to lead the conversations that will shape future culture.
While Niebuhr’s model is not a perfect system, it shows the multiple perspectives of how Christians throughout history have related to their surrounding cultures. Many current evangelical Christians throughout the United States would be found in the “Christ Against Culture” camp. This explains the reluctance of many to engage today’s culture and can be partially explained by the historical reduction of the four-chapter gospel to two a two-chapter gospel (see an earlier post on the four-chapter gospel). This perspective has produced a “hunker down until Jesus comes” mentality.
The Reformed tradition has historically embraced “Christ the Transformer of Culture.” We can trace this perspective from John Calvin through the Dutch theologian and politician Abraham Kuyper to contemporary thinkers such as Francis Schaeffer and Chuck Colson. This perspective embraces the idea that creation is inherently good; therefore human culture is not to be despised but should be celebrated and developed because it is part of God’s intent for the human race.
In the New Testament Jesus calls us to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. He commands us to let our light shine before men so that they will see our good deeds and praise God (Matthew 5:13-16). In the 28th chapter of Matthew, Jesus instructs us to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” It seems obvious from these and many other scriptures that we are not only called to be in the world and not of it, but we are commanded to transform it through the power of Christ working in us.
We are to be actively involved in the transformation of culture without giving culture undue prominence. As Whitney Hopler writes,
If you want to make a powerful and lasting impact on the culture, you’ve got to do more than just consume it, critique it, condemn it, or copy it. The only way to truly change the culture is to create something new for it—something that will inspire people enough to start to reshape their world.
We must understand that there is no neutral ground in this battle. Either we influence the culture or it influences us.
What do you think? How should Christians engage culture and seek to transform it? Leave your comment here.
- Part 1: Establishing the Work of Our Hands
- Part 2: You are Called to be a Servant
- Part 3: What We Can Learn About Sacrifice from John Calvin’s School of Death
- Part 4: Are You Young, Restless and Reformed?
- Part 5: Using Economics to Understand the Biblical Concept of Work
- Part 6: Our Calling to Reweave Shalom
- Part 7: Daniel, an Example of Reweaving Shalom
- Part 8: Our Calling to Restore Culture
- Part 9: Christ and Culture
- Part 10: It’s Personal: Tales of Comparative Advantage
- Part 11: Can Christians Today Really Impact Culture?
- Part 12: Getting Down to Business and Changing the World
- Part 13: How Do We Shape Culture?
- Part 14: Cultural Change – Is It Possible Today?
- Part 15: He Who Dies With The Most Toys Wins…Or Does He?
- Part 16: Fear of A Meaningless Life
- Part 17: Kingdom Work
- Part 18: The Power of Ideas
- Part 19: Putting It All Into Practice
- Part 20: A Wing and A Prayer
Sign up to get the ‘Creativity. Purpose. Freedom’ Blog delivered to your inbox daily. | <urn:uuid:f1730743-883d-4011-b2d3-61e6af2af116> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.tifwe.org/christ-and-culture/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00058-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.922944 | 1,367 | 2.453125 | 2 |
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
January 17, 2001
For Immediate Release
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CARRIZO PLAIN NATIONAL MONUMENT
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Full of natural splendor and rich in human history, the majestic grasslands and stark ridges in the Carrizo Plain National Monument contain exceptional objects of scientific and historic interest. Since the mid-1800s, large portions of the grasslands that once spanned the entire four hundred mile expanse of California's nearby San Joaquin Valley and other valleys in the vicinity have been eliminated by extensive land conversion to agricultural, industrial, and urban land uses. The Carrizo Plain National Monument, which is dramatically bisected by the San Andreas Fault zone, is the largest undeveloped remnant of this ecosystem, providing crucial habitat for the long-term conservation of the many endemic plant and animal species that still inhabit the area.
The monument offers a refuge for endangered, threatened, and rare animal species such as the San Joaquin kit fox, the California condor, the blunt-nosed leopard lizard, the giant kangaroo rat, the San Joaquin antelope squirrel, the longhorn fairy shrimp, and the vernal pool fairy shrimp. It supports important populations of pronghorn antelope and tule elk. The area is also home to many rare and sensitive plant species, including the California jewelflower, the Hoover's woolly-star, the San Joaquin woolly-threads, the pale-yellow layia, the forked fiddleneck, the Carrizo peppergrass, the Lost Hills saltbush, the Temblor buckwheat, the recurved larkspur, and the Munz's tidy-tips. Despite past human use, the size, isolation, and relatively undeveloped nature of the area make it ideal for long-term conservation of the dwindling flora and fauna characteristic of the San Joaquin Valley region.
The Carrizo Plain National Monument also encompasses Soda Lake, the largest remaining natural alkali wetland in southern California and the only closed basin within the coastal mountains. As its name suggests, Soda Lake concentrates salts as water is evaporated away, leaving white deposits of sulfates and carbonates. Despite this harsh environment, small plant and animal species are well adapted to the setting, which is also important to migratory birds. During the winter months the lake fills with water and teems with thousands of beautiful lesser sandhill cranes, long-billed curlews, and mountain plovers.
The Carrizo Plain National Monument owes its existence to the geologic processes that occur along the San Andreas Fault, where two of the Earth's five great tectonic plates slide past one another, parallel to the axis of the Plain. Shifting along the fault created the Plain by rumpling the rocks to the northeast into the Temblor Range and isolating the Plain from the rest of the San Joaquin Valley. The area is world-famous for its spectacular exposures of fault-generated land forms Stream valleys emerge from the adjacent mountains, only to take dramatic right-angle turns where they intersect the fault. Ponds and sags form where the ground is extended and subsides between branches of the fault. Benches form where the fault offsets valley walls. Many dramatic landscape features are products of the interplay between very rapid fault movement and slower erosion. The dry climate of the area produces low erosion rates, thereby preserving the spectacular effects of fault slip, folding, and warping. On the Plain, these fault-related events happen intermittently, but with great force. In 1857, the strongest earthquake in California's recorded history ripped through the San Andreas Fault, wrenching the western side of the Carrizo Plain National Monument thirty-one feet northward.
The area is also distinguished for its significant fossil assemblages. The Caliente Formation, exposed on the southeast side of the Caliente Range, is host to abundant and diverse terrestrial fossil mammal remains of the Miocene Epoch (from 13 million to 25 million years ago). Fossils of five North American provincial mammalian ages (Arikareean, Hemingfordian, Barstovian, Clarendonian, Hemphillian) are represented in sedimentary rocks in that formation. These terrestrial fossil remains are interlaced with marine sedimentary rocks bearing fossils of mollusks, pectens, turitellas, and oysters.
In addition to its geologic and biological wealth, the area is rich in human history. Archaeologists theorize that humans have occupied the Carrizo Plain National Monument area since the Paleo Indian Period (circa 11,000 to 9,000 B.C.). Bedrock mortar milling features, village middens, and elaborate pictographs are the primary manifestations of prehistoric occupation. Some of these, such as the Painted Rock and Sulphur Springs rock art sites, are recognized as world class. European expeditions through the area date back to the late 1700s, with settlement beginning in the 1850s. Livestock ranching, farming, and mining activities in the last century and a half are evidenced by numerous artifacts and historic ranch properties within the area.
Section 2 of the Act of June 8, 1906 (34 Stat. 225, 16 U.S.C. 431), authorizes the President, in his discretion, to declare by public proclamation historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic or scientific interest that are situated upon the lands owned or controlled by the Government of the United States to be national monuments, and to reserve as a part thereof parcels of land, the limits of which in all cases shall be confined to the smallest area compatible with the proper care and management of the objects to be protected.
WHEREAS it appears that it would be in the public interest to reserve such lands as a national monument to be known as the Carrizo Plain National Monument:
NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the United States of America, by the authority vested in me by section 2 of the Act of June 8, 1906 (34 Stat. 225, 16 U.S.C. 431), do proclaim that there are hereby set apart and reserved as the Carrizo Plain National Monument, for the purpose of protecting the objects identified above, all lands and interests in lands owned or controlled by the United States within the boundaries of the area described on the map entitled "Carrizo Plain National Monument" attached to and forming a part of this proclamation. The Federal land and interests in land reserved consist of approximately 204,107 acres, which is the smallest area compatible with the proper care and management of the objects to be protected.
All Federal lands and interests in lands within the boundaries of this monument are hereby appropriated and withdrawn from all forms of entry, location, selection, sale, or leasing or other disposition under the public land laws, including but not limited to withdrawal from location, entry, and patent under the mining laws, and from disposition under all laws relating to mineral and geothermal leasing, other than by exchange that furthers the protective purposes of the monument. For the purpose of protecting the objects identified above, the Secretary shall prohibit all motorized and mechanized vehicle use off road, except for emergency or authorized administrative purposes.
Lands and interests in lands within the proposed monument not owned by the United States shall be reserved as a part of the monument upon acquisition of title thereto by the United States.
The Secretary of the Interior shall manage the monument through the Bureau of Land Management, pursuant to applicable legal authorities, to implement the purposes of this proclamation.
The Secretary of the Interior shall prepare a management plan that addresses the actions, including road closures or travel restrictions, necessary to protect the objects identified in this proclamation.
The establishment of this monument is subject to valid existing rights.
Nothing in this proclamation shall be deemed to enlarge or diminish the jurisdiction of the State of California with respect to fish and wildlife management.
There is hereby reserved, as of the date of this proclamation and subject to valid existing rights, a quantity of water sufficient to fulfill the purposes for which this monument is established. Nothing in this reservation shall be construed as a relinquishment or reduction of any water use or rights reserved or appropriated by the United States on or before the date of this proclamation.
Laws, regulations, and policies followed by the Bureau of Land Management in issuing and administering grazing permits or leases on all lands under its jurisdiction shall continue to apply with regard to the lands in the monument.
Nothing in this proclamation shall be deemed to revoke any existing withdrawal, reservation, or appropriation; however, the national monument shall be the dominant reservation.
Warning is hereby given to all unauthorized persons not to appropriate, injure, destroy, or remove any feature of this monument and not to locate or settle upon any of the lands thereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this seventeenth day of January, in the year of our Lord two thousand one, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-fifth.
WILLIAM J. CLINTON | <urn:uuid:b73aa1d8-2577-4a0f-875d-6242ed514b81> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/bakersfield/Programs/carrizo/cpnm_proclamation.print.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00047-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.923482 | 1,895 | 3.1875 | 3 |
This impressive Fifth Avenue mansion was once the home of coke and steel magnate Henry Clay Frick. It was the Frick's wish ... More
This impressive Fifth Avenue mansion was once the home of coke and steel magnate Henry Clay Frick. It was the Frick's wish that his art collection remain on display there after his death. Built in 1914, the mansion was made to look much older. The gilded, ornamental decor is the perfect setting for exhibits which include masterpieces by Vermeer, Goya, and Rembrandt. Stroll in the tranquility of the beautiful outdoor garden. Enjoy a Friday evening carafe of wine in the Garden Court, cash wine bar available after 6:30pm.
Staff are extremely unfriendly and imposing which detracts from being able to move freely around.
Most pieces have no commentary / descriptions.
Best to go on Sundays between 1100 - 1300 as you can just make a donation for entry. It is not worth the full price!
The Frick is a wonderful museum (collection, actually). I never write reviews, but after seeing a negative review of my favorite museum in NYC I had to write. First of all, there is a free audio guide that is really easy to use, as well as a video overview of the life of Frick, etc. It is small enough to have a good visit in a couple of hours. You will see fabulous art that is not only important, but you will actually like it, and could imagine hanging it in your own home. The Metropolitan is , of course, a great,great museum. But it is huge and takes alot of time (days really) to see it all. It is truly the best, but the Frick is my choice for an uplifting, relaxing visit to see world class art. You will leave with a smile on your face, and you won't be exhausted. (you can't say that about the Metropolitan)
Overall, the art collection is impressive, but the mansion itself holds many wonderful surprises for the visitor. The atrium/conservatory is beautiful. There is a guided tour available through a type of wand that is quite informative. A variety of languages is offered. The museum staffmembers were friendly and eager to offer assistance. So, if you would like to experience the lifestyle of 19th century Fifth Ave millionaires, come to this museum that is just slightly off the beaten track of the typical tourist.
The Swiss Institute was established to promote cultural exchange between the United States and Switzerland, as well as the promotion
and exhibition of creative efforts. Located at Broadway, the institute showcases such loaned works as paintings, drawings and photo ...
The Center for Architecture is home to a vibrant cycle of events and exhibitions. Their mission is to educate people,
advocate for, and honor architecture in New York and around the world. Anyone who is interested in the rich ...
This small but charming stone castle sits atop Vista Rock, which is the highest point in glorious Central Park .
Built in the 1870s, the castle now houses a weather station and the Henry Luce Nature Observatory. The Observatory ...
*Terms & Conditions: Savings calculation is based on Flight + Hotel vacation package bookings for a 3 month period for 2 adults with a 2+ night length of stay compared to price of the same components if booked separately during same period. Savings will vary based on origin/destination, length of trip, travel dates and selected travel supplier(s). Savings not available on all packages. | <urn:uuid:4c271389-c12a-4a6f-9b5d-9510aedae83a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-2737372-frick_collection_new_york_city-i?rsort=helpful | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00044-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963082 | 720 | 1.601563 | 2 |
Last August, in response to an ACLU lawsuit, the Obama administration released a partially declassified 2004 report from the CIA’s Inspector General on that agency’s detention and interrogation programs. The report’s descriptions of the treatment of detainees were sufficiently shocking to prompt Attorney General Eric Holder to appoint a prosecutor to look into allegations of abuse.
Now additional documents (pdf), newly obtained by Judicial Watch under a FOIA request, make clear the depth of Inspector General John Helgerson’s own concerns about the allegations in his 2004 report.
The documents include timeslines and redacted descriptions of CIA briefings of members of Congress — primarily the chairs and ranking members of the House and Senate intelligence oversight committees — regarding the treatment of detainees and the use of enhanced interrogation techniques.
At a July 13, 2004 briefing, Inspector General Helgerson presented his then-secret report to Chairman Porter Goss (R-FL) and ranking member Jane Harman (D-CA) of the House Permanent Select Committee of Intelligence. He began by expressing doubts about the so-called “Bybee Memo” of August 1, 2002, which served to justify the use of waterboarding. According to the description in the document:
“The IG indicated that the 1 August memo did not address Article 16 of the [United Nations] Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. … The question was whether CIA’s use of the enhanced techniques would transgress US obligations under Article 16. The IG indicated he was also bothered in that the DOJ 1 August document did not address interrogations as we carried them out.”
“The IG then turned to the waterboard issue,” the description continues. “He said that three people had been interrogated with the waterboard. On one, the IG felt it had been used excessively, beyond what the IG thought was the agreement with DOJ. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (KSM) got 183 applications.”
The inspector general’s concerns are particularly striking in light of an earlier briefing, which had occurred a few weeks prior to the waterboarding of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in March 2003, and at which Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Pat Roberts (R-KS) had appeared to signal his approval of the technique as then described.
The February 4, 2003 briefing was presented by CIA Deputy Director of Operations James Pavitt and General Counsel Scott Muller to Roberts and a staffer sitting in for ranking member Jay Rockerfeller (D-WV). According to the description:
“The enhanced techniques were described in considerable detail, including how the water board was used. The General Counsel described the process by which the techniques were approved by a bevy of lawyers from the NSC, the Vice President’s office and the Justice Department, including the Criminal Division and the Attorney General who opined that the techniques were legal under U.S. law. … Senator Roberts posed no objection to what he had heard. It seemed clear that he supported the interrogation effort.”
It appears that the waterboarding of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, which took place a few weeks following this briefing, may have violated the guidelines which were described to Roberts at that time, prompting Helgerson’s later description of it as “excessive” and as going beyond the agreement with the Department of Justice.
Blogger emptywheel has slammed the Reuters news service for taking the CIA claims described in these new documents at face value and not noticing the lies and misrepresentations that were being offered even to Congressional oversight committees. The waterboarding of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed may be one more area where Congress was kept in the dark. | <urn:uuid:d6bacfb9-47cc-45c2-a635-0112ae48743e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/02/24/cia-inspector-general-waterboarding-excessive/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975165 | 751 | 1.5 | 2 |
THE stance opposing violence against women by St Patrick’s College could hardly have been any clearer yesterday.
The entire college banded together to spell out the word “no!” on the main oval, showing its commitment to stamping out domestic violence as part of the lead-up to White Ribbon Day.
More than 1150 students and 120 staff stood as one, not just to spell out the simple two-letter word, but to take a firm stance – that domestic violence cannot be tolerated.
It was the first time the college had taken the stance, and college headmaster Dr Peter Casey said it was crucial that the school stood strong in the campaign.
“We think it’s important that being the only boys school in the area that we’re very conscious about putting this before our boys as an issue and making them aware that it’s always appropriate that they should always say no to domestic violence,” he said.
“Having something very visual like this, it’s a way they will always remember what we’re doing and why we’re doing it.
“Hopefully then that will influence their life decisions.”
Newly elected college captain for 2013, Peter Oakley, said the students were the future adults of society and they had to start preaching the message early.
White Ribbon Day will be held on Sunday, November 25. | <urn:uuid:0331597a-912f-4783-bfb0-288edda7a1a8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thecourier.com.au/story/1135130/st-patricks-college-says-no/?cs=62 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97261 | 292 | 1.648438 | 2 |
Found 5 results for "Chicago Slitter"...
Just show me:
July 10, 2007
Keeping stainless flawless for appliance stamping, fabrication
Appliances are increasingly being made of stainless steel to satisfy consumers' growing demands for these high-end products. According to the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM), the use of stainless steel in home appliances has... Read more...
April 11, 2005
Evaluating in-house coil slitting
As the cost of steel rises and profit margins shrink, small to medium-sized stampers are looking for ways to reduce costs and streamline operations while maintaining quality. One area to consider is the cost of slitting steel. Shops that... Read more...
November 20, 2003
Handling appliance steel
As appliance manufacturers strive to reduce costs and streamline production processes, additional pressure is placed on coil processing to produce high-quality, surface-sensitive materials. These materials include pre-painted steel... Read more...
August 28, 2003
Protecting surface-sensitive materials in coil processing - Three potential danger areas
The use of surface-sensitive materials is especially prevalent in the automotive industry, which commonly uses galvanized steel. In this industry, metal surfaces that have a high-quality finish are known as automotive-exposed... Read more...
June 6, 2001
Protecting surface-sensitive materials in coil processing
In today's world of metal fabricating, reducing the number of steps in the production process is an ever-increasing trend. Fabricators are becoming more efficient by: Feeding production lines with materials that have been slit to the proper... Read more... | <urn:uuid:a0653e18-c0eb-44b8-a552-91317b1d61e4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thefabricator.com/showroom/chicago-slitter/related/filter/article | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.913089 | 334 | 1.546875 | 2 |
Of all the major central banks in the world, the ECB has been one of the least aggressive. Since the beginning of 2008, they have cut interest rates by only 150bp, an insignificant amount when compared to the actions taken by the BoE and the Fed.
The ECB has been close lipped about how much they plan to cut interest rates, but the market is pushing for a 50bp rate cut that would take Eurozone interest rates down to 2 percent. However given the track record of the ECB, there is no doubt that central bank President Trichet would postpone additional rate cuts if it were in any way possible. In comments made today, while acknowledging the severe economic downturn, he seems optimistic in a full recovery by 2010. The central bank head has also repeatedly supported the fact that his string of rate cuts has not yet been acknowledged by the financial markets. It is a monetary reality that interest rate decisions made by central banks have a lagging impact on an economy, often taking more than six months to reveal possible effect. However, the fact of the matter is that the lack of action will leave the Euro-zone very vulnerable in the event that the situation worsens. Therefore we wouldn’t completely rule out a 25bp rate cut or a half point cut accompanied with not so dovish comments.
The economic condition of the Euro-zone has only managed to worsen since last month’s meeting. EZ PPI fell by the most in three-decades, Industrial Production dropped by the most in eighteen years while German unemployment rose for the first time in nearly three years. This serves as a severe shock to business and consumer confidence which Trichet personally promotes as a vital ingredient for his optimistic turnaround by 2010. With nearly all EZ countries struggling within the clutches of recession, the ECB will have to act fast to prevent another round of financial destruction.
Ratings Downgrades in the Eurozone
The Euro has also been hit by Standard and Poor’s downgrade of Greece’s sovereign debt rating to A- and rumors that Ireland may seek help from the IMF. The downgrade of Greece follows official warnings about potential downgrades for Spain, Ireland and Portugal. Falling tax receipts has made the ratings agency extremely concerned about the budgets of these nations. A downgrade increases the cost of borrowing for Greece which puts the country at greater risk. As for Ireland, they have denied that they will seeking IMF funding, but the rumors reflect the market’s concern about the economy. | <urn:uuid:cb6360bf-e215-4c63-8c7a-1d2e5012f2dd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://wallstreetpit.com/1906-ecb-preview-the-debate-over-the-rate-cut/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969374 | 507 | 1.859375 | 2 |
FDA Limits Max Amount of Acetaminophen in Combo Pain Meds
Combination pain medications such as Vicodin, Tylenol-Codeine and others must reduce the amount of acetaminophen (Tylenol) in the formula.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced last week it has decided to restrict acetaminophen content to 325 mg per tablet or capsule in combination prescription medications. Product labeling will also be required to include a boxed warning alerting consumers to the risk of severe liver injury.
In addition, the FDA will require labels to include a regular warning on the potential for allergic reactions. Symptoms include difficulty breathing, itching, rash, or swelling of the face, mouth and throat.
Sandra Kweder, MD, deputy director of the Office of New Drugs at the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), said in a conference call with reporters the changes will be phased in over a three-year period. She added that over-the-counter (OTC) medications containing acetaminophen, which already contain a warning about liver injury, would not be affected.
Kweder said patients do not need to stop taking the combination medications they already have, but should speak with their doctors. “When taken as directed, acetaminophen is a very safe product,” she said. “Our goal is to make it even safer.”
The decision came in response to studies indicating a high risk of liver toxicity from the products. An FDA advisory panel recommended the changes in June 2009.
“Overdoses from prescription products containing acetaminophen account for nearly half of all cases of acetaminophen-related liver failure in the United States, many of which result in liver transplant or death,” said Gerald Dal Pan, MD, director of the Office of Surveillance and Epidemiology at CDER, also on the conference call with reporters.
The FDA noted that most cases of severe liver injury related to acetaminophen occurred when patients exceeded the maximum dose of 4,000 mg in a 24-hour period – generally by taking several products containing the drug at the same time -- or by drinking alcohol while using the product. | <urn:uuid:09a49f6c-1e74-4ebf-975c-dc75d7517c62> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/141747 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00051-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942159 | 451 | 1.726563 | 2 |
Gym using boxing to keep kids out of gangsby Elizabeth Baier, Minnesota Public Radio
Rochester, Minn. — While officials in Rochester tackle an increase in violent crimes in the last year on the streets, one man is using the boxing ring to help at-risk kids.
Cities around the state are fighting gang problems, much like the Twin Cities have for years. In Rochester, there's been a double-digit increase in violent crimes in the last year, including drive-by shootings and stabbings.
On a recent weeknight in downtown Rochester, about a dozen young men exercise inside the Fourth Street Youth Boxing Gym. Some punch speed bags, others twist and turn to work out their abs. It's musty in the converted warehouse and most of the men are drenched in sweat.
Amateur boxers and young adults from all over Olmstead County come here to workout. All of the trainers are volunteers, including 52-year-old Horace Bryant.
"When they come through that door, attitude, ego, disrespect, all those things stay on that side," Bryant said.
His words are telling of the gym's rules: no smoking, no gang colors, no swearing, no drinking, and no drugs.
Bryant doesn't own the gym, but since this spring, he's coordinated with the owners to bring his youth mentoring program into the boxing ring.
Many of these boys have had run-ins with the law and Bryant believes the discipline that's needed to be a boxer is just what some of them need.
"Before you know it, for kids that may have not listened to anyone, now they're paying attention and they're listening and they're respecting the word of someone else," he said. "It's really amazing that a sport that can be deemed in a sense violent, is changing the lives of kids who are violent."
Chris Watson, 21, is one of Bryant's students.
Bryant has become Watson's coach, mentor and friend, and that's just what Watson needed, considering his lengthy rap sheet. He said he was never in of a gang but at 14, he was arrested and charged with a felony for being in a group fight that left a boy into a coma.
He's also been arrested about half a dozen times for underage drinking and smoking marijuana. He also dropped out of school during his senior year in 2007.
Watson said he probably would have continued on that downward spiral if it hadn't been for Bryant -- or boxing.
"I just had nothing to do back in the day; I wasn't working," Watson said. "I had so many friends I didn't know what to do with and they were always doing something illegal or something fun. Ever since I met Horace, going to the gym is what I look forward to everyday. I can't wait to get off work and go boxing."
In Rochester, violent crimes like drive-by shootings and stabbings were up 14 percent last year. The gang trouble doesn't compare to the shootings and drug dealings in the Twin Cities, but Rochester police say they don't want to wait for it to get that bad.
Rochester Police Captain Brian Winters said any help to get at-risk kids OFF the streets is a step in the right direction.
"If we can divert one individual from gang involvement, if we can divert one individual, provide them resources to put them on a track that helps them avoid criminal behavior, it's certainly an effort that's worthwhile and certainly an effort that the community would endorse," Winters said.
For Watson, boxing became the catalyst for getting his life back on track.
Bryant helped him find a job as a cashier at Kohl's just about a month ago, and now, Watson jokes that his biggest trouble is getting customers to sign up for the department store's credit card.
"I feel like I was on the edge, and I just turned around and walked away from the edge," he said. "Now, I'm just moving forward. I'm going to put the past behind me and all that. There's a lot of people who know me because of the things I did, but I'll shake that image one day."
Watson said he'll continue to box, work and prepare for his GED, so he can start college in the spring. He's not sure what he'll study, but he says he wants to help kids, the way Horace Bryant helped him.
- All Things Considered, 09/24/2009, 5:24 p.m. | <urn:uuid:1c3b5904-f133-497b-9a20-34b01d6d68ce> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2009/09/24/rochester-gym-boxing | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.985447 | 947 | 1.625 | 2 |
Honors seminars provide the opportunity for personal interaction in classes limited to 20 students. The program offers four different seminars each year. Seminars are two credit hours and are typically taken during the sophomore and junior years. Professors develop these courses specifically for honors students as an opportunity to study a topic in more depth than most classes allow.
An introduction to the study of art, beauty, and other aesthetic values through an exploration of classical and contemporary theorists, critics, and artists.
Body and Soul: Foundations for Human Personhood
An interdisciplinary study of human valuing from the perspectives of theology, philosophy, psychology, biology, and neuroscience.
Chance, Emergence, or Design
The origin of complexity and order in the universe is studied from three different perspectives: Neo-Darwinism, Emergence, and Creation.
Contemporary Global Issues
An introduction to and critical assessment of global-planetary problems, the global economy, environmental issues, human rights, and basic human needs.
Creativity: The Birth of a Notion
An examination of creativity as one of the distinguishing marks of God's image in humans and as an essential component of all artistic expression.
Culture and Health
An analysis of situations in which cross-cultural dilemmas emerge from the interaction of culture and health; models for resolution are created.
Gender, Politics, and Communication
An investigation of the place of women in American society since 1860, the expectations placed on them, and the influences they have had upon society.
Image and Word in a Visula Culture
Inquiry into the tension between image and word in Jewish and Christian thought and the implications for Christians living in a visual culture.
Perspectives on Friendship, Love, and Romance
An exploration of friendship, love, and romance from historical, theological, and philosophical perspectives.
An interdisciplinary analysis, critique, and response to postmodern ideas as they are reflected in aspects of contemporary culture such as architecture, art, education, literature, philosophy, politics, religion, and science.
Reading and Writing the Literature of the Natural Environment
A study in both the reading and the writing of the literature surrounding "environmentalism."
The Rhetoric of Faith in the Christian Tradition
A study of significant examples of confessions, creeds, and prayers in Christian history, analyzing their rhetorical structures and devotional purposes.
Romanticism and Its Offspring
A study of the development of poetry and music from 1800 to our present postmodern pop culture in light of the larger philosophical developments of the last two centuries.
Science and Religion: Middle Ages to Darwin
A seminar centering on major primary sources in the history of science, exploring the historical relationship of science and religion, particularly Christian theology, from the late Middle Ages to the Darwinian Revolution. | <urn:uuid:df2f5ca0-33f7-40f8-b7d2-800a07cd2498> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cedarville.edu/Academics/Honors/Seminars.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00059-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.906988 | 570 | 2.078125 | 2 |
Mar. 1, 2000 More than 40 teams, representing colleges and high schools from across the country and Puerto Rico, will roll into Huntsville, Ala., April 7-8 for the 7th annual Great Moonbuggy Race at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center.
The race is inspired by development of the first lunar roving vehicle, which was designed and tested at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville. The event challenges students to design and build a human-powered vehicle to address engineering problems similar to those faced by the original Marshall Center lunar rover team.
For instance, prior to the race the unassembled vehicle must occupy a space no more than 4 feet high, 4 feet wide and 4 feet long. During the race, each vehicle is powered by two team members, one male and one female, over a half-mile obstacle course of simulated moonscape terrain.
Winners in each category – high school and college – are determined by the fastest vehicle assembly time plus time through the course. An additional prize is awarded to the team with the best technical approach to solving the engineering problem of navigating the “lunar” surface.
The event is sponsored by the Marshall Center, the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Event details, including the rules, information on the course and photos, can be found at the Great Moonbuggy Race Web site at:
Individuals with questions about the event may phone Frank Brannon, the Marshall Center’s university relations coordinator, at (256) 544-5920, or e-mail him at Frank.Brannon@msfc.nasa.gov.
- 30 -
Note to Editors/News Directors: Photos and video from last year’s race are available to accompany this release. To request those products or to schedule interviews, media representatives may contact Jerry Berg of the Marshall Media Relations Department at (256) 544-0034. Media who want to cover this year’s event should also contact Jerry Berg.
Members of the media: To receive Marshall releases by e-mail instead of fax, please e-mail email@example.com. Include the name of your media outlet, your title, mailing address, phone and fax numbers, and the headline of this news release.
Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:
The above story is reprinted from materials provided by NASA Marshall Space Flight Center.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead. | <urn:uuid:628fddc0-490a-48ee-a973-930482216dac> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2000/02/000228180108.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.923056 | 557 | 2.015625 | 2 |
Fontevraud Abbey Tourist Attractions
The little town of Fontevraud or Fontevrault (pop. 1,189), famed for its abbey, lies half-way between Chinon and Saumur a few kilometers south of the Loire.The great abbey of Fontevraud was founded in 1099 by a preacher named Robert d'Arbrissel. It was occupied by monks and nuns who lived under the strict rule of the Benedictine order. The abbey was dissolved during the French Revolution, and from 1804 to 1963 served as a prison. It is now a conference center.The church dates from the first half of the 12th C. It contains the tombs of members of the Plantagenet house (which favored the Benedictine order), in particular of Henry II of England, his wife Eleanor of Aquitaine and Richard Coeur-de-Lion - fine examples of 13th C sculpture.On the south side of the church is the Cloître Ste-Marie, off which opens the Chapterhouse; both were rebuilt in the 16th century in typical Renaissance style. Adjoining is the Cloître St-Benoît, which is open on one side; it was partly restored in the late 17th and early 18th C. The best known of the conventual buildings is perhaps the kitchen, with its striking conical roof. Round the octagonal interior are five apses (before the refectory adjoining the kitchen was built there were eight), each with its own chimney hood, which join in the middle in a single large chimney. A low door (usually closed) leads into the rib-vaulted refectory.The village church of St-Michel (13th-15th C) has a fine high altar and contains art treasures from the abbey.The garden features a magnificent herb collection used in Medieval times for medicine, dyeing and other interesting purposes. | <urn:uuid:6527d9d7-93c3-4ba7-8ef7-1c07f6801f5e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.planetware.com/france/fontevraud-abbey-f-loi-font.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975581 | 403 | 2.578125 | 3 |
President Nicolae Timofti hopes Moldova will necessarily sign an Association Agreement with the European Union one day.
In his interview with Euronews, the Moldovan president said, “I hope it will happen soon, but because I am realistic I know it will not happen next year or in the next years to come. I hope it will be within a reasonable time.”
Speaking to the president during his first trip abroad, Euronews asked Nicolae Timofti why he had chosen to only come to Brussels. Timofti said, “I advanced the concept that we, all the citizens of the Republic of Moldova, should gather round an idea. This should be European integration.”
Asked what Europe means for his country, the president answered that first of all Europe means respect for human rights, restarting an economy based on competition, “and it means respect for property law.”
Euronews asked if he thinks there is a contradiction between the fact that the Republic of Moldova is still a member of the Community of Independent States and on the other hand it is taking big steps towards Europe.
Nicolae Timofti replied, “I wouldn’t say that there is a contradiction, I would rather talk about a clear purpose of the present government and of our nation. It is not a coincidence that hundreds of thousand Moldovans are working in European countries. I also would like to say that I feel sorry about the fact that many of them are getting there illegally. We are aware of it, the countries in which our citizens are working are aware too. We would like to change the terms so that they don’t need to hide themselves and don’t try other ways than legal ones.”
Concerning negotiations on an Association Agreement between the Republic of Moldova and the European Union, Timofti said that Moldova is taking concrete action and moving forward quickly, carrying out all its duties to ensure its integration. | <urn:uuid:8fa0bf08-9c7c-412e-9e17-252c868438d6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.allmoldova.com/en/moldova-news/1249053289.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972187 | 409 | 1.507813 | 2 |
Partner with a Calvert Advisory Teacher for Better Results
Students enrolled in the Calvert Advisory Teaching Service (ATS) are assigned an Advisory Teacher who provides evaluations of your child’s work in all subjects, including detailed feedback on composition, mechanics, and processing skills. Students receive a personal letter with each set of corrected tests providing additional motivation and support.
Enrollment in the Advisory Teaching Service (ATS) begins a partnership that will reinforce and support your homeschool journey. ATS boosts your confidence as a Learning Guide and gives you another supportive voice in your child’s education.
Guiding your child through their academic journey is what you do best, supporting you and motivating your child is what Calvert’s ATS Teachers do best.
Enrolling in ATS adds these valuable features and benefits to your homeschool experience:
- An assigned ATS Teacher who sees your child through completion of his or her course, enabling the teacher to develop an understanding of your child’s academic development
- A personal letter from your child’s Advisory Teacher sent with every set of corrected tests
- An evaluation of your child’s work in all subjects in relation to a peer group
- Detailed feedback on composition, mechanics, and processing skills
- Motivation and encouragement for your child to do his or her best work
- Suggestions for improved study and insightful comments
- A partner to reinforce the observations and instructional priorities that you, the Learning Guide, have set for your child
- A certificate of completion and a transcript (available upon request)
The ATS Placement Process
ATS enrollment for the first time in Fourth through Eighth Grades requires students to complete Calvert’s free placement test prior to enrollment. A Placement Counselor will contact your and be available to discuss test results with you.
Online Resources Included in ATS Enrollment
Available at no additional charge is the option of submitting ATS tests electronically. Students in Grades 1–8 may choose to scan and e-mail their ATS tests, saving both time and postage. The improved turn-around time helps keep your child on course.
Grammar Review Sessions
Fourth through Eighth Grade students enjoy the added benefit of prerecorded grammar review sessions, included every ten lessons. These review sessions help you ensure that your child understands the grammar concepts presented in the core instruction. Delivered by a Calvert Instructor, the review sessions are invaluable for ATS test preparation and concept mastery.
Online Practice Tests
Included in Third through Eighth Grades, the online practice tests help further prepare your student for the ATS test. They feature questions from our core curriculum Calvert Test Series and are automatically graded online, allowing you to determine areas needing more review.
Online Grade Book
Monitor your student’s achievement through the ATS online grade book. ATS test results are posted after the test is returned for easy tracking. The grade book is accessible through your Online Parent Learning Guide Portal.
Read-Aloud ATS allows you to record your early reader on the telephone. Your Advisory Teacher will listen to your child reading an assigned passage and provide feedback on fluency, pronunciation, and expression, as well as an assessment on how your young reader is progressing relative to his or her peers.
ATS Online for Calvert Interactive Students
ATS Online allows Calvert Virtual Academy (CVA) students to save postage, paper, and time. Available exclusively as part of CVA, students take modified online ATS tests that provide feedback with improved turn-a-round time. Your Advisory Teacher still reviews all parts of the test and provides the same constructive feedback.
Need more time?
If your student does not finish coursework within 13 months of purchase, you may request a free, 3-month extension by calling (888) 487-4652. After this free extension period expires, continued access to the online account will not be available until you purchase a paid extension.
Paid extensions are available for $95 and valid for a 6-month period from purchase date.
Here's how it works:
- 6 month extension added to original expiration date, if not yet expired (19 total months from purchase)
- Expired account of less than three months is brought current, then extended 6 months from current date
- NO extension available for accounts already greater than three months expired
- Extensions may take 24 Hours to fully process | <urn:uuid:4f7e73df-dae4-4b2c-8be9-5ff287ff8fd8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://homeschool.calvertschool.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=36&Itemid=103 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00046-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.923204 | 905 | 1.945313 | 2 |
Short term benefits or long term rewards? This is the dilemma facing two tribes in Parashat Matot. The tribes of Reuven and Gad requested permission to remain on the other side of the Jordan rather than move to the Land of Israel, stating: “We will build here sheepfolds for our flocks and towns for our children” (Numbers 32:16). Any tribe’s request to live outside the Land of Israel would have been troubling to Moshe. This request was even more distrubing given that Reuven and Gad prioritized their cattle before kids. While Moshe ultimately agreed to this real estate deal, so long as Reuven and Gad would fully participate in conquering the land of Israel, Moshe’s response to the tribes indicated his disappointment in their priorities. Moshe responded with a subtle reversal of their original request: “Build towns for your children and sheepfolds for your flocks…” (Numbers 32:24).
Why were the tribes’ priorities with their cattle? Why would Reuven and Gad want to settle for the quick fix of suitable land and economic prosperity over the long-term benefits of being in the Land of Israel with the rest of Bnai Yisrael? Just as ten of the spies preferred a desert-life instead of trusting that God would protect them in the Land, so too did Reuven and Gad prefer the comforts of the land that they were in, rather than taking up the challenge of relocation. Do we ever settle for comfort over community? Do we stay with the familiar and safe instead of moving onto the difficult and unknown? Sometimes there might be something better out there; we just have to cross a river to find it.
These Torah portions mark the final Parshiyot of Bamidbar. Chazak Chazak V’Nitchazek!
Mazel tov to Midrash Manicures for completing an entire cycle of Torah portions! Thank you for your support and encouragement throughout this venture. In honor of this achievement, you are encouraged to VOTE for your favorite Midrash Manicure from this past year! By voting, you can enter a contest to win a free set of Midrash Manicures High Holiday Nail Decals. For this upcoming year’s cycle of Parshiyot, Midrash Manicures posts will be more photo and question oriented. Stay tuned! | <urn:uuid:b4684bdb-9b69-453c-bab1-76012ab42ca7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://midrashmanicures.com/2012/07/15/midrash-manicures-completes-the-torah-cycle-with-parashat-matotmasei/?like=1&source=post_flair&_wpnonce=193d2e3278 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955405 | 502 | 2.0625 | 2 |
A bit of a reprieve came for some teenagers from Brunswick who found themselves in hot water recently for shooting action films around town.
Officials at Brunswick's Curtis Memorial Library said they've decided not to enforce the criminal trespass warnings they asked police to issue to more than a dozen young filmmakers after a violent video surfaced.
However, the young filmmakers are still not welcome at Brunswick Landing and police still don't like the idea of students running around with guns, even if the guns are fake and the scenes are just part of a movie.
Millions of people have watched the filmmakers' works on YouTube. The creator of USN Films, Paul Kousky, 17, said his contract with Google to sell ads is quite lucrative.
"I should be set for college if I don't get any scholarships," said Kousky.
Kousky and Angelo Gerardi are both honor students and are working toward becoming Eagle Scouts.
The boys and their friends have been producing movies for a while now.
"There is detailed planning going into the videos. There's extreme processing going on. There's a lot of acting going on. People are trying and we're being safe about it," said Gerardi.
But concerns about safety are what brought these young filmmakers to the attention of Brunswick police recently.
On Friday, police issued criminal trespass warning to the movie-makers because the teens had shot scenes at Brunswick Landing and the public library without permission.
"We didn't really try to hide it. We didn't sneak in and try to film a video and get out. There was a librarian on site who knew that we were filming. The library was open," said Kousky.
Police Chief Richard Rizzo said he's worried about what could happen if someone called the cops because of the staged gunplay.
"We don't recognize that the weapons that they have are very realistic-looking -- are pretend and we warn them to drop the gun and they don't do it quickly enough and the officer feels threatened and then something tragic happens," said Rizzo.
Library officials are now saying almost all of the students are welcome to come back, just without anything that resembles a weapon.
"We have great kids in our community. We have enterprising kids in our community. We have kids who are being creative. We want to be supportive of that but, in the wake of what happens around us in society, we also have to make sure that we keep people safe," said Peter Lowe with Curtis Memorial Library.
Kousky and Gerardi aren't sure if they want to pursue filmmaking long term.
Gerardi is thinking about a career in law enforcement.
Kousky has already been accepted early to the U.S. Naval Academy. | <urn:uuid:6b7b4df9-9641-4bc8-8f98-bb87c60a3f58> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wlky.com/news/Violent-YouTube-videos-made-by-teens-lead-to-warnings-from-police/-/9366352/18150992/-/ugi9mp/-/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.986802 | 564 | 1.695313 | 2 |
Your QA manager can put you to sleep explaining the difference between these two terms- but you really need to know the difference.
Accuracy in measurement describes how closely the measurement from your system matches the actual or true measurement of the thing being measured. It is the difference between the observed average of measurements and the true average.
Think of accuracy as the “trustworthiness” of a measurement system.
Precision in measurement describes how well a measurement system will return the same measure; that is its Repeatability.
As the targets above show, it is important to be both Accurate and Precise if you are to get useable information from your measurement system.
But the repeatability has two components- that of the measurement system (gage) itself and that of the operator(s). Differences resulting from different operators using the same measurement device- this is called Reproducibility.
In our shops, we cannot tell if our measurement system has repeatability or reproducibility issues without doing a Long Form Gage R&R study.
Gage repeatability and reproducibility studies (GR&R) use statistical techniques to identify and discern the sources of variation in our measurement system: is it the gage, or is it the operator?
Gage error determined by the GR&R is expressed as a percentage of the tolerance that you are trying to hold.
Typically, 10% or less Gage Error is considered acceptable. Over 30% is unacceptable; between 10 and 30% gage error may be acceptable depending on the application.
Regardless- any level of gage error is an opportunity for continuous improvement. | <urn:uuid:1ccb93f5-d0ca-49b5-a197-9bcd8e3ec18e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://pmpaspeakingofprecision.com/2012/03/27/the-difference-between-accuracy-and-precision-measurement-in-your-machine-shop/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935286 | 333 | 3.84375 | 4 |
Archive for the ‘Service Tips’ Category
Most of the time, starting your vehicle is simple. Key goes in, key gets turned, engine turns over, and off you go. But what happens when that process goes awry? What should you do if the engine doesn’t turn over?
Clicking usually indicates a dead battery. Leaving the lights on after the car is stopped, as well as good old-fashioned time can run out this vital part. Keeping a set of jumper cables and a cheat sheet in your vehicle’s trunk or storage area is the first step toward helping yourself or a fellow traveler out of this jam. This guide from Via, the AAA magazine, and this diagram from the auto section of dummies.com are both detailed resources.
Silence could mean the battery’s cable connections have corroded past usefulness. If the car starts after you wedge a screwdriver (be sure the handle is non-conductive!) between the connector and terminal post, then your cables may need to be cleaned or replaced.
Dying after it starts is a serious problem, either with your fuel injector or the carburetor (whichever your vehicle has). If you have a carburetor, check the choke to be sure it’s opening and closing. If you have a fuel injector, take your car in for service immediately.
The vehicle cranks but won’t engage could indicate a fuel or spark plug problem. Check that fuel is reaching your engine and that your spark plugs are good.
Not starting on rainy days could mean engine trouble every day in an Oregon winter. If this is happening to you, check your distributor cap for moisture. Using a clean solvent – not gasoline, as it’s flammable and so are its fumes – turn the cap upside down, spray the solvent inside, and then dry it as best you can with a lint-free cloth. | <urn:uuid:e23a170e-4fb1-4fa7-9cc9-94f5997d39a3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.damerowfordblog.com/category/service-tips/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.928404 | 399 | 1.804688 | 2 |
Hepkat From Austria, joined Aug 2000, 2341 posts, RR: 2 Reply 3, posted (11 years 1 month 2 weeks 5 days 3 hours ago) and read 3120 times:
I believe English has the most words of any other language. I've forgotten the exact figure, which increases everyday, but I think it's somewhere around 100,000, can anyone verify that?
This is especially confusing to English speakers, who for every concept there exists a dozen words to describe it. Compare this to a language like French, which has much less words, and is therefore much more direct.
RogueTrader From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 5, posted (11 years 1 month 2 weeks 5 days 3 hours ago) and read 3106 times:
Sooner or later, through tv and the internet, probably all of these differences will be eliminated eventually. Canada uses pretty much the same words as American English, although they have a few accents and expressions, like 'eh?'
The interesting thing, I think, is that you can usually tell what the other speaker is talking about even if you don't already know about the differences.
For instance, what Brits call a 'nappy' (the thing that infants wear before they're toilet trained) Americans call a 'diaper'. The word 'nappy' would otherwise have no meaning to an American. However, when you hear it used, 'nappy' just sounds like it could be a name for a diaper. Kind of like napkin, maybe. We kind of intuitively know what is being talked about.
Yyz717 From Canada, joined Sep 2001, 16001 posts, RR: 59 Reply 8, posted (11 years 1 month 2 weeks 5 days 2 hours ago) and read 3088 times:
I can see perhaps North American English becoming somewhat 'homogenized' within itself over time with the prolif of the internet & movement of people etc, but I don't see the variety & difference of slang terms & idioms betw American English & the Queen's English declining.....the US/Canada & the UK each have the critical mass & the geographic divide to remain distinct branches of English, so to speak.
Panam, TWA, Ansett, Eastern.......AC next? Might be good for Canada.
PROSA From United States of America, joined Oct 2001, 5440 posts, RR: 5 Reply 13, posted (11 years 1 month 2 weeks 5 days 1 hour ago) and read 3053 times:
Just from looking at the A-C section of that online dictionary, I can see a few examples with which I disagree (British word first, American second):
Bungalow is used in the United States, to denote a certain style of house (one floor, large porch in front, most often built in the 1920's). And the preferred American term for what the British would call a bungalow is not single-story house (note the lack of an "e" in story), but ranch.
The real estate industry in the United State definitely prefers cul-de-sac, as you'll see on newspaper real estate listings, because the term dead end is considered to have negative connotations.
Curriculum vitae, often expressed as C.V., is the preferred term in the medical field.
"Let me think about it" = the coward's way of saying "no"
Deltaflyertoo From United States of America, joined Nov 2000, 1590 posts, RR: 1 Reply 14, posted (11 years 1 month 2 weeks 5 days ago) and read 3054 times:
I've also observed that when the English speak, they speak with full complete sentences. Us Americans tend to take a lazier approach and end sentences with prepositions, shorten our sentences and add a lot of slang.
I just got back from London and sat in different pubs listening to the accents. It was a great experience, I love the way the English speak.
BNE From Australia, joined Mar 2000, 3156 posts, RR: 13 Reply 24, posted (11 years 1 month 2 weeks 4 days 12 hours ago) and read 2969 times:
Those Bill Bryson books about words are very funny, also his travel books are also good as well.
There are some words in both lists that Australians would use, I think we would use the American words more than the English equivalents.
To English or Americans on this forum would you not use the others words at some point.
Looking on the list;
I can't believe that Americans wouldn't use the word fortnight.
Why fly non stop when you can connect
25 PROSA: Looking on the list; I can't believe that Americans wouldn't use the word fortnight. I know, it's a useful term, if for no other reason than that most
26 PROSA: Us Americans tend to take a lazier approach and end sentences with prepositions I don't know where we got that practice from. I've already heard about
27 Trident3: SOME GUIDELINES FOR ASPIRING WRITERS Prepositions are not words to end sentences with. And don’t start a sentence with a conjunction. It is wrong to
28 SEVEN_FIFTY7: All of that is hilarious Trident3! Unfortunately, I'm willing to bet half of the readers here failed to recognize the humor.
29 Air Taiwan: I think most people got it! Even I've got it!:D
30 Vickybiccy: I've only been to the US once but there was one phrase that really got me! "Stop it, already" That would never be used in Britain.(not that I know of
31 LH423: Another one: OI! (UK/Australia) Hey! (US/Canada) LH423
32 EWRvirgin: PROSA, Depending on the context in which bi-weekly is used, it can mean every two weeks or twice a week. | <urn:uuid:d4321319-2dcb-44ff-b31e-3fe8493b8a88> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/non_aviation/read.main/220014/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951639 | 1,248 | 1.921875 | 2 |
As you might have heard, the Consumer Product Safety Commission is working hard to ban those sets of tiny magnets after a handful of reports of them being swallowed by children who then require surgery to have them removed. But it turns out that companies like Zen Magnets and Buckyballs might still be able to sell their products if the magnets are sold individually.
The CPSC is working to ban collections of high-powered magnets, and to get around that regulation Zen Magnets is introducing a series of brightly colored polymer covered Neoballs that are sold individually. At ten cents a pop consumers can buy as many as they want. But if they happen to buy 216 of them, the company will throw in a convenient sliding tin container to hold them all.
It's kind of like a company getting around a country's blank media tax by recording a tiny bit of imperceptible sound first—technically, they're not selling blank media. But whether or not this approach will work in the long run remains to be seen. The CPSC can more than likely change the wording on the ban to totally block the sales of these magnets. After all, it's not like you can go out and legally buy individual lawn darts after they were banned. [Neoballs] | <urn:uuid:ea9cdb06-3385-4804-ac1a-558112ce27e2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://gizmodo.com/5962904/the-governments-magnet-ban-might-actually-be-easy-to-circumvent?tag=Government | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973101 | 254 | 1.664063 | 2 |
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
Herod Antipas (short for Antipatros) (before 20 BC – after 39 AD) was a first century AD ruler of Galilee and Perea, who bore the title of tetrarch ("ruler of a quarter"). He is best known today for his purported role in the events that led to the executions of John the Baptist and Jesus of Nazareth, both from the accounts of these events in the New Testament and their portrayal in modern media such as film.
After inheriting his territories when the kingdom of his father Herod the Great was divided upon his death in 4 BC, Antipas ruled them as a client state of the Roman Empire. He was responsible for building projects at Sepphoris and Betharamphtha, and more importantly for the construction of his capital Tiberias on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. Named in honor of his patron, the emperor Tiberius, the city later became a center of rabbinic learning.
Antipas divorced his first wife Phasaelis, the daughter of King Aretas IV of Nabatea, in favour of Herodias, who had formerly been married to his brother. According to the New Testament Gospels, it was John the Baptist's condemnation of this arrangement that led Antipas to have him arrested; John was subsequently put to death. The Gospel of Luke states that when Jesus was brought before Pontius Pilate for trial, Pilate handed him over to Antipas, in whose territory Jesus had been active. However, Antipas sent him back to Pilate. The legal basis for these events, and the very historicity of Antipas' involvement in the trial, have been the subject of scholarly debate. Besides provoking his conflict with the Baptist, the tetrarch's divorce added a personal grievance to previous disputes with Aretas over territory on the border of Perea and Nabatea. The result was a war that proved disastrous for Antipas; a Roman counter-offensive was ordered by Tiberius, but abandoned upon that emperor's death in 37 AD. In 39 AD Antipas was accused by his nephew Agrippa I of conspiracy against the new Roman emperor Caligula, who sent him into exile in Gaul. Accompanied there by Herodias, he died at an unknown date. | <urn:uuid:3dd6ea38-3fc7-4504-a589-07ff89dfa0df> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.artandpopularculture.com/Herod_Antipas | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00048-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.986102 | 486 | 3.234375 | 3 |
- A Group of Communications Hobbyists
This was started by a group of mostly BBS sysops in 1993
with a little Internet expertise.
Other communications expertise was added as the group evolved,
including Amateur Radio, Internet servers, telephony systems
and broadcast radio.
- A Social Group
We meet over pizza every 3rd Saturday of the month to discuss everything
that's up in various communications.
We're also starting a monthly "SBAY Geek Ride" recreational cycling event
which inaugurates this month.
- A Domain Park
For people who are able to responsibly run their own machines on the Internet,
we can give them a host name in sbay.org.
Some people prefer this over registering their own domain because it's free.
But others join just because sbay.org has a "cool" reputation.
- Wireless Experimenters
Some of us are constructing and experimenting with the SBAY Wireless Network.
- Maintainers of the sbay.* Newsgroups
We do the technical maintenance to keep up the South Bay's "sbay" newsgroups,
including spam cancels and complaints to spammers' ISPs.
The newsgroups are sbay.forsale, sbay.general, sbay.hams, sbay.linux,
sbay.news.config, sbay.news.group, sbay.news.stats, sbay.sports,
sbay.test and sbay.waffle.
- But SBAY.ORG is NOT an ISP!
Internet bandwidth is not free.
If you want to be directly Net-connected,
you must obtain and pay for your own connection.
The network is only capable of what its volunteers
are willing to provide for free. | <urn:uuid:2ad902e4-f53b-4f78-85c2-817b48ebc67f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sbay.org/wvara-2000-08/intro-so.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.911742 | 370 | 1.53125 | 2 |
Saodat Shabonova and her husband were astounded by the harvest: each potato plant produced 44 tubers. Shabonova is an agriculture volunteer in the mountainous village of Kul, in eastern Tajikistan for a program funded by USAID and implemented by Mercy Corps. She is 36 years old and lives with her five children and husband. The family has less than one half acre of land and they grow potatoes mainly, as do most people in the area. In Tajikistan, three-quarters of the population live in rural areas.
Because of the lack of reliable seed potatoes and information about how to produce them, harvests are poor. Yields decrease because potatoes kept for planting from the previous year's harvest acquire diseases and produce less each successive year. Buying new seed potatoes is costly and risky because, unlike in more developed countries, there is no government agency to certify the quality.
This year, through the USAID program, agriculture volunteers received training on how to produce seed potatoes from true potato seeds. Along with potatoes growing below ground, a potato plant produces a small tomato-like fruit containing hundreds of tiny "true seeds." After picking, the fruits are kept in a dark, cool place for one month. Later they are put in water for three days before being minced and squeezed. The seeds that sink to the bottom are fertile true potato seeds. When planted, these tiny seeds produce normal potato plants. Unlike actual potatoes, true seeds do not pass diseases from one generation to the next, resulting in a healthy potato crop from which potatoes can be kept for planting the next year with very little yield degradation.
Shabonova was not entirely convinced of their benefit when she planted true potato seeds. But when September came, she gathered 120 kilograms of high-quality seed potatoes which will ensure much improved harvests in the coming seasons. "I am so happy my family now has good seed potatoes for several years. Besides that we learned the technology of producing them ourselves," said Shabonova.
The technology Shabonova and others in Tojikobod district learned helped them save money - they can now produce their own seed potatoes and don't have to buy them from others. In the future, perhaps they will be selling high-quality seed potatoes in the local market.
Last updated: June 04, 2012 | <urn:uuid:5207a2d5-8f13-44ba-a0f3-24d58de4912c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.usaid.gov/results-data/success-stories/how-one-gram-made-100-kilograms | 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 | 0.969788 | 479 | 3.28125 | 3 |
Men, Addiction, and Intimacy -Strengthening Recovery by Fostering the Emotional Development of Boys and Men
Author: Mark S. Woodford
Master eBook ISBN10 : 0203869796
Master eBook ISBN13 : 978-0-203-86979-6
No of pages : 244
eBook Price : $34.95
Originally Published : Jun 14, 2012
In the substance abuse and addiction treatment realm, males outnumber females two to one. While gender-issues are seen as a key element of women's treatment, the acknowledgement that males are "gendered beings" who have lived lives full of male-specific developmental challenges is often overlooked. This text takes a developmental lifespan approach to examine the neurobiological and psychosocial factors associated with substance use disorders for males, specifically in relation to emotional growth and awareness, and how these areas, in turn, affect the development of healthy relationships. Theoretical concepts from the field of interpersonal neurobiology, the psychology of boys and men, and the substance abuse and addiction literature are interwoven with practical clinical examples to help elucidate how the notion of fostering emotional development can strengthen the treatment and recovery processes with boys and men. Relevant case examples are included that illustrate work with males of all ages and address a variety of factors associated with culture, ethnicity, race, religion, and sexual orientation. Mental health practitioners will find this a valuable guide to understanding male development in relation to substance use and abuse and providing more comprehensive, gender-responsive counseling and assessment practices. | <urn:uuid:915adc61-ee4f-4fef-94bf-e57d63ef661e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ebookstore.tandf.co.uk/html/moreinfo.asp?etailerid=0&isbn=9780203869796&ISO=US | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.903771 | 316 | 1.8125 | 2 |
The U.S. Supreme Court recently had its say regarding the case of Bilski v. Kappos, a case that important ramifications for software developers. To get a clear understanding of the Supreme Court's decision, we recently spoke with Craig Hemenway, a partner in Dorsey Whitney Intellectual Property practice group.
Dr. Dobb's: Can you give us a snapshot of Bilski? A quick historical account of the case.
Hemenway: In Bilski, the Federal Circuit was asked to rule on the patentability of a method for hedging risks in trades. The Circuit took the opportunity to set out a test for the patentability of business methods. Specifically, the Federal Circuit endorsed the so-called "machine or transformation" test, in which a method or process is only patentable subject matter if it is tied to a particular machine or transforms an article in some fashion.
Dr. Dobb's: What is the core legal issue at stake?
Hemenway: The Supreme Court granted certiorari and issued its decision in Bilski v. Kappos on Monday. In the decision, the Court unanimously upheld the Federal Circuit's ruling that Bilski's claims were not patentable, stating that the claims covered nothing more than an abstract idea. The Court likewise held that the "machine or transformation" test is not an exclusive test, but indicated it could still provide a good clue as to the patentability of a method.
Dr. Dobb's: What did the Supreme Court's decide?
Hemenway: The Supreme Court split on the issue of whether or not business methods should be patentable at all. Four Justices agreed that certain business methods could be patentable but declined to provide guidance or examples. In this portion of the opinion, Justice Kennedy indicated that "new technologies may call for new inquiries." In short, Kennedy acknowledged that inventions today may be different than inventions seen in the so-called "Industrial Age" and that an industrial-era test may not be appropriate now. Given the similarities between business method claims and software claims, much of this discussion is germane to software patents as well.
Four other Justices filed a second opinion that business method patents should never be patentable. This opinion suggests that business methods were not considered patentable historically, and so should not be considered patentable subject matter now.
In short, business methods and software still may be eligible for patent protection and the "machine or transformation test," which could exclude many such inventions, is not the sole law of the land for determining patentability. However, the Supreme Court left ambiguity in place by refusing to articulate any particular patentability test. This, it appears, will be left up to the Federal Circuit and the Patent Office. Given the Federal Circuit's long history with patent law, perhaps this was the wisest possible choice.
Dr. Dobb's: How will this affect software developers?
Hemenway: Software developers should continue to seek patent protection where appropriate and possible. However, developers and companies need to realize that the law is again in a state of flux and a new test may come out that could -- again -- change the playing field. Thus, although software patent applications are legitimate and valid, one should prepare for the possibility that future rulings could impact existing patents. I would suggest continuing to include at least some claims in software and business method patents that satisfy the "machine or transformation" test to ensure that future rulings don't strip issued patents in these areas of all enforceability. After all, if the "machine or transformation" test is too restrictive in view of Bilski, then any claims satisfying its requirements should likewise meet the (presumably) relaxed standards of the future.
Dr. Dobb's: How will this decision affect software users?
Hemenway: Software users shouldn't see much of an impact from this ruling. In most cases users have legal copies of software in the first place and software is also protected by copyright. To the extent that patent coverage for software is expanded by Bilski, it may lead to an uptick in patent infringement lawsuits against developers, distributors and manufacturers.
Dr. Dobb's: Thanks for your time. | <urn:uuid:57282417-74fe-439f-8e53-94fe0d6f41af> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.drdobbs.com/security/bilski-followup/225702031 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944245 | 862 | 1.609375 | 2 |
What You Can Do About the Nerve Pain That Lingers After Shingles
Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a painful, chronic condition that can occur following shingles, a viral infection that causes a mildly itchy to intensely painful rash.
PHN occurs most often in elderly people and in people whose immune systems have been compromised.
The pain of PHN, which occurs in the same area as the pain and rash of shingles, results from damage to nerve fibers during the shingles infection. Shingles is caused by a reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. Anyone who has had chickenpox can get shingles, but the disorder is most common in people over the age of 50.
SOURCE: Mayo Clinic.
What Are the Symptoms of Postherpetic Neuralgia?
In PHN, pain is intense and may be described as burning, stabbing, or gnawing. Affected areas of the body may be hypersensitive or may have decreased sensation. In addition, areas previously affected by shingles may show evidence of scarring.
How Is Postherpetic Neuralgia Diagnosed?
PHN usually is diagnosed when pain lasts three months or more after an acute attack of shingles or appears after the skin lesions of shingles have healed.
How Is Postherpetic Neuralgia Treated?
PHN is treated with medications including prescription pain relievers, anticonvulsants, and antidepressants. For many people, PHN may improve over time without treatment. | <urn:uuid:5e12df78-af2e-453c-8dd5-3307f84cd698> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/shingles/postherpetic-neuralgia | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957541 | 334 | 2.671875 | 3 |
LSU system officials are considering massive cuts at the Interim LSU Public Hospital in New Orleans, part of $34 million in statewide service reductions prompted by a drop in state revenues. The budget reality cannot be avoided, but Mayor Mitch Landrieu is asking the state to avoid cuts in mental health services -- and that's a sensible request.
LSU is expected to present details on the planned cuts to the state Civil Service Commission today. The system last week announced that the New Orleans hospital would take a $15 million hit, including eliminating the 20-bed chemical detox unit, closing 10 emergency mental health beds and closing nine beds in the psychiatric unit at the DePaul campus.
Dr. Fred Cerise, LSU's vice-president for health affairs, admitted that the cuts will have an impact on patients, but officials have indicated the budget crisis required the cuts.
Mayor Landrieu, however, is raising concerns about reducing mental health services as the city tries to get a hold on violent crime. The mayor said adequate care for mental health and substance abuse patients "is a critical part of the solution" when it comes to fighting crime. He called the proposed cuts "devastating."
Limited mental health services have already contributed to tragic violence in recent years. In 2008, New Orleans Police Officer Nicola Cotton was shot to death by a paranoid schizophrenic man who had recently been released from a mental hospital. His family said they feared for their own safety and that the tragedy could have been avoided if more mental health services had been available.
Most mental health patients at the hospital aren't covered by Medicaid or private insurance. So there are no alternatives for them if LSU reduces its services. And many people in our region are still dealing with behavioral issues that arose after Hurricane Katrina and the BP oil spill. That's why mental health services are crucial here.
That's why we hope Gov. Bobby Jindal and LSU System President John Lombardi will consider Mayor Landrieu's plea to work together to find other ways to address the shortfall. | <urn:uuid:cb3f98ee-4004-4043-bf18-7b36ec886420> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nola.com/opinions/index.ssf/2012/02/spare_mental_health_services_i.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963779 | 410 | 1.695313 | 2 |
The Pros and Cons of Lithium Ion Batteries
Lithium-ion battery packs are a videographer’s dream. Extended run times mean fewer battery changes and Lithium-ion batteries are lightweight so shooters aren’t overly burdened, even if they carry a spare. But these features come at a price. Lithium-ion batteries have their own shortcomings and operating requirements. Here’s how to treat them right:
Avoid heat. Storage anywhere where the temps get above 120 degrees is very bad. Direct sunlight, closed cars, and tropical climates are all hostile environments that can lead to battery failure.
Treat them gently. Lithium-ion batteries are more likely to suffer life-threatening injuries from accidental drops and rough-handling than their predecessors. Cushion them with cardboard or foam during storage and transport. And try really hard not to drop them.
Be partial to partial-discharge. Lithium-ion batteries are not susceptible to memory-effect and will be helped, not harmed, by frequent recharging after partial use. Fully discharging a Lithium-ion battery on a regular basis will shorten its life.
Don’t store them fully-charged. Batteries that will not be used for 30 days or longer should be stored at a charge level of 40%-50%. Storing fully-charged Lithium-ion packs for extended periods will shorten their useful life.
Use them or lose them. Unlike their Ni-cad and NiMH cousins, Lithium-ion packs have a useful life of two to three years from the date of manufacture, whether or not they are used. Don’t buy spares. Order replacements when they are needed. Check the manufacturing date stamped on the pack when you receive them to be sure you are getting fresh stock.
Don’t demand too much power. Lithium-ion packs aren’t able to supply as much current as other camera bricks and will fail if repeatedly asked to operate beyond their rated capacity. The smallest camera batteries, much-favored by folks who shoot handheld, should never be used to power an on-board light that draws more than 15 or 20 watts.
Retire that tired battery. Replace a Lithium-ion pack as soon as there is a noticeable decrease in run-time. This is almost certainly an indication that one of the pack’s cells has failed. A defective cell is likely to develop an internal short and that spells trouble for the entire pack.
A word of caution. Lithium-ion packs have been known to fail in a spectacular manner. They can explode, catch fire, and generate great quantities of noxious white smoke. Internal circuits are designed to prevent faults like over-charging and overuse from causing problems by automatically disconnecting the battery, but only the user can prevent damage from external forces.
Recognizing the potential hazard presented by a Lithium-ion battery failure, the airline industry forbids the transport of these packs in checked luggage. (A fire in the baggage hold is potentially much worse than one in the passenger compartment.) And there are significant limits to the number, size, and manner of packaging for Lithium-ion packs that are carried aboard an aircraft. Consult your battery manufacturer for advice about which of their products are eligible for air transport and any documentation that may be needed. | <urn:uuid:75d76d8b-95a9-4c7b-84e5-a1d27ded20f1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.tvtechnology.com/sharpshooters/0177/the-pros-and-cons-of-lithium-ion-batteries/203844 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00058-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945857 | 688 | 2.28125 | 2 |
We're learning more about the people who are a part of the Tea Party movement -- and what's really motivating them
Slowly but surely, a demographic profile of the Tea Party movement – which began just over a year ago and is now dominating the news as Tax Day arrives – is emerging.
A comprehensive poll conducted for the New York Times and CBS News and released late Monday CBS News/New York Times essentially found what anyone watching a couple minutes of news footage of a rally would intuit: the 18 percent of the nation that identifies with the Tea Party movement tends to be white, male, older than 45 and Republican. And also hypocritical: despite their anti-spending rhetoric, Tea Party supporters told pollsters that two of the federal government’s most money-consuming programs, Social Security and Medicare, are worth the cost to taxpayers (maybe not a surprise, given the Tea Partiers’ average age).
Interestingly, despite the frequent framing of the Tea Partiers as a predominantly blue-collar, the NYT poll also found that they are wealthier and better-educated than the public as a whole. And half of them think the Obama administration’s policies favor the poor.
If you stopped there, you might think this is largely a class-based movement, built on the principle of “I got mine.” But there’s more to it than that: 25 percent of the movement’s supporters think that the administration favors blacks over whites (compared with 11 percent of the general public).
This point is reinforced by a study released last week by the University of Washington, which discovered that people who think that “the U.S. government has done too much to support blacks” were 36 percent more likely to support the Tea Party than those who didn’t think so. Among whites who approve of the Tea Party, only 35 percent said they believe blacks are hard-working, only 45 percent believe blacks are intelligent, and just 41 percent believe that they’re trustworthy. (Curiously, the UW poll was only conducted in seven battleground states.)
While the Tea Partiers take pains to avoid appearing racist, they’re still operating at the nexus of class and race. This seems to have reached a head with healthcare reform. The UW survey’s director, Christopher Parker, summed it up this way: “While it’s clear that the Tea Party in one sense is about limited government, it’s also clear from the data that people who want limited government don’t want certain services for certain kinds of people. Those services include health care.”
The UW survey shows Tea Partiers’ concerns with federal government spending are bound up with fears of having to share “their” benefits with people who aren’t deserving – and who also happen to be non-white.
More Related Stories
- Developers evict historic women's shelter to build luxury hotel
- Kaitlyn Hunt refuses plea offer, will go to court over high school relationship
- DHS admits "impossible" to control 3D-printed guns
- Journalists file suit against Manning trial secrecy
- Russia: Syrian regime ready to talk peace
- Report: Nearly a quarter of all Americans struggle to afford food
- Ted Cruz against the world
- Louie Gohmert: Women should be forced to carry nonviable pregnancies to term
- 2 men arrested for endangering commercial aircraft
- Oversized load blamed for bridge collapse
- This is what Guy Fieri looks like as a balloon
- Iran hackers aiming at U.S. energy firms
- Lawyers release data in attempt to discredit Trayvon Martin
- Anonymous rallies behind Kaitlyn Hunt
- Bridge collapse: Part of "aging infrastructure"
- Mistrial in penalty phase of Arias case
- Amanda Bynes arrested after hurling bong from window
- Interstate 5 bridge collapses north of Seattle
- Mississippi could begin prosecuting women for miscarriages
- Teenage girl claims she was beaten up for looking like Taylor Swift
- UK Military: London attack victim was a "model soldier"
Featured Slide Shows
The week in 10 picsclose X
- 1 of 11
Lisa Montgomery embraces her nephew Thursday after a tornado tore apart her home in Cleburne, Texas. The twister killed six people and destroyed entire swaths of the North Texas town.
Credit: AP/LM Otero
Jack McMahon, the defense attorney for abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell, speaks outside the Criminal Justice Center in Philadelphia Tuesday. His client was convicted of killing three babies in his clinic, and will serve multiple life sentences.
Credit: AP/Matt Rourke
A photo taken Monday captures Vice President Joe Biden's response to a Milwaukee second-grader's innovative proposal to end America's epidemic of gun violence. This guy!
Credit: AP/Jenny Aicher
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., flanked by a grouper-eyed Michele Bachmann, addresses the IRS' admission that it targeted Tea Party groups in advance of the 2012 election. In an op-ed for CNN Thursday, the Kentucky senator slammed the president for his faux outrage.
Credit: AP/Molly Riley
Ousted IRS chief Steven Miller is sworn in on Capitol Hill Friday. Miller testified before the House Ways and Means Committee on the extra scrutiny the agency gave conservative groups applying for tax-exempt status.
Credit: AP/J. Scott Applewhite
Attorney General Eric Holder pauses as he testifies on Capitol Hill before the House Judiciary Committee Wednesday. Holder is under fire, among other things, for the Justice Department's gathering of phone records at the Associated Press.
Credit: AP/Carolyn Kaster
O.J. Simpson sits during an evidentiary hearing at Clark County District Court in Las Vegas, Nev., Thursday. Simpson, who is currently serving a nine-to-33-year sentence in state prison for armed robbery and kidnapping, is using a writ of habeas corpus to seek a new trial.
Credit: AP/Las Vegas Review-Journal/Jeff Scheid
Major Tom to ground control: On Sunday astronaut Chris Hadfield recorded the first music video from space, a cover of David Bowie's "Space Oddity."
Credit: AP/NASA/Chris Hadfield
When it rains it pours. President Barack Obama speaks during a news conference Thursday with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, inexplicably inspiring an #umbrellagate Twitter meme.
Credit: AP/Jacquelyn Martin
A smoke plume rises high above a road block at the intersection of County A and Ross Road east of Solon Springs, Wis., Tuesday. No injuries were reported, but the the wildfire caused evacuations across northwestern Wisconsin.
Credit: AP/The Duluth News-Tribune/Clint Austin
Recent Slide Shows
- 1 of 11 | <urn:uuid:f450b56e-cf1f-430c-a39a-bb23d44f3523> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.salon.com/2010/04/15/who_are_the_tea_partiers/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00071-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945437 | 1,409 | 1.8125 | 2 |
Billionaire Gates says technology and partnerships, not ideology, is needed to end hunger
Microsoft founder Bill Gates, considered the world's richest man and now one of the top philanthropists in the battle against hunger, called for a practical approach when he spoke to a packed hotel ballroom at the World Food Prize meeting in Des Moines, Iowa Thursday.
When he and his wife formed the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation, they were guided by their belief "that all lives have equal value," Gates said at the Borlaug Dialogue, named after the founder of the World Food Prize, Norman Borlaug.
They learned that three-fourths of the world's poorest people are small farmers. And, that Africa is the only place on Earth where per capita yields of cereal crops haven't changed for the last 25 years.
"The world food crisis has forced hunger high on the agenda," Gates said, with nongovernmental organizations and developed countries working with African heads of state.
"This global effort to help small farmers is endangered by an ideological wedge that threatens to split the movement in two," Gates said.
One side supports a technological approach that increases productivity while the other focuses on an environmental approach that promotes sustainability.
"Productivity or sustainability. They say you have to choose. I believe it's a false choice," Gates said.
Gates said his foundation supports the goal of sustainability.
"The Green Revolution must be guided by small holder farmers adapted to local circumstances and sustainable for the economy and the environment," he said.
The Gates Foundation works with local farmers' groups and is one of the largest funders of sustainable farming practices such as no-till farming, rainwater harvesting, drip irrigation and biological nitrogen fixation.
But some "insist on an ideal vision of the environment -- divorced from people and their circumstances," he said. "They have tried to restrict the spread of biotechnology into Sub-Saharan Africa without regard to how much hunger and poverty might be reduced by it, or what the farmers themselves might want."
Increased productivity is needed in the poorest places where population is outstripping production and where climate change will make farming even more challenging.
"Maize and rice that can tolerate drought and flooding are crucial for increasing yields in hostile weather," he said. "But we also need to play defense against disease -- which can wipe out a crop no matter what the weather."
For decades, researchers have tried to develop a useful type of rice that can survive flooding. Now, thanks to marker-assisted selection, a breeding technique associated with biotechnology, farmers in Bangladesh are testing a rice variety that can survive under water for two weeks.
Gates said it will take much more to combat hunger than technological advances in seed. That's why his foundation also works on the entire value chain of food production. Farmers need new tools and training, he said, and access to markets to sell surplus. And they need strong organizations to represent their interests. | <urn:uuid:19242a19-7d44-4d35-98d0-0c220296c91b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.agriculture.com/news/Billionaire-Gates-says-technology-and-partnerships-not-ideology-is-needed-to-end-hunger_1-ar5783 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968142 | 606 | 2.078125 | 2 |
Only two days before the first leg of the triple crown, the Kentucky Derby presented by Yum Brands. The Kentucky Derby was first run in 1875 and first televised May 3 1952. It is know as the most "exciting two minutes in sports" because the race is usually run in about 2 minutes at distance of 1.25 miles or 10 furlongs. I find the derby to be exciting because it is the best three year old race horses in the country running. The Derby is sometimes referred to as the "run for the roses." The horses have been training all winter for this race and needed $125,000 in winnings to be entered. The Kentucky Derby is run on a dirt surface so weather can be a factor.
One Derby tradition is hats! No one knows for sure where the derby hat tradition started but Courtney Stinson, public relations manager for the Kentucky Derby Museum states that "They went around to all of the women's clubs in town and invited the women to dress up in their finest to come to the Derby. ... In that period, of course, the hat was essential, and the hat just carried through." It is exciting to see all the hats, each with their own unique style . Hats can range in price from $45 to $5000. So even if you don't enjoy horse racing, the people watching can be just as fun. NBC will carry the coverage of the race this year, turn on your HDTV early and enjoy!
Another tradion of the Kentucky of Derby is the Mint Julip. The Mint Julip is a very yummy drink. It is an iced drink consisting of Kentucky bourbon, fresh mint leaves a sugar cube , and traditionally served in a silver or pewter cup. If you go the derby you will get your Mint Julip in a commemorative Kentucky Derby glass which is a great collectors item. Also, it lets you keep track of how many Mint Julips you have consumed on biggest day of racing.
Because we are a veterinary clinic I need to insert a little veterinary knowledge into this blog. One of the most common questions I get is about using Lasix in race horses. Lasix is a loop diuretic (water pill) and causes the horse to urinate before the race. Lasix helps to decrease the severity of EIPH (exercise induced pulmonary hemorrhage). EIPH is likely caused when the horse runs at full capacity and has micro blood vessels in their lungs break and blood enters the lower airways. The horses that bleed usually have a harder time finishing a race and are also predisposed to a respiratory tract infections. A recent paper was published that proved the Lasix decreases the severity of EIPH and keeps horses healthier. Most good trainers will have an endoscopic exam performed on
the horse after the race to see if there was any bleeding. This is an important function of a racetrack veterinarian as they can choose the correct treatment based on the findings. Horses are not alone because it has been reported that human athletes, racing camels and racing greyhounds all experienced EIPH while running at maximum intensity. Enough science for now.
To support the race, head to your closest parimutuel window to place your bets (like at Scioto Downs or Beulah Park) on May 7th 2011 and pick the Derby winner. Hopefully your long shot will come in first!. Post time for the 137th running of the Derby is 6:25pm on NBC.
If you wear your Kentucky Derby hat on Friday or Saturday into FeederCreek Veterinary Clinic you will receive a free Frisbee for your dog.
Jonathan A. Yardley, DVM | <urn:uuid:c8bd37a6-7d3a-454c-b4dd-9d7b27ec66a0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.feedercreekvet.com/_blog/Feeder_Creek_Blog/tag/mint_julips/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00056-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959908 | 750 | 1.75 | 2 |
Søren Kierkegaard is generally acknowledged as the founder of existentialism, primarily because he focused on the individual, the existential subject. While the Idealists, namely Hegel, sought for objectivity, Kierkegaard sought to bring out the subjective. Presented here, in condensed form, are his ideas on objectivity, the individual and truth as well as personal criticism of his ideas.
Kierkegaard rejected philosophers’ tendency to take a stance of objectivity, speaking as if they were outside of the universe, looking in from a region outside of time and space, seemingly like gods and not participants in the world. Kierkegaard saw them as ridiculous. He thought those who thought, no matter who they were, had to exist. As such, they could not be outside of life.
In the Idealist view which he was criticizing, the observer was detached, cool, rational, and did not let his emotions or personal passions affect his reasoning. Rationalists took a disinterested stance, since having no interest would make it so they are not biased. Since Plato, the Western world thought the rational as the only thing trustworthy, the senses and emotions were unreliable.
Kierkegaard felt that Descartes was right with his “I think therefore I am.” But he thought it was only good as a starting point. Kierkegaard though Descartes was wrong in equating the self with thought alone, that existence could not be contained in thought, only lived. “I am” is greater than the “I think.” He thought the problem with thought was that it was too much from the standpoint of a watcher, it was too preoccupied with the fleeting. “Two ways, in general, are open for an existing individual,” Kierkegaard once wrote, “Either he can do his utmost to forget he is an existing individual, by which he becomes a comic figure, since existence has the remarkable trait of compelling an existing individual to exist whether he wills it or not . . . or he can concentrate his entire energy upon the fact that he is an existing individual (Concluding Unscientific Postscript).” Since philosophy, in his day, was based on a philosopher whose stance was that of an individual that had forgotten he was in existence, philosophy was then “comic.” He took it even farther though, saying they had forgotten how to be humans, not only that they were humans, but that the reader of their works was human as well.
Hegel’s system said that an individual was a passing phase in the dialectic evolution in the World Spirit. Kierkegaard rebelled against this submersion of the individual in the mass. He refused to be reduced to anything below what he was. Whoever teaches, in his opinion, in the manner has forgotten how to exist. A person who exists will always and forever be concerned with his own existence and his fate. Freedom, human’s passion for it, makes a person choose for themselves, and that involves risk. Individuals are always becoming. Life is insecure and that insecurity is expressed in how life strives to gain truth. Human existence is constant striving. For Kierkegaard, the Hegelian forgets his insecurity and how to strive, and his explanation of life omits his own existence. He believed the only part of history one could be sure of was that of the fact they existed. When society removes the individual, the results can be monstrous. Kierkegaard urged a return to thinking subjectively, as a living being with the passion of one who is mortal, not a god, whose life and what he thinks about is tied together.
To correct the errors he saw, Kierkegaard looked back to Socrates, who placed emphasis on philosophical existence, on self-knowledge and self-realization. Kierkegaard praised Socrates as one whose existence exemplified his ideas. Only when philosophers gained self-knowledge and self-realization, when they became philosophers in how they existed, not in terms of it being a job, when they lived their philosophies, when they loved wisdom like Socrates, then their insights would be of any value.
As such, truth, for Kierkegaard, existential truth, is what is lived, not merely thought, the abstract turned concrete, the ethical and religious appropriation of the ideal, active practice and realization rather than doctrinal knowledge. But how would something that is in the process of becoming know what its end form will be? Nothing can know this, its place, or have its duty proven to it, but it must still make choices.
Kierkegaard used an example in the problem of death. Understood in an objective, historical sense, it really has a vague meaning, even though it is quite a big problem that cannot be ignored. Hegelian and universal history, knowing it, would not bring one any closer to coming to grips with death, and life for that matter. If one reflects on their own death and mortality in general, then a person can come to think existentially, to think with the conscious fact that one is existing and mortal, not some sort of disembodied brain. This differs from the speculative philosopher who writes about what he has never, will never, and never planned on doing. In existential thought, the soul itself is on trial.
Truth is subjective. Everything one does, including search for the objective truths, gets value through the individual, the way it is willed and decided on by the self. Objective truth, such as mathematics and sciences, is easy to understand (so long as those sciences are not quantum mechanics). An individual’s truth is a bit harder to grasp, is more elusive. St. Thomas Aquinas said that truth was in the intellect. Kierkegaard argued that religious truth was and is not how one reasons it, but how it is lived. One who loves did not read a lot about love or thought about it, but just loves. Truth is of the whole person, not just of the intellect.
Objective truths can be verified by outside sources, facts. They are neutral, in the existential sense, since their actuality or falsehood does not change how you are. Subjective truths, are only of you, cannot be verified from anything outside the self. However, they can change you. Spiritual realities cannot be proven any more so than a subjective one.
Kierkegaard maintained that God is not discovered by abstract demonstration, that religion is a matter of inward choice and requires a leap of faith. Religion is not a conventional system of habits centered on going to church, practicing rituals and reciting dogma, but is a spiritual quest, the search for spiritual reality, the striving for the attainment of spiritual fulfillment, whatever that may be.
Truth is an individual matter, not a collective one. Kierkegaard wrote, “A crowd in its very concept is untruth, by reason of the fact that it renders the individual completely impenitent and irresponsible, or at least weakens his sense of responsibility by reducing it to a fraction…For ‘crowd’ is an abstraction and has no hands; but each individual has ordinarily two hands (“That Individual”: Two “Notes” Concerning My Work as an Author)…”
Moving into critique is rather daunting since this is one of the, or considered as such, greats of Western thought, if not one of the most important. Nevertheless, it needs to be done. It would be best to state to what degree we are in agreement.
First off, I find his distrust of those who take an objective approach to philosophy as refreshing, even though he is not, anymore, the only one to do this. It grants nothing more to the philosopher than if it was a personal philosophy, and to be detached is impossible. There is no way for a purely objective approach, personal bias always shines through. He also gives great insight with the idea that that sort of philosopher had forgotten how to be human and that their readers are also human. I have never thought of it that way, I always just felt as if I was being talked down to by the likes of Hegel and Kant.
His refusal to be reduced to just another part of the masses and his importance of the individual is what places him as one of the early Existentialist thinkers and I find I agree with all of it, as well as his concepts of truth from the subjective viewpoint. What I want to bring up here is his idea of the loss of the individual as monstrous. When we lose our individuality, we lose our humanity, when we go with the crowd, we lose truth, when we bow to an overarching will, and we become nothing more than a single paragraph in a book at the hands of the writer of that book. The monstrosity of the past that was the Nazis was from the fact that the individual no longer mattered; it was all under the will of one individual and the rest of the individuals were suppressed or killed.
While the importance of the individual should never be understated, it should not be overstated. There can be too individual of an individual, an individual who has no care for the other individuals around it. This can result in something equally as monstrous as the loss of the individual. When an individual is wrapped up in itself, it can become a danger to itself. If it were to live a self absorbed life, then it wants nothing from others, it may feel something for them, yet it will spurn them. In return others will spurn it, and openly, and it will possibly ignored in the end, leading to desperation to be seen as an individual. It can even cause insanity.
To be such an individual that one is individualistic can be self destructive. If only the individual is seen as good for the individual, it will have no use of those around him and he will shun them. Those others are not seen as individuals by the individualistic one. Then we have one that has forced the rest of the world into the shape of the monstrous entity that comes with the loss of individuality. This is equally as wrong as forgetting that there is humanity in yourself and others.
There are those that would destroy others for their own individuality. Serial killers live only for themselves, usually for no other. They are sociopaths. They feel nothing for others. Theirs is a world dominated by their own wants and desires and they will fulfill all of those wants and desires. That includes killing others, ending their bid for individuality. This forgetting the other results in the same event of forcing others into the monstrous entity, and the sociopath sees this, and thinks of everyone as something for it to kill for himself, like an animal.
Another individual that is dangerous for other individuals since it is too much of an individual is the one which chooses to exert its will over all others. One who would bend others to its will is dangerous because others lose their own will to its. This was the case, again going back to Nazis (not to be too cliché but they are a fantastic representation for what I am getting at), and Hitler. He bent an entire nation to his will and made a monster out of the individuals therein, when he should have been the only actual monstrous one.
While Kierkegaard’s concept of truth is in line with my thought, I find that there are some truths that are objective that will hold sway over the subject, no matter if there is a conscious allowance of that power. This is found in that which is subconscious. The subconscious affects us on a level we cannot rightly perceive. Yet any objective truth we are faced with will remain there and will influence us in little ways. We will remember these objective truths we know about, and even our rejection of them existentially will affect us. By seeing a truth, by experiencing it, we have accepted it subjectively. It is working on us, we cannot stop it.
Objective outlooks, thought I do not necessarily agree with them, are necessary in certain fields. Psychology hinges on the fact that the person that one is going to be paying to talk to is objective and can thus give objective insights, no matter how well that psychologist comes to know the patient. Subjective experience, in the case of the psychologist, becomes part of the objective look on the patient and how to deal with them, how to talk to them. What can never happen is that objectivity and subjectivity be divided from each other. It is a symbiotic relationship.
Kierkegaard, though brilliant had some flaws. His intertwining ideas of objectivity, subjectivity, and truth were revolutionary for his day as he was railing against the Idealists. He became known as the father of Existentialism for his ideas, and quite rightly. However, the ideas I presented in response to his are from the standpoint of one who has read on the ultimately dangerous end or can see it in a way he did not consider. | <urn:uuid:e2f62ee6-58c3-4933-8b29-744c251bdd72> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://afewminutesofsolitude.blogspot.com/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.982635 | 2,656 | 3.03125 | 3 |
From high above Earth, Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield is broadcasting a message of peace for the people of Earth, with a little help from 200,000 Twitter fans.
The three-time spaceflyer, a flight engineer and prolific Twitter user on the International Space Station, spoke solemnly Thursday (Jan. 10) about a picture he recently took of war-torn Syria.
The picture had special poignancy given that the Earth appears as "one place" from orbit, Hadfield told reporters in a press conference at the Canadian Space Agency's headquarters near Montreal, Quebec.
"When we do look down on a place that is in great turmoil or strife, it's hard to reconcile the inherent patience and beauty of the world with the terrible things that we can do to each other as people, and can do to the Earth itself, locally," Hadfield said from space.
Hadfield, 53, spent his first three weeks in orbit sending dozens of pictures of his view on Earth. That, plus a Twitter chat with Star Trek actor William Shatner and other celebrities, propelled his social media account @Cmdr_Hadfield on to the world stageafter his launch Dec. 19.
This weekend, Hadfield's Twitter feed surpassed 200,000 followers. As of Sunday (Jan. 13), the count was at 204,630 fans.
"That’s probably the reason we work so hard to communicate what we’re doing up here, as an international team ... to just try to give people just a little glimpse of that global perspective, of that understanding that we’re all in this together, and that this is a spaceship, but so is the world."
'A lot of the world's territory'
Chris Hadfield, who will be Canada's first space station commander in March when he takes charge, played down his sudden celebrity on Twitter, saying that he is "just a member of the rest of the team here". He attributed his popularity to the "fundamentally fascinating" work that he and the rest of the station's six-man Expedition 34 creware performing in space. [Photos by Space Station's Expedition 34Crew]
"With these new technologies in communications, we can directly give people the human side of that. The fact that now, gosh, more than 150,000 people are directly following us every day – I think it’s just a direct measure of how important and useful this is in the human experience."
Hadfield is a veteran shuttle astronaut who previously flew to Russia's Mir Space Station in 1995 and performed the first Canadian spacewalk on station in 2001. He said that an important part of his personal experience is sharing what it means to be Canadian with his Russian and U.S. crewmates.
"I, here, represent Canada. So I talk about how I grew up, and what values are important in Canada," said Hadfield, who was raised in small-town Ontario and flew military CF-18s for the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) before joining the astronaut program in 1992.
"Between Canada and Russia and the U.S., we cover a lot of the world’s dirt. A lot of the world’s territory. So there’s lots of opportunity, while you’re looking out the window together, to share the experience," Hadfield said.
'A measured, thoughtful existence'
With more than three weeks in space on this mission, Hadfield has now surpassed the 20 days of experience he accumulated in two decades as a Canadian Space Agency astronaut.
Living on station for long periods of time allows people not to rush, and to savour the experience a bit more than during jam-packed shuttle missions, he said.
"[I am] able to have a measured, thoughtful existence to absorb what it is like," he said.
Hadfield also took time to relax in between questions. He playfully spun a roll of duct tape in front of the camera. At times, he squatted on a wall of the U.S. Destiny laboratory where he was slated to do fluid experiments directly after the press conference.
In his limited spare time, Hadfield pledged he will continue to record guitar songs in space such as "Jewel in the Night", which was written by his brother, Dave.
By the time his five-month mission is over, Hadfield quipped, he may have enough material to release an album.
- Canadian Space Man: Astronaut Chris Hadfield's World Tour Challenge (Photos)
- Jewel in the Night: Astronaut’s 1st Song in Space | Video
- Quiz: The Reality of Life in Orbit | <urn:uuid:d90d3617-e3ef-43d4-90dc-ed5a18205c44> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ca.news.yahoo.com/space-station-astronaut-calls-peace-earth-124541121.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967971 | 964 | 1.679688 | 2 |
Connect to share and comment
Some Colombian miners use a balsa extract rather than the usual toxic chemicals to harvest gold.
TADO, Colombia — Can rain forest plants replace toxic chemicals in the production of gold? The answer is a qualified “yes.”
Instead of using mercury to separate the precious metal from tailings, a small group of miners who pan for gold in northern Colombia work with a natural extract made from the leaves of balsa trees.
“We’ve mined gold like this all our lives,” said Luis Palomino as he plucked several leaves from a balsa tree and mixed them with water in the bottom of a wooden pan. “We don’t like chemicals.”
Palomino belongs to an organization called Green Gold whose members receive higher-than-market prices for their chemical-free gold. Although tiny, Green Gold is part of a growing movement to promote responsible practices among the millions of small-scale miners across the world who use tons of mercury every year.
In 2002, the United Nations founded the Global Mercury Project to introduce cleaner technologies, train miners, and develop regulatory capacities within governments. There are also a growing number of nongovernmental organizations that are trying to do for gold mining what the organic movement did for food production.
GlobalPost series: Scramble for El Dorado — Latin America's gold rush
“This is a sector that can transform itself,” said Lina Villa, the executive director of the Alliance for Responsible Mining, which is based in the Colombian city of Medellin. “Miners are willing to change and to do things in a different way.”
With gold selling for about $1,700 an ounce, Villa said it would be unrealistic to try to ban small-scale mining on the grounds of environmental or health hazards. That’s especially true in developing nations like Colombia, where large sectors of the rural population live in poverty.
Instead, she said, governments and NGOs should work with these miners to upgrade their technology and improve their environmental and labor practices. “There is a lot of criticism around mining. But I think we have to change our mindsets because mining will not go away,” Villa said.
About 90 percent of the world’s gold is produced by modern firms that usually leach the gold from ore with cyanide, which causes its own environmental risks.
But according to Villa, the rest is produced by small-scale miners who make up 90 percent of the world’s gold mining work force. And nearly all of them expose themselves and their communities to mercury contamination.
More from GlobalPost: Costa Rica bans gold mining
The chemical bonds with gold to form an amalgam that makes it easier to isolate. But to purify the gold, the miners must then burn off the mercury.
That process releases toxic fumes into the air, while sloppy handling and storage of mercury often causes spills. Mercury can poison soil and drinking water. Exposure can cause brain, lung and kidney damage as well as birth defects. Because mercury levels often build up in some fish species, the US Food and Drug Administration advises pregnant women and nursing mothers not to eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel or tilefish.
Colombia ranks among the world’s top-15 gold producers. Yet about half of national production is extracted by artisanal and illegal miners — who often work in cahoots with drug traffickers and Marxist guerrillas who take a share of profits.
A 2011 United Nations investigation found that these operations release up to 150 tons of mercury into the environment every year, making Colombia the world’s largest mercury polluter per capita from mining. The study found that in some mining areas, the levels of mercury in the environment were 1,000 times higher than the levels recommended by the World Health Organization.
The Green Gold method is not applicable in all gold mining, so the Global Mercury Project and activists, like Villa, are also promoting methods to reduce mercury use and contamination.
For example, better storage and handling techniques can reduce mercury leaks and accidents. When they burn off mercury, miners can use vapor collection systems that reduce air pollution and recycle most of the chemical. Centrifuges eliminate the need for mercury but are expensive and beyond the reach of many small-scale miners.
Miners who agree to carry out better environmental and labor practices are now eligible for a program called Fairtrade and Fairmined Gold. It pays them a 10 percent premium above the international price for gold.
This gold is used for so-called “ethical jewelry” that makes up about 1 percent of the world’s jewelry market. Last year, the first Fairtrade and Fairmined ring was produced in London with gold from Bolivia. Although the jewelry costs more, the idea is to convince consumers that it’s worth it — just as many grocery shoppers are now willing to pay more for free-range chicken or shade-grown coffee.
Felipe Arango, who oversees the Green Gold program in Colombia, says that customers should view the rain forests and rivers they will be helping to preserve as far more valuable than the precious metal they are buying.
But producing gold this way is painstaking.
At one of the Green Gold mining sites in the northern department of Choco, Palomino and several relatives removed rocks by hand, loosened the dirt from the river bank with picks and shovels, then placed the material into a rustic filter. The sediment caught in the filter contained small amounts of gold.
The miners then washed this material in a wooden pan with a soapy extract made from balsa leaves. The extract attached to the lighter minerals that were then washed away, leaving behind the heavier flecks of gold in the bottom of the pan.
The process is so arduous that last year the 377 families in the Green Gold program produced little more than 15 pounds of gold — far less than 1 percent of Colombia’s annual production. Still, no chemicals were used thus the Fairtrade and Fairmined Gold organization paid them a 15 percent premium.
The extra cash is vital because it provides Green Gold miners with more incentive to preserve their land.
Elsewhere in Choco, down-on-their-luck prospectors often agree to rent out their small patches of land in exchange for a percentage of gold profits. The renters are usually illegal miners who move in with backhoes and bulldozers and destroy vast tracts of rain forest and pollute the rivers. After spending their gold profits, the landowners are often left with no gold and a desolate landscape.
Not far from one of the Green Gold sites, miner Alfredo Hurtado trudged across one such wasteland the size of a football field. The jungle was gone, replaced by slag heaps and pits filled with contaminated water.
“They took out all the gold and destroyed the area,” Hurtado said. “They don’t care if the land is turned upside down.”
By comparison, the Green Gold’s footprint is a lot smaller. And because these miners own the land, they have more incentive to take care of it.
As she took a break from shoveling, Green Gold miner Mariveth Mosquera pointed to mined patches of terrain that have been recovered and now sprout yucca and plantains. Mercury-free water means she and her family can cultivate tilapia in fish ponds.
The Fairtrade and Fairmined movement hopes to sign up legions of miners across Latin America, Africa and Asia but responsible mining has failed to catch on. Despite the premiums for eco-friendlier gold, it remains easier and more profitable to extract gold with large amounts of mercury. So far, just 1,400 miners in Colombia, Peru and Bolivia have joined the Fairtrade and Fairmined program.
Arango of Green Gold wants to bump up the premiums through such schemes as internet auctions. He also points out that like-minded campaigns — such as Fairtrade coffee and the Kimberly Process to promote conflict-free diamonds from Africa — started out slowly.
“We’ve seen Fairtrade in coffee and in chocolate grow exponentially,” Arango said. “This is the beginning. The volumes are small but we are starting to see consumers and the mining industry paying attention to a different way of doing things.”
More from GlobalPost: Nigeria's gold rush kills hundreds of children | <urn:uuid:48d94a28-eed3-4141-8054-d377cfa0cf14> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/colombia/121205/colombian-green-gold-mining-mercury-free | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00058-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946501 | 1,747 | 3.484375 | 3 |
Mininova, one of the bigger Bittorrent filesharing sites on the Web, has shut down every single "infringing" torrent in its index and pledged to go legitimate. All torrents have been removed, except the ones that were uploaded through its content distribution service which allows artists to put their own content up.
The decision follows a court ruling after legal action from Dutch anti-piracy brigade BREIN. Mininova has always removed torrents pointing to copyrighted material on request, but the sheer weight of new torrents being uploaded made that difficult. The court ruled that Mininova wasn't liable for the infringement of its members, but that the site needed to implement a content filter.
A number of systems were trialled, but none proved 100% effective, so Mininova took the decision to remove almost every torrent in its index to avoid the threat of fines imposed by the court - 5 million euros. It’s very unfortunate that we’re forced to take this action, but we saw no other option", Mininova co-founder Niek told TorrentFreak.
That leaves few major torrent sites still standing, but thanks to the increasingly decentralised infrastructure pioneered by the Pirate Bay after its own lawsuit, the filesharing community is still alive and well, and more difficult to tackle than ever. | <urn:uuid:722f64c2-a0ca-430c-8673-69d0b31493e7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/100763-mininova-shuts-down-illegal-torrents | 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 | 0.974257 | 275 | 1.5 | 2 |
Construction of the Thamalakane Bridge was nearly stopped recently as majority of the North West District Councillors doubted the constructor’s ability and lack of consultation.
A delegation from the Department of Roads went to address the special council about the construction of the new bridge but failed to impress the civic leader who said they had not been consulted about the project.
Deputy Director in the Department of Roads Pius Mphathiwa produced the artistic design and told the council that the project would be completed in 15 months (From 8th January 2013 to 7th April 2014) at a total cost of P75, 100, 348.81 by Colic Construction Company.
He said that after the Geotechnical Investigations were carried out it was recommended that the pilling type of foundation be adopted because of the type of group which does not have rocks.
He also mentioned that concrete would be sourced from Kuke and Francistown Quarries while gravel would be source from Thamalakane river.
Immediately after his presentation, Councillor Tapologo Mosika of Matlapana ward attacked the delegation saying they have engaged a, ‘Fong Kong’ company which will destroy their river.
He said that the amount of gravel that is being piled in the river would disturb the flow of water.
He demanded the company’s track record and called for immediate discontinuation of the work and was supported by majority of the councillors who said the Environmental Impact Assessment was done in 2008/9 and that it was outdated.
“Where is the EIA report, it is outdated and irrelevant this time,” commented specially elected councillor Abel Molelo.
Mphathiwa had said that the assessment was done in 2008 as the bridge was supposed to have been built at that time but could not go on as there was economic recession.
Councillors said that good experienced companies would not pile gravel in their river but drill in the water without endangering water species which they say are the lives of Batawana.
They then demanded to be shown an artistic impression of the bridge saying that the construct could be building a culvert.
After a long discussion and failure to produce the artwork, Acting Council Chairman Duncan Enga said that it would be better if the project was suspended by the community and not the council as it would impact negatively on their coffers if the contactor failed to finish the project on time.
It was also agreed that the community will decide what to do with the old bridge, initial there were suggestions of leaving it to be used by donkey carts, being destructed or being made a heritage site.
The 120m bridge will consist of six spans (columns) of 20m to support it.
Drainage Culverts, pedestrian walkways, street lightning and Bus bays will be included according to Sam Waithaka of Pula Consultancy, a consultancy company which has been engaged at the tune of P3, 254,101.48. | <urn:uuid:c22e9e26-caca-4190-917e-c1730c526b7e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thevoicebw.com/2013/03/22/councillors-doubt-maun-bridge/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00067-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.985126 | 614 | 1.640625 | 2 |
Giant Buddha Temple
The Zhangye Grand Buddha Temple was constructed 900 years ago during the Yong'an Era of Emperor Chong of Western Hsia. The name of the Grand Buddha Temple has changed several times. Previous titles include: The Jiaye Rulai Temple, The Baojue Temple, and The Hongren Temple. China’s largest indoor reclining Buddha, the Nirvana of ?akyamuni Buddha, lies in this temple. Adding to the visual splendor of the temple is its rich history. It is reported to be the birthplace of Hu Bilie (Kublai), emperor of the Yuan Dynasty, and was the final refuge for South Song Dynasty emperor Zhao Xian after he abdicated and became a monk.
There are three different buildings that make up the Grand Buddha Temple. They include Grand Buddha Hall, the Sutra Depository and the Earth Tower. The Grand Buddha Hall is a two-storied edifice measuring 33 meters in height, 49 meters in width, and 24 meters in length, for a total area of 1770 square meters. During the 16th century, the temple was able to, and often did, accommodate up to six thousand worshippers at any given time. There are two engraved bricks on either side of the Hall gate. The left inscription reads “Reaching the Elysian Fields” and “Western Paradise” while the right reads "Three Buddhas in Nirvana" and "Respect the Elysian and Develop the Sutra".
The Nirvana of ?akyamuni Buddha lies peacefully on a 1.2-meter-high altar in the center of the hall. The Buddha has some extraordinary dimensions: its total length is 34.5 meters, while its height at the shoulder is 7.5 meters. The ears and feet alone measure 4 and 5.2 meters respectively. An average person could lie on the middle finger of the Buddha, while eight people could sit shoulder to shoulder on the Buddha’s ear.
The Buddha is a clay sculpture with wooden roughcast, covered with gold leaf and painted in various colors. Although the vivid gold and striking décor seem to portray Sakyamuni as awake, he is in fact sleeping. There are ten disciples standing behind the lying Buddha. 18 arhats, followers of Buddha that have attained Nirvana, adorn each side of the Hall exterior.
The frescos on the walls are illustrations depicting stories in a “Journey to the West” and the “Shan Hai Classic” (the latter being a book on ancient Chinese geography). There were more than six thousand Buddhist sutras granted by Emperor Yingzong of the Ming Dynasty to the Sutra Depository of Buddhist texts. These sutras are well preserved. Some of the more precious donations among the collection were written with gold or silver powder.
The Zhangye Five Elements Pagoda stands 33.4 meters-high and is situated behind the temple. There are eight small individual pagodas placed on each corner of the first and second stories. This beautiful style is unique to the Zhangye Grand Buddha Temple. | <urn:uuid:fc663bc4-0ad1-4cf8-8cae-c966bbacd5b6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.chinatravel.com/zhangye-attraction/giant-buddha-temple/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949207 | 636 | 3.109375 | 3 |
Bismillah Ir-Rehman Ir-Raheem
May Allah enable us to use the best of words, have the best of character, and conduct ourselves in the best of manners.
I write herein that which is first and foremost a reminder to my own heart as any others. Sometimes, we forget that which we should do, instead settling for doing what we can do and simply do because we can. However, we must not forget that Time retains our words (even should we forget our own utterances) and we must strive to ensure that we are not of those who feel loss in akhirah over how carelessly we used our words.
Therefore, I wanted to ask that we please try to observe the ethics and etiquettes of disagreement as much as possible and uphold Islam with best of adab, knowing that Allah is All-Aware and would wish for ourselves to engage in what is best.
The following is not a discourse on Islamic ethics and etiquettes disagreement but only common sense engagement of our own values concerning what Prophet Muhammad (may the blessings of peace and peace of be Allah bless upon him) taught or what his companions (may Allah bless them) learned from him, applied over the Internet.
“All Muslims are like a foundation, each strengthening the other; in such a way they do support each other (Muslim).”
10 Ethics & Etiquettes of Disagreement
1. Think. Think before you write (and make sure your facts or information is correct). Your words matter. They matter very much. And you do not know what effect your words will carry with others who read them. So, please be sure of your information before you use the avenue of the Internet to spread them. More importantly, Prophet Muhammad knew the importance of words. Therefore, he refrained from speaking unnecessarily and spoke only for his Lord.
2. Language. Understand that Prophet Muhammad: saw: asked us to refrain from hurting people’s feelings by means of bad language or name-calling. Derogatory words and ridicule hurt others. And in so doing, we betray ourselves to others by having them know that Allah has chosen in those exact moments to have us taste the humiliation of expressing ourselves with foul or ill-chosen language and honored the individual opposite us who refrains from the same (as the manifestation of ill-chosen words is a sign manifest of having befriended the whisperings of Satan and nafs). Thus, if you must be party to one of the two, choose to be the one who refrains and your reward for this will be with Allah.The Prophet Muhammad said, “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day let him speak good or remain silent.” (Bukhari.)
3. Knowledge. Knowledge is power. But to use any knowledge that you have to seek dominance over another is not in accordance with what had been revealed onto Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Speak for the sake of Allah, otherwise seek to hold your peace. Differences in positions is a natural outcome of applying knowledge but let that be born of certain and true knowledge, not ego.Prophet Muhammad said, “There should be neither harming nor reciprocating harm.” (Ibn-Majah.)
4. Argument. If you want to convince an individual of his or her rightness and your incorrectness in a matter, argue with the individual. The more and more you argue with the individual, the more and more the individual will become convinced that he/she is right and you are wrong because your approach does not conform to the principle of open and respectful discussion. To convince others, you must first be willing to engage with the individual on terms of equality and respect. Only such an interaction can carry hidden blessings from Allah so that the discussion proves fruitful for both you and the other individual. Know that argument sours an individual on the other person and does not allow any progress to be made (even if the person is right). That is why Prophet Muhammad (SAW) forbade himself three things: 1) argument, 2) arrogance, and 3) that which did not concern him.The Prophet Muhammad said: “A servant of God will remain standing on the Day of Judgment until he is questioned about his (time on earth) and how he used it; about his knowledge and how he utilized it; about his wealth and from where he acquired it and in what (activities) he spent it; and about his body and how he used it.” (Tirmidhi.)
5. Uniqueness. Understand that one of the beauties of Islam and what Islamic teaches is that even while we are all so different from one another, Allah’s mercy on us as believers made us one another’s brothers and sisters in faith. Keeping in mind this design, we must expect, accept and respect the personality, cultural, linguistic and other such differences in us as unique individuals.Prophet Muhammad said, “I guarantee a house in Jannah for one who gives up arguing, even if he is in the right; and I guarantee a home in the middle of Jannah for one who abandons lying even for the sake of fun; and I guarantee a house in the highest part of Jannah for one who has good manners.” (Abu Dawud.)
6. Criticism. Learn to take criticism of your words in a positive light. You are not your words. Therefore, do not attach importance or become attached to your words. Sometimes, whether you realize or not, you may say that which deserves genuine criticism. Thus, you must set aside the urgings of your blameworthy nafs and instead be willing to take a step back and examine whether the criticism leveled at your words was earned. And if after examination of your words should you then still be convinced the criticism was unearned, see the criticism as a beautiful opportunity given by Allah to humble your nafs. Learn thus to love criticism as criticisms will benefit Insha-Allah if you see them in a positive light.The Prophet Muhammad said, “None of you will have faith till he wishes for his (Muslim) brother what he likes for himself.” (Bukhari.)
7. Discretion. Your words must be in accordance with what is required. If your written speech requires gentleness, then use gentleness. Or if you see your point may be better received couched in sternness, then use sternness. We are an Ummah that has been required by Allah and his Prophet (SAW) to forbid evil and enjoin good. But strive to do this with wisdom and for the sake of Allah.“God bless the man who makes me a gift of my own shortcomings,” said Umar (may Allah bless him), as provided in the book Islamic Treasury of Virtues.
8. Patience. Everybody is at different levels of knowledge and iman. Therefore, seek to be patient with the people, just as you would prefer that for yourself.The Prophet Muhammad said, “Facilitate things to people (concerning religious matters), and do not make it hard for them and give them good tidings and do not make them run away (from Islam).”
9. Forgiveness. Do not harbor ill will over some disagreement or the other for your fellowmen. Learn to forgive and then understand if you learn to forgive you will find for yourself forgiveness from Allah. It may well be that you have some ill feeling in your heart on account of what the person did not mean. So, please, please, please, brothers and sisters, forgive and move on.The Prophet Muhammad said, “…Prayer is light; charity is a proof; patience is illumination; and the Quran is an argument for or against you. Everyone starts his day and is a vendor of his soul, either freeing it or bringing about its ruin.” (Muslim.)
10. Last word. You do not have to have the last word. Or even the first word. After you have said what you genuinely believe is right (and perceive that no further engagement is necessary), leave the matter as the matter is not anymore your concern.The Prophet Muhammad said, “Son, if you are able, keep your heart from morning till night and from night till morning free from malice towards anyone.” Then the Prophet said: “O my son! This is one of my laws, and he, who loves my laws verily loves me.” (Bukhari.)
If I have said anything that is good and true, it is from Allah, and anything other than that is my own mistake.The Prophet Muhammad said, “The proof of a Muslim’s sincerity is that he pays no heed to that which is not his business.” (Tirmidhi.) | <urn:uuid:6ae0c666-3d2b-4b62-b4f3-5f951ed552d5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sunniforum.com/forum/showthread.php?89845-10-Ethics-amp-Etiquettes-of-Disagreement-for-Internet&p=783634 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95756 | 1,831 | 2.53125 | 3 |
After a shipment of kitchen cabinets has arrived and everything's been checked to make sure it matches your order, the next step is a critical one: Have the installer mark all the cabinet locations on the walls, along with marking the studs where the cabinets will be attached.
Measurements come first. The installer should find the "high spot" on the floor where the kitchen cabinets will be installed. Most floors in older homes aren't level, and cabinet installation must work with the reality of a home's condition. Similarly, walls often aren't plumb or square, even in relatively new construction, so the installer must check them before any cabinets can be installed. Doors to wall cabinets should be removed before installation.
The base kitchen cabinets set the standard for the rest of the installation. Before installation, they should be lined up and connected to one another. They should first be clamped together for perfect alignment and then connected through the sides by screws. This method is far more precise than attaching components to the wall separately, one after another.
Once the base kitchen cabinets are lined up and connected, your contractor will be able to tell what kind of "shimming" may be needed on the walls and the floor. A shim is a narrow wedge of wood that works much like a matchbook placed under the leg of a wobbly table in a restaurant. If your floors or walls are at all "wavy," as is the case in many older homes, shimming will be necessary.
Most frameless cabinets are screwed directly to a wall. If hanging rails are to be used, however, they should be cut and screwed to the studs, usually about 2 1/2 inches below the soffit. This space will allow the cabinet to be lifted above the rail before being lowered onto it. Molding is then used to cover the gap between the top of the cabinet and the bottom of the soffit.
Wall kitchen cabinets should be installed starting in a corner and working outward. In a U-shaped kitchen, the two corner cabinets should be installed first. As each cabinet is hung, it should be fastened to the preceding one so they're perfectly aligned. When all the wall cabinets have been installed, they should be checked to make sure they're level, plumb and square.
Most base cabinets require leveling legs, which should be attached to their bottom corners. In standard installations, the installer makes a mark 34 inches above the high point of the floor along the walls where the base cabinet will be placed. This assumes that the height of your countertop is going to be the standard 36 inches.
Toe-kick moldings are an aesthetic feature that screens the leg levelers from view and provides a floating look to the base cabinets. Some can be snapped into place. Finally, doors and drawer fronts are attached, using adjustable hardware to align them and make the opening between the doors even from top to bottom.
Face-frame kitchen cabinet installation doesn't differ greatly from that of frameless kitchen cabinets except that face-frame cabinets usually are screwed to the wall through a mounting strip. Because they have more inner construction, face-frame cabinets don't rack as easily as frameless cabinets. Since the door can be adjusted on the frame, face-frame cabinets also offer some flexibility in door placement, provided that the doors haven't been predrilled.
Reprinted with permission from the National Kitchen & Bath Association
Get all the info you need on mission-style kitchen cabinets, so you can create a warm, welcoming and comfy kitchen design.
Get the info you need on kitchen cabinet materials, and explore your options for pre-fabricated or custom kitchen cabinets.
Explore your options for kitchen cabinet colors and finishes, and get ready to create a kitchen with supreme style.
Kitchens by Professionals(at Pro Galleries)
Kitchens by People Like You (at Rate My Remodel) | <urn:uuid:4e1a77ac-ae48-43c1-b38a-bf3a21640030> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.hgtvremodels.com/kitchens/kitchen-cabinet-installation-overview/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942238 | 800 | 1.53125 | 2 |
1991 Franz-Olivier Giesbert
He is absolutely intriguing. He came across as a highly intelligent man quite apart from his achievements in fashion.
I was able to watch him sketching ans it was quite remarkable. He has a form of genius, but it is a masochist genius. He spoke to us cery frankly about his problems.
I was struck by his honesty.
- Franz-Olivier Giesbert
1991 David Hockney
Yves Saint Laurent paid tribute to David Hockney in 2004, when he awarded him the Rosa d'Oro...
Today, we will honor one of the greatest painters of our time: David Hockney.
The reason I chose him and am delighted to present him with this prestigious decoration is that I have admired his exceptional work for some time. How can I forget the shock I experienced when I discovered the major portion of his work in 1974 at his exhibition at Paris’s Musée des Arts Décoratifs? Or his drawings at a later date at the Galerie Claude Bernard?
I knew then that David Hockney was a painter who would accompany me throughout my life. I have always placed the greatest importance on chromaticism, and we can say that David Hockney is among the greatest colorists of this century, alongside Matisse and Rothko.
He is also an unparalleled draftsman who has joined the ranks of Ingres and Picasso at his best as can be witnessed in his portrait of Sir John Gielgud in the 1970s. And I cannot overlook his recent research on the use of mirrors and lenses by famous painters.
Though I love David Hockney’s entire oeuvre, there is a portion of it which touches me in particular: that which is devoted to the theater.
Since the Russian ballets, painters have been strongly involved in theatrical production. In this regard, one only needs to cite Picasso, Braque, Léger, Goncharova, Larionov, Rouault, Derain, Clavé and many others. David Hockney’s genius could but shine in this field.
Let us take a look at a random selection: The Rake’s Progress, Les Mamelles de Tirésias, The Magic Flute, l’Enfant et les Sortilèges, Parade, Oedipus Rex, etc. In all these works, Hockney shows that he is an absolute master. He has understood that theater is not a pale copy of reality but, as Christian Bérard displayed so well, the confluence of illusion and poetry.
- Yves Saint Laurent | <urn:uuid:7f4841cc-55f9-4e63-b866-61dc256e9657> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://fondation-pb-ysl.net/en/Encounters-75.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966609 | 560 | 1.65625 | 2 |
As part of the National Immigration Integration Conference, nearly 50 new American citizens were sworn in Sept. 22.
Hundreds of people gathered in September at Baltimore's harbor as the wind gusted off the water's edge. Nearly 50 of them were about to be sworn in as U.S. citizens. Some were young, some old. There were uniformed members of the U.S. military, parents and children. There were immigrants from El Salvador, China, Honduras and countries in between. They raised their right hands, recited the naturalization oath to the United States, and were declared fully American.
The national conversation on immigration reform has been stalled for years, and while President Obama says it's a top priority for his second term, Baltimore is moving ahead with its own agenda: It's courting immigrants in an effort to revitalize its shrinking population.
Baltimore was once a major port city and destination for people moving to America. In 1950, nearly a million people lived here. Since then though, Baltimore has become known for high crime rates and abandoned homes. The city's population has fallen to just half of what it was in the 1960s.
Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake has a plan: She's looking to bring in 10,000 new families over the next decade, focusing on immigrants, a group that has helped other large cities grow. She's hoping new families will boost income and property tax revenue, helping to reignite the city's economy.
Zakaria al-Saghir is one of those new immigrants. He's originally from Iraq, and moved to Baltimore County with his wife and their three kids in September. Today he's in a small discussion group at Baltimore's International Rescue Committee, an organization that helps newcomers learn the ropes in the U.S. He's seated in a semi-circle with five other immigrants as their trainer, Sara Bedford, goes over everything from properly shaking hands, to filing taxes.
Hundreds gather in Baltimore's harbor Sept. 22 to witness the naturalization of nearly 50 new Americans.
Al-Sagheer says he could have moved to another state, but his relatives convinced him to settle just outside of Baltimore.
"They speak about the population, how they treat the new immigrants, the style of the city, how they live in the city, everything," he says. "They told me many good things about living in Baltimore."
That word of mouth is exactly what Rawlings-Blake is counting on to bring people into the city. Her administration is trying to make all immigrants feel safe and welcome. Her boldest move so far is prohibiting police and city officials from ever asking residents about immigration status.
"I don't really think of people as legal or illegal," she says. "Are you productive, or are you not productive? That's really my focus."
The IRC is a nonprofit organization, but Baltimore City is instituting programs to help foster that growth, too, by offering Spanish-language nutrition and exercise classes, and Spanish story time at the library. The city has even begun cultural training for the police.
Catalina Rodriguez, Baltimore's Hispanic Community Liaison, is charged with making sure many of these programs run smoothly. She's at a police precinct in north Baltimore training about 20 officers to recognize foreign identification cards. Immigrants who can't get a state-issued driver's license are encouraged to carry ID cards from their home countries.
Rodriguez flashes a slide of an Ecuadorian ID, explaining what each line on the card means, then adds, "Remember, Ecuadorians are an emerging group in the city of Baltimore, we have approx 1,000 Ecuadorians in this city."
Rodriguez also reminds officers they can use an interpretation service on their mobile phones in 170 languages, 24/7.
The city is spending money on training programs like this one, but Rawlings-Blake says the costs are negligible compared to the revenue new families will generate in taxes.
It's too early to calculate Baltimore's return on investment, but there is another Northeast city that also tried to fight population decline by recruiting immigrants: Philadelphia.
Philadelphia had the same kind of population crash as Baltimore. It peaked in the 1950s, then went into decades of decline. When the city finally grew again in 2010, the bulk of the newcomers were Asian and Hispanic immigrants.
Nearly 50 immigrants took the U.S. naturalization oath at the Baltimore harbor on Sept. 22.
Amanda Bergson-Shilcock has worked for nearly a decade at The Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians. It's one of many nonprofits that have teamed up with the city to help immigrants find jobs, start businesses and put down roots in the city.
"The whole city was doing handsprings when the news came out from the Census Bureau about a year and a half ago that our population is growing again," she says. "If it had not been for the growth in the city's immigrant population, we would not have grown, we would have had another decade of population losses.
For cities hoping to follow in Philadelphia's footsteps, Steven Camarota of the Center for Immigration Studies has different advice.
He's skeptical that Baltimore, or any city, can grow its immigrant population simply by ignoring immigration status or offering services.
"If you have a city that native-born people have moved out of in very large numbers, it's very unlikely that you'll get large scale immigration to that city," he says.
Camarota says immigrants, like anyone else, go where there are jobs. He says even if cities like Baltimore, which has had a stubbornly high unemployment rate, could attract immigrants, it wouldn't mean much for the local economy.
"In general the research shows that immigrants do not pay enough in taxes to cover their consumption of public services," he says. "In general it creates a lot of fiscal costs."
But David Kallick, director of Immigration Research at the Fiscal Policy Institute, disagrees with Camarota on that point. Kallick says attracting new immigrant residents does, in fact, help a city, whether they make a million dollars a year, or $30,000.
"If you think about property taxes for example, having empty buildings is very expensive to a city," Kallick says. "If you have people moving into a neighborhood, they're going to be paying some property taxes."
In the short-term, Baltimore's open-door policy is probably not going to fill city coffers. There is a cost to providing new immigrants services like language classes and health care. For Baltimore to be successful, Kallick says, it's going to have to do more than roll out a nice welcome mat to newcomers. it's going to have to invest long-term. | <urn:uuid:bf966028-4f3f-4a82-968f-294d96a9ff69> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://app1.kuhf.org/print-articles/npr1355089803-Baltimore-Says,-Immigrants-Welcome.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00047-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.979583 | 1,389 | 2.140625 | 2 |
Cure For the Super-Person Syndrome
Each person is blessed with specific gifts and talents. No one can
know everything or do everything. Recognizing when we need a little
help from our friends or mentors can be a freeing experience. A
mentor is defined as a wise and trusted counselor or teacher. Wisdom
is the product of living. Wisdom reveals that spending valuable
time and energy on projects that are uninteresting and overwhelming
uses energy that could be directed to the things that are enjoyable
and fulfilling. Baseball legend, Hank Aaron reportedly said,”
You’re going to have times when you wish you had someone to
talk to, someone to get you through trying times.”
Each phase of our lives bring some “trying times” that
may actually provide new opportunities to develop gifts and talents.
Sometimes loss of the ability or opportunity to do one thing opens
the door to something new. For example, when the physical aspect
of gardening becomes too demanding for a dedicated gardener, the
door may be opening to the opportunity to mentor less skilled gardeners.
we set goals, do what we can, and treat people well in the process,
people emerge that can help and encourage us. These people are often
called mentors; meaning they have experienced our new challenge
and they can guide us through the journey. Oliver Wendell Holmes
has been credited with this summation, “ It is the province
of knowledge to speak, and the privilege of wisdom to listen.”
can be short term or long term. A person may only need help with
a particular situation or may need for help over a longer time.
An example of a short term mentoring situation might be dealing
with a recent job loss or the decision to move to a smaller home
or apartment. An example of a long-term mentoring situation might
be the dealing with the diagnosis of health problem. Just talking
with someone who has successfully met that challenge can give a
person the skills they need to manage the health problem. Many people
find that a support group makes disease management much easier and
contributes to increased quality of life. Members of a support group
often act in a mentoring role.
do not have to be living; they can be people from a different time
and place. Through books, movies, and television we can learn from
the life experiences of people from other eras. It is often helpful
to learn how someone from the past handled a similar experience.
successful people acknowledge that they have looked outside themselves
for help. Both American industrialist, Henry J. Kaiser and President
Franklin D. Roosevelt publicly admitted that they sought help from
others. Kaiser is quoted as saying, “ You seldom accomplish
very much by yourself. You must get assistance from others.”
Roosevelt said, “ I’m not the smartest fellow in the
world, but I can sure pick smart colleagues.”
select the right mentor or support person, you need to know what
help is needed and then screen for qualified people. The strategy
for getting the mentoring we need is pretty straightforward. It
what help is needed
possible sources of mentoring or assistance
Screening potential mentors by:
Looking for people with a history of success.
for good listeners.
for demonstrated high personal standards and ethics.
for people who can work independently and with others.
for high achievers
looking for people with a history of success, interview them and
then check their references. Don’t feel pressured to accept
mentoring or assistance from someone if you are not thoroughly convinced
they are the person you need.
is critical because the person to whom you turn for help needs to
thoroughly understand your specific needs. Listening is the foundation
of good communication and good communication nurtures trust. For
someone to really be a mentor, you must have trust in them.
speak louder than words. Make sure the person you are considering
as a mentor demonstrates the things you would consider important
personal standards and ethics. If you do not share that common ground
with the potential mentor, it will be difficult for you to communicate
well and develop trust.
time more than one mentor or assistant may be needed. It is important
that the people you develop mentoring relationships with, be able
to work together. They must all have your best interest at the top
of their list.
rules for screening mentors also apply when it is necessary to hire
someone to assist with things that are beyond one’s strength
or skills. There are also referral services, professional organizations,
and organizations such as the Better Business Bureau to help identify
businesses and individuals that have built credible reputations.
deserve nothing but the best, so choose people to mentor or assist
you who set high standards for themselves. If they set their own
high standards, you will not have to spend valuable time and energy
making sure you are getting quality help. All you will need to do
is acknowledge and encourage their high level of performance. Good
results are the product of input, feedback and encouragement. | <urn:uuid:0a42c2bc-79eb-49c8-bacb-8b23eb0a9b21> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/CoopExt/Adams/fcs/super-person.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00067-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943318 | 1,077 | 2.859375 | 3 |
Service tax on Works Contract was introduced on 1.6.2007. Starting with an attractive rate of 2% service tax on the composite value of both material & labour, today it has reached the rate of 4.8% w.e.f. 1.4.2012. Under the current scheme, the works contract covers only immovable properties, however, in order to bring it up to the proposed negative list; the definition of works contract has been amended so as to include the movable properties also. Further the reverse charge mechanism is also extended to it. This article revolves around the enhanced scope of the works contract service under negative list scenario.
New definition of works contract:-
The new definition of works contract has been given under section 65B(54) of the Finance Act, 1994 which reads as follows:-
“Works Contract means a contract wherein transfer of property in goods involved in the execution of such contract is leviable to tax as sale of goods and such contract is for the purpose of carrying out construction, erection, commissioning, installation, completion, fitting out, repair, maintenance, renovation, alteration of any movable or immovable property or for carrying out any other similar activity or a part thereof in relation to such property.”
Thus, the definition that was proposed in the Finance Bill, 2012 did not include the movable properties but the definition that is being given in the Finance Act, 2012 includes the services related to movable properties also.
Scope of Works contract service under negative list:-
The definition of works contract service encompasses a wide range of services like construction, erection, commissioning, installation, completion, fitting out, repair, maintenance, renovation, alteration and other such services. Some of these activities are purely related to immovable properties like construction, erection, installation, etc. However, some of these activities can be carried out on both movable and immovable properties like the repairs, renovation, maintenance, etc.
Under the negative list, the specified categories have been demolished and scope of the works contract has been enhanced so as to include movable properties also. Now, many of the services related to movable properties under current scheme involving the material therein like Authorized service station, repairs and maintenance services, Photography services, etc. will fall under works contract service in the negative list scheme provided the material involved therein is leviable to VAT/sales tax. This will cover cases where the authorized service station does the repairing of a car and supplies any part thereof. Hence it is a composite contract where both service and material value is involved and as such will be covered under the works contract. Thus, the annual maintenance contracts involving the material along with service will also fall under the purview of works contract under negative list and will be chargeable to service tax @ 4.8%.
Valuation of works contract service:-
In the new scheme of negative list, the valuation of Works Contract is to be done in accordance with the Service Tax (Determination of Value) Rules, 2006. For this purpose, rule 2A is being inserted which specifies the steps for valuing the works contract service. This rule lays down following fundamentals for its valuation:-
Value of Works Contract = Gross amount charged – Value of transfer of property in goods. However, VAT or Sales Tax is not includible in the value of material supplied.
Value of Works contract service shall include the labour charges, amount paid to sub-contractor for labour and services, charges for planning, designing and architect’s fees, hire charges for machinery and tools, cost of consumables like water, electricity, fuel, etc., cost of establishment of contractor relatable to supply of labour and services, profit earned in relation to supply of labour and services.
In the cases where VAT has been paid on ACTUAL value of transfer of property in goods, then this value will considered while calculating the value of Works Contract.
If the VAT is not paid on the ACTUAL value, “the person liable to pay tax on service portion involved in the execution of works contract” will calculate the same as follows:-
i. In, works contract for original works, service tax will be payable on 40% of total amount charged;
ii. In works contract for maintenance/repairs/ reconditioning/ restoration/ servicing of any goods, service tax will be payable on 70% of total amount charged.
iii. In case of other works contract (like maintenance, repair, completion and finishing services such as glazing, plastering, floor and wall tiling, installation of electrical fittings of an immovable property)not covered in above two clauses, service tax will be payable on 60% of total amount charged.
For the purpose of valuation,
a. "original works" means all new constructions; additions and alterations to abandoned or damaged structures on land that are required to make them workable; erection, commissioning or installation of plant, machinery or equipment or structures, whether pre-fabricated or otherwise.
b. Total amount = Gross amount charged for works contract + fair market value of goods and services supplied free of cost under same/any other contract – Amount charged for such goods and services – VAT/Sales tax
Under existing scheme of works contract, an option has been given to the assessees either to opt for composition scheme or pay the service tax at full rate on service portion after deducting the material value from total amount. Even option is also available for the services related to movable properties like authorized service station, photography service, repairs and maintenance services, etc. in form of notification no. 12/2003-ST dated 20.6.2003. Under this notification, if the value of material is identifiable and charged separately in the invoice, it is deductible and service tax is payable only on the service portion. This notification is available as an option, but it is being deleted in view of negative list. However, under current scheme, the model of this notification is being carried forward as a mandate, not as an option.
In other words, under works contract, the option of paying service tax on the basis of a fixed percentage is only available if the VAT has not been paid on the material on actual basis. If this condition is satisfied only then, the assessee can pay the service tax on a fixed percentage over the gross amount charged. Thus, the scheme of option with assessees has been taken away under negative list. The department will always ask for telling the exact amount of material used which is impossible. Even under the VAT, the assesses were not able to tell the exact amount of material in works contract. Thus, the composition scheme was introduced. The option either to pay the tax on value of service or under the composition scheme should be restored in works contract to avoid unnecessary litigation.
Reverse charge method extended to works contract:-
Along with changes in the spirit of works contract by amending the definition, the reverse charge method has also been extended to the works contract service. Under notification no. 15/2012-ST dated 17.3.2012, it is prescribed that the 50% service tax on works contract will be paid by the service recipient and 50% will be paid by the service provider in the cases where the service provider is an individual/firm/LLP and the recipient is the body corporate.
Though the government has exercised due diligence in drafting the provisions under negative list, yet there are some issues that needs attention. Some of such issues are as follows:-
a. The reverse charge mechanism has been extended partly to the works contract service where 50% service tax would be paid by the service provider and remaining 50% will be paid by the service recipient. How the value will be determined, either on the basis of invoice raised by the service provider or there will be any other method?
b. If it will be on the basis of invoice, in what manner the invoice will be issued by the service provider? Whether he will issue the invoice will entire value with total service tax thereupon and will indicate that the 50% amount of service tax will be paid by the service recipient? Or the invoice will be raised with entire value but service tax will be charged only to the extent it is payable by the provider of service.
c. There will be cases where the service provider is availing the exemption under notification no. 6/2005-ST dated 1.3.2005 and hence not liable to pay the service tax on 50% value while the service recipient will have to pay the service tax on remaining 50% as the benefit of this notification is not available to service recipients.
d. Where the service provider is covered under notification no. 6/2005-ST, whether the same taxable value can be bifurcated into two parts – one chargeable to service tax and other not chargeable to tax?
e. The reverse charge mechanism will increase the complicacies for individual service providers. They will have to keep the track over each and every invoice by looking to what type of concern they are providing the services. In case, the service is being provided to the person other than business entity, the 100% service tax is to be paid by the individual/LLP/firm service provider. Thus, such service providers will have to analyze the legal identity of the service recipients and ascertain where they have to pay complete service tax and where 50% service tax.
f. In the cases where the service provider is liable to pay the service tax only on 50% value, whether this value will be considered as the receipts from exempted service for the purpose of determining the limits under notification no. 6/2005-ST.
g. In the cases where the assessment is not accepted by the department or in case of valuation disputes, proceedings will be initiated against whom – the service provider or service recipient or both?
h. Where an individual/firm/LLP provides works contract services to the government/local authority and these services are not exempted under serial no. 12 of mega exemption notification no. 12/2012-ST dated 17.3.2012, what will be the situation – whether the service tax will be paid by the service provider completely or government will be considered as person liable to pay the service tax to the extent of 50% under reverse charge mechanism.
i. Further, the composition scheme has not been given as an option. Under current scheme also, there is a lot of dispute regarding the value of material involved. Thus, the dispute will also continue in the negative list also where the department will insist on providing the actual figures, while the assessee will contend that it is not ascertainable.
j. When the finance bill was proposed, there was provision of paying the service tax @ 25% on total amount charged including the value of land. However, after enactment of Finance Bill, this provision has been deleted from the Valuation rules. However, it is hoped that this will be brought back in the Act.
In short, intention of the government, behind extending reverse charge method on works contract service and that too partially, is not clear. In absence of many of the unanswered questions, it seems that the works contract is going to be harsher under negative list.
The service tax by way of negative list is going to be implemented just after a few days. The most complicated and full of litigations - Works contract with Reverse charge mechanism is now ready with extended scope to create more ambiguities under the new scheme also. The transitional phase of the negative list is going to be a challenging one for the government and many clarifications are still needed for its effective implementation.
An article by:-
CA PRADEEP JAIN
CA PREETI PARIHAR | <urn:uuid:0f40241b-6b31-482f-984b-4c8558e1419d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.caclubindia.com/articles/works-contract-negative-list-unanswered-questions-14344.asp | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95062 | 2,392 | 1.828125 | 2 |
Click on any phrase to play the video at that point.Close
A human child is born, and for quite a long time is a consumer. It cannot be consciously a contributor. It is helpless. It doesn't know how to survive, even though it is endowed with an instinct to survive. It needs the help of mother, or a foster mother, to survive. It can't afford to doubt the person who tends the child. It has to totally surrender, as one surrenders to an anesthesiologist.
It has to totally surrender. That implies a lot of trust. That implies the trusted person won't violate the trust. As the child grows, it begins to discover that the person trusted is violating the trust. It doesn't know even the word "violation." Therefore, it has to blame itself, a wordless blame, which is more difficult to really resolve -- the wordless self-blame.
As the child grows to become an adult: so far, it has been a consumer, but the growth of a human being lies in his or her capacity to contribute, to be a contributor. One cannot contribute unless one feels secure, one feels big, one feels: I have enough.
To be compassionate is not a joke. It's not that simple. One has to discover a certain bigness in oneself. That bigness should be centered on oneself, not in terms of money, not in terms of power you wield, not in terms of any status that you can command in the society, but it should be centered on oneself. The self: you are self-aware. On that self, it should be centered -- a bigness, a wholeness. Otherwise, compassion is just a word and a dream.
In a Wimbledon final match, these two guys fight it out. Each one has got two games. It can be anybody's game. What they have sweated so far has no meaning. One person wins. The tennis etiquette is, both the players have to come to the net and shake hands. The winner boxes the air and kisses the ground, throws his shirt as though somebody is waiting for it. (Laughter) And this guy has to come to the net. When he comes to the net, you see, his whole face changes. It looks as though he's wishing that he didn't win. Why? Empathy.
That's human heart. No human heart is denied of that empathy. No religion can demolish that by indoctrination. No culture, no nation and nationalism -- nothing can touch it because it is empathy. And that capacity to empathize is the window through which you reach out to people, you do something that makes a difference in somebody's life -- even words, even time.
Compassion is not defined in one form. There's no Indian compassion. There's no American compassion. It transcends nation, the gender, the age. Why? Because it is there in everybody. It's experienced by people occasionally.
Then this occasional compassion, we are not talking about -- it will never remain occasional. By mandate, you cannot make a person compassionate. You can't say, "Please love me." Love is something you discover. It's not an action, but in the English language, it is also an action. I will come to it later.
So one has got to discover a certain wholeness. I am going to cite the possibility of being whole, which is within our experience, everybody's experience. In spite of a very tragic life, one is happy in moments which are very few and far between. And the one who is happy, even for a slapstick joke, accepts himself and also the scheme of things in which one finds oneself.
That means the whole universe, known things and unknown things. All of them are totally accepted because you discover your wholeness in yourself. The subject -- "me" -- and the object -- the scheme of things -- fuse into oneness, an experience nobody can say, "I am denied of," an experience common to all and sundry.
That experience confirms that, in spite of all your limitations -- all your wants, desires, unfulfilled, and the credit cards and layoffs and, finally, baldness -- you can be happy. But the extension of the logic is that you don't need to fulfill your desire to be happy. You are the very happiness, the wholeness that you want to be.
There's no choice in this: that only confirms the reality that the wholeness cannot be different from you, cannot be minus you. It has got to be you. You cannot be a part of wholeness and still be whole. Your moment of happiness reveals that reality, that realization, that recognition: "Maybe I am the whole. Maybe the swami is right.
Maybe the swami is right." You start your new life. Then everything becomes meaningful. I have no more reason to blame myself. If one has to blame oneself, one has a million reasons plus many. But if I say, in spite of my body being limited -- if it is black it is not white, if it is white it is not black: body is limited any which way you look at it. Limited.
Your knowledge is limited, health is limited, and power is therefore limited, and the cheerfulness is going to be limited. Compassion is going to be limited. Everything is going to be limitless. You cannot command compassion unless you become limitless, and nobody can become limitless, either you are or you are not. Period. And there is no way of your being not limitless too.
Your own experience reveals, in spite of all limitations, you are the whole. And the wholeness is the reality of you when you relate to the world. It is love first. When you relate to the world, the dynamic manifestation of the wholeness is, what we say, love. And itself becomes compassion if the object that you relate to evokes that emotion. Then that again transforms into giving, into sharing. You express yourself because you have compassion.
To discover compassion, you need to be compassionate. To discover the capacity to give and share, you need to be giving and sharing. There is no shortcut: it is like swimming by swimming. You learn swimming by swimming. You cannot learn swimming on a foam mattress and enter into water. (Laughter) You learn swimming by swimming. You learn cycling by cycling. You learn cooking by cooking, having some sympathetic people around you to eat what you cook. (Laughter)
There is no verb for compassion, but you have an adverb for compassion. That's interesting to me. You act compassionately. But then, how to act compassionately if you don't have compassion? That is where you fake. You fake it and make it. This is the mantra of the United States of America. (Laughter)
You fake it and make it. You act compassionately as though you have compassion: grind your teeth, take all the support system. If you know how to pray, pray. Ask for compassion. Let me act compassionately. Do it. You'll discover compassion and also slowly a relative compassion, and slowly, perhaps if you get the right teaching, you'll discover compassion is a dynamic manifestation of the reality of yourself, which is oneness, wholeness, and that's what you are.
You can share this video by copying this HTML to your clipboard and pasting into your blog or web page.
need to get the latest Flash player.
Got an idea, question, or debate inspired by this talk? Start a TED Conversation.
Swami Dayananda Saraswati unravels the parallel paths of personal development and attaining true compassion. He walks us through each step of self-realization, from helpless infancy to the fearless act of caring for others.
Swami Dayananda Saraswati is an acclaimed spiritual teacher and the founder of AIM for Seva -- a charitable trust that works to relieve poverty across India. Full bio » | <urn:uuid:8101c70e-7cfd-4678-a25d-255bc39e63f8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ted.com/talks/swami_dayananda_saraswati.html?quote=578 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968384 | 1,660 | 2.171875 | 2 |
This publication has been around since 1997, though its dated layout and graphical design reflect its part in a series of books that have been around for decades. Evidently, the author sees no reason to change a successful formula. Well, "if it ain't broke, don't mend it", they say. The design of the book is pleasing, with plenty of little sketches of plants and equipment; though to my eye the page layouts look a bit messy, with inconsistent page design, and artwork in varying styles throughout. It really could do with a revamp.
It certainly lives up to its title, with a huge amount of information on every page, covering the whole gamut, from designing and creating a lawn, to feeding and caring for it, dealing with pest, weeds, and so on. It also covers such topics as meadow creation and non-grass lawns.
Having said this, it is very in-depth and perhaps too complicated for the casual gardener. The clue is in the title, I suppose, so I `m not complaining. However, if, like me, you have an average lawn that you just want to be tidy, this is probably not the book for you. I simply don't have the spare time to dedicate to pottering with the lawn to the extent prescribed in this book. I'm not trying to win a medal; I just want a lawn that involves as little effort as possible.
While this is a really good, thorough book, if you are not interested in a lawn fit for a Wimbledon final, but just want your basic tidy lawn for the kids, then I suggest you have a look at Titchmarsh's book, "Lawns, Paths and Patios". | <urn:uuid:a1ae5202-e6cd-46d8-ada0-26dd25b52681> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Lawn-Expert-books/dp/0903505150 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00065-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.979571 | 353 | 1.53125 | 2 |
Josh Sanborn has written a lengthy and detailed reply to my post on open access. I’m not planning to respond as I think it further reiterates the economic challenges of open access. I do want to draw attention to it. Here’s a snippet:
The Finch Report is a set of recommendations created by a British governmental working group headed by Dame Janet Finch entitled “Accessibility, sustainability, excellence: how to expand access to research publications.” It recommends that all academic work be made available free to the public on the internet and that the costs associated with the production of such works be borne by their authors. This is a mind-numbingly foolish solution, as many British academics and the AHA have pointed out, but the Finch Report at least clarifies something that, occasionally, airy discussions about open access neglect: nothing is free. Again, this point is well addressed in the comments to Sean’s blog, but it’s worth reiterating. Whenever you hear the word “free” in any discussion on open access, you should substitute the word “subsidized.” One of the remarkable things about the economics of academic publishing at present is that much of that subsidization takes place invisibly, as many (though not all) academics both write journal articles and referee them without the expectation of piece by piece remuneration. This willingness to work without direct pay creates the possibility for much greater access than the public sphere currently enjoys. And most scholars want to create greater access. In contrast to Sean, I think that most of us and most of our institutions give greater weight to widely distributed journals than they do to those with a smaller reach. It is not my impression that publishing in the American Historical Review, a high subscription journal, is less prestigious than publishing in a smaller venue.
Still, all of this intellectual work is subsidized. The research for the articles is often underwritten by institutions of various sorts. Further, universities and colleges expect professors to be a part of a professional dialogue, and many of them include authoring journal articles and refereeing them as labor that falls under our job descriptions. Some, like my own institution, consider this work carefully when deciding upon merit raises. Others do not. But this doesn’t mean there is no subsidy, just that there is a massive free rider problem at play in any college or university faculty. Thought of more broadly (but not of course literally), we might say that society pays for part of the production of scholarly articles through block grants to professor salary pools rather than piece by piece. Part of it is also paid for by independent scholars and professors who lack institutional support and/or living working wages for the work they do and essentially subsidize the enterprise through their own uncompensated time.
You can read the full post here. | <urn:uuid:7cdd754c-2558-463f-a0f9-04457c578d5a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://seansrussiablog.org/2013/01/15/more-on-the-open-access-debate/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00023-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962463 | 578 | 1.523438 | 2 |
Soon the day will come when your tot’s ready to take what she’s gleaned from puttering with her shape sorter and apply it to the wide world. (Muffins are circles! Books are rectangles!) Help foster your child’s newfound interest with these fun shape activities and games, which turn learning the concepts of squares and triangles into low-pressure play.
For a mind-and-body morning warm-up that doubles as a mommy-and-me activity, play this stimulating shape-smart game. Show your munchkin how to make a circle by holding his arms like a bowl in front of him. A little extra stretch turns his circle into an oval. To form a triangle, have him bend over and try to touch the ground a few inches in front of his feet (like a downward dog). You can even rename the classic jumping jack: It’s a star!
Deck the halls.
Not remotely close to the holidays? No matter. Making ornaments is a blast anytime of year, and it’s a perfect activity for teaching shapes. Just cut out a few basic triangles, rectangles, squares, circles, hearts, and stars from colored construction paper, then encourage your toddler to decorate them with markers, crayons, stickers, and glitter. Punch a hole in each shape, thread a small piece of yarn or ribbon through it, and then trim one of your backyard trees. Afterward, kick back with a snack (there are shapes to identify there too) and talk to your sweetie about which shapes are her faves.
There are plenty of excellent board books about shapes, but a handmade book created for (and with) your child packs a bigger educational punch. For this DIY project, cut out four-by-six-inch pieces of cardstock (just the right size to slip into a wallet-size photo album), and decorate each one with a different shape. For circles, try happy-face stickers or glue-on snaps or buttons; squares can be box tops and magazine pictures. If you like, mix in photos of real-life shapes around the house, like a shot of your circular kiddie pool, a diamond-shaped cookie cutter, or the rectangular window in your critter’s bedroom.
I've got a feeling.
Another way to boost your shape-learning arsenal: Explore textures. Experiencing different tactile sensations can help children learn — one reason Montessori preschools encourage students to practice the alphabet with letters cut from sandpaper. For a fun shapes activity, fashion circles and squares from different materials, including corrugated cardboard, fabric, and sandpaper. Running his hands around an actual 3D object will give your munchkin more data for figuring out what makes a shape a shape — the roundness of a circle, for instance, or the sharp corners of a square.
Figure in a game of bingo.
Old-fashioned bingo requires knowing your letters and numbers, a skill your little one won’t master for a few years yet. But he can play an easy all-shapes game, perfect for beginners. Just draw a three-by-three square grid, sketching a different shape (circle, oval, square, rectangle, heart, star, triangle, diamond, or moon) in each square. Draw corresponding shapes on small pieces of paper or index cards and toss them into a bowl, then draw out the slips of paper and help your little one find the match on his bingo sheet. When he gets three shapes in a row, he wins! The prize: The winner gets to be the bingo caller for the next round. Trying to name the shapes as he pulls them out of the bowl is a lesson in itself.
With a few 20-inch lengths of yarn, your tot can make a gallery of her own shapes. For this learning activity, help her fashion a circle, a square, a triangle, and a rectangle by arranging the pieces of yarn on a tabletop. Then draw a line of glue in the right shape on a piece of cardstock and help your cutie pat the ribbon into place. If you’re feeling crafty, the two of you can create a whole wall of homemade shapes for the playroom.
Create a ship-shape collage.
Your budding artiste may not have Rembrandt-like finesse (yet), but he’s not too young for his first art lesson: how to turn shapes into other objects. Even the pros start their drawings as a series of shapes, assembling a person from a few circles and rectangles. For this shapes activity, put out a supply of paper circles, rectangles, squares, and triangles that you’ve cut out, plus a glue stick or a small pot of washable glue, and help your preschooler assemble anything from people to animals to cars. | <urn:uuid:3be067c4-ddab-4d80-8400-56536680d1e9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.whattoexpect.com/toddler/photo-gallery/games-that-teach-preschooler-shapes.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936765 | 1,013 | 2.6875 | 3 |
Australian Bureau of Statistics
4913.0 - Pregnancy and Employment Transitions, Australia, Nov 2011 Quality Declaration
Latest ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 16/11/2012
|Page tools: Print Page Print All RSS Search this Product|
Grandparents step in when mums go back to work
An Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) report released today shows 27 per cent of women who started or returned to work after the birth of their child, relied on grandparents as the main care for their child.
ABS Director of Labour Force and Supplementary Surveys, Cassandra Gligora said the Pregnancy and Employment Transitions survey collected information on employment experiences of women with children under the age of 2 years, including some aspects of women's working experiences while pregnant and after returning to work. She also noted that the survey collected information on the type of leave used by women and their partner following the birth of the child.
"The survey results show that 86 per cent of women who returned to work after the birth of their child used at least one flexible work arrangement to assist with the care of their child," said Ms Gligora.
"Most women (76 per cent) returned to part-time work. Over one-third of these mothers returned to work when their child was seven to twelve months old.
"Over 25 per cent of the women surveyed stated that the main reason they returned to work after the birth of their child was to keep their job or that they were returning at their employer's request. This was followed by financial reasons, maintaining self-esteem and maintaining their career skills.
"The survey results also showed that around 22 per cent of the 357,500 women who worked while pregnant, permanently left their job before the birth of their child," said Ms Gligora.
Further details can be found in Pregnancy and Employment Transitions, Australia 2011 (cat. no. 4913.0), available for free download from www.abs.gov.au.
These documents will be presented in a new window.
This page last updated 15 November 2012 | <urn:uuid:a1ea26ae-b6a4-4260-a997-d93da7049c6c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Latestproducts/4913.0Media%20Release1Nov%202011?opendocument&tabname=Summary&prodno=4913.0&issue=Nov%202011&num=&view= | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967762 | 432 | 1.71875 | 2 |
Recent advances in the hydrostratigraphy of Paleozoic bedrock in the Midwestern United States
Search GoogleScholar for
Search GSA Today
Special 2011 Annual Meeting–Themed Science Article Section
In a departure from GSA Today’s usual single lead science article format, the following four articles are meant to familiarize you with the span of geologic time represented in the Upper Midwest and the expertise of its geoscience community as we prepare to assemble at the Annual Meeting in Minneapolis. These articles also emphasize the critical role geologists are being asked to play in a society that is increasingly focused on sustainable resource use and the long-term resilience of the planet.
The first two papers treat geologic events from opposite ends of the timeline as a controlled experiment that can be studied to help understand, and thereby forecast, system responses. The latter two speak directly to our role in society.
The EarthScope USArray is currently deployed in Minnesota. Seth Stein and colleagues describe how the information coming in regarding the failed, 1.1-Ga midcontinent rift, frozen in time, will provide a way to test the two leading theories about the fundamental cause of rifting.
Next, Karen Gran and colleagues describe Holocene valley evolution. A well-constrained downcutting event is driving continuing adjustment on tributaries to the Minnesota River, the history of which has a strong influence on modern sediment loads and direct resource-management implications.
Ken Bradbury and Tony Runkel, geologists with two state surveys, partnered up for the third article, which examines how the mechanical behavior of Paleozoic rocks affects groundwater flow systems. This information is critical for sustainable groundwater use in the face of challenges ranging from the presence of live viruses deep beneath Madison, Wisconsin, USA, to evolving cones of depression that change hydraulic gradients.
Finally, Cathy Manduca introduces readers to the process of producing an educated citizenry (and a well-prepared geoscience community) that understands the ways that Earth and society are linked. The article also illustrates the need to act collectively to share experiences, develop them into classroom activities, and accurately diagnose student challenges.
Carrie Jennings, Minnesota Geological Survey
Vice Chair, 2011 Annual Meeting Organizing Committee
Relatively undeformed Paleozoic bedrock forms the most widely used aquifers in Minnesota and Wisconsin (Fig. 1). Increasing demand for groundwater and concerns about contamination of deep aquifers have led to the need for a more comprehensive understanding of the hydrogeologic attributes of these strata than was deemed suitable just a few decades ago. Modern field techniques, coupled with advances in numerical modeling, are providing new insights into bedrock groundwater flow systems and redefinition of the classic divisions of the section into regional aquifers and aquitards. In Minnesota and Wisconsin, we commonly undertake borehole flowmeter logging, optical and acoustical borehole imaging, temperature profiling, short-interval packer testing, multi-level hydraulic head measurement, and dye tracing to evaluate the hydrogeology of bedrock formations. These techniques are widely available today but were beyond the reach of most field hydrogeologists only a few years ago.
Manuscript received 21 Mar. 2011; accepted 21 Apr. 2011 | <urn:uuid:083c18b9-d7e7-4aee-889e-ef849b45d7f0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://geosociety.org/gsatoday/archive/21/9/abstract/i1052-5173-21-9-10.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.905689 | 656 | 2.8125 | 3 |
Dow-United Technologies Composite Products Inc. has developed a patented process for using braided composites to make jet engine thrust reversers, the devices that slow aircraft during landing. In the past, the primary section of the reversers, cascades, was made from magnesium castings or from aluminum, making the multi-part structures comparatively heavy and susceptible to fatigue or stress failure at critical points. The Dow-UT process uses braided carbon fibers and resins to create a much lighter part with substantially greater strength at the joints. In addition, the part comes off the assembly line as a single component, reducing ultimate assembly requirements, according to Lawrence Varholak, Dow-UT vice president, engineering and technology. The patent represents an enhancement of Dow-UT's Advanced Resin Transfer Molding (AdvRTM(TM)) process. FAX (203) 949-5009.
We looked at a number of sources to determine this year's greenest cars, from KBB to automotive trade magazines to environmental organizations. These 14 cars emerged as being great at either stretching fuel or reducing carbon footprint.
Healthcare might seem to be an unlikely target application for the Internet of Things technology, but recent developments show small ways that big-data is going to make an impact on patient care moving into the future.
As energy efficiency becomes more and more a concern for makers of electronics devices, researchers are coming up with new ways to harvest energy from sound vibration, footsteps, and even electromagnetic fields in the air.
A quick look into the merger of two powerhouse 3D printing OEMs and the new leader in rapid prototyping solutions, Stratasys. The industrial revolution is now led by 3D printing and engineers are given the opportunity to fully maximize their design capabilities, reduce their time-to-market and functionally test prototypes cheaper, faster and easier. Bruce Bradshaw, Director of Marketing in North America, will explore the large product offering and variety of materials that will help CAD designers articulate their product design with actual, physical prototypes. This broadcast will dive deep into technical information including application specific stories from real world customers and their experiences with 3D printing. 3D Printing is | <urn:uuid:0dab7a6a-7b1a-41b1-9424-c6cd9a3bef39> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.designnews.com/author.asp?section_id=1386&doc_id=221409 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.930288 | 439 | 2.515625 | 3 |
Letter: Falmouth undervalues forest conservation
Falmouth’s Town Council is currently considering giving its officials broad authority to harvest trees on 1,137 acres of its forested town land over the next three decades. The parcels subject to operations would include the town forests at Community Park, Blackstrap Hill, Hadlock, North Falmouth Community Forest, Woods Road, Pine Grove, Underwood Park, and the Town Forest.
In my view, Falmouth’s open space program continues to make management decisions skewed toward biomass and wood harvesting, and fails to sufficiently recognize the conservation value of mature and late-succession forest.
If the current plan is approved, Pine Grove is scheduled to be cut heavily this winter. The reason given for harvesting on this and some other parcels is safety. No one wants anyone to get hurt, but it seems there are measures that could be more specifically designed for safety, such as selective pruning and cutting along trails and beside the parking lot, and installing signs at the trail heads.
A hearing and vote on the plan by the Town Council is scheduled for Dec. 10 at 6 p.m. A presentation of the plan, and good questions by councilors, can be seen on council’s web page (Nov. 14 meeting). At the least, the Town Council and public should be able to review and approve of proposed cutting operations annually. If you enjoy any of these parcels, be sure to express your view to the Town
Council beforehand or at the meeting. | <urn:uuid:aedd6f89-6557-4449-a4e8-5c7e41e21e56> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.theforecaster.net/news/print/2012/12/03/letter-falmouth-undervalues-forest-conservation/144264 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00035-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950422 | 307 | 1.679688 | 2 |
Sophisticatedly silly songs simply spectacular
By Robin Scott
The auditorium at Dalhart High School was packed with excited guests. The children began by announcing in song, “We’re here because we’re here because we’re here because we’re here.” The audience immediately got into the silly song spirit and by the time the children began to sing “Yackety Yak” the audience was joining in.
Several of the 5th graders had speaking parts in the musical and a few participated in skits. They included Cassie Borunda, Skylar Carranza, Danielle McMillen, Gunnar Vance, Caden Evans, Romeo Salas, Tyler Brewer, Foster Conner, Charlie Rowell, Gaveyn Wheeler, Ben Romero, Chynna Darcus, Diego Ortiz, Galen Valdez and Zane Fixen.
Children from the 5th grade at DIS recently performed in a P.E. Program that featured creative exercise routines set to music. That program along with Thursday’s silly song event gave proud parents and family a double dose of their children’s talent and enthusiasm. Keeping parents connected to their children’s activities is one of the most important goals of the Dalhart Independent School District. | <urn:uuid:c85aaa05-ae0a-444e-873b-50c7286f025f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://thedalharttexan.com/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=53&cntnt01returnid=16 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00046-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96185 | 268 | 1.5625 | 2 |
This Article is Being Shared... Move Mouse to 'Share Button' to Share
Do not forget to add plenty of whole grains into your diet. Whole grains are a healthier choice every time, and will serve your body well when consumed instead of refined white breads. Other healthy foods that you should eat on a daily basis are 100-percent whole-wheat breads, whole-grain pastas, and brown rice. You will get the fiber your body needs in addition to the beneficial nutrients.
Cereals that are high in sugar make for a bad choice for breakfast. These cereals are loaded with preservatives and other chemicals; many even have trans fats. Oatmeal is a wonderful alternative! It is much healthier, easy-to-fix, and keeps you feeling satisfied much longer into the day.
You will only be able to start on the track to proper nutrition after gathering information on nutrition. If you don’t, you might eat improperly, and waste your time. Nutrition has an entire scientific field devoted to it, and you should strive to understand at least some of this knowledge base in order to maintain proper nutrition in your own life.
Eat your daily servings of meat or other good proteins. Your muscles need protein in order to grow and meat is one of the primary sources for it. You can eat chicken, pork, turkey, ham or any other type of meat, as all of them are complete protein sources. It is recommended to eat about 10 ounces of meat a day.
For your nutrition to improve, you must avoid some common, unhealthy food choices. Sugars add no nutrition to your diet whatsoever, so cut out as much sugar from your diet as possible. Switch white bread and white rice for brown bread and rice, which are richer. Third, try to avoid saturated and trans fats, since they are not good for your heart.
A blender is a great diet tool, since it enables you to make healthy fruit smoothies. Replace ice cream and other desserts with this sweet treat. Make a fruit smoothie with milk, fruit and some yogurt; this is a great substitute for ice cream.
If you are having a hard time cutting out sugary drinks try just cutting them in half. Drinking sugary beverages without regard to the calorie content is not a smart choice. Being aware of the total can help you see where you may be overdoing it.
To get your day off to a great start, have a bowl of oatmeal at breakfast time. You’ll feel satisfied after breakfast and stay full for longer from the nutritious grains.
Banish sweets, pastries, soft drinks and biscuits from your home if you are seeking a simple and effective way to quickly lose weight. Replace them with healthier options like fruits, vegetables and whole grain products.
Track your meals with a simple online diet tracker. When you notice that you are putting on weight, then you should review your recent meals. Even light eaters can pack on pounds by combining sedentary lifestyle with diets high in carbs and fats. If you write down the foods you are consuming, you will be more likely to watch what you are eating.
Eating right isn’t quite as hard as one might think. Sure, there is a lot of research and work involved, but it is worth it to have a healthier existence. Advice, like that found above, can help you make smart food choices.
This Product & Program is So Simple Anyone Can Follow it. Benefits include...
- Minimize Hunger
- Boost Your Energy
- Allow You to Eat Every 2-3 Hours
- Help Reduce Current Medications
- Give You Body the Nutrition it Needs
- Help Reduce Chances of Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure, and Diabetes
"The 5 & 1 Program"
When you begin the
program, we will help you get started on the Medifast 5 & 1 Plan. The
five Medifast Meals you need each day are low in calories, have a low
glycemic index, and are scientifically formulated with an
optimal balance of protein, carbohydrates, fiber,
vitamins, and minerals.
Medifast Meals are designed to help you lose weight quickly and safely while feeling full and satisfied and getting all the nutrition your body needs.
"Our Current Health Care System is Not about Health, It's NOT Caring, and It's NOT a System" | <urn:uuid:40151697-d040-44eb-ab48-f2808fffac1c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.getyouhealth.com/blog/index.php/medifast-weight-loss/healthier-eating-is-within-your-grasp-with-these-tips-2/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00020-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941848 | 899 | 2.671875 | 3 |
Thing from different historical/cultural context sounds comical to local historical/cultural context.
Not to mention that there is very little direct correlation between weight loss and improved health. We know that exercise and eating fruits and vegetables and avoiding processed food promote health. Sometimes these things also cause weight loss and sometimes they don't, but they improve health regardless.
On Not OK Cupid
I find it quite plausible that one phrase out of my date's lips could kill the evening.
How about this: "I don't really read"
Everything about this post makes me so happy. I'm singing your father's song in my head to the tune of "Sooner or later, love is gonna get ya."
@SarahDances Agreed! I think their sentence meant to read "that's a story for another day, WHICH WE WILL BE TELLING YOU SHORTLY."
I found this link helpful, because she explains how to freeze and reheat them. If you're going to go to this much work, may as well make a ton. I added cheese, which is how the Runza restaurant makes them, and also tried some with Swiss and Mushroom. I didn't notice a lack of seasoning, but that's probably down to the cheese.
I made these for my Nebraska-born boyfriend. He is now my husband.
I'm bookmarking this for five years from now when I finish my Ph.D. and am no longer living in 500 square feet of space. Even if you claim we do not need white potatoes. That, sir, is a dangerous and insane idea. What do you put gravy on then? | <urn:uuid:1888ca75-79a1-4f2d-9cff-0145888a1f61> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.theawl.com/user/180103/sheistolerable/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00074-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964274 | 337 | 1.796875 | 2 |
[Baypiggies] Python vs. OCaml
daniel.wilkerson at gmail.com
Wed Sep 9 21:30:06 CEST 2009
OCaml is not a "real" programming language in the sense that it is not
designed to support professional software engineering idioms. As a
guy I know said who has a PhD in programming languages from Berkeley
"OCaml is what you get when a bunch of French people need to write
papers and so they hack a bunch of features into ML".
OCaml is not OO. There is more to the world than OO as a previous
poster mentioned, however OO is an essential idiom for programming in
the large. An example of how OCaml falls down is that if you have a
foo field of an Object/Struct/Record/Whatever-they-call-it, then no
other Object can have a foo field. This allows for type inference.
It also does not allow for polymorphism.
More information about the Baypiggies | <urn:uuid:4bdde413-ef16-4d27-8065-6b652cbc7224> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://mail.python.org/pipermail/baypiggies/2009-September/005406.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.926506 | 220 | 2.265625 | 2 |
MADISON, WI (WSAU) State officials say two cases of salmonella in Wisconsin can be linked to a multi-state outbreak traced to cantaloupe from southwestern Indiana. Consumers are being warned not to eat an cantaloupe from that region. You can usually tell where melons originate by a listing on a sticker on the fruit.Otherwise, the store where it is bought can provide the information.
Salmonella can cause serious and possibly fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people and others whose immune systems are compromised. Anyone suffering the symptoms of diarrhea, fever and abdominal pain should contact their doctor or nurse practitioner. | <urn:uuid:4ffe0657-45d8-45a1-a4ea-ed9d565eb36f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://wdez.com/news/articles/2012/aug/18/salmonella-hits-state/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00063-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933059 | 133 | 2.484375 | 2 |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THE CONTEMPORARY JEWISH MUSEUM PRESENTS
KEHINDE WILEY |THE WORLD STAGE: ISRAEL
The first major exhibition in San Francisco
featuring this nationally–known African American artist
February 14–May 27, 2013
San Francisco, CA, January 1, 2013— The Contemporary Jewish Museum (CJM) presents Kehinde Wiley | The World Stage: Israel, the first major exhibition in San Francisco of African American artist Kehinde Wiley (b. 1977)—one of the most significant young artists working today. Wiley is known for vibrant, large-scale paintings of young, urban, T-shirt clad men of color he encounters on streets around the world and renders in the heroic poses typical of classical European portraiture.
The exhibition is part of the artist’s ambitious and multifaceted series, The World Stage, that has taken him to China, India, Brazil, and beyond, in an exploration of diasporas, identity, cultural hybridity, and power. The eighteen portraits in Kehinde Wiley | The World Stage: Israel depict men of diverse religions and ethnicities influenced by urban culture, who Wiley met in Israel—Ethiopian Jews and Jewish and Arab Israelis. Wiley has placed these subjects against vivid, ornate backgrounds inspired by Jewish textiles and papercuts, and has finished each with a hand-carved wooden frame crowned with emblems borrowed from Jewish decorative tradition.
As part of the exhibition, the CJM is including a selection of historical textiles and works on paper, like those from which Wiley draws inspiration, borrowed from The Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life at UC Berkeley, and the Skirball Museum, Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles.
Born and raised in South Central Los Angeles, Wiley early on encountered the world of classical European portraiture in the galleries of the Huntington Library, which he frequented as part of free weekend art classes his mother enrolled him in when he was eleven years old. The works in the Huntington collection had a profound impact on him. “It was sheer spectacle, and of course beauty. I had no way of digesting it. But at the same time, there was this desire to somehow possess it or belong to it,” says Wiley.
Wiley went on to earn his BFA from the San Francisco Art Institute (1999) and MFA from Yale University (2001) and became an Artist-in-Residence at The Studio Museum in Harlem. It was in Harlem that Wiley formulated and consolidated his unique vision and approach to portraiture, catalyzed by the daily procession of over-the-top urban fashion and male bravado he witnessed on 125th Street and by a chance encounter with a cast-off piece of paper.
“It was a mug shot of an African American man in his twenties and it made me begin to think about portraiture in a radically different way,” says Wiley. “I began thinking about this mug shot itself as portraiture in a very perverse sense, a type of marking, a recording of one’s place in the world in time. And I began to start thinking about a lot of the portraiture that I had enjoyed from the eighteenth century and noticed the difference between the two: how one is positioned in a way that is totally outside their control, shut down and relegated to those in power, whereas those in the other were positioning themselves in states of stately grace and self-possession.”
It was then that Wiley began to apply the visual vocabulary and conventions of glorification, history, wealth, and prestige to the representation of a group of people absent from museum walls—urban black and brown men. He emerged on the art scene in 2003 with a series of portraits of young Harlem men staged in grand poses of the European portrait tradition while dressed in the baggy jeans and logo-emblazoned T-shirts so pervasive on the street. In what is now a signature component of his portraits, the subjects vie for visual attention with the vibrant, richly detailed patterns that fill the background and often threaten to overtake the figures.
In order to find appropriate models, Wiley began what he calls “street casting” for black males between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five, who exhibit a certain type of alpha-male energy and even homoerotic beauty. The men come to his studio where they leaf through illustrated art history books to choose a figure that serves as the model for the pose they want to emulate. They are then photographed in that stance. Their choice of clothing is entirely their own. Wiley uses various views from the photo shoots to create his portraits.
Beginning in 2006, Wiley expanded his vision with his series The World Stage, traveling the globe to explore the black diaspora and the global phenomenon of urban African American youth culture, something he has found to be a powerful and persistent means by which people interact with American culture. His focus has been on countries that he believes are part of the conversation in the twenty-first century. The resulting series of paintings from China, India, Brazil, Senegal, Nigeria, and Israel each uniquely map the models within their native or adopted countries and explore their local culture, incorporating aspects of regional history, traditional patterns and designs, and sly nods to the social and political milieu in which they live. “I wanted to mine where the world is right now,” Wiley explains, “and chart the presence of black and brown people throughout the world.”
Wiley now lives and works between New York and Beijing. His paintings are in the collections of over forty museums including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Hammer Museum, High Museum of Art, and Brooklyn Museum. His work has been the subject of numerous monographs including a comprehensive Rizzoli publication released in 2012.
For The World Stage: Israel, Wiley scouted for subjects in the discos, malls, bars, and sporting venues of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Lod in 2010. The eighteen portraits in the exhibition present a kaleidoscopic picture of contemporary Israeli diversity, a society at the physical and symbolic intersection of Africa, Europe, and Asia. Wiley’s subjects are from diverse religions and ethnicities—Israeli Jews, Ethiopian Jews, and Israeli Arabs—revealing an Israel that is more ethnically diverse and globally attuned than most people might realize.
Many of Wiley’s models for The World Stage: Israel are Beta Israel—Jews from Ethiopia—whose families immigrated to Israel (made aliyah) in the 1980s and 1990s during Operation Moses and Operation Solomon, two Israeli-sponsored airlifts. A featured figure in several of the paintings is Kalkidan Mashasha, a popular Ethiopian hip-hop musician who has used music as a means of understanding his Ethiopian Jewish Israeli identity and the repression he initially felt in his adopted country.
For this series, Wiley has placed his models against ornate backgrounds inspired by the decorative patterns of Jewish textiles and papercuts, an intricate form of folk and ceremonial art. Wiley chose the designs for their decorative and symbolic impact.
Wiley also designed hand-carved wooden frames crowned with emblems borrowed from the Jewish decorative tradition: the hands of a priest (Kohen) and the Lion of Judah, symbolizing blessing, power, and majesty. Each frame also supports text. For the portraits of Jewish men the Ten Commandments are used. For Arab men, Wiley chose the plea of Rodney King, victim of a police beating that sparked race riots in the artist’s home city of Los Angeles in 1991: “Can we all get along?”
Also on view as part of the exhibition is a selection of historical textiles and works on paper like those from which Wiley has drawn inspiration. The traditional works from the collection of The Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life at UC Berkeley and the Skirball Museum, Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles, include lavishly decorated Torah ark curtains and intricate papercuts.
A short documentary film detailing Wiley’s travel to Israel to create the works in the exhibition is also on view.
Items available in the Museum Store include skateboard decks ($79), dog tag necklaces ($18), and beach towels ($95) featuring select portraits from the exhibition. Limited edition marble busts ($1400-$1600) will also be available as well as catalogs for Wiley’s various World Stage series ($40) and a beautifully illustrated monograph published by Rizzoli in 2012 ($65).
Kehinde Wiley | The World Stage: Israel is organized by the Contemporary Jewish Museum, San Francisco. Major support for this exhibition has been provided by the Columbia Foundation and The Jim Joseph Foundation. Supporting sponsorship has been provided by Siesel Maibach and Eta and Sass Somekh.
The Koret and Taube Foundations are the Lead Supporters of the 2012/13 exhibition season.
Exhibition Opening and Launch Party
Kehinde Wiley | The World Stage: Israel
Wednesday, Feb 13 | 7:30–10:30pm
$100 general (includes Museum admission); Advance tickets highly recommended
Celebrate the opening of Kehinde Wiley | The World Stage: Israel with an art bash like no other featuring world-class performances, dining, drinks, and a first look at the exhibition.
Performing for the first time in the Bay Area that night, Ethiopian-Israeli hip-hop artist Kalkidan Mashasha who is the subject of several of Kehinde Wiley’s portraits in The World Stage: Israel, comes to the Museum direct from Israel to share his hard hitting beats and rhymes. Then Israeli Freestyle Champion DJ Alarm spins international tunes to keep the party jumping.
We Heart Kehinde
Thursday, Feb 14 | 6:30–8pm
$15 General; Advance tickets highly recommended
Passion and art collide for this Valentine’s Day-inspired talk with world-renowned artist Kehinde Wiley and author Michelle Tea.
Conversations with Artists: Francesco Spagnolo on Traditional Judaica and the Art of Kehinde Wiley
Friday, Mar 8 | 1–2:30pm
Free with Museum admission
Francesco Spagnolo, Curator of Collections at The Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life at UC Berkeley, talks with CJM’s Writer-in-Residence Daniel Schifrin about the historical Judaica—papercuts and textiles—that inspired the decorative painted backgrounds in Kehinde Wiley’s exhibition The World Stage: Israel.
FAMILIES AND TEENS
Drop-In Art-Making: Papercuts and Portraits
Sundays, Mar 3, 10, & 17 | 1–3pm
Free with Museum admission
Inspired by the larger-than-life portraits in Kehinde Wiley | The World Stage: Israel, combine paper-cutting and textured painting to create your own fantastic work of art.
Drop-In Art-Making: Passover Freedom Papercuts and Portraits
Sundays, Mar 24 & 31 | 1–3pm
Free with Museum admission
Celebrate the multiple meanings of the Passover holiday and current exhibition Kehinde Wiley | The World Stage: Israel. Explore symbols of Passover, freedom, and spring as you combine paper-cutting and textured painting to embellish portraits of freedom heroes past and present.
Interacting with the Overlooked
Sunday, Mar 31 | 3–5pm
Free (teens only)
San Francisco artist Hugh Leeman uses public space, the internet, and interactions with strangers on the street to craft a powerful portrait of the twenty-first century. Leeman will discuss street art activism, using QR codes in art to help the poor, and how to create portraits with carbon soot emissions. Workshop also includes a hands-on lesson on Leeman’s self-taught, and Kehinde Wiley-inspired, style of creating portraits.
About the Contemporary Jewish Museum
With the opening of its new building on June 8, 2008, the Contemporary Jewish Museum ushered in a new chapter in its twenty-plus year history of engaging audiences and artists in exploring contemporary perspectives on Jewish culture, history, art, and ideas. The facility, designed by internationally renowned architect Daniel Libeskind, is a lively center where people of all ages and backgrounds can gather to experience art, share diverse perspectives, and engage in hands-on activities. Inspired by the Hebrew phrase “L’Chaim” (To Life), the building is a physical embodiment of the CJM’s mission to bring together tradition and innovation in an exploration of the Jewish experience in the twenty-first century.
Major support for the Contemporary Jewish Museum comes from the Koret and Taube Foundations, who are the Lead Supporters of the 2012/13 exhibition season. The Museum also thanks The Jim Joseph Foundation for its major support of innovative strategies for educating and engaging audiences in Jewish learning. Additional major support is provided by the Bernard Osher Jewish Philanthropies Foundation of the Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund; Bank of America; Institute of Museum and Library Services; Grants for the Arts/San Francisco Hotel Tax Fund; Columbia Foundation; Walter and Elise Haas Fund; Gaia Fund; The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation; Osterweis Capital Management; The Skirball Foundation; Target; and the Alexander M. and June L. Maisin Foundation of the Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund. The Museum also receives major support from the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin, and Sonoma Counties.
For more information about the Contemporary Jewish Museum, visit the Museum’s website at thecjm.org.
For media information or visuals visit our online press gallery or please contact:
Contemporary Jewish Museum
Marketing and Communications Associate
The Museum is open daily (except Wednesday) 11am–5pm and Thursday, 1–8pm. Museum admission is $12 for adults; $10 for students and senior citizens with a valid ID; and $5 on Thursdays after 5pm. Youth 18 and under are always free. For general information on the Contemporary Jewish Museum, the public may visit the Museum’s website at thecjm.org or call 415.655.7800. The Contemporary Jewish Museum is located at 736 Mission Street (between Third and Fourth streets), San Francisco.
# # # | <urn:uuid:12285659-8896-43f0-9353-cdd2fbf50b1d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thecjm.org/component/content/article/9-press-releases/324-kehinde-wiley-release | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937737 | 3,008 | 2.046875 | 2 |
Time for Federal Tax Policy to Recognize Biomass Thermal
Conspicuously absent from America's support for renewable energy is biomass used to make heat. Congress overlooked biomass thermal because lawmakers were unaware of its enormous potential to cost-effectively address U.S. energy and climate challenges. In short, nobody asked. The Biomass Thermal Energy Council was formed to make the case for these and other policies that will enable biomass thermal to gain a solid place in the market. With the possibility of a comprehensive Energy Bill in 2010, we have the opportunity to correct this oversight.
Biomass can be used to make heat in many forms including pellets or briquettes, wood chips, agricultural residues, willow, poplar, switchgrass and miscanthus.
Highly efficient combustion technology is rapidly entering the market. Bulk fuel distribution systems are in place to expand the adoption of central heating systems in home and business heating, industrial process heat, district heating of whole communities, and combined heat and power.
Biomass thermal fulfills all the same public policy objectives that are by necessity the basis and justification for energy tax incentives. These include:
Reduced consumption of foreign fossil energy
Increased efficiency of utilization for equivalent energy output, as compared to biomass electric generation and cellulosic biofuels
Reduced greenhouse gas emissions due to the carbon lean status of biomass
Reduced emissions of certain air pollutants such as sulfur dioxides and mercury, as compared to fossil fuels
Strengthened local economic development and job creation
Because of the small market penetration of new biomass combustion, these systems are expensive compared with fossil-fueled systems. Fuel transport logistics have yet to reach critical mass with few customers spread over large geographic areas, thus increasing the distribution cost. Incentives are necessary to make biomass thermal more competitive. In time, with increasing market penetration, these incentives can be scaled down or eliminated.
The renewable fuels standard (enacted in 2007) and the renewable electricity standard (pending) provide mandates for renewable transportation fuels and electricity. No such mandate exists for thermal. Therefore, tax incentives are the logical mechanism to promote biomass thermal. Ironically, the federal government has already established tax incentives for other thermal renewable technologies such as solar thermal and geothermal.
BTEC seeks parity treatment for biomass thermal. In the 2008 Troubled Assets Relief Program, a modest credit for residential thermal systems was established under the efficiency title, 26 USC § 25C. This credit was enhanced in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in February. This incentive should be strengthened and reauthorized beyond 2010. For commercial and industrial installations, the most logical place to establish parity is in 26 USC § 48, the 30 percent business energy investment tax credit.
Legislation has been introduced to achieve these goals. Sens. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., and Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, have introduced S. 1643, the Cleaner, Secure, and Affordable Thermal Energy Act, to strengthen the residential credit. Sens. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and others have introduced S. 3188, the American Renewable Biomass Heating Act to extend section 48 tax treatment to commercial/industrial biomass thermal. In the House, companion bills have been introduced by Rep. Paul Hodes, D-N.H., also called the American Renewable Biomass Heating Acts (HR 2080 and another as yet un-numbered). BTEC is working hard to gain co-sponsor support for these bills and position them for consideration should a larger Energy Bill move in this session of Congress.
Ultimately we view these as short-term goals. Longer term, we need one mechanism that provides support for biomass in all its uses. The answer may lie in a production credit under 26 USC § 45, which provides a tax credit based upon an equivalent million Btu or megawatt hour output basis from each of the three energy pathways for biomass. BTEC sees an important opportunity to work with groups such as the Biomass Power Association and the Renewable Fuels Association to advance this idea.
It is time that this simple technology was accorded the same incentives that have benefited virtually every other renewable energy technology.
Charlie Niebling is the general manager of New England Wood Pellet in Jaffrey, N.H., and chair of the Biomass Thermal Energy Council's board of directors. | <urn:uuid:e3c3b6f0-5b05-4aea-8b1f-52814fbb8db7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://biomassmagazine.com/articles/3694/time-for-federal-tax-policy-to-recognize-biomass-thermal | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00062-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936421 | 911 | 2.265625 | 2 |
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has, it seems, been paying attention to the “Arab spring” since it began. During the Ugandan presidential elections in February, in which Museveni won a fourth official term, government authorities banned the use of certain words in text messaging. These included ”Egypt”, “bullet,” “people power,” “Tunisia”, “Mubarak”, “dictator”, “teargas”, “army”, “police”, “gun”, “Ben Ali” and “UPDF,” the last term being the acronym of the Ugandan armed forces.
Not too long afterward, NATION intervened in Libya, and Museveni was upset. In late March, he wrote a widely circulated article for Foreign Policy in which he cited double standards in the West’s treatment of Libya (versus, for example, Bahrain), lamented what he saw as the bypassing of the African Union in the decisionmaking process, and expressed concern about the potentially long-lasting, negative consequences of the intervention. Whether one agrees with Museveni or not (and I do on some issues), the point is that Museveni seems to fear how the “Arab spring” might reshape African politics.
During the spring, Uganda saw the “Walk to Work” movement, in which opposition leader Kizza Besigye mobilized hundreds to protest high food and fuel prices. These protests were primarily related to domestic troubles, rather than foreign influences, but the harshness of the government crackdown hinted that “the nearby Arab Spring revolutions can’t be far from Museveni’s mind.”
This week, Ugandan activists made explicit reference to the North African revolutions:
Pressure group Activists 4 Change wants to hold a rally in the capital Kampala on Friday to “celebrate people power in North Africa” following the overthrow of the leaders of Tunisia, Libya and Egypt.
The group has emailed invitations accompanied by a flyer featuring photos of the toppled rulers crossed out — with Uganda’s long-serving President Yoweri Museveni lined up as the next to go.
Police banned the rally. If activists push forward, as they have in the past, there could be bloodshed again.
Talk of an “African spring” has largely crested and fallen. President Blaise Compaore retained power in Burkina Faso, the sub-Saharan African country which experienced perhaps the most serious protests this year. Gabon’s President Ali Bongo withstood major protests there. Museveni is unlikely to fall any time soon. And leaders who look vulnerable, like Senegal’s President Abdoulaye Wade, are not under threat so much because of contagion from North Africa, but because pent-up local grievances are coming to the fore amid (pre-)electoral campaigning.
Still, the “Arab spring” has changed the way activists in countries like Uganda frame their demands and view heads of state. And it has changed how heads of state view their own position. Going forward, both sides will likely continue to mull over the lessons of the North African revolutions, with each side trying to stay once step ahead of the other on the organizational, technological, and political levels. | <urn:uuid:eb76b9f5-45d5-4224-83a9-b1901503ba60> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://sahelblog.wordpress.com/tag/gabon/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00072-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948006 | 711 | 1.851563 | 2 |
After a debilitating event such as a stroke or heart attack, many patients may temporarily become bedridden or their movements are monitored and extremely limited. Through the use of video conferencing technology, telerehabilitation is designed to revolutionize the treatment methods used to care for those with limited mobility.
American Telemed explains that telerehabilitation uses complex software in conjunction with video conferencing technology to allow doctors to interact with their immobile patients on a much more regular basis. There is no need for travel as all treatment is done remotely, allowing 24-hour access to a medical professional. Additionally, the practicing physician can accurately measure a patient's progress and find problematic issues in real-time.
The National Institute of health reported a recent study where sixty-five participants received a six-week program of outpatient physical therapy by either the traditional in-house approach or by means of a video conference-based telerehabilitation program. The goal was to measure specific indicators of progress such as the timed "up-and-go" test, pain intensity and quadriceps muscle strength.
The results of the study revealed that participants in the telerehabilitation group achieved outcomes comparable to, or slightly better than those of the conventional rehabilitation group in regard to all tested indicators. The alternative treatment was also extremely well received by the included participants, who reported a high level of satisfaction, according to the source. | <urn:uuid:03dadd9a-a0c8-44d4-861d-bb5aa88ae497> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.megameeting.com/news/video-conferencing-and-telerehabilitation-shows-effective-r-800747930.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00064-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952613 | 284 | 2.65625 | 3 |
Papal Lobbying 101
This year, the WFP wanted the Walk to get another papal mention... From Rome, TIME's Israely tells of how it got done:
Matt Keller spent a decade in Washington lobbying senators and congressmen on campaign finance reform and ethics legislation. But lobbying the Pope presented a unique challenge to the 42-year-old former senior staffer at Common Cause, who could once get John McCain or Warren Beatty on the phone. Keller has, since 2003, worked for the United Nations World Food Program in Rome, and his mission, ahead of the Pope's trip to Brazil, was simple: get Benedict XVI to mention the aid group's annual worldwide anti-hunger march, Walk the World, which coincided with the final day of the pontiff's trip. And Benedict could be assumed to be amenable: After all, he has repeatedly called for action against hunger, and even commended last year's Walk the World march during a weekly prayer in Rome. Still, a papal endorsement amid the raised visibility of the Brazil trip would be both a bigger boost and a bigger challenge, given the clamor of demands on the papal agenda while he's abroad.Yet another reminder that Rome is more issue-oriented than many would give it credit for... and it's good to see said attribute getting more ink.
Getting access to the Pope proved incomparably more difficult than lobbying Washington lawmakers. "Talking to someone like me is part of certain people's job description [on Capitol Hill]," says Keller. "At the Vatican, it all seems so shrouded in mystery." But as an advocate for the global poor, his objective is not crafting legislation, but "raising visibility." And on that front, Keller quips, "The Pope is a 2-for-1 deal. He's world famous, and can speak with moral authority."...
Keller made one last push, just 36 hours before the Pope headed for Sao Paulo. He went in person to Duncan MacLaren, executive director of the worldwide Catholic charity Caritas, at the group's Vatican headquarters....
"It's a long process. You can't just ring up the Pope. You have to use your natural contacts in the [Vatican bureaucracy]. It's Italian culture here too — who you know is important."
By the Pope's second day in Brazil — with Keller in Sao Paulo monitoring his every word and simultaneously working with a local group to organize thousands to join the march on May 13 — an email arrived from Lenz: the Pope's top aides had been made aware of the hunger event. On May 12, the Pope's final evening in Brazil, Keller got an email that left him elated. Lenz had been told that the Pope would indeed mention the march the following day during a speech to hundreds of thousands of Brazilians. | <urn:uuid:ba7f22a7-9b43-434b-8902-107c4151e1b7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://whispersintheloggia.blogspot.com/2007/05/papal-lobbying-101.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00074-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968444 | 579 | 1.539063 | 2 |
Why is Sun Protection Important for Your Skin
Sun protection is very essential to protect your skin.
If the proper protection is not taken then you would develop sun rashes and tan which is quite ugly.
The harmful UV rays
emitted from the sun may also lead to Skin Cancer
which is very hazardous.
People who are closer to the equator would experience more heat.
Such places are extremely hot and the effect of damages caused is also very high. Hence, it is essential that you take the necessary precautions to guard your skin from the harmful rays.
There are a lot of sunscreen creams available in the market to give you protection these creams come under different SPF numbers such as 30 and 60.
While going in the sun, carrying a Sun Protection Umbrella
will also provide you protection.
There are a lot of herbal products to safeguard your skin. What ever methods you are adopting it is important that you provide proper protection to your skin.SPF ClothingSun Protection ClothingUV Protective ClothingBeach UmbrellaPatio Umbrella | <urn:uuid:6a617857-bde1-4e2d-9f57-585e5885295a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sun-protection-and-you.com/why-is-sun-protection-important-for-your-skin.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00056-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942031 | 215 | 2.53125 | 3 |
'Tis the Season in Antigua & Barbuda
A Caribbean Christmas is one that cannot be forgotten. We don’t have to shovel snow, and we don’t wait up for Santa. Instead, we go to the beach and look forward to spending time with family and friends visiting for the season. Additionally, the Christmas spirit spreads into the new year. Ole year’s night (New Year’s Eve) celebrations are grand and a huge family dinner is usually enjoyed on both holidays.
The radio stations seemingly play Christmas carols 24-hours a day, and churches and schools are out in their numbers with annual bazaars. Christmas traditions like moko jumbies and skelly hoppers may have died down over the years, and the economy has meant less people put up Christmas lights, but I have come up with a checklist to guarantee a fantastic holiday season in the twin-island state:
* Number one on the list is lots of food! This list is featured of course by the artful creation and enjoyment of traditional holiday goodies: sorrel, sweet potatoes, black cake, ginger beer, ham & turkey, scalloped potatoes, macaroni pie, and Ponche Kuba, souse, local bread, ham, fungi and saltfish, boiled eggs, fish (usually shad), eggplant chop-up, avocado, turkey, pepperpot, and hibiscus or bush tea.
* Huge family dinners on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day: There is always ‘food for days’! Preparation actually starts months earlier with the soaking of dried fruits in brandy or Cavalier rum for the black cake. Ginger must be grated, turkey must be brined, and sorrel must be peeled all in preparation for a fantastic meal that never ends.
* Spruce up: Home décor is important in Antigua and Barbuda at Christmas time as people ring in the New Year with new bed linens and curtains, and apply fresh coats of paint to their homes. Some lucky children are able to enjoy a real pine tree imported from colder climates, but fear not, artificial trees are always for sale from the merchants on Long Street and Market Street.
* Parties: Most business places find money in a tight budget to throw at least a small party for their staff at Christmas time. Staff dress up and enjoy meals catered by local hotels and, and raise a toast to the new year.
* Christmas carol singing programs: Most schools choirs and churches have a Christmas programme. The Antigua Girls High School (AGHS) Carol Service is one of the most popular, as well as the always enjoyable Sunnyside Tutorial Christmas show.
* “Liming†(hanging out) in St. John’s city on Christmas Eve: Stores in stay open ‘till midnight, the streets are turned into pedestrian roadways, and lots of music and food is on sale. Many people spend the time doing last-minute shopping and others are just milling around catching up with old friends who have returned home for the holidays. Some stores get in on the fun by creating seasonal storefront windows, the most elaborate of which is usually Shoul’s Chief Store on Newgate Street, complete with traditional manger scene.
* Midnight mass: While I was in secondary school I remember having to grudgingly leave St. John’s early to make sure I was ready to go to midnight mass with my parents. This is a very special mass that marks Christmas Day as one of the most important in the Christian calendar. There is also a midnight mass on Ole Year’s night and many people go to church and then meet up with friends at party afterwards.
* Ole Year’s Night: A very special night with lots of parties to choose from. Hotels promote special dinner menus and feature live bands for the enjoyment of locals and tourists alike.
Any way you choose to celebrate the holiday season in Antigua and Barbuda, we hope you do it with fun, fellowship and a wonderful Christmas spirit. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! | <urn:uuid:f1c1dd24-8323-4513-b51c-28b22e905867> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.365antigua.com/cms/content/christmas-issue-tis-season-antigua-barbuda-23-dec-2009?page=4 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00068-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945315 | 878 | 1.5625 | 2 |
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common type of lung cancer. Adjuvant therapy is additional treatment given after surgery to reduce the risk that the cancer will come back. Adjuvant treatment may include chemotherapy (the use of drugs to kill cancer cells) and/or radiation therapy (the use of high energy x-rays to kill cancer cells). This guide for patients explains whether chemotherapy and radiation therapy are recommended treatments after surgery to remove the lung cancer, depending on the stage of the cancer.
Staging is a way of describing the cancer, such as its size, and if or where the cancer has spread. Cancer may spread through the blood or lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is part of the immune system and drains fluid from body tissues through a series of tubes. Lymphatic fluid is filtered in small, bean-shaped organs called lymph nodes. When cancer cells travel in the lymphatic system, they become trapped in the lymph nodes.
The treatment for stage I, II, and IIIA NSCLC includes surgery to remove the tumor and the surrounding lung tissue and lymph nodes. The stage of NSCLC is described by a number, one through four (Roman numerals I-IV). A higher stage of cancer means that the risk that the cancer may come back is also higher.
- Stage I NSCLC means that the cancer has not spread to nearby lymph nodes. Stage IA means the primary tumor is relatively small. Stage IB means the primary tumor is relatively large, or is located in a place where it is more likely to spread.
A stage I cancer can usually be removed by surgery.
- Stage II NSCLC describes a cancer that may have spread to nearby lymph nodes. Stage IIA means the primary tumor is relatively small. Stage IIB means the primary tumor is relatively large, or is located in a place where it is more likely to spread. In a stage II cancer, both the tumor and the affected lymph nodes can usually be removed by surgery.
- Stage III NSCLC may be difficult to remove with surgery. When the cancer has spread to lymph nodes in the center of the chest, on the same side as where the cancer started, it is known as stage IIIA. When the cancer spreads to lymph nodes on the opposite side of the chest, it is known as stage IIIB. In general, surgery is not used for any stage IIIB lung cancer.
- Stage IV NSCLC has spread through the bloodstream to areas of the body outside of the lung and is not treated with surgery.
This patient guide applies to stage I, II, and IIIA NSCLC. | <urn:uuid:a5f92b2b-5525-452f-8136-993ab5faf42f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cancer.net/print/25615 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00073-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965889 | 544 | 3.421875 | 3 |
Nikita Kahn and Larry Ellison, tournament owner and CEO of Oracle (Photo: Stephen Dunn/Getty)
Larry Ellison, the founder of Oracle, is worth $43 billion. That makes him the fifth-richest person in the world and someone you'd want to make a good impression on, if ever given the opportunity.
Should you get that chance, follow these five easy steps, as demonstrated by tennis player Evgeny Donskoy. Maybe you too will get Ellison to stare at you for five seconds with his mouth agape.
1. While playing a second-round match at a tennis tournament, take a quick lead on the defending Olympic and U.S. Open champion (in this case, Andy Murray).
2. Blow the 5-2 lead so the set is evened up at 5-5, thus making everyone believe that a quick Murray victory is imminent.
3. Win the first two points on Murray's serve at 5-5.
4. At 0-30, slap an insane forehand return winner past Murray, then casually pump your fist like you just won a point in a challenger match.
5. Do all this with Ellison watching from a front-row seat at the tournament he owns. | <urn:uuid:0c3b8fcd-c35f-4558-9e45-585a4a26f3d5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.usatoday.com/story/gameon/2013/03/11/larry-ellison-evgeny-donskoy-shot/1978283/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945376 | 254 | 1.515625 | 2 |
The spleen is an organ located under the left side of the rib cage. Its functions in the body include removing “worn out “ red blood cells and supplying certain types of white blood cells (immune cells). For use as a supplement, spleen extracts are made from the spleens of cows, pigs, or other animals.
According to a theory prevalent in some parts of alternative medicine, the consumption of spleen extracts can strengthen the function of an underperforming spleen. On this basis, spleen extracts are sometimes suggested for supporting the immune system. However, there is no meaningful scientific rationale nor scientific evidence to indicate that this approach actually works.
Some manufacturers of glandular products claim that the animal version of an organ provides nutrients that support the corresponding organ in humans. However, there is no evidence that the human spleen requires any nutrients that are uniquely available in animal spleens.
It has been suggested by one manufacturer that consuming extracts of an organ might offer benefit in an indirect manner. According to this theory, some people may possess antibodies to certain of their own organs, and by consuming a similar organ, these antibodies will be diverted from their target. However, this explanation does not make a great deal of sense. Antibodies are primarily produced against proteins, and even if cow spleens had the same proteins as human spleens, which is unlikely, proteins are digested in the intestines and not absorbed whole into the bloodstream.
It may be that, on an unconscious level, those who recommend glandular extracts are being influenced by the ancient notion of “sympathetic magic,” the idea that eating a lion’s heart, for example, will create courage. However, this is a prescientific form of reasoning that is difficult to take seriously in the modern era.
In any case, there is no meaningful scientific evidence to indicate that use of spleen extracts offer any benefits. Only double-blind, placebo-controlled studies can show a treatment effective, and at present none have been reported for spleen extracts. (For information on why this type of study is essential, see
Why Does This Database Rely on Double-blind Studies?) The only published studies on oral use of spleen glandular extracts date back to the 1930s, and do not remotely reach current scientific standards.1-3
More recent studies have evaluated injected extracts of spleen, but these findings are not likely to apply to the oral product. | <urn:uuid:f3060187-7f13-4586-9d0c-3f902e77fecc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.harthosp.org/HealthLibrary/Medications/default.aspx?chunkiid=111808 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950646 | 504 | 3.296875 | 3 |
BREWSTER — Chris Macort grabs a yardstick and whisks it across the surface of a holding tank. The thin layer of scum parts like the veil of time.
Macort is looking down on rust-brown objects resting in a freshwater bath, including a cannon that hasn't been seen since Black Sam Bellamy's pirate ship Whydah sank nearly 300 years ago off Wellfleet.
"I make discoveries every day," he said.
Initially hired as a diver on Barry Clifford's Whydah expedition in 1997, Macort has since learned how to restore and preserve artifacts recovered by the dive team during the summer dive season.
While working at the large restoration warehouse Wednesday in Brewster, Macort found something that made him put down the air scribe (a tool that forces compressed air through a pen to chip away at the rock-like material covering a large ship's anchor), and call Whydah project historian and collection curator Ken Kinkor.
Macort thought he saw writing on one of the pieces that came off the anchor.
Upon closer examination with a magnifying glass, he saw, written backward in a looping ornate hand, the ship's name "Whydah," followed by a capital G for Gally, or Galley as we would spell it.
Whydah Gally was how the ship was commonly known, but out of the many pieces that had been recovered from the wreck, the name had only been seen once before, on the ship's bell. The portion that fell off the anchor was only an impression of the actual nameplate that was still welded to the anchor when seawater fused the iron of the anchor with the sand, clay, and whatever other object was nearby, into crusted rock hard amalgam that Macort had been painstakingly removing.
Kinkor thinks the nameplate may possibly have been on a pistol.
"When I saw the name inscribed there, it was like, 'Wow!'" Kinkor said.
Clifford found the remains of Bellamy's pirate ship in 1984 about 1,500 feet off the Wellfleet shoreline where it had been since it sank in a nor'easter in 1717. It is the only intact wreck of a pirate ship ever found.
History surrounds Macort in the warehouse. Ten ancient cannons, mostly in a finished state with a jet black coat of preservative, are lined up as though ready to be trundled up to their firing ports for battle. Even the wadding that separated the explosive charges from the cannon ball is being restored.
"I like the everyday items," Macort said, such as spoons, plates, cuff links and buttons. He says it connects him with the people who sailed on that ship who met a tragic end. He cherishes a restored spoon that has an initial in the center of its bowl.
"It humanizes things," he said. | <urn:uuid:b30d617c-5378-4308-94f1-eb0975e54ec5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130221/NEWS/302210340/-1/rss02 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00074-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978085 | 598 | 1.921875 | 2 |
From TIM EASTERBROOK; EARL BROWN contributing
May 18, 2009 Ukiah, Mendocino County, North California
An integral aspect of the Eco-Village and a sustainable future will be re-cycling. This is not limited to today’s meaning of separating the tin from the plastic, the green glass from the clear, and the paper from the rest; this is waste separation, re-cycling will take on a deeper and broader meaning as we move into the challenging years ahead.
Waste separation is an aspect of the process of recycling, yet, most importantly in the process is using the end waste product, or products, from one industry to feed a part, or parts, of another; re-using, possibly for reasons other than originally intended; re-manufacturing new materials, or structures from part, or parts, of the waste stream, and reclamation of usable components (oils, water, chemicals, nutrients) from objects and solutions before their final (for us) resting, composting, place.
By building “Zero Waste” into our planning as an ideal to work toward, while understanding we are in a transition phase and unlikely to achieve such a lofty goal quickly, we can open our individual and collective creativity without thinking we have to have all the answers before beginning.
Being in transition means action; something is happening and movement is involved. In Mendocino County we can feel the burden of the past blurring into a questionable future and wonder what we will transition into; a peaceful, sustainable group of interdependent communities living within their means, supporting each other through the lean times, celebrating the abundant, or, the opposite. Climate chaos, economic collapse, civil strife, or a number of other causes, which may be beyond our control, may make our future choices futile and meaningless; moot. Localization, now, is our best, most logical course of action and it is time to ask ourselves which of the options above we want to transition into.
We, in Mendocino County, may not be able to provide all of our wants, but we can certainly see to our needs. Fulfilling wants before needs has gotten us into this mess as much as greed, political incompetence, and ignorance. It is time for a transition and we need to decide which way it will go.
Only a certain amount of fiber can be extracted from the forests without depleting the soils. Until our forests have recovered we need to develop other means of supplying ourselves with fiber from alternative sources. Mendocino County can support the production of fiber in many forms; wool, wood, plant fibers, bamboo, willow, fungi, all grow well in Mendocino County and in Northern California. As the health and productivity of our forests decline and the threat of catastrophic forest fire increases these other fibers will become more valuable and necessary in our area. As work is done in the watersheds that helps the natural healing power of nature rehabilitate the landscape— returning streams to natural functioning capabilities, and, as the larger trees mature, the removal of small diameter poles and understory fuel loads to supply a source of useable building materials, bio-fuels, and fiber— the amount is limited by the need to re-cycle nutrients in the forest soils to maintain fertility. Other sources of fiber will need to be developed, many of which we already know and which have higher fiber content that provides superior structural strength when compared to traditional wood sources.
This post explores the use of several plant sources of fiber and gives some background of their use and properties. Below I list Bamboo, Kenaf, and Hemp. Other forms of fiber, such as wool, straw, fungi and willow are also good sources of fiber and vital to a sustainable future, although I do not include them here to save space. For the Bast plant section below I am quoting sections from the 1996- Bast Fiber Applications for Composites Report, authored by, Erwin H. Lloyd (firstname.lastname@example.org) and David Seber (email@example.com). This 1996 document does not look at Bast fiber in terms of clothing and fabric but for composite (wood and plastic) building materials which are very strong for their weight.
Bast fiber plants, as well as other fiber producing plant species, provide a means to supplement for traditional forest products and even capture new markets through the use of alternative raw materials which possess unique and beneficial properties. Bast plants include flax, kneaf and hemp, and have been used by many civilizations for a period of at least 4000 years. Fibers such as bamboo and hemp are also exceptional for clothing yet I only make short reference to these uses. This “Potential Community Development Plan” is not intended to be complete but to stimulate community dialogue.
From the 1996- Bast Fiber Applications for Composites
“Bast fibers have been grown for centuries throughout the world. Bast plants are characterized by long, strong fiber bundles that comprise the outer portion of the stalk. Bast plants include flax, hemp, kenaf, sunn-hemp, ramie, and jute. The focus of our research has been on the species that can grow in temperate regions of the world, namely flax, hemp, and kenaf. These fibrous plants have long been noted for their exceptional strength in cordage and paper.
The word “bast” refers to the outer portion of the stem of these plants. This stringy, vascular portion comprises 10 – 40% of the mass of the stem depending upon the species of bast plant, as well as the particular variety, or cultivar, within a bast plant.
The remainder of the stem inside this bast layer is a different type of fibrous material, which has different names depending upon the species selected. This inner material is known as shives when referring to flax and sometimes hemp, as hurd in the context of hemp, and as core when from kenaf. For the purpose of simplicity and consistency, we will use the word “core” when discussing this portion of the bast plant.”
Overall Advantages of Bast Plants
“In general, bast plants possess the following benefits:
1. High tensile strength in bast portions, especially in fiber varieties.
2. Bast plants have a relatively low specific gravity of 0.28 – 0.62, yielding an especially high specific strength, i.e. strength to weight ratio, (Kozlowski, Mieleniak, Przepiera, 1994).
3. Generally high fiber productivity rates, rivaling and even surpassing that of the most commercial tree species.
4. Potential for even greater productivity, bast portions, and mechanical properties through focused genetic breeding.” (I hope they mean hybridizing, evb)
Overall Limitations of Bast Plants
“In general, bast plants also have the following limitations:
1. Rotations at least every other year generally required.
2. Limited research for composite applications in North America.
3. Lack of related agricultural infrastructure in North America.
4. Relatively high absorption of moisture in core portion.
5. Diminished board properties when using core for particleboard.
6. Difficulty in handling long fiber bundle lengths for processing.
7. Difficulty in applying binder to long fiber bundle lengths.”
Advantages of Hemp:
“Hemp shows the following strengths:
1. Hemp requires less moisture to grow than kenaf.
2. Hemp’s fiber-bundles are stronger and tougher than those of kenaf, generally comparable to varieties of flax, and most other known fiber species.
3. Hemp is generally pest resistant, drought resistant, and light frost resistant.
4. With proper leaf removal, hemp has low net nutrient requirements and requires minimal cultivation.
5. Hemp provides greater fiber yields in areas generally north of the 40th latitude than most other fiber crops, generally surpassing flax by 10%.”
Disadvantages of Hemp:
“Hemp also has the following weaknesses:
1. Restrictions of its growth and cultivation in North America, especially in the United States.
2. Lower fiber yields than kenaf and other tropical species in the warmer portions of the United States and more southerly regions.
3. Lower bast fiber portions relative to kenaf and flax.
Table 1 compares the chemical composition of these bast plants with that of wood.
Table 1: Comparative Chemical Composition:
FIBROUS MATERIAL: CELLULOSE HEMI- CELLULOSE LIGNIN EXTRACTIVES ASH
FLAX 78.5 9.2 8.5 2.3 1.5
HEMP 68.1 15.1 10.6 3.6 2.5
KENAF (bast) 60.8 20.3 11.0 3.2 4.7
CONIFEROUS 48.0 15.0 25.3 11.5 0.2
DECIDUOUS 52.8 21.8 22.3 2.7 0.4
Source: Danforth International, and TAPPI
Table 5 illustrates the fiber bundle tensile strength properties of the various bast fibers are significantly higher than those of wood species. (Douglas fir, Southern Pine, Aspen vs. Hemp, Kenaf, Flax). In light of this issue, higher structural applications appear the most promising. This value is an excellent measure of the structural performance we can expect in a particular size and configuration of a product.”
Table 5: Comparative Mechanical/Physical Properties of Bast and Wood Materials:
FIBROUS MATERIAL DENSITY (g/cm3) LENGTH (mm) DIAMETER (um) L/D RATIO TENSILE STRENGTHS (psi)
FIBER BUNDLE RANGE AVG RANGE AVG
FLAX 1.51 1.2 10 – 65 32 10 – 25 18 1,778 51,000
KENAF (bast) - 1.2 1.4 – 5 2.6 14 – 23 21 124 58,000
KENAF (core) 0.31 - 0.4 – 1.1 0.6 18 – 37 30 20 -
HEMP 1.48 1.2 7 – 55 25 13 – 30 18 1,087 118,000
S.Y. PINE 0.51 - 2.7 – 4.6 3.7 32 – 43 38 97 11,600
D. FIR 0.48 - 2.7 – 4.6 3.7 32 – 43 38 97 15,600
ASPEN 0.39 - 0.7 – 1.6 1.2 20 – 30 25 48 7,400
Sources: Wood Handbook; Danforth International; W.S.U., WMEL; Columbus, 1996, Institute of Natural Fibers, U.S.D.A., A.R.S.; The BioComposite Center.
“Kenaf, Hibiscus cannabinus, originating from Africa, has traditionally been a source of bast fiber in India, China, The Commonwealth of Independent States, Iran, Nigeria, and Thailand. Kenaf is a newer crop to the United States that shows good potential as a raw material for use in composite products. Presently, around 4,300 acres of kenaf are cultivated in the United States. 2,000 acres are grown in Mississippi, 1,200 acres in Texas, 560 acres in California, with lesser amounts in Louisiana, New Mexico, and Georgia. Traditionally, kenaf has been known as a cordage crop or jute substitute. Research on kenaf first began in the United States in 1957 and has continued sporadically since that time, (White, Higgins, 1964). Newer advances in decortication equipment which seperates the core from the bast fiber combined with fiber shortages has renewed recent interest in kenaf as a fiber source.”
Advantages of Kenaf:
“Kenaf possesses the following benefits:
1. Excellent yields in southern regions. For example, 15 tons/acre were grown at College Station, Texas in research plots, (Berger, 1969). Actual production yields of 7 -9 bone dry tons/acres can be expected in the warmer regions of Texas.
2. Low harvested whole stalk costs in favorable climatic regions such as southern Texas.
3. Genetic strains have been developed which yield 35% or greater bast portions. This is a relatively high proportion.
4. Considerable progress has been made in developing nematode resistance in the Texas growing region. Nematode susceptibility has long been an encumbrance to the viability of kenaf development.
5. Is competitive showing favorable weed control characteristics.
6. Is viewed favorably by the USDA as a prime candidate for alternative fiber development and has consequently received greater research funding.
7. Strong federal political support.”
Limitations of Kenaf:
“Kenaf also has the following limitations:
1. Low productivity in cooler climates. Its growing season can be as short as 90 – 120 days, and consequently it will grow in almost any region of North America if sufficient moisture is available. The yields of kenaf in Rosemount, Minnesota, south of the Twin Cities, yielded only 2.5 tons/acre in a research plot, compared to the 15 ton/acre yield in College Station, Texas, (Le Mahieu, Oplinger, Putnam, 1991; White, Higgins, 1964). Actual production yields are roughly 60-70% of those in test plots, (Blodsoe, 1996; Cook, 1996).
2. High moisture requirements. 600 mm, (23.6 in) of water is preferable during its growing cycle of 120-150 days, (Vannini, Venturi, 1992).” (end quotes)
Bamboo is actually a grass that grows to a harvestable height of 60 feet in about three to five years and can grow as much as two feet per day. It has an extensive root system that continually sends up new shoots and does not require replanting. Bamboo, as the Bast plants mentioned above and other fiber sources, holds the promise of sustainable, cost effective and ecologically responsible alternatives to short sighted management and the clear cutting of our timberland. Bamboo can be spun into yarn, or processed as a fiber. It has a unparalleled micro-structure of pours that absorb human sweat rapidly. If left in it natural state, not roasting it to change the color (caramelizing the starches and sugars), the fiber makes a pleasant green colored fabric that is bio-degradable, cheaper than cotton and wears as well, or better.
Composite products for building materials made from the plants mentioned in this post include, but is not limited to: Low-density insulation boards, Ceiling Tiles, Substrate for lightweight furniture, Components in manufactured housing, Office partitions, Core materials for doors, and particleboard. These plants offer reinforcing fibers to other materials such as concrete, wood, straw, pultrusion products; reinforcements for thermoplastics and insulation; and cordage, especially jute, sisal, and hemp, has historically been strong. Fabrics for clothing, bedding, drapes, upholstery and more can be added into the value items for these fibers. This also does not include food fibers and their benefits to the human body.
There is a great deal of creativity in our area and much we could do to supply our local fiber needs with a fiber processing and manufacturing facility as a foundation of the Eco-Village/Transition Park concept.
A Potential Community Development Plan for the Masonite Site – Part 1→
Eco-Train, Rail and Depot – Part 2→
Ecologically-Oriented Tourism – Part 3→
Rail to Trail – Part 4→
Autonomous Waste Water Treatment System – Part 5→
Community Interpretive Watershed and Visitor’s Center – Part 6→
Food Processing Facility – Part 7→
Small Diameter Pole Processing Mill – Part 8→
Fiber Processing and Re-Manufacture Mill – Part 9→ | <urn:uuid:da022d39-7673-43f0-bc71-22d47fc58da9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ukiahcommunityblog.wordpress.com/2009/05/ | 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 | 0.920738 | 3,379 | 1.820313 | 2 |
Recent studies have found that a personal connection between a doctor and a patient improves the quality of care. A U.S. News and World Report article reported "researchers found that people who have a strong relationship with a specific doctor are more likely to receive care that's consistent with recommended guidelines."
So, now that you know there are positive benefits to a strong doctor-patient relationship, how do you build one?
The American Academy of Family Physicians has a few tips that are shown below. If you start following these steps, you'll be well on your way to setting up a strong relationship with your doctor.
Talk to your doctor
It sounds easy, but you would be surprised at how many people are afraid to talk to their doctor. Some people just don't know what to say to their doctor. The key is to relax. Talk and share information with your doctor much like you would with a friend.
Tell your doctor about any current or past healthcare issues or problems. Let your doctor know about any symptoms you are having or any medicines you are taking. Give your doctor a full health history of your life. For some people, it helps to write a short "health journal" on a sheet of paper before they go to the doctor to help them remember.
Also, let your doctor know what's going on in your life, such as whether you are feeling stressed or if anything in your life is changing. Although you may feel like some things going on in your life aren't important to your doctor, you would be surprised at how often your emotions can affect your health.
What may be the most important advice to know when you visit the doctor is to speak up. You need to let your doctor know if you don't understand something. Sometimes doctors may talk about something in medical or technical terms. Asking your doctor to put things in plain English doesn't mean you're not smart. It means you want to be clear about what your doctor is telling you.
If you're still unsure about something your doctor said during your visit, tell your doctor you would like more time to talk. If your doctor isn't available to help, you should be able to talk to a physician's assistant or a nurse. In some cases, you may want to make another appointment with your doctor so that you're sure you understand everything about your health.
Take information home with you
Doctors have been known to pass along a lot of information to their patients. You may not remember all they tell you so make it easy on yourself. Write down anything your doctor may pass along and take them home with you. It also helps to bring a friend or family member to make sure you know and understand everything your doctor tells you.
While you're at it, ask your doctor for any brochures or other materials that may help you. Your doctor may even give you some websites to find out more.
Follow your doctor's instructions
It's very important that you follow any instructions your doctor gives you during an office visit. If your doctor prescribes medicine, requests a test, or sets up an appointment with a specialist, it's important you do them.
If you get confused or if you forget some information, get in touch with your doctor. We all make mistakes or forget things from time to time.
Your doctor also should be contacted if something isn't working right. For example, if a medicine your doctor prescribed isn't working, or if you haven't received test results that your doctor ordered, let your doctor know.
So, with these simple steps, you can start having a stronger relationship with your doctor. And today, studies are showing that a stronger relationship with your doctor pays off in a healthier life for you. | <urn:uuid:abef71c6-2475-4837-87ce-b1b1b423ab60> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.humana.com/resources/healthy_living/articles/prevention/dr_relationship.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977259 | 757 | 2.25 | 2 |
Fake tech gear has infiltrated the U.S. government
By David Goldman@CNNMoneyTech
November 8, 2012: 3:10 PM ET
NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- A record number of tech products used by the U.S. military and dozens of other federal agencies are fake. That opens up a myriad of national security risks, from dud missiles to short-circuiting airplane parts to cyberespionage.
Despite laws designed to crack down on counterfeiters, suppliers labeled by the U.S. government as "high risk" are increasing their sales to federal agencies. Their presence in government's supply chain soared 63% over the past decade, according to a new study released by IHS, a supply chain management consultancy.
Two years earlier, the FBI seized $76 million of counterfeit Cisco (CSCO, Fortune 500) routers that the Bureau said could have provided Chinese hackers a backdoor into U.S. government networks. A number of government agencies bought the routers from an authorized Cisco vendor, but that legitimate vendor purchased the routers from a high-risk Chinese supplier. | <urn:uuid:f5f9c0d6-2178-4b44-b096-cb6f78f42c2e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.conservativeunderground.com/forum505/printthread.php?t=53384&pp=10&page=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.924666 | 224 | 1.75 | 2 |
NASA to brief on manned spaceship 'concerns'
Shuttle/Soyuz replacement looking peaky?
NASA will map the future of manned spacecraft later today, following long-running rumours of possible delays to the programme and increasing worries of over-reliance on Russian technology to support the International Space Station.
The US space agency will soon retire its fleet of Shuttle orbiters, after which America will have no manned space launch system until the arrival of the Ares I rocket and its Crew Launch Vehicle. Even if Ares I commences lifting crew to the space station in 2014 as planned, the station's astronauts will be dependent on Russia's Soyuz rockets for several years; and there have long been rumours of technical hitches and delays on the Ares I programme, even though it is supposed to be based on established technology.
NASA has just announced some favourable test results on the liquid-fuelled J-2X upper stage of Ares I. However, the space agency will also outline: "possible solutions to concerns raised about the early designs of the new crew launch vehicle". The briefing will be streamed live at 4:30 PM UK time (11:30 AM EDT), and can be heard here.
With tension high between the US and Russia over the fighting in Georgia, and Europe undecided between a manned ship of its own or a cooperative venture with Russia, many are hoping that NASA's Ares I news is positive.
There has already been widespread discussion of a temporary reprieve for the Shuttle so as to help bridge the upcoming gap.
The private Falcon programme run by PayPal multimillionaire and tech visionary Elon Musk could offer alternative astronaut lift; but Falcon has suffered technical snags of its own, having recently failed to reach orbit on the third attempt. ®
@ James Monnett
re “An autonomous region which had previously been part of Georgia prior to the Russian take over several hundred years ago”
Really. This would have been Czarist russia, not the USSR; and if you’re going to talk of that kind of timescale then perhaps we ought to discuss the genocide perpetuated by the US on the indigenous population....
for the records @ James Monnett
in reply to:
"@ AC's again (if one has the courage of their convictions why be anon?) "
nowday one never knows what it takes to land in a no-fly list and its interesting catch that one you land there you cannot be taken off
in reply to:
""Stop right there, you are commenting something that you do not know, Assuming what someone else knows, or doesn't know is rather foolish. "
I do not assume, I read what you write and compare with the facts
in reply to:
"Historically speaking Ossetia was a part of Georgia prior to the Russian take over. They got along before the Russians as well as any two ethnic groups sharing the same country did in the middle ages, and would likely get along "
stop, are you talking about Georgia? the one under Arab rule (sec VII) and the invaded by Mongols in sec XIV and later ruled by Turks sec. XVII-VIII?
for that reason the "Georgian" asked to be under the protection of the Russian Empire? Please check a history handbook that reports only date and what happened by yourself.
"now without Russian immigrants, and Russian politics fanning every little flame. Yes they had their own identity, but they were part of Georgia none the"
Stop again, are you talking of Russian? or are you mixing Ossetes (Iranian descent, claim also being the descendor of the Alans), currently ostly muslim by the way, with Russian ??
in reply to
"Now those same regional governments are National Goverments in their own right fully and those nations more established should, barring truly horrific problems let them have the time it takes to work through things."
in fact Ossetes (valid also for Abhkazia) started to fight from day one to be free form the Georgian, I think we have a clear point here.
Let me make a simple question:
do you believe that X has the right to self-determination?
Answer for X=Ossetes and X=Kosovars
NASA = Joke
First, I am a US citizen. Born and raised. Raised in the 70s and 80s on past glories of moon landings and shuttle launches.
Is the shuttle out dated? Absolutely.
Does it make sense to take a HUGE ASS leap backwards and use fire and forget rockets and capsules to recover? Hell no.
Scaled Composites has it in the bag. While NASA takes a GIANT step backwards for man kind, SC is taking steps towards a truely economical and intelligent space craft launch and recovery system. I don't know the exact nubmers, but a very large percentage of the fuel in that big ass tank under the shuttle is used just to get its sorry ass off the ground. So, you spend tons of fuel to get it moving, then once it is up to speed, you ditch the gigantic torches. Same thing with the current idea for the moon rocket.
Now here you have SC re-visiting an idea that worked during the early years of supersonic flight testing: use something else to get it up to speed, then launch from a high altitude. What a novel concept!
Can't wait for SC to show NASA (and the rest of the world) how it's done and put their own lander on the moon in time - and for a profit too!
Mine is the one with the moon dust on it... | <urn:uuid:2ba9b1e3-9217-4b0f-b728-93a1e38d7e93> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/08/19/nasa_ares_i_brief/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960936 | 1,174 | 2.09375 | 2 |
Skydiver Fearless Felix jumps from 18 miles up
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Skydiver “Fearless Felix” Baumgartner has done it again.
On Wednesday, Baumgartner took another stratospheric leap, this time from an altitude of more than 18 miles — an estimated 96,640 feet, nearly three times higher than cruising jetliners. He landed safely near Roswell, N.M. His top speed was an estimated 536 mph, said Brian Utley, an official observer on site.
It’s the second test jump for Baumgartner from such extreme heights and a personal best. He’s aiming for a record-breaking jump from 125,000 feet, or 23 miles, in another month. He hopes to go supersonic then, breaking the speed of sound with just his body.
“It has always been a dream of mine,” Baumgartner said in a statement following Wednesday’s feat. “Only one more step to go.”
Longtime record-holder Joe Kittinger jumped from 102,800 feet — 19.5 miles — in 1960 for the Air Force. Kittinger monitored Wednesday’s dry run from a mini Mission Control in Roswell.
As he did in March, the 43-year-old Austrian ascended alone in an enclosed capsule lifted by a giant helium balloon that took off from Roswell. He wore a full-pressure suit equipped with parachutes and an oxygen supply — there’s virtually no atmosphere that far up.
It took about 1 1/2 hours to reach his target altitude. He was in free fall for an estimated three minutes and 48 seconds before opening his parachutes.
“It felt completely different at 90,000 feet,” Baumgartner noted. “There is no control when you exit the capsule. There is no way to get stable.”
In March, Baumgartner jumped from 71,581 feet, more than 13 miles, saluting before stepping from the capsule. Bad weather earlier this week delayed the second test jump until Wednesday.
NASA is paying close attention to this Red Bull-funded project dubbed Stratos, short for stratosphere. The space agency wants to learn all it can about potential escape systems for future rocketships.
Baumgartner won’t come close to space, even on the ultimate jump that’s planned for late August or early September. Space officially begins at 62 miles — more than 328,000 feet.
Baumgartner, a former military parachutist and extreme athlete, has jumped more than 2,500 times from planes and helicopters, as well as from skyscrapers and landmarks, including the 101-story Taipei 101 in Taiwan.
Kittinger, who turns 84 on Friday, was an Air Force captain when he made his historic jump for what was called Project Excelsior. He reached 614 mph on that dive, equivalent to Mach 0.9, just shy of the sound barrier.
Baumgartner expects to accelerate to 690 mph on his final plunge. | <urn:uuid:bd189a03-ad3c-4e1f-8937-2f03d7b4f8bf> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.newstribune.com/news/2012/jul/26/skydiver-fearless-felix-jumps-18-miles/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00035-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956082 | 651 | 1.898438 | 2 |
Credit scores remain all the rage, but there are a lot of misconceptions out there. Four common ones are outlined in this MSN Money article titled ‘4 Credit-Scoring Myths‘. What’s the first myth? That closing credit cards will help your score.
No, no, no. For the umpteenth time: Closing accounts can never help your credit score, and may hurt it… It?s true that having too many open accounts can hurt your score. But once you?ve opened the accounts, you?ve done the damage. You can?t repair it by shutting the account, and you may actually make things worse… The credit score looks at the difference between your available credit and what you?re using. Shut down accounts, and your total available credit shrinks, making your balances loom larger, which typically hurts your score.
Other un-truths mentioned are that checking your credit score hurts your credit, that credit counseling is as bad as bankruptcy, and that you only have one FICO score.
I personally never cancel any of my cards. According the quote having too many open accounts can hurt your score, but I’m not exactly sure how. In my previous post on What Makes Up Your FICO Score?, that’s not listed as a criteria, although it asked as the first question in the Free FICO Score Estimator from myFICO. But I think that question is trying to address credit history length. If it is part of the FICO formula, I think it’s a small part of the score, ’cause I’m now near 20 credit cards and haven’t seen any problems yet. I’m also keeping my debt-to-limit ratio low.
But how to do keep track of all those old cards if you shouldn’t cancel them? I keep a virtual eye on all my inactive cards with Yodlee. As an example, last year I caught this fraudulent charge on a card which I hadn’t used in years. Called it in the next day, and it was all taken care of.
As for opening credit card accounts (for the lovely perks), here’s what she says (and agrees with my own experiences):
For most people, one inquiry will generally knock no more than 5 points off a score (and scores typically run from 300 to 850, so that?s not a big percentage).
By Jonathan Ping | Credit Cards | 5/25/06, 12:20am | <urn:uuid:a0ca974e-50f4-40f6-8e3b-1d7836f8895c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mymoneyblog.com/credit_score_my_1.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00074-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953872 | 523 | 1.757813 | 2 |
EDEN Organic Great Northern Beans are U.S.A. family organically grown by those dedicated to cleansing the environment and producing the best tasting, most nutritious food. Decades organic vital soil gives us much more vital beans that contain more minerals and allows us to cook them without, what we consider toxic, 'processing' chemicals.
EDEN Organic Great Northern Beans are expertly prepared at our certified organic, kosher cannery in east central Indiana. They are washed, soaked overnight, and thoroughly cooked with a bit of kombu sea vegetable. You don't taste the kombu, but its natural glutamic acid softens and enhances the flavor of beans. All water that contacts EDEN beans for washing, soaking, and cooking is purified water.
Bisphenol-A (BPA) Free Lined Cans Since April 1999
EDEN Organic Beans are in custom made steel cans lined with baked on oleoresinous c-enamel that does not contain the endocrine disrupter chemical bisphenol-A (BPA). Oleoresin is a natural mixture of an oil and a resin extracted from plants such as pine or balsam fir. These cans cost 14% more than industry standard cans that do contain BPA. The can maker, Ball Corporation, tells us that Eden is the only U.S. food maker to date to use these BPA free cans. Eden Foods was acknowledged with a "Green Packy Award" in 2010 by Whole Foods Market Green Mission's Responsible Packaging Forum. The responsible packaging award was given Eden for the use of BPA-free cans in all 39 of its organic beans, chilies, rice & beans, refried, and seasoned beans.
EDEN Organic Beans received high praise in the January-February 2009 Nutrition Action Healthletter, the third time EDEN beans have been complimented by this respected Healthletter. Twelve varieties of EDEN Organic No Salt Added Beans were acclaimed for being naturally low in sodium without the refined salt added to most commercial canned beans. Nutrition Action Healthletter noted that EDEN beans are firm, not too soft, and that all Eden bean cans are bisphenol-A free.
According to the FDA, "Low fat diets rich in fruits and vegetables (foods that are low in fat and may contain dietary fiber, Vitamin A, or Vitamin C) may reduce the risk of some types of cancer, a disease associated with many factors," and "Diets low in sodium may reduce the risk of high blood pressure, a disease associated with many factors." EDEN Great Northern Beans are low sodium with no salt added, low fat, and an excellent source of dietary fiber, providing 32 percent daily value (DV) per serving. They are a good source of protein, thiamin (vitamin B1), magnesium, and zinc.
Studies show beans contain a wealth of antioxidants similar to those in fruits and berries. "Beans are really loaded with antioxidant compounds," said Clifford Beninger, Ph.D., an environmental biologist and former researcher for the USDA's Bean Research Unit. "We didn't know how potent they were until now. In general darker colored seed coats were associated with higher levels of flavonoids, and therefore higher antioxidant activity." Researchers tested the antioxidant activity of flavonoids found in 12 common varieties of dry beans. They found one class of compounds in particular, anthocyanins, were the most active antioxidants in beans. These findings add antioxidant activity to a growing list of healthy compounds found in beans and legumes. The study was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
"Beans are probably the best human plant food there is," plant geneticist George L. Hosfield, Ph.D., told Reuters Health. He explained that beans are full of protein and fiber and low in fat. They also contain important vitamins and minerals such as folic acid, iron, potassium, and zinc. "With the additional bonus of their antioxidants, you have almost the perfect food," he said. Beans are loaded with soluble fiber and are also an important source of two essential amino acids not found in cereals, lysine and threonine. In turn, whole grains complement beans and together deliver complete protein. Enjoying a variety of beans in combination with whole grain is a good step toward healthy living.
Great Northern Beans Phaseolus vulgaris are seeds of the common green bean, fully matured and dried. This medium, white oval bean appeared in America about 300 years ago and probably had its roots in Europe. EDEN Organic Great Northern Beans are a heritage New World variety that thrives in the rich soil and moderate climate of the Midwest. Try them instead of navy beans in baked bean dishes, and in any recipe you like. EDEN Great Northern Beans make great bean dips and sandwich spreads when combined with roasted peppers and spices. Essential for making the French dish cassoulet. Search under Great Northern Beans in our free recipe section for this and other tasty recipes. | <urn:uuid:f21d8ee7-1d3e-40b2-b0e4-a88354dd9163> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.edenfoods.com/store/product_details.php?cPath=21_32&products_id=103004&eID=umbd6rbkmefdovbj5s9rnbg110 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950477 | 1,020 | 1.601563 | 2 |
I just made a 15-month schedule for our son, who is 4, to receive all the vaxes he "needs" to enter kindergarten. (He is in daycare and has an exemption now, and we will probably keep his exemption so that if the school/state should "require" more in the future, we will be on record with having an exemption.) BUT, we want to do vaxes for many reasons, not the least of which is the possibility of international travel.
In making the schedule, I kept to a "rule" of one vaccine a month. This is what I had read in several places. It gives enough time to prepare the body - additional C and D vitamins for the week prior to a vax, for example. And it gives enough time to recover. Also allows for proper spacing that some vaxes require. Almost all that require more than one shot require you to wait 2 months between doses, or 4 months between the 2-3 doses...Doing one a month allows the spacing to stay where it needs to be. In creating the schedule, I always allowed a "buffer" month for cases of these spacings (If a vax required 1 month between doses, I scheduled 2 months.) The reason I did this is that if you get a vax TOO SOON, you may be required to get it again. There is no such requirement for getting it "too late." So, we would not accidentally do a second vax 3 weeks and 4 days after the first. There is always at least one buffer month. (during which we might get another vax, though).
It took me the better portion of an afternoon, off and on, to make the schedule. I used an excel file, with months across the top and vaxes down the side. I put the required spaces in grey text between doses, and when I was moving them around, I cut and pasted the doses AND the boxes of grey text, so I would not forget the proper spacing.
The reason my plan is 15 months is that I also put typhoid in, for international travel.
Here are the spacing requirments for some of the vaxes you have to do (plus some of my notes). Varicella also has spacing, but I can't remember what it is.
MMR...2 doses (the 2nd dose is at least 28+ days apart from the first). Must be done at allergist’s office because of egg allergy. Check titers before doing second injection and withhold if he demonstrates immunity.
Hep B...3 doses. The 2nd is 28+ days from the first; the 3rd is 16+ weeks after the first & 8 weeks after the 2nd.
- Polio - 3 doses
Tetanus/Diphtheria/Pertussis...4 doses DTaP. Check for spacing requirements.
Varicella - 2 doses. Check titers before doing second injection and withhold if immunity is demonstrated. | <urn:uuid:0719983a-8713-4b33-ba12-fd8a7ccdf79a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mothering.com/community/t/1331440/appointment-next-week-need-to-have-my-plan-in-order | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946236 | 621 | 1.796875 | 2 |
Where do you stand regarding "right-to-dry"?
The New York Times
reports on a growing debate over clotheslines, which might seem mundane unless you're a tattooed RV-dweller named Jill Saylor of Canton, Ohio, protesting local anti-clothesline regulations. Apparently, some communities fear that hanging clothes outside makes a location more difficult to rent or sell. Hanging laundry, they say, is associated with poverty, even in places like sunny California that can support the practice year-round. The Times
quotes a Richmond, Virginia real estate agent unable to sell a restored Victorian home thanks to a view onto the neighbor's drying delicates.
Do clotheslines destroy property values? What should you do if you want to exert your "right to dry" inside your apartment? As you might expect, the environmental impact and costs of drying clothes in the dryer is significant. U.S. Department of Energy statistics from 2001
attribute 5.9 percent of domestic energy use to clothes dryers. This figure could be as high as 15 percent
or more if figures from multi-family and multi-unit apartment complexes are included, and greater still if numbers included dryer use at institutions like prisons and universities. Activists argue that with the serious ramifications of climate change, we should re-evaluate our belief that sheets and undies swinging in the wind maligns the view.
Attitudes are changing. Two groups are working to change the perception of hanging laundry. Right2Dry.org
's mission statement reads: "To promote line drying as a symbol of patriotism, intelligence, environmental action, rescuing it from a symbol of poverty and despair it seems to represent to many Americans." Project Laundry List
is a non-profit with the goal of promoting cold-water washing and line drying.
Five states--Florida, Maine, Vermont, Utah and Colorado--now prohibit regulations against clotheslines
, and April 19th is now National Hanging Out Day
. Naturally, there is a documentary on the issue
, too. Artists like Matt St. Onge and others have joined the conversation. St. Onge's installation, "The Electric Clothesline
", is a work dedicated to the issue. A tree-like sculpture produced by Nature's Dryer
is marketed as both yard art and clothesline alternative, which will only set you back $1,000.
One thousand clams for a fake tree? Here are some products that will allow you to exercise your "right to dry" from inside your apartment. Clearly, the answer is blowing in the wind.
Organize-It Tripod Dryer ($25)
This collapsible drying rack holds up to 36 hangers of clothes. It opens like an umbrella and folds up again for easy storage.
Over-the-Tub Drying Rack
Dry your clothes over the tub with a rack that can be configured to fit. It, too, folds up for easy storage.
As winter approaches you can also dry clothes indoors by wringing them out and placing them on your radiator. Just be sure not to scorch them by leaving them on too long. | <urn:uuid:0249c2b0-aa97-4260-ba11-0041ba4b191d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2009/10/13/fight-for-your-right-to-dry/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946573 | 649 | 2.390625 | 2 |
During a long research trip in the middle of the final decade of the last millennium, I was talking with a wildlife biologist about coyotes and dogs when Marc Bekoff’s name popped up, logically enough, since over the past quarter of a century, he already had contributed significantly to the understanding of both.
“I’ve seen him at meetings,” the biologist said. “He’s a bit out there on the animal emotion and animal rights stuff.” An understated man, the biologist meant the opposite, of course. He was a bit nonplussed when I responded that as nearly as I could tell, Bekoff was a respected scientist who knew from hard research that animals were sentient beings and who believed that they should be treated with respect.
“We must look to our actions and see if they are consistent with our knowledge and beliefs,” Bekoff himself writes in his new book, The Emotional Lives of Animals. “I feel strongly that ethics should always inform science.”
Ethics—and emotion, it appears—have shaped his scientific career since, circa 1970, he quit medical school after being required (as part of a biology experiment) to kill a cat he’d raised and named Speedo. “To this day I remember his unwavering eyes—they told the whole story of the interminable pain and indignity he had endured,” he writes of Speedo on the fatal day.
Bekoff had named Speedo in contravention of the rules against naming research animals, precisely because to do so is to grant them being. He “resolved never to conduct research that involved intentionally inflicting pain or causing the death of another being,” and took up ethology. He started with canids—coyotes, dogs and wolves—using them as his teachers and guides into the world of animal emotion. During his revolutionary career, he’s also looked into the eye of—or at least closely watched the body language of—penguins, western evening grosbeaks, Steller’s jays, and African elephants. In these pages, he also describes magpies mourning one of their own and a fox burying her fallen mate.
Death and play wind through this text, illuminating Bekoff’s central thesis—that “animals do experience rich emotions and do suffer from all sorts of pain, perhaps even to a greater degree than humans.” Play reveals a sense of morality, defined here as “an internalized set of rules for how to act within a community.” Those include “cooperation, reciprocity, empathy and helping.” We understand now what the dog’s play bow communicates because of Bekoff’s pioneering dozen-year study. It seems obvious once you see the bow, but first you have to learn to see.
Bekoff is one of a scant handful of ethologists (now generally called wildlife, or conservation, biologists—including Jane Goodall, who provides a foreword) who for decades have bucked the conventional scientific view of animals as mere stimulus-response machines, beings who feel no pain and certainly don’t think or have emotion. Individual members of that group paid for being out front on this issue with lost grants, professional ostracism and, sometimes, public opprobrium.
What set Bekoff apart from most members of even that group was his willingness to let ethics direct his science and his life, while allowing what he learned through science to shape his ethics. The book reflects the man’s interests and passions. It feels a bit rushed and stuck together, but then he’s always rushing, as the rest of the world catches up with him.
Anyone interested in animal emotion will want a copy of this book. Bekoff speaks with the unique authority of an expert who is experiencing the success of a revolution in science and ethics that he helped make and that will endure (if we endure) as one of the signal achievements—along with the expansion of human rights and environmentalism—of the late 20th century. | <urn:uuid:5ce35d90-1152-4a4e-b3f7-dcde843c0382> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://thebark.com/content/emotional-lives-animals | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978274 | 859 | 2.625 | 3 |
I remember (just barely) making a cigar-box ukulele in kindergarten. We had to provide the cigar box (in those days, if a kid's parents didn't smoke - rare - a cigar box could be procured at the local drug store - ours was Lyman-Sargent's in downtown Wilmette) and strings (I believe they were rubber bands) were fastened to the bottom (on nails that I am sure the teacher pounded in) and stretched up the body of the "instrument" (the cigar box) along a "neck" (not sure what that was) to be fastened (I don't recall how) to the "head" (probably just the end of the neck). I don't recall any way tuning could be accomplished but, hey, the sound it made would not have been improved had there been "string" adjustment possible! We strummed away on our little noisemakers, pretending to accompany the music teacher (playing loud enough on the piano to pretty much drown us out). Now whether we also played the sand blocks at the same time, I don't remember, but I do remember "making" those (why we say we "made" these things is beyond me as the teacher was the one wielding manner, knife, staple gun, scissors, etc.). They were blocks of wood, wrapped in sand paper. I have never liked the feel of sand paper (why I was happy when my husband bought me my "mouse" - a little electric sander), but this past weekend I found myself again making sand blocks (my "mouse" makes a terrible musical instrument, but it's very handy to smooth rough surfaces; on the other hand, my quickly constructed sand blocks sounded pretty darn good!). I used the sand blocks in one of the songs we just recorded for the latest CD: "Songs of Early Childhood" (songs our ancestors sang as children) . . . but more on that later, when it is finally ready for distribution.
Anyway, here's my point (took long enough to get to it, didn't I?): creating instruments out of raw materials is nothing new. Our ancestors did it for centuries! And some were pretty darn creative. And some were marketed to the general public. And some, thankfully, have never been heard of since.
When we attended the Glendale, AZ Folk Heritage Festival last month (March 2010), I was amazed to find that there was a "homemade instruments" workshop. I didn't attend it (I was obligated elsewhere), but I did talk to Pat Clark, the creator and player of the most elaborate Cigar Box Guitar and Dobro I have ever seen. He was kind enough to let me take his photo & agreed to let me share it here on this blog. These instruments have been electrified with pickups so they can be plugged right into an amplifier (bet my kindergarten teacher would never have imagined that!). Of course they use conventional tuning pegs and real instrument strings (no rubber bands here) so they can be tuned to precision! Ah, we've come a long way.
I had been thinking about these homemade instruments for some time so running into Mr. Clark was a special treat. I did a little "Googling" to see what I could find and discovered that there is a whole Cigar Box instrument musicianship out there. Check these out:
David Beede (giving information on how he made it as well as demonstrating it)
Gus (showing the instrument construction and demonstrating its sound)
It's not just for guys, check out Shelley Rickey's instrument
Then there are similar (stringed) instruments made from other handy objects:
The cookie tin banjo (demo and construction info)
The gas can banjo (make sure the can is empty before construction or playing)
Another advantage to these unique instruments: unlike conventional guitars, they pack up easier for travel all over the world. Gus shows how this all comes together on his YouTube video (and he also shows the pickup workings for those wanting to "go electric").
Want one of these unique instruments for yourself, making you guaranteed "life of the party" (if you dare bring it along)? "eHow" will show you the construction procedure from scratch. If you're not that handy and want the raw materials supplied, Elderly Instruments (one of my favorite suppliers of musical instruments and accessories) has kits! Not a DIY kind of person? Buy one ready-made from "Papa's Boxes."
One of the fun aspects of these cigar-box (and other homemade instruments) is that they can be as elaborate or as plain as you wish to make them. Tom of CigarBoxUkes.com has a lovely display of his instruments, all uniquely decorated. They end up being utilitarian, decorative, and vintage items all at the same time. What house wouldn't be more lovely if sporting one of these on the parlor wall?
But there are other forms of homemade instruments. Our earliest ancestors discovered that banging on our natural resources (logs, rocks) or shaking things that grew in their vicinity (dried out cactus, seed pods, etc.) created melodious sounds. We have modernized such things into drums and maracas, but the inspiration behind these 21st Century instruments is worth remembering.
Earlier this week, my friend Thomas MacEntee sent me information about a "rock xylophone." I had heard of the stones that make music when struck, but this is taking it to the next level. Check this blog by The Ancient Digger. There is a short video that is included here (with links to others) and I am greatly impressed by the sound. Not sure what songs from my repertoire would be enhanced by this, but I'd be willing to try . . . next time I'm in North Cumbria, UK.
So when your child (grandchild, great-grandchild) comes to you with the "instrument" (oatmeal box drum, trash-can lid cymbal, water-filled bottle - hit or blown across) that was made in daycare or preschool, suggest a singalong! Who knows, that instrument could very well metamorphose into a life-long passion (I've been playing guitar for over 45 years . . . not counting the cigar-box ukulele hours). | <urn:uuid:310234ba-9e37-4ef7-bdd2-5cf8b4e17c21> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://circlemending.blogspot.com/2010/04/homemade-musichomemade-instruments.html?showComment=1270831051574 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972041 | 1,311 | 1.679688 | 2 |
I just saw that Atan2 calculates angles between two points x.x
Just do math.atan2(x2-x1,y1-y2) and it should work, it works together with math.sin/cos since it returns negative to positive pi >.<
And as we know, be is the circle, you can use pi*2 in sin/cos to get a circle instead of using negative, but negative works just as well
I've been experiementing alot with trigonometry
Going to test it now, solving the most ancient programming question I've had in my mind since I started with math... | <urn:uuid:a448fe80-870b-4913-8b4d-ff450eb0b233> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.euflorium.com/index.php?topic=1328.msg10172 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00037-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951443 | 132 | 2.0625 | 2 |
If an offender is believed to have violated conditions of supervised release, the parole officer submits a violation report. The report determines whether a warrant will be issued. Parole Division officers review the report to determine if probable cause exists. If probable cause is found, a warrant is issued to detain the offender pending an administrative hearing. The warrant is typically published in the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and/or the Texas Crime Information Center (TCIC) fugitives warrant database.Once an offender is detained on a parole warrant, the sheriff having custody notifies the TDCJ Parole Division, which decides whether to begin the hearing process. If violations are only administrative (no crime involved), or include a conviction for which the offender has discharged the sentence, the hearing is requested. If criminal charges are pending, the Parole Division normally schedules a preliminary hearing and, if probable cause is found, defers the revocation hearing until the criminal charge is resolved. | <urn:uuid:8d28a84a-7780-438f-8623-e7df01210142> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/bpp/revocation/What_Happens_Warrant_Issue.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.910539 | 193 | 1.6875 | 2 |
The Highly Questionable History Of Douche Ads
Ads for douches seem to be laced with the intent to harm women's self-esteem, not to mention vaginas, as douching can actually cause infections.
But douche ads have an interesting history. The douche was originally considered a birth control method, back when birth control was illegal. Because of this, it was socially camouflaged as a "hygiene product."
From there, the ads evolved into mothers and daughters with cable-knit sweaters tied around their shoulders, having talks about "feminine odor" on the beach. | <urn:uuid:8812c1ce-5d60-475e-8917-5c03f95a3fdd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/23/questionable-douche-ads_n_882999.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9581 | 122 | 1.585938 | 2 |
- Used Books
- Kobo eReading
- Staff Picks
- Gifts & Gift Cards
- Sell Books
- Stores & Events
Special Offers see all
More at Powell's
Recently Viewed clear list
Used Trade Paper
Ships in 1 to 3 days
More copies of this ISBN
The Schwarzbein Principleby Diana Schwarzbein
Synopses & Reviews
This groundbreaking book dispels the myths perpetuated by some bestselling diet books that may help people lose weight, but will put them on the fast track to disease. Based on sound research and the success of thousands of people, The Schwarzbein Principle proves that excess weight, degenerative disease and accelerated aging can be controlled - and reversed - in a healthful way.
The Schwarzbein Principle is a holistic guide to achieving lasting weight loss, normalizing metabolism and maintaining ideal body composition through lifestyle and nutrition. By bringing the internal systems into balance, the Schwarzbein program has been proven to: reverse type II diabetes; free people from food cravings for chocolate, caffeine and sugar; cure depression and mood swings; and reduce body fat while building lean tissue. The nutritional program consists of two phases -Healing and Maintenance - which are easy to adopt into any lifestyle. Instead of shunning fat, the program advocates eating all of the good fats and proteins your body needs as well as an unlimited portion of non-starchy carbohydrates. By incorporating the lifestyle components of stress management, exercise and eliminating harmful stimulants, program participants experience renewed energy and vitality.
This groundbreaking book dispels the myths perpetuated by some bestselling diet books that may help people lose weight, but will put them on the fast track to disease. Based on sound research and the success of thousands of people, The Schwarzbein Principle proves that excess weight, degenerative disease and accelerated aging can be controlled — and reversed — in a healthful way.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 339-351) and index.
About the Author
Dr. Diana Schwarzbein has achieved the reputation as the cutting-edge expert on hormone replacement therapy and reversing type II diabetes through her groundbreaking nutritional and lifestyle program. Her practice specializes in endocrinology, metabolism, diabetes, osteoporosis, menopause and thyroid. She lives in Santa Barbara, California with her husband where she conducts workshops and private sessions.Nancy Deville is a fiction and nonfiction writer whose first novel Precious Cargo is being adapted into a screenplay.
What Our Readers Are Saying
Other books you might like
Cooking and Food » Diet and Nutrition » Healthy Cooking
Health and Self-Help » Health and Medicine » Diet and Nutrition
Health and Self-Help » Health and Medicine » Medical Specialties
Health and Self-Help » Health and Medicine » Nutrition | <urn:uuid:0eac7636-4d6e-4b62-8e0c-e014085cd493> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.powells.com/biblio/17-9781558746800-6 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.905347 | 570 | 1.789063 | 2 |
While searching for a layout to post at Flaunt Thy Layout, I thought I was going crazy. I was sure I did post a layout with Manon in Baker Street Tube Station, but couldn’t find it anywhere. Then ‘the quarter fell’ (Dutch expression ) it must have been one of the posts that got lost with the move of my domain *sigh*
So… here I go again…
I remember I was trying to create the ‘torn paper’ look, and struggled to make it look real enough. Finally after hours of trying I was happy with the results, but how to check if it was good enough. I asked my hubby (who has no clue about DS or graphics what-so-ever) if he could recognize the things on my screen. ‘Yeah’, he said, ‘Erm… is that…, erm… that looks like torn paper (?)’.
Good answer, mister!
According to the books by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes lived at Baker Street 221b. The Baker Street Tube (= Underground) Station commemorates the fictional Sherlock Holmes’ association with Baker Street. The ticket hall has beautiful arches and the profile of Sherlock Holmes is printed on the tiles. I just love the colours.
At Baker Street 221b you will now find the Sherlock Holmes museum. Check their website where many complete stories, starring Holmes & Watson, are available for your reading pleasure | <urn:uuid:76298faa-c5cb-43ad-9ddf-5863cfd54c3d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.atsparkys.com/wordpress/index.php/2008/08/torn-paper/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963248 | 303 | 1.734375 | 2 |
National Firearms Museum
The National Firearms Museum in Fairfax displays more than 2,000 historic firearms spanning 600 years in its 15,000-sq.-foot facility. The museum's 14 galleries, located at the National Rifle Association Headquarters, trace the development of firearms and their relevance to America's heritage. Some of America's firearms treasures are on display, including the oldest gun in America, a wheel lock musket that came over or the Mayflower, Kentucky rifles, oddities & curiosa, military arms, sporting guns, and target guns including those of Olympic gold medallists and national champions. Famous individuals whose guns are on display include Dwight Eisenhower, Theodore Roosevelt, Annie Oakley, Buffalo Bill Cody, Napoleon, Chuck Yeager, Jesse James, Tom Selleck, & more. NFM store features NRA apparel, souvenirs, & great selection of gun books. | <urn:uuid:99bccd2b-fe24-4ad0-b55b-28161c46fba6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://m.virginia.org/listings/museums/nationalfirearmsmuseum/?adref=blog113012FirearmsMuseum&device=mobile&view=maps&cbDining=1&cbPlacesToStay=1&cbThingsToDo=1&page=2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.910629 | 176 | 1.539063 | 2 |
Bookshare is a site that provides free digital books to those whose disabilities make reading a traditional printed book very hard or impossible. Since Bookshare just celebrated 10 years in business, we thought it would be a great opportunity to highlight the great resources the site provides for students with disabilities.
Bookshare is completely legal, as it operates under the Chafee Amendment. This amendment is an exception to US copyright law that allows books to be freely distributed to those with certain disabilities, as long as the books are in a format that accommodates those disabilities. Bookshare serves those with visual impairments, physical disabilities (those that prevent one from holding a book or turning pages, for example), as well as those with severe learning or reading disabilities.
To accommodate different disabilities, the books come in a few formats. Bookshare supplies ebooks with additional text-to-speech, braille, and large print options. Most books are scanned and turned into ebooks by Bookshare volunteers, while some are even donated directly from publishing companies. Once you become a member of Bookshare, you are free to browse and download the entire ebook collection.
With hundreds of thousands of accessible, print-impaired-friendly books, Bookshare is an incredibly valuable resource for students, teachers, or parents. | <urn:uuid:e9735be8-ea2c-47a5-8a82-40424f875284> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://depts.washington.edu/etuwb/ltblog/?m=201204 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00041-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963448 | 260 | 2.34375 | 2 |
The Improbable Revolution
The First Revolution: what is generally known as the Glorious Revolution. In recent years Americans have been devouring books on our nation’s Founding Fathers—Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton—some written by academic historians, others by gifted professional writers. As these writers help us understand, the Founders did not spring from a historical vacuum. Before the break with the Crown, they regarded themselves as Englishmen, as inheritors of the system of government and the traditional liberties of England. As they moved daringly into a revolutionary and republican future, they looked back on a heritage that was shaped by many historical events. Not least among them was what most Englishmen referred to as the Glorious Revolution of 1688–89. This term referred to the series of events that resulted in the ouster of King James II and the installation of King William III and Queen Mary II, and in changes in English law, governance, and politics that turned out to be major advances for representative government, guaranteeing liberties, global capitalism, and a foreign policy of opposing hegemonic powers on the European continent and in the world beyond.
The First Revolution, as it will be called here, was a reference point, an example, indeed a glowing example, for the American Founders. The Founding Fathers began their rebellion not by rejecting the achievements of the Glorious Revolution, but by arguing that Parliament and King George III were denying them their rights as Englishmen that were gained in that Revolution and the revolutionary settlement—the laws passed in 1689 and the 1690s. It is true that as the Founding Fathers created their own revolution and formed their republic, they did not fully accept the Revolutionary settlement—the set of laws and customs established during and immediately following the Glorious Revolution. The new nation would have no monarchy or titled nobility, no religious tests for public office, and no national established church. But the founders also self-consciously copied some features of the Revolutionary settlement, from yearly sessions of Congress to the establishment of a national bank and a funded debt to the Second Amendment right to bear arms.
The Glorious Revolution has long been recognized in Britain as a founding event that has shaped the character of the nation ever since. But this First Revolution has gotten much less attention in the United States. For much of the second half of the twentieth century, academic historians in this country as well as in Britain have devoted much more attention to the events of 1641–60, events that brought to the fore radicals who could be seen as ancestors of the Marxist revolutionaries of the twentieth century. The Glorious Revolution was seen, in contrast, as something in the nature of a coup d’état brought off by royals and nobles, a shuffling of power between dead white males (never mind that important parts were played by Princesses Mary and Anne, Queen Mary Beatrice, and Sarah Churchill). But there is a strong argument that the events of 1641–60 were less than consequential in shaping the English polity and what would become the American inheritance than was the Revolution of 1688–89 and the Revolutionary settlement that was worked out in the 1690s. Those changes proved to be far more enduring.
The Revolution of 1688–89 was the first change of government in England that was at the time called a revolution. Twentieth-century historians often refer to the events of 1641–60 as the English Revolution,1 but this complicated series of events—described by recent historians as three separate civil wars and a republican interregnum—was not called a revolution in the seventeenth century.2 In contrast, the events of 1688–89 were the first to be widely, almost universally, labeled a revolution by contemporaries.3
The First Revolution was a tremendously consequential event and a tremendously improbable one. “I cannot forbear remarking,” wrote the Cumberland landowner and regional political magnate Sir John Lowther in his Memoirs of the Reign of James II, “how wonderfullie this thing succeeded in opposition to so many visible and apparent accidents, anie one of which whereof they had happened, the whole design must certainly have miscarried.”4 It was, writes historian J. G. A. Pocock, an “amazing and unpredicted transaction,”5 or, as the historian Paul Rahe writes, it “was by no means inevitable. It more nearly resembled a freak accident.”6 William of Orange, stadholder of the Netherlands, assembled an army variously estimated at 15,000 to 20,000 men and a flotilla of five hundred ships, crossed the English Channel in the usually wind-tossed month of November, then pushed James II to order his army to retreat without a battle. Princess Mary, William’s wife, and Princess Anne cooperated in the ouster of their father, James II. It was, as Pocock continues, “a spectacular display of reason of state rising above the restraints of common morality; daughters dethroned their father, even the sanitized version of King Lear was hard to perform for many years, and what William of Orange and John Churchill severally did is still enough to take your breath away if you think about it.”7 Or, as the Calvinist and usually humorless William said to the Anglican clergyman Gilbert Burnet after his troops successfully landed in England, “Well, Doctor, what do you think of predestination now?”8
The First Revolution happened in an England and a Europe very different from today’s. This mostly bloodless revolution occurred after more than a century of religious wars. In England, Henry VIII broke with the Catholic Church when denied a divorce, and in 1532 was declared the Supreme Head of the Church of England. Under Henry and his young successor Edward VI, the Church of England adopted many Protestant doctrines: the king was the Supreme Head of the Church, monasteries were closed, English translations of the Bible and an English Prayer Book were introduced.9 Edward died at 16 and was succeeded in 1553 by his older sister Mary I, who returned England to Catholicism and executed some 300 Protestants. She died in 1558 and her Protestant sister Elizabeth I reestablished the Church of England.
Despite the established Church of England, many forms of belief persisted under Elizabeth and her successor James I (1603–25). There were Puritans, a loosely defined group who wanted to simplify Church ritual and belief, and Presbyterians, who believed that the Church should be governed by elders selected by congregations rather than by bishops selected by the king. There were, living secretly and also in the open, Catholics who remained loyal to the Church of Rome. Religious differences played an important role in the Civil War that broke out between Charles I and Parliament in 1642 and that resulted in the execution of the king in 1649. The parliamentary governments led by Oliver Cromwell and others banned Church of England clergy from preaching, ordered Catholic priests out of the kingdom, and stripped churches of ornament and paintings and broke stained-glass windows. When Charles II was restored to the throne in 1660, the Church of England was again established. But in the years since Charles I was executed, there had grown up Dissenting Protestant sects that would in time be known as Presbyterians, Congregationalists, Baptists, and Quakers. The treatment of these Dissenting Protestants and of Catholics became lively political issues in Charles II’s reign and that of his brother James II (1685–88). 10
These religious struggles in England went on simultaneously but not in close connection with the struggles between Protestantism and Catholicism in continental Europe. Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the church at Wittenberg in 1517 and defended his doctrines at the Diet of Worms, summoned by the young Emperor Charles V in 1521. Lutheranism and other forms of Protestantism spread in what is now Germany, Scandinavia, France, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Hungary through much of the sixteenth century. The Peace of Augsburg of 1555 was based on the principle of cuius regio eius religio: the ruler of each state would determine its religion. Protestantism seemed to prevail over about half of Christian Europe.
The Catholic Church responded to this Reformation with a Counter-Reformation. The Council of Trent, concluded in 1563, reaffirmed traditional Catholic doctrine and ordered internal reforms of the Church. Counter-Reformation Catholicism was characterized by a rigorous faith, elaborate ceremony with incense and inspiring music, beautifully decorated baroque churches to inspire awe and to make the Mass an emotionally moving experience. The baroque churches still found today from Rome to France and Germany, Bohemia and Poland, Spain and the Spanish and Portuguese colonies of Latin America are concrete evidence of the confidence and verve of the Counter-Reformation Catholic Church.
In different countries Catholics went on the offensive. In France, leading Protestant Huguenots were murdered in the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre in 1572; after the Huguenot Henri IV became king in 1589, he faced civil war and converted to Catholicism, concluding, “Paris is worth a Mass.” In what is now Germany, the Catholic Hapsburg Holy Roman Emperors went on the offensive in the Thirty Years’ War (1618–48), and Protestantism was extirpated in what are now the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, and large parts of Germany. The treaties of Westphalia ended this conflict in 1648, recognizing the independence of states, including those within the Holy Roman Empire, and the right of their rulers to determine their religion. The United Provinces of the Netherlands, which had been fighting their Catholic Spanish overlords since 1568, were recognized as an independent Protestant nation, outside the empire. But the overall result of these religious wars was that by the late seventeenth century about two-thirds of the people of Christian Europe lived in Catholic domains and “between 1590 and 1690 the geographical reach of Protestantism shrank from one-half to one-fifth of the land area of the continent.”11 “Every observer of the contemporary scene knew that effectively the principle of cuius regio eius religio operated,” writes the historian K. H. D. Haley. “No Catholic king ruled over a Protestant people.”12
England and the United Provinces, the two states intimately involved in the First Revolution, were thus small Protestant outliers on the northwest fringes of a mostly Catholic continent. They were also exceptions to the trend in Europe toward stability imposed by absolutist governments.13 “In 1590,” writes Reformation historian Diarmaid MacCulloch, “around half of the European land-mass was under the control of Protestant governments and/or Protestant culture: in 1690 the figure was only around a fifth.”14 Christian Europe, that is Europe excluding the Ottoman Empire, which came up to the gates of Vienna in 1683, had about 100 million people at the time of the Glorious Revolution. England had about 5 million,15 its sister kingdoms Scotland and Ireland about 1 and 2 million respectively. Britain’s North American colonies had about 250,000. London was the one huge city in the British Isles, with 375,000 people around 1650 and 490,000 around 1700, about 10 percent of England’s population. The next largest town, Norwich, had only 30,000, and there were about 60 towns with populations between 2,500 and 11,000.16 The United Provinces of the Netherlands had 2 million people. In contrast, France was a demographic monster, with 20 million people, and there were about 18 million in the many states that now make up Germany. Spain, sapped by constant warfare and colonial overextension, had about 7.5 million and the Spanish Netherlands, approximately today’s Belgium, another 1.5 million; Spain’s Latin American colonies had approximately 10 million, while the English North American colonies had only 280,000.17
France was not only the most populous nation in Europe, but by many measures the richest. Amsterdam and London had trade ties to large parts of the world, and the United Provinces and England had large navies; France could not only afford a large navy, but fielded huge armies besides. Its rich farmlands produced every nontropical crop, and its state-protected industries produced unmatched luxury goods. In the 1650s France had been preoccupied by the civil war known as the Fronde. But that was over by 1661, when Cardinal Mazarin died and the 23-year-old Louis XIV began 54 years of personal rule. Louis soon embarked on military campaigns to expand his kingdom. He started major wars in each decade. His forces were led by able generals and by the King himself on occasion; his military engineers and fortifications were the best in Europe. The French army invaded the United Provinces in 1672 with 130,000 men, outnumbering the Dutch forces by four to one.18
Louis also sought to expand the realm of Catholicism. “Louis spurred on the Duke of Savoy,” writes MacCulloch, “in his murderous campaign against his Protestant subjects: Louis overturned his grandfather’s religious settlement for France by revoking the Edict of Nantes in 1685. Louis conquered largely Protestant lands of the Empire in Alsace, finally making a Catholic Strasbourg out of Martin Bucer’s proud Strassburg, which long before had been the prime candidate to lead the Protestant world.”19
Louis XIV’s France, with its commitment to Catholicism and its trend toward absolutist government, seemed the wave of the future in the 1670s and 1680s. It was the largest nation-state and militarily the mightiest. Its king consolidated his power by setting aside institutions that traditionally limited royal power, like the Estates General, which did not meet from 1614 to 1789, and consigned the formerly powerful regional nobles to the ritualized court life of first the Louvre and then Versailles. Other rulers followed his example. In Bavaria and Brandenburg forceful rulers broke the power of the estates, as did the rulers of the Rhenish Palatinate and Baden. A similar process occurred in the domains of the Austrian Hapsburgs. Denmark and, a quarter-century later, Sweden developed absolutist government, while in Spain and Portugal the power of the legislative assemblies, the Cortes, was sharply curtailed.20 Many in the smaller German states feared the trend would prevail there.21 Republicanism was on the wane, alive in the bustling Netherlands and backward Switzerland, ailing in a declining Venice and extinct in most of the rest of Italy (with the conspicuous exception of the small city of Lucca), defunct after the Restoration in England. The forces resisting absolutism were those asserting ancient, arguably feudal, rights, and local particularity: the vestiges of the past. Absolutism, seemingly modern and efficient, seemed the way of the future.22
Yet in the long run absolutism did not prevail. Out of one corner of Europe, in the British Isles, an alternative emerged, constitutional monarchy with limits on government, guaranteed rights, relatively benign religious toleration, and free market global capitalism. After the Glorious Revolution the merchant class as well as the nobility successful cabined in the power of king and prince. The nobility did not totally dominate the life of society, and merchants and entrepreneurs were left free to trade and innovate.23 And here the key event was the First Revolution, in which the Protestant stadholder of the Netherlands supplanted the Catholic king of England, Scotland, and Ireland, and ensured that those countries would continue on a course very different from that of France and its continental imitators. This First Revolution was thus a long step forward toward the kind of society we take for granted now. It provided the backdrop for the amazing growth, prosperity, and military success of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Britain—and for the American Revolution and the even more amazing growth, prosperity, and military success of the United States.
Here is the improbable story of how it happened.From the Hardcover edition.
Excerpted from Our First Revolution by Michael Barone. Copyright © 2007 by Michael Barone. Excerpted by permission of Three Rivers Press, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. | <urn:uuid:f9c9d26b-6024-48ed-82c5-ca29e4d5e12d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.randomhouse.com/book/8897/our-first-revolution-by-michael-barone/9780307394385/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974619 | 3,444 | 3.40625 | 3 |
Flowing in Norfolk
Meet our Leadership
Meet our Friends
The History of River Ministries (Norfolk)
Assemblies of God in Watton - History
The early work 1930 - 1953
Milstead moved to Watton to start a branch of Hiltons shoe shop and along with
his wife and three daughters began a small meeting in their home. The family
ministered in Watton for several decades, and even after they moved to the
Yarmouth area, they still came over to lead meetings in the town. After a few
years, in the early 1930's, the church moved to an attic room in Middle Street,
which became known as "The Upper Room." It was a building with low ceilings,
lit by gas lamps and heated with a tortoise stove, accessed only by a narrow
twisty flight of steps.
Mr. J. Quantrell left the AoG Bible
College in Hampstead Heath amongst the early Pentecostal pioneers. He was one
of the first people in East Anglia to be baptised in the Holy Spirit. He became
a pioneer in the area, beginning new works in various Norfolk towns. Working
from Norwich AoG he oversaw the work in Watton, and was Pastor of the church
for a time. A photo survives from 1948 of a District Council Meeting, which was
held in the Upper Room at Watton, and includes Keith Munday, then at Diss
Assembly, Mr. Horsford from Wymondham AoG, Mr. J. Quantrell, and Mrs. Sargeant
from Lakenheath Assembly. Keith Munday preached on "Evangelism Today."
Left to Right: Keith Munday (Diss), Bro
Horswood (Wymondham), Bro Quantrill (Watton),
K. Pavitt (Norwich), Mrs
Sargeant (Lakenheath), Bro Charter (Thetford)
Reaching out 1953 - 1988
1953 Philip Quantrell, one of Mr. Quantrell's sons, felt a call to the small,
often struggling churches in the region, and along with a group of about six
people from the thriving 150 strong, Norwich Assembly, came to Watton to
conduct a month's evangelistic campaign on Saturday, Sunday, and Tuesday
evenings. The Lord blessed this outreach, several people were saved, and the
Church in Watton grew to about 50 people.
Another crusade was planned the following
year, and Tom Woods an evangelist from Hackney, was invited to speak. His
letter agreeing to come from 5th to 16th July 1954 gave the Assembly in Watton
just nine days to publicise and organise the event. The Sale Room, down Norwich
Road, (now the National Westminster Bank) was hired and a week of prayer
The outlying villages around Watton
were visited and the meetings were advertised by means of loudspeakers and
posters. Mr. J. Quantrell, then Pastor, reported afterwards, in a Campaign
Review booklet, "From the outset the presence of God was felt in a very real
way. After the first meeting one or two people came forward to be prayed for,
and the next evening testified that God had healed them. On the third night the
first decision for Christ was recorded and by the end of the Campaign thirteen
precious souls had accepted Christ as Saviour. Several outstanding healings
took place and God was greatly glorified." Mr. Woods later wrote the following
to the believers in Watton "The Spirit speaks to establish the church on real
New Testament lines. To gather out of a world ruined a people for His Name.
Tom Woods (1954) Evangelist from Hackney
To establish Christ's claims and to allow
Him liberty to work miracles amongst us, and to endow us with inspirational,
revelative, and dynamic gifts. To place upon all the sons and daughters of the
LAST TIME REVIVAL the mark of heaven, and to lift them to the prophetic realm."
Mr. C. Austin, a farmer from Threxton,
was treasurer in the Church at the time of the 1954 Mission, and later became
Pastor of the Church, in about 1974. Others who ministered in the Church during
these years were Mr. Frank Cantell, Pastor of the Norwich Assembly; Mr.
Lindford; Mr. Hindmarsh; Mr. Fulcher from Carleton Road; and Mr. Roland Forder,
who was very much involved with the work in Watton.
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Godfrey moved to Watton
in 1975 and became involved with the ministry in the Upper Room; they had
previously attended an Elim Church in Croydon. Attendance at the Church was
quite low at this time, but members were nonetheless enthusiastic. Mr. Godfrey
noted, "The singing was lively and a good Word from the Lord was given by a
gentleman who turned out to be a Pastor Austin." Mr. Godfrey, who still attends
the Church, became Church secretary, and was one of the original trustees for
the building in Dereham Road.
In 1977 Pastor Austin and Mr. Forder
heard that the Congregational Chapel in Dereham Road was for sale. A mortgage
was secured from Assemblies of God Property Trust and the building was
purchased. Keith Monument spoke at the opening service.
The work again began reaching out to the
people in Watton by holding a two-week crusade. Home Missions sent two young
girls to help with this work, who amongst other things leafleted the whole
area. Several new people joined the Church as a result of this Mission.
Mr. Roger Forder, Mr. Forder's son ran a
thriving Sunday School at 10.00am before the Morning Service, the children
would sometimes take part in the services, and their parents were encouraged to
attend. Sunday School outings became a popular feature each year.
In 1986 Mr. Austin retired as Pastor, and
Mr. Les Bibby was appointed in his place. Mr. Bibby had trained at Mattersey
Bible College, and had previously pastored at Diss, though sadly again numbers
gradually dwindled. In 1988 he too had to move, to provide for his young
Standing firm 1988 - 2000
9th April 1988 Mr. Chris Pye was inducted as Pastor. Mr. Philip Quantrell, who
was by this time Pastor at Hingham, spoke at the induction service, which was
attended by several AoG ministers from East Anglia. Chris, a farmer from
Ovington, was a relatively inexperienced pastor, but had a strong call of God
on his life to work in Watton.
In 1989 the Church joined with other
churches from the area, and became involved with the Billy Graham 'live-link'
mission at St. Andrews Church, Hingham. Although several people from Watton
were saved as a result of this outreach, it did not really affect the AoG
Church. Relationships with other Churches in Watton were established, at this
time, as the Church became involved with what is now Churches Together in
In 1992, a portable Baptistry was
put up in the Church building, and a joint Baptism was held with Watton
Community Church, who had recently been planted in the town and had
subsequently taken AoG status. 15 people from the two Churches were baptised
altogether, including many young people. This was the first baptism in the town
in living memory and also the first time that the two Churches had worked
In 1996 things took on a rather
unusual turn, when the Church became aware of a large number of Eastern
Europeans living in Watton.
Numbers in the Church see-sawed,
though there were never more than thirty attending, by God's grace, Chris was
able to stand firm, and the work continued.
Right: a candidate for baptism giving their testimony
However it soon became apparent that it
would be good to investigate joining together with the Community Church. After
several meetings sorting out all the legal procedures, and pastoral issues
concerned, it was resolved to amalgamate the two Churches.
A fresh vision - 2000 onwards
On 1st January 2000, at the stroke of midnight, amidst great
celebration, the two Churches became one, a new Church for a new Millennium! It
was renamed Watton Pentecostal Church, a part of River Ministries (Norfolk) and
both memberships were invited to be part of the new church. Pastor Chris Pye
became Pastor of Watton Pentecostal Church, and Rev. Roger Pawsey, who had been
Pastor of the Community Church, became Pastor of River Ministries. The two
Church Councils joined, to make a strong ministry team, to enable the new
vision to be worked out.
The Assemblies of God Church had been
subject to a history of splits and divisions causing numbers to drastically
diminish, though God's grace has always enabled the work in Watton to remain.
When it came together with the Community
Church, it was on a basis of unity, where each member of the two Church
Councils lay down their own ministries, with members taking up those ministries
that would best serve the continuing work in the area.
If we can help in anyway by sharing our experiences,
please contact us | <urn:uuid:b5196e92-7b8b-4f65-8e20-4994e8894c7c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.watton.org/riverministries/history/historywattonaog.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977266 | 1,996 | 1.851563 | 2 |
Norman Foster’s New York Public Library Re-do: Building a Better Barnes & Noble?
The New York Public Library has finally revealed Norman Foster’s designs for the $300 million renovation of its iconic building on Fifth Avenue, a project I wrote about in the December issue of Vanity Fair. The plan, which calls for the removal of the seven-story original book stacks on the west side of the building and the insertion of an entirely new public circulating library in its place, was announced quietly in 2008, put on the shelf during the financial downturn, and brought back to life in 2011, provoking no small amount of controversy over the wisdom of making such a dramatic change to what is unquestionably the city’s most beloved cultural building. All of the battling was over the concept, however, not the specifics of Foster’s design.
I’ve had two reactions to the scheme, now that we’ve seen what Foster actually has in mind. The first is that the premise on which the project is based, which is that the old book stacks are difficult if not impossible to bring up to current standards of temperature and humidity control and fireproofing, is understandable, and while it’s troubling to consider such drastic alterations to Carrere and Hastings’s original, incomparable design, it does make sense for the sake of the books. A lot of things have changed in the world since the library was completed in 1911, and while this great building has been able to accommodate most of them without major physical changes, it does not strain credibility to say that providing ideal conditions for the preservation of books does not fall into that category. Tony Marx, the library’s president, claims that books will be stored in conditions “five times safer” than they are now. I’m not sure I know how to judge the accuracy of that figure, but I accept the idea. And since the old stacks are not open to the public and the new library will consist almost entirely of public space, an enormous amount of the building that is now off-limits to most of us will be made available to everyone—66 percent of the library’s space, Marx says, compared with 30 percent now.
All well and good, as is the idea of freeing us all from the dilapidated Mid-Manhattan Library across the street (its contents will constitute the new circulating library). Once again scholars and the public will share this great building, as, in fact, Carrere and Hastings meant them to, and as they did until 1971. The problem is that Foster, so far, does not seem to have produced the modern equivalent of Carrere and Hastings, as he was expected to do. He is probably the leading architect in the world in the category of modernist insertions into historic buildings, and his best works in this sphere—the glass dome atop the Reichstag in Berlin, the glass-roofed courtyard at the British Museum in London, the metal-and-glass Sackler Galleries at the Royal Academy of Art in London, and the Hearst Tower in New York—are all bold pieces of contemporary architecture that engage historic buildings in vibrant, potent dialogue. Foster’s best buildings have an edge to them. They are sharp and crisp, and they exude an air of cool, self-assured modernity. Foster’s interventions never mimic the forms of the old. Instead, they have a lightness that serves as a perfect counterpoint to the weight and gravitas of the old.
Perhaps, in time, the library design will do the same; the architect admits he is still working on it. As the matter now stands, however, Foster’s plan seems cautious, as if it were trying too hard to get along with the original building. The design has a lot of wood and bronze, with curving balconies and a double curving staircase that bears an odd resemblance to the grand staircase at the Metropolitan Opera. It’s great that the architect wants to reveal the interior west façade of the Carrere and Hastings building—an unusual, even unique, wall of monumental vertical windows that no one can see in its entirety from the inside now. But the problem here isn’t the big idea; it’s the details. Foster seems to be trying to be soft and easy, and the result comes off looking vaguely corporate, and more than a little like a department store, or a Barnes & Noble.
I’ve always liked Foster’s architecture in part because it didn’t try too hard to be likable. His most successful buildings have a sharp intelligence to them that commands respect, and you end up feeling comfortable in them precisely because they don’t try to be warm and cuddly. Foster at his best wins you over with ideas, not sentiment. There is excitement and drama in Foster buildings, but not easy emotion. If he could bring himself to make this design a little sharper, even tougher, it might end up, paradoxically, being a lot easier to feel good in. | <urn:uuid:81b4f44d-4f74-43d1-92e1-1e18a3211120> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.vanityfair.com/online/oscars/2012/12/Norman-Fosters-New-York-Public-Library-Re-do-Building-a-Better-Barnes-Noble?slide=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00071-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96857 | 1,051 | 1.757813 | 2 |
February is Pet Dental Health Month. The American Veterinary Dental Society estimates that 80 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats show signs of oral disease by age three!
What if you had to go without brushing your teeth for a week? What if you had to stop for a year? Unthinkable, right? Yet many pet owners neglect the dental health of their cats and dogs.
Not only does this make their breath bad and their smile yellow, it can lead to periodontal disease or gingivitis. Pets can get swollen and bleeding gums and painful cavities. I know about this personally. Once our cat, Brownie, stated losing weight. I noticed she was not eating as much as usual and wondered if she was sick. When I took her in, the veterinarian showed me that the problem was her teeth: they had gotten so bad that it hurt to eat!
Your your dog or cat may be suffering, too, but it has no way to tell you!
Poor dental care can even lead to kidney, liver, or heart disease.
Yes, it is hard to get a cat or dog to sit still and endure teeth brushing, but it can be done.
Here are some tips:
Buy pet toothpaste. Look for a pet toothpaste with enzymes. It comes in different flavors, try poultry. Pet tooth paste is safe for pets to swallow and they like the taste. Never use toothpaste made for humans, which can make a pet sick.
You can buy the toothpaste online or at a retail pet store. It should run you $5 to $6. If you buy online, look for a coupon code at check out. Open another window and do a search for the name of the online store along with the words “coupon code.” You can also try a search with the name of the store and”free shipping.” You may find a code to save you some money.
Buy a pet toothbrush. Some are specially shaped and have two sides so you can brush front and back at once. All have soft bristles. Pet toothbrushes run from $3 to $10. You can even get electric ones. You can also use just a child’s soft toothbrush. You can get those at the dollar store to save money.
If you are just starting, you may want to consider buying a kit that has both the toothpaste and the toothbrush. I have some links below to buy through Amazon.
Let your dog or cat try the taste. Massage the gums with your finger. Once the animal starts accepting or even looking forward to this new ritual, introduce a toothbrush.
Periodontal disease usually affects the upper, back teeth first and worst so make sure you cover those areas. Try to clean near the gum, just like you do when you do your own teeth.
For a cat or a small dog, hold it in your lap. For a larger dog, have a leash on.
Accept that a bit of chewing or mouthing in inevitable. Do not get frustrated and give up. It may take several weeks for the two of you to get the process down.
Do the best you can. Even if you cannot brush every tooth completely, the enzymes in the toothpaste will help clean the teeth, and some brushing is better than none. You may be able to do a btter job as you get both get used to it.
Establish a ritual, a time of day when you always do it so you do not forget. Follow up with praise and maybe even a treat. Give yourself a treat, too, so you look forward to the ritual. Do it every day.
Dental chews, rawhide, dental bones and other healthy products can help, but do not think they can replace brushing.
If your pet already has signs of periodontal disease, you will need a professional cleaning by your veterinarian. This is expensive because it requires anesthesia. Your pet may require a professional cleaning less frequently if you maintain a routine of brushing, so you save money.
Pat yourself on the back for taking good care of your pet despite your busy schedule. And enjoy a beautiful smile on your pet.
If you love pets, please pass the word on about brushing teeth. Let me know if you have other tips.
A condensed version of this article can be found on eHow.
I found a couple good pet toothbrush / toothpaste kits on Amazon and the links are below. | <urn:uuid:7a7df5fe-df65-4050-9e81-9a91b13a24cb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://creativezazz.com/tag/dog/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958433 | 929 | 2.546875 | 3 |
Vitamin D supplementation may aid in weight loss, study says
August 6, 2009 by Personal Liberty News Desk
New research suggests those who have higher levels of vitamin D while embarking on a low-calorie diet may be more successful in losing weight.
The study was conducted at the University of Minnesota and measured blood levels of vitamin D in 38 overweight people before and after they followed a diet for 11 weeks that had 750 calories a day fewer than their estimated needs.
The researchers found that for every increase of 1 nanogram per milliliter in level of a vitamin D precursor, the participants lost about a half pound more. For each 1 ng/mL increase in the active form of the vitamin, they lost almost one-quarter pound more.
In addition, those with higher baseline vitamin D levels tended to experience a greater loss of abdominal fat.
"Vitamin D deficiency is associated with obesity, but it is not clear if inadequate vitamin D causes obesity or the other way around," says Dr Shalamar Sibley, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Minnesota.
However, she adds the results of the study support the theory that vitamin D supplementation while on a low-calorie diet can contribute to greater weight loss. | <urn:uuid:ff4e70dd-1e26-4925-ae7d-378abf346f15> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://personalliberty.com/2009/08/06/vitamin-d-supplementation-may-aid-in-weight-loss-study-says-19301436/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00030-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935774 | 252 | 2.40625 | 2 |
Anybody remember Schlomo Raven? This was the first volume of Fiction Illustrated, a graphic novel experiment from 1976. This book and the second in the series, a sci-fi adventure called Starfawn by Byron Preiss and Steve Fabian, were published only in this weird little 5 x 6 1/2" format, and printed on cheap comic book paper. Volume 3, Jim Steranko's Chandler, appeared in both this format and in a larger deluxe edition, while the final book, The Son of Sherlock Holmes by Byron Preiss and Ralph Reese, was only offered in the large format.
Schlomo Raven is a hardboiled dick, but played for laughs in the MAD comic style of Harvey Kurtzman and Will Elder. If anything can be said to be more over the top than Kurtzman and Elder, this is it. The first of two stories, called "The Farx Job," lampoons not only the Marx Brothers but Karloff and Lugosi in character as the Monster and Dracula. The other tale, "Rosebug," takes on Orson Wells and Citizen Kane. Sophomoric humor, to be sure, but you're in the mood for it, this delivers.
More amazing Forgotten Books at Patti Abbott's pattinase! | <urn:uuid:4d0363f7-5ffe-44ff-aadb-ac88d2684855> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://davycrockettsalmanack.blogspot.co.uk/2010/11/forgotten-books-schlomo-raven-by-bryon.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953726 | 260 | 1.507813 | 2 |
The Southwest Review is the third oldest continuously published literary quarterly in America. It was established in 1915 at the University of Texas at Austin by a coterie of faculty members dedicated to the belief that there was a place for arts and letters in the land of cotton fields, cattle ranches, and oil wells. They christened their publication The Texas Review. Its first editor, Stark Young, wrote that “The Texas Review does not dream of great popularity” and “pleasing the general” and will not “reek of the Texas soil.” From its inception, the magazine set out to publish the best works it received neither attempting to please a mass audience nor limited by its region. The inaugural issue opened with a letter from the critic Edmund Gosse dated London, March 23, 1915, which said The Texas Review would “have the advantage of slighter competition in Europe,” an ominous foreshadowing of the subsequent years of the first World War. His letter went on to say he was certain the magazine would “uphold the banner of scholarly elegance” and further would “stoop to no word unworthy of the Muses.”
In August of 1924, The Texas Review moved to its new home at Southern Methodist University and was rechristened the Southwest Review. The name change echoed what the new editors sought to represent, “the new Southwest,” a region that was rapidly making the transition from cotton and cattle to skyscraper and city.
Southwest Review editors, advisory editors, and contributing editors have been drawn from both inside and outside the Southern Methodist University faculty, and have included Jay Hubbell, George Bond, John McGinnis, Allen Maxwell, Henry Nash Smith, Mary Austin, J. Frank Dobie, Lon Tinkle, and Margaret Hartley.
Contrary to popular assumption, J. Frank Dobie did not found the Southwest Review nor was he sole editor-in-chief; though over the course of his career he did serve as a contributing, associate, and co-editor. He was an influential and longtime supporter of the magazine. In turn, the magazine published over fifty of his works, including stories, essays, poems, and reviews.
From 1932 to 1935, Louisiana State University and Southern Methodist University joined forces to publish the Southwest Review. Cleanth Brooks joined the magazine as a contributing editor in 1932 and, along with Robert Penn Warren, was named an associate editor in 1935. With the help of the collaboration, the Southwest Review was able to continue publishing, without ceasing, during these years of the Great Depression. The arrangement ended in 1935 when Louisiana State University founded The Southern Review.
In 1984, for the first time in forty years, editorial responsibility for the magazine was returned to a member of the faculty. Willard Spiegelman, professor of English, was named editor-in-chief, a position he still holds. In 2005, Mr. Spiegelman won the PEN/Nora Magid award for literary editing. PEN stated, “The Southwest Review has emerged in the last twenty years as one of the best literary quarterlies in the United States. Poetry and fiction, memoirs and criticism, appear side by side in its pages, in balanced proportions . . . It seems impartially welcoming both toward luminous and unfamiliar names, so long as the writing is genuine.”
Southwest Review contributors have included D. H. Lawrence, Maxim Gorky, Cleanth Brooks, Robert Penn Warren, Mary Austin, Quentin Bell, Horton Foote, Larry McMurtry, Joyce Carol Oates, Amy Clampitt, James Merrill, Margaret Drabble, Iris Murdoch, Arthur Miller, Naguib Mahfouz, and many others.
Southern Methodist University
PO Box 750374 . Dallas TX 75275-0374
214-768-1037 . Fax 214-768-1408
Copyright Southwest Review 2013 | <urn:uuid:4e32c160-fac5-41e5-9e1d-95063cb652a1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://smu.edu/southwestreview/History.asp | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00020-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965082 | 804 | 2.078125 | 2 |
loggerhead sea turtles
This morning the government announced a decision, long in the making, to designate 739 miles of Atlantic and Gulf coastline as critical habitat for threatened loggerhead sea turtles.
Loggerheads face threats from all sides, including from pollution, degradation of foraging areas, and serious injury and death from entanglement in fishing gear. They’re also faced with the loss of their nesting habitat due to coastal development as well as sea level rise.
Loggerheads, which make some of the longest journeys of any sea turtle—across entire ocean basins—nest on beaches from Texas to Virginia, but 90 percent of U.S. loggerhead nesting occurs in Florida. This new protection means that any new beachside hotels, homes or commercial construction built on protected beaches that require federal permits would need to be reviewed to prevent harm to nesting areas.
Oceana marine scientist Amanda Keledjian explained why the protections are crucial:
“Turtles are often caught in fishing gear, struck by moving vessels, or risk ingesting debris such as plastic bags. The National Marine Fisheries Service must follow up on this action and designate off-shore areas as well as waters directly adjacent to nesting beaches if they want these vulnerable populations to recover.”
The new protections came about as a result of a lawsuit filed earlier this year by the Center for Biological Diversity, Oceana, and Turtle Island Restoration Network, after the government failed to respond to previous petitions filed by the groups dating back to 2007. In 2011, loggerhead sea turtles worldwide were protected as nine separate populations under the Endangered Species Act, triggering the requirement to designate critical habitat.
The government will now accept public comments about the proposal and the protections are expected to take effect in 2014. Stay tuned to hear about ways that you can help ensure that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service does not withdraw many of these proposed beaches when these protections are finalized.
Yesterday Oceana and its supporters braved foul weather to protest a truly foul idea. Armed with airhorns and megaphones they gave the Department of the Interior (DOI) a tiny preview of what is in store for the ocean’s inhabitants should the Department allow seismic airgun testing to go forward in the Atlantic Ocean.
The DOI is currently reviewing a proposal to use seismic airguns to search for pockets of oil and gas in a huge expanse of ocean from Delaware to Florida. The effects of these round-the-clock tests, which will run for days on end with dynamite-like blasts firing at 10 second intervals, will be devastating to marine mammals and fish alike.
As Oceana marine scientist Matthew Huelsenbeck said at the event:
“There is only one word that I can use that sums up this proposal: unacceptable. The levels of impacts to protected dolphins and whales, including critically endangered species like the North Atlantic right whale are simply unacceptable.”
Fishing gear should be killing fewer sea turtles, not more – and today we filed a complaint with the government saying just that.
Oceana’s complaint is in response to the U.S. government’s decision in October 2010 to allow eight East Coast fisheries to harm 14 times more threatened loggerhead sea turtles – raising the limit from 42 to 610.
Oceana is disputing the U.S. government’s decision to allow these fisheries to injure and kill more loggerhead sea turtles without adequately assessing the aggregate impacts of the fisheries on this species. The fisheries harm leatherback, Kemp’s ridley, and green sea turtles as well, and those species also would benefit from proper assessments of the fisheries’ impacts.
Oceana’s complaint addresses eight federal fisheries, including those for monkfish and for summer flounder, scup and black sea bass, which are responsible for the highest levels of sea turtle bycatch in the region.
Oceana is calling on the U.S. to implement simple solutions to protect and restore sea turtle populations in the Atlantic, including turtle escape hatches in trawls, adopting adequate monitoring of fisheries that catch sea turtles, capping the allowable catch of sea turtles and where necessary, closing areas for fishing when and where sea turtles are present.
Today’s trivia post is about an animal we talk about a lot: the loggerhead sea turtle.
Loggerheads are named for their broad heads and strong jaws, which they use to force open even large hard shellfish like conchs and giant clams. Loggerheads are found throughout tropical and warm temperate waters, and are the most common sea turtle in the Mediterranean. Loggerheads have a redder hue than most sea turtles, and they are often coated in barnacles and algae.
Because they drink salty sea water, they have developed glands near their eyes that can get rid of this salt, which makes females onshore to nest look like they’re crying. Scientists theorize that adult loggerheads use the Earth’s magnetism to navigate – how cool is that?
Loggerheads, which are considered endangered, are frequently caught accidentally by the fishing industry; other threats include beach erosion and development, pesticides, and oil spills. Oceana’s sea turtle campaign focuses on preventing sea turtle bycatch, protecting habitat, and promoting legislation that keeps turtles safe.
You can learn more about loggerhead sea turtles from Oceana’s marine wildlife encyclopedia.
Last week the U.S. government issued bittersweet news for loggerhead sea turtles.
First, the good news: After almost four years of debate, the government decided to upgrade Pacific loggerhead sea turtles to “endangered” from “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act. The bad news is that Atlantic loggerhead turtles will still be considered “threatened,” despite the recommendations of the government’s own scientists.
Loggerheads have declined by at least 80 percent in the North Pacific and could become functionally or ecologically extinct by the mid-21st century if additional protections are not put into place. Meanwhile, Florida beaches, which host the largest nesting population of loggerheads in the Northwest Atlantic, have seen more than a 25 percent decline in nesting since 1998.
In 2009, a team of government scientists published a report that classified both populations of loggerhead turtles as “currently at risk of extinction.” In other words, the government dismissed its own scientists’ conclusions about Northwest Atlantic loggerheads.
The government’s review of loggerhead status was prompted in 2007 by petitions from Oceana, the Center for Biological Diversity and the Turtle Island Restoration Network, which asked the government to enforce stronger protections for loggerheads and their habitats.
Unfortunately, the government has also postponed measures that would establish critical loggerhead habitats, an important step in achieving improved protections for key nesting beaches and migratory and feeding areas in the ocean.
We’re making progress, but as you can see, there’s still a long way to go. We’ll continue working to protect sea turtles – and you can help. Tell your representative to save sea turtles from extinction.
Sea turtles have had a rough year. In 2010, more than 600 sea turtles were found either dead or injured on Gulf of Mexico shores, and 563 have already washed up just halfway into 2011.
This sudden spike in sea turtle mortality is due in part to the catastrophic oil spill in the Gulf in April, but Oceana has recently discovered that someone else may be to blame: the Gulf shrimp fishery.
Oceana recently found that the fishery is not currently required to use Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs), which spare most sea turtles from getting caught and drowning in their skimmer trawls used for catching shrimp. This lack of proper regulation, coupled with the fishery’s noncompliance or ignorance of TED requirements for other types of trawls, has led to the enormous number of recent sea turtle deaths.
What you might not know is that under the Endangered Species Act, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) authorizes fisheries to injure or kill a specific number of sea turtles. More than 98 percent of all sea turtle interactions authorized to U.S. fisheries are given to the shrimp fishery.
The new issue of the Oceana Magazine has arrived!
This issue features news from the Gulf, including an in-depth look at the dangers of offshore drilling. The magazine also explores offshore wind as a source of clean, safe, sustainable energy.
Also included: updated news on the status of loggerhead sea turtles, and the latest happenings in our newest office in Belize, plus a profile of "Top Chef" finalist Bryan Voltaggio. Chef Voltaggio even gave us the recipe for one of his favorite sustainable fish dinners so you can make it at home!
Check out the magazine for more Oceana goodies.
We're celebrating a big win yesterday for loggerhead sea turtles.
In response to two petitions submitted in 2007 by Oceana, the Center for Biological Diversity and the Turtle Island Restoration Network, yesterday the National Marine Fisheries Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service issued a proposed rule to change the status of North Pacific and Northwest Atlantic loggerhead sea turtles from “threatened” to “endangered” under the Endangered Species Act.
The government also proposed listing loggerhead sea turtles around the globe as nine separate populations, each with its own threatened or endangered status.
The change in listing status means the populations are in danger of extinction and will trigger a legal requirement for proposed critical habitat, an important step in achieving improved protections for key nesting beaches and migratory and feeding habitat in the ocean.
Editor's note: This is the last in a series of six blog posts from Emily and Kerri Lynn's trip to North Carolina to watch loggerhead sea turtles nesting. The most recent post was about a full loggerhead nesting.
After witnessing our first full loggerhead nesting, we woke up early, drank some much-needed coffee, then drove over to Jean Beasley’s Sea Turtle Hospital on Topsail Island, NC. After visting last year, I was curious to see how things had changed.
When we arrived, Jean and her team of interns were saying a tearful goodbye to a loggerhead sea turtle, Coastie, who died that morning after getting surgery at NC State in Raleigh.
“We can’t save them all, but we do the best we can,” Beasley told the group of solemn students ranging from middle-school to college age.
Currently housing 22 sea turtles, the hospital is getting too big for its britches. Everywhere you look, including the bathroom, are pools with sea turtles in them. A new, much bigger facility is in the works, but Beasley said she’s far from having the funding needed to complete the project.
As promised, I have more to report on our expedition to Bald Head Island, NC. After 3 nights on the island, Kerri Lynn and I had seen a female loggerhead's false crawl and the end of a female nesting.
With only one night remaining, we were really hoping to see the whole nesting process. We got our chance on the fourth night at 2 a.m. When we got to the beach it was starting to rain, and there was no moon in sight.
The interns told us that they had seen five sets of tracks -- all false crawls -- two of which they think were this female, since the tracks appeared similar. The turtle was at work digging her egg chamber, but we stayed at a distance to make sure we didn’t scare her off.
We stayed quiet and still, waiting for her to go into the nesting “trance” to get closer. We all turned our flashlights off, and as our eyes adjusted to the darkness, we could see glints of bioluminescent algae on her shell.
As soon as she started dropping eggs into the chamber, the interns gave us the go-ahead to get closer. They got busy measuring her shell and checking her for tagging IDs while we watched the eggs drop into the sandy pit she’d neatly dug. There was a noticeable chunk taken out of the back of her shell. The interns guessed that a predator had taken a bite when she was a juvenile. | <urn:uuid:dfa246e8-84d2-4870-bb1c-e1d5e02e9721> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://oceana.org/es/category/blog-free-tags/loggerhead-sea-turtles | 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 | 0.947675 | 2,659 | 2.953125 | 3 |
October 15, 2012
CHANGE: You’ve Heard of Urban Coyotes. Urban Bears Could Be Next. Historically, like grass growing in the streets, the return of dangerous wild animals to cities has been seen as a sign of civilizational collapse. Now it’s treated as a kind of progress. | <urn:uuid:4d833547-2ce0-47cc-9464-31235129e5ae> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://pjmedia.com/instapundit/153920/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.934807 | 63 | 1.765625 | 2 |
Before the holidays (and other gift-giving occasions), I sit down and have a brainstorm session to try to come up with thoughtful, meaningful gifts that are well suited to each person on my list. Then, I run those ideas through my budget filter, as well as another set of filters that I consider to be just as important: In an effort to be an environmentally and socially conscious consumer, I strive to choose gifts that meet one or more of the following criteria—many of which also happen to be economical:
- Non-Stuff: As Art Buchwald said, “The best things in life aren’t things.” Consider alternatives to material things, such as:
- Activities: Doing something special for/with someone or a group of friends or family (e.g., making a fancy dinner or going out to eat);
- Giving a gift certificate for a restaurant, a service (e.g. spa/massage), an educational opportunity (such as an online solar training course), or music/movie downloads (e.g., iTunes gift code by email); a ticket to a special event (e.g., a concert); or a voucher for a personal favor (e.g., babysitting or a household repair task); or
- Making a donation (or getting a membership) to a nonprofit organization on someone’s behalf.
- Homemade, handmade, or homegrown stuff: e.g., baked goods, jam, art, crafts. Or, if you have been growing herbs or have saved flower or vegetable seeds from your garden, I think that fresh or dried herbs (like rosemary, thyme, or lavender) and seeds (like cilantro/coriander, which can also be ground for use as a spice)—or flower bulbs or seedlings—can make really nice gifts.
- Locally-made or Fair Trade goods: You can help support your local economy/community by buying locally-made goods from small independent businesses in your town, or you could support a sustainable enterprise in a third-world country by purchasing Fair Trade goods. Whatever you do, try to avoid buying cheaply made (low quality, low durability) stuff that was manufactured with toxic materials in an overseas sweatshop; unfortunately, that description applies to a lot of the stuff sold in Big Box chain stores these days.
- Products with green attributes or purposes: e.g., a solar charger for cell phones and gadgets; gardening supplies or non-GMO seeds (e.g., Baker Creek Heirlooms or the Sustainable Seed Co.); organic cotton clothing; organic food; soaps or bath products made with entirely safe and biodegradable ingredients, etc. (Beware of “greenwashing,” of course. Look for third-party assessments/eco-labels that verify manufacturers’ environmental claims.) Find stores in your area that specialize in green products. Or shop online to minimize your driving; many green companies have online stores, e.g.:
- Patagonia: Recreational clothing and gear
- Organic Bouquet: Eco-Elegant Flowers & Gourmet Gifts, including organic chocolate
- Gaiam: Eco-friendly and organic lifestyle products
- Viva Terra: On sale at VivaTerra. Save up to 70% on natural home décor, organic gifts and more.
- Powell’s Books: Books on sustainability topic
- Re-gifted items or lightly-used finds: When I receive an item for which I don’t have any use, I don’t have qualms about re-gifting it (or donating it) to someone who would enjoy having it more than I would. In fact, I get great satisfaction out of redirecting things to the right recipients. You can also sometimes find a perfect and perfectly lovely gift for someone at a vintage/antique shop, yard sale, flea market, thrift store, or Craigslist. Some “pre-owned” items are treasures just waiting to be found.
- Eminently useful things: There are certain things that almost anyone can put to use, such as consumables (favorite specialty foods or spices), cozy socks, a mini-LED light for a keychain, or a good book about a topic of interest to the recipient.
- Small stuff: Try to choose items that don’t use a lot of resources, don’t require a lot of packaging/shipping material, and won’t take up much space in someone’s home. Sometimes the best gifts can fit into a stocking.
And if you still just can’t think of anything good to get for a certain person and you decide to get that person a gift certificate for a store, get one from a store that offers electronic/email gift notices (or else paper certificates) rather than disposable PVC plastic gift cards.
Lastly, minimize your use of store-bought/new wrapping paper. Some people like to use the cartoon section of their newspaper as wrapping paper. I keep a stash of reusable gift bags and ribbons that have come to me over the years. If the contents of a gift don’t need to be covered up, putting a nice ribbon or bow around it (sans wrapping paper) is an elegantly simple way to adorn it.
NOTE: See our newer post, Green Gifts (2.0) for more tips and suggestions.
For additional info on green gifts, products, and consumerism/over-consumption, take a look at these sites:
Please share your own green gift ideas and suggestions in the Comments section below. | <urn:uuid:5a4b716f-feb0-4dfb-acc3-9c8df1acbc6c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thegreenspotlight.com/tag/simple-living/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00030-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.924871 | 1,161 | 2.265625 | 2 |
The Juvenile Justice Board’s ruling that the sixth accused in the December 16 gangrape case is juvenile, and may get away with a mere three-year correctional imprisonment in a remand home, has sent anti-rape sentiments soaring again. Some, meanwhile, are busy cashing in on the public angst and
selling just about anything in the name of anti-harassment activism. Events, books, objects, art, and fashion merchandise included.
Women participate in a protest condemning the gangrape of a 23-year-old student in New Delhi. AP
Bold messages against sexual harassment have found their way to T-shirts with slogans such as ‘Real men don’t rape, cowards do’, ‘You Rape, We Chop’, and ‘Clothes, not consent’, among others. Girls are also wearing tees that have pictures of razors, scissors and knives on them, and the message reads, ‘Stare at your own risk’.
“We want to keep the anti-rape wave alive and have launched a new T-shirt line. It’s become very popular among young people,” says Atul Agarwal of Teesort.com, that’s selling these T-shirts at R399 onwards. Another label, Kanelle, has launched a special range called ‘Speak Your Mind’ that has tops with anti-rape slogans.
“I’m helping girls give out a stern warning without actually having to utter a word,” says the label’s designer Kanika Jain.
While some lash out at the trend, calling it ‘commercial opportunism’, others say it’s a good move. Sonali Chowdhury, 26, a writer who has bought such a tee, says, “This is a good way of sending the message across.” Girls are also pasting banners with hard hitting slogans on their cars. Mansi Arora, 25, whose car banner reads, ‘Go, stare at your sis,’ says she is fed up of men ogling at her: “It’s a slap on the face of men who visually rape women.” | <urn:uuid:4de439a5-8054-49bc-b456-7298280a10da> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.hindustantimes.com/Entertainment/Luxury/Anti-rape-T-shirts-in-vogue/Article1-1003388.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954888 | 471 | 1.789063 | 2 |
Software Programming CV
Software programming is a very popular field in this day when many institutions depend heavily on computers. Various organizations prefer to have programs designed especially for their needs and requirements. Software programmers design and develop software to their clients’ specifications.
A software programmer should be proficient in various programming languages and should have a good understanding of data processing. A software programming CV can be beneficial to software developers, software engineers and computer programmers as well. Ensure that the information included in the software programming resume matches the company’s policies, missions and objectives. Go through the completed resume to ensure that there are no typos.
Sample Software Programming CV Format
343 Straight Lane
Mobile No: +1 3435 6565
Telephone No: +1 344 454 655
Software programmer with extensive experience in programming procedures and building databases seeking position in a software development company. The position should allow the application of experience in the design and development of databases. The position should also allow for the learning and development of new programming skills.
2003 – 2006: Software Programmer with Mobitechnology Developers Inc.
- Coded and tested software on different hardware and other programming technologies
- Refined and formatted software programs to produce the final product
- Rewrote programming codes according to the specifications given by the clients
- Tested modifications made on already existing programs
- Analyzed the progress of programs that have been developed and are in the market
- Maintained programs for clients and updated databases
2000 – 2003: BSc Computer Programming – Oregon College
Category: IT CV | <urn:uuid:f4a550bb-b757-4d14-b04a-f0f0038e3835> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.samplecvs.org/it-cv/software-programming-cv.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00073-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9016 | 318 | 2.03125 | 2 |
Printer friendly version
Research demonstrates the cost effectiveness of ecological restoration
22 November 2010
Research demonstrates the cost effectiveness of ecological restoration in the drylands of Latin America
Research published today by the leading academic journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) provides new evidence that ecological restoration can provide a cost effective response to environmental degradation.
The research focused on the dryland forests of Latin America, and examined the cost effectiveness of ecological restoration techniques such as tree planting and forest regeneration. This was achieved using a novel research approach, which involved mapping the value of different benefits provided by these forests. The research was conducted by a team of ecologists from the UK, Mexico, Chile and Argentina, headed by Professor Adrian Newton of Bournemouth University, UK.
Worldwide, billions of dollars are now being spent annually on different approaches to ecological restoration, which aims to reverse the process of environmental degradation. However, very little evidence is available regarding whether such interventions are cost effective. The problem of environmental degradation is most intense in arid and semi-arid areas, which together cover nearly 30% of the earth’s surface and comprise half the surface area of the world’s developing countries.
Despite their aridity, dryland areas are of global importance for biodiversity, being the centres of origin for many agricultural crops and other economically important species. Rural communities in dryland areas are often highly dependent on forest resources to support their livelihoods, particularly fuelwood and fodder. However, in many areas dryland forests have been subjected to unsustainable land use practices, including expansion of rangeland for livestock, overharvesting (particularly for fuelwood), conversion to agriculture and rapid growth of urban settlements. These processes have resulted in the widespread degradation of dryland ecosystems, which has resulted in negative impacts on biodiversity, soil fertility and water availability, and on the livelihoods of local people1.
Environmental degradation presents a major challenge to policy initiatives aiming to support sustainable development. Restoration of dryland forest ecosystems can potentially offer a solution to this problem. With this in mind, the team of academics led by Jenny Birch, analysed six different study areas across Latin America. As she explains: “Values were analysed through interviews with local people and other stakeholders and by reference to the scientific literature. Research focused on valuing the benefits provided by forests to people, including carbon sequestration, timber, non-timber products (such as medicines and honey), and tourism. The costs of forest restoration were also estimated, including loss of livestock production, cost of fencing, fire suppression and tree establishment.”
Three different restoration approaches were examined, which were compared using a simulation model of forest landscapes. This enables the potential future impact of restoration approaches on the provision of benefits to people to be compared.
The results showed that ecological restoration of dry forests is most likely to be cost effective if ‘passive’ approaches are adopted, which support the natural process of forest recovery. ‘Active’ restoration approaches, involving tree planting, are less likely to be cost effective, because of the high costs associated with new tree establishment. However, in each of the study landscapes, some locations were identified where even this approach is likely to be cost effective.
Professor Adrian Newton, who coordinated the research project, explains the potential impact of the study. “At the recent meeting of the Convention of Biological Diversity in Nagoya, Japan, countries of the world committed to a new target to restore 15% of degraded ecosystems worldwide by 2020. Our research demonstrates that in dryland areas, where it is most needed, investment in ecological restoration can provide a net increase in the value of ecosystems to people. Hopefully, our research will encourage decision-makers to support restoration efforts, so that the global restoration target is achieved”.
The research paper is freely downloadable from:
Slash and burn agriculture in a tropical subdeciduous forest from Ocuilapa, Chiapas, México. Photo: N. Ramirez-Marcial
Tropical sub-deciduous forest (El Ocote Biosphere Reserve). Photo: R.Vaca. A. | <urn:uuid:2deb2fd0-3abc-438e-a3f2-424d65bf75f9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.alphagalileo.org/ViewItem.aspx?ItemId=90362&CultureCode=en | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00045-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94478 | 843 | 3.5 | 4 |