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Our Research Groups reflect staff interests, key thematics in Geography and related fields, and are closely connected to RCUK initiatives, as well as to the interests of charitable trusts and other stakeholders.
Our groups are a major part of our research culture. Whilst we do not have a 'one size fits all' model, group activity includes internal research collaborations, regular internal discussion fora, visits by international researchers and research groups, and involvement in virtual seminar series, alongside the more standard cross-department seminar series in both human and physical geography. In addition, there are programmes of activity connected to the large research grant programmes held in the department: Changing Families, Changing Food, and to the University-based research centres with which we are associated: CSC (Catchment Science Centre), SCIDR (Sheffield Centre for International Drylands Research), SEERC (South East European Research Centre), CWIPP (The Centre for Well-being in Public Policy) and CSCY (The Centre for the Study of Childhood and Youth).
If you are interested in working with us, in basing yourself with us (as an independent researcher and/or for a study leave period) or in potential research collaborations, please do get in touch with the relevant groups via the group facilitator. Current facilitators are listed in brackets below. If you are interested in working with a particular researcher as a postgraduate student, please contact the appropriate academic member of staff.
Our research groups
Ecosystem Dynamics & Biogeochemistry (Professor Phil Wookey and Dr Helen Moggridge)
Environmental Reconstruction & Observation (Professor Mark Bateman & Dr Andrew McGonigle) | <urn:uuid:5d157a03-bf18-437f-9ed5-d5e30bdd68fb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://L.E.Ritchie@sheffield.ac.uk/geography/research/groups | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.923555 | 338 | 1.632813 | 2 |
Oct. 19, 2006 Stress, such as that brought on by parental separation and absentee fathers, fast tracks puberty, say researchers in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.
But the failure of politicians, teachers and often parents to acknowledge these physical and emotional changes only adds to teenagers' stress and leads to poor physical and mental health among this age group, they say.
The authors from Liverpool John Moores University Centre for Public Health, say that the onset of puberty has been steadily falling for the past 150 years, and has dropped three years within the past century alone, as a result of public health measures and improved nutrition.
But it is also due to stress, with parental separation/divorce and absentee fathers "one of the most effective stressors," they write. Rates of divorce and single parenthood have rapidly increased in many countries, they say.
But despite the younger age at which children reach puberty, there have been no attempts to develop young people faster, "leaving an increasing gap between physical puberty [changes to their bodies] and social puberty [when they are able to make decisions for themselves]," they write.
"The results can be ill informed health damaging behaviour," they say, including unprotected sex, substance abuse, self harm, violence and bullying, with disadvantaged communities likely to hit the hardest.
While society in general might prefer to ignore earlier puberty, the commercial sector certainly has not, drawing heavily on sexual imagery in their marketing to young teens, say the authors.
"Such marketing is more likely to reinforce the confusion caused by separated physical and social puberty rather than providing the information necessary to deal with it," they write.
"In the short term, responding to earlier puberty means moving away from societal attitudes that equate protecting children with regarding them as firmly ensconced in childhood long after their physical journey into adulthood has begun," contend the authors.
"Such pretence, however well intentioned, simply denies them the vital information they require to complete this transition without damaging their health," they conclude.
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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:7683f924-318b-4c8a-840e-feefdbdc32ab> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/10/061019094213.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00066-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960081 | 457 | 3.03125 | 3 |
Overview of FATCA
In 2010, the U.S. government enacted the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act (the "Act"). The Act's principal purpose is to provide U.S. employers with the necessary incentives to hire and retain new employees. With exemptions and tax credits offered by the Act, the U.S. Government has chosen to offset its costs by incorporating the provisions of the Foreign Tax Account Compliance Act of 2009 ("FATCA"). FATCA implements measures which challenge the concept of offshore financial privacy, by measures such as increased reporting requirements and taxation of foreign institutions. By FATCA, the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") may impose additional reporting requirements for U.S. persons who hold offshore financial accounts or enjoy offshore financial services. These reporting requirements are in addition to the current foreign banking reporting requirements and require disclosure of a broader class of foreign assets.
Reporting Requirements of FATCA
Under the provisions of the Act, any U.S. person who holds an interest in any foreign financial assets must disclose the extent of such assets by attaching a disclosure statement to his or her annual income tax return, so long as the aggregate value of all foreign financial assets exceeds fifty thousand dollars. Pursuant to the Act, foreign assets include foreign financial accounts, foreign stocks and securities, and interests in foreign entities. Moreover, all U.S. entities "formed or availed of for purposes of holding, directly or indirectly, specified foreign financial assets," will be subject to the same reporting requirement.
Importantly, beginning in 2014, the Act will mandate that all foreign financial institutions enter into an agreement with the U.S. Treasury Department to report information about its U.S. account holders each year. A "foreign financial institution" is defined broadly to include any foreign entity that (i) accepts deposits in the ordinary course of a banking or similar business, (ii) holds financial assets for the account of others as a substantial portion of its business, or (iii) is engaged (or holds itself out as being engaged) primarily in the business of investing, reinvesting or trading in financial assets (including securities, partnership interests, commodities, or any interest in such securities, partnership interests or commodities). Accordingly, this broad definition encompasses foreign investment banks, foreign commercial banks, foreign insurance companies, foreign hedge funds, foreign private equity funds, and foreign securitization vehicles.
Foreign financial institutions will be required to determine which of their equity and debt holders (and certain other of their counterparties and other "account holders") are U.S. account holders, and to report this information to the IRS or otherwise be subject to a 30% withholding tax on the foreign financial institution's U.S. source income and/or the proceeds of certain sales and other dispositions.
Prior to the year 2016, foreign financial institutions will be required to report the name, address, and taxpayer identification number of each account holder who is a U.S. taxpayer individual and where it is a U.S. taxpayer entity, the name, address and taxpayer identification number of each substantial U.S. owner; and the account number. Beginning in 2016, the required reporting will be expanded to include income from U.S. accounts, and beginning in 2017, full FATCA reporting with respect to U.S. accounts will be required.
If the foreign financial institution is unable to obtain information from a specified account holder, it may either (i) withhold the 30% withholding from the payments it makes to the recalcitrant account holder, or (ii) elect to receive its U.S. source payments, subject to 30% withholding on the portion that is allocable to the recalcitrant account holder.
Further, if an account holder fails to provide the requisite information, a 30% withholding tax will be imposed on all withholdable payments made to foreign financial institutions. For such purposes, withholdable payments are defined as (1) any gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of any property of the type which can produce interest or dividends from sources within the U.S., and (2) any U.S. source payment of interest (including original issue discount and portfolio interest), dividends, rents, salaries, wages, premiums, annuities, compensation, remunerations, emoluments, and other fixed or determinable annual or periodical gains, profits and income, if such payment is from sources within the U.S.
FATCA and Current Bahamian Law
The implementation of reporting requirements under FATCA presents certain challenges which will require consideration and satisfactory resolution.
Banks and Trusts Companies Regulation Act
The Banks & Trusts Companies Regulation Act, 2000 (the "BTCRA") imposes a duty of confidentiality on all licensees of the Central Bank of The Bahamas ("licensee"). Section 19 of the BTCRA expressly provides that no person acquiring information in their capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent of a financial institution shall without the express or implied consent of the customer concerned, disclose to any person any information relating to the identity, assets, liabilities, transactions or accounts of a customer. There are very limited exceptions to this confidentiality provision.
Data Protection Act
Further, under the Data Protection (Privacy of Personal Information) Act, 2003, (the "DPA") restrictions are put in place to safeguard and protect personal information of living individuals. By section 6 of the DPA, a data controller may not use or disclose personal data in any manner incompatible with the purposes for which it is kept. Additionally, the DPA requires that appropriate security measures shall be taken against unauthorised access to or alteration, disclosure or destruction of the data and against accidental loss or destruction.
Confidentiality Under the Common Law
The duty of confidentiality imposed on a financial institution in respect of its customer's affairs is imposed on a financial institution not only by statute but also by the common law. In the leading case of Tournier v. National provincial and Union Bank of England (1924) 1 KB 461, which defined the scope of a bank's duty of secrecy, the court held that a bank had a duty of secrecy to its customer with regard to its customer's affairs, subject to certain qualifications:
- where disclosure is under compulsion of law;
- where there is a duty to the public to disclose;
- where the interests of the bank require disclosure; and
- where the disclosure is made by the express or implied consent of the customer.
Reconciling FATCA with Bahamian Law
Financial institutions must give attention to strategies which resolve the issues raised by reporting requirements of FATCA vis a vis the statutory and common law duty of confidentiality which is owed by a financial institution to its customers. In certain cases, resolution may be achieved by simple written waiver by customers of their rights under Bahamian confidentiality and privacy laws which would allow foreign financial institution to report relevant information pertaining to its customers to U.S. tax authorities. It is anticipated that prudent financial institutions will continue to consult in earnest with their attorneys to ensure that all regulatory and statutory requirements are satisfied and that clients' interests are served in the context of evolving regulation.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances. | <urn:uuid:321bd515-7d87-4e10-a2e2-84dd3b082c1a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://mondaq.com/x/189046/wealth+management/Reconciling+FACTA+With+Bahamian+Laws | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00043-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938695 | 1,488 | 1.820313 | 2 |
A Metal Comb (Flea Comb)– these are available and at a reasonable price. Available are stainless steel combs with spaced, rounded teeth.
Slicker brush – this removes mats and also removes dead hair. It also provides gentle skin stimulation to promote the removal of dead skin cells and healthy circulation. The brush closely resembles a wire hairbrush as its tines are made of very thin metal wire.
Toothbrush/Toothpaste for Cats – helpful to ensure that kitty has a healthy set of pearly whites. Human toothpaste cannot be used on cats, and cat toothpastes are available for purchase at pet stores. (See article on Tips for Brushing Kitty’s Teeth)
Nail Clippers – these are great for owner’s who prefer to keep kitty’s nail trimmed to prevent the shredding of upholstery or doors when a cat performs their natural scratching tendencies. Having a scratch pad handy can also help with this (See article Useful Items to Have When One Owns a Cat)
Cat Shampoo – is a useful item for kitty’s bath time. Human shampoo cannot be used as it dries out the kitty’s skin. | <urn:uuid:5842b02e-65ae-4fc8-a694-777c18eaa2ff> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.universalcats.com/cat-grooming-tools/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00058-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.909214 | 249 | 1.867188 | 2 |
The Alibi supports
There are four constitutional amendments on this year’s ballot. We support all of them and recommend you do, too.
The first, Constitutional Amendment 1, would repeal Article 2, Section 22 of the state constitution—an antiquated racist provision intended to keep Asians from owning property in New Mexico. You can read a thorough analysis of it in Eric Griego’s column [Punch Line, “For Sale: Land and Property. Whites Only.” Oct. 19-25].
Constitutional Amendment 2 would amend the state constitution to allow the state and school districts (including charter schools) to lease or purchase buildings and other property. There’s no real harm that can come from such an amendment, and it could be a financial boon for state schools, which spend approximately $5 million a year leasing classroom space.
Constitutional Amendment 3, if approved, would add a section to the state constitution calling for the creation of a water trust fund. The problem with the amendment is it doesn’t require an appropriation of money to the fund—and without enough dollars, it would be useless. But establishing the trust fund can’t hurt anything, and it might cajole policy makers to allocate more resources to water issues.
Lastly, Constitutional Amendment 4 would allow the state, counties and municipalities to pay part of the cost of land, buildings or other necessary financing for affordable housing projects. The state constitution already permits those entities to “donate” money to infrastructure that supports such projects; this amendment simply takes the next step. | <urn:uuid:3cf852fa-372b-4d4a-a8ad-1bcbab7198d9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://alibi.com/feature/16884/Constitutional-Amendments.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940493 | 325 | 1.695313 | 2 |
- Language Tips
China is "sincerely happy" to see Thailand's achievements, in spite of the flooding disaster of 2011 and the financial crisis, Premier Wen Jiabao said on Wednesday.
He made his comments as he visited the once chaos-torn country during the first official visit of a Chinese premier in more than a decade.
Wen said China will support and cooperate with Thailand in accordance with the five-year plan of economic cooperation. The two countries will forge cooperation on infrastructure development, agriculture, investment and Mekong development schemes, he said.
"Development in Thailand not only brings benefit to the Thai people, but it would be a good condition for relations between Thailand and China," Wen said.
"It is China's pleasure to cooperate with Thailand to help each other to coordinate also on regional affairs, especially to promote relations between China and ASEAN for the peace and prosperity of the region."
Chinese experts said the stable situation in Thailand since Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra took office in 2011 has not only benefited the country, but helped develop its huge potential for political, business and cultural ties with Beijing.
"China and Thailand have been friendly neighbors since ancient times, while the two peoples have close contacts and a deep friendship," Wen said at a joint news conference with Yingluck after their meeting.
There are nearly 10 million ethnic Chinese living in Thailand.
Luo Yongkun, a researcher of Southeast Asian studies with the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said a memorandum of understanding on the rice trade China signed with Thailand during the visit is just the latest round of support from Beijing to Bangkok.
"In the 1997 financial crisis, we promised not to depreciate the yuan, strongly upholding the economy of Thailand and the whole of Southeast Asia," Luo said, adding that the integration of the East Asian economy accelerated from then on.
"Such cases are common in the long history of China-Thailand ties," he added.
Ties between the two nations did not develop much amid the political chaos in Thailand after former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra stepped down in 2006, he said.
ThoughWen's visit is the first by a Chinese premier in more than a decade, leaders have met frequently at multilateral events. Yingluck visited China in April, forging a comprehensive strategic partnership.
Contact the writers at email@example.com and firstname.lastname@example.org.
The Nation and ANN contributed to this story.
(China Daily 11/22/2012 page12) | <urn:uuid:3dbdd9e3-9a93-49ac-97b4-b2a49f5c08ce> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2012-11/22/content_15949665.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951689 | 529 | 1.578125 | 2 |
Dan Gerstein doesn’t wear khaki any more, but his career in the Army still influences his approach to his current work: practical with a touch of inspiration.
As deputy undersecretary for Science and Technology at the Homeland Security Department, Dan Gerstein helps oversee a broad array of research and development activities. The common theme, ultimately, is effectiveness of the DHS mission of homeland protection both through its own people and through first responders at all levels of government. It does this by applying R&D to both knowledge-based and technology-based solutions.
This article originally appeared on FedInsider.com.
“We’re becoming much more practical with the fiscal downturn,” Gerstein said. “But rather than retreat, the way to ride through this is to develop partnerships, focus on the homeland security enterprise, and get operational capabilities to those on the front line.” Thus lean budgets in 2012 and likely in 2013 focus the directorate on developments closest to practical payoff, the soonest.
The Science and Technology Directorate, headed by Dr. Tara O’Toole, consists of four components:
- The First Responders Group focuses on law enforcement, EMTs, fire and rescue and the technologies they need.
- The Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Activity (HS-ARPA) conducts R&D for border and maritime security, cybersecurity, chemical and biological threats, human factors, infrastructure security and explosives detection.
- An Acquisition Support and Operations Analysis group helps components within DHS solve problems related to the named activities.
- And the R&D Partnerships group focuses on working with external groups in other agencies and entities such as the national labs and universities.
Outcomes for the R&D Partnerships group go both ways, Gerstein said. Sometimes the R&D group “looks at what can be transitioned to commercial use by the Transportation Security Administration or FEMA,” he said. But analysis done by a Science and Technology Directorate partner on wave action and tidal surges was available to help local officials better predict what to expect in Hurricane Irene last year.
It’s what Gerstein called technology foraging ⎯ finding promising developments regardless of originating organization that can be converted to products quickly.
As you might imagine, Gerstein said his job varies, a lot. One day he might be looking at a project on how to detect pollen clinging to shipments. Pollen is sticky and its origin might yield a clue to illegal smuggling if residue came from a poppy field or illegal orchids.
On another day, he might be looking at research in how to combine behavioral analysis of individuals who might be hiding something with explosives detection for use as a systems deployment by local airport authorities in conjunction with TSA.
Other days, he might be considering developments at HS-ARPA. The focus: “Identifying projects necessary for completion.” HS-ARPA emphasizes technologies or process improvements that fill gaps in first responder capabilities. Examples are multiband radios that solve long-standing communications blockages, or a vaccine for hoof-in-mouth disease scientists can build chemically rather than using tissue. That was developed at the Plum Island Animal Disease Center off Long Island.
“We’re all about getting capability into the hands of first responders and the homeland security enterprise,” Gerstein said. He added, the directorate staff particularly looks for technologies or processes that produce big payoffs from relatively small investments. Of particular interest, he said, are solutions to problems related in theme but widely apart technologically.
It’s a complex portfolio of activities, not only because of the range of threats and technologies under evaluation, but also because of the inter-relatedness of the directorate’s activities with other levels of government. But the inter-relationships are what make investment all the more valuable. Gerstein tries to look at the directorate’s activities holistically.
“The best way to be prepared is to have a healthy society and good first response capability,” he said. That type of thinking sees the continuum from detection of something like a SARS virus, through the response capabilities in the area affected, to the mitigation and remediation stages.
Gerstein spent 26 years in the Army, then worked for a while in industry specializing in defense and security at L3 before going back into the government. He has extensive experience in national security affairs, with a special emphasis on biological threats and weapons of mass destruction. He shares special expertise in bio-technology with his boss, Dr. O’Toole.
When not working, he quipped, “I write books that nobody reads.” He is modest in talking about his own biography, which you can find here. His wife works for a contractor in the Army’s Program Executive Office for Soldiers, fielding uniforms and materials in soldier kits. Gerstein has two daughters, one an Army officer and one working for a contractor supporting the Army. | <urn:uuid:00c4c2f2-84fa-47ac-a331-d7dfbfc92b55> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://breakinggov.com/2012/01/27/feds-work-dhs-science-guy-dan-gerstein-looks-for-fast-payoff/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00028-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939756 | 1,031 | 1.984375 | 2 |
Gen. Patrick Cleburne's headquarters flag
After consulting with a Confederate flag expert, this appears to be a voucher for Gen. Patrick Cleburne's headquarters flag, signed by I. A. Buck, rather than J. A. Birch. Buck signed for it in early March 1864,in Dalton, Georgia, as recorded in the Landis QM book at the National Archives.
More Spotlights by vbetts (See all)
Civil War "Widows' Pensions" Updated
War of 1812 Pension Files Free Updated | <urn:uuid:e5fc9518-ab1a-428a-980a-d8e7b4b66354> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.fold3.com/spotlight/33334/gen_patrick_cleburnes_headquarters/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00042-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.917295 | 113 | 1.828125 | 2 |
One of the Malta blog’s readers, “Roy”, gave me an idea so I am following through. I Googled “History of the Town of Malta, NY” and was immediately greeted by several sites referring to the Island of Malta, the Town of Milta, and several other Malta related sites. Then I was directed to the Town of Malta website where I discovered the following information:
Historically, Malta has been primarily an agricultural town with many prosperous farms. However, its earliest settlement was Maltaville (c. 1764), which boasted some small shops and mills. It was the home to a malt brewery (leading to the name “Malta”) and also had a few mills (saw, grist, and woolen), powered by nearby streams. As the town of Malta grew toward the beginning of the 19th century, it had wagon and carriage shops, many inns, and two hotels.
Malta’s economic and cultural heritage reflects the settlement patterns and building types of 18th and 19thcentury rural America. Malta experienced none of the commercial bustle of the Saratoga County towns located along the Erie and Champlain Canals. It was relatively remote from the resort activities of Saratoga Springs and Ballston Spa. However, the Route 9 and (eventually) Interstate 87 (the Northway) corridors impacted Malta’s economic growth and fostered the establishment of service stations, restaurants, and motels. Development consisted primarily of farmhouses, churches, small commercial enterprises, and local industries to serve a self-sufficient rural community. Only recently has the character of the town begun to change, with accelerating suburbanization resulting from easier access to the urban centers of the Capital District and the North Country.
The latitude for Malta is 42.971N
Longitude is -73.793W
Elevation is 325 feet.
And, as of the last census in 2000, the population was 13,005. | <urn:uuid:898e1123-923a-4201-b615-04abcbf7c03c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.timesunion.com/malta/date/2011/02/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00063-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976055 | 413 | 2.15625 | 2 |
|Russia's Romance With West Runs Aground
By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV
Associated Press Writer
MOSCOW (AP) - Russia's romance with the West appears to be in trouble over its renewed assertiveness toward former Soviet republics and what many view as the Kremlin's growing authoritarian streak.
Europe and the United States are taking the Kremlin to task, saying Russia is backsliding on democracy. Russia says the West is condescending and hypocritical, and the backlash is felt in the victory of anti-Westerners in the Dec. 7 parliamentary election.
``It's obvious that relations are worsening,'' said Boris Nemtsov, a leader of the Union of Right Forces.
His Western-oriented, liberal party failed to get into the State Duma, or lower house, in the election, which European observers described as unfair and a setback to democracy.
After the Sept. 11 attacks, Russia rode a wave of Western admiration for President Vladimir Putin's steadfast support of the U.S.-led war on terror, but now Moscow finds itself on the defensive.
It was the odd man out at a conference of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe earlier this month, when it refused to sign a final document in which it was criticized for failing to fulfill its 1999 pledge to withdraw troops from the ex-Soviet republics of Georgia and Moldova.
Earlier, the European Union turned a cold shoulder to Putin's push for mutual, visa-free travel, and to Moscow's concerns that the expanding bloc is getting closer to Russia's frontiers. It also has set tough terms for Russia's joining the World Trade Organization
Britain, Denmark and Greece have all rebuffed Russia's attempts to extradite citizens it accuses of grave crimes - the exiled tycoons Boris Berezovsky and Vladimir Gusinsky, and Akhmed Zakayev, the envoy of Chechen rebel leader Aslan Maskhadov.
``The West hasn't made even tactical concessions to Russia to secure good strategic relations for the years ahead,'' said Alexei Arbatov, a liberal former lawmaker whose Yabloko party also failed to get elected. ``Western policy toward Russia has helped strengthen anti-western, nationalistic sentiments.''
The most obvious result is the strong showing in Parliament of the nationalist Homeland bloc. The movement, created with Kremlin encouragement to splinter the Communist vote, campaigned on slogans of cracking down on big business, countering Western expansionism and protecting ethnic Russians abroad.
``There are no pro-Western forces in the new State Duma - they all are either radically or moderately anti-Western,'' Arbatov said. ``It will put pressure on the president ... pushing him in that direction.''
Some fear that without positive feedback from the West, Putin might reverse his course of befriending the West and launch aggressive attempts to wrest ex-Soviet republics out of the Western orbit. Optimists hope the president will refrain from open confrontation, but even they don't expect the Kremlin to bow to Western pressure.
``After striving for integration into the West, Russia may now turn to forming its own zone of influence on former Soviet territory,'' said Dmitry Trenin of the Carnegie Endowment's Moscow office.
Putin bolstered relations with the United States by welcoming the U.S. military deployment in former Soviet republics in Central Asia for the war in Afghanistan. However, Russian officials have become increasingly impatient, urging Washington to set a deadline for getting out of the strategically located, energy-rich region.
To counter growing U.S. clout in Central Asia, Russia in October opened an air base in the Central Asian nation of Kyrgyzstan - its first new military outpost abroad since the 1991 Soviet collapse.
A senior U.S. diplomat, who recently briefed reporters on condition of anonymity, said Washington hadn't yet done any radical rethinking of its relations with Moscow, adding that many of the Kremlin's moves appeared to have been guided by electoral motives. Putin is set to easily win his second term in March.
Nemtsov said Putin apparently expects that Russia's role in settling global crises will shield him from U.S. criticism.
``The Kremlin hopes that the fight against terrorism will overshadow all other problems,'' Nemtsov said.
When ties were warming, the West tempered its criticism of Russia's war in Chechnya and issued only muted rebukes when Russia's independent TV stations were forced off the air. But U.S.-Russian relations were badly hurt by Moscow's opposition to the war in Iraq.
The probe against Russia's largest oil company, Yukos, added to the strain. Widely perceived as politically driven, it has spooked foreign investors and raised doubts about the rule of law in Russia. | <urn:uuid:2b61561b-f2ee-4d02-b0c2-d6c0f7c35c6d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.strategypage.com/militaryforums/47-556.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00042-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96143 | 968 | 1.625 | 2 |
The first debate for New York’s 20th Congressional District will take place in Saratoga Springs this Tuesday, four weeks before the March 31st vote. Before the media turn their focus exclusively upon the candidates, their war chests and attack ads, let’s take a moment to contemplate the peculiar 10-county district itself. And — more broadly — the process by which such a tortured political boundary is created.
With $12.5 million in campaign disbursements, the 20th CD became notorious last year as one of the country’s most expensive house races. While it held the number one position in November, by the time the last campaign finance reports were in, it had slipped to second place behind California’s 4th CD, which lumbered in at $16 million plus.
The high cost of the once stable Republican district owes to the perception among state and national GOP leaders that the defeat two years earlier of John Sweeney by Kirsten Gillibrand was an aberration. Grim prospects for Republican victories elsewhere made the 20th — with a 67,456 active voter advantage in party registration — appear to be as good a GOP redoubt as any. Throw in a wealthy, self-financing Republican candidate and a district that encompasses at least four media markets and you practically guarantee a broken spending record.
In a state that has become infamous for gerrymandered congressional districts, the 20th — stretching from Saranac Lake in the north to Millbrook and Hyde Park in the south, to the Southern Tier town of Sidney in the west — might best be viewed as three panhandles in search of a pan.
A slight detour here for those who have forgotten high school civics class: congressional district boundaries shift every decade following the decennial census and reapportionment by congress of the 435 house seats among the 50 states. The process of drawing boundaries to encompass equal numbers of constituents is left to the legislatures of individual states, a smooth enough drill if your legislature is, well, functional.
In Albany, however, the last three redistricting cycles have coincided with legislatures divided by party and geography. In the case of the last redistricting in 2000-2002, deeply divided. Consequently, a map of New York which naturally breaks down into neat, logical regions has been jig-sawed into a puzzle of pseudo-fractals and jagged rorschach blots.
All of this is about to change. With both houses of New York’s legislature and the executive branch held by the same political party for the first time since the 1970s, the redistricting machinery is about to run a lot faster, and might just result in a long-overdue return to cohesive districts in the wake of next year’s census.
Redistricting is a quintessentially political process and there are basically three rules for a single political party remapping congressional districts:
Rule #1: Keep your party’s incumbents safe. If reapportionment robs your state of one member of its delegation (as will happen to New York in 2010), make sure the seat is pulled out from under someone from the other side of the aisle.
Rule #2: Divide and conquer. If a geographically unified base of support for the opposing political party can be distributed among separate districts with larger safe populations of your own party, get out your meat cleavers.
Rule #3: If that hostile voting block is too large to be safely subsumed by friendly districts, then isolate and ignore it.
How these rules will affect the future of New York’s 20th Congressional District will largely depend on the outcome of the balloting on March 31st. One thing is certain in any case. With the special election this year, and an immediate reelection campaign in 2010 followed by a brand new race for a potentially radically redrawn district in 2012, this contested terrain will continue to be very expensive property for the incumbent.
Come back tomorrow for the Almanack’s modest proposal for a redrawn congressional district that neatly encompasses the entire Adirondack Park. | <urn:uuid:97a1d00a-70de-46ec-bd00-e5d408b597c7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.adirondackalmanack.com/2009/03/the-most-expensive-seat-in-the-park-nys-20th-cd.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00051-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952145 | 839 | 1.742188 | 2 |
Colon cancer usually is seen in elderly individuals (5th or 6th decade of life). The most common signs and symptoms that âcan be seen include - abdominal pain, blood in stool, weight âloss, anorexia, diarrhea, fatigue, weakness, constipation.â
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In case, you do have any of the above issues, then you may need to consult a doctor for a proper examination and further advice.
"Ask a Doctor" questions are answered by certified physicians and other medical professionals.
For more information about experts participating in the "Ask a Doctor" Network, please visit our
medical experts page.
You may also visit our Colon Cancer , for moderated patient to patient support and information.
The information provided on eHealth Forum is designed to improve, not replace, the relationship between a patient and his/her own physician.
Personal consultation(s) with a qualified medical professional is the proper means for diagnosing any medical condition. | <urn:uuid:60365e47-5e36-4047-940a-601bf9d71daf> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ehealthforum.com/health/how-do-u-know-if-u-have-colon-cancer-t324912.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00029-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.917326 | 311 | 2.234375 | 2 |
Who worries about crime?By Leandro “DD” Coronel
Recently, a Manila-based American executive found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time and was killed by robbers at a 7-11 store. Not too long ago, a Dutch NGO worker was murdered after withdrawing money from a bank in Angeles City. Last year, an Italian missionary became the third priest from his congregation to be killed in Cotabato. A British MP’s money was recently stolen from a Quezon City hotel.
Who in the government is pulling his hair the most over these incidents?
The chief of the Philippine National Police must suffer from a constant migraine over such high-profile crimes. But maybe he’s too blasé by now because crimes occur practically every day. Does he still care? And President Aquino must be concerned for, after all, the buck stops on his desk. The upsurge in crime reflects badly on him as the chief executive and commander in chief.
An elderly woman was recently stabbed multiple times. A Philippine Military Academy cadet got shot while trying to defend other people from criminals. Shootings take place with regularity. Break-ins, thefts and street crimes against ordinary people occur daily. These must worry people whose job it is to go after criminals and stop criminality in its tracks.
Surely there is another guy, not directly involved in crime-fighting, who gnashes his teeth every time news of a sensational crime is flashed on the TV screen or headlined in the newspapers. The guy? The secretary of tourism.
Of course, it’s not just the crimes against foreigners that should worry government officials. There are more crimes perpetrated against our own people than against foreigners, for the obvious reason that there are more of us than foreigners. Crime is crime, and whoever is victimized has an overall effect on the country.
Such negative news travels vast distances. And it moves even more swiftly when it involves foreigners, because people in other countries are naturally concerned about their compatriots living or traveling abroad. We do the same when our countrymen and women find themselves in harm’s way as they struggle for a living overseas.
And this is what must give the tourism secretary sleepless nights. Horrifying news about violent incidents involving foreigners scares away tourists. Hong Kong still bristles with anger over the preposterously inept handling of the tourist bus hijacking at Luneta in 2010. Americans will stay away from the Philippines even more after the 7-11 slaying. The Dutch, an honest and quiet people, were outraged over the killing of volunteer Wilhelmus Geertman. The motive—simple robbery/homicide or vendetta for his NGO work?—remains unclear.
We Filipinos are truly our own worst enemy. We keep shooting ourselves in the foot even as we try desperately to pick ourselves up from the continuing malaise of corruption, criminality and economic woes.
The comic-strip character Pogo is familiar with self-destructive tendencies. In typical Pogo-ese, the character said: “We have met the enemy and they is us!” That’s what we are: We is the enemy.
The crime rate in the country is alarmingly high. News of it intrudes into our daily lives through that omnipresent medium, television. It scares the population, especially the unprotected and the vulnerable.
What are the police doing about it? Have they become so jaded about crime that they’re no longer bothered by it, even when it happens at their doorstep?
How many news items have we come across lately about policemen or soldiers leading the commission of crime? Commentators soften the blow by saying that there are more good men in uniform than crooked ones, but that’s no consolation. What we see in the news is that too many crimes involve the very people who are supposed to prevent them.
There’s a debate over whether the crime rate is up or down. It’s said that the police brass even duped President Aquino into claiming in his State of the Nation Address that crime is down. But this doesn’t matter, either. Whether it’s up or down, crime is crime, and news of it is all over the media.
And it frightens away foreign visitors. Which in turn must bother Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez. He has high hopes of hiking the number of tourists to the country. We have been laggards in the tourism industry compared to our neighbors, who seem to know how to draw the foreigners. Poor physical infrastructure makes it hard for visitors to travel around. Tourism facilities are bad, and when they’re good, they’re expensive, throwing domestic holidaymakers out of the loop.
And then there’s crime.
There are countries where foreigners are untouchable by criminals. The police and criminals have a tacit agreement that foreigners must not be touched, precisely because it’s bad for the country’s image. And it works in some countries; criminals abide by the arrangement, which proves that there’s honor even among criminals.
Can it work here, an accommodation between criminals and the police that expatriates in the country must not be molested, and indeed be protected?
It might be a long shot. Filipino criminals are equal-opportunity predators who respect no one, foreigner or local, and they may not be too willing to strike out one category off their list of prey.
But can it be done? In theory, it can. The police, theoretically, have the muscle and persuasion to tell criminals to lay off tourists. After all, it’s said that the police control crime syndicates. After all, it’s said that pickpockets, snatchers and street con artists are under the aegis of the police. After all, it’s said that if you lose something to a pickpocket, the cop on the beat can retrieve it for you because he knows who stole it.
It would be ideal if the government can make crime disappear. Some local governments are said to be headed by executives who use an iron fist in controlling criminality in their jurisdictions. Surely the reader can readily think of two or three such localities.
Criminals respect force. But we don’t need liquidation squads that are said to keep certain cities criminal-free. What we need is an efficient police force that is itself straight and conscientious. We need courts that are impervious to outside influence, that will dispense justice swiftly and evenly. And we need laws that make criminals pay for their crimes.
We can make our streets safe for all, foreigners and locals alike. We can start by getting the tourism secretary to demand that the police do their job.
Leandro “DD” Coronel’s commentaries have appeared in various Manila dailies and are currently published in Fil-Am newspapers in Washington and Toronto.
More from this Column:
Short URL: http://opinion.inquirer.net/?p=37356 | <urn:uuid:1085e6d5-089e-48a1-92e6-fe71e0383aa6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://opinion.inquirer.net/37356/who-worries-about-crime | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00046-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964619 | 1,459 | 1.585938 | 2 |
Why Palawan?For those longing to (scuba) dive off the edge of the map and explore a pristine tropical paradise with Indiana Jones hat in hand, Palawan is just the place. The island's capital, Puerto Princesa, has gained international recognition for its environmental programs. We are also impressed with the adventures that await outside the city, including the Subterranean River National Park, Tubbataha Atoll coral reef, the beaches and limestone-karst cliffs of the Bacuit Archipelago and the island's expanse of jungle, which calls out to the wild at heart.
Life of an Expat
"Our place is nothing at all like the shiny, sexy destinations that people usually write about," says Jim Williams, who has lived on the island for 17 years. "But it will appeal to a few adventurous souls." The fact that Palawan is off the beaten path is exactly what Jim likes about the island. "For me, the main attraction is the possibility of enjoying a natural setting privately, without the intrusion of crowds," he says. "I like that the roads leading out of town are so rough that I shift to four-wheel drive almost every day during the rainy season. We can quickly be in a place where we will not see another vehicle for days."
Jim knew he wanted to live on this rugged island ever since he was in the U.S. Air Force stationed in the Philippines in 1984. After working around the globe, Jim had a memorable visit to Palawan in 1991. "The place was unpolished, informal, and it had the feeling of a small town," he says. Some of the locals also seemed surprisingly familiar. "Older Palawenos maintain a certain aloofness along with a genuine hospitality that I can relate to, having grown up in rural Texas," Jim says.
He and his wife, May, who is from the Philippines, are now raising their five children. The couple owns five houses, each with a different view of the island: rice fields and coconut palms from the two farms; a river, forests, and terraced vegetable gardens from their mountain home; bamboo and a distant highway from their house in town. From their beach house they look out on a coconut grove and the South China Sea. Jim works as a project manager for a resort- development company. He also may start a business to help other expats buy or build property, as he sees increasing numbers of tourists discovering the island. "I was in El Nido in January, and the ratio of locals to foreigners in certain areas was 50:50," Jim says. "Foreigners have always been part of the social tapestry here."
The tourist town of El Nido on the island's northern coast attracts newcomers, but it's not Jim's favorite part of the island. "I am a west-coast guy. I prefer the rugged side of the island and the fact that there are few towns and roads there," Jim says. The more remote areas of Palawan feel much more like home to him. "As far as I know," he says, "this is my last move."
Facts of Life
- Climate: Tropical
- Population of island: 755,412
- Percentage expats: Less than 1 percent
- Population of main town, Puerto Princesa: 161,912
- House starting rents: $300 a month
- Travel from US: Fly to Manila, then take a 1.5-hour flight to Puerto Princesa.
- Closest hospital: Puerto Princesa
- Price of local beer: Less than $1 for a bottle of San Miguel
- Languages: English, Filipino, Cuyunon and others
- Ease of immigration: Medium
- Ease of buying a home: Difficult
- Website: palawantourism.com
- Rental or leased properties are the best option for foreigners looking to live on Palawan. Rent for a typical three-bedroom, two-bath house is about $400 a month. | <urn:uuid:d2e248e8-d254-4c1e-82e8-97efce8daabe> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.islands.com/article/Best-Islands-to-Live-On-Palawan | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00020-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968049 | 834 | 1.664063 | 2 |
October 4, 2011
“I’m going to pick on one little corner of school, namely mathematics. I am a mathematician, so it is easy for me to talk about math, but what I have said applies to everything. Now in mathematics the dominating feature is the content. I recently did a little research on what discussion there is in the world about real change in the content of school mathematics.
For example, should we teach fractions? Some people say yes, you need to know that a half is two quarters. OK, well this is stuff that I’ve noticed that my six-year old grandson knows. He likes playing in the kitchen and he has learned a few things about halves and quarters and thirds. I have no doubt that is very good stuff. But that is only a tiny sliver of what they do in school. There is all this other stuff, like knowing how to add and divide fractions. What reason could there possibly be for teaching this?
Now, I am not advocating the abolition of fractions. I am drawing attention to the fact that here is a human activity on which billions of dollars and countless hours are spent. Incredible psychological harm is done to people who don’t succeed in doing it and therefore classify themselves and are classified by others as stupid or incapable or whatever else they are classified as. And there is no discussion whatsoever about why this is a good thing to do.
Sometimes people have proposed abolishing teaching fractions and there has been some discussion at those times. For example, there was a big movement in the late ’30s to abolish fractions on the grounds that people had done statistical studies of how much people used the fraction stuff they learned in school. And they came up with the obvious result that you all know, that nobody ever uses them. Not even mathematicians. Nobody ever uses things like dividing one fraction by another, so it was said, “Let’s throw it out of school.” So the other people said, “Well, people do use it occasionally.” You can find an occasional use here and there. But that’s not the basis on which we should settle this debate. You can’t judge whether the knowledge is good on the basis of whether you actually use it, because knowledge can serve all sorts of other purposes, and this discussion seems to have quelled that movement. Everybody wanted it quelled anyway because it is just too hard to contemplate the idea of eliminating these things from the curriculum.
Now this other thing that learning factions is supposed to do for you is not very clear. It’s never been spelled out. It’s rather like the old argument that learning Latin was good for developing the mind. And you might say that learning fractions is good for developing the mind. Some people say that learning fractions is good because you need it to do more advanced mathematics. Well, why do you need it to do more advanced mathematics?
OK, you can find an advanced mathematics book that will use an example that presupposes that the reader knows about fractions. Of course, why shouldn’t the writer of the book use that example since everybody has been through this experience? But that doesn’t prove that you needed that experience. If you take it all together, my personal view is that this is just harmful stuff to teach. In any case, there is no rational discussion about why it should be taught. So there is room for making theories about why it is taught, and I think there are a couple of these theories.
One theory was that manipulating fractions was actually closer to what people needed back before there were calculators. So a lot of school math was useful once upon a time, but we now have calculators and so we don’t need it. But people say that surely we don’t want to be dependent on the calculator. To which I say, “Look at this thing, these eyeglasses, that make a dramatic difference to my life and the life of everybody who reads or looks at any tiny detail. Once upon a time we would have been crippled, severely handicapped. Now we’ve got these and we don’t need to go through all that suffering. So we are dependent on this little thing.
Well, so what? There is nothing wrong with being dependent on a little thing that everybody can have lots of. It doesn’t even cost much. So, that is no argument. But I think historically that was a factor. I think the other important factor was for various reasons people thought we ought to teach something called mathematics because since the days of the Greeks mathematics was ensconced as one of the major elements of knowledge. In fact, I don’t know how many people know this, but if you want to know where the word mathematics comes from, the stem, math, comes from Greek mathein which is the word to learn. In fact, all the words in math in ancient Greek didn’t mean what we mean by them, they meant learning. And somehow in the course of the intervening centuries, my sort of intellectual ancestors, talking now as a mathematician, somehow managed to con the world into thinking that the only good learning was this kind of learning. And so the word slipped over with hardly a trace of its original meaning.
Well, there are some traces, like the word polymath. A polymath is not a person who knows a lot of math. It is a person who has learned a lot of different things. But that word has been thoroughly appropriated by mathematics and so by definition knowledge includes doing some mathematics. Actually, I would agree, except that I don’t think that working with fractions is really mathematics. And I do think that if we think about what mathematics means to me as a mathematician, it’s got nothing to do with things like those formal operations that you do with fractions and it’s got absolutely nothing to do with the way you do it in school. And so if we are going to prescribe mathematics for children we need to do something very different.
Now this something very different isn’t very hard to imagine, although it will need a lot of work to develop. And that is one reason why it isn’t done. It is not hard to imagine in the context of modern technology. We have developed lots of examples to show how with computers there can be a radically different relationship between children and learning – learning all sorts of things, including mathematics.”
Papert, S. (1997). Looking at School Through School-Colored Spectacles. Logo Exchange, Winter 1997.
A version of this article was published in Logo Exchange in the winter of 1997. It was adapted from a talk delivered by Seymour Papert at the MIT Media Lab, June 4, 1996, at an event sponsored by The American Prospect Magazine. | <urn:uuid:6e7568df-16e3-472f-ab8a-16187d225991> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://dailypapert.com/?p=632 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00073-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97686 | 1,413 | 1.914063 | 2 |
the surface, the Vietnam war and the attack on Iraq by U.S.
forces don't have much in common.
the 1960s, when the Vietnam conflict was at its height, the
United States was in a global face-off with a rival of comparable
size and power, the Soviet Union. Our involvement in Vietnam
increased only incrementally, over a period of some years.
Furthermore, the Viet Cong and their North Vietnamese sponsors
were clearly the aggressors, in the sense that they went on
the offensive militarily: their goal was to overthrow foreign-backed
governments supported, in turn, by the French and the Americans,
in a popular insurgency. None of these circumstances are relevant
in the Iraq scenario.
spite of the neoconservatives' insistence
that we are presently engaged in "World
War IV," a worldwide struggle against Islam analogous
to the cold war, religion is not the same as ideology:
an Islamic insurgency is unlikely to take root in, say, Colombia
or El Salvador. This time around, it is we who are pushing
universalism, exporting our system of "democratic capitalism"
(i.e. state capitalism, or the mixed economy) as the solution
to the world's problems.
cold war era was marked by what we used to call the "balance of terror":
each side was deterred from launching any major military operation
for fear it would escalate into Armageddon. What is striking
about the present conflict is the radical imbalance
of power between the American hegemon and a tatterdemalion
collection of "rogue" states and non-state actors.
there was nothing incremental about the invasion and conquest
of Iraq: it was a three-week war, after all. Unlike the Southeast
Asian quagmire we managed to drag ourselves into, without
much prior public debate, the Iraqi quagmire was jumped into
head-first, of our own volition, after a short but intense
and very public discussion.
biggest difference, however, is that, this time around, we
were the aggressors, brazenly and unilaterally attacking a
country that had never posed a threat to us. Like the Viet-Cong
guerrillas, who were trained and subsidized by Moscow, Iraqi
insurgents received funding and military support from a foreign
sponsor – the U.S. – in an effort to spark a popular uprising.
In the style of Soviet propagandists and fellow travelers
of yesteryear, U.S. government spin-meisters and their amen
corner in the Western media tried to portray the invasion
as a prelude to a popular revolt against Saddam, with Anglo-American
troops playing the role of "liberators." The conservative
writer Paul Craig Roberts,
and the foreign policy analyst Claes
Ryn, have captured both the spirit and the intellectual
pedigree of the neoconservative war policy by calling it "neo-Jacobin."
is, however, an important sense in which the present conflict
conjures visions of Vietnam albeit oddly distorted, like
the reflection of a nightmare in a funhouse mirror.
language of this conflict is very much the same – except that
the positions are oddly reversed, with the rhetoric employed
by the U.S. resembling that of the Communists. As the U.S.
undertakes the "reconstruction" of Iraq, while finding itself
the target of a growing guerrilla insurgency, our official
propaganda recalls that of the pro-Soviet "liberators" of
Afghanistan – and Vietnam who crowed that Red Army tanks
were bringing "education" to the illiterate masses and smashing
the "oppression" of women.
same rationale leftists routinely employ in defense of Cuba
– oh, but look at all the good things Castro has done:
the literacy rate! the health care clinics! gender equality!
– is spouted with a straight face by the neocons when they
demand we look at the bright side of the American occupation.
War Party resembles nothing so much as the Commies of the
1930s, who, when confronted with stories of mass murder and
repression in the Soviet Union, responded that these were
merely minor glitches on the road to utopia.
does it matter that a few anti-Soviet "terrorist"
elements have been "liquidated," compared to the news that
the glorious workers republic has – once again! over-fulfilled
the Five Year Plan? What are you, some kind of anti-Soviet
war at home, rather than the military conflict taking place
in Iraq, is what conjures a sense of deja-vu in all
of us old enough to remember. Donald Rumsfeld, in his search for the right
"metrics" by which to measure success in Iraq, resembles
a hybrid of Robert S. McNamara, whose
name has become a byword for the clueless technocrat, and
General Curtis "Bombs Away"
LeMay, whose belligerent gruffness personified American
arrogance at its most extreme.
vocabulary of the Vietnam war has crept into our present day
has become the byword
of this administration, which is now shifting
toward an "exit strategy" – just as "Vietnamization"
was the slogan whereby the Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon administrations
sought to persuade us there was "light
at the end of the tunnel."
again, we have "hawks," and "doves," roughly equivalent to
"right" and "left," and opponents of the war are smeared as somehow less than patriotic,
and even terrorist sympathizers.
What's more, these accusations are being hurled by some of
the same people who turned in a similar performance during
the Vietnam era. The same "neoconservatives" albeit
now formally aligned with the Republican right, whereas once
they allied themselves with the Hubert Humphrey wing of the
Democratic party – are in the vanguard of the War Party. Norman
Podhoretz and the "Committee
on the Present Danger" gang are still
at the old stand, hawking their brand of systematized
bellicosity as the only hope of a dangerously decadent and
again, we have the War Party trafficking in lies – just
as they did in Vietnam. Except that, back in those days,
as Daniel Ellsberg points out in the preceding link, the public
was shocked that a chief executive was capable of such behavior.
Today, no one is shocked but there is a rising anger in
the country at the sheer scale of the deception.
anger is reflected in the poll
numbers on the war, and is not an exclusively left-wing
phenomenon. A growing coalition of foreign policy "realists," libertarian
anti-interventionists, traditional conservatives, and disaffected military
families is coalescing, rallying around the slogan "A
Republic, Not an Empire!" This same negative reaction to the
rise of Imperial America fuels much of Howard Dean's momentum,
albeit from a left-wing perspective.
is another major difference from the Vietnam era: the antiwar
movement is not a phenomenon of the far Left, as much as the
International "Answer" group may wish to pretend otherwise.
From the very beginning, opposition to the war has been much
broader than in the movement of the 1960s at its height. The
argument, coming from the antiwar
Right and the Center, as well as from the Left, is that
this war doesn't serve American interests – and, more than
that, it is downright un-American, to boot. This country
was born in a revolution against British imperialism: what
a betrayal it is for Bush II to follow in the footsteps of
King George III.
that the Iraqi resistance is the Middle Eastern version of
the Founding Fathers: Again, except for the prehistoric monsters
of the "Answer"/Workers World Party – who have recently pledged
[pdf file] to the Iraqi "anti-colonial movement" – no sane
person is glorifying the other side. The war in Iraq may eventually
succeed in bringing some kind of order, and even some semblance
of "democracy," to that country's long-suffering people –
but at what price? It may be good for the Iraqis, in the long
run – but is it good for the Americans? As the daily
disasters of the occupation accumulate, the answer is
increasingly an unequivocal no.
of American Empire
as a few months ago – seem to be sparse on the ground, and
oddly silent, now that their vision is being played out on
the battlefields of Iraq. Everyone is preparing to disavow
the coming defeat – the pro-war neocons, who are already anticipating
a failure of "will"
as the cause, while pro-war (albeit multilateralist) liberals
are caviling that Bush doesn't have a real commitment to reconstructing
Iraq. No one is taking responsibility: not Bush, who won't
even own up to the "Mission Accomplished" banner that
served as backdrop for his "victory" speech, and certainly
not the Democrats who voted for the war – instead, they are
blaming Bush for "losing
the peace." Except there is no peace.
a recent interview, the writer and cultural critic Camille
Paglia took a position almost identical to my own:
view which is an extreme position is that we should
get the troops out of Iraq now. But even many liberals are
saying, 'We're gone too far. We cannot turn back now!' Oh,
yes, we can! Get the United Nations in there, and get out!
I don't think this thing is worth one more American life
not with the pressing needs we have at home. We have catastrophically
compromised our internal system of defense against terrorism
because of this adventure overseas. Our National Guard and
reservists are over there our first responders for emergencies
in terrorist attacks here."
worth one more life – Camille, as usual, pegs it. Except she's
wrong that such a position is inherently "extreme." It may
be a relatively rare stance to take, as of this moment: but
how many more such offensives as the one endured this past
weekend will it take before the tide of public opinion turns
decisively against the war? As the American campaign to put
down the Iraqi insurrection escalates – there's
that Vietnam era phraseology again! – so does the antiwar
opposition, while the
President's poll numbers plummet.
analysis of the "toothpick men" of the Democratic party, who
collapsed when they could have stood up to the War Party,
describes them to a tee, but my favorite part of the interview
is her take on the American general who almost started World War III:
"But as a pro-military Democrat, what do you make of Gen.
"What a phony! What a bunch of crap this Clark boom is.
Clark reminds me of Keir Dullea in '2001: A Space Odyssey'
a blank, vacant expression, detached and affectless. There's
something sexually neutered about Dullea in that film a
physical passivity necessitated by cramped space travel
that I also find in Clark. And the astronaut Dullea plays
is sometimes indistinguishable from the crazed computer, HAL
which I find in Clark's smug, computerized vocal delivery."
our old Republic sinks slowly into the horizon of history,
until only the top-most banners and part of the main sail
are visible, it's nice to have a good laugh now and then.
Laughter, too, is a weapon.
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Comedy's Holy Grails
The five most important lost (and not-so-lost) documents that shaped our oh-so-funny times
DEL CLOSE'S "HAROLD"
WHAT IT IS: A three-act structure for long-form improvisation involving recurring, intertwined, dream-logicky story strands organized around a central theme. Popularized in the mid 90s in Chicago, the Harold revolutionized American comedymade it looser, less formulaic (think Anchorman). It was invented by Del Close, an ex-junkie comedy guru whose friends included L. Ron Hubbard and Jerry Garcia, and who'd trained most of the original cast of SNL, including John Belushi, whom he'd frequently gotten high with. Close later regretted the gravitas-lacking name, which he'd chosen facetiously after hearing the Beatles were calling their famous haircut Arthur.
WHERE CAN YOU FIND IT? At live performances by the Upright Citizens Brigade and Chicago's Second City and ImprovOlympic house teams.
SAMPLE EXCERPT: Go to a show!
WHO'S OBSESSED WITH IT: An entire generation of improv-trained American comedians and writers, from Amy Poehler and Tina Fey to Adam McKay, Stephen Colbert, and Steve Carell. | <urn:uuid:4821dba8-81c2-41c2-9522-779864f3ed6a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.gq.com/entertainment/humor/201008/nate-penn-comedy-clown?slide=5 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00063-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.91828 | 272 | 1.835938 | 2 |
Happy Belated Birthday to German pianist and composer Fanny Mendelssohn, who was born 206 years ago. Fanny was the older sister of Felix Mendelssohn, but she was a talented composer and pianist in her own right.
Fanny Mendelssohn’s musical talent was tolerated by her father, but she didn’t receive the musical training and encouragement that her brother did. She was primarily self-taught. Fortunately her husband was supportive of her composing and performing in private salons. Her first, and probably only public performance took place when she was 33, performing her brother’s first piano concerto. Fanny composed over 450 pieces, most of them solo piano works. Most of her works were unpublished during her lifetime, or published under Felix’s name, but the year before her death she decided to publish a song collection under her name.
Fanny wrote many solo piano works entitled Song Without Words. Here’s one of them: | <urn:uuid:252ae80f-e3ea-448c-a45b-9142d6a3df1e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.utahsymphony.org/blog/2011/11/16/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.991829 | 206 | 2.265625 | 2 |
We would like to keep you informed with details and breaking news surrounding the 1st annual Servant Leadership Winter Conference.
Rani Hong combines her nationally recognized business skills with her passion to affect change for exploited women and children. She has contributed to the passage of precedent-setting laws in Washington State, making it a national leader for addressing the crimes against women and children. Rani has advised U.S. Congress, the White House and international parliaments on the prevention of human trafficking. Rani is a United States American Embassy speaker for the Department of State domestically and abroad to lobby for the rights of women and children.
She and her husband, Trong Hong, founded the Tronie Foundation, a non-profit organization promoting education, policy change, and restoration for children of violent crimes. For the past 10 years, Rani has shared her story in international media, including “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and BBC World News, describing her plight as a child slavery survivor in India. She also works with journalists in print, radio, and television to be a voice for those enslaved. Rani has worked directly with over 50 women and children who have been exploited in 6 different countries. Rani has been honored with many awards, including the 2010 Jefferson Award for Washington State and the 2008 United Nations Human Rights award
Here is a video highlighting Rani’s story as seen on Oprah. | <urn:uuid:0c5076b7-4c70-4aaf-b066-8495c237cbcc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.forthesakeofothers.com/servant-leadership/featured-speaker-rani-hong/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963294 | 286 | 1.703125 | 2 |
Social Security and Education
Wednesday, January 31, 2001
by Dr. Liqun Liu and Dr. Andrew J. Rettenmaier
Table of Contents
- Executive Summary
- Social Security's Costs and Benefits
- Estimating the Appeal of Social Security for Individuals with Different Education Levels
- Net Present Values
- Internal Rates of Return
- Costs and Benefits for Individuals Born in 1935 and 1980
- About the Authors
Social Security provides retirement benefits, insurance against death prior to a worker's retirement and benefits for nonworking spouses who outlive the beneficiary. Since its inception, Social Security has been a popular program because most retirees have received reasonable rates of return on the payroll taxes they have paid. Recently, however, people have begun to question the value of Social Security when viewed as an investment. As the program matures and as future workers face the daunting task of paying for the retirement of the baby boom generation, taxes will rise and the investment value of Social Security will decline.
In this paper we consider the value of the Old Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) portion of Social Security as an investment for different classes of workers based on their level of education.1 Why education? Because among young workers, the level of education is a better indicator of potential lifetime earnings (and therefore expected Social Security taxes and benefits) than current wages.
"This study evaluates Social Security as an investment for workers based on their education."
Education also affects a person's "investment" in Social Security in other ways. Someone who drops out of high school will pay payroll taxes for more years than someone who remains in school. Yet because of Social Security's peculiar rules, these extra years of payments do not add anything to retirement benefits. In this sense, Social Security penalizes those with less education. On the other hand, more education tends to produce higher income, and higher-income workers are treated less generously under Social Security's benefit formula. How any particular individual is affected also depends on such other factors as life expectancy, marital status, number of children and the life expectancy of a spouse.
Social Security redistributes income between generations - from young to old - because taxes paid by today's workers are used to pay benefits to today's retirees. Under the benefit formula, lower-income workers receive higher benefits in return for their tax dollars than do higher-income workers within each generation. However, although the benefit formula is designed to redistribute from high- to low-income workers, this redistribution is offset to some degree by the fact that lower-income workers tend to have shorter lives and consequently receive fewer benefit checks. Accordingly, a goal of this study is to identify how much redistribution actually takes place.
We evaluate Social Security as an investment by two measures: the expected rate of return on payroll taxes paid and the net present value of those payments. The net present value is the value today of expected future benefits minus expected costs, using a 4 percent interest rate, representing a measure of the real rate of return that private investments could yield. If the figure is positive, the investor gains; if negative, the investor pays more in taxes than he or she receives in benefits. | <urn:uuid:a95f3b2f-cc8d-4f36-b8df-e99013dfa3f0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ncpa.org/pub/st240?pg=2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955033 | 643 | 2.71875 | 3 |
Intervention programs designed to reduce children’s intake of sugar-sweetened beverages appear to reduce weight gain, according to the results of 2 studies published in the October 11, 2012, edition of the New England Journal of Medicine
In the first study, 224 overweight and obese adolescents were assigned to either a control group or an experimental group. Experimental group members had noncaloric beverages delivered to their homes every 2 weeks for the first year of the study. At the end of the first year, the change in body mass index (BMI) was 0.57 lower and the change in weight was 1.9 kg lower for the experimental group compared with the control group. (The difference was particularly large for Hispanic participants.) At the 2-year follow-up, the change in BMI for the experimental group was lower, but not significantly so.
In the second study, 641 primarily normal weight children aged 4 years 10 months through 11 years 11 months took part in an 18-month double-blind randomized trial. Each day at school, participants received either an 8-oz sugar-free beverage or a 104-calorie sugar-sweetened beverage. By the end of the trial, BMI increased on average 0.02 standard deviation (SD) units from the mean for a child’s age and sex in the sugarfree group and 0.15 SD units in the sugar group. Weight increased by 6.35 kg in the sugar-free group and 7.37 kg in the sugar group. Skinfold-thickness measurement, waist-to-height ratio, and fat mass also increased significantly less in the sugar-free group. | <urn:uuid:3f261c82-846b-40c3-b84b-12f2d543592c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.pharmacytimes.com/publications/issue/2012/November2012/Avoiding-Sugary-Drinks-Can-Reduce-Weight-Gain | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00075-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944165 | 335 | 3.296875 | 3 |
Last fall I decided to buy and plant bulbs: daffodils, tulips, and crocuses. (See December 16, 2011 post.) Stephen and Aurora helped with the planting. First, we talked about the proper way to plant the bulbs: Each bulb needs to be planted two to three times as deep as the bulb is tall, and it needs point up. After the planting lesson, I dug the holes and Stephen and Aurora placed the bulb in the holes and filled them with soil. It was fun to move around the yard as a team with a mission. When the bulb bags were empty and each bulb was tucked into its new home in the soil, we felt a great sense of accomplishment.
In March, daffodils were making appearances in yards and fields all around town. We started watching our yard. Nothing, no signs of budding life. As I watched I talked: “Maybe I didn’t plant the bulbs deep enough,” “Maybe I planted them too late in the season,” “Maybe the squirrels ate them.” Then Stephen added, “Maybe I plants them upside-down.”
We waited just a little bit longer. One day we saw dark green plants emerging from the grass in the front lawn. Yes, the daffodils were coming. We were so happy, our sense of accomplishment welling up for the second time.
I smile every time I look out at the daffodils spread through out the front lawn. It feels as though I have joined a secret society of gardeners.
Stephen seems to have developed some feelings about these daffodils, as well. The pride and ownership he feels is demonstrated in his words and actions. “Mom, would you like me to cut some of our special daffodils to decorate the table?” he says as he walks outside with a pair of scissors. I often find him out in the yard looking at the daffodils. They are his daffodils—he learned the correct way to plant bulbs, planted them, waited and watched for them, cheered them on when they started to grow, and loved and appreciated them when they bloomed. Sounds like parenthood to me. | <urn:uuid:99ed7733-5e08-4711-b1b4-1bed60d2b3ea> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://childrenandnature.ning.com/profiles/blogs/2961135:BlogPost:108885 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00064-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.989291 | 464 | 1.914063 | 2 |
Rieger tuners have developed a new aesthetic package for Volkswagen Golf GTI. The package consists of a set of alloy wheels and a number of aesthetic elements made of fiberglass with ABS inserts. Some elements of this package are made of carbon fiber –
The 2011 Nissan Murano offers a refreshed grille and bumper design, new taillights, a new 18-inch aluminum-alloy wheel design and a number of interior and content refinements
Sometimes, “reinventing the wheel” isn’t a bad idea at all. Is it always useful?
The Copenhagen Wheel turns the bike you already own, quickly and easily into an electric bike with regeneration and real-time environmental sensing capabilities.
Though two riders, one wheel may have a ring similar to certain girls and a cup, this thing is quite far from gross and well into the realm of amazing.
This clock was made from a recycled aluminum road bike wheel.
For some reason cities around the world are scrambling to build massive Ferris Wheels in the name of modernity. Which is odd because this is old fashioned technology and not much improved.
The Wheel Rider Concept for Yamaha gives us a glimpse of what futuristic personal commuting vehicles would look like, and Yuji Fujimura, the brain behind this design, brings out a radical change in the concept of two-wheeler vehicles.
World's Most Powerful Arm Wheel Chair.
A young fox found trapped inside a discarded lorry wheel is recovering well, the Scottish SPCA have said.
Funny car photos - cars without wheels
Front Wheel Drive Gyroscope Car
A three wheeled mustang , also known as a tricar or tri-car,
Cool three wheel vehicles
For this truck driver something went wrong when wheels on his trailer are simple fall out.
Lighting for automobile wheels from MotionLites
Turtle made of 2000+ wheel rims at the base of the Turtle Mountains in northern North Dakota.
See What I've found for you - Church On Wheels.
Gregory deGouveia has designed a bicycle that rolls on two car wheels. According to the creator, the Kitten took about two weeks to complete. The bike was built because the wheels were free. It’s excessive and inefficient - it’s sort of the anti-bike
This 30.5-m long (100-ft), 26-wheeled limousine, which was designed by Jay Ohrberg of Burbank from California, USA, is the longest car in the world. It has been recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records.
About 141 results for alloy wheels uk
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Stringer / Reuters
Tourists wait to see the rupture of the leading edge of the Perito Moreno glacier near the city of El Calafate in the Patagonian province of Santa Cruz, southern Argentina, March 2. As Perito Moreno moves forward, it cuts off a river feeding the lake. Water builds up pressure and slowly undermines the ice, forming a tunnel until ice comes tumbling down. The phenomenon repeats itself at irregular intervals, with the last major ice falls occurring in 2008. The glacier collapsed on March 4, 2012, after several large chunks broke off.
Ariel Molina / EPA
The Perito Moreno Glacier in Los Glaciares National Park, in southern Argentina, completed its break in the middle of a storm when the darkness and rain conspired to frighten hundreds of tourists waiting anxiously for the show on March 4. The breakdown process, which began on Feb. 29, was caused by the pressure of water above the ice dam, which began to crack to form an arch-shaped hole that ended up weakening and finally collapsing. The natural phenomenon happens infrequently -- from once a year to less then once a decade.
Andres Arce / Reuters
The Perito Moreno glacier is seen after the rupture of a massive ice wall near the city of El Calafate in the Patagonian province of Santa Cruz, southern Argentina, March 4, 2012. The glacier, a massive tongue of ice in the Santa Cruz province that covers 250 square kilometres (97 square miles), advances yearly into a lake, known as Lago Argentino. | <urn:uuid:73c5f8be-01ac-44b1-a2bf-d19a928db0ad> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://photoblog.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/03/04/10578278-perito-moreno-glacier-experiences-first-major-ice-fall-since-2008 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.934576 | 318 | 3.3125 | 3 |
Penn defends robot soccer championship title
The UPennalizers and Team DARwIn competed in Mexico City in June
July 18, 2012, 8:36 pm·
Creative Commons | DP
Penn’s latest athletic title belongs to a team of robots.
The robots were led to victory by twelve undergraduate and graduate students who competed in the RoboCup 2012 competition in Mexico City, which was held from June 18 to June 24.
Team DARwIn — which consisted of five Penn students and one Virginia Tech student — took first place in the Kid Sized division of the Humanoid League, defeating 21 other teams from across the world. In this division, teams of three robots — which have human-like body designs and sense and are 30-60 centimeters in height — competed in a soccer match.
Another Penn team, the UPennalizers, made it to quarterfinals before losing to the Australian team. They competed in the Standard Platform League, which involves using identical, autonomous robots.
Rising Engineering junior Spencer Lee, a member of UPennalizers, explained that the while DARwIN — which stands for Dynamic Anthropomorphic Robot with Intelligence — is a branch of UPennalizers, the two teams worked together to prepare for the competition.
Lee added that the teams have already made significant strides in their robot strategy.
“Our vision, motion planning and even our localization engines have been updated, and we even made use of sound to help the robots find their positions on the field this year,” he wrote in an email. “In the future, we’d like to have an even faster walk, a method of detecting other robots on the field and possibly a new means of localization with two yellow goals.”
Penn’s foray into competitive robot soccer began in 1999, through the work of the General Robotics, Automation, Sensing and Perception laboratory. The lab, which offers both undergraduate and graduate courses, uses computer science, mechanical and electrical engineering to research and make technological advances in robotics.
RoboCup was established in 1997 to work on advancing intelligent robots. The organization aims to create a team of robots by 2050 that can win against the human soccer World Cup champions, according to its official website.
RoboCup has also branched into other areas of robotics, such as using robots to assist humans in medical emergencies, daily and home life, and teaching children necessary scientific and mathematics skills through building robots. The annual competitions bring teams from around the world to face off in each of these divisions.
“Competitions in robotics are very important to helping the advancement of robotics in general,” Lee wrote. “Playing a game of soccer is a very complex situation, and trying to plan for that environment yields systems which can be used in myriad applications.”
According to Lee, there are plans to use the UPennalizers’ code base — which is open source and available to the public online — to create boxers and even firefighters.
Organizations like RoboCup can also bring significant breakthroughs in the fields of robotics and artificial intelligence by teaching its participants vital skills.Robotics masters student Aditya Sreekumar, who joined UPennalizers team year, said he had to learn how to code, test and run the robot’s functions.
“When you have set goals and time frames it makes you work even harder towards that goal, while also improving the field of robotics,” said Sreekumar, who plans to work on the team again next year.
“Tasks like object recognition in these competitions can be applied to the real world, such as in rescue operations,” he added. | <urn:uuid:a404b282-0ff5-4701-bbeb-02edfc806c14> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thedp.com/article/2012/07/penn-defends-robot-soccer-championship-title | 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 | 0.968576 | 766 | 1.890625 | 2 |
The image on the cover is a preview of some of the elements that will grace the Department of Theatre and Drama's production of Dancing at Lughnasa, which opens at the University Theatre on October 7, 1994. The image was created to demonstrate how the production might appear under lights and was shown to the director and the other designers involved in the production during the spring semester. It is one of a series of pictures produced by the lighting designer of the production, Rob Ward, under the supervision of lighting designer Robert Shakespeare.
Robert Shakespeare (right), Associate Professor of Theatre and Drama and Director of the Theatre Computer Visualization Center, Indiana University Bloomington, and Rob Ward, M.F.A. Lighting Design Student and TCVC Research Assistant.
Shakespeare and Ward are shown working on the data set that produced the image at the Theatre Computer Visualization Center (TCVC). The measured photometry of stage lighting luminaires are simulated in their locations in the University Theatre. Their lighting distribution, colors, and intensities were then applied to a three-dimensional computer model of the actors and set using Lytplot, which was created by Shakespeare. This data was then rendered in the raytracer Radiance, developed by Greg Ward from Lawrence Berkeley Labs. The TCVC Silicon Graphic Indigo 4000 provided the computing power to render the 32-bit color image. The use of light-accurate computer visualizations to explore the ideas of the theatre production team, months in advance of realization, has proved to be an exciting concept development tool. Under the direction of Shakespeare, TCVC is a leading influence in the field of merging research software with real-world design applications in the lighting design and entertainment areas. In the near future TCVC will be exploring the capabilities of lighting simulation software created under the guidance of Peter Shirley, assistant professor of computer science, Indiana University Bloomington. Shakespeare is currently developing software tools that will link the lighting data previewed in simulated imagery directly to the technology of the theatre. | <urn:uuid:373f9f4e-7d50-473b-b126-a94c6ded6db2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.indiana.edu/~rcapub/v17n2/37c.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942683 | 403 | 2.25 | 2 |
A 23-year-old Georgetown University graduate student, Troiano co-founded and serves as the field director for the Can Kicks Back, a recently launched nonpartisan campaign aimed at getting millennials to lobby Congress to reduce the national debt.
What does the Can Kicks Back hope to do?
We are solving two problems, really: No one's talking to young people about why this issue matters to them in a relevant and compelling way, and no one's giving young people a way to be meaningfully involved. In order for there to be a deal, especially a deal that's fair to our generation, young people need to be at the table, and they aren't right now.
How are you getting millennials interested?
We're trying to communicate a serious message in a fun and interesting way. One example of that is the video released two weeks ago with one of our advisers, Sen. Alan Simpson, [R-Wyo.,] dancing "Gangnam Style" (see embedded video below) to promote our three-week recruitment challenge. We need to reach young people where they are and explain to them how this issue matters to things they care about.
How does this issue affect millennials differently than it does other groups of people?
It's certainly harder starting out in life without an established career and without established credit. Millennials have been disproportionately impacted by the 2008-2009 recession, and it's something we're going to be dealing with for the rest of our lives.
Do you see this campaign continuing in the long term?
Our goal is to put the debt on a downward path compared with the economy. But that won't necessarily mean the end of our campaign. At the end of the day, we're organizing a group of young people who want to see their leaders put the American people before their own political party, and there are a whole bunch of pressing issues that are being ignored. | <urn:uuid:19aa6ef1-8afd-4936-9c24-0df5cb038112> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://washingtonexaminer.com/article/2517368 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00029-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970528 | 387 | 1.609375 | 2 |
In 1217 A.D. a young adventurer departed
from his native Venice on a voyage of discovery. Among the other incredible stories
he related in his "Book of Marvels", he spoke of a wondrous land filled
with curious animals, like elephants, rhinos and the great striped cats. That
land was India. The man was Marco Polo.
long, Africa has been regarded as the Mecca of Wildlife. Justifiably so, but in
the recent years the natural wealth of the Indian Subcontinent has begun to offer
naturalists, tourists and researchers a fascinating alternative to the once dark
continent. But there is a fundamental difference between the wildlife experience
of the Indian Jungle and those in Africa. To begin with, tropical jungles are
dense and most often the visibility is fairly restricted. All too often visitors
lured to India by tourist brochures, which promise exciting Tiger Safaris,
are therefore disappointed to see fewer animals than they expected. It's not that
the surviving jungles are thinly populated, but that most creatures, which have
mastered the art of camouflage and deception over millennia, are virtually impossible
to spot unless you know what to look for. With the help of an experienced guide
part of a tree stump takes wing to reveal itself as a roosting nightjar, or, an
imperceptible movement in the grass turns out to be none other than that of the
endangered Tiger, an ultimate and a majestic combination of beauty and power.
It is also necessary to explain why so many birds than mammals are seen.
Mammals are largely nocturnal, retreating into their hideouts during the day,
and are usually silent. On the other hand most birds are diurnal, not so shy of
man and quite vocal. Moreover there are far more birds than there are mammals.
India has about 1200 species of birds against 350 species of mammals. So, while
spotting a hundred species of birds in a day is not unusual, a mammal list of
even 10 species is considered good. But the mystique and the romance of exploring
the jungle here, perhaps for this very reason, is greater than anywhere else in
Natural India awaits discovery. Despite the heat and humidity,
people are drawn back to the forests which Kipling immortalized. In any event,
the secret for the visitors lies in knowing what to expect and in understanding
that the privilege of stepping into a pure and untouched world is a reward in | <urn:uuid:8c30e615-45bb-438a-bb0e-37677159da78> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.naturesafariindia.com/wildlife-travel-india/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00047-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946701 | 515 | 2.71875 | 3 |
Originally Posted by Hali87
A view plane amendment would set a new precedent though.. I don't think they've been amended before. Some people will probably still fight this just out of principle.
How right you are. From Saturday's Herald:
"Enter Phil Pacey, who speaks for the Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia.
“The developer does not have to encroach on the viewplane,” Pacey said Friday. “He has all sorts of other alternatives. I believe that the development agreement is quite clear that he is not allowed to encroach on the viewplane. He signed that document in full knowledge of the facts and it’s now up to him to live with the agreement that he has signed.”
Metlege doesn’t need a curtain wall on the eastern side of the building, Pacey said. “He can certainly live within the rules. The viewplanes were enacted in 1974. It is now almost 40 years that developers have been complying with those rules and this particular landowner isn’t any different than any other landowner in the city.”
Extending farther into the viewplane is against the law and should not be allowed, Pacey said. “The viewplanes legislation is extremely important to Halifax. It is something that people are very proud of. It is something that we have not allowed exceptions to and it would be ex-!tremely inappropriate to change the bylaw when there’s a very simple solution, which is for this particular landowner to change his plans.”
Now old Phil is an expert on building engineering too. How ridiculous can one person be? All this is blocking from any perspective is a view of a few clouds. What a clownass. | <urn:uuid:d85e5e74-933d-4288-9e93-169bee9e1bcb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?p=5667484 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00041-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973874 | 364 | 1.625 | 2 |
Commitment helps you do things you wouldn’t otherwise dream of doing. It also requires that you give priority to a lot of things other than yourself.
When I think about all the many blessings that have come my way in life, nothing seems to match the ones that have come from the commitments I’ve made and kept. Commitments are always difficult to keep and should never be entered into lightly. And there are certainly cases in which, for the welfare of all, a commitment must necessarily be broken. But cautiously making and fervently honoring a commitment can be a one of life’s most rewarding experiences.
It was no small commitment to pursue a graduate degree in psychology. Many of my colleagues jokingly agree that never does a person give so much and for so long for so little as to psychologists who spend many more years in training than most other mental health professionals and don’t necessarily reap better financial rewards for all their efforts. Even medical school takes less time, and the financial rewards are much greater. But, most of my colleagues not only love their profession and their work but also have no regret for the choice they made. Many of my classmates did buckle under the ordeal, eventually falling into the status of “ABD” (completing all training but failing to complete their doctoral dissertation, thus the term “all but dissertation”). I was tempted to do the same. But somehow I managed to persevere to the end, secure a doctoral degree, and make professional psychology a career. The results of making and keeping that commitment still profoundly affect my life.
Marriage is another one of those endeavors that can become profoundly enriched just by honoring the commitment. That’s not to say that there aren’t some situations in which a commitment too hastily or blindly made shouldn’t be abandoned. Many a person has felt unhealthily “obliged” to remain in a destructive, abusive, situation because they believed they couldn’t renege on a promise. I once knew a woman who came from a fundamentalist background and who was even exculpated by her minister and urged to leave a horrendous situation but who still had qualms about making the choice — in large part because of an excessive sense of obligation to keep the commitment she made. But I’ve also known many other individuals who were far too quick to jump ship just because the seas on which they and their partners were sailing became rocky or because they just weren’t having as much fun as they thought they were entitled to (and many were just as quick to jump on board before the waters were suitably tested). These folks truly missed the boat on many dimensions. They missed the opportunity to bask in the long-term payoffs of maintaining and nurturing a long-term relationship.
Commitment helps you do things you wouldn’t otherwise dream of doing. It allows you to tend to the most ungodly mess in a diaper, to say “no” when the little person you’re saying it to pouts and screams and claims you must hate them, and to not only remember your wedding anniversary but every reason why you entered the relationship you celebrate. Commitment requires that you give priority to a lot of things other than yourself. It doesn’t require that you lose yourself entirely, only that you temper your more selfish and petty urges and challenge yourself to rise above them. Commitment has the power to help you grow and to be a better person.
It’s sobering to think of how many people in my life have made commitments of their time, love, and energy to me, and how those commitments impacted my life. And it’s probably true that we have to experience the power of commitment first hand to get a sense of its value. So, as a helping professional, I’ve always found it edifying when anyone I’ve worked with managed to find the value and power of commitment. | <urn:uuid:1382cf73-55e0-4e18-9152-1b48c1f55f2d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://counsellingresource.com/features/2010/03/22/the-value-of-commitment/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00067-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977684 | 817 | 1.90625 | 2 |
Jacalin is a lectin composed of four subunits, two of approximately 10,000 daltons and two of 16,000 daltons each. This 50,000 dalton glycoprotein appears to bind only O-glycosidically linked oligosaccharides, preferring the structure galactosyl (b-1,3) N-acetylgalactosamine. This structure (the Thomsen Friedenreich antigen) is the oligosaccharide to which peanut agglutinin binds. However, unlike PNA, Jacalin will bind this structure even in a mono- or disialylated form. This lectin has been used to purify human IgA, since no other human immunoglobulin class binds Jacalin (references available upon request). The specificity of this lectin also affords the opportunity to localize or isolate glycoproteins with O-glycosidically linked oligosaccharide side chains.
For discussion of human IgA and IgD binding by jacalin, see: Mol Immunol 1987 May;24(5):503-11 A lectin with similar subunit composition and immunological properties was found in the seeds of breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis). The species A. champeden, A. integer, and A. tonkinensis were found to contain similar lectins. See: Biochimica et Biophysica Acta 1993 (1156); 219-222
Although both Artocarpus and Arachis lectin are highly specific for tumor associeted T antigenic disaccharide, there are subtle differences in the binding sites of the Artocaprus lectin and the Arachis lectin. See: J. Biolog. Chem. 1986 (261); 11 726- 11 733
A fast growing tree which can produce fruits within 3 years of planting. The fruits are borne on the main trunk and older branches. The jackfruit are the largest of all cultivated fruits. A well-ripe fruit emits a very pleasant smell, has a sweet taste and the flesh is waxy and golden-yellow in colour. Juicy Fruit Gum was fashioned after the flavor of Jack Fruit.
There are more than 100 seeds per fruit. Jackfruit is one of the most popular fruits in Kampuchea where they use green young Jackfruit to cook with curry and other soups. The seeds are as big as quail egg, which are often boiled, fried or roasted with salt. Major lectin in the seeds and pulp is Jacalin. Jacalin binds IgA and Thomsen Friedenreich. Its TF binding inhibits several glycoproteins elaborated by endometrial tissue undergoing disease processes. JAC produced dose-dependent and non-cytotoxic inhibition of proliferation in human colon cancer cells. (J Cell Physiol 2001 Feb;186(2):282-7)
Jacalin has insecticidal activity against Southern corn rootworm (Diabrotica undecimpunctata) and potato leafhopper. See: J. Econ. Entomol. 1990 (83); 2480-2485
Jacalin agglutinates all human red blood cells equally well. It also agglutinates erythrocytes from sheep, rabbit, mouse, buffalo, duck and pigeon as well as human and rat sperm. See: Immunol. Invest. 1994 (23); 167-188 Jacalin has potent mitogenic effects. See: J. Immunol. 1985 (134); 1740-1743 It is a T-cell mitogen for human periferal mononuclear cells and is specific for CD4+ lymphocytes. It also induces the production of gamma interferon and secretion of IL-2. | <urn:uuid:d4a391bd-3f52-4b55-945b-c86f61cfe496> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dadamo.com/lecster2/Lecster-read.pl?show=70 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00064-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.900871 | 784 | 2.984375 | 3 |
Just when higher gas prices are making air and car travel ever more expensive, the nation’s intercity rail carrier has hiked its Northeast corridor fares. Amtrak some day very recently–we’re waiting for an email back about the time details–raised its fares between New York’s Penn Station and cities from Washington to at least Boston.
The cheapest ticket between Penn and Washington’s Union Station is now $72, up from $69 as recently as a couple of weeks ago (full disclosure: I take Amtrak to D.C. at least once a month). The cheapest ticket between Penn and Boston’s South Station is now $89, up from $70 or thereabouts only a year ago.
The Northeast-only Acela, America’s answer to Europe and Japan’s high-speed trains, now at its cheapest appears to cost $129.
The fare increases come as Amtrak ridership continues to jump, due in no small part to the increase in gas prices throughout the United States. The fare increases also come as the federal government tries to bolster Amtrak’s rather shaky infrastructure, partly to make Northeastern travel quicker and less prone to delays. My colleague Eliot Brown has more on that here and here.
Follow Tom Acitelli via RSS. | <urn:uuid:34896457-1763-4ab6-bdfe-368641ebd127> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://observer.com/2008/07/amtrak-ups-northeast-fares-again/ | 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 | 0.963592 | 267 | 1.578125 | 2 |
Did you know that most olives are picked long before they are truly ripe and can even be softened with chemicals such as lye? Some olives are artificially darkened with an iron compound called ferrous gluconate, and all canned olives are pasteurized (cooked). Our olives are picked when ripe and only cured using traditional and natural methods, such as sea salt brining and oil curing.
Our ripe black Moroccan-style olives are sustainably grown and hand selected to provide wonderful taste. Packed in pure water with fresh garlic, cayenne pepper, oregano and sea salt, these 100% natural olives are an amazing source of healthy oleic acid and provide vitamins A and E, calcium and iron.
Olives are naturally high in beautifying oleic acid, and are also one of nature's richest sources of the antioxidant Vitamin E. Olives are champion mucus dissolvers, easily beating out figs and oranges. This makes them not only a delicious snack, but also an excellent food for internal cleansing. Olives are a staple among the staff at Sunfood! Enjoy some of the Best Olives Ever!
Olives are technically a fruit! In fact, they are one of the most mineral rich fruits on Earth. Olives are especially high in calcium and magnesium which help to build strong bones. They also contain vitamins A and E and the beautifying, heart healthy oleic acid. Olives also contain protein and compounds called polyphenols which display anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. Plus, olives are known as the most powerful mucus dissolver of any fruit. Too much mucus in your system can cause that cold/flu-like feeling of being clogged and stuffy with puffy eyes and dulled senses. Regular consumption of olives can help to clear out excess mucus and lift the fog.
Some people worry about the fat content of olives, but they contain monounsaturated fats which are much healthier than the trans fats or saturated fats found in other foods. Our bodies need fats to strengthen cell membranes, beautify the skin and lubricate our joints and intestines. Olives are a delicious source of healthy and alkaline plant-based fats.
No salad is complete without olives. Pit them, chop them up and sprinkle them on your greens. At Sunfood we like to use olives as the "meat" of many dishes. The texture of olives is very satisfying and is great for helping those new to raw foods get that "full" feeling. In fact, olives contain a protein-to-fat ratio that is similar to red meat, but none of the cholesterol.
These olives combine well with any raw nut for a delicious party mix. After eating the olives, the lightly salted brine may be used as part of a delicious salad dressing.
The bold, complex flavor of our Moroccan Olives perfectly complements our mild, smooth, totally raw, organic cashews.
For a real raw olive treat, pour the brine from a jar of Moroccan Olives into a jar of Peruvian Olives. The sun-dried Peruvian Olives will soak up the flavors of the Moroccan Olives, making a totally new batch of raw, spicy olives!
|Country of Origin||USA (California)|
|Ingredients||Ripe black olives, garlic, cayenne pepper, oregano and sea salt.|
|Specifications||Vegan, Raw, Sustainably-grown|
|Great for||Expecting Moms, Heart Health, Alkalinity, Anti-Candida, Antioxidant, Anti-Parasite, Children|
|Storage||Store in refrigerator after opening.|
- Best olives you'll ever eat! Review by Eva
- Delectable Review by Faye | <urn:uuid:07c037da-a4e7-4248-a692-22535433f37c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sunfood.com/food/olives/olives-moroccan-12-oz-sunfood-raw-sustainably-grown.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.928048 | 797 | 2.421875 | 2 |
A. Antonelli, C. Ferri, M. Galeazzi, C. Giannitti, D. Manno, G. Mieli-Vergani, E. Menegatti, I. Olivieri, M. Puoti, C. Palazzi, D. Roccatello, D. Vergani, P. Sarzi-Puttini, F. Atzeni
University of Pisa School of Medicine, Pisa, Italy
Free to view (click on article PDF icon to read the article)
ABSTRACT: Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a worldwide public health problem with a global prevalence of 2-3%. It is believed that about 170 million people are currently infected (about 3% of the world`s population), and a further 3-4 million are infected each year. HCV is the main reason for liver transplantation in the developed world, and the main cause of liver-related morbidity and mortality in a number of countries, including Italy. It is not only a frequent cause of chronic liver diseases such as hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, but is also involved in the pathogenesis of various autoimmune and rheumatic disorders (arthritis, vasculitis, sicca syndrome, porphyria cutanea tarda, lichen planus, nephropathies, thyroid diseases, and lung fibrosis), as well as in the development of B-cell lymphoproliferative diseases. Furthermore, patients suffering from C hepatitis tend to produce rheumatoid factor, cryoglobulins and a large series of autoantibodies (ANA, anti-SSA/SSB, SAM, ATG, aCL). The use of glucocorticoids or immuno-suppressant agents in HCV infected individuals, which are needed to treat autoimmune and rheumatic disorders, leads to a risk of worsening the clinical outcome of HCV. Under these conditions, the viral infection often needs to be treated with antiviral agents, mainly pegylated interferon combined with ribavirin. However, cyclosporine A seems to be safe and effective in patients with autoimmune disease (AD) and concomitant chronic HCV infection as is documented by the reduction in viremia and transaminases, particularly in patients with high baseline levels. Finally, HCV is the main trigger of mixed cryoglobulinemia. An attempt at viral eradication is therefore indicated in most patients, and is particularly effective in the case of mild or moderate manifestations. In severe cases, rituximab is an apparently safe and effective alternative to conventional immunosuppression and, specifically, it controls B-cell proliferation.
PMID: 18570753 [PubMed] | <urn:uuid:ede4a96f-11e9-444a-8cfe-3e014aba4cbd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.clinexprheumatol.org/abstract.asp?a=3300 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.91018 | 581 | 2.453125 | 2 |
East St. discussed
The City of Cottonwood voted to establish a separate stormwater sewer department and have the sewer commissioner oversee that as well as the regular sewer system.
In the past stormwater issues have been dealt with by both the streets and sewer departments but these issues take away from funds dedicated to their regular purposes. The council is looking into adding an additional fee to the utility bills to build a dedicated fund to address stormwater drainage issues. There is also some grant funding they could pursue.
Some issues have already arisen but they will need to develop of list of these needs and prioritize them for when they can get some funding to fix the problems.
Another upcoming problem is East Street, both the street and sidewalk, from Foster to Cottonwood Butte Road. Street Commissioner Jack Duman said he estimates costs to fix the street properly would run from $300,000-$500,000. The problem is that it doesn’t fit into any of the current funding sources available. He said the street is in bad shape now and would only get worse in a couple of years if the school district moves ahead with the plan to move the K-4 students to the Middle School.
The project is too big for the $100,000 stimulus fund grants available and too small for other grant funding. The only option he sees at this time would be a bond levy. Before they do anything though they have to clear up the right-of-way issues with the school.
In his street report Duman said he met with the West Camas Group to list projects and prioritize them for the $100,000 stimulus grants. East St. came out #2 on their list. After tossing it out due to the excessive cost to fix it properly, the city’s highest rated project within the multi-highway district area is a proposal to put an asphalt overlay on Broadway Street from Arnzen Drug up to the railroad tracks.
Other city projects in the running were mag chloride, fixing the northern part of Lewiston Street that won’t get fixed by the project already in the works and redoing the BST on several of the streets in town.
He said they are still waiting on state information on doing the school crosswalk on King Street and putting up the signage for which they’ve been awarded a grant. Once the state guidelines are received they will get the appropriate signage ordered.
In the water report it was reported that just over 4 million gallons were pumped last month. There was some loss but most of it can be attributed to various projects. Jay Hinterlong reported the city crew has been working on some of the laterals coming off of Lewiston Street as preventative maintenance.
Roy Uhlenkott reported well #5 has been down as they had to wait for a replacement part. A coupling at the well house went out. The replacement they ordered is rated for higher pressure than the one they had.
In the sewer report Ron Grant said he is looking to get together with Jack Duman to set up a time line for the sewer system work they’ll be doing on Lewiston St.
In the Land & Buildings report Shelli Schumacher reported the hall renovation work has started.
Later on in an agenda item she reported that the proposed library remodel and extension of the front awning would have to be done as separate projects. Since this is a community building the state requires plans be drawn by an architect and then go through all the procedures.
In other business Ordinance #220 was approved. It raises the fees for several of the zoning change requests. It appears elsewhere in this week’s Chronicle.
Votes were canvassed for last week’s city election with Shaun Riener and Ron Grant approved as the winners.
Mayor Denis Duman made 3 more Planning and Zoning Commission appointments. They are Joe O’Neill, Robert Stinson and Todd Stenzel. They join Nate Gentry who was appointed last month. That leaves one open position.
There was discussion on the railroad salvage. The discussion centered around what can be done if the railroad pulls out all the good ties and just leaves the rest setting there. City attorney Joe Wright said it may fall under the county ordinances or under the jurisdiction State Division of Environmental Quality (DEQ).
A liquor catering permit was approved for the Royale Room for the Brats & Brew contest set for this Saturday at the Community Hall.
A couple of resolutions were read and passed that are requirements for acceptance of the grant monies, even though these same resolutions were passed prior to the water project a few years ago.
The council adjourned to an executive session at 9:20 p.m.
The next regular meeting will be Monday, Dec. 14, at 7 p.m.
Riener, Grant are elected
Shaun Riener and Ron Grant emerged as the winners in the 3-way race for the Cottonwood City Coucil’s two positions that were up for election.
Riener received 74 votes while Grant received 69 votes. Jay Hinterlong polled 26 votes. There were 96 total ballots cast.
Grant and Hinterlong were the incumbent councilmen.
18% of the city’s 527 registered voters cast ballots. | <urn:uuid:632a302e-dfb6-4bab-8f72-c72095c44f0e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cottonwoodchronicle.com/2009/111209/two.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973171 | 1,079 | 1.59375 | 2 |
As Catholic health care systems struggle to survive in a competitive industry, some leaders of the traditionally nonprofit organizations are considering the for-profit model as an alternative.
But how would a change in corporate structure impact the Catholic mission and identity at the core of these organizations?
The question came up again and again as experts in health care, finance and law met with others interested in the future of Catholic health care at Seton Hall Law School in Newark, N.J., March 26-27 to study the issue at a symposium titled, "Is for-profit structure a viable alternative for Catholic health care ministry?"
Ascension Health Care Network, which describes itself as "the nation's first for-profit Catholic healthcare system," may learn the answer to this question before long. The system was formed last year as a joint venture between Ascension Health, the country's largest Catholic health care system, and Oak Hill Capital Partners, a private equity firm, and is now in "exclusive negotiations" to buy seven Catholic hospitals in New Jersey, said Leo Brideau, the Ascension Health Care Network's president and CEO.
Brideau said the Catholic hospitals that will come under the management of Ascension Health Care Network -- after New Jersey, the system plans to expand to other regions -- will be operated exactly as their nonprofit counterparts, and Ascension Health, the parent company, will retain "sole authority in perpetuity" over elements of Catholic identity, mission and ethical and religious directives.
" 'For-profit' describes our tax status; it doesn't describe our purpose," Brideau said at the Seton Hall symposium, stressing that in this type of partnership, an equity partner would not have the authority to pressure the Catholic hospital to abandon its mission to care for the poor. "Our purpose is continuing the healing ministry of Jesus."
"I think there are still lots of questions," said Mary Ann Dillon, senior vice president for mission and sponsorship at Mercy Health System. But, she said, there seems to be a great deal of interest in this type of venture within the Catholic health care community.
"What Ascension is trying to do," Dillon added, "is provide the necessary capital to rescue some of these small Catholic hospitals that are not going to make it on their own."
Editor's note: For more on the symposium, read the April 27-May 10 issue of NCR. | <urn:uuid:0cf7ad4d-0c1c-47e8-850f-0ac4773abb3c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ncronline.org/news/people/symposium-discusses-future-catholic-health-care | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961745 | 481 | 1.539063 | 2 |
The Catholic Health Association has now decided that it doesn’t believe that church affiliated employers should have to offer coverage for birth control in their employer sponsored health insurance plans. In other words, they have decided that they want hospitals to have the same exemption to this requirement that churches have been given.
On August 1, 2011, the Department of Health and Human Services added women’s health care to the category of preventive services. This meant that all health plans, including employer sponsored health insurance, had to cover the cost of birth control without charging the policyholder a copayment, co-insurance, or a deductible.
This sparked a controversy. Several Catholic groups, (including the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops), insisted that requiring religious employers to cover the cost of birth control in their employer sponsored health plans was forcing the business to go against it’s religious beliefs. President Obama created what has been called a “compromise”. He allowed churches, synagogues, mosques, and other places of worship to be exempt from the requirement that they provide birth control coverage in their employer sponsored health plans.
Since then, Catholic hospitals, universities, and other groups have been pushing to have all religious businesses allowed to have the same exemption. Recently, there was a small protest in Chicago where about 500 people gathered to protest the birth control coverage requirement.
Originally, the Catholic Health Association was an ally in President Obama’s health care reform. This association actually defied opposition from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops by being supportive of health care reform. This week, however, the Catholic Health Association has changed it’s mind. It now says that it doesn’t believe that church-affiliated employers should have to offer provide birth control coverage as a free service.
It is worth noting that the Catholic Health Association represents about 600 hospitals that are located all across the country. It also represents hundreds of nursing homes and other health-related organizations. It has been said that one out of every six patients is cared for in a Catholic hospital.
The Catholic Health Association sent a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services where it voiced its concerns over the birth control coverage requirement. It believes the that federal government should broaden the exemption to include not only churches, but also all religious employers. Or, it would also find it acceptable for the federal government to pay directly for the birth control coverage that it is requiring all health plans to include.
Image by Avia Venefica on Flickr | <urn:uuid:71dd206a-08e5-4f76-b2ca-5d403049d9f3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.families.com/blog/catholic-health-association-rejects-birth-control-compromise | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97773 | 511 | 1.96875 | 2 |
11/16/2006 12:21 PM ET
Crisp: The RBI program works
I'm living proof that Major League Baseball's RBI program can work.
Coco Crisp was inducted into the RBI Hall of Fame last February. (Elaine Thompson/AP)
The RBI program is a big reason I'm a Major League player today. The program provided avenues of opportunity I wouldn't have had otherwise. It gave me a chance to grow up on a baseball field and to succeed in the classroom.
My father, who owned restaurants and knew a lot of people, introduced me a man named John Young, who is the founder of RBI. Since I didn't have any place to play in Los Angeles when I was younger, Young gave me those opportunities through his travel teams and a league in nearby Compton.
I was inducted into the RBI Hall of Fame last February and it was a great honor. The idea of becoming a Hall of Famer in anything at my age seemed a bit out of place, though, because you usually associate Hall of Fame inductions with years of distinguished accomplishment.
I don't usually get nervous speaking in public. I speak to large groups of kids all the time. But that group had so many distinguished guests -- former players and celebrities -- that I became a little self-conscious. It was nerve wracking, but it was a great moment for me.
I've followed a pretty long road to get here. I went to four different high schools and two different colleges. Southern University, which is a black college in Louisiana, is where I got my break. Coming out of high school, I was not drafted. Moving around a lot, not a lot of people saw me play.
Some scouts saw me at Southern and, for a variety of reasons, I transferred to a junior college. But my coach at Southern was very influential in my career, and without him, and some other coaches and people -- like John Young with RBI -- I would not be here. They played big parts in my career.
Coco Crisp is one of eight RBI Program alumni to play in the Major Leagues. In 2006, his fifth season and first with the Red Sox, Crisp batted .264 and stole a career-high 22 bases. | <urn:uuid:268c0375-88ca-413a-a662-a02bf9b7942b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/pa/news/article.jsp?ymd=20061116&content_id=1741576&vkey=mlbpa_news&fext=.jsp | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.988499 | 465 | 1.523438 | 2 |
Even though he's so young, he is still able to learn from everything that he does! Mudpuppy has a fantastic selection of toys and other educational products to help your children get a jump start on learning.
Ring Flash Cards
Flash cards were always the easiest way for me to learn. Even when I was in College for Nursing I would make up flash cards and quiz myself. If you continue to see the same information over and over again, it's going to sink in.
Mudpuppy carries sets of flash cards to teach children everything from ABCs to Rhyme Time. Each set comes with 26 5" x 2-1/4" two sided cards.
We received the Under The Sea set. Each card has a creature that lives under the sea pictured on one side with facts about that sea creature on the other side. We've only had them a week, but Evan already knows to say shark instead of fish.
Right now we're just learning what the names of the creatures are. As he gets older he will learn the facts about each one. We can easily learn these before he starts preschool in the next few years and he will already have a head start on learning about things under the sea.
The Ring Flash Cards are meant for children over three but I think you can start teaching your children with these long before they turn three! I want to get him all of the sets that Mudpuppy carries.
Sticker Play Scenes
Imagination is one of the best ways children can express themselves. The Sticker Play Scenes have over 50 reusable vinyl stickers that children can use to recreate different scenes.
Mudpuppy carries several different themes including Rush Hour and Ballerinas. The Original Play Scenes are 9" x 12" closed fold up and have a handle for easy transportation. They now have Mini Play Scenes that measure 7-3/4" x 8"closed.
We received the Pirate Play Scene.
Even though my little man is a little young to use the stickers to act out different adventures, he is still learning other simple skills. He has learned to take the stickers off of the pages and place them wherever he wants.
Every time he puts a new one on the board he claps and smiles. He knows that he can do as he pleases with the stickers. If he wants to put the fish on the land, he can do that. Right now he's just having a good time taking the stickers and placing them in the spot he thinks is best.
As he gets older, these will be great to take in the car on road trips. He will be able to entertain himself for quite a while with acting out different adventures with his pirates. The pirates even come with different accessories such as a hood arm and peg leg that he can change up if he wants to.
Other items Mudpuppy Carries
The Ring Flash Cards and Sticker Play Scenes are just two of the many items Mudpuppy carries. A few other products include:
-And MUCH More
You can purchase a set of Ring Flash Cards for $12 and the 9 x 12" Sticker Play Scenes are $13.00.
Mudpuppy is offering a set of Ring Flash Cards to one of my readers. The winner will get to choose which set they'd like.
To enter, visit Mudpuppy and tell me something else that you'd want. This is required and must be done before the extra entries count!
You can do any of these things for an extra entry. Make sure to leave a separate comment for EACH thing you do.
1- Subscribe to my blog via email. Type in your email address over to the left and hit submit! Don't forget to activate your account.
2- Put my new button on your blog! If you have my old Two Of A Kind Button on your blog, take it down and replace it with the NEW one! THANKS!!
3- Follow my blog. Go over to my right sidebar and click on Follow This Blog! Current followers count too! Leave me a comment letting me know that you do!
4- For TWO extra entries, Blog about this giveaway and link it back to my blog AND Mudpuppy!
5- Follow me on twitter AND tweet about this giveaway. Please leave me the link in your comment where you "tweeted" about the giveaway. Just following me does NOT count! You MUST "tweet" about this giveaway as well!
6- For FIVE extra entries, purchase anything from Mudpuppy before the end of this giveaway!
Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on March 18th when I will draw a winner at random. PLEASE leave your email address if it is not visible on your profile. I will notify the winner on March 19th and they will have 36 hours to respond before I will choose a new winner!
Contest is open to US ONLY | <urn:uuid:fe6c8dd1-ce5f-4eff-847d-8fa1499b8d1c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.twoofakindworkingonafullhouse.com/2009/03/mudpuppy-ring-flash-cards-review-and.html?showComment=1236091980000 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00023-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958206 | 1,020 | 2.09375 | 2 |
After every recent emergency or disaster, our customers call and ask us what off grid solutions might help them prepare for the next event, whether it is here in the U.S.or somewhere else. The short answer is that solar energy products can be part of your emergency preparedness plan. Just ask Haitians who were able to cook their food on solar ovens after the devastating earthquake in Haiti. Or you might want to talk with relief workers who are able to maintain vaccines in a solar refrigerator in Africa. We are supplying the U.S. armed forces with portable solar modules for power of small equipment in combat zones.
Posts Tagged ‘solar modules’
As most loyal SolarTown customers know, we try to get you the best guidance on selecting solar energy products from our selection of home solar panels to solar water pumps and other products. We recently played with the idea of doing the same thing with our selection of solar inverters, but came to the conclusion that the inverter market may not have as many objective standards or features to make that kind of comparison as useful as with solar modules. Some excellent brands, like Outback, don’t stack up in the numbers because they are specialized in other areas like being installable in almost any tropical or harsh environment or switching between on and off grid mode. That said, sometimes the numbers have a point, and we want to share that point with you so at least you have some information on which to base your decision of which solar inverter to choose for certain size solar panel systems. So here is our first rundown of Solar Inverters: Best in Show!
A couple weeks ago, I spent a lot of time overheating in my dark, humid house with fond memories of air conditioning to to keep me company. Ironically, this year’s Independence Day reminded me of just how dependent I am on grid power. Without it I lost AC, water, and several hours of each day. I know I wasn’t the only one this happened to. This year’s power outages affected hundreds of thousands of people and in Virginia almost one million households lost their power. My home does not have a backup generator and, until recently, was only stocked with just one flashlight. In hindsight this was not a good decision. Since we as a nation probably won’t upgrade our infrastructure, power outages are going to continue to happen. This is especially true considering that some scientists have linked extreme weather last year to climate change. In order to be more prepared for the next outage I’ve decided to get a backup system. I have two main choices: diesel and solar.
The two major impediments to homeowners installing solar panels on their roofs are financing and aesthetics. We have talked with a lot of homeowners and the discussion always seems to revolve around these two issues. A homeowner has applied to install a system on a sloping roof from which the solar panels would be partially visible from the street. The historic preservation board voted down the plan to install the panels on the 1906 home. Much education has to be done on both sides and with increased understanding, solar designs can blossom in historic districts.
Natural gas, Chinese manufacturing and austerity programs were the themes at a solar symposium yesterday in the Nation’s Capital. The GW Solar Institute brought together teachers, students, policymakers and the president of SolarTown to take on the subject: “Solar Energy: A Path to Energy Significance.” No one seemed to suggest that it was going to get any less dull in the solar market in the coming year, but the forecasts were few and far between as the solar market continues with its fits and starts.
New Look for SolarTown Learning Center: Learn the Ins and Outs of Solar Policy and Solar Energy ProductsMonday, January 30th, 2012
One of our primary goals at SolarTown is to educate consumers on solar energy in general and solar energy products in particular. We know that you have perused the over thousand solar energy products that we are selling. We hope that you have also spent some time at SolarTown’s Learning Center to learn about solar power products. We know that our customers like our Learning Center, but as the number of articles has ballooned, it has become more unwieldy to navigate. We have put in a new interface to allow you to click on the category that you are looking for.
My family installed a solar energy system in rural Brazil twelve years ago. A little bit of social consciousness and a lot of economic reasons persuaded us that solar energy was the way to go for our home in Minas Gerais in the interior of Brazil. This is our first-hand account of how and why we went solar. Access to the house was and still is restricted to one dirt road. At the time, there was no electricity, since power lines stopped several kilometers away from us. For the first two years, kerosene lamps lit our lives at night. The electricity grid was not and has not been extended, despite our good efforts. In 1999, we decided to buy the property and install home solar panels to replace the kerosene lamps, radically transforming our electricity consumption there. For twelve years, solar energy has provided us with reliable electricity in the temperate rainforest in Brazil. Lack of infrastructure, a need for electricity and a desire to do the right thing toward the community convinced us to install solar energy in this rural and remote place…and the cherry on top is that we have never and will never receive an electricity bill in the mail.
The loud sucking noise you hear is the sound of solar manufacturing going overseas. If it were not clear before this month, it is now abundantly evident that manufacturing of solar panels that you may want to put on your home in the United States are not going to come from the US anymore. The trend of manufacturing of solar panels in China is only accelerating as the news in the past few weeks has shown. The evidence is plastered on every news release—we surrender and are leaving town fast. BP Solar hammered shut its operations in Maryland. Evergreen Solar filed for bankruptcy. And now Solon is closing its US plant. Solar panels are not like nails or screws, but more akin to refrigerators or dish washers—consumers pay more for quality and features. We still hold that view and will advise our customers to shop wisely and look at various criteria to rate solar modules, and of course one of those is cost, but that should not be the end all. The market, as shown by the flight of solar manufacturing, is going elsewhere. Thinning margins means a commodity market and the Chinese are willing to tough it out in the long to capture the lion’s share of the business. The future for manufacturing of solar panels in the United States is bleak.
Starting this week, SolarTown will offer a discount solar panel of the week. Every week on Monday, we will post a solar panel that offers great savings. This year, our distributors and vendors have been offering huge savings on solar modules as prices have continued to fall. And they offer to SolarTown discounts, which we are able to pass on to our customers. Some of our customers are most interested in the least expensive solar module that they can purchase. For those installers and contractors who are ready to purchase immediately, the discount solar module of the week will allow them to take advantage of deep discounts that are available while supplies last.
BP Solar is not actually going out of business, but according to BP Solar’s CEO, “BP Solar will shift its strategic direction to focus on large-scale project development activities.” In other words, you won’t be able to buy BP Solar solar modules at SolarTown or anywhere else unless you have a very large project. BP Solar is closing its facility for good, leaving behind unfulfilled promises. BP Solar was a name in U.S. manufacturing. Now its solar headquarters will be relegated to the dustbin of the history of U.S. manufacturing. We are sorry to see you go. | <urn:uuid:1a6d6a00-a29c-4ffe-96d0-2b703075d2dc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.solartown.com/blog/tag/solar-modules/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00073-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967614 | 1,647 | 1.875 | 2 |
Presenting creation programs on a university campus brings out a variety of students with different backgrounds, different perspectives, and different motivations for coming. It’s quite a challenge to meet these varying needs in one presentation. That’s why we are glad for the Q&A time and one-on-one time before and after the presentations. Here are some “portraits” from just 2 nights of recent university presentations:
- Twenty-year old history major – grew up in a “fundamental evangelical” church – now claiming to be an evolutionist – looking for something “new”—almost seems he is crying, “Convince me.”
- Middle age man – going back to school to become a middle-school science teacher – church member – taking a class on Evolution vs. Creation – coming to learn more about creation model
- Biology major – also in the Evolution vs. Creation class – identifies himself as an evolutionist — polite and attentive — has questions about science and the Bible
- Graduate student – says as he comes in, “I don’t know why I’m here. Maybe morbid curiosity.” – Lots of objections to creation – leaves halfway through presentation
- Biology student – also in the Evolution vs. Creation class — says he believes in God – asks some penetrating questions – later says he likes playing the “devil’s advocate”
- Young man – identified by his smile – lights came on for him when he came to our presentations last year – now a happy and devoted follower of Jesus
We plant, others water, but the Lord brings the harvest. Please join us in praying for these students, that God would bring forth abundant fruit from the seeds that have been planted. Pray too, for those who diligently work and witness and build relationships on campus throughout the school year.
If you would like to see if an AOI seminar is right for you, or you would like to help the work of Alpha Omega Institute, please visit our website events page or our donate page. Keep up to date with what AOI is doing. Thanks for your partnership. | <urn:uuid:810f00f7-76f7-49a7-8163-c5d391c3499c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://discovercreation.org/blog/2012/page/2/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964418 | 446 | 1.507813 | 2 |
St Catherine, enthroned, wears the black and white robes of the Dominican Order. The white lilies symbolise her purity and the fact she flattens the devil underfoot signals her goodness. St Lawrence and St Dominic are on the left and St Peter Martyr and St Raphael, with the young Tobias, to the right. St Catherine of Siena was the first Dominican nun and here she presents a book of the Dominican Rule to one kneeling group of figures and a scroll of regulations to another. The altarpiece may have been painted for St Catherine's convent, Florence, where three of Cosimo Rosselli's nieces were nuns. | <urn:uuid:736a09eb-2c26-42d0-bfe2-e7f932171fdb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nationalgalleries.org/collection/artists-a-z/R/4651/artist_name/Cosimo%20Rosselli/record_id/2418 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949505 | 134 | 2.3125 | 2 |
The hallmark of the South African system of apartheid was the doctrine of separate but unequal. It was a system where the dominant indigenous people of color were subjugated and controlled by an imperialistic white minority.
In Atlantic City, the creation of a Tourism District mirrors this dogma. The governor and the Legislature have further divided the city into a "tale of two cities," whereas half of the city lies within the geographical boundaries of the Tourism District and the other half does not. The Tourism District will receive special consideration and additional resources. Conversely, the parts that are outside the district will not. Is this not separate but unequal?
It is ironic that during Black History Month, simultaneously, The Press is publishing excerpts from Nelson Johnson's book, "The Northside," which brings into focus the old segregated Atlantic City. During that era, there was an imaginary line of demarcation that separated black neighborhoods from the commercial district and white neighborhoods. Now, as a result of the Tourism District boundaries, real lines have been drawn to replace imaginary ones. And the real one is exactly the same as the former imaginary line that isolated the black community. The historical white neighborhoods of Lower Chelsea, Chelsea and Ducktown, although more diverse now, are included in the district. But none of the historically African-American neighborhoods are in the district. Moreover, an additional and separate police precinct to secure and patrol the district will be created and funded by the city. This means people who reside outside of the Tourism District will end up paying for a service that is not even rendered unto them.
When Gov. Chris Christie first came to Atlantic City to announce his concept, despite being snubbed, I gave him the benefit of the doubt with respect to a partnership. City officials and residents gave him more than adequate opportunity to get it right and assuage our concerns. It is obvious now that Christie never intended to respect our sovereignty. Therefore, all doubt has been removed. It is unprofessional and completely unacceptable when a governor comes to a city and announces a plan to radically change that city and doesn't even have enough respect to consult with local officials who have been duly elected.
Comparatively speaking, if the federal government decided to intercede into the affairs of the state of New Jersey, it would be completely justified given the historical corruption and ineptitude of our state government. The track record of New Jersey is far worse when compared to other states than Atlantic City's record is when compared to other cities across the state. Imagine if President Barack Obama hatched a scheme for New Jersey and came to Trenton without conferring with or inviting input from our duly elected officials; whites and blacks - but especially whites - would be up in arms. The point is, when a white imperialistic out-of-town minority imposes its will on the indigenous people of color (the majority) and usurps the sovereign right of that majority to govern themselves by stripping away zoning, planning and policing, it is reminiscent of apartheid. So don't chastise me and accuse me of race-baiting for calling attention to the obvious, inherently racist reality that I did not create.
In conclusion, what we need is honest dialogue. It has been said by state Sens. Jim Whelan, D-Atlantic, and Stephen Sweeney, D-Salem, Gloucester, and others that we have to make the Boardwalk "clean and safe" in order to bring back the casino patrons that we lost. This is disingenuous at best, as it suggests that the reason why they left in the first place is because the Boardwalk is not clean and safe. The truth is, the Boardwalk is the safest part of the city. Furthermore, there is no empirical evidence to support this fallacy. Crime has declined in Atlantic City for 16 straight years. Therefore, when the crime rate was worse than it is now, it didn't deter the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa or Revel Entertainment from investing billions in Atlantic City. On the contrary, the real reasons why the numbers are down in the casino industry are: (1) the downturn in the national economy; (2) the proliferation of casino gambling in neighboring jurisdictions, such as Pennsylvania and Delaware; and (3) the casino industry's own failure to sufficiently re-invest in Atlantic City.
With respect to zoning and planning, no would-be casino operator has ever divested in Atlantic City because of red tape or any other problems associated with the zoning and planning process. Penthouse, The Dunes, Mirage Resorts, Penn Gaming and Pinnacle Entertainment all divested in Atlantic City due to market conditions, financing issues or other factors beyond the control of the city of Atlantic City. Hence, if it isn't broken, why mess with it?
The attempt here is to make Atlantic City a scapegoat for the ills that have beset the casino industry. Once again, this represents the latest scheme to wrest control of Atlantic City. As this region continues to celebrate Black History Month and "The Northside," we should be mindful that some things never change. Or maybe, the more some things change, the more they really do stay the same.
Lorenzo T. Langford is mayor of Atlantic City. | <urn:uuid:6171133f-3264-4cee-93dd-e9bec670c7a4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/opinion/commentary/guest-column-mayor-lorenzo-langford-tourism-district-divides-a-c/article_dd938ea9-8eba-5f61-a54b-7ccbeadb6b45.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00072-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96153 | 1,054 | 2.453125 | 2 |
Gary Becker, the Nobel laureate in Behavioral Economics describes family as a little factory in which husband and wife are specialized producers of complementary household goods; women equipped for rearing children, trade home production with men, who’ll specialize in bringing home the bacon from the labor market. Together they profitably provide communal goods and services---among which the most important are kids. The power of Becker’s economic formalism sheds light on an array of institutions governing the entanglement of men and women, tracing them to transactions in markets for mates and family goods.
The economic nature of the marriage bargain explains why most of the societies have codified protections to ensure wives’ access to resources. The raw Darwinian marketplace values women as wombs, selling reproductive services and house hold service in exchange for men’s seed and economic resources; men’s strategy is to maximize propagation and to ensure that women have the required resources to successfully carry their offspring. But then development is changing the terms of the transaction. Women emerge as producers in the market. It increases their value both in the household and in society at large.
Economic growth offers women new opportunities to produce outside the home and improve their bargaining status. Work offers women new careers. She gains freedom from drudgery of the seclusion of the household, and the chance to exercise her mind and talents ditto men do. Education, coupled with increasing demand for women in the labor force, is ultimately changing women’s expectations for good. As the number of women graduating is on increase, the most of the highly educated women work. For them, work has become the norm, irrespective of their earnings. It’s what they do, just like men. Technology, from the washing machines to the frozen dinner and the microwave oven etc has made it easier for women to seek opportunities outside the home.
The mass distribution of birth-control pill has made women to take control of their fertility, delay marriage and child birth, and focus on career and gain economic autonomy. The linch-pin of these changes however is work which has increased her leverage and implied her to push for gender equality in the workplace, the home, and beyond. The standard family deal, in which women exchanged the service of their uterus, child care, and house hold chores for their husband’s wage was rendered obsolete the moment women arrived home with a paycheck of their own. The balance of the workforce seemed to be tipping toward women.
Women dominate today’s colleges and professional schools. Several job categories are now mostly occupied by women. Indeed, the economy is in some ways becoming a kind of traveling sisterhood. Over the time the share of jobs held by males outside has declined as the share of jobs (reservation also) held by women rose. The increased unemployment in men thus has had a devastating effect on the marriage market. Having lost their edge in the financial contribution to the household many men are left with little to offer, and hence won’t marry…..the job-dynamics discourages building up of new (pro-creative) family units. The lopsided unemployment share favoring men has in the meanwhile resulted in the higher crime rates…creating hordes of frustrated and unmoored young men/women that prowl (promenade and nose around) the streets. It’s perhaps one of the major reasons why moral degradation in our society is on rise. Increased economic uncertainty in effect is likely to cause men (even women) to reach old age without heirs to care for them.
In our young upwardly mobile dual-career families partners are more similar, in age, education, and earning prospects. Rather than a kid factory it’s now more like a child club where husbands and wives pool the resources they earn from work to buy leisure and other goods like child care ---from the market. And if one spouse in a marriage has more education than the other, it’s likely to be the wife. As husbands and wives have become less dependent on each other to produce what the family unit needs, marriage, once meant to last until death is become a more diverse arrangement than it ever was.
The increased number of women working outside the home and the diminished potential of men to earn enough to be sole-providers is shaking the foundations of our society. The complex mosaic of traditional role and expectations for men and women fashioned and refined for thousands of years seems to be getting shattered. In our society it’s quite common to take for-granted that while men will naturally work outside home it’s acceptable for women to do this if and only if they could engage inasmuch work in addition to their inescapable- and unequally shared-household duties. This is sometimes called ‘division of labor’ though it may be more descriptive to see it as the accumulation of labor on women.
The role reversal that’s under way between men and women is turning traditional family roles upside down. ‘Who’s doing what?’…. ‘What’s our role?’…. ‘Everyone’s telling us we’re supposed to be the head of a nuclear family, so we feel like we got robbed’…. ‘It’s toxic, and poisonous, and it’s setting us up for failure’…. ‘This is her salary…….’ ‘This is your salary’….. ‘Who’s the damn man?’…. Who’s the man now?”….. A murmur rises. ‘That’s right. She’s the man.’ The range of acceptable masculine roles has changed comparatively little. As men seem “fixed-in-cultural-aspic”, with each passing day, they lag further behind. The economic and cultural power shift from men to women would be significant. Women are on to dominate middle management and a surprising number of professional careers as well.
The terms of marriage have changed radically…. families turn into matriarchies, with women making all the decisions and dictating what the men should and shouldn’t do…whether to have a baby…. how to raise it…. where to live… my-way-or-the-highway, kind of thing. Cultural norms, such that the fathers might have earlier said, ‘great.... catch-me-if-you-can’…… they’re desperate to ‘father’, but are pessimistic about whether they can meet her expectations. The Marlboro Man, meanwhile, master of wild beast and wild country, seems too far-fetched and preposterous even for advertising. | <urn:uuid:8ca63a7b-afbf-4cb0-8b1a-668ab4a0c2b9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nowpublic.com/culture/swapped-roles-0 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00037-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959967 | 1,380 | 2.9375 | 3 |
They said it was her husband’s car, but in the late 1930s no one really knew for sure if Paulette Goddard and Charlie Chaplin were really married. In fact, it was only when they divorced in 1942 that they confirmed they’d ever wed.
The car is a Rolls Royce.
Anita Loos, the actress-writer behind the comic novel, stage version and screen edition of “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” – and a woman who knew a thing or two about luxurious living — put it best. In her 1954 memoir Fate Keeps On Happening, Loos wrote this about one of her closest friends: “To Paulette, no occasion is festive without champagne and caviar.”
Hello, everybody, Joe Morella and Frank Segers, your classic movie guys, here today to appreciate that Rolls-driving Goddard, one of the most financially savvy actresses Hollywood ever spawned. (Chaplin was no dope in the money-management department either.)
Paulette was born Pauline Marion Levy, the only child of a Long Island couple whose marriage rapidly fell apart. She and her mother were financially pressed, and moved around a good deal when she was very young.
A child model by 13, she soon found herself cast in producer Flo Ziegfeld productions, including the 1927 musical Rio Rita in which she was widely noticed perched on a cutout of the moon being serenaded by a the baritone leading man. Her movie career actually began in New York in 1927, when she appeared in a four shorts for Ziegfeld.
From the beginning — and perhaps because of her beginnings — Goddard had a finely developed taste for luxury, jewelry, clothes, cars, the works. At 16, she married a Palm Beach socialite who undoubtedly catered to her expensive tastes.
The marriage was short lived, and at its conclusion in 1929, Goddard was awarded a $100,000 settlement — worth about $1.3 million in today’s dollars.
After her divorce Paulette arrived in Hollywood and in 1932, she appeared as a blond “Goldwyn Girl” in The Kid From Spain starring radio personality Eddie Cantor.
Goddard’s stunning good looks caught the attention of a 43-year-old Charlie Chaplin that same year, and their romance began. Chaplin was intrigued not only by her seductiveness but by her keen business sense, unusual for a young starlet.
He co-starred her in 1936′s Modern Times, and then somewhere, somehow, they secretly married. The couple separated in 1940, and divorced two years later.
Paulette subsequently married Erich Maria Remarque. The “All Quiet on the Western Front” author and the beautiful — and very smart — actress began their 12-year, later-in-life marriage in 1958. He was 60. She was said to be 48, although estimates of her age varied since throughout her life (which ended in 1990) Goddard never came clean about her actual birth date.
By most accounts the Remarque-Goddard union was a success. It lasted until the author’s death in 1970. She was gregarious and a gadabout. He was sedentary but understanding. Both were rich.
By this stage of his life, Remarque — a man of many affairs in every sense who once romanced fellow German Marlene Dietrich – was “bored by the physical and more interested in a woman’s mind.”
DISCLOSURE – That last quote comes the 1985 biography “Paulette: The Adventurous Life of Paulette Goddard,” co-authored by Edward Z. Epstein and Classic Movie Chat’s own Joe Morella. If I may say so (Frank speaking) the book is a wonderful read, and an essential reference on Goddards’s adventurous life. | <urn:uuid:0f9ca0ea-2f1a-4105-8859-ecd6e1302e10> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://classicmoviechat.com/?m=20120618 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00066-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97773 | 813 | 1.5 | 2 |
Lizards (Nature Watch) by Mark O’Shea
Mark O’Shea is an expert from the UK who has written numerous books on reptiles for children. This particular book for middle school ages caught my eye because of the incredible cover photograph of a brilliant green iguana. The book is indeed filled with eye-popping photography of lizards from throughout the world.
Once your eyes are done feasting on the gorgeous visuals, however, you find that the text is clearly written and highly informative, too. Did you know that most lizards in warm climates lay eggs, but those in colder climes give birth? I was surprised to learn that the world’s smallest lizard was discovered in 2001, and is also the world’s smallest land-living vertebrate. It is called the Jaragua gecko from the Dominican Republic and it is just ½ inch long!
The sections at the end on how to watch lizards and about lizard science/conservation are excellent. The author suggests to kids that they can become herpetologists (scientists who study reptiles), too. After reading this highly interesting book, I’m sure he is going to have quite a few children taking him up on that.
Paperback: 61 pages
Publisher: Lorenz Books (2006) | <urn:uuid:2704c72b-74a3-4f97-9405-73a7460219cf> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.wrappedinfoil.com/2009/05/lizards-nature-watch-review/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00058-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962964 | 268 | 2.890625 | 3 |
It’s been a couple of months since we’ve settled into our new (and dare we say fabulous space) here in the city’s Tenderloin district. Located at the corner of 6th and Market streets, we’re really in the heart of it all; adjacent to the Donut World, diagonal from Show Dogs, across from the Crazy Horse Warfield. It’s an interesting corner to say the least. Really, it’s the crossroads of this neighborhood’s history…and its future.
In fact, we’ve been so inspired by the long and lettered history of this neighborhood, we decided to do a little research and get the whole story. Though it’s hard to tell these days, the Tenderloin used to be a haven to some of San Francisco’s most ritzy hotels and theaters. In fact 33 blocks of this neighborhood are recognized by the National Register of Historic Places. The area took a blow during the 1906 earthquake and well, has never been quite the same. But thanks to Burning Man Foundation, the Gray Area Foundation for the Arts, and tech startups like us and Twitter, the TL could be back on an upswing.
We give you the fall and rise of the Tenderloin.
Use the code below to reuse this graphic
Image originally posted on Zengage, the Zendesk Blog | <urn:uuid:4802fcfb-32f2-42cb-823b-dc5f263f28e2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.zendesk.com/blog/fun-facts-about-san-franciscos-tenderloin-district | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00055-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.924723 | 295 | 1.515625 | 2 |
Leave Your Child in Good Hands
How do you ensure that your child is safe and well-cared for when you’re away from home? Whether it’s a care provider for every day or a babysitter for one evening, choosing carefully and providing clear instructions will help your child stay healthy and happy in your absence, and for years to come. Here are some tips for choosing babysitters and child-care providers.
When Choosing a Babysitter
- Meet potential sitters in advance, interview them about their background and experience, and check references. If you plan to hire a teenager, also talk with his or her parents.
- Pay prospects for an hour of child care while you’re at home. Watch how the sitter interacts with your child. If your child is old enough, ask for opinions afterward—and listen to them.
- Inform the sitter of your child’s allergies or other special needs. Go over basic safety information, such as where fire extinguishers and the first aid kit are kept, and how to reach emergency services such as fire, ambulance, and poison control.
- After selecting a sitter, give him or her a tour of your home and discuss your rules and your child’s routines. Leave a list of phone numbers where you can be reached, in addition to contact information for neighbors, relatives, and your child’s doctor.
When Choosing a Child-Care Provider
- Decide which option is right for you: a caregiver in your home, in someone else’s home, or in a child-care center. Each approach has its own pros and cons and one may be better for your family.
- If you decide on a child-care center, visit several places before making a choice. Stay for an hour and observe the activities, inspect the surroundings, and interview the staff.
- Consult a checklist. Many organizations, including the National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies, offer free online publications that list what to look for in a child-care provider. For instance, you’ll want to ask how many staff members per child, and what licenses and accreditations the center has earned.
- Look for red flags. These include staff that changes often, staff members failing to answer your questions, your child saying there are problems, or frequent unexplained accidents. | <urn:uuid:8427d378-3abb-4ac1-9657-9e25dcd54acd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mmcwm.com/livesmadebetter/winter2011/story8.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00052-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.924632 | 492 | 1.625 | 2 |
Ever dreamed of curating the next big museum show? The Brooklyn Museum’s GO Project wants your input. During an open studio weekend this Fall, Brooklyn residents are invited to visit artist studios and vote for their favorites, who will then be featured in an exhibition at the museum. This community-curated project aims to build neighborhood ties and open up a dialogue between artists, residents, and public institutions.
So far, nearly one thousand artists have registered their studios and there’s still one week to go. Residents can register to vote starting in August and up through the end of the open studio weekend in September. Artist profiles will be online soon so you can preview them and map out your plan of attack. In order to vote, you’ll have to visit at least five artist’s studios, so get out there and meet your friendly neighborhood artists!
Header image: Leslie Ward, GO Project Community Organizer for Prospect Lefferts Gardens. | <urn:uuid:d90f1301-db84-485a-a5ef-00f07810dc37> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.artlog.com/2012/392-the-brooklyn-museum-wants-you-to-be-a-curator | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00048-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940539 | 197 | 1.523438 | 2 |
HIV Treatment Education in 2002
Not Another HIV Group!
We tend to forget that school was not a pleasant experience for most of our clients. As children, they often found it difficult to identify, whether culturally or ethnically, with their teachers and other school leaders. From what my clients have shared with me, there was a disconnect between what they were learning in school and what they were experiencing in the outside world, their neighborhoods and at home.
The majority of my clients have spent over half of their lives in jail, running the streets and living life on an endless high -- unattached to anyone, including themselves. Many have stated that most of what they do know, reading or math skills, they learned in jail. Sitting in a classroom setting is difficult -- they do not want to be preached to. They want their learning to be relevant for their continued survival -- and they want to be in full control of how they are going to survive living with HIV/AIDS.
How, then, does a medical clinician attempt to address the need of client-based HIV education in an urban community clinic or day treatment setting that provides medical and mental health services to the triple diagnosed?
An effective facilitator needs to understand his or her audience and accept where each listener may be in their intellectual development. The facilitator must then foster a safe environment in which clients can openly express their lack of basic reading and writing skills. The facilitator must know when too much information is being offered and not enough is being absorbed. In this setting, how does a group facilitator achieve mastery in teaching basic biological processes using language that will not intimidate, but empower? For me, attaining this skill has been about realizing that my own school experiences were not very different from those of the clients. When the facilitator finds that commonality between herself and her audience, communication takes on a level of authenticity that can reach that audience.
There are some techniques that I have used to engage clients who may be easily turned off by the idea of listening to a lecture. My groups are arranged in a semi-circle to give everyone equal advantage in listening to and engaging the speaker. It also allows for eye-to-eye communication when clients are actively sharing their views. I enjoy writing on a blackboard and using visual diagrams to illustrate a point. Clients enjoy seeing concepts written down or in diagram form.
Another technique is to incorporate an interdisciplinary approach. I solicited the assistance of the Creative Arts Therapist to create a play about how HIV attacks CD4 cells and how these cells lose their ability to modulate an immune response. The clients were amazed that roles could be attributed to biological processes. Many were able to explain the whole process of how HIV attaches to vulnerable immune cells and how it reproduces itself throughout the host's system.
Simple experiments, such as having clients measure their vital signs and relate these to physiological and disease processes, make the learning experience more meaningful. In addition, there is a sense of pride, a sense of greater understanding of how their bodies work. When they visit their primary care providers, they may feel more empowered to ask questions that will help them achieve greater adherence to their HIV medications.
The following are recommendations for effective client-based HIV/AIDS education:
Even topics that may not seem relevant to HIV -- such as The Implications of the Tuskegee Experiment -- are quite appropriate in this setting. The medical clinician who takes on the role of transmitting vital medical information to an audience who may feel disempowered to change the course of their destiny needs to bring all their experiences, talents, medical knowledge, and compassion to the table and see what unfolds.
Clara LaBoy is a physician assistant and former Executive Director of Housing Works' East New York Adult Day Health Care Center, Brooklyn, New York.
This article was provided by AIDS Community Research Initiative of America. It is a part of the publication ACRIA Update. Visit ACRIA's website to find out more about their activities, publications and services. | <urn:uuid:5956fff2-2688-4178-9676-62f0b0fbf7f1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thebody.com/content/art14557.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973642 | 817 | 2.5 | 2 |
RASCAL (Research And Special Collections Available Locally) developed from a two year mapping project based at with funding from the Research Support Libraries Programme (RSLP) to create and develop a new electronic portal to research and special collections in Northern Ireland. Arising out of an identified need to improve access to collections in the region, RASCAL represented a collaborative initiative to enhance awareness among researches regarding resources available in Northern Ireland and to make more efficient use of local resources.
The original RASCAL partnership included:
- Queen's University Belfast
- The University of Ulster
- Library & Information Services Council (Northern Ireland)
- Public Record Office of Northern Ireland
- Linen Hall Library
- Belfast Public Libraries
In 2008 the original project based resource was expanded to include collections throughout Ireland in association with the Committee on Library Co-operation in Ireland. RASCAL is administered and managed by Information Services at Queen's University Belfast. As host institution, Queen's University is committed to maintaining long term access to the RASCAL Directory and to ensure that the information contained in it remains current and up-to-date. New collection descriptions are now being added regularly, some of the more recent additions include those of the Royal Irish Academy, University College Cork and Trinity College Dublin.
The core RASCAL website was last updated in August 2010. | <urn:uuid:f203b24c-320c-4b01-8510-08dff1c40b61> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.rascal.ac.uk/index.php?func=aboutUs | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00046-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.924094 | 273 | 1.523438 | 2 |
Recent articles by Roger Yates
Avon Gorge Trees Face The Axe (Newsletter) 0 comments
Avon Gorge Trees Face the Axe. (Map) 0 commentsRecent Articles about Bristol The Environment
EU to ban Heritage seed? Apr 25 13
Rising Tide film evening: Bimblebox Apr 24 13
Rising Tide meeting Apr 24 13
Stop Zoo car parking on the Downs
bristol | the environment | announcement Tuesday January 26, 2010 15:00 by Roger Yates - Bristol Downswatch downswatch at yahoo dot co dot uk 45 Coburg Road Bristol BS6 5HU 0752 783 8648
Important planning decision pending
A campaign is underway and an e-petition has been mounted to stop Bristol Zoo using part of the Downs as a car park.
The Downs were designated in the nineteenth century for the people of Bristol and surrounding areas to enjoy. Since 1969 the Zoo has been given a series of temporary permissions to use one of the best parts for parking on the busiest days of the year. The number of days and the number of cars have increased. In recent years the Zoo has used the Downs to park up to 660 cars on up to 60 days. This interferes with people’s enjoyment of this wonderful green space. Use of the Downs is bad for Zoo visitors too, who have to negotiate a steep stony path and cross a busy main road. The days on which the car park will be open are unpredictable, causing congestion and confusion. And the Zoo's parking is bad for wildlife: surveys have shown damage to the attractive and interesting grassland. | <urn:uuid:8627bcf4-2f01-454e-a13d-7cb0145f9fce> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bristol.indymedia.org.uk/article/691802?save_prefs=true | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00063-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932271 | 327 | 1.507813 | 2 |
Robot Golf Coaches Expected to Debut in 2015
By Kim Tae-gyu
Amateur golf coaches may have to worry about losing their jobs at practice ranges as their robotic alternatives are projected to debut in just a few years armed with sophisticated features and applications.
Hundreds of Korean experts in robotics convened midway through last month in Seoul and came up with the prediction that robots will start to take place of human golf coaches around 2015.
"The full-fledged development of partner robots in such sports as golf will be initiated in 2013," said Kim Shin-hwan from the Hyundai Research Institute.
"Instead of coaching amateurs for just part of the practice as is the case with human trainers right away, the robotic ones would be able to be next to the trainees to help them throughout the session," he said.
On top of the long coaching hours, the machines are likely to offer further advantages customized to end users. For example, they could measure driving distances and directions in real time.
In addition, their unblinking eyes would keep a tab on golfers' swings to offer tailor-made services, such as slice correction, depending on the players' height and weight.
"Research is already underway on sensor-equipped robots, which have the capacity of providing off-the-rack services in accordance to clients' frames. The technology is expected to be applied to robot coaches," Kim said.
Another attraction of these coaches, which would be stationary in the beginning, is a video-recording application that could be connected to the Internet.
Network-enabled machines are a good idea for a country where almost all homes and offices across the nation are connected to the Web and inexpensive Internet cafes are also ubiquitous.
Accordingly, people will be allowed to download video clips of their training sessions at home to compare their swing mechanisms to those of several months or a few years ago.
"The price tags of robotic coaches are one of the most important factors. In order for them to become popular in practice ranges, they should be cheap enough to replace their human counterparts," Kim said.
"Their prices should be reduced when mass production starts but it remains uncertain how much they would go down. The bottom line is whether they are able to create demand with killer applications," he said.
Seoul experts also predicted other partner robots will come to town in the years to come, which will take part in indoor hobbies with their owners. | <urn:uuid:87e2bfb9-c709-4aa1-ae7a-e76c11e15645> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2010/02/123_60150.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00055-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971068 | 498 | 2.03125 | 2 |
"Psycho" at the Museum of Science, London. (Image source: Mechanical Toys – Charles Bartholomew)
My intent in putting up this entry is to draw attention on the aspect of remote control by which the slave component is anthropomorphic. This fits in with the early history of teleoperators and manipulators. All other aspects of "Psycho" are well covered on the net and in books already, well beyond my capability, available time, and need.
This remote control shows early thinking using available technology on the problem of how to manipulate an anthropomorphic arm by remote, and in this case, quite novel means.
Whilst Maskelyne's "Psycho" was the first Whist-Player, my two main sources are based on the Whist-player published in Will Goldston's book "Exclusive Magical Secrets" 1912 and Vere's 1879 book Ancient and Modern Magic. My copy of Goldston's book is a mass produced paperback version published by Coles. Goldston states that his description is based on the property of A.W. Gamage, Ltd. Gamage were suppliers of apparatus as well as publishers.
"Psycho" was first exposed by Dr. W. Pole [a writer of card playing strategies] in January of 1876 [RH: actually published for the Christmas edition, which is the January edition] who became aware of the existance of Maskelyne's and Cooke's new Whist-playing automaton act, and published his description in McMillan's Magazine. (see MacMillan's pdf here).
Note: RH Jan 2011 The patent only gained a provisional protection and there were no published drawings with it. See patent details here.
Note: RH Jan 2011 My research to date has not revealed anyone who has mentioned that the "Psycho's" pictured with Maskylene above and below are actually different. The number of cards on display has been reduced from 13 to 5, and the panels in the cabinetry are different. The base is different too, hence the change in overall height.
[UPATE 8 JUNE 2011 - Maria (see comments below) advises that Psycho as he is seen today still shows 13 cards, but they are laid out in 3 rows now. the front row furthest away from him holds 5 cards in a slight arc, as does the second row and the third row nearest his body holds 3. - Thanks Maria!]
Side-by-side for an easier comparison. From what I can see externally, only the head is the same.
(From Automata, Chapuis & Droz – 1958 English Translated Alec Reid)
Several sham automata are operated from a distance by compressed air, and the card-player shown in figure 473 is an example of this.
A platform with a large cylinder of clear glass on top of it is brought on to the stage, then the automaton is shown to the public and is placed on a glass cylinder to make it seem completely isolated from any outside communication. But an assistant under the dais attaches a tube connected to a large rubber bulb, and by pressing this, he increases the air pressure in the whole machine through the glass tube visible to the audience. Inside the card-player's body is a bellows, which fills up under the increased pressure, and one can easily imagine how this mechanical movement will make the imitation card player work.
A clock-work mechanism, A, works continuously while pulling in one direction or the other a vertical axis, B, which controls the position of the player's arm on the table and in the area where the cards are laid out. The clock-work movement also connects with the head by the pulleys, H, and the axle, M.
When the bulb is squeezed, the head and the arm turn slowly in the required direction, but as soon as it has been emptied the bellows, C, allows the rod, E, to come down, and a key, G, which is attached to it, engages the teeth of a segment F, which is carried by the axle for the arm. This is stopped at exactly the desired place. When the rod, E, drops, it pulls the cord, L, which is stretched and moves the thumb of the automaton's hand so that it grips the card selected.
The assistant under the stage receives his instructions through a speaking-tube, into which speaks a commentator, who is hidden from the public and is following the game with opera glasses. The spectators have no idea at all how such an ingenious deceit is contrived.
Excerpts from Ancient and Modern Magic.
Ancient and Modern Magic by Aprey Vere, 1879 here and here.
Excerpts from Goldston's 1912 book Exclusive Magical Secrets.
See the full chapter on Automata in Exclusive Magical Secrets by Will Golston, 1912 here.
extract from 1902 Encyclopedia White Magic
WHITE MAGIC. Under this head is included the art of performing tricks and exhibiting illusions by aid of apparatus, excluding feats of dexterity in which there is no deception, together with the performances of such automaton figures as are actuated in a secret and mysterious manner.
Among the most meritorious and celebrated mechanical illusions have been automaton figures secretly influenced in their movements by concealed operators. In the 17th century M. Raisin, organist of Troyes, took to the French court a harpsichord which played airs as directed by the audience; but, upon opening the instrument, Louis XIV. discovered a youthful performer inside. In 1769 Baron Kempelen, of Pressburg, in Hungary, completed his chessplayer, which for a long time remained the puzzle of Europe. It was an illusion,—the merit consisting in the devices by which the confederate player was hidden in the cabinet and body of the figure, while the interior was opened in successive instalments to the scrutiny of the spectators. The first player was a Polish patriot, Worousky, who had lost both legs in a campaign; as he was furnished with artificial limbs when in public, his appearance, together with the fact that no dwarf or child travelled in Kempelen’s company, dispelled the suspicion that any person could be employed inside the machine. This automaton, which made more than one tour to the capitals and courts of Europe, and was owned for a short, time by Napoleon I., was exhibited by Maelzel after the death of Kempelen in 1819, and ultimately perished in a fire at Philadelphia in 1854. A revival of the trick appeared in Hooper’s "Ajeeb," shown a few years ago at the Sydenham Crystal Palace and elsewhere. Still more recently a chessplaying figure, "Mephisto," designed by Gumpel, has been on view. No space exists for the accommodation of a living player within; but, as there is no attempt at isolating the apparatus from mechanical communication through the carpet or the floor, there is nothing to preclude the moving arm and gripping finger and thumb of the figure from being worked by any convenient connexion of threads, wires, rods, and levers. In 1875 Maskelyne and Cooke produced at the Egyptian Hall, in London, an automaton whist-player, "Psycho," which, from the manner in which it is placed upon the stage, appears to be perfectly isolated from any mechanical communication from without; there is no room within for the concealment of a living player by aid of any optical or other illusion, and yet the free motions of both arms, especially of the right arm and hand in finding any card, taking hold of it, and raising it or lowering it to any position and at any speed as demanded by the audience, prove that the actions are directed from without. The arm has all the complicated movements necessary for chess or draught playing; and Psycho calculates any sum up to a total of 99,000,000. What the mysterious means of connexion are has not been discovered ; or, at any rate, down to the time of writing this article there has appeared no correct imitation of this joint invention of John Nevil Maskelyne and John Algernon Clarke. Perhaps a still more original automaton is Maskelyne’s figure "Zoe," constructed in 1877, which writes and draws at dictation of the audience, yet cannot have a living person within, and could not be more completely severed from all conceivable means of control without. "Zoe," a nearly life-size but very light doll, sits loose upon a cushioned skeleton-stand, of which the solid feet of the plinth rest upon a thick plate of clear glass laid upon the floor-cloth or carpet of the stage. "Psycho," a smaller Oriental figure, sitting cross-legged on a box, is supported by a single large cylinder of clear glass, which, as originally exhibited, stood upon the carpet of the stage, but was afterwards set loose upon a small stool, having solid wood feet; moreover, this automaton may be placed in almost any number of different ways. Thus, from the precautions observed in the isolation of Maskelyne’s automata, no current of electricity, no magnetic attraction, no hydraulic or pneumatic force can reach them, or, if it could, would not account for the many and delicate movements which they execute; and there can be no wires, threads, or hairs, passing in any direction away from the figures, seeing that persons from the audience admitted close around the figures while they are in operation could not fail to observe them. It may be mentioned that, in the same year in which "Psycho" appeared, the joint inventors patented a method of controlling the speed of clockwork mechanism by compressed air or gas stored in the pedestal of an automaton, this compressed fluid acting upon a piston in a cylinder and also upon a rotating fan when a valve is opened by "an electrical or other connexion worked by the foot of the performer or an assistant." But it is not known whether the principle obscurely described in the specification was applicable in any way to the invisible agency employed in "Psycho" or in "Zoe," or whether it had reference to some other invention which has never been realized. The whist-playing automaton is affirmed to be the only one of Maskelyne’s many subtle inventions in which he received suggestions from another person.
Timeline of Whist-playing Automata
1829-31 Maelzel acquired Whist-player invented by Balcom (American). There is also a suggestion that a rival chess player by the Walker brothers was eventually purchased by Maelzel and converted to a whist-player.
1873-5 Maskelyne / Clarke developed "Psycho".
1875 first showing of Maskelyne's "Psycho".
1875 December – Expose in MacMillans Jan 1876 (actually released in Dec 1875 for Christmas reading) by Dr. Pole.
Hankey (Hanky) – actual small boy hidden inside - octagonal base – later sold to Signor Boz.
1875-80 – Signor Boz (Weston) with "Yorick" the Whist-player (British)
1878 – Charles Arbre (Berlin)
Robert-Houdin (French) - "Sophos le Savant"
1877 – "Zoe" (an artist automaton by Maskelyne, not a whist-player).
???? Professor Pepper – Scynthia (Synthia)
Dr. W. H. Cremer built a psycho called "Agetos" – 1880 earliest date so far – similar to Maskelyne & Clarke's original construction.
1900 Professor Dicksonn – Theatre du Cours la Reine.
French firm built a "Psycho" for Mr. Everett. There are some suggestions that it was later purchased by Kellar. Unlikely as Kellar's did not utilize a hidden boy and Everett's probably did.
???? -The New York Journal exhibited an automaton whist-player, named the "Yellow Kid," in New York – no date.
(Some of the above information was sourced from Bradley Ewart's book "Chess: Man vs Machine".)
Some other Whist-playing Automata.
Dicksonn (Professor) My Tricks. The author is possibly A. de Saint-Genois, who published one book in Paris under the pseudonym Professor Dicksonn. The manuscript is in two parts: comprising seventeen "Drawing Room Experiments", including "The Mysterious Decanter", "Improvised Coffee", and "Neptune's Basin"; and six "Tricks for the Theatre" including "The Domino or Card Player", "The Bodiless Lady", "The Transforming Cabinet" and "The Vanishing Lady".
In 1878, Kellar returned to England and invested $12000 in new equipment, one of them being a version of Maskelyne's whist-playing automaton. Possibly A. W. Gamage's. (Gamages being suppliers of apparatus and publishers of magic related material.) A French firm built a "Psycho" for Mr. Everett. Ewart suggest that it was possibly later purchased by Kellar.
Harry Kellar was later one of Houdini's closest friends. Kellar gave Houdini "Psycho," an "automaton," while he was in California making a motion picture. When Houdini died, his collection was acquired by his brother (Hardeen), then passed on to Sidney H. Radner. Gaughan most likely purchased from Radner's Houdini collection when auctioned off in 2004.
As Kellar's Psycho appears today in the John Gaughan Collection. | <urn:uuid:afa07a57-9e64-44d3-b33e-74e35dfc157d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://cyberneticzoo.com/?tag=automata | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00053-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962789 | 2,848 | 1.867188 | 2 |
Searching “news” on Google leads to an interesting result. The major Internet search engine corporation has been frequently making its own headlines in the past few months. These recent stories curiously do not follow the typical repertoire of purchased acquisitions, a gargantuan Google gobbling up smaller companies. In fact, the corporation’s image of unrelenting growth is now marred by a few cases of struggles and even defeat.
For instance, on February 24th, three big names in Google’s administration were labeled criminals under Italian media law . Additionally, stringent censorship of queries in China has forced the company to face the possibility of giving up its significant revenue source in Asia . This recent turn of events may illustrate a Google under distress but simultaneously highlights a sociological truth. People who actively participate in online culture, also called netizens, are responsible for producing their own value and, in turn, influencing the world they occupy.
The Web is the ideal medium for the public to contribute and absorb ideas. This communication is versatile, as it can take shape in several forms such as blogging and video chats. Furthermore, the Internet is easily accessible, and websites can be updated instantaneously. Its presence extends globally as well. Consequently, users’ actions can have an impact to the same extent. The Italian incident is an example of how the common man’s abuse of the Web’s network has cost Google and, more importantly, may introduce regulation to the Internet.
A clip posted onto Google Video in 2006 shows an autistic student in Turin being insulted and physically assaulted with objects thrown by classmates . In a symbolic clash between personal privacy and public freedom of expression, the Italian court asserts that Google violated privacy laws because the company is allegedly making advertisement revenue from the victim’s personal data . As a result, the corporation’s chief privacy counsel, senior vice president, and former chief financial officer each received a six-month suspended sentence . This mishap raises alarming questions for the future of virtual independence, a right that firmly defines the Web’s founding principles.
Is this one defeat going to cripple Google? Absolutely not. However, there are more serious implications to be considered. The root of the problem with the Italian court decision is that “the mailman got blamed for delivering a malicious letter” . It is evident that Google and its executives had no involvement in recording or uploading the video clip, yet Italian law punishes the corporation. This case is the first instance in which the company is guilty for outside content posted onto its system . Similar accusations may easily become a destructive norm in the future, knowing how legal cases tend to use former decisions as precedents.
If companies and executives continue to be held liable for hosting user-uploaded material, then some level of regulation to minimize risks is inevitable. Regrettably, the possibility of clashing with the law will sharply silence millions of potential voices. From the netizen’s perspective, the extra effort to pass a censorship filter is not worth the injustice in regulating the Internet. Businesses may refrain from posting expressions of opinions that may be prosecuted. Online publications with good intentions of exposing corruption, negligence, or crime in government and society will never reach the Web to issue a warning to the world.
The Chinese government’s control of its media exemplifies an existing model of the potential consequences of the Google verdict in Italy. Google declared in 2006 that it would strive to make free speech more accessible in China. The search engine company’s most notable approach is to insist that the government tear down its “Great Firewall,” which prevents Chinese users from finding information and images that oppose government interests .
Unfortunately, Google has not made much progress. Three years after stating its bold mission, Google China (google.cn) is still censoring politically sensitive search queries, such as Tiananmen Square, in order to stay in the market . But this January, the corporation issued an ultimatum that may break the stalemate in its progress. After Gmail accounts of Chinese human rights activists were forcibly accessed in a cyber attack, Google announced it was no longer willing to cooperate with Chinese media laws and would stop censoring search results on google.cn . Of course, this would mean that Google would have to surrender its operations in China.
Despite Google’s disguise of an altruistic goal to open up flexibility of expression in China, it turns out that Chinese netizens are thriving on their own. One particular case demonstrates how a positive use of the Internet can dramatically incur success and simultaneously become a valuable resource for other net users.
Wang Jianshuo opened up a personal blog in 2002. He published a simple post that provided information about the shuttle service at Pudong Airport in Shanghai. Within two weeks, his blog was accumulating so much traffic that Google’s page ranking system spit out his webpage as the first search result for “Pudong Airport” . The key to Mr. Wang’s success was that his bus schedule information was one of very few written in English; foreign travelers to Shanghai flocked to his blog for help.
Now, Internet users can worry less about censored search results in China. Bloggers stationed within the country post all the information possible, including opinionated posts. The best part about the contemporary wave of blogs is that owners have never reported a case of being shut down by China’s Internet patrol squad. Discussions critiquing the one-child policy or the national university entrance exam, which were unthinkable in the past, now flood with activity as a result of personal websites .
In support of the argument that people form themselves through the Internet, Americans have even jumpstarted careers by maintaining private blogs. For instance, John Pasden began his by posting daily reflections of living in China. He now manages an online language school that teaches Chinese .
The World Wide Web truly belongs to its users and their actions. An unforgivable video produced by a group of Italian teenagers sparks a debate between personal privacy and freedom to publish any data. A Chinese blogger provides living evidence that a giant Internet search engine is not necessary to work around China’s stringent media regulation. Google can be thanked for making news headlines that prove the Internet is your World – so how will you contribute?
- Barry, Colleen. Italy convicts 3 Google execs in abuse video case. Associated Press. February 24, 2010. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100224/ap_on_hi_te/eu_italy_google_trial (accessed February 24, 2010).
- BBC News. Google ‘may pull out of China after Gmail cyber attack’. January 13, 2010. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8455712.stm (accessed February 24, 2010).
- Donadio, Rachel. Larger Threat Is Seen in Google Case. February 24, 2010. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/25/technology/companies/25google.html?pagewanted=1&ref=world (accessed February 24, 2010).
- Barry, Italy convicts 3 Google execs in abuse video case.
- Donadio, Larger Threat Is Seen in Google Case.
- Barry, Italy convicts 3 Google execs in abuse video case.
- Liedtke, Michael. Google’s convoluted search for China compromise. Associated Press. February 11, 2010. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5guOs90WI2MS9hDERAfAJe-9a1lwgD9DQ83EG2 (accessed February 24, 2010).
- Krazit, Tom. Google’s censorship struggles continue in China. cnet. June 16, 2009. http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/06/16/cnet.google.tiananmen.square/index.html (accessed February 24, 2010).
- Macmanus, Richard. Despite Tough Talk, Google Still Censoring in China. Read Write Web. February 24, 2010. http://www.nytimes.com/external/readwriteweb/2010/02/24/24readwriteweb-despite-tough-talk-google-still-censoring-i-42333.html (accessed February 24, 2010).
- Cannon, Maile, and Jingying Yang. Bloggers Open an Internet Window on Shanghai. February 24, 2010. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/25/technology/25iht-rshanblog.html?ref=technology (accessed February 24, 2010). | <urn:uuid:46f9686b-d740-4a7d-ad3f-e5975ed094fa> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://triplehelixblog.com/2010/03/its-your-world-wide-web/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938566 | 1,818 | 2.28125 | 2 |
According to Nortel Devices, Internet Protocol Flow Information eXport (IPFIX) has evolved as an improvement upon the Netflow V9 protocol. It is an upcoming standard that has been proposed by an IETF Working Group - http://www.ietf.org/html.charters/ipfix-charter.html. IPFIX is an effort to standardize on architecture for IP flow measurement and export. In an IPFIX model, an exporter such as a switch or router collects IP flows and then exports the IP flow information using a transport protocol to a collection server or servers. An IP flow is defined as a set of packets over a period of time that has some common properties.
Please refer to the PDF document published by Nortel Devices in this page to configure IPFIX flow exports from your Nortel Devices. | <urn:uuid:03203ec4-fead-4333-848b-d3b1c9810383> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.manageengine.com/products/netflow/help/IPFIX/configuring-ipfix.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.914382 | 169 | 2.15625 | 2 |
When I was young my favorite soup came in a red box. It consisted of two things….salty broth and vermicelli noodles. To this day, if I am sick the first thing I want to eat when I start to feel better is Lipton’s Noodle Soup. I have never looked at the sodium count, but I’m sure it’s through the roof. Still, it’s good and it makes me feel better. So there.
When I was in the store the other day I came across a package of short vermicelli noodles and I grabbed it. My first thought was that I would recreate Lipton’s Noodle soup and the kids would love it. Somewhere along the way I decided to make it a true chicken noodle soup with the carrots, chicken, celery and parsley. However I decided to chop everything up very small just like the noodles. I also added some bouillon to the broth to make it taste even more like my favorite soup in the red box.
Perfect for little mouths to eat and carry to school in a thermos in their little lunchboxes. I honestly think the fact that everything was cut up so small made it easier and more appealing for them to eat.
The girls loved it and happily ate it three days in a row – no complaints. I was worried that after the first two days they might grow tired of it. However, the only complaint was that it wasn’t hot enough on day 2. Oh well, it was still gone.
I decided to buy each of the girls a Thermos last year so that I could send them some different foods in their lunches. We probably use them 2-3 days a week. Sometimes I will send leftovers and some days we will pack it with a fruit salad and yogurt. I know people are always looking for different lunch ideas for the kids and if you don’t have a Thermos I definitely suggest purchasing some. Having these increases your lunch possibilities threefold…maybe even one hundred.
Plus, how cute is Hello Kitty?
- 2 carrots
- 2 stalks of celery
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (can use half butter if you would like)
- 1 32 ounce box of low sodium chicken broth
- 4 cups of water
- 3 tablespoons of chicken base (I use Better Than Broth and you can use this to taste)
- 2 cups cooked chicken – cut into small cubes (1/4″ is what I did)
- 6 oz. short vermicelli noodles (you can use more or less depending on your preferences, however if you add more you may need to add additional liquid.)
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- salt and pepper to taste
- Chop celery and carrots into a small dice about ¼ inch. Saute in olive oil in a soup pot for several minutes until tender. Add remaining ingredients through chicken and simmer for 20 minutes. Turn heat up and bring to a gentle boil. Add noodles and cook until tender. Turn soup back down to a simmer and add parsley flakes. Simmer for 5-10 minutes more and serve. | <urn:uuid:51d28687-8a92-4bba-8be2-836770e7e662> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.beckiswholelife.com/2012/02/19/lunchbox-chicken-noodle-soup/?erprint | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963519 | 653 | 1.640625 | 2 |
|(used as a nonsense word by children to express approval or to represent the longest word in English.)|
|a white, crystalline, water-insoluble, powerful high explosive, C3H6N6O6, used chiefly in bombs and shells.|
liberal religious movements that have merged in the United States. In previous centuries they appealed for their views to Scripture interpreted by reason, but most contemporary Unitarians and Universalists base their religious beliefs on reason and experience.
Learn more about Unitarianism with a free trial on Britannica.com. | <urn:uuid:88a5f7cc-9cce-483a-ad20-214bbc69c8e8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Unitarianism | 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 | 0.932602 | 118 | 1.9375 | 2 |
Most Active Stories
Mon October 8, 2012
Meningitis Outbreak Leads To Death Of 1 Kentuckian
FRANKFORT, Ky. -- Health officials say one Kentucky resident has died from fungal meningitis after receiving medical care in Tennessee.
The state Public Health Department says it can't provide any details about the death.
The agency said Monday it's been notified that five Kentucky residents came down with the rare form of meningitis after receiving medical attention in Tennessee.
It says these cases match the pattern of an outbreak linked to injections of steroids distributed by a Massachusetts pharmacy.
The health agency says none of the implicated lots is known to have been distributed in Kentucky.
It recommends people contact a health care provider if they have received epidural steroid injections since May 21 and have symptoms such as worsening headache, fever, stiff neck, new weakness or numbness or slurred speech. | <urn:uuid:b1fbb3b3-17dd-4840-854f-7245fa4ec2f0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wuky.org/post/meningitis-outbreak-leads-death-1-kentuckian | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957669 | 184 | 1.914063 | 2 |
Mia Lillis knew that she was gay when she was 12. She felt lucky to attend a public high school in Austin, Texas, that was highly supportive and had a gay student alliance. Then she arrived at the University of Notre Dame.
She enrolled there because Notre Dame's reputation as a premier Catholic school appealed to her family. But from the very first day, Lillis was scared.
She searched for a gay and lesbian student organization. There was none. She sought out literature for gay students. Again, nothing.
"It gave me the impression that Notre Dame didn't care about queer students," said Lillis, 20. "It was pretty intimidating."
She went back in the closet. She even considered transferring. "I would say a lot of gay students think that way," she said.
But this week, Lillis celebrated after Notre Dame announced that it will create services for students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or questioning, as in those who are still figuring out their sexual identity.
After a five-month review process, Notre Dame made the recommendations in a comprehensive pastoral plan that the university said is grounded in its Catholic mission.
"As articulated in the university's 'Spirit of Inclusion' statement, Notre Dame's goal remains to create and sustain a welcoming and inclusive environment for all students, and I am confident that this multi-faceted, pastoral approach represents the next step in advancing our efforts toward this aspiration for our GLBTQ students," said the Rev. John Jenkins, president of the university.
The university said it will create a student organization that will offer support and services to GLBTQ students and form an advisory committee to provide guidance on such matters.
It will also appoint a full-time student development staff member to oversee new programs and ensure that they help emphasize Notre Dame's goal of inclusion.
"Rooted in Catholic teaching on sexuality and gender identity, the plan emphasizes the 'respect, compassion and sensitivity' due to all, and calls all Notre Dame students to cultivate chaste relationships and to support one another in a community of friendship," said a university news release.
Lillis said the actions were huge for a school that has not been welcoming to gay students and has often found itself atop national lists of gay-unfriendly schools. Too bad, she said, because she found the students to be accepting of her. But they had not been afforded the channels to vocalize their thoughts. The climate was one of silence on gay issues.
Alex Coccia, who helped spearhead the student effort to change things at Notre Dame, said a new environment will be especially a big deal for questioning students.
"People need to have a safe environment to go through that process especially in college, which is a trying time for everybody," said Coccia, 21.
Coccia has been involved in bringing change to Notre Dame for a while. He is part of a coalition called the 4 to 5 Movement -- named for data that say four out of five Americans between the ages of 18 and 30 support gay civil rights -- that raised a gay-unfriendly profile of Notre Dame on social media.
A video posted on YouTube highlighted Notre Dame's treatment of gays, including its refusal several times to authorize a gay student organization and to exclude sexual orientation in its non-discrimination clause.
Conservative Catholics oppose the idea of a university that espouses the values of Catholicism catering to homosexuality.
The Sycamore Trust, which says its goal is to protect the Catholic identity of Notre Dame, expressed concern on its website, saying the university's support of a gay club "would give grave scandal damaging to the church, to the university, to students, and to other Catholic institutions and would establish a potential source of serious mischief within the school."
It went on to say, "Surely it is predictable that a group whose organizing principle is same-sex attraction is likely to be a forum, overt or covert, for opposition to the Church's teachings about homosexuality. It may also become an instrumentality in the student 'hookup' culture."
Others were more accepting.
Kevin Rhoades, the bishop of the Indiana diocese where Notre Dame is located, said the university's plan affirms Catholic teachings that men and women with homosexual tendencies "must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity."
Michael Sean Winters of the National Catholic Reporter wrote that Notre Dame's decision was not just the right thing to do but a courageous act.
Karl Abad said Notre Dame has taken a big step.
"I have no idea how the future debates about the moral issues raised by homosexuality will play out, but I do know that Notre Dame is here insisting on the fact that, whatever our theological views on human sexuality, we also have a Christian obligation to 'create a community where all may flourish and feel welcome, where we aspire to an even deeper understanding and appreciation of Catholic teaching, and where the human dignity of each Notre Dame student is valued,' " Winters wrote. "That, too, is part of our Catholic moral tradition."
Openly gay student Karl Abad, 21, said he hoped prospective students will no longer have a fear of enrolling at Notre Dame like he did. | <urn:uuid:e54ce7f6-8bfb-46f1-af3b-4bd2d5785834> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ktvz.com/news/Notre-Dame-creates-services-for-gay-students/-/413192/17692440/-/item/0/-/x2ex9xz/-/index.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 | 0.975675 | 1,074 | 1.890625 | 2 |
The 120 “best” community colleges will compete for the $1 million Aspen Prize for community college excellence. The contest roll-out Monday was attended by Education Secretary Arne Duncan and other administration officials.
But the top college list has raised hackles, reports Inside Higher Ed. “The selection process unfairly attempts to rank and compare community colleges using data systems that are inadequate to the task,” critics say.
Aspen used the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), the primary federal database for colleges and universities, to assess graduation rates, student persistence, improvement and “performance with minority and low-income students.” IPEDS does not track transfers, so students who move on to a four-year institution before earning an associate degree show up as drop-outs.
To produce a top-10 list of colleges by September, the committee will analyze “completion outcomes,” “labor market outcomes” and “learning outcomes.”
“The learning outcomes is a giant enchilada, if you will; I have no idea how you measure it,” said Mark Schneider, a vice president at the American Institutes for Research, in the question-and-answer period. The Community College Survey of Student Engagement is “just process, that has nothing to do with actual learning,” said Schneider, aid Schneider, a former commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics.
Measuring “labor market outcomes” also is problematic, he said.
“With the work outcomes, of course, you want to know if people are employed … but that’s a spotty process…. What are your data definitions? How are you verifying if what one college says we’ve done is the same as another college — because ultimately you are comparing different schools and the question is, are you really measuring on the same metrics?”
Jane Oates, assistant secretary for employment and training administration at the U.S. Department of Labor, said community colleges can submit employer surveys and coursework portfolios.
Joshua Wyner, executive director of the Aspen College Excellence Program, told Inside Higher Ed the prize will try to “bring sense and comparability to nonstandard data systems.”
“I want people to question what it means to be excellent in community colleges. What I’m not interested in or don’t think we can continue to do is to say, ‘Well, because we haven’t done X, there’s no valid way to measure these institutions.’ For too long we’ve wallowed in the diversity of community colleges and how different they are and how the non-credit side and credit side compare and the regionalism, and we’ve recognized very clear differences between community colleges and throw up our hands and say, ‘They’re not even comparable, so don’t even try.’ I think that’s really damaging to say.”
It’s OK to recognize excellence, but not to rank colleges , several community college leaders told Inside Higher Ed.
Washington Monthly’s list of the best 50 community colleges also was controversial. | <urn:uuid:06d45f2e-725d-429a-9d80-013734017c07> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://communitycollegespotlight.org/content/aspen-picks-the-best-annoys-the-rest_4544/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947797 | 671 | 1.65625 | 2 |
The State Records Ombudsman is appointed by the State Archivist. The ombudsman is familiar with the provisions of GRAMA (Government Records Access and Management Act) and serves as a resource for people who are making government records requests or appealing denials of records requests. The ombudsman also serves as a resource for government records officers who are responding to records requests. Upon request, the ombudsman can attempt to mediate disputes between requesters and responders.
State Records Ombudsman:
346 S Rio Grande St
Salt Lake City, UT 84101
In addition to one on one consultation, the ombudsman’s office provides resources to
facilitate better access to government records. | <urn:uuid:11716945-ecaf-4c5e-a496-d4bd706deb5e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.archives.utah.gov/recordsmanagement/ombudsman.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00049-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.921894 | 140 | 1.617188 | 2 |
NEW HARMONY, Ind. — The issues preventing Illinois or Indiana from taking over operation of the troubled New Harmony Bridge are in many ways, the same problems that prevented a handover of the structure 50 years ago.
Problems with the bridge and its management were laid out in excruciating detail in a June 1962 report prepared for a U.S. Senate Committee on Public Works.
First some history. The White County Bridge Commission was created by an act of Congress on April 12, 1941, "to purchase or otherwise acquire from its owners, and to maintain and operate a bridge across the Wabash River near the city of New Harmony, Ind."
The intent of Congress, according to the report was "to provide a means for eventually making the New Harmony Bridge toll-free. This objective is to be accomplished by authorizing the Commission to purchase the bridge from its owners with funds raised by the issuance of negotiable bonds and redeem these bonds with bridge toll revenues over a period of 20 years of creation of the commission."
The White County Bridge Commission bought the bridge in 1941 by purchasing for $895,000 all of the outstanding stock and bonds of the Harmony Way Bridge Co.
By July 1955, all of the outstanding bonds had been retired and. In May 1955, the Commission offered the bridge to both Indiana and Illinois to operate toll-free.
On June 7, 1955, engineers of the two states inspected and studied the bridge. By letter dated August 9, 1955, officials with the Illinois Department of Public Works and Buildings advised the Commission the study found "the bridge was not in sound structural condition and therefore did not meet the requirements of the statute under which Illinois could acquire such bridges." Officials with Indiana also declined to accept the bridge without Illinois' acceptance.
By December 1955, tolls were cut approximately in half, since the bonds had been paid off. The lower tolls, Commission officials said at the time, were only enough to maintain and operate the bridge — not enough to make major repairs.
The Government Accounting Office, which prepared the report, were critical of how the Commission operated the bridge during its early years. A highway contractor denied investigators access to his records of the cost of river maintenance and bridge reconstruction work that was performed on a non-competitive-bid basis.
The 1962 GAO investigation was carried out to obtain evidence in a civil suit filed by the United States against the Commission for "accounting and restitution of funds and property wrongfully secured from the Commission and for an injunction prohibiting further mismanagement of the Commission's affairs and misapplication of its funds and property." The civil suit was subsequently dismissed.
The New Harmony Bridge has been closed since May 21.
Commission member Jim Clark of Carmi, Ill., says he believes the bridge could be repaired for as little as $2 million, giving it "a few more years of life." Commission member Dr. David Rice of New Harmony says he believes necessary repairs would cost more like $8.4 million.
Still others are pushing for the construction of a new bridge at an estimated cost of up to $25 million. In the meantime, travelers between White County in Illinois and New Harmony, Ind. must take the Interstate 64 Bridge at Grayville or the Wabash River Bridge at Mount Vernon, Ind.
While Indiana Department of Transportation officials have signaled a willingness to put up as much as $10 million to help build a new bridge, Illinois' participation is questionable given the state's estimated $119 billion debt. | <urn:uuid:9f278b80-7066-4ffb-8e46-ed049a753cb7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.courierpress.com/news/2012/jul/23/no-headline---ev_nhbridge/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978587 | 709 | 2.078125 | 2 |
Addressing grid, social and funding obstacles is the key to bolstering the renewables revolution swiftly taking hold in Europe
If there is one conclusion to draw from our analysis of the National Renewable Energy Action Plans, it is that the challenges for member states as they prepare to embrace the renewables revolution are multi-faceted. They range from the financial to the social, from the political to the environmental.
The European Commission’s latest energy scenario for 2030 points to demand falling even further than previously expected. And EREC has announced that renewable energy sources are growing much faster than the EU estimated a decade ago.
With renewable sources quickly becoming a major part of the EU’s energy mix, it is important to face the obstacles in their way.
Grid connections, social acceptance and funding are the three key hurdles. On the issue of grids, all eyes are on the commission’s eagerly awaited energy infrastructure package, due in November. It is hoped it will provide a clear way forward.
Better communication with the public can smooth out parts of the planning process. EU member states are starting to recognise this: a pan-European initiative led by the Scottish government to study examples of good practice in planning and approval of wind farms, led by the Scottish government, will produce a toolkit to generate better quality wind farm proposals.
Future reforms must avoid sudden drops in confidence delaying project developments. Investors are sensitive to panic reactions: hurried decisions could undermine member states’ efforts to meet renewable energy targets.
The technology is there and governments have introduced incentives and support for renewables. Now policymakers must take an axe to the obstacles that remain. | <urn:uuid:93ce77a8-02ee-437b-8fb6-9beefac6e55a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.endsreport.com/25805/conclusion | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950302 | 332 | 2.046875 | 2 |
News Release | Majority of Americans say Congressional Hearings on Alleged Extremism in Muslim Communities Are ‘Good Idea’
BUT 7-IN-10 SAY CONGRESS SHOULD NOT SINGLE OUT AMERICAN MUSLIM COMMUNITY
WASHINGTON, DC – A majority of Americans believe that planned congressional hearings next month into the alleged extremism in the American Muslim community is a good thing, but more than 7-in-10 believe Congress should not single out Muslims, according to a new PRRI/RNS Religion News Survey, conducted by Public Religion Research Institute in partnership with Religion News Service.
“These findings reveal an American public that is wrestling with both fears and fairness in the post-9/11 context,” said Dr. Robert P. Jones, CEO of PRRI. “Americans believe it is appropriate for Congress to investigate religious extremism, but they do not want to single out the American Muslim community.”
Approval of the hearings varies considerably by political and religious affiliation. Seventy-one percent of Republicans say the hearings are a good idea, compared to only 45% of Democrats and 56% of Independents. Among religious groups, support for the hearings is highest among white evangelical Protestants (70%) and lowest among white Mainline Protestants and the religiously unaffiliated, among whom about half say they are a good idea (50% and 49% respectively). However, support for broadening the approach beyond the Muslim community is strong across political and religious affiliation groups.
The survey also reveals that the general public holds mixed views of the American Muslim community. On the one hand, a plurality (46%) of the public believe that the American Muslim community has not done enough to oppose extremism in their own communities, compared to one-third who say they have; and nearly half (49%) do not believe Muslims have been unfairly targeted by law enforcement since 2001. On the other hand, more than 6-in-10 (62%) believe Muslims are an important part of the American religious community, and few (23%) believe assertions that American Muslims want to establish Shari’a or Muslim law as the law of the land in the U.S.
“The survey findings also show a significant correlation between trust in Fox News and negative attitudes about Muslims,” said Daniel Cox, PRRI Research Director. “Americans who trust Fox News are more likely to believe that Muslims want to establish Shari’a law, have not done enough to oppose extremism, and believe investigating extremism is a good idea in the American Muslim community. We even see differences among Republicans and white evangelicals who trust Fox news most and those who trust other media.”
*Results from the survey were based on telephone interviews conducted February 11-13, 2011 among a national probability sample of 1,015 adults age 18 and older. | <urn:uuid:6c0615ff-95b5-4b58-a08b-397b7df658ba> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://publicreligion.org/newsroom/2011/02/survey-majority-of-americans-say-congressional-hearings-on-alleged-extremism-in-muslim-communities-are-good-idea/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953796 | 579 | 1.515625 | 2 |
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Law Enforcement Division (LDWF/LED) agents will take part in Operation Dry Water from June 22-24 with increased patrols for operating or driving a boat while intoxicated (DWI) enforcement and boating safety.
During the Operation Dry Water weekend, LDWF agents will be out in force patrolling state waterways for boat operators whose blood alcohol content exceeds the state limit of .08 percent.
"We want people to be safe and have fun while boating recreationally," commented Lt. Col. Jeff Mayne, LDWF’s state Boating Law Administrator. "But alcohol use has become one of the leading contributing factors in fatal recreational boating crash incidents. We recommend a sober operator of the vessel just like you would have a sober driver on the road."
Alcohol can impair a boater’s judgment, balance, vision and reaction time. It can increase fatigue and susceptibility to the effects of cold-water immersion. Sun, wind, noise, vibration and motion intensify the side effects of alcohol, drugs and some prescription medications.
Louisiana had 36 fatalities from boating crash incidents in 2011 with five of those listing alcohol as a primary cause. Nationwide, statistics from 2011 reveal that 16 percent of all boat incident fatalities were a direct result of alcohol or drug use.
LDWF agents issued 108 DWI citations to boat operators in 2011 with 10 of those occurring over the Operation Dry Water weekend.
Impaired boaters caught this weekend can expect penalties to be severe. In Louisiana, a DWI on the water carries the same penalties and fines as on the road and includes jail time, fines and loss of driving and boating operator privileges.
Anyone cited for a DWI on the water or on the road will lose his or her driver's license and boating privileges for the specified time ordered by the judge in the case. Also, each offense of operating a vehicle or vessel while intoxicated counts toward the total number of DWI crimes whether they happened on the water or road.
In Louisiana a DWI can be issued to anyone operating a moving vessel or vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher. First offense DWI carries a $300 to $1,000 fine and up to six months in jail. Second offense DWI brings a $750 to $1,000 fine and between 30 days and six months in jail. Third offense DWI carries a $5,000 fine and between one and five years in jail.
“There will be arrests this weekend and some boaters will face the consequences of operating a boat while impaired," added Lt. Col. Mayne. "But we'd much rather arrest someone than to have to tell their friends and family they're never coming back."
Operation Dry Water was started in 2009 and is a joint program involving the LDWF/LED, the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) and the U.S. Coast Guard. More information is available at www.operationdrywater.org.
To schedule a media ride along or for more information, please contact Adam Einck at 225-765-2465 or firstname.lastname@example.org. | <urn:uuid:da864cfb-cb1c-4d2c-ab8c-3b1f68a19c69> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://wlf.louisiana.gov/news/35573 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00053-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951402 | 655 | 1.648438 | 2 |
Visual Acoustics: The Modernism of Julius Shulman
Julius Shulman was, as many experts agree, the world's greatest architectural photographer. Narrated by Dustin Hoffman, "Visual Acoustics" celebrates the life and career of this brilliant artist and highlights not only the iconic images that made the man, but the magnetic character behind those images. Shulman captured the work of virtually every modern architect since the 1930s, including Frank Lloyd Wright, Richard Neutra, John Lautner and Frank Gehry. His work epitomized the singular beauty of Southern California's modernist movement and ushered modern architecture into the American mainstream. This fascinating portrait is a testament both to the evolution of modern architecture and to the joyful, whip-smart gentleman who captured its indelible images.
Cast: Frank O. Gehry, Kelly Lynch, Tom Ford, Recardo Legorreta, Frances Anderton
Directed by: Eric Bricker
Running time: 1hr 24min
Opens: Oct 09, 2009 NY
|Theaters for Today||
Pick a day
on this day. | <urn:uuid:99de9ec3-0c45-4904-be65-ac6737b22c5f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sunherald.com/movies/movie/27499.html?date=02/27/13&movie=27499 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00020-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.904755 | 229 | 1.554688 | 2 |
50 Favorite Recipes for Fun and Healthy Eating
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Great gift idea for kids' birthdays, holidays or school vacation!
What better time to start teaching healthy-eating habits than when kids are ready to start cooking! The nutrition and health experts at Mayo Clinic have teamed up with Good Books, publishers of the bestselling Fix-It and Enjoy It cookbook series, to create a special cookbook kids are sure to love.
The Mayo Clinic Kids' Cookbook offers 50 tasty recipes that are fun to make and fun to eat. The days of turning their noses up at foods that are "good for you" are over! To help them get started right away, the book includes healthy versions of foods that are already hits with kids everywhere: pizza, chili mac, French toast, quesadillas, sloppy Joes, chicken fingers, chocolate pudding and more.
They'll also find great ideas for those special occasions kids love to cook for — recipes like raspberry chocolate scones for mom's birthday, cowboy chili for Father's Day, pizza-flavored popcorn for family movie night, or spaghetti pie and frozen dream pops for sleepovers. The book includes recipes for every course and food group, with sections emphasizing fruits, vegetables, grains, protein and treats (snacks and desserts). Each recipe has a color photo to help kids say, "Let's make this one!"
The Mayo Clinic Kids' Cookbook is much more than just a fun and colorful recipe collection. It teaches the basics of good nutrition with a short, illustrated introduction written at kids' reading levels. Kids will learn how the pieces of a healthy diet fit together in the Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid. They'll learn that snacking can be a very good thing — provided they choose the right snack. They'll learn how to plan a meal, using the simple idea of dividing a dinner plate into four quadrants (for vegetables, fruits, protein and grains). They'll even learn how to create proper portion sizes without counting calories or using a scale. There's even a brief kitchen equipment list of about two dozen items, plus a dozen safety tips, all to help make the kitchen kid-friendly. In addition, specific safety tips are included with recipes as needed, to remind kids when to ask for adult help (such as when working with knives or hot water). The editors have even included subtle tips to help kids "unlearn" old kitchen habits that aren't healthy, such as adding salt to the water when cooking pasta.
One of the greatest gifts you can give the kids in your life is helping them establish healthy-eating habits from the start. The Mayo Clinic Kids' Cookbook is a great way to teach kids about healthy eating. Kids learn not just to eat what tastes or looks good, but to understand the importance of food choices. It works because it's fun! Order a copy (or several) of Mayo Clinic Kids' Cookbook today.
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When you purchase Mayo Clinic newsletters and books, proceeds are used to further medical education and research at Mayo Clinic. You not only get the answers to your questions, you become part of the solution. | <urn:uuid:4c810024-9c39-4c76-a236-9b668ce309e4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://store.mayoclinic.com/products/bookDetails.cfm?mpid=139 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937777 | 734 | 2.234375 | 2 |
Department of Energy and Climate Change -
12 Apr 2012
Deputy Prime Minister unveils more help for poorest under government home improvement scheme
The Deputy Prime Minister has announced that at least £540 million of the government’s home energy efficiency programme - worth £1.3bn per year - will be targeted at helping the poorest.
In a speech to leading environment and industry figures in London, Nick Clegg revealed the support will protect the poorest and most vulnerable in society, including people in deprived areas, from rising energy bills by upgrading their homes so that they are cheaper to heat for good.
The Green Deal is the government’s plan to upgrade the nation’s hardest to heat homes at no upfront cost. Where the cost of the work outweighs the savings, or people need extra financial help, energy companies will be able to step in to top up the loan under the Energy Company Obligation.
In his speech, Nick Clegg said:
“We will be requiring the energy companies to provide an estimated £1.3bn a year of support for energy efficiency in our homes with at least £540m to fund energy saving improvements in the worst off homes.
“It is shameful that the UK still has so many families unable to heat their homes. By delivering lasting improvements, each year this money will help 180,000 of the poorest households make their homes cheaper to heat for good.”
Alongside discounts on energy bills, the Winter Fuel Payment and financial support if it gets really cold, the Energy Company Obligation will be available to help the fuel poor heat their homes to a healthy level more affordably by installing insulation or new boilers. The recently published Hills Review found targeted energy efficiency policies are the key to effectively tackling fuel poverty.
The Energy Company Obligation will now target support, worth an estimated £540m every year, to fund energy saving improvements in the worst off households.
Around £350m a year to deliver heating and insulation measures to around 270,000 low income and vulnerable households by 2015, helping them to heat their homes to a healthy level and demonstrating our commitment to tackling fuel poverty. This will focus assistance where fuel poverty rates are highest, and ensure help is available for those most in need.
In light of responses to the recent public consultation on the Green Deal we are considering ways to provide more targeted support for the lowest income homes. This could mean that for those living in the poorest areas, including in social housing, specific support worth around £190m a year will be available from the energy companies to upgrade homes and flats with loft and cavity wall insulation, as well as other insulation measures, to make them warmer and cheaper to run.
Increase the eligibility criteria for the Affordable Warmth element of the ECO, for example to include low income households on working tax credit so that more fuel poor families can be helped.
A large proportion of the Energy Company Obligation will still be targeted at solid wall insulation, but support will be opened up for more measures than before – including hard to treat cavity walls. And where solid wall or hard to treat cavity insulation is being installed this can be accompanied by other measures which reduce heat loss from a property, such as glazing and draught proofing.
Energy companies will be allowed to carry forward overachievement against their targets under the current Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) and Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP) and count it towards their ECO targets.
These changes will help smooth the transition for the insulation industry between current schemes and the Green Deal. We will continue work with this industry to see if there is more we can do to help them manage the impacts of the transition.
Notes to editors:
The Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) requires all domestic energy suppliers with a customer base in excess of 250,000 customers to make savings in the amount of CO2 emitted by householders. Suppliers meet this target by promoting the uptake of low carbon energy solutions to household energy consumers, thereby assisting them to reduce the carbon footprint of their homes.
CESP targets households across Great Britain, in areas of low income, to improve energy efficiency standards, and reduce fuel bills. There are 4,500 areas eligible for CESP. CESP is funded by an obligation on energy suppliers and electricity generators. It is expected to deliver up to £350m of efficiency measures. | <urn:uuid:82626a77-222d-4d84-9859-a7f98582c80a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wired-gov.net/wg/wg-news-1.nsf/0/40DCD36A6C028941802579DE002CF00E?OpenDocument | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949159 | 902 | 1.859375 | 2 |
Going paperless 'would save NHS billions'
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt wants the NHS to be paperless by 2018 - a move a report says could help save the health service billions of pounds a year.
In a speech, Mr Hunt will say a first step is to give people online access to their health records by March 2015.
And by April 2018, any crucial health information should be available to staff at the touch of a button.
PwC suggests a potential £4.4bn could be put back into the NHS with better use of information and technology.
This information technology revolution has been long in the offing.
It was Mr Hunt's predecessor Andrew Lansley who first pledged in 2010 to start an information revolution to ensure patients could use the web to report their experiences, rate NHS organisations and access their records so there would be "no decision about me, without me".
End Quote Labour's shadow health minister Jamie Reed
Patients are waiting too long in A&E and being treated in under-staffed hospitals - they will not thank him for making this a priority”
A couple of years on and progress has been patchy, with some parts of the NHS offering a big digital presence and others lagging.
Previous attempts to transform NHS information technology have run into trouble. Labour's scheme, Connecting for Health, allowed X-rays and scans to be stored and sent electronically.
But other parts of the programme - launched in 2002 - became mired in technical problems and contractual wrangling and the national programme has effectively been disbanded and local parts of the health service asked to proceed with upgrading IT systems.Priorities
In a speech to think tank Policy Exchange, Mr Hunt will say hospitals should plan to make information digitally and securely available by 2014-15.
This will means that different professionals involved in one person's care can start to share information safely on their treatment.
"We need to learn those lessons - and in particular avoid the pitfalls of a hugely complex, centrally specified approach. Only with world-class information systems will the NHS deliver world-class care," he will say.
Mr Hunts comments come as a report by PwC suggests a potential £4.4bn could be put back into the NHS by using better use of information and technology.
Using electronic prescribing and electronic patient records would also give staff more time to spend with patients.
The John Taylor Hospice near Birmingham found that using laptops more than doubled the amount of time clinicians could spend with patients.
Labour says the public will struggle to understand why the government is making information technology a priority at a time when NHS spending has been cut.
Labour's shadow health minister, Jamie Reed, said: "As winter bites, the NHS is facing its toughest time of the year and the government has left it unprepared.
"Patients are waiting too long in A&E and being treated in under-staffed hospitals - they will not thank him for making this a priority. He should sort out the bread and butter issues first." | <urn:uuid:a97b77e8-53ba-4a6f-b18c-836c8a30521b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-21033984 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951688 | 618 | 1.734375 | 2 |
|William E. Brower II|
| The True Defenition Of Barbeque Day AKA Memorial Day
On June 6, 1944 Tank Commander John L. Dudley III took part in the invasion of Normandy. As he directed his men over the shores further inland, they approached a bridge. On their attempt at crossing the vehicle was hit by a barrage of artillery. Dudley was thrown from his position by the shockwave which also cost him his hearing and the lives of his men.
Half a world away, Jerome Kaczorowski with his buddies Flip and Tom were busy in the Merchant Marines bouncing around places in the Pacific with exotic names like Guadalcanal. Before the end of the war, Tom would be listed KIA. Before returning home, “Triggerhappy Harry” Kaczorowski as he was known by Flip and other friends would take a photo showing a group of people in cloth masks standing behind partially erected buildings the village was called Nagasaki.
Growing up hearing these stories from both my Great Uncle and Grandfather always were interesting to me. Uncle Johnny as I used to call him would let me use his field glasses that he was holding when the tank exploded. I used to gaze out his balcony at Pompano beach listening to him talk about another beach. Grandad would always be watching “Victory at Sea” waiting for the grandkids to sit for a front row back story about all the great battleships that served in the Allied Fleets. Each Memorial Day, both of them would give a toast to their fallen commrades and continue with telling their tales and adventures during the second world war.
Today it’s a different story though, I inherited Uncle Johnny’s glasses and medals that were awarded. My grandmother gave me the box set of “Victory at Sea” which was heavily used after Grandad passed away six years ago.
For some people, Memorial Day means barbeques, paid holiday, last minute “one day only!” sale for furniture and new cars. The origins of this day are starting to fade into obscurity. With the conflicts still ongoing in the Middle East, among other places I challenge you the reader to do something quite simple this year. We have a large number of service men and women “active” and “retired” residing around us. Should you see one during the course of your day, I suggest you stop and say two words that are barely used these days....THANK YOU. | <urn:uuid:6d44dbf0-32e9-4d93-9ab0-05a8270d0830> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://webspace.webring.com/people/et/tessekfan/a2.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00050-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.984836 | 517 | 2.0625 | 2 |
US had all the signs of the next Great depression. Plummeting prices! Falling economic growth! And unemployment rising at horrid levels. Why not compare the U.S. Financial Crisis to the last five financial crisis’?
Financial Crisis Unemployment Comparison
Here is what Josh Lehner says:
The question that naturally follows and is
not answered here is why does the current U.S. cycle measure up in terms
of the aftermath of financial crises except in the percentage of
employment loss? Relative to Spain, Norway, Finland and Sweden, it
appears that the U.S. did something right. Is it as simple as ARRA? Is
it TARP and the backstopping of the financial industry? Is it the fact
that, more or less, the world had a coordinated response in late
2008/early 2009 for expansionary fiscal and monetary policies?
Economic Growth: Yes or No of Financial Crisis
Paul Krugman points out Eurozone GDP growth has been far out paced by US GDP growth. The US debt crisis cut deep and began the global financial meltdown. Of course, Eurozone experienced growth in the Eurozone countries until lending froze along with economic contraction of auterity.
US GDP Growth VS Eurozone GDP Growth During ‘Lesser Depression’
There have been many critics of monetary policy and quick action by the Fed’s Bernanke as well as poo pooing of the stimulus in 2009. Stimulus has saved and/or created auto worker’s jobs while shoring up one of the leading contributors to GDP as of late… auto industry. Effects of quantitative easing is debatable on to what degree it helped. It’s not debatable that it has played a role in the housing recovery or the commercial real estate rebound.
Will Growth Set US Free
Growth is very important and plays a big role in balancing budgets. In fact, analyses of Greek’s post financial crisis skyrocketing debt seems to be largely from GDP contraction. Lack of competition came later. This doesn’t contradict needed reforms in Greece’s tax collecting process and corruption. They are needed as well.
Lars makes a good point about the cause of Greek debt to GDP increase during the financial crisis.
Greek nominal GDP has dropped by around 10% since 2007 and that pretty much explains the 50%-point increase in public debt since 2007. Greece is smack on the regression line in the graph – and so is Germany. The better debt performance in Germany does not reflect that the German government is more fiscally conservative than the Greek government. Rather it reflects a much better NGDP growth performance. | <urn:uuid:5cfc0a76-40c9-4b4c-a1cd-7501c235eaae> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.economynews.us/gdp-growth-unemployment-us-eurozone-comparison/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00049-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950473 | 543 | 2.125 | 2 |
In baseball, 21 years is a veritable eternity. Though I clearly remember being a baseball fan 21 years ago, I don’t at all remember thinking about salaries, luxury taxes or minimum payrolls. I just sat back and daydreamed about how great it would be to play on some of those great 1980s teams.
Sure, playing pro ball would have been amazing regardless of pay (and make no mistake, MLB players have done very well financially for most of baseball’s existence), but you have to wonder how many of those late 80s/early 90s stars are bitter that their parents didn’t get busy a few years later.
The following is a 1987 article from The New York Times, which discusses the (then) exorbitant salaries of some of our childhood heroes. While the journalist (longtime NYC great, Murray Chass) doesn’t express an opinion about the numbers one way or another, one can only imagine how this read in a world languishing from Reaganomics.
SIZING UP BASEBALL SALARIES
By MURRAY CHASS
Fifty-seven players began the baseball season assured of earning $1 million or more this year. Sixty-six players of the 663 who were on opening-day major league rosters or the disabled list will earn $62,500, the minimum salary.
It’s nice to know at some point in history, I had a higher salary than Lee Guetterman. And I don’t even have to travel.
Those facts of baseball’s economy have emerged from a study of 1987 salaries conducted by The New York Times. The study also shows that the California Angels and the Los Angeles Dodgers have experienced perhaps the most dramatic changes in their payrolls from last year. The Dodgers have soared to the top of the average-salary list with a season-opening average of $579,785 while the Angels have plummeted from fifth at the end of last season to 17th at the start of this one with an average salary of $408,632, just below the major league average of $412,606.
Because those dominant Halos demanded a Hollywood-type paycheck. You know it’s true.
According to salary data obtained from more than two dozen management and player sources, the highest-paid players are Jim Rice of Boston, $2,412,500; Dan Quisenberry of Kansas City, $2,293,509; George Brett of Kansas City, $2,205,000; Eddie Murray of Baltimore, $2,153,000, and Mike Schmidt of Philadelphia, $2,127,333. The presence of Quisenberry and Brett in the top five is the result of the lucrative real estate deals included in their contracts that take effect this season.
Apparently, Kansas City didn’t always reside in Missouri, but rather in a common-sense vacuum, where two Royals could occupy a “highest-paid” list.
The Mets don’t have anyone in the top five, but they have five million-dollar players, which is more than any other team has. The Mets also have four players making the minimum. The Yankees have three players on the million-dollar plateau but none at the bottom rung of the salary scale.
Sadly, every one of those five Mets dropped their salaries on good blow. Can the 1987 Yankees say that? I guess Willie would know.
Five clubs - Seattle, Texas, Montreal, Pittsburgh and San Francisco -have no million-dollar players. Atlanta is the only team besides the Yankees without a player at the minimum salary. Montreal has seven players earning $62,500 and Baltimore six.
No surprises here. Seattle, Montreal, Pittsburgh were never huge spenders. Ever. Texas and ‘Frisco must have been saving up for the then 11-year old A-Rod and 9-year old Zito, respectively. Now this, my friends, is good scouting.
One player listed as making the minimum is Lee Mazzilli of the Mets; that, indeed, is what the Mets are paying him. However, he will receive an additional $537,500 from the Pittsburgh Pirates, who released him last year and remain responsible for his guaranteed 1987 salary.
And this, my friends, is poor team finance.
In many instances, season-starting salaries are only a starting point. Incentive bonuses aren’t as prevalent as they once were because clubs are trying to lower their payrolls, but some income nevertheless will rise by the end of the year.
And where in history did this go wrong? I would guess that almost all of the top 100 MLB contracts are mired in incentive-laden bonuses, both cash and material. I think Johan’s new contract allows him to beat up a teammate for every strikeout he throws in September, along with use of the private suite.
In two notable instances, salaries could rise by the All-Star Game break. Lance Parrish of Philadelphia could add $200,000 to his $800,000 salary (thus putting him in the million-dollar class) and Andre Dawson of the Chicago Cubs could pick up an extra $150,000 over his $500,000 salary if each remains healthy for the first half of the season.
Moises Alou — who was already in his fifth season by 1987 — would make approximately $12 in loose change with this incentive plan.
Some teams’ average salaries will rise, too, when and if they re-sign certain free agents on or about May 1. Included in that group are Tim Raines (Montreal), Ron Guidry (Yankees), Rich Gedman (Boston) and Bob Boone (California). The departure of Boone, Reggie Jackson, Bobby Grich and Rick Burleson from their roster has had a dramatic effect on the Angels’ economy. In their place are such rookies as Mark McLemore, Devon White and Gus Polidor, and the difference in salaries is reflected in the average salary.
McLemore would be worth a small fortune today, as he was one of the first “super sub” role players to regularly inhabit a major league roster. Plus, he gets props for being the only guy in MLB history to be ejected for modifying his bat with the cap from a Coke bottle. Bravo.
These are the season-opening average salaries of all of the teams: 1, Los Angeles $579,785; 2, Chicago Cubs $576,273; 3, Yankees $562,758; 4, Kansas City $531,552; 5, Atlanta $527,756; 6, Baltimore $523,658; 7, Boston $520,758; 8, Mets $519,429; 9, Philadelphia $488,613; 10, Detroit $486,272; 11, Minnesota $431,926; 12, St. Louis $429,019; 13, Oakland $426,582; 14, Houston $421,796; 15, San Diego $412,000; 16, Toronto $411,687; 17, California $408,632; 18, Chicago White Sox $372,386; 19, Cleveland $361,917; 20, Cincinnati $332,285; 21, San Francisco $309,846; 22, Milwaukee $281,781; 23, Texas $226,755; 24, Pittsburgh $221,380; 25, Montreal $204,740; 26, Seattle $181,580.
Though the Mets were clearly ahead of the Phillies by $32,000, a young Jimmy Rollins boasted that by the end of the season, the Phils would outspend the Amazins. And after the team overpaid Bruce Ruffin and Kent Tekulve, he was right. Is that Jimmy ever wrong?
The Mariners, who have had the lowest payroll the past two years, are expected to have an easy time retaining that distinction this year. Fifteen of their 25 players have salaries under $100,000 while only one is over $500,000. The Expos have 14 players under $100,000 and three over $500,000, with Raines ready to become the fourth. If Raines signs for a $1.6 million salary, which the team has offered, his salary will be greater than the combined salaries of 16 of the 24 players on the opening-day roster.
No one told Raines it was $1.6 million Canadian. He bought a VCR.
The Expos are one of four clubs - Seattle, Texas and Pittsburgh are the others - whose total opening-day payrolls are less than the combined 1987 income ($6,431,805) of the Royals’ three highest-paid players: Quisenberry, Brett and Willie Wilson.
Though I’m not one to follow economic trends, I think it would be effing hilarious if MLB’s current wallet-unfriendly, free-spending ways were due to the loose pockets and indiscretion of the Kansas City Royals. I can’t be alone on this.
I truly wish Chass would follow up this piece today. Why? Because ironically, nearly twenty years after he wrote the above article, Chass asserted his dislike of overused statistics in baseball. According to ol’ Murray, among “certain topics that should be off-limits,” are “statistics mongers promoting VORP and other new-age baseball statistics.” Chass then reiterated that in “their attempt to introduce these new-age statistics into the game,” these “statistics mongers” threaten “to undermine most fans’ enjoyment of baseball and the human factor therein.
I wonder what Murray would think of Bugs & Cranks. | <urn:uuid:f55861a3-9d2a-458e-9baf-367f9fba8cba> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.fannation.com/blogs/post/156337-what-a-difference-21-years-makes | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00048-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964457 | 2,025 | 1.765625 | 2 |
Are the Markets Bad for Your Heart?
Preliminary data suggests there might be a correlation between stock market declines and heart attacks.
In this article
- Are the Markets Bad for Your Heart?
- Changes to Proxy Voting
- The Lack of an Estate Tax
- Corporate Pensions Remain Underfunded
- Lower Commissions: A Good Deal?
Share this article
Researchers from Duke University Medical Center studied the relationship between the recent bear market and an increase in the incidence of heart attacks. Using data for the period of January 2008 through July 2009, the researchers found a trend between declining stock prices and an increased number of heart attacks. However, once the data was adjusted to account for seasonality (more heart attacks occur during the winter), the trend was less clear.
Mona Fiuzat, PharmD, a researcher at Duke and the study’s lead investigator, opined, “We can’t say definitively that there is an association. There is the possibility that there is no relationship.”
Others think the Duke researchers may be onto something. Dr. James McClurken, chairman of the American College of Cardiology’s annual conference—where the results were released—told the Associated Press that he thought the initial findings (which were not adjusted for seasonal factors) may have “merit.”
To read more, please become an AAII member or CLICK HERE. | <urn:uuid:e983fa71-5d02-4bc2-9b16-8e991157ce5b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.aaii.com/index.cfm/journal/article/briefly-noted | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00042-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958831 | 292 | 1.875 | 2 |
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Minor Earthquake Near Albany: Cuomo Orders Dam Inspection
ALTAMONT, N.Y. — New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has ordered the inspection of a hydro-power dam west of Albany after a mild earthquake.
Cuomo said that while the 2.9 magnitude earthquake Saturday was small, he ordered an immediate inspection of nearby infrastructure as a precaution. That included the New York Power Authority’s Blenheim-Gilboa Dam in nearby Schoharie County.
The quake was centered near the Albany suburb of Altamont.
The earthquake occurred as the region braces for Hurricane Irene and four days after a 5.8 magnitude earthquake centered in Virginia was felt in the area. | <urn:uuid:31e59853-4dd1-498c-bd17-b36917f584e2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://privateinvesigations.blogspot.com/2011/08/minor-earthquake-near-albany-cuomo.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950395 | 147 | 1.71875 | 2 |
It is not uncommon, in the context of academic debates over computer science and Web standards topics, to see the publication of one or more “considered harmful” essays. These essays have existed in some form for more than three decades now, and it has become obvious that their time has passed. Because “considered harmful” essays are, by their nature, so incendiary, they are counter-productive both in terms of encouraging open and intelligent debate, and in gathering support for the view they promote. In other words, “considered harmful” essays cause more harm than they do good.
The Jargon File has a short entry on “considered harmful” that encapsulates the genesis of such essays:
Edsger W. Dijkstra’s note in the March 1968 Communications of the ACM, “Go To Statement Considered Harmful,” fired the first salvo in the structured programming wars…. As it turns out, the title under which the letter appeared was actually supplied by CACM’s editor, Niklaus Wirth.
The controversy resulting from the article’s publication became so heated that the CACM subsequently decided to never again publish pieces with such assertive positions.
The seeds of conflict were already in the ground, however, and in the years since 1968 there have been thousands of pieces published with the general title format of “[something] Considered Harmful.” A search of Google at the end of 2002 turned up more than 4,700 Web pages with the exact phrase “considered harmful” in the document title. A similar search which looked for the exact phrase “considered harmful” in all document content yielded approximately 46,600 results.
All of this content is the more wasteful because “considered harmful” essays have become something of a joke. In some cases, these essays are written as jokes, but more often they are serious statements of opposition to a practice, idea, or technology. The problem is that “considered harmful” essays rarely, if ever, have the intended effect of weakening support for whatever it is they consider harmful.
There are those cases where such essays are written because the author enjoys grandstanding, and knows that use of the “considered harmful” format will get them noticed. A piece of this type is usually so over the top that it is easy to spot. For example, a piece titled “‘Considered Harmful’ Essays Considered Harmful” would very likely be a case of using the “considered harmful” format to draw attention for its own sake. We will ignore such essays in this commentary.
Typically, “considered harmful” essays gets written because someone has an axe to grind, and they feel like making that grinding process both public and dogmatic. This is a form of grandstanding, of course, but it is done with a purpose beyond simple publicity seeking. Usually such “considered harmful” essays are intended to draw attention to a little-known subject about which the author is passionate, or to highlight what the author feels to be a poor decision by someone else.
In addition, there are those “considered harmful” essays that are written as part of a long-running argument that has gradually escalated. Indeed, debates over W3C standards seem to be particularly susceptible to this trend. Instead of being the opening salvos, these essays are more like doomsday devices in the eyes of their authors. The idea is that the arguments presented will be so devastating to the opposing side that capitulation will immediately follow, thus securing victory for the essay’s author and right-minded people the world over. Following in the footsteps of Godwin’s Law, we can draw a similar maxim: As a theoretical debate grows longer, the probability of a “considered harmful” essay approaches one.
In the main, however, it often seems that “considered harmful” essays get written simply because an author can’t think of a better way to express his point of view. This is a sad commentary on both the authors in question and the level of debate most often present in our societies.
There are three primary ways in which these essays cause harm.
Absolutely. The most basic alternative is not to write them at all, but to instead engage in reasoned debate without resorting to dogmatic assertions or distractive tactics (e.g., ad hominem attacks and straw man arguments). In those cases where some sort of document is needed outside of the debate, there are a number of superior alternatives.
“Considered harmful” essays are not only a sad cliché at this stage of the game, they are counter-productive to reasoned debate and most often do far more harm than good to whatever cause they promote. It would therefore seem obvious that the only intelligent course of action is to abandon their use entirely, and instead look to more constructive forms of essay writing in the support of debate positions.
As I prepared to write this essay, I did a quick search to see if it had already been done. The answer was mostly “no,” although I quickly found that Steven Engelhardt had written a brief comment on the same topic, with links to some commonly-seen “considered harmful” essays.
I would like to thank Tantek Çelik for motivating me (however inadvertently) to finally write this piece, after I’d been threatening to do it for months.
Finally, I’d especially like to thank all the people who wrote “considered harmful” essays over the last few years. Without the degree of annoyance you collectively created, I might never have bothered to write this essay. | <urn:uuid:873e79b9-658e-407b-ad4f-670fc61dd9b0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://meyerweb.com/eric/comment/chech.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964021 | 1,198 | 2.296875 | 2 |
PhD major fields of specialization include:
- Management Information Systems
- Organizations and Strategic Management
- Supply Chain and Operations Management
Finance The growth of financial markets, in terms of size, sophistication, and international integration and coordination, have made financial economics a rich and rewarding field for scientific research. Students are taught state-of-the-art mathematical, statistical and computer techniques and their applications to financial research. Modern concepts of rational expectations, market efficiency, agency theory, optimal capital asset pricing, dynamic hedging, securities regulation, corporate restructuring, and portfolio theory are offered to students as fertile grounds for theoretical and empirical studies.
Management Information SystemsInformation Systems provide the manager of an organization with information and a set of tools to aid in decision making. Increases in organizational requirements for information, along with recent dramatic advances in computer technology, have caused computer-based information systems to become a central component of almost all organizations. The preparation of a student for research in the Management Information System (MIS) area requires an extensive background in technical and organizational areas which provide a foundation for understanding how the new technological advances assist management.
The MIS concentration within the Ph.D. program provides both a strong technical orientation as well as an organizational perspective of system design. The program is designed to produce graduates who will become university faculty in the MIS area, along with meeting the needs of industrial and consulting organizations.
MarketingAt the micro level, the field of marketing is concerned with development of effective strategies for managing such activities as product development, promotion, pricing, and distribution in a way that organizational objectives are achieved. At a more macro level, the discipline focuses on comparative marketing systems and the impact of society and environmental factors on marketing systems. To prepare the student for research in marketing, the curriculum places reliance on a solid understanding of relevant buyer behavior theories and appropriate research methodologies. The areas of expertise of current marketing faculty include: buyer behavior, product management, buyer choice modeling, marketing research techniques, and marketing strategy development.
Organizations and Strategic ManagementThe field of organizations and strategic management can be divided into three areas. Organizational behavior examines such topics as motivating and coordinating employee efforts, theories and practice of leadership, individual decision making and problem-solving, conflict resolution, negotiation, and employee responses to work. Organization theory considers such topics as designs for jobs and organizational structures, environmental relations, management of change and innovation, technology, organizational decision making, and control systems. Strategic management investigates topics such as industry analysis, strategy formulation and evaluation, strategic fit, planning systems and top management teams. Research in the field of organizations and strategic management develops theories and measures, applies a variety of research methods and analytic techniques, and generates both descriptive information and prescriptive implications.
Supply Chain and Operations ManagementSupply Chain and Operations Management focuses on the design and management of efficient processes which direct the conversion of factors of production into goods and services provided by an organization. The discipline deals with planning, coordinating, and controlling supply chain/operations management systems, and covers such topics as production analysis and design, purchasing and materials management, capacity planning and scheduling, forecasting, inventory management, facility location and layout, investment decisions, information systems, production strategy, and quality control. Expertise of the faculty lie in the areas of production and inventory systems, production strategy, automation and computerization, and management of technology.
In addition to the above, students can minor in:
- Business Statistics
- International Business | <urn:uuid:a20a814e-75c1-45bd-b5b4-b2f3829aedcc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www4.uwm.edu/business/programs/phd/major.cfm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.926154 | 702 | 1.820313 | 2 |
Is this the right time for a Canadian car?
For The Calgary HeraldPublished: Friday, July 03, 2009
Armstrong said composite manufacturing reduces tooling costs by as much as half.
Traditional metal stamping dies --the tools needed to form sheet metal body panels--can cost between $500 and $700 million. Composite tooling, he said, could cost less than $250 million.
The Switch might not be the ideal design for a CARTA vehicle, but building it could prove out the process required for a whole new Canadian car industry.
Armstrong sees an auto industry based on existing Canadian parts suppliers producing components such as springs and seat rails. Actual vehicle production would not require paint, as a coloured film provides the surface finish. Vehicles would be assembled in small batches.
"It's a very clean manufacturing method. No noise, no heavy equipment, you could have a car factory in a neighbourhood," Armstrong said.
"We need to help keep Canadian suppliers' doors open," he added. "We need to keep the momentum going while we have it."
CARTA's Paterson said: "We are going to see some very interesting things happen in the (automotive) sector over the next five years."
Canada's favourite automotive pundit Dennis DesRosiers, however, was recently quoted in a New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal story about CARTA.
His prognosis was not so rosy.
He said the idea of a Canadian car company was "insane," simply because of the amount of money it would take to get it up and running.
DesRosiers is of course talking about an auto industry in the traditional sense of the word, one where thousands of cars are produced only to sit while waiting to be sold.
Armstrong is advocating a low volume vehicle, built in an entirely different way. He said: "There would be (the opportunity) to make a profit selling these cars." | <urn:uuid:5c1a84e1-bb46-4233-85af-496e8dbba583> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www2.canada.com/calgaryherald/cars/story.html?id=477586c5-1c44-4f5a-b6e7-4762f0956c45&p=2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969352 | 395 | 2 | 2 |
Russian space research org targeted by mystery malware attack
Korean message forum becomes cyber-espionage hub
Security researchers have discovered a targeted attack against Russian hi-tech firm that appears to originate in Korea.
The "Sanny" attack* is malware-based and geared towards stealing login information from Russian telecommunications, information technology and space research organisations. The first stage of the assault features a malicious Russian language MS Word document designed to drop malware onto compromised PCs. This establishes a backdoor on infected machines, establishing a botnet in the process.
The Command and Control channel for this botnet is embedded on a legitimate page, a Korean message board called "nboard.net", according to an analysis of the attack by web security firm FireEye. The malware sends messages to two pre-programmed Yahoo! webmail address, one in Korea, if the board becomes unavailable.
Extracted data is normally sent to a public message board that does not require authentication, so details of victims are visible. Stolen data includes Outlook login credentials as well as username/passwords that Firefox remembers for different online services such as Hotmail, Facebook, etc. Apart from login credentials, the malware also profiles the victims, for example by victim_locale, victim_region, and other relevant information from the Windows REGISTRY of infected computers. This information is then posted to the Korean message board before been extracted and purged over a two day cycle by the unidentified attacker.
Apparent victims include a Russian Space Science research unit at a Russian University and ITAR-TASS, the Russian state-owned news agency.
Although it doesn't have proof, FireEye reckons that a Korean is the most likely perpetrator of the attack.
"Though we don’t have full concrete evidence, we have identified many indicators leading to Korea as a possible origin of attack." FireEye researchers Alex Lanstein and Ali Islam conclude in a jointly authored blog post on the attack.
More technical details can be found in a blog post by FireEye here . ®
* So named by the security researchers for one of the email addresses used by the attackers. | <urn:uuid:37ac3f63-07c9-4323-8f0f-fb1d104f6670> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/12/12/russian_cyberespionage_attack/print.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00071-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.920041 | 433 | 1.984375 | 2 |
A Visual Guide to Gospel Events
Fascinating Insights into Where They Happened and Why
RRP $42.99 $25.85 Save $17.14 (40%)
Free shipping Australia wide
Ships from UK supplier
|Format:||Hardback, 208 pages|
|Published In: ||United States, 01 October 2010|
As the inspired authors of the Bible relayed the story of salvation, they frequently mentioned place names that contributed to the story. Yet readers who are separated from the texts by thousands of years and thousands of miles are often unable to fully understand or appreciate those references. In the tradition of the well-received A Visual Guide to Bible Events, authors James C. Martin, John A. Beck, and David G. Hansen offer this new resource focusing on the Gospel narratives. This beautiful, full-colour book is filled with photographs, maps, and easy-to-read explanations. The engaging writing style makes this resource perfect for anyone--student, scholar, pastor, or layperson--who wants to understand the events recorded in the Gospels in a deeper way.
About the Author
James C. Martin (MDiv, DMin, Fuller Theological Seminary) is the founder of Bible World Seminars, which currently offers biblical study programs on location in Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, and Greece. Martin also works with Bible.org as the director of visual and contextual content for the new NET Pictorial Bible. He and his wife, Stacey, have been involved in aerial, land, and museum photography and filming throughout the Middle East and Europe for the past 20 years. John A. Beck (PhD, Trinity International University) has taught courses in Hebrew and Old Testament at various colleges and universities for the past 16 years. He currently is an adjunct faculty member at Jerusalem University College in Israel. His articles have appeared in several journals, and he is the author of The Land of Milk and Honey: An Introduction to the Geography of Israel, as well as God as Storyteller: Seeking Meaning in Biblical Narrative.
|Publisher: ||Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group|
|Dimensions: ||28.65 x 22.2 x 1.8 centimeters (1.03 kg)| | <urn:uuid:86eb1b7a-a021-4ee0-b855-3c9f135ab00e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.fishpond.com.au/Books/Visual-Guide-to-Gospel-Events-James-C-Martin-John-A-Beck/9780801013119?cf=3 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00054-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.928052 | 463 | 1.890625 | 2 |
Get the Most Out of Coupons – Use Grocery Store Sale Cycles
A sale cycle in the grocery business refers to when a product goes on sale at its all-time lowest price. It will never go lower. Many grocery products have a sales cycle of roughly three months. A smart couponer knows that this is the best time to put couponing skills to work. Match up your coupons with the low price of the product and you will see substantial savings.
How Can I Save Money with Coupons and Cycles?
Here’s an example: this is the time of year ice cream is on sale. The local grocer has Breyers Ice Cream priced at $1.88. That’s the lowest I’ve ever seen it. Combine it with the $0.50 off coupon from our grocery coupons and your final price is $1.38. You can’t beat that price.
If a box of your favorite cookies is on sale this week at the lowest price you’ve ever seen, then in another three months or so those cookies will probably be on sale at the same low price again. Three months isn’t always the cycle, but it’s a good guideline.
Stock Up with Coupons and Sale Cycles
When you’re deciding how many boxes of mac and cheese to buy during a sale, remember that in about three months mac and cheese will probably be on sale again. So buy enough boxes to last you for about three months. Check to see if there is a limit per customer and if so, plan accordingly. Make sure you have enough until the next time it’s marked down. Stock up on coupons for this item ahead of time and you’ll practically get it for free!
The grocery store sale cycle also has a yearly trend and falls in line with what most shoppers are looking for at that particular time of year. So unlike other industries, prices go down when demand goes up. Super Bowl is the perfect example of the grocery store sale cycle and low prices. In January you’ll find sales on all kinds of snack foods from chips to salsa to popcorn and pizza. This is when you’ll want to have your coupons ready for those items and be prepared to stock up. Take for example a popular food like frozen pizza. I found a coupon for Totino’s frozen pizza that saves $1 on five party pizza products. Combine that with a Walmart rollback price of $0.75 each and you are getting five pizzas for $2.75. Now THAT’S smart shopping.
Clip and Save with Grocery Coupons
There’s no reason you should ever have to pay full price on groceries if you plan ahead. Make a list of things you buy frequently, stockpile your coupons, watch your local store sales and check our grocery coupons before you shop. The savings will add up fast. | <urn:uuid:f286903f-8b17-4bd8-9313-c50f81249ff0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://sonotretail.com/coupons-and-grocery-store-sale-cycles/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00061-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941744 | 602 | 1.5625 | 2 |
Fuel stations in Italy have gone on strike. (File photo)
Fuel stations in Italy have been closed in protest against the government’s overcompensating oil companies and under-compensating distributors, which has caused traffic problems.
The 60-hour strike began on Tuesday after failed negotiations with the government, and it will end on Friday with only the required minimum number of stations opened during the period.
“It is incredible, with all that petrol costs us nowadays, that they can even think of going on strike,” said a Rome resident.
The strike has also caused disturbances and chaos as many Italians are out holiday shopping.
The strike organizers said the reason behind the move is to fight a “true aggression against the roughly 24,000 small businesses and 120,000 workers in the sector.”
Other actions are also planned for the rest of the month with fuel stations refusing to reimburse oil companies for refills between December 17 and 22.
Italy was hit by a political crisis on December 8 when ex-Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s party withdrew its support for Prime Minister Mario Monti causing him to announce his resignation once the 2013 budget is approved.
Italy started to experience recession after its economy contracted by 0.2 percent in the third quarter of 2011 and by 0.7 percent in the fourth quarter of 2011. | <urn:uuid:bcb6b74b-ebbf-4f43-92d6-b63f79712dc6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2012/12/12/277571/fuel-stations-go-on-strike-in-italy/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00060-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.981964 | 281 | 1.632813 | 2 |
November 25, 2011
A large-scale clinical trial evaluating whether daily use of an antiretroviral-containing oral tablet or vaginal gel can prevent HIV infection in women is being modified because an interim review found that the gel, an investigational microbicide, was not effective among study participants.
On Nov. 17, an independent data and safety monitoring board (DSMB) recommended that the Vaginal and Oral Interventions to Control the Epidemic (VOICE) study evaluating daily use 1 percent tenofovir vaginal gel be discontinued because there was no difference in effect demonstrated between the drug-containing gel and a placebo gel. The DSMB found a 6 percent HIV incidence rate among participants in the tenofovir gel group and the placebo gel group.
The study is being conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded Microbicide Trials Network (MTN). As the trial’s primary sponsor, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of NIH, concurred with the DSMB's recommendation and has requested that the MTN discontinue use of tenofovir gel (and placebo gel) in the VOICE study. Because the trial is continuing, all other study data remain confidential, so NIAID cannot speculate about why tenofovir gel showed no benefit among VOICE study participants. Factors that may have contributed to this outcome are being further investigated.
Importantly, the DSMB found no major safety concerns with either the tenofovir gel or oral tablets containing tenofovir and emtricitabine given to women in a different arm of the study. Oral tenofovir and emtricitabine, a combination drug called Truvada that currently is used to treat HIV infection, will continue to be investigated in the VOICE study to determine whether it can prevent HIV infection in women in this trial.
The VOICE study, or MTN-003, began in September 2009 and originally enrolled more than 5,000 HIV-uninfected women in South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe. The trial was designed to test the safety, effectiveness and acceptability of two different, daily HIV prevention strategies. One was an investigational microbicide gel containing tenofovir. The other involved oral tablets containing tenofovir either alone (Viread) or co-formulated with the drug emtricitabine (Truvada). The tablets were designed to be taken by HIV-negative women in an approach known as pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP.
The study was first modified in September 2011, following the DSMB recommendation to discontinue evaluating oral tenofovir tablets based on interim data demonstrating that the study would be unable to show a difference in effect between tenofovir tablets and placebo tablets in preventing HIV infection. No safety concerns with oral tenofovir were found. Since that time, the study participants who were taking oral tenofovir have been informed of the discontinuation of this arm of the trial, and currently they are undergoing their final study-associated tests and procedures.
Based on its Nov. 17 scheduled review, the DSMB recommended that the roughly 2,000 women in the tenofovir gel and placebo gel groups stop applying the study product.
The study team will immediately begin informing all VOICE participants of this new development and will soon start the orderly discontinuation of the two gel arms of the trial. Participants who were using the tenofovir gel or the placebo gel will stop using the product at their next scheduled clinical site visit. They will then return eight weeks later for a final evaluation before exiting the study. At that visit, they will be given information about where they can continue to receive HIV testing and counseling, contraception and other medical and support services. Follow up for all of the VOICE study participants is expected to be completed in June 2012, with final study results anticipated in early 2013.
Although it is disappointing that the study first found oral tenofovir and now daily 1 percent tenofovir gel to be ineffective among the VOICE participants, NIAID recognizes the scientific importance of having clear outcomes and is pleased that the trial will continue to examine the question of whether oral Truvada is a safe and effective HIV prevention measure for women in this study. NIAID thanks all VOICE study participants and site staff for their significant contribution to furthering HIV prevention research. This study is an important component of NIH's comprehensive HIV prevention research program articulated in the HHS National HIV/AIDS Strategy Operational Plan.
NIAID remains committed to supporting research to develop HIV prevention tools that women can implement. Slightly more than half of all new HIV infections globally occur in women, mostly through unprotected sex with HIV-infected men. Safe and effective female-controlled HIV prevention methods would be particularly helpful to women who find it difficult or impossible to refuse sex or to negotiate condom use with their male partners.
NIAID is sponsoring and funding the MTN to conduct the VOICE study with co-funding from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the National Institute of Mental Health, all part of NIH. Trial co-sponsors are Gilead Sciences Inc. of Foster City, Calif., and CONRAD of Arlington, Va.
For additional information about the VOICE study, see the updated Questions and Answers.
Also, see the MTN site.
Media inquiries can be directed to the NIAID Office of Communications at 301-402-1663, firstname.lastname@example.org.
NIAID conducts and supports research—at NIH, throughout the United States, and worldwide—to study the causes of
infectious and immune-mediated diseases, and to develop better means of preventing, diagnosing and treating these illnesses. News
releases, fact sheets and other NIAID-related materials are available on the NIAID Web site at www.niaid.nih.gov.
About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research,
and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.
NIH...Turning Discovery Into Health ®
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Last Updated November 25, 2011
Last Reviewed November 25, 2011 | <urn:uuid:73e38868-b795-40b6-add3-8e74f84ec8b5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.niaid.nih.gov/news/newsreleases/2011/Pages/VOICEdiscontinued.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.931467 | 1,366 | 2.328125 | 2 |
OLYMPIC MASCOTS60OLYMPIC REVIEW
OLYMPIC MASCOTSThere have been three dogs, four owls, twochildren, two ancient Grecian dolls, onesnowball and even an ice cube - and thelatest addition to the Olympic stable are two drops of enchanted steel. Ever since 1972, when Germangraphic designer Otto Aicher first introduced Waldi, a dachshund, as the official Olympic mascot atMunich, mascots have become a fundamental partof each edition of the Games. Often chosen bypopular vote, mascots are a chance to present aside of the Olympic community, which is both playfuland symbolic, creating an opportunity toengage with an audience evenbeyond the Games themselves -particularly children. And, thanks totheir many permutations, be they softtoys, posters, pins or piggy banks, mascotshave become a source of revenue, too; someare even collectors items -if you have aSchneeman plush toy (Innsbruck 1976),keep hold of it. Most people remember Waldi as the firstofficial mascot, but he had a precursor: Schuss.Half man, half ski machine, Schuss was OLYMPIC REVIEW61Animals that were representative both of their country and the Olympic spirit havebeen a formula that's been popular eversince: Amik, the beaver, a creatureassociated with hard work, was Canada's ?introduced, unofficially, at the 1968 Winter Gamesin Grenoble, and his popularity set the mascot ballrolling, skipping only the 1972 Winter Games inSapporo to be a feature of every edition since.Unlike Schuss, Waldi, however, was designed withspecific goals in mind. Aicher knew how populardachshunds were in Bavaria (Waldi was based onhis own dog, a long-haired Cherie von Birkenhof),and felt that the animal's distinctive characteristics- tenacity and agility, for example - accuratelyrepresented the qualities required to succeed at the Olympic Games. | <urn:uuid:dd84c47c-37d2-4533-b6e5-f36f01b9be95> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://view.digipage.net/?id=olympicreview76&page=60 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942022 | 427 | 2.3125 | 2 |
Aura 2000-LL Downstream Asher
The Aura 2000 system is a microwave downstream asher used for the removal of resist and other organic materials. Samples are loaded onto 8” carrier wafers into the system. Samples can be heated from 100C to above 350C by heat lamps, while being exposed to microwave-cracked oxygen to remove organic materials. The microwave excitation of the oxygen is done downstream from the chamber and the reactive oxygen flows through a showerhead to expose the sample, thus completely eliminating ion bombardment. Resist etch rates of several microns per minute can be achieved and is also effective on fluorine and chlorine plasma exposed resist. | <urn:uuid:b0dc9fe7-fb34-47a2-9f16-922dff63debd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nanotech.ucsb.edu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=557 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.905227 | 136 | 1.515625 | 2 |
When gentrification works
Examples of Chicago 'hoods doing development the responsible way.
Gentrification is a tricky thing—not only in practice, but even semantically speaking. As a way to describe neighborhood redevelopment, gentrification “oftentimes has a negative connotation for a lot of folks because it’s associated with class- and race-based displacement,” says Brian White, executive director of Lakeside Community Development Corporation, an affordable-housing advocacy group based in Rogers Park.
Nobody’s going to agree that any single neighborhood in Chicago is doing everything perfectly when it comes to community improvement, but here are a few examples of ’hoods that have done at least one thing right.
RACIAL AND ECONOMIC DIVERSITY
Although the condo-conversion craze earlier this decade took away affordable rental units from lower-income residents, the Far North Side remains one of Chicago’s most economically mixed areas. In addition to its healthy income mix, “Rogers Park is more balanced in terms of its diversity—equal parts white, black, Latino,” White notes. “Most people I come in contact with are speaking in good faith when they say they value the diversity here.” A number of Rogers Park businesses and institutions encourage that diversity—from Mess Hall (6932 N Glenwood Ave, 773-465-4033), a cultural community center that offers all its programs (as well as food and drink) for free, to the Morse Theatre (1328 W Morse Ave, 773-654-5100), a live-music venue that’s held free public-viewing parties for recent events like President Obama’s inauguration and the Super Bowl. | <urn:uuid:be7742e8-40f5-4afd-88d9-8ece2b5c1f46> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.timeoutchicago.com/things-to-do/62177/when-gentrification-works | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00063-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942952 | 359 | 2.03125 | 2 |
Congress has approved a measure that will allow makers of three-wheel cars to receive funding for fuel-efficient auto technologies, according to published reports.
The bill, which still needs to be signed into law, could be a boost to companies developing alternative car designs, notably Aptera Motors and Elio Motors. Both companies have argued that their three-wheel cars deserve federal funding meant to promote more efficient vehicles.
The legislation, passed late last week, would overturn an Energy Department rule that limited funding to four-wheel vehicles meeting emissions and fuel-economy benchmarks, Automotive News reported on Friday. The new guidelines will now allow … Read more | <urn:uuid:e6634433-6471-489a-9999-caef568ee504> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://news.cnet.com/8300-5_3-0.html?keyword=three-wheeled | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965495 | 130 | 1.726563 | 2 |
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Due to the city development projects in Seoul, `Pimatgol' a historical and cultural site has been disappeared and rebuilt. There have been many efforts to reconstruct this kind of historical and cultural sites by using technology. We have reconstructed `Pimatgol' with digital photos from the past taken by members of the community. Augmented Reality Window (AR Window) is an Augmented Reality application for reconstructing `Pimatgol' for smart phones. User can see the past scenes over present scenes in their phones through AR Window. User can experience multiple interactions like blowing a breath, wiping with a finger and touching buttons on a phone. We concentrated on how this case affects user's emotion. AR Window opens a new way for digital reconstruction for smart phones which can raise awareness from the members of the community.
Date of Conference: 13-16 Oct. 2010 | <urn:uuid:7ad82494-bb84-4938-a76f-91ea4221f7c6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/articleDetails.jsp?reload=true&arnumber=5643289&contentType=Conference+Publications | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00063-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936962 | 183 | 1.945313 | 2 |
Before hiring employees, many employers use credit reports either to gain a general knowledge of an applicant's financial honesty and integrity or to screen applicants for sensitive positions, such as cashiers or couriers. If companies choose to do so, they must adhere to the guidelines under The Fair Credit Reporting Act, which regulates the use of consumer credit reports as a part of background checks on applicants. The Act, also known as FCRA (F-C-R-A), is mainly designed to protect the privacy of information in credit reports and to ensure that information supplied by credit bureaus about consumers is as accurate as possible. Though the law specifically permits credit bureaus to release credit reports to employers for the purposes of hiring and promoting employees, employers are prohibited from using certain credit information to discriminate against applicants. For example, an employer may not discriminate against an applicant solely because a credit check reveals that the applicant has sought protection under the Bankruptcy Act. In other words, bankruptcy can't be used as a valid reason to deny employment. Before checking a credit report on an applicant, a company must clearly and accurately tell the applicant in writing that an investigative consumer credit report may be made that could include information on the individual's character, reputation, personal characteristics, or mode of living. The applicant should sign the disclosure document and return it to the employer. If employment is denied because of information found on a credit report, the job applicant must be informed of the reason and furnished with both a copy of the credit report and a summary of his or her credit rights. Employers who don't provide the disclosure when it's required or willfully violate any FCRA regulation may face punitive damages in a federal court. | <urn:uuid:b2ac149e-2f20-4f31-a396-c03428cfd470> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cbs47.tv/guides/legal/employment/story/Fair-Credit-Reporting-Act-FCRA/xvXpyfyBK0ukYWfgw3Be_A.cspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961661 | 341 | 2.21875 | 2 |
Timing is of critical importance with estate planning matters. Obviously, a plan must be in place early enough to be of use before one falls ill or suffers from mental issues. For example, creating a will or trust may be impossible after one suffers a stroke or succumbs to serious effects of Alzheimers. This is why we continue to encourage residents to make plans early and consistently update them.
Time also factors into matters after a death. Many beneficiaries may face hardship if they are forced to wait months (or even years) to have an estate settled. One of the key benefits of an inheritance plan is to minimize the risk of a long delay between the actual passing on of assets, often focused on avoiding probate and preventing feuding.
The latest developments in the estate battle of Huguette Clark offers an example of the consequences of a drawn-out legal battle. Ms. Clark was the reclusive daughter of Guilded Age baron Senator William Andrews Clark. He amassed a fortune in the copper and railroad industries and is known as the founder of the city of Las Vegas. An intensely private individual, Huguette spent the last three and a half decades in Manhattan hospitals, even though she was not actually ill. In the several decades before that she rarely left her Fifth Avenue apartment.
Ms. Clark died over a year and a half ago, in May of 2011. However, her assets--valued between $300 and $400 million--have yet to be distributed. That is because a dispute arose between the woman's extended family and others close to her. Two wills were apparently found, signed by the heiress six weeks apart. The first will gave most of the fortune to her extended family while the most recent will left them nothing. The extended family contested the second will, as they have concerns about the undue influence her network of nurses and doctors may have had over the elderly woman. There are claims of coercion related to gifts totaling tens of millions of dollars that were given to some of those individuals.
The legal battle is still unresolved. However, according to a Huffington Post story from this week, one of the potential heirs recently died. A 60-year old great nephew of the heiress was found last week under a bridge in Wyoming. The man was apparently homeless and died as a result of exposure to the elements on the cold winter's night. Had he survived he may have stood to gain nearly $20 million as a result of the inheritance. His cut of the inheritance will now go to his other relatives.
The case is a sad reminder of the many ancillary consequences of not having detailed estate plans in place to handle matters as efficiently as possible. | <urn:uuid:93ffd855-28d0-4a21-a34c-ad9eb03d270f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.newyorkestateplanninglawyerblog.com/2013/01/potential-heir-in-huguette-cla.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978315 | 541 | 1.53125 | 2 |
Perspective on Practice
At its February 2010 meeting, the APA Council approved strategic planning funding for the development of treatment guidelines and the appointment of an Advisory Steering Committee, which is chaired by Steven D. Hollon, PhD. The association has continued to move forward with this important collaboration between our Practice and Science Directorates to develop what we are now calling Clinical Practice Guidelines, to align our terminology with the rest of the health-care industry. These guidelines are important for our discipline in the evolving health-care system with its emphasis on evidence-based care, provider accountability and improved patient outcomes.
The development of clinical practice guidelines integrates evidence-based practice with clinically informed references through an accepted systematic and scientifically rigorous methodology to create condition-specific guidelines. Although clinical practice guidelines provide specific and actionable recommendations about treatment alternatives and guidance to improve clinical decision-making and patient care, they do not attempt to substitute for sound clinical judgment.
Psychology must assume an active role in defining the value of psychological interventions, or treatment decisions for patients receiving mental and behavioral health care will continue to be determined by guidelines from medicine and psychiatry. Guidelines are an opportunity to demonstrate the value of psychological interventions in a health care environment very heavily weighted toward biological interventions.
As emerging standards in health care are shifting the focus to accountability and outcomes, guidelines will increasingly be used by the health-care system to direct care. Variance in the provision of patient care is an issue across all health care in the country, and guidelines are a means of identifying and increasing the use of good practices. Guidelines are included in Electronic Health Records (EHRs) as clinical decision aids and influence the course of treatment for patients. Without psychologically informed guidelines, psychological interventions might not even be considered; however, with the inclusion of those guidelines in EHRs, more appropriate referrals for mental and behavioral health conditions can be facilitated.
We hope psychologists will recognize the value of clinical practice guidelines for the profession, for them as practitioners and for their patients. Psychology values the integration of science and practice as evidenced in many APA policies as well as clinical training models. With thousands of articles published per year, clinical practice guidelines are a means of bridging science and the practice of psychology through the synthesis of literature and patterns in findings. Guidelines are also a way to ensure that scientific evidence about psychological interventions is available to policy makers, other health-care providers and payers.
APA's Advisory Steering Committee of nine members has been hard at work for the past two years in developing APA's process for creating clinical practice guidelines in alignment with emerging standards in health care. The Advisory Steering Committee is developing a Manual of Procedures for guidelines development to describe the process APA is following, based on current standards described by the Institute of Medicine.
Topic-specific expert panels are being appointed to determine the scope of a systematic review, interpret the results of the review and draw recommendations. The panels for depressive disorders, obesity and post-traumatic stress disorder have been appointed, and the panel for depressive disorders has had its first meeting. APA is committed to recognizing and reviewing a breadth of perspectives and the involvement of stakeholders, including patients, in its guidelines development process.
For more information about the clinical practice guidelines development process, visit the APA Clinical Practice Guidelines Development page. As always, I encourage you to email me with your questions, concerns or ideas. | <urn:uuid:c6d86887-1d71-4629-a7cb-ce69bc337a05> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.apa.org/monitor/2013/01/perspective.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00067-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938398 | 685 | 2.3125 | 2 |
Buser leaving district after successfully growing nutrition services
One day, one meal and one child at a time, Cañon City Schools Nutrition Services Manager Paula Buser has grown and expanded the program and made it accessible to more than student in the community.
Canon City Schools Nutritional Services Staff prepared healthy holiday trays consisting of cheese, crackers, fresh fruits and fresh vegetables for Valentine's Day classroom parties. Over 600 students enjoyed the new trend of healthy holiday celebrations. Paula Buser, Manager of Nutrition Services decided to offer the healthy trays for classrooms at a reduced price in order to encourage teachers to provide the healthier alternatives to the traditional high sugar high fat party offerings. The specially priced trays are available for any classroom celebration that is provided for students through out the school year. The trays can be ordered directly from your school kitchen or by emailing Paula Buser. Click here for more pictures...
The days of cupcakes, cookies, candy and soda are fading fast in our classrooms! As part of continued efforts to promote healthy lifestyles and eating, the new trend is fresh fruit, veggies and cheese and crackers for classroom celebrations in Canon City. For Christmas we prepared over 25 "healthy" party trays for our schools and we already have orders for over 20 trays for the upcoming Valentines Day celebrations!! Click here for more pictures
OUR 2012-2013 NUTRITIONAL SERVICES STAFF....HERE TO SERVE YOU!!
Check out our links for more program information.
School Meals Are Convenient, Economical And Well-Balanced!!
Healthy school meals provide the nourishment students need to be successful in school and are easy and economical:
· School meals save parents time and money.
· School meals can cost less than a home packed lunch.
· School meals are convenient.
· School meals offer food from all of the food groups and offer a variety of healthy choices.
· Unlimited fruits and vegetables are available daily to accompany school meal choices. | <urn:uuid:db509034-3c2e-4596-aff1-c9618d564bff> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.canoncityschools.org/education/components/scrapbook/default.php?sectionid=2019&url_redirect=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00056-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936917 | 407 | 1.75 | 2 |
The Antichrist in Muhammad: Jesus as the Son of God
The evidence against Muhammad as a result of his own admissions cannot be controverted
One of the most important titles of Jesus in the New Testament is "Son of God." It is an essential, uncompromisable kernel of the Gospel: "For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that everyone who believes in him might not perish, but might have eternal life." (John 3:16) Muhammad unequivocally rejects Jesus as the son of God, displaying, in all its darkened colors, the spirit of antichrist.
One of the most important titles of Jesus in the New Testament is "Son of God." It is an essential, uncompromisable kernel of the Gospel: "For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that everyone who believes in him might not perish, but might have eternal life." (John 3:16)
Jesus is referenced as "Son of God" at least sixty times in the four Gospels. It is obvious that we cannot list them all in this article, so we will attend to only a smattering of citations, focusing on the variety of witnesses.
First, God the Father Himself revealed Jesus as his only begotten Son, both in Jesus' Baptism and in his Transfiguration: "And a voice came from the heavens, 'You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.'" (Mark 1:11; see Luke 3:22; see also Matt. 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35.)
Second, Jesus himself refers to himself as the only Son of God. To the Jews who sought to stone him for blasphemy, Jesus said, "[C]an you say that the one whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world blasphemed because I said, 'I am the Son of God?'" (John 10:36)
Third, the angel Gabriel (whom, by the way, Muhammad claimed as the one who revealed to him the Qur'an) told Mary at the Annunciation: "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High." (Luke 1:32)
Fourth, Peter identified Jesus as the Son of God in response to the question, "Who do you say that I am?" "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." (Matt. 16:16). This is particularly important, because Jesus makes clear that this is a revealed truth of God: "Flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven." (Matt. 16:17)
Fifth, all of Jesus' apostles identified Him as the Son of God. After Jesus and Peter returned to the boat having walked on water and the storms stilled, the Scripture tells us: "Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying 'Truly, you are the Son of God.'" (Matt. 14:32-33)
Sixth, the very high priest of the Jews recognized the importance of Jesus' claim about himself when he asked Jesus, "'I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.' (Matt. 26:63-64; Mark 14:61-62)
Seventh, the Roman centurion, a pagan, recognized Jesus as the Son of God, after his death and after the earthly prodigies, such as the earthquake and darkening of the sky: "Surely he was the Son of God." (Matt. 27:54; Mark 15:39)
Lastly, St. Paul, and the apostles and their successors, such as Silas and Timothy, preached Jesus Christ, the "Son of God," who was "not 'Yes' and 'No," but in him has always been 'Yes.'" (2 Cor. 1:19). St. Paul understood that Jesus' title as "Son of God" was revealed. (Acts 9:20).
(One might also point out that even madmen and those possessed by unclean spirits recognized Jesus as the "Son of God." Cf. Mark 3:11, 5:7; Matt. 8:29; Luke 4:41; 8:28.)
All of Christ's believers have universally exclaimed: "We have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14) This is a truth of the People of God from the very inception of the Church.
The teaching Church unquestionably has found the doctrine that Jesus is the "Son of God" revealed de fide divina et ecclesiastica, and absolutely true because revealed by a God who cannot be deceived and does not deceive. And so the Church includes the belief in her Creed: We say therein that we believe "Jesus Christ, His [God the Father's] only Son, our Lord."
As the Catechism summarizes the Church's understanding of the Scripture's revelation that Jesus is the only begotten Son of God: "The title 'Son of God' signifies the unique and eternal relationship of Jesus Christ to God his Father: he is the only Son of the Father. To be Christian, one must believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." CCC § 453.
Without question, the title, and indeed the person it describes, is hugely important, and, what is more, clearly revealed by God as the manner in which Jesus ought to be understood as uniquely and eternally being one in essence (homoousios) with God the Father. Without it, Jesus is not Jesus. This is the keystone doctrine in the Christian arch of associated doctrines such as the ...
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- Reflections on the Dignity and Vocation of Women: Who or What? | <urn:uuid:d0f4eb3d-5b50-41b8-bd00-9a2ffedaee78> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://catholic.org/international/international_story.php?id=48849&page=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00065-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958039 | 1,478 | 1.914063 | 2 |
Northwest Regional Spinal Cord Injury System
Saturday, May 18
The Summit was a great success! Thank you to all who attended and participated.
To download presentation materials from the Summit, click here and select "Download handouts."
The Northwest Regional Spinal Cord Injury System (NWRSCIS), centered within the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at University of Washington Medical Center and Harborview Medical Center, is one of only 14 model spinal cord injury (SCI) centers funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) for the 2011-2016 grant cycle. Our NIDRR project number is H133N110009.
The mission of the NWRSCIS is to improve the lives of people with SCI through excellent patient care, research and education. Consequently, the NWRSCIS strives to provide specialized care to persons with SCI, to conduct clinically relevant research and to disseminate the most useful, evidence-based information to people with SCI, their families and professionals. | <urn:uuid:12829508-d172-4aea-82de-043f802dc1c6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://sci.washington.edu/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00037-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.926968 | 209 | 1.539063 | 2 |
Don’t forget Superman, John. He was an immigrant too. All Americans have a connection to immigration, share your story with us.
The U.S.’s current immigration system is byzantine, cruel, and benefits neither American citizens nor anyone else. We need comprehensive immigration reform to bring highly skilled workers into the United States to help our economy grow and to bring security and stability to the lives of immigrants living in the United States today. Nikola Tesla was an immigrant. So were Joseph Pulitzer and Albert Einstein and Igor Stravinsky. Rational, compassionate immigration reform is needed so that the next Teslas and Einsteins are not denied access to educational or entrepreneurial opportunities in the United States. The time has come. - John Green
The Harry Potter Alliance just started this really rad project called Superman is an Immigrant and this is John’s submission! The idea is to share your immigration story by writing it on a paper and taking a picture with it. Check out their tumblr to see more and submit your own!
'smb-dark hibiscus' theme is designed by Smallbit dot Net. For other themes, feel free to browse from here. If you have any question regarding the theme functionalities, please refer to theme manual page. Thank you. | <urn:uuid:f4fd137d-261f-4c1d-95ea-217d64c6b190> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://krysboat.tumblr.com/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96079 | 264 | 1.828125 | 2 |
The Birthplaces of John and John Quincy Adams in 1822, by Eliza Susan Quincy
||facing page|| 256
Water color in the first volume of a manuscript by Eliza Susan Quincy entitled “Memoir” in the Quincy Family Collection. The
house on the far left was that occupied by John Adams after his marriage in 1764 and was the birthplace of John Quincy Adams. The house next to it was the home of Deacon John Adams and the birthplace of John Adams. The house on the far right was that of the schoolmaster Joseph Marsh where John Adams was prepared for college. The abrupt hills rising on the opposite side of the valley were the site of the later famous Quincy granite quarries; Dorchester Heights and the city of Boston may be seen in the distance. This view was taken from Penn’s Hill. See a note
under Adams’ Diary entry of 17 March 1756
at p. 15.
Courtesy of the Massachusetts Historical Society.
Cite web page as: Founding Families: Digital Editions of the Papers of the Winthrops and the Adamses, ed.C. James Taylor. Boston: Massachusetts Historical Society, 2007. | <urn:uuid:46a39e86-0e26-44a1-8400-06c65f3e30fa> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://masshist.org/publications/apde/portia.php?id=DJA01fd5 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00050-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933873 | 241 | 3 | 3 |
School of Home Cooking and Hospitality in Kerala
Rasa Gurukul is a stunningly beautiful riverside retreat among the tranquil coconut and spice groves of Kerala. Through its programme of activities,
the institute teaches traditional methods of cooking, farming and gardening in an environment which allows students and visitors to rediscover elements of a
more traditional lifestyle, and through them, to re-master the trick of happiness in day-to-day living.
We deeply believe that food brings together the essential positive energies that create harmony in our world. Responsible food production links us more closely to nature and
provides for sustainability, health and a positive outlook. Cooking good food brings enormous fulfillment and allows us to demonstrate our love for those important to us.
These are lessons our parents and grandparents knew well, but which have been lost to many in today's rushed times. At Rasa Gurukul, we believe that the older generations are the custodians of
these traditional ways, and we look to them as our teachers in a world in which their value is all too often shut out.
Rasa Gurukul is not a place of religion, but it has an atmosphere of spirituality in which students and visitors can gain a better understanding of
life through actively participating in all areas of food cultivation and cookery, rather than learning academically.
Sadly, you can no longer find the kind of food we cook at Rasa in restaurants in Kerala. Only in people's homes is this still possible. Rasa Gurukul preserves the centuries-old knowledge that makes our cuisine so unique and so delicious.
But it is very much more than a training academy for professional chefs. We like to think of Rasa GurukuI as a school of happiness. By busily engaging in its daily programme of activities, attitudes shift. Life's
priorities are clearer, more obvious. The things that make us feel good more apparent.
Rasa Gurukul works around three key elements:
Rasa is an expanding restaurant chain in England which specialises in traditional South Indian cuisine, and which has endeavoured to bring in chefs from our home state of Kerala. Its original, and still an important, purpose was to train local chefs in authentic,
home cooking methods, having found there no other system which was able to do so.
Traditional home cooking is about more than simply putting together good food each day. It is about being involved with the actual ingredients from their very beginning. In the recent past and still today to an extent, a mother would grow her own plants, spices
and vegetables or carefully select them from neighbours and local farmers. This was why her food was always special. Love, the divine connection, flowed through those ingredients with the subtle role of fingers and transformed them into energy as food.
Students at Rasa Gurukul engage in the same tradition, taking part in daily agricultural activities on our organic farm to understand the birth, growth and harvest of their ingredients in order to develop absolute devotion to the art of cooking.
The world has changed dramatically over the past decade with traditions loosening their grip over a modern, globalized society. Life-styles are fast paced, dominated by routines that fight against time and provide short-term gains. People find it harder to smile at life. Stress and panic are no longer a rare happening.
Fast food and ready-made meals have invaded our lives and increasingly, ill health and unhappiness embrace a desperate world. There are many causes, but food and its profound relationship with our exploitative treatment of nature and the way we look after ourselves and each other, is a crucial factor.
Society is slowly beginning to understand the invisible power hidden in age-old cooking practices. Most people vastly prefer good, home-cooking to fast food, and it is this that we endeavour to replicate in our restaurants, by training our chefs in these practices at Rasa Gurukul in Kerala.
Following a home-cooking route is to concentrate on the layering of spices and evenness of ingredients, and to have an imaginative connectivity with the many components of a dish. In Kerala, traditional
simplicity and the subtle use of spices have a tremendous influence on the quality of taste.
Students at Rasa Gurukul embark on a relaxed exploration of tastes and flavours under the guidance of veteran cooks who will introduce them to
traditional methods of preparing, roasting and grinding seasonal ingredients and fresh spices.
The majority of the teaching staff at our Gurukul belong to older generations, people who have grown up with and spent their lives dedicated to traditional methods of producing and cooking food, and who are best placed to pass those arts on.
One of the unhappiest elements of today's world is the way people are doomed to become abandoned and isolated once they pass retirement age. But theirs was not a useless past; in some ways, they knew a far greater contentment than many experience today. This is something which we should value as we can learn from these generations.
Until quite recently, older people were respected and served an important role at the centre of the community. Now, in Britain and increasingly in India and all around the world, their wealth of knowledge is being wasted and they are fated to live out a useless, lonely old age.
Our institute has benefited greatly from their contribution over the years. Indeed, their input has been invaluable. In return, we hope to help initiate a change in attitude, so that people can live out their final decades feeling valued and respected. Older people are just as capable of enjoying life, and just as entitled to do so. They are vulnerable to being shut off from society, but have much to offer. It is also true that younger generations can only feel content and see a purpose in a life of continuous learning if we feel confident that old age will embrace us with equal warmth.
The Institute – An Overall View
Three different course programmes are charted academically:
Two-week short term course
A wonderfully relaxing learning experience in which visitors can take part in the full range of activities of our Gurukul. These include traditional
south Indian cooking, farming practices, yoga, meditation and other traditional learning activities.
Six-month certificate course
An opportunity to profoundly explore the ways of sustaining a culture via traditional actions and work, in an attempt to have a better future. By the end of this course, students will be equipped with a much deeper understanding of authentic cooking and farming practices, and a greater capacity to enjoy life in its fuller sense.
Accommodation facilities will be provided either within the resort, or with Keralan families living nearby if requested.
The one-year Rasa Gurukul course
A unique one-year learning process in which students are able to acquire a complete understanding of farm cultivation, cookery and other basic characteristics of traditional Keralan life.
A transforming experience in which students acquire new energy to see life in its true perspective, enabling them to identify opportunities everywhere and inhale happiness in fullness at all times.
Students at Rasa Gurukul come from all backgrounds and age groups, and from all over the world. They range from mature students with a special interest in traditional cookery and vegetable gardening, or local Keralan and international chefs with a passion for understanding the spiritual philosophy of food and life.
It is our view is that the older generations are the best equipped to pass on traditional knowledge that has been learnt over decades of practice,
and it is they who form the teaching faculty at Rasa Gurukul.
Our staff lend the institute a homely atmosphere which engenders a feeling of all-round respect
and affection. Their role is not only to impart their knowledge of a particular skill, but to share with younger people an invaluable all-round life
experience which will remain with them forever.
Core Learning: Food and Cooking
The core programme of all the institute's courses revolves around mastering a greater understanding of fresh ingredients, how they are grown and cultivated, and how to maximise on their qualities
to prepare a balanced, harmonious meal. Our staff have a great mastery of the wide range of traditions that make up authentic south Indian food, and are passionate about instilling an instinct in students for how to subtly marry tastes and ingredients.
Related culinary and spiritual activities
The learning modules are put together in a way that helps train students to practice a self-disciplined approach to work without becoming stressed. In a sense, the modules exploit the "no time" concept
of busy, present-day life by finding time to cool down. The modules are set in a way that links all the related activities of cooking and farming.
Yoga and Meditation:
The Rasa Gurukul day begins with yoga and meditation to encourage positive vigour and an enthusiastic drive for life all at all times.
Learning to make culinary weapons traditionally from a senior blacksmith
Understanding why certain knives and cutting utensils are necessary for particular purposes focuses the mind very precisely on good food preparation. We believe students gain a much deeper understanding and passion for
cooking when equipped with a knowledge of traditional culinary manufacturing techniques.
Learning to make the traditional utensils
Cooking utensils assume the next area of significance. The material content of the vessels we use to cook with and the dedication put in by the person who makes them contribute a significant part to enriching the taste and flavour of food.
Again, we believe this traditional knowledge forms an essential part of becoming a skilled cook.
After harvesting, it is important to process and preserve the yields. As vegetables are taken to kitchen, as spices are dried and pounded, coconut is dried out to make oil. The traditional way of processing oil from coconuts involved the use of "chakku",
a traditional oil plant. Traditionally-made oils add significantly more fragrance and taste.
Jaggery is an essential sweetening component of authentic cooking in the region. Traditional jaggery, made from raw sugarcane,
stirs in a wonderful tang of sweetness, the mastery of which is a great aid in the general cooking process.
In traditional Indian villages, teashops played a vital role in the social connection of the community. The teashops were the meeting place for villagers, and a place to share all their emotions, happiness,
and problems. Understanding their role is an important part of learning the ways of natural social unity.
Weekend Farm Market
A visit to a farmers market to enjoy the fresh produce of vegetables, seasonal spices and crops from the farmers directly.
The association helps underpin an awareness of fresh ingredients and healthy eating, and serves also to motivate farmers to contribute of their best.
Ayurveda, the ancient medicinal system of India, is based on the concept of good diet and self-discipline for
sound mental and physical health, and helps us understand the relationship between food and wellbeing.
Every evening, the Institute plays host to a cultural entertainment event, and invites both visiting
artists and students of the Gurukul to take part.
The library hour gives students the opportunity to assimilate what they have learnt with bona fide references.
The Lecture Session
Lectures related to all Rasa Gurukul teachings are given by faculty members or expert guest speakers from a variety of different walks of life.
Our approach is designed to assist teachers of the various disciplines in sharing the spiritual philosophy behind the ancient ritual art of homely cooking, and the way to practice a simple, traditional lifestyle. At the same time, they will monitor students' performance and assess them in terms of the overall knowledge they gain.
A Typical Day's Schedule
Students are divided into various groups. Different student groups will visit different segments of cultivation during the farming module between 6.20am and 9.30pm. The other programme of activities runs as below. It is a mandatory for the students to avoid mobile phones, and we strictly forbid the Internet use throughout the learning schedule.
| 5.30am – 6.15am:
||prayer, yoga and meditation
|6.20am – 8.00am:
|| farm visit
|8.00am – 9.00am:
||a group will work in the kitchen while others remain in the farm itself
|9.05am - 9.30am:
|11.00am – 12.00pm:
||cooking / oil-making / with the blacksmith / utensils making
|12.10pm – 1.00pm:
||library hour, while a group will help in the kitchen for lunch
|1.10pm – 2.10pm:
|2.15pm – 3.15pm:
|| farm visit
|3.20pm – 4.20pm:
|| teashop / farmers market / aryurveda / jaggery making
|4.30pm – 4.50 pm:
|4.55pm – 5.10pm:
|5.20pm – 5.45pm:
|6.00pm – 7.30pm:
|7.45pm – 9.00pm:
||lecture session while a group will help in the kitchen for dinner
|9.10pm – 9.30pm:
Students will be allocated different modules by senior staff, and given an individual schedule.
Other Attractions at Rasa Gurukul
Rasa Gurukul is open to visitors who can take part in the Institute's cooking activities, enjoy its unique atmosphere and meet its students. Sightseeing and cultural visits to various beautiful areas of Kerala are also a key feature.
Rasa Greenhouse Restaurant
We are in the process of building a vegetarian restaurant, whose aim is to preserve and widen the traditional cooking practices of Kerala. The menu will change according to which vegetables, spices and farm produce are in season. All food is cooked by our
teachers and students. The restaurant will offer a unique dining experience both to visitors to Kerala and local people.
International Exchange Programmes
Our aim is to run international exchange programmes with catering institutions around the world. The programme will offer foreign students the chance to learn traditional South Indian cookery, and provide an opportunity for local chefs to train abroad, either academically or professionally. In this way,
we hope to unify different global cultures through a shared interest in cooking and the spiritual importance of food.
A culinary panel will carry out research into the culinary heritage of India, and concentrate on the need to preserve traditional cooking practices from all areas of the country along with its inherent social importance. It will also identify skilled and committed cooks and chefs from different
communities of society. The panel also undertakes research works on the culinary heritage of the country. | <urn:uuid:69553eba-cf86-4dab-839e-f4f4e9ebbe45> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.rasarestaurants.com/UserPages/RasaGurukul.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94837 | 3,042 | 1.601563 | 2 |
Author: Madeleine Johnson
Biological clockwork still holds secrets
A list of tree-related news and events
Leslie Vosshall probes the genetics of mosquitoes’ sense of smell to understand why they bite some people more than others. But in the quest to prevent mosquito-borne illness, she must first feed 500 hungry bugs a blood meal
An award-winning gustatory neuroscientist is using his discoveries to overcome a total aversion to fruits and vegetables
To calm agitated dementia patients some caregivers are turning away from sedatives and toward aromatherapy
James Zadroga gave his name to the 9/11 healthcare act currently under debate in the Senate, and many feel he sacrificed his life for his country. But what is the science behind the dispute over his cause of death? | <urn:uuid:d6327728-d753-4f07-ac08-08fea71abacd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://scienceline.org/author/madeleine-johnson/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96644 | 162 | 1.71875 | 2 |
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Wed February 1, 2012
Moroun Buying Lansing
Most people remember Upton Sinclair, the crusading twentieth century writer, as the author of the novel, The Jungle, which exposed conditions in the food packing industry in Chicago. If you haven’t read it, it’s enough to make a butcher become a vegan for a week.
But what almost nobody remembers today is that Sinclair also once won the Democratic nomination for governor of California. His slogan was End Poverty in California, and he ran on an essentially socialist platform. He started out far ahead in the polls. But business and corporate interests went to work, and spent lavishly to defeat him. They ran a vast number of false and misleading commercials on the radio and with the newsreels in movie theaters.
When it was all over, Sinclair had been defeated by a landslide. Afterwards, he said the experience taught him this: “It’s difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it.”
That was nearly eighty years ago, and Upton Sinclair has been dead for a long time. But I think he would understand very well why the Michigan legislature won’t approve the proposed new bridge across the Detroit River. A new report now makes it clearer than ever that Matty Moroun, the billionaire who owns the rival Ambassador Bridge, has been engaging in what amounts to legalized bribery.
Just-released state records show that last year, which wasn’t even an election year, Moroun poured hundreds of thousands into campaign coffers. None of this money went to Governor Rick Snyder, who believes Michigan’s economic future depends on a new bridge across the Detroit River. But Moroun, his wife and son gave a hundred thousand dollars to the Michigan Republican Party.
They gave another twenty thousand to help real estate developer Bobby Schostak’s drive to be appointed head of the state GOP. And you know what? The Michigan Republican Party hasn’t endorsed their own governor’s plan for a new bridge. Every major business interest has endorsed a new bridge, as has the Michigan Chamber of Commerce.
But the Michigan GOP hasn’t. Is there any real wonder why? The Morouns also gave nearly a quarter million dollars that we know about to state legislative campaigns. The real figure is almost certainly more. A number of lawmakers are late filing their annual campaign financing reports.
Additionally, the Morouns are believed to have given lavishly to political action committees that opposed the new bridge, but those reports won’t be released before April. We do know the Moroun family gave another three hundred and sixty-eight thousand to federal campaign committees. We know they spent an estimated five to six million on public TV ads that independent analysts concluded were partly misleading and partly outright lies.
And that’s last year alone.
They are undoubtedly continuing to give money now, but as Michigan law stands, we won’t know to whom and how much till next year. While the Supreme Court has said it is illegal to put restrictions on corporate giving, we could require much more transparency so we could know who gave what pretty quickly.
But our lawmakers aren’t eager to be so exposed. One man and his family are trying to buy our government to further their own financial interest. And so far they are succeeding. | <urn:uuid:42372deb-1d2a-4720-aa91-83cdb83f35af> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://michiganradio.org/post/moroun-buying-lansing | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00044-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972393 | 771 | 1.5625 | 2 |
35 Sale of milk from diseased cows.E+W
(1)A person is guilty of an offence who—
(a)sells, or offers or exposes for sale, for human consumption, or
(b)uses in the manufacture of products for sale for human consumption,
the milk of any cow which to his knowledge has given tuberculous milk, or is suffering from emaciation due to tuberculosis, or from tuberculosis of the udder or any other disease of cows to which this section applies.
(2)In proceedings under this section, the defendant shall be deemed to have known that a cow had given tuberculous milk, or was suffering as mentioned above, if he could with ordinary care have ascertained the fact.
(3)The diseases of cows to which this section applies are those listed in Schedule 3 and any other disease to which the provisions of this section are extended by Milk and Dairies Regulations. | <urn:uuid:67fd8ae2-99cb-43ae-858f-86aa753ee37b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1984/30/section/35?view=plain | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975007 | 195 | 1.5 | 2 |