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Projects Overview (Explanations)
World Problems Project (Explanations)
Comments: Phases of human development through challenging problems
World Problems Project
1. Experiential phases and modes
The contents of the core sections of this Encyclopedia might be understood as linked over time in terms of the problems and values encountered under different challenges to human development. There are many concepts of the phases of human development (Section H). The possibility of such an ordering might best be illustrated through one which links such phases to value dilemmas.
It is instructive, for some purposes, to view phases as succeeding each other in time, possibly over a life cycle. It can also be useful to view such phases as being possible at any stage of a life cycle, but with different probabilities. It may therefore be more fruitful to consider that an individual of any physical age can be at different experiential ages with respect to each value dilemma.
Different people may thus be faced by different dilemmas at the same stage of life cycle, or by the same dilemmas when they are at different stages of a life cycle.
2. Value crises in a life cycle
In Erik Erikson's scheme (Childhood and Society, 1963), each individual goes through 8 stages in life. In each stage a value crisis is experienced which is crucial for continued development. The stages, with their corresponding crises are as follows:
Resolution of any value dilemma cannot readily be based on any formula or argument. Whilst there may be logical arguments concerning the nature of the appropriate balance, these will be challenged by subtleties of experience that will highlight the existence of degrees of freedom other than those encompassed by any explicable pattern of concepts.
3. Moral and ethical dilemmas (virtues and sins)
An effort has been made by Donald Capps (Deadly Sins and Saving Virtues, 1987) to relate the stages in this life-cycle theory to the traditional basic sins and corresponding virtues of the Christian tradition (taking into account reservations concerning male bias noted by critics of Erikson's original theory). This is of interest because of the view that such root sins engender other problems by a sort of "domino effect". Analogous views can be found in other traditions, notably the Buddhist.
To make such an inquiry more topical, such root afflictions, or psycho-social traps, need to be recognized at a group level rather than solely at the individual level. In this way the link to societal problems is more firmly established.
Capps associates a "deadly sin" with each stage. Each such sin is appropriate to the corresponding stage as a prominent factor in the moral or spiritual life of that period, whose basic psychodynamics it reflects. The sins are not rigidly tied to particular stages but are linked to them through their common psychodynamics. Sins may thus emerge earlier or later than the stage with which they are primarily associated. Capps elaborates an 8-fold set of sins in the following sequence corresponding to the above stages: gluttony, anger, greed, envy, pride, lust, apathy, melancholy. There are striking resemblances to the Buddhist equivalents (see Section PZ).
4. Group sins or afflictions
With increasing reference in the 1980s to "corporate greed", it is interesting to explore the possible collective equivalents to these sins. In the light of Capps analysis, these might run as follows:
Traditionally, and as developed by Erikson and Capps, there are characteristic saving virtues through which people can most effectively respond to the above sins. Equivalents are to be found in the Buddhist and other traditions. These too tend to become particularly significant at different stages of the life-cycle. Using the same sequence, they are as follows, again expressed in terms of what might be their collective equivalents:
From this perspective the challenge of sustainable development is one of both comprehending and giving form to balance. It is the imbalanced resolution of the value dilemmas which engenders problems. The difficulty is that whilst it may be easy to talk of "balance", it is quite another matter to comprehend its nature in practice (as is readily appreciated in learning to ride a bicycle). The dynamic balance, or Buddhist "middle way", involves eight degrees of freedom, when expressed in terms such as those above.
7. Proactive response to the challenge of appropriateness
It is ironic that understanding of any such scheme of sins and virtues in the West tends to be somewhat passive, in that any significance it has is determined by the slow development through a life-cycle. Any battles against "sin" remain private and personal matters, without any sense of strategy, as with the cultivation of "virtues". In this sense any form of personal improvement is considered to be largely an illusion within establishment institutions and disciplines (except under the guise of acquisition of marketable skills by training and experience).
By contrast, spiritual traditions in the East appear to challenge this passive determinism, rejecting the fatalistic subjection to the current life-cycle in favour of programmes of spiritual disciplines with acknowledged phases and insights through which the individual is transformed. The West has developed sciences of "development" designed to transform society, whilst assuming that human beings themselves only change through ageing and the acquisition of skills. The East has developed sciences of personal transformation, whilst assuming that any effects on society are lacking in lasting significance. The West has focused on the growth of society, neglecting the growth of the individual. The East has done the reverse. The West focuses on the life-cycle of the individual, whereas the East focuses on the spiritual cycle or journey (irrespective of how it may relate to the physical life-cycle).
8. Development of insight in learning cycles
Schemes such as the above suggest that people or groups at different learning stages generate different kinds of problems and can usefully cultivate corresponding strengths to counter them. It is unreasonable to expect any form of general consensus or shared understanding in such a dynamic context. This could only emerge through insights into interweaving cycles of development.
Whilst the management skills to organize such initiatives have been developed by the West, it is the East which appears to have a more profound articulation of the qualities of insight that need to be developed and how they need to be interwoven to reduce problem generation.
The situation is of course totally confused by the claims of both management "gurus" in the West and of spiritual "gurus" from the East, all with markets to cultivate and under competitive pressure to offer distinct products to potential customers. It remains to be discovered how their genuine insights can be effectively interwoven in response to the challenge of the times.
9. Disempowering injunctions
If there are eight things to be held in balance, as when learning to ride a bicycle, injunctions concerning any of them may be less than helpful. The difficulty is that, although the learner may have some knowledge of what is meant by any one injunction ("care", or "right mindfulness"), this knowledge is limited precisely because the person (or group) has not yet learnt its full significance in practice.
Efforts to ensure implementation of the injunction, through obedience to rules or procedures, do not guarantee achievement of the requisite level of insight. They may help to orient the learner, but they may also discourage and disempower. This is particularly the case when the learner has sufficient insight to recognize that the real challenge does not lie at the level of mechanical rules and procedures but in what amounts to the aesthetics of balance. At this level, it is less a question of whether the rules are obeyed to the letter and more a question of whether balance is maintained. Perfection may lie, as with an important principle of Japanese aesthetics, in the harmony of imperfections.
Exhortation and injunction may in many situations simply lead to what amounts to "learning fatigue" -- an appropriate complement to "compassion fatigue". In this sense they can be totally counter-productive.
In this light, the focus in the international community on elaborating declarations, rules and agreements may well orient usefully those addressed, but it fails to address the challenge of how they are to learn the secrets of balance. Worse, it reinforces the views of those focused on single-factor explanations and remedies, such as "market forces", "peace", "conservation", "equality", or "love". For them the answers are already self-evident and there is no collective learning challenge. Such approaches may be necessary, but they are not sufficient to obtain an understanding of the balance ultimately required for sustainable human development.
10. Intriguing dilemmas and developmental koans
In one sense the issue is the classic challenge of how the learning process can be made attractive, interesting or seductive. However the emphasis is not only learning things which can be taught mechanically or by rote. Rather it is the question of catalyzing the leap of imagination through which a new paradigm is grasped experientially enabling energies to be controlled in new ways. There are some classic responses to this challenge:
(b) Paradoxical aphorisms: All cultures have a store of paradoxical aphorisms which point to value dilemmas, holding their tension rather than indicating a simplistic way forward. Of course there are many other aphorisms which do the latter.
(c) Zen koans: These are deliberately designed as challenges to understanding, irritating the mind at the level at which it would like to respond to a dilemma so that finally it is forced to another level of understanding.
(d) Riddles and puzzles: In many traditions there are riddles and puzzles, often associated with magic. These point to the need to move beyond obvious modes of understanding to breakthrough to other forms of insight.
(e) Paradoxical strategies: In psychotherapy increasing attention is paid to the advantages of enjoining people to act in a manner contrary to that which they expect. Through encouraging them to act in a manner which, at one level, they know to be inappropriate, they achieve a fruitful relationship to what they need to learn.
(f) Meditation: Given the attention of Buddhists to these issues, it is not surprising that they have developed very explicit meditation techniques concerned with the development of understanding of the appropriate attitude from which to response to the value dilemmas. These are designed specifically to avoid engendering the kinds of problems which result from imbalance. The techniques are not only considered with the imbalance associated with particular dilemmas, but also with the level of balance required to respond simultaneously to all the dilemmas. The mandala is one diagrammatic representation of this understanding although, as a mnemonic device, the issue is with what insight meditators can learn to "read" it.
(g) Computer graphics: New developments in computer-generated graphics are permitting imagery to be generated which does not conform to the rules of the physical universe. Viewing such imagery is a direct challenge to the imagination and calls for a basic shift in perspective. Such techniques could well be adapted to encourage insights into dilemmas and new forms of balance.
The classical sets of eight value dilemmas represent a well-established approach to human development. It could be argued that the challenge of the times calls for a more powerful statement of the dilemmas of global society. If the issue is not one of learning facts and responding to injunctions, where is the set of learning "puzzles" enabling individuals to obtain their own unique insights into the kinds of balance required for physical and psychic survival?
Different traditions and cultures might be explored to locate the "riddles" to which we are called to respond. Others might be designed by different disciplines. In a period when education is increasingly problematic, sets of 3, 5, 8, 12, or more intriguing challenges could offer a powerful complement to factual learning. The possibility is seductive because the answers to the dilemmas cannot be effectively verbalized without denaturing them. The "right answer" is one which opens new vistas and feels "right" for the individual. They are a matter of personal (and possibly group) experience, difficult to share.
How might the challenge of sustainable human development be expressed in this way -- as a major step beyond the disempowering and ineffectual injunctions on which so much confidence is vainly placed by the well-intentioned?
This work is licensed by Anthony Judge
under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License. | <urn:uuid:0a707b70-f06a-4353-a1d0-ed8ca819600f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.un-intelligible.org/projects/problems/58bestag.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00056-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948397 | 2,571 | 3.078125 | 3 |
Guidance for owners & occupiers
Owners, occupiers and managers are key to ensuring the survival of scheduled monuments and your help in protecting these remains will make a valuable contribution to Scotland’s future.
Ignorance is the greatest threat to our archaeological heritage. Sites are damaged or neglected because people do not know they are there, how important they are or what actions may cause damage.
It is therefore particularly important to ensure that everyone working on your land (including contractors, who will be less aware of local features) knows of the presence, extent on the ground and value of scheduled monuments. If you permit work that damages a scheduled monument, then you may be liable.
Caring for scheduled monuments
Many scheduled monuments are stable and require little attention, but some will benefit from simple changes in landuse that will ensure no inadvertent damage. Others will benefit from more proactive management that will sometimes require access to specialist conservation skills.
Our Field Officers visit scheduled sites and their owners periodically. They check the condition of the site, offer advice on monument management and ensure that everyone with a current interest in the site knows about its protection.
If there are particular problems, or the Field Officer cannot answer detailed questions, they can arrange for a Heritage Management Officer for the area to visit. Owners and occupiers can contact Heritage Management staff for advice at any time.
Carrying out work
You are likely to need scheduled monument consent if you are trying to protect or repair the monument. It is easy to damage a monument by well-intentioned but ill-informed action. See Works on Scheduled Monuments
for further details, including how to apply for consent.
Our publications provide guidance in a number of areas, from the impact of scheduling and your rights and responsibilities, to how to seek advice and financial assistance.
Our Managing Scotland’s Archaeological Heritage booklet [pdf, 1.6mb]
gives easy-to-follow guidance and advice on how best to manage and look after archaeological sites and monuments. The booklet is aimed at any owners, occupiers or community groups who would like to help look after archaeological sites and ancient monuments in their area, whether scheduled or not. | <urn:uuid:d18a3e50-68a2-499d-8d60-c29494dac63c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/largertext/index/heritage/searchmonuments/scheduled-monument-owner-guidance.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.931971 | 449 | 2.296875 | 2 |
LOS ANGELES - A coalition of labor groups today announced a lawsuit seeking to block Wal-Mart from opening a neighborhood grocery store in the Chinatown area of Los Angeles.
The Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance and United Food Workers Local 770 jointly filed the suit, which alleges the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety failed to notify the public of its decision to exempt the Wal-Mart project from an environmental review.
The plaintiffs want a judge to halt construction on the 33,000-square- foot grocery store on the northwest corner of Cesar E. Chavez and Grand avenues, which began last week.
"It appears Wal-Mart received a special exemption from the city releasing it from the requirements many other smaller businesses must comply with. In accordance with California law, and in order to avoid the appearance of backroom deals, the city is required to notify the public of these special exemptions," said Jan Tokumaru with APALA. "The city failed to notify the public."
A spokesperson from the Department of Building and Safety was not immediately available for comment on Tokumaru's charge that department officials declined the group's request for proof that public notice of the exemption was made on time.
"The public deserves transparency regarding what is happening," said King Cheung, a member of the Chinatown Community for Equitable Development. "Why is this city agency being so secretive?"
Wal-Mart Senior Director of Community Affairs
"As if ignoring the wishes of many in the community weren't enough, now it seems the special interests want to take on the city, all in an effort to block jobs, revitalization and affordable groceries from coming to a building that's been dormant for two decades," Restivo said. "We are confident that our building permits were validly issued and the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety agrees."
In March, the City Council tried to put the project on hold in the face of opposition, but the chain received final approval for the store the day before the council voted to block the project and others like it in Chinatown.
Labor unions argue that Wal-Mart, the world's largest private company with 1.4 million employees in the U.S., abuses the rights of its workers to unionize, pays low wages and provides inadequate health benefits. Some opponents also contend the store will drive small Chinatown markets out of business.
Wal-Mart officials dispute the claims, saying that the chain's wages and benefits are competitive or better than comparable retailers. | <urn:uuid:f9042f7e-a465-4f5f-a07d-3cbb07e8f33c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dailynews.com/business/ci_21016123/groups-sue-block-chinatown-wal-mart | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965917 | 500 | 1.523438 | 2 |
The First Sting of Racism
Perhaps years of rocking me to sleep and answering my cries in the night had truly blinded my parents to our racial differences. Outsiders, however, were always eager to point them out. As my brother and I stood alongside three or four neighborhood kids waiting to start our first day of kindergarten, a busload of older students passed, and many hung out the window pointing to our group and yelled, "Chinese cherries! Look at the Chinese cherries!" Several boys pulled the corners of their eyes toward their temples to form "Chink eyes." They laughed and asked us what we had in our lunchboxes, chop suey?
I looked at the children around me. They were the same kids I had played hide-and-seek with ever since I had learned to walk. I didn't see any Chinese people. I craned my neck, and asked my playmates where the Chinese people were. As they began to snicker, my brother's face twisted in painful awareness. "Dottie, they're talking about us," he said. "We're the Chinese people."
I looked back at him in disbelief. We were not Chinese. We were Italians born in Korea, living in California. I vowed to ask my mother all about this when I got home. When the bus came, I purposely sat in the front so I could see my face in the driver's mirror. Relieved, I saw the same features that had stared back at me when I brushed my teeth that morning. When school was over, I came home and asked my mother what those kids had been talking about.
Her response was unsettling. She breathed a long sigh and said gently, "Well, honey, you and your brother do have sort of an Asian look, like many Chinese and Japanese people. This is something people are going to say to you for a long time." | <urn:uuid:bee95282-7368-4d3a-816a-b41befcdfcf0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.parents.com/parenting/adoption/parenting/adoption-and-racial-identity/?page=3 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00061-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.992608 | 384 | 1.929688 | 2 |
SIMPLY PUTThere’s no reason to question lower gas prices
Daniel F. Hunt
December 7, 2001
Filed under Opinion
Have you noticed the low gas prices? I sure have. It hasn’t been since I first got my license, at 16, that I’ve seen the prices this low.
It’s a welcome change for students, especially those on a budget.
Some of the things that I’ve done since the prices dropped below a dollar: Drove to Irvine to visit my friend Craig and I drove to San Diego to visit my friend Bryan; I made no complaints about driving people around and drove aimlessly to points around Bakersfield.
You may be asking yourself, “Why are the gas prices so low?”
According to Stephen Smith, a BC economics professor, two reason have contributed to the low gas prices.
Simple supply and demand. Since the end of the summer driving months, people — especially those afraid to travel since Sept. 11 — have used a lot less fuel than in years past and the oil producers have a large inventory of fuel.
Adding to that, many economic experts believe that the United States has been in a recession since March.
Supply goes up, demand goes down. Demand goes up, supply goes down. Smith explained that when people clamor for gas, the oil companies will raise prices. Those companies must lower prices for the moment because of limited demand.
As prices continue to fall across the nation, people will be more apt to drive aimlessly, like myself.
Smith believes prices will fall even more when non-OPEC nations increase their production.
Non-OPEC countries — like Russia, Canada and Mexico — may be tempted to keep the oil coming in order to make money and knock the OPEC countries out of the ring.
A battle at the pump? Now that’s the sort of war I’d like to see. So what do we do now?
Simply put, there’s nothing that we can do. Smith said he believes that recessions and lower gas prices are cyclical. Whether we drive or not, eventually the high prices will catch up to us. Americans will find a way to screw the cheap times up and we’ll go back to the good old prices of close to $2 a gallon.
So, enjoy it while you can. I will. | <urn:uuid:47237fb2-57f9-4e0d-8947-632ca9379183> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.therip.com/opinion/2001/12/07/font-size2simply-putfontbrtheres-no-reason-to-question-lower-gas-prices/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00048-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939777 | 501 | 1.640625 | 2 |
In the policy debates about the current Great Recession - debates in which cities and towns have much at stake - references to the Great Depression and the New Deal play important roles.
Without some understanding of the 1930s, citizens and officials alike are susceptible to arguments from what Washington Post book reviewer Jonathan Yardley calls "warped history that gets us into trouble" (July 12, 2009.) To paraphrase Ben Franklin, if we don't know something, we'll fall for anything.
Christina Romer, chair of Obama's Council of Economic Advisors, knows something. She has a considerable record of scholarship about the economic policy of the Depression era. In a June guest column in "The Economist," she recounted the errors of 1937: "an unfortunate, and largely inadvertent, switch to contractionary fiscal and monetary policy." Efforts to reduce the federal deficit and to increase bank reserves plunged the economy downward. She urged that we not make the same mistakes again.
In this case, there seems to be wide agreement among scholars and analysts that these policy turnarounds in 1937 did put a damper on a budding recovery. This consensus doesn't tell us what to do, but it does provide perspective on our options regarding the gargantuan federal deficit and debt.
In other cases, the historical record is more complex and contested, and that's where an acquaintance with the evidence, the stories, and the controversies becomes useful.
Interested readers, in search of better understandings of the 1930s, have a large pool of books to draw from.
Amity Schlaes, for example, made a big splash with "The Forgotten Man" (Harper Perennial, 2008.) She declares that neither the "standard history nor the standard rebuttal" about the effects of the New Deal are correct. Yes, the stock market crashed, but the "deepest problem" was governmental intervention in the marketplace. Schlaes lets her stories - from the suicide of a despairing 13-year-old to the legal troubles of the Schechter brothers' poultry business - carry her argument.
"Politico," a Washington insider news source, reported on April 21st that the book was a best seller among House Republicans because it provides "red meat for a party hungry for empirical evidence that the Democrats' spending plans won't end the recession."
In sharp contrast, Arthur Schlesinger Jr.'s classic, The Coming of the New Deal (Houghton Mifflin, 1958), is unabashedly positive about FDR's politics and policies. It focuses on 1933-34 and implementation of the policy reforms of the "first hundred days."
Robert Leighninger's "Long-Range Public Investment" (University of South Carolina Press, 2007) documents the physical legacies of the New Deal public building programs, relating the national policies to on-the-ground local outcomes that are often still in place. Anecdotes and systematic tabulations of local products of these programs include parks and zoos, city halls and fire stations, museums and waterworks. There are, for example, pictures of the law barracks at the Citadel in Charleston, the Armory in Seattle and the reconstructed and modernized French Market in New Orleans. The book's second part is devoted to policy analysis, assessing the arguments for and against such investments.
An online search for "New Deal/Great Depression" finds numerous college syllabi and reading lists, as well as generous reflections and narrative overviews by academics who teach these courses.
Richard Nathan has done everyone a favor by producing a sprightly 20-page essay about his own reading on this topic. He recently retired from a distinguished career in public service, including the past 20 years as director of the Rockefeller Institute of Government at State University of New York. Nathan recommends that people read a lot and "rub the books you read up against one another."
Wanting to recommend a few works from the many he mentions, Nathan picks books by Schlaes, Adam Cohen and David M. Kennedy. Cohen's "Nothing to Fear: FDR's Inner Circle and the Hundred Days that Created Modern America" (Penguin Press, 2009) "highlights five New Dealers ... profiling each with emphasis on what they did with and for FDR." Kennedy's "Freedom from Fear: The American People in Depression and War,1929 -1945" (Oxford, 1999) won a Pulitzer Prize for history. It covers the war years too and carries the burden and benefit of a balanced and definitive account.
Nathan observes that "there is, to this day, a deep divide about the New Deal and fundamentally the role of government in the national psyche."
Precisely because the topic is rife with ideological battle lines, however, an investment in substantial historical understanding is all the more imperative.
Details: The Nathan essay is available at the Rockefeller Institute website http://www.rockint.org by selecting "research" and then "federalism and intergovernmental relations."
Bill Barnes is the director for emerging issues at NLC. Comments about his column, which appears regularly in Nation's Cities Weekly, and ideas about "emerging issues" topics can be sent to him at email@example.com. Previous columns are on the NLC website, http://www.nlc.org, under the "About Cities" menu. | <urn:uuid:ae90c584-7606-4eeb-b4ed-7555fd23c444> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nlc.org/find-city-solutions/center-for-research-and-innovation/emerging-issues/2009-columns/are-we-suckers-for-warped-history | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00076-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941275 | 1,091 | 2.609375 | 3 |
A Word from Dr. Simon: Commitment
Human beings are complicated creatures. With the gift of free will, we have the capacity to go beyond our conditioning and consciously engage in evolution’s experiment. Yet the millions of years of cellular memory stored in our minds induce us to stay with the familiar, even if the past has failed to generate the outcomes we seek. In this season of resolution and affirmation, we have the opportunity to renew the commitments that serve our higher self.
A commitment is a contract between your body, heart, mind, and soul. As with any contract, it is most likely to be honored if all the parties believe that it is fair and that it will meet their needs. In order to effectively translate your good intentions into great choices, you will need to ask the various layers of your self, “Will this commitment serve me?”
For example, as we begin the New Year, you may be considering committing yourself to a regular meditation practice. First ask your body how it would benefit. Your body might communicate to your soul that it would appreciate the experience of deep relaxation and that it would be able to sleep better if it had the opportunity to let go of accumulated stress on a daily basis. When you ask your heart for input, it might respond eagerly to your proposal for a meditation practice. It may observe that when you are feeling anxious and distracted by the thoughts in your mind, you tend to become critical and irritable in your relationships, sabotaging the love you seek. Your mind, however, might disagree, reminding you that since you have so many things to accomplish each day, meditation would be a waste of time.
Having identified the objector, you will need to use your negotiating skills. One approach is to ask your mind if it is willing to commit to a trial period of four weeks to see if, as a result of the greater attention and clarity gained through meditation, you are able to accomplish more in less time. In short, as you consider your commitments, if you focus on identifying and assuaging the objections that arise in your body, heart, or mind, you will have a much easier time living the change you seek.
About Us | Programs | Deepak Central | Community | Shop | Teacher's Path | <urn:uuid:4fc4a5a8-5aad-49d6-9d3a-d19ef07bd619> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://archive.chopra.com/namaste/jan09/david | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00057-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957469 | 461 | 2.0625 | 2 |
Did you know that bleach is the #1 killer of germs? If you've been around the flu, then chances are you've been using bleach. There are other chemicals and even essential oils that kill germs as well. Keep in mind that you do not have to spend a lot of money on special cleansers to kill germs and fight the flu. Save money by making your own cleaners with items you probably have around your home. Check out this one:
2 Tbsp ammonia
1 tsp dish detergent
2 cups rubbing alcohol
4 drops food coloring (optional)
A few drops of essential oil for a pleasant scent (optional)
Instructions: Place all ingredients into container. Fill rest of the container up with hot water. Mix and pour into empty spray bottle.
Want to do it naturally? Tea Tree Oil is a natural disenfectant if you like to clean with all natural cleaners like vinegar and water or vinegar and baking soda. Simply add a few drops and you're good to go plus, you can keep your home healthy without harsh chemicals.
Check out the segment that aired this morning: | <urn:uuid:30bfed4f-dfc5-462d-bf03-f793daaf40e8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.krem.com/marketplace/money-saving-queen/deals/188025121.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00029-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.92825 | 229 | 1.78125 | 2 |
Simple distillation is a procedure by which two liquids with different boiling points can be separated. Simple distillation (the procedure outlined below) can be used effectively to separate liquids that have at least fifty degrees difference in their boiling points. As the liquid being distilled is heated, the vapors that form will be richest in the component of the mixture that boils at the lowest temperature. Purified compounds will boil, and thus turn into vapors, over a relatively small temperature range (2 or 3°C); by carefully watching the temperature in the distillation flask, it is possible to affect a reasonably good separation. As distillation progresses, the concentration of the lowest boiling component will steadily decrease. Eventually the temperature within the apparatus will begin to change; a pure compound is no longer being distilled. The temperature will continue to increase until the boiling point of the next-lowest-boiling compound is approached. When the temperature again stabilizes, another pure fraction of the distillate can be collected. This fraction of distillate will be primarily the compound that boils at the second lowest temperature. This process can be repeated until all the fractions of the original mixture have been separated.
Figure 1. Distillation apparatus. A distillation flask with a thermometer is placed in a heating mantle and is connected to a condenser.
Figure 2. The tubes on the condenser are attached to a water source, with the water flowing in the low end and flowing out the high end of the condenser. The condensed vapor drips into the collection receiver.
- Check the calibration of the thermometer that is to be used. This can be accomplished by placing the thermometer in an ice bath of distilled water. After the thermometer has been allowed to reach thermal equilibrium, place it in a beaker of boiling distilled water and again allow it to reach thermal equilibrium. If the temperatures measured deviate from the expected values by more than two degrees, obtain a new thermometer and check its calibration.
- Fill the distillation flask. The flask should be no more than two thirds full because there needs to be sufficient clearance above the surface of the liquid so that when boiling commences the liquid is not propelled into the condenser, compromising the purity of the distillate. Boiling chips should be placed in the distillation flask for two reasons: they will prevent superheating of the liquid being distilled and they will cause a more controlled boil, eliminating the possibility that the liquid in the distillation flask will bump into the condenser.
Figure 3. The thermometer is inserted in the distillation flask through a hole in the cork stopper.
The arm of the flask is inserted through a hole in the stopper of the condenser. Make sure these stoppers are airtight, or the vapor will escape.
- Heat the distillation flask slowly until the liquid begins to boil (see Figure 4). Vapors will begin to rise through the neck of the distillation flask. As the vapors pass through the condenser, they will condense and drip into the collection receiver (see Figure 5). An appropriate rate of distillation is approximately 20 drops per minute. Distillation must occur slowly enough that all the vapors condense to liquid in the condenser. Many organic compounds are flammable and if vapors pass through the condenser without condensing, they may ignite as they come in contact with the heat source.
Figure 4. The distillation flask being heated in a heating mantle.
Figure 5. The collection receiver
The vapors condense and drip from the condenser into the flask.
- As the distillate begins to drop from the condenser, the temperature observed on the thermometer should be changing steadily. When the temperature stabilizes, use a new receiver to collect all the drops that form over a two to three degree range of temperature. As the temperature begins to rise again, switch to a third collection container to collect the distillate that now is formed. This process should be repeated; using a new receiver any time the temperature stabilizes or begins changing, until all of the distillate has been collected in discrete fractions.
- note: All fractions of the distillate should be saved until it is shown that the desired compound has been effectively separated by distillation.
- Remove the heat source from the distillation flask before all of the liquid is vaporized. If all of the liquid is distilled away, there is a danger that peroxides, which can ignite or explode, may be present in the residue left behind. Also, when all of the liquid has evaporated, the temperature of the glass of the filtration flask will rise very rapidly, possibly igniting whatever vapors may still be present in the distillation flask.
- Never distill to dryness. The residue left in the distillation flask may contain peroxides, which could ignite or explode after all the liquid has distilled away.
- Make sure that all joints are secured very tightly. If any vapor escapes at the connection points, it may come into direct contact with the heat source and ignite.
- Never heat a closed system, the increasing pressure will cause the glass to explode. If the distillation flask has a tapered neck, the thermometer may be placed in such a way as to block to flow of vapors up the neck of the flask; in effect creating a closed system; make sure that if using a tapered neck flask, the thermometer is not resting in the lowest portion of the neck.
Simple distillation is effective only when separating a volatile liquid from a nonvolatile substance or when separating two liquids that differ in boiling point by 50 degrees or more. If the liquids comprising the mixture that is being distilled have boiling points that are closer than 50 degrees to one another, the distillate collected will be richer in the more volatile compound but not to the degree necessary for complete separation of the individual compounds.
The basic idea behind fractional distillation is the same as simple distillation only the process is repeated many times. If simple distillation was performed on a mixture of liquids with similar volatilities, the resulting distillate would be more concentrated in the more volatile compound than the original mixture but it would still contain a significant amount of the higher boiling compound. If the distillate of this simple distillation was distilled again, the resulting distillate would again be even more concentrated in the lower boiling compound, but still a portion of the distillate would be the higher boiling compound. If this process is repeated several times, a fairly pure distillate will eventually result. This, however, would take a very long time. In fractional distillation, the vapors formed from the boiling mixture rise into the fractionating column where they condense on the column's packing. This condensation is tantamount to a single run of simple distillation; the condensate is more concentrated in the lower boiling compound than the mixture in the distillation flask. As vapors continue to rise through the column, the liquid that has condensed will revaporize. Each time this occurs the resulting vapors are more and more concentrated in the more volatile substances. The length of the fractionating column and the material it is packed with impact the number of times the vapors will recondense before passing into the condenser; the number of times the column will support this is referred to as the number of theoretical plates of the column.
Since the procedures of simple distillation are so similar to those involved in fractional distillation, the apparatus that are used in the procedures are also very similar. The only difference between the equipment used in fractional distillation and that used in simple distillation is that with fractional distillation, a packed fractionating column is attached to the top of the distillation flask and beneath the condenser. This provides the surface area on which rising vapors condense, and subsequently revaporize.
The fractionating column is used to supply a temperature gradient over which the distillation can occur. In an ideal situation, the temperature in the distillation flask would be equal to the boiling point of the mixture of liquids and the temperature at the top of the fractionating column would be equal to the boiling point of the lower boiling compound; all of the lower boiling compound would be distilled away before any of the higher boiling compound. In reality, fractions of the distillate must be collected because as the distillation proceeds, the concentration of the higher boiling compound in the distillate being collected steadily increases. Fractions of the distillate, which are collected over a small temperature range, will be essentially purified; several fractions should be collected as the temperature changes and these portions of the distillate should be distilled again to amplify the purification that has already occurred. | <urn:uuid:e2bdc893-7b18-4ec6-b2d0-a97708ebf59d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wiredchemist.com/chemistry/instructional/laboratory-tutorials/distillation | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00075-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.924081 | 1,796 | 4.125 | 4 |
Additional Asthma Resources
Many parents have concerns about the side effects of steroids prescribed to treat asthma. The dosage of steroids given through an inhaler is much smaller than steroids ingested or given in a shot, and the steroids used in medicine to treat asthma are not the same as anabolic steroids which are used by weight lifters and athletes to make their muscles big and strong. Also, children cannot become addicted to the steroids used to treat asthma.
Kevin’s doctor prescribed an inhaled steroid for him to use everyday to treat his asthma.
I don’t know – using steroids all the time worries me because of how harmful steroids can be.
What do you mean?
A lot of parents have concerns about side effects from steroids.
Steroids are present inside all of our bodies but when we use them as a medicine they can help treat inflammation and swelling.
which is a big part of asthma
Steroids come in many forms, as well as many doses.
When steroids are given by mouth, or through a shot, the dose is a lot higher than what we use when given through an inhaler.
An important thing to remember is that the steroids we use in medicine to treat asthma are not the same as anabolic steroids which are used by weightlifters and athletes to make their muscles big and strong.
Your child will not develop big muscles from using their inhaler or any other side effects associated with anabolic steroids.
There is a common side effect that can occur with using inhaled steroids however.
This is called Thrush.
Thrush is a white coating that can occur inside the mouth or on the tongue.
It is very easy to treat if it does occur, however it is also very easy to prevent.
Just make sure that your child brushes their teeth and tongue after they use their inhaler or rinses their mouth.
This should be done every single time they use their steroid inhaler to help prevent Thrush from occuring.
Oh, I didn't know that steroids were different from one another.
But I’m still kind of worried that Kevin might become addicted to his medication – is this true?
Inhaled steroids will not lead to addiction or dependance.
If your child’s doctor recommends they use an inhaled steroid, that means their asthma isn’t under good control and that we can do a lot better.
Remember, inhaled steroids won't work right away, and you won't notice that they are working.
However, if you use them consistently, then over time your child's asthma will be under much better control.
This means that they will miss less school, cough less, and sleept better throughout the night.
Great – thanks!
I’ll make sure Kevin gets his medicine just as our doctor instructed. | <urn:uuid:b6c0eaa4-c08b-4c58-bd47-1bca70a3d211> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nationwidechildrens.org/use-of-steroids-as-a-treatment-option-and-its-side-effects | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00060-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970749 | 585 | 2.390625 | 2 |
Yemen arrivals increase as Horn of Africa mixed migration hits all-time highs
Briefing Notes, 28 August 2012
This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson Melissa Fleming – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at the press briefing, on 28 August 2012, at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.
The flow of refugees and migrants from the Horn of Africa across the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea towards Yemen continues to exceed previous records. In the first seven of 2012, more than 63,800 people made this perilous journey compared to 48,700 during the same period last year – a 30 per cent increase. 2011 was also a record year with more than 103,000 arrivals by sea to Yemen, the highest total since 2006 when UNHCR started collecting data on this route.
Noteworthy is a significant change in the composition of this population, with more Ethiopians making the crossing using the services of smugglers operating along the shores of Somalia and Djibouti. Our primary concern is for those fleeing conflict and persecution and who are forced to resort to any available means to reach safety in neighbouring countries – in this case, meaning taking boats operated by smugglers. Due to conflict and human rights violations in their home country Somalis are automatically recognized as refugees in all neighbouring countries – including Yemen.
In previous years, Somali refugees have constituted between a quarter and a third of all arrivals to Yemen. From January to July this year only one-in-six of those arriving in Yemen were Somali nationals. While the number of Somalis making the crossing remains relatively stable, the number of Ethiopians continues to rise (more than 51,000 this year alone).
Some of the Ethiopians who reach Yemen decide to seek asylum. Most cite a lack of prospects and a difficult economic situation. To avoid detention and deportation, they attempt to evade contact with the Yemeni authorities. Reports of serious abuses of Ethiopians at the hands of smugglers have been increasing.
We are also seeing disturbing trends in the way that boat crossings are being done. In addition to growth in the number of daily boat departures to Yemen from Djibouti, the smuggling process has now become so organized that those deciding to make this dangerous journey are using established money transfer systems to pay smugglers (rather than carrying cash for fear of being robbed by bandits en route to their departure points).
The vast majority are crossing the Red Sea from Obock, Djibouti, with the remainder crossing the Arabian Sea from Somaliland and Puntland.
Once data for August is compiled, we expect to see another spike in arrivals in Yemen. Migrants who go to Yemen in hopes of working in the Gulf States usually try to depart during Ramadan because they think patrols on the border between Yemen and Saudi Arabia are more lax during this time. They also believe that if they get to their intended destination during Ramadan, they may benefit from zakat or other charitable donations in the form of money, food and the chance to perform odd jobs.
For more information on this topic, please contact:
- In Yemen, Edward Leposky on mobile +967 71 222 4022
- In Nairobi (UNHCR regional hub): Kitty Mckinsey on mobile +254 735 337 608
- In Geneva, Andrej Mahecic on mobile: +41 79 200 76 17 | <urn:uuid:63f6d00f-2f8d-47cb-b893-dbdd53b5e203> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://unhcr.org/503ca18c9.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00050-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955496 | 681 | 2.015625 | 2 |
On our quest to solve every memory leak in the Java world we get in touch with many teams who struggle with performance issues of their applications. Every developer tries to solve these differently. Some begin with vmstat or top, others with a CPU profiler or a DB load monitoring tool. Many of them turn to different APM products, like CA APM, AppDynamics, dynaTrace, etc.
However, if you properly ask the application, it will normally give you all the information you need for performance tuning. And you can get the info without relying on indirect metrics of the operating system or the JVM.
In our opinion the simplest and the most useful performance metric of any application of considerable size, is the application usage data that is generated by the application itself. Let’s assume that for every class and every method of your application you have these 2 pieces of information:
- The total number of runs, and
- The cumulative (total) run time of all runs of the method
If you sort this data by the total run time, you get something like this (of course, in a much longer table):
|Method name||Runs||Total time|
The top 10 in that table will give you the methods that contribute the most into your application run time. By Amdahl’s law you should devote your time to optimizing these methods, not some arbitrary algorithm that you suspect to be a bottleneck.
The example above displays 2 methods, which require attention. MethodB, although very fast in itself, is called extremely often. One should look into ways to minimize this. There is almost no point in optimizing the method itself though, as it is fast enough already. MethodA, on the other hand, can be optimized in both ways: by minimizing the number of calls and by speeding up the method itself. MethodC, in relation to methods A and B, is not worth touching at all.
You should take into account 2 things:
- When method1 calls method2, which calls method3, which in turn calls method4, then the cumulative total time for method1 in the table above will contain cumulative times for method2, method3 and method4. So the winner of the chart is not always the method that calls for optimization. But, as a rule of thumb, the top10 will almost always be the right place to look.
- Optimize one thing at a time, and after every change re-run your application and gather usage data again. Changing runtime characteristics of one method can change the whole TOP list.
Now, the last big question: how should you get the input data? We really do NOT recommend using CPU profilers for that purpose. These introduce way too much overhead to be used in production environment.
Our preferable way to gather such data is to augment every method in the application with a stop-watch. Just measure the method call time and return time and log the difference alongside with the method name. Such monitoring code can be inserted into the application using different ways: bytecode manipulation, AOP frameworks like Spring AOP or AspectJ, or a manual dynamic proxy.
After adding the stop-watches, let your application run for a couple of days or weeks. You will get usage data that adequately represents the usage patterns of your customers. | <urn:uuid:25af93d0-821c-4745-b214-fe634986ca47> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://plumbr.eu/blog/let-them-talk | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00056-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.916356 | 683 | 2.125 | 2 |
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|Forum Home > Sermons > A sermon preached by Rev'd Canon David Pettifor on Good Friday 2012|
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. That is a very famous verse from chapter 3 of St. John’s gospel. John 3:16. We don’t know who wrote this gospel, there may even have been several people involved, but traditionally we call it St. John’s gospel. In his gospel St. John is inviting us to see the love of God in action. God so loved the world. God so loved all of his creation, including the people of his world. God so loved us, so loved you ......... that he gave. That’s what love does. Love gives. You know this through the way you love other people. You want to give to them.
We have just heard the climax of the story of the life of Jesus. In the way that St. John tells the story he wants us to see that Jesus goes willingly to Jerusalem, he freely goes to the garden where he is arrested clearly knowing what will be in store. Jesus is not at the mercy of events. He allows it all to unfold. And in all of this Jesus is being obedient to the Father, and revealing, displaying, the love God.
When Jesus was a little toddler in the village of Nazareth there was a violent uprising in Israel. King Herod had died and revolt broke out in all parts of the Jewish homeland. Herod had been a tyrant , so what happened is no surprise. But Rome would not tolerate revolt, and sent legions of troops from their garrison in Syria. In Galilee they reconquered the largest city, Sepphoris, and ransacked it. Thousands of people were sold into slavery. Then the legions went on to Jerusalem and retook it, and 2,000 people were crucified. Sepphoris is four miles from Nazareth. Joseph may have worked on the rebuilding of the city – perhaps Jesus went with his dad to help. Jesus grew up knowing what the Romans were like. Provided people obeyed the laws, and paid their taxes, they could live in peace. But any sign of rebellion was brutally stamped out.
When Jesus and his disciples went to Jerusalem, Jesus knew what he was letting himself in for. His movement had been growing. The religious leaders felt threatened by him. Some of them were very wealthy and powerful, they had a lot to lose. And some may have felt, quite sincerely, that Jesus was a mad prophet, a danger to God’s people.
Plots to get rid of Jesus were already under way. And Jesus was going to Jerusalem at Passover time. This was a big festival for the Jewish people. Pilgrims and tourists came from all over the Mediterranean to join in the religious celebrations in the Temple and in family homes. The city was packed with people. As well as a lot of thieves and pickpockets, there would also be a few terrorists wanting to stir things up and make trouble. There were so many potential dangers that the Roman Governor, Pilate, left his comfortable palace by the sea and came to Jerusalem for the Festival. So he could take personal charge of the situation. The atmosphere in Jerusalem must have been electric. You can imagine everyone feeling a bit edgy, especially the Roman soldiers and Pilate.
This was the scene that Jesus entered when he came to Jerusalem. He willingly allows himself to be arrested - he says he is eager to drink the cup that the Father has given him. And so we follow Jesus through his arrest, his interrogation before Annas, his trial before Pilate, his whipping by the soldiers, and his appearance before the people who yell for his crucifixion. Mercifully St. John doesn’t tell us much about the crucifixion itself.
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son. As we follow Jesus through his passion and death this verse comes alive. This is what is happening. God is giving his Son to us. The Son taking our humanity upon himself. The Son sharing the pains of evil and sin. The Son going to the Cross, so that we may not perish but have eternal life. This is one of the big truths of the Christian faith - you sometimes see it displayed outside churches. But it’s part of the character of our faith that the big truths have also to become truths inside our lives. As well as truths proclaimed out there, they need become truths in here. It’s when one of these big truths become part of the stuff of our lives, that we know the embrace of God in our lives. And like many truths of the faith it is something that we keep on re – discovering, and re – learning as we journey on.
I am sure that you all have stories to tell of the way in which you have come to know that Jesus loves you. And that when Jesus went to the Cross, he did so out of love for you. He did it out of love for everyone, yes, but you believe and know that he did it out of love for you.
On my own Christian journey there have been several occasions when I have re-discovered how Jesus, out of love for me, walked the way of the Cross. On one occasion, about twenty years ago, I was slowly reading through chapters 18 and 19 of St. John’s gospel. I wasn’t trying to think deep thoughts, or study it, but just reading it slowly, prayerfully. Eventually I came to the verse: Then they took charge of Jesus, and carrying his own Cross he went out of the city. The words leapt out of the page. I felt a strong gut reaction. That’s not his cross ! That’s my cross ! I stopped reading and closed my eyes. A picture came into my mind. I saw a little boy. He was slowly walking along. On his back was a small black cross. It wasn’t too heavy, but he found it rather awkward. I recognised the boy, and the clothes he was wearing. It was me. But then came another picture. It was no longer a boy, but a young man. It was still me. The cross had got bigger. The young man was bent over a little. He was finding it hard to carry his cross, occasionally he stumbled.
Then I saw another picture. I was a bit older, and the cross had become really heavy. I kept falling over. It was very painful to carry. I felt terribly burdened. But then I looked ahead. I could see huge stone walls, it was the wall of a city. And I recognised the city, it was Jerusalem. I was walking towards the gatehouse, the entrance to the city. I stumbled inside. I was in a courtyard. There was a lot of noise, people shouting. There were Roman soldiers all around me. Then I saw a man – he looked very bloody, and he had a crown of thorns on his head. Then I was very close to him. I will never forget the look on his face. He looked at me so kindly, and with such compassion - he looked at me so lovingly. Then he took the cross off my back. He put it on his own back, and he began to shuffle across the courtyard. He was carrying my cross, and I was left to walk away free - free of any burden.
What did the cross represent ? I think you all know. My failure to love God, to love and serve other people. My selfishness and guilt. You will have your own stories of how Jesus, following the way of the cross, has become something personal for you. His love, his grace, experienced deep in your heart.
One amazing thing about this is that through this kind of experience we come to a deeper love for God. Strangely, through our sins and weaknesses, through experiencing God’s compassion for us, and his love and forgiveness, our love for God just goes deeper and deeper. This is how much he loves me - Oh ! I love him so much.
It is wonderful that in this service we have a way of expressing our gratitude to God. In a while you can come forward to a wooden crucifix - you can just come near it, or you can touch it, or kiss it – whatever you choose. It can be a very powerful way for us say how much we love God. Or, to ask God to rekindle our love for him in our lives. Perhaps amongst us there are some who have known what God’s love is like, but it seems to have gone stale, dried up. And so your prayer this morning is for a re-discovery of God’s love for you.
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son. | <urn:uuid:ba61088d-2e30-4c20-80fe-681cc35d9ca9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.allsaintsemscote.com/apps/forums/topics/show/7686127-a-sermon-preached-by-canon-david-pettifor-on-good-friday-2012 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00052-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.990269 | 1,840 | 1.921875 | 2 |
Though not featured on the Eno-produced No New York compilation, the Branca-fronted Theoretical Girls and The Static were an integral part of No Wave. Perhaps because of his association with rock music, Branca went on to become one of the most grossly underrated American composers of our time. Most famous for his deafening compositions for multiple electric guitars, Branca released his first attempt at the form, Lesson No. 1, in 1980. Though classic, it was a mere hint of what he'd soon accomplish: Symphony No. 5 is nothing short of a masterpiece of sweeping textures and dramatic power. The piece is performed on "mallet guitars," homemade instruments with strings designed to be struck with short sticks, resulting in a bell-like chime rich with overtones. Driven by an almost ever-present drumbeat, the music swells with massive, overwhelming waves of sound, full of frightening intensity as well as shimmering beauty. In addition to other, smaller works, Branca has completed ten symphonies, the ninth of which was composed for symphony orchestra. After witnessing a performance of his sixth symphony, John Cage reportedly described Branca's work as "the devil's music." | <urn:uuid:f9d8222e-cc95-494f-9c1d-bad2946b6306> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.rhapsody.com/artist/glenn-branca | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978858 | 248 | 2.03125 | 2 |
Sudan Says It Hasn’t Stopped South Sudan’s Oil Exports
Sudan’s government said it hasn’t blocked South Sudan’s oil exports, contradicting a statement by its oil minister two days ago that shipments have been halted.
“The government of Sudan has not and will not stop or impede the flow and export of oil of the Republic of South Sudan through its territory and facilities,” Sabir al-Hassan, a spokesman for Sudan’s delegation at talks with South Sudanese officials in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, told reporters today.
Sudanese Oil Minister Ali Ahmed Osman on Nov. 28 announced a blockade on South Sudan’s oil exports that pass through its pipelines and said it would be lifted only when the two countries agreed on payments for the shipments. They failed to reach a deal in African Union-backed talks this week, al-Hassan said, and negotiations will resume next month.
While South Sudan took control of about three-quarters of the former unified Sudan’s output of 490,000 barrels a day when it seceded on July 9, it relies on the north for access to an export terminal on the Red Sea.
Sudan rejected an offer by South Sudan of $5.4 billion compensation package for the loss of its oil fields, the south’s chief negotiator, Pagan Amum, told reporters in Addis Ababa. Sudanese authorities responded to the offer with “hostility and threats,” he said.
“South Sudan insist they have the right to continue exporting oil through our facilities without paying charges,” al-Hassan said. “If we do not find an agreement on fees and charges, we are under obligation to take our dues.”
He also criticized Sudan Sudan’s seizure on Nov. 8 of stakes held by Sudan’s state oil company, Sudapet, in joint operations in the south with companies such as China National Petroleum Corp., Malaysia’s Petroliam Nasional Bhd. and India’s Oil & Natural Gas Corp. (ONGC)
“Their assets that were more than $2 billion dollars were confiscated by a presidential decree issued by the president of the Republic of South Sudan,” al-Hassan said.
Amum said that Sudan has kept revenue owed to the south for oil exports from May to July. Since a 2005 peace agreement that ended a two-decade civil war until South Sudan’s independence, the north and south split earnings from crude pumped in southern fields.
“The claim that they need us to pay them processing and transportation fees is not true because we are paying those to the companies,” Amum said. “We are paying the Chinese. What the north is talking about is extortion.”
China yesterday urged the two sides to reach agreement in negotiations.
“Maintaining normal production of oil is important to both South Sudan and Sudan,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told reporters in Beijing. “We hope North and South Sudan can stay rational, show restraint, and resolve relevant problems through neighborly pragmatism and friendly talks.”
To contact the reporter on this story: William Davison in Addis Ababa at email@example.com
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Antony Sguazzin at firstname.lastname@example.org
Bloomberg moderates all comments. Comments that are abusive or off-topic will not be posted to the site. Excessively long comments may be moderated as well. Bloomberg cannot facilitate requests to remove comments or explain individual moderation decisions. | <urn:uuid:51ed70a6-b328-49cf-ba19-e93fba6e1809> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-11-30/sudan-says-it-hasn-t-stopped-south-sudan-s-oil-exports-2-.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955873 | 780 | 1.703125 | 2 |
Source: Daily Mail
One third of terminations are carried out on women who have had at least one before - and some have had eight or more.
Some girls are on their fourth abortion before they reach 18, figures from the Department of Health show.
Girl power. Feminists must be proud.
The statistics have emerged as MPs consider relaxing the abortion laws to make the procedure easier to obtain.
Pro-life MPs and campaigners said it was clear that abortion is already available on demand.
In 2007, 64,230 abortions were carried out on women who had at least one before - a 12 per cent rise in four years.
Of these, 49,484 were having their second termination, 11,136 were on their third and 2,605 having number four.
Fifty-two notched up abortion number seven last year, and 29 were on at least number eight.
The number of under-18s undergoing repeat abortions is also on the rise, increasing from 1,446 in 2006 to 1,465 last year - or almost 30 a week.
Thirteen girls under 18 were among the group of women who were having at least their fourth abortion.
Repeat abortions were most common among women aged 18-24, suggesting the procedure is seen as an easy way out by those who become pregnant at university or while starting their careers.
Hmm, how about Girls + Alcohol + Feminism = Record Number of Abortions
Nadine Dorries, the Tory MP who earlier this year spearheaded a campaign to cut the abortion time limit, said: ‘The figures show very clearly that for some, easy access to abortion has fostered a careless attitude to contraception and has itself become a form of contraception when required.’
Citing research which showed having an abortion raises the risk of mental health problems later in life, she said: ‘Young women have the right to know the consequences of abortion, particularly repeat abortions.’
Abortions are carried out in two ways. Early pregnancies can be ended by taking two miscarriage-triggering drugs over a 48-hour period.
Women also have the choice of a ‘surgical’ abortion, in which the unborn baby is suctioned or scraped out of the womb under anaesthetic.
Both techniques can also be used late in pregnancy - but will be preceded with a lethal injection into the baby’s heart.
But Dr Kate Worsley, of Marie Stopes International, which carries out around a third of UK abortions, said it was ‘ ludicrous’ to suggest women viewed abortion as a form of contraception.
‘Whether or not to have an abortion can be one of the most difficult decisions a woman has to make,’ she said. ‘No woman undergoes such a serious procedure lightly.’
Well of course she is going to say that, her company gets paid performing abortions. Ripping out your babies and throwing them in the rubbish bin puts food on their table. I wonder if repeaters get a discount from the taxpayer (who pays, as always.)
The more I have researched abortions, ‘family planning clinics’ and the like, the more I have turned against them. We all know the rules. If you don’t want children, use protection or better yet, don’t have sex. Simple really. But as is usually the case when you remove the consequences of a particular behaviour, incidences of that behaviour will increase if it appeals to a persons instincts. The promotion of abortions is done purely for reducing the worlds population, not because of ‘overpopulation’, a myth I have written about here, but because less people are easier to enslave.
In fact, all of those extra babies would go a long way to balancing our our birth rate, which is currently way below replacement rates, something that always happens with societies that adopt feminism. This conveniently encourages the Government to encourage immigration from other countries, including ones with diametrically opposed cultures and religions. These in turn create ghettos in the host nation, creating social disharmony. But bad news for the People usually means good news for the Police State. | <urn:uuid:98cbb6a2-cee3-4375-8f5a-b0013f4360f5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://endofmen.wordpress.com/tag/record/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973643 | 857 | 1.84375 | 2 |
Build an eDoc Reader for your iPodby Matthew Russell
Apple's iPod has caught the world by storm and is emerging into a really handy gadget that does a lot more than play music. Although eBook reading isn't synonymous with iPod yet, it might be once you've completed this project.
This article is the first in a series that walks you through the process of developing a Cocoa application that allows you to read large text documents, PDF files, and other electronic books on your 3G iPod or newer. Following along with this series highlights a number of valuable concepts such as text wrangling, interfacing to the user defaults system, incorporating existing open source software as a part of your own project, and tackling the Cocoa-Java bridge.
The User Interface
For development, we'll use the latest version of Xcode--the IDE of choice for any Cocoa application. If you don't already have the latest version of Xcode, you can download it from Apple Developer Connection. You'll have to register, but it's free and worth the trouble. As with any other Cocoa project, open up Xcode, create a new project, and choose a new "Cocoa Application." Name the project "Pod Reader" and place it in whatever location you like. In Xcode, expand the "NIB files" folder at the very bottom of the leftmost pane to reveal "MainMenu.nib." Double click on "MainMenu.nib" to fire up IB (Interface Builder).
We'll follow the Model View Controller (MVC) paradigm for application design. MVC is the defacto design standard for Cocoa applications. The Model comprises custom classes that perform the bulk of the labor, the View encapsulates the GUI, and the Controller handles the flow of data between our model and our view. Normally, the best models and controls in the view are designed to be general and reusable. Controllers are typically application specific by necessity.
Using the IB panel with the controls on it, try and make your application look like the finished product shown below. First, resize the rather large window panel IB opens up for you to a more suitable size. Once it's resized, drag the appropriate AppKit framework controls onto the NSWindow panel. In all, you should need four NSTextFields (one of them is customized as a "System Font Text" label), three NSButtons, and an NSProgressIndicator.
The finished product. You specify a document and a destination directory (the iPod), designate a value to separate sections of a document on (such as "chapter" or "scene"), click on "Copy It," and the document is "intelligently" chunked into 4KB files you can read on your iPod. (Currently, the iPod will not display files larger than 4KB.)
The NSTextField that has the label "System Font Text" on it looks different from the other three, but it is actually the very same control. A few of its attributes are set to make it a label as a convenience to you. You can check it out for yourself and learn a lot more about the NSTextField by doing a comparison of the two. Select "Tools -> Show Info" from the menu and then select the "Attributes" menu at the top while the NSTextField is selected. You'll want to get familiar with this Info window and all that it has to offer you.
Drag controls onto your window using the controls palette. Controls are organized into groups designated by the topmost row. As you layout your design, use IB's guidelines for placing the widgets. IB does a nice job of helping you to line them up in accordance with human interface guidelines via its markup (dashed lines that appear) inside the window.
If you haven't worked in IB very much before, you might like to know that selecting and then clicking controls like NSButton a second time makes their label editable. You might also like to note that opening the Info on "Window" in the "Instances" tab of MainMenu.nib allows you to give the window a title and allows you to disable resizing by unchecking the "Resize" control.
Customizing the View
Your fingers are itching to write code at this point, but there's still a few things we can do first. As you recall, the controller handles data flow in the application. Its accomplishes this task through "outlets" and "actions." Outlets are nothing more than pointers to objects in the view. For example, we may want to modify the value of an NSTextField in our view, so we use its outlet in the controller to pass it a message. Actions are very similar; they are pointers to methods that are called in response to events that occur in the view, such as pressing an NSButton.
A few outlets we can take care of right away are ones that control the flow of tabbing. The NSTextFields directly above the "Source File" and "Destination" buttons should not be editable or selectable, so open their Info window and uncheck the "Editable" and "Selectable" options near the bottom. Also, uncheck "Enabled" for the "Copy It" button. We'll programmatically enable it in the application once certain conditions are met.
The NSTextField acting as a label as well as the NSTextFields just above the "Source File" and "Destination" buttons cannot be tabbed into, so that takes care of them. For the remaining controls, we'd like for the tabbing flow to proceed from top to bottom: from the "Source File" button, to the "Destination" button, to the text field we can type a "Separator" value into, and finally to the "Copy It" button.
To set the tabbing from "Source File" to "Destination," hold down the control button while the "Source File" button is selected, drag down to "Destination," and once "Destination" is marked up, release your mouse button. You should see a line drawn on your screen connecting them, and the Info window should open.
Select "nextKeyView" in the outlets tab and click "Connect." Repeat the same process to set the tabbing for the remaining controls, finishing up the loop by wrapping the "Copy It" button back up to the "Source File" button. To set the outlet that starts keyboard control with the "Source File" button as soon as the application starts, we'll designate the "Source File" button as the Initial First Responder. Setting this outlet is just like the others we set; control click from "Window" in the "Classes" tab of MainMenu.nib to the "Source File" button. Select "initialFirstResponder" once the Info window opens, and then click on "Connect."
Create outlets that handle the flow of tabbing and set the first responder status.
Creating the AppController Class
We're still not ready to write any code, but we are getting closer. In IB, click on the "Classes" tab of the MainMenu.nib palette. In the root of the browser, select "NSObject" and then choose "Classes -> Subclass NSObject" on the main menu. A new subclass of NSObject appears in the next pane of the browser; name it "AppController."
Create the AppController class by subclassing NSObject.
To specify the controller's "outlets" and "actions," select "AppController" in the MainMenu.nib palette, and then press "1" while holding down the Command key. The "AppController Class Info" window should appear. With the "Outlets" tab selected, click on the "Add" button to create an outlet. Name this outlet "copyButton," and change its corresponding popup button value from "id" to "NSButton." This change statically types "copyButton" as an NSButton. Statically typing objects can make debugging easier because it allows the compiler to provide better feedback. Repeat this process and create "destButton" and "sourceButton" outlets of type NSButton.
Next, create three outlets of type NSTextField and call them "destDir," "sourceFile," and "separatorValue." Finally, create a "progressIndicator" outlet of type NSProgressIndicator. You can go to "Help -> Documentation" in Xcode and type "NSProgressIndicator" in the search box to look up more information about NSProgressIndicator or any other class in this article. In the "Actions" tab, create two actions in an analogous manner to the outlets. Name the actions "copyIt" and "openFileDialog." Xcode inserts colons after their names for you. Your final actions and outlets should look like the ones below.
Outlets and Actions for AppController in IB.
Pages: 1, 2 | <urn:uuid:b17852d8-af4c-4977-83aa-a30f22bea3cd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.macdevcenter.com/pub/a/mac/2004/12/14/ipod_reader.html?page=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00041-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.915971 | 1,855 | 2.03125 | 2 |
Poet T. S. Eliot famously wrote, "April is the cruellest month." He was British and was probably alluding to April's mercurial weather patterns in northern climes. Generally, April is beautiful here. But this particular April could be cruel even for us since it's historically our driest month and our yards are yearning for a good drench. • Our two previous Garden sections have dealt with caring for your plants and turf during a drought and you will probably need to continue applying those tips during the weeks to come. And also to continue heeding water restrictions. You can find that information by going to links.tampabay.com. • Still even in drought, nature is ever-active and needs attention. Insects, for example, reappear in droves. And they're hungry. • Winter annuals still look pretty good and you can prolong their life with deadheading and careful watering. But their time is limited. • It's time to look toward summer.
Turf: Down but not out
If you were smart enough to put in Bahia grass, know that even if it's a bit brown, it won't die. Bahia is one of the better drought-tolerant grasses for this area and can survive our driest month easily. It can be started from seed or sod but you should probably wait until the rainy season to plant or rejuvenate this type of lawn. Seeding can be done until about mid September.
Keep a watchful eye out for chinch bugs in St. Augustine grass. Straw-colored grass along sidewalks, driveways or the street is usually the first sign of this pest. A University of Florida/IFAS Extension publication on chinch bug management in St. Augustine grass states that rapid growth resulting from frequent applications of water soluble nitrogen fertilizers may increase southern chinch bug survival, development time and the number of eggs that the insects can lay. Responsible use of slow-release nitrogen fertilizers may help reduce pest population build-up (edis.ifas.ufl.edu/LH036).
Chinch bugs can kill large areas of St. Augustine lawns if allowed to feed freely. Chemical treatments of Lambda Cyhalothrin (1), Permethrin (1), Cyfluthrin (1), Imidacloprid (2) and Neem oil (3) may be effective if applied correctly according to label directions. If you need to treat the area again, be sure to use a product from a different chemical class to help avoid developing resistance to the pesticide. Products with the same number (1, 2 or 3) listed above are in the same chemical class. Be sure the product you use is labeled for chinch bugs and follow the label carefully.
Trees: No problem
Oak leaf blister is a disease we see nearly every spring. It develops during cool, wet weather, becoming epidemic at times and infecting almost every leaf on the tree. While the blisters may be unsightly and cause excessive leaf fall, this disease seldom causes permanent damage.
Magnolia trees are called broad-leaf evergreens but they do shed their old leaves during spring. These old leaves turn pale green or yellow and drop. Trees do not become entirely bare. Occasionally a magnesium or iron deficiency will cause yellow leaves but they have a distinctive pattern that can be identified easily.
You're not the only one eating your veggies
Check vegetable plants each day for signs of insects and continue to treat them for disease control. Daily monitoring of the garden will help you spot potential problems before they get out of hand. Hand removal of pests such as caterpillars and snails will help cut down on the use of pesticides. There are biological products such as Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) and insecticidal or organic disease control products available at local garden centers.
Sweet potato plants not only make a delicious edible vegetable but also can act as an attractive ground cover. Sweet potatoes are a long-season crop so they need to be fertilized during the growing period. Use an 8-8-8 or similar fertilizer every five or six weeks during the summer growing season.
No love lost here
Despite their name, love bugs are among the most unloved insects to descend on Florida in late spring. They would be better named lust bugs since their only purpose is to mate and multiply. They swarm beginning this month through May. We probably don't need to tell you about the effects on your car when you run into a group on the highway. And they are mostly unavoidable during the day since they love warmth. We have no advice except to suggest road trips at night or early morning while love bugs sleep. At least, lovers to the end, they don't sting or bite.
Flowers: new openings and closings
Azaleas should be pruned when they finish blooming. Even the small dwarf varieties benefit from pruning, which stimulates new growth, eliminates leggy growth and produces a bushier plant. They're generally fertilized four times a year: February, May, August and November. Use a fertilizer formulated for acid-loving plants.
Start spring and summer annuals from seed now in a fresh, sterile, potting mixture. Give them four weeks or so before planting in your garden. Rejuvenate the bed by raking out all leftover plant material and adding new organic matter. You can also incorporate a slow-release fertilizer at this time.
Fertilize your amaryllis plants with a lower-nitrogen fertilizer such as 8-2-10 or other similar mixtures. Apply 1 pound per 100 square feet of bed. Amaryllis need to grow all spring and summer in order to form flowers for next year.
Roses are growing and flourishing after their winter haircut. New leaves often mean powdery mildew and black spot. Fungicides are necessary to keep most roses in good shape. Weekly applications of Dithane-M45, Funginex, Basic Copper or other labeled fungicides will help with disease control. The Cornell formula is a less toxic method of control. Add 1 tablespoon each of baking soda and oil (either a light horticultural oil or regular vegetable oil) to 1 gallon of water. If you use vegetable oil, add a bit of insecticidal soap (the amount recommended for mixing with 1 gallon of water). Shake well before and during application with a sprayer. Spray both sides of the leaves thoroughly every five to seven days.
Hibiscus plants should be flourishing with new growth by now, recovering from cold temperatures. You still can prune them.
For leafy color and texture, plant caladium tubers 2 inches deep in loose, well-drained soil in shade or partial sun. Several strap-leaf varieties have been introduced that perform well in full sun.
Carol Suggs is with the Pinellas County Extension Center/ Florida Botanical Gardens. Pam Brown, longtime Extension expert, recently retired. For additional lawn and garden information, visit the UF/IFAS Pinellas County Extension Web site at pinellas countyextension.org or call (727) 582-2100. | <urn:uuid:0f7c8b78-5afe-47b6-9260-c5d05923a687> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.tampabay.com/features/homeandgarden/warmer-weather-brings-back-hungry-bugs/989290 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944927 | 1,479 | 2.765625 | 3 |
What follows is both what Ballico is, which is not history, and what Ballico was, which is history. However, what Ballico is will someday be history; so what I am writing here is both history and future history.
Anyway, each community has its own history; often they are unwritten but they are histories still. Ballico for its place in history is part of what was once claimed to be the largest underground irrigation system in the world, an irrigation system that is still vital to this intensely cultivated area. Ballico was an early center of turkey culture, including the development of superior breeding stock. At one time the hub of the Del Monte peach empire, it is still at the center of hundreds of acres of peach orchards, many of which boast of having the latest and best varieties ever developed. Supporting the field operations is a state-of-the art peach handling, boxing, and shipping capability. Seasonal workers arrive as green turns to gold, do their work, and depart year after year. Dwarfing all other enterprises, however, is Ballico's almond industry, including one of the largest cooperative hulling and shelling plants in the world. Also starting at Ballico and extending far to the east into the Sierra foothills are cattle ranches that make a major contribution to the state's beef and dairy industry.
Although they are gone now, they are only recently gone, those intrepid pioneers who first tilled land granted to them by a government that was wiser and more farsighted than it knew. They brought horses and plows, first for dry farming, then for crops that could be grown only after dams were built and canals constructed, these venturous ones. They erected pole barns and lived in them until better days. They lit and heated their primitive dwellings with candles and wood fires. They drilled through the hardpan for drinking water and waited, first for windows, then for kerosene, then for electricity and still later for telephones and radios. They leveled the land, broke the hardpan by hand, and planted trees where the roots could get to the moisture below. They built roads and wagons to traverse them; and the dragged the roads in summer to remove the ruts they made in the winter, each from his own farm to the next. They were there unasked when first a barn, then a home, was to be built. There suffered through depressions without the loss of hope or honor or integrity but often with the loss of home and health and goods. They shared and suffered and rejoiced together, often over a deck of worn cards and a bowl of popcorn by lamplight. Then they shared the better days, remembering the others and having learned moderation without miserliness and self-preservation without selfishness.
Their candles and coal lamps turned into single clear glass bulbs hanging in the center of the room, then to floor and table lamps. Their dirt floors turned first into planking, then into tongue and groove hardwood. They asked for little: rural electrification and later telephone lines, and still later moratoriums on farm indebtedness to government agencies, which the paid off as their horses changed to tractors and as trains and boats and refrigeration brought their products to a nation and a world.
But Ballico did not grow, not, anyway, by normal measurement. It changed in kind, but not by much, as an occasional home was occupied by persons who did not own or work the land. In September, October and November, Ballico night and day has a sound that is all its own, humming almond plants that produce tens of millions of pounds of almonds for three months, then all is quiet. With few exceptions, houses are distant from each other. Dogs bark, in the distance, and dogs answer, sometimes in chorus. Especially is this true when coyotes hold their convocations in the open fields as they have from the beginning of coyote time. Great blue herons land silently on fresh-turned fields, then equally silently lift their legs, fold their necks, are airborne and are gone.
Geese and ducks swirl in season and depart. Magpies choose their mates and noisily protect their nestlings from crows and hawks. Every spring the barn owls take nightly residence in the sycamore and later a nocturnal vigil over the orchards. Occasionally what must be an eagle, always alone, can be seen high in the sky heading, in season, west to the coastal range or east to the Sierras.
There are no more deer at McConnell Park, otherwise it is still shelter and forage for those wild ones whose existence depends upon the river. There's still an occasional sturgeon in the Merced, maybe only further downstream now, and more trout and bass than seems likely by the number of hooks in the water. The river rarely submits to boat travel now except when water is being released from the dams above, but in the old days one could comfortably float much of the year from Ballico, 100 miles to the delta, then on to the bay. At least in season, things are much the same as they were 150 years before and forever beyond that.
The homemade sign as you near Ballico says "Population 150." Maybe so. There are no signs that say where Ballico ends and everything else starts, but somehow you know if you live there. We used to say that it was a one-post town, that the "You are Entering" and "You are Leaving" signs were on the same post. That was a fond self-deprecation. It has a hardware store, a post office, a volunteer fire station, a little grocery and an elementary school, all run by people who care about people.
Ballico isn't going to change. Except for the huller it hasn't changed in many years. It's a "saturated area," its land is at optimum production of crops best suited to the soil and climate and because of better equipment constantly becoming available, it has less rather than greater need for people to work it. I'm not going to tell you what it is "miles from". It's a couple of hours west of Yosemite, a couple of hours east of Carmel and Monterey. Its a little more than half-way between Sacramento and Fresno and a little off the beaten path. If you go to San Francisco first, you probably will forget about finding Ballico. If you are in the area and go for a drive other than along a major highway, you will find other Ballicos. Each will have a history that is well worth the investigation. Stop there and snoop around, leaving Ballico to the Ballicans. You already know this Ballico.
Return to Ballico (a fanciful history)
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Last updated January 5, 2003. | <urn:uuid:8f276979-ed9c-471f-bde5-f0cb9764ee47> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.folds.net/Haney/ballico2.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00049-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977831 | 1,453 | 2.96875 | 3 |
On March 9, 2009, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin announced four board appointments. The appointees will serve on the “Alaska Council on the Homeless, Alaska Natural Gas Development Authority, Alaska Veterans Advisory Council, and Local Boundary Commission” (Four Appointments, 2009, ¶1).
What the Boards Do
“The [Council on the Homeless] is responsible for preparing an action plan for the governor aimed at addressing homelessness in the state, for monitoring implementation of that plan and for making annual reports to the governor with its findings and recommendations to improve the plan (Four Appointments, 2009, ¶3).
“The seven-member [Alaska Natural Gas Development Authority] was created by statewide voter initiative in 2002. Its statutory mission is to develop a natural gas pipeline from the North Slope to Prince William Sound or Cook Inlet” (Four Appointments, 2009, ¶6).
“The 13-member [Alaska Veterans Advisory Council] advises the governor, the Alaska Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and other state departments on matters concerning veterans, their dependents and their survivors, including identifying veterans’ needs and making recommendations on how to provide for them” (Four Appointments, 2009, ¶9).
“The five-member [Local Boundary Commission] serves Alaska communities by acting on petitions for incorporation, dissolution, merger and consolidation of cities and boroughs, detachment from cities and boroughs, and reclassification of cities. The statewide commission also prepares studies of local government boundary problems” (Four Appointments, 2009, ¶12).
Board Appointees’ Brief Biographies
Governor Palin appointed Olen Harris to the Alaska Council on the Homeless (Four Appointments, 2009, ¶2).
Harris, of Anchorage, has since 1998 been the executive director of the North Pacific Housing Authority, the regional housing authority for Seward, Valdez, Cordova, Chenega, Tatitlek, Port Graham and Nanwalek. He had previously served as finance director for the Bristol Bay Housing Authority in Dillingham. Harris serves on the board of the Association of Alaska Housing Authorities, and has been treasurer since 2002. He is also on the board of the AMERIND Risk Management, a self-insurance risk pool for Indian housing authorities. Harris earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Alaska Anchorage, and in 2002 received a fellowship to attend a program for senior state and local government executives at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. He was appointed to a public seat (Four Appointments, 2009, ¶4).
Governor Palin appointed Pat Ryan to the Alaska Natural Gas Development Authority (ANGDA) (Four Appointments, 2009, ¶5).
Ryan, of Anchorage, is retired after an extensive career in public service in Alaska. He was a top aide and chief of staff to Walter J. Hickel during his two terms as Alaska’s governor – including the time of planning and permitting for the trans-Alaska pipeline – and during Hickel’s two years as U.S. Secretary of the Interior. Ryan had previously served as director of the state’s first rural development agency, which later became the Department of Community and Regional Affairs; as deputy commissioner of the Department of Transportation & Public Facilities; and as director of the state Division of Aviation. He was a U.S. Air Force pilot in Alaska. Ryan was appointed to a public seat on the authority (Four Appointments, 2009, ¶7).
Governor Palin appointed Aaron Isaacs Jr. to the Alaska Veterans Advisory Council (Four Appointments, 2009, ¶8).
Isaacs, of Klawock, is coalition coordinator for the Klawock Cooperative Association, and previously owned a construction, lumber and hardware business. He served in the Alaska Army National Guard from 1956-61 before being drafted into the U.S. Army in 1961, serving in the 82nd Airborne Division until 1963. He is a life member of the 82nd Airborne Division Association and the American Legion, a 12-year member and now president of Prince of Wales Veterans, and president of Alaska Native Brotherhood Camp #9 in Klawock. He served as director of the state’s Division of Equal Employment Opportunity from 1979-82; as mayor of Klawock from 1989-92; as a member of the State Commission for Human Rights from 1990-2002; and as a member of the Alaska Labor Relations Agency since 1992. He was appointed to a public seat on the council.
Governor Palin reappointed Robert Harcharek to the Local Boundary Commission (Four Appointments, 2009, ¶11).
Harcharek, of Barrow, is currently mayor pro tem of Barrow. He has been a senior planner and social science researcher for the North Slope Borough since 1999. He previously worked as liaison for technical analysis and research for the Barrow mayor’s office from 1996-99; for the North Slope Borough as an economic development planner from 1991-96 and community affairs coordinator from 1988-90; and as director of the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ Northwest Higher Education Center from 1986-88. Harcharek earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Pennsylvania’s Mansfield State University, a master’s of education from Syracuse University, and a doctorate in International and Development Education from the University of Pittsburgh. He has served on the commission since 2002, and was reappointed to a seat reserved for a member of the public from the 2nd Judicial District, encompassing Northwest Alaska and the North Slope.
Today’s four appointments bring this year’s total to 24, representing an average of two appointments per week. This is exclusive of the judicial appointments Governor Palin made last week. The Governor had made 99 board appointments in 2008, some while she was on the campaign trail.
Board appointees must have subject matter expertise and experience that will make them an asset to the boards on which they serve. They must have no personal or political baggage that could bring the Governor grief or disgrace later on. Governor Palin has a stellar track record in her hiring decisions. Board appointments seem routine and maybe that’s because Governor Palin has made it look so easy. Each board appointment requires a considerable amount of behind the scenes work — just one aspect in a day in the life of a governor.
A leader is only as good as his or her subordinates. Key to executing transformational change is picking subordinates who are aligned to the leader’s mission, vision, strategies and tactics. Governor Palin has over the past 16 years done precisely that in every position she has held.
Executing an average of two board appointments per week — along with all the other duties the Governor must perform — is a task requiring a considerable amount of executive skill and experience. While in some respect, Governor Palin is a born leader, she has had more than three quarters of two decades to hone this skill and instinct.
This skill along with her judicial appointments last week are just more pieces of evidence which prove that Governor Palin is ready to become President Palin.
Governor Palin announces board appointments. (2009, March 9). State of Alaska, Governor. Retrieved March 9, 2009 from: http://www.gov.state.ak.us/news.php?id=1693 | <urn:uuid:aa781bc3-e41c-45ab-b6a8-8b23b4a33b44> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://us4palin.com/gov-palin-announces-four-board-appointments/ | 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 | 0.967647 | 1,547 | 1.765625 | 2 |
The key to cloning a woolly mammoth may be locked into the Siberian permafrost.
At least, that’s what scientists in the blustery Russian tundra are hoping. An international team from Russia’s North-Eastern Federal University recently found well-preserved remains, including some fur and bone marrow, during a paleontological research trip in the northeastern province of Yakutia.
Russian newspaper Vzglyad talked to expedition leader Semyon Grigoriev, a North-Eastern Federal University professor, who said that the remains may still contain living cells, which would be vital to any cloning attempt. Previously-found clumps of woolly mammoth hair have allowed scientists to determine much of the extinct species’ genetic code, but have fielded no living cells.
Living cells are necessary for the Frankenstein-esque procedure that would produce a baby mammoth, according to Chris Norris, senior collection manager for vertebrate paleontology at Yale’s Peabody Museum. Only living cells contain an intact nucleus, complete with woolly mammoth DNA. Such a nucleus can be inserted into a elephant embryo — a technique pioneered by a group of Japanese researchers last year — and then coaxed into becoming a real, live mammoth clone.
While it may take months to figure out what kind and quality of samples they can glean from the mammoth remains, Grigoriev told Reuters that it chances of finding living cells are pretty remote — but not impossible. Sub-zero temperatures are crucial for slowing the deterioration of living cells, and Siberia, with its year-round permafrost, is one of the best places to look for surviving mammoth cells.
Despite the warnings of Jurassic Park — that playing in God’s domain can quickly lead to large, sharp-toothed carnivores praying on unsuspecting amusement-park employees — scientists have recently been willing to entertain the possibility of bringing extinct species back to life. In 2010, European scientists futilely attempted to back-breed an extinct species of cattle.
But until scientists find living cells from a long-dead creature, or make a breakthrough that would allow them to clone up animals from a different kind of genetic material, we’ll have to get our woolly mammoth fix from Ray Romano in Ice Age. But hope springs eternal: just last week, prehistorians got excited about a mammoth tooth found by a San Francisco crane operator while excavating ground for the city’s new Central Station. Maybe all it will take is just the right discovery. | <urn:uuid:6385e5d7-1ab3-42ff-8f02-086cd1b1f21b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/09/17/siberian-discovery-could-bring-scientists-closer-to-cloning-woolly-mammoth/?iid=nf-main-mostpop1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00055-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.925047 | 514 | 3.265625 | 3 |
Quechan Tribe Mourns Loss of Head Bird Singer
Quechan Tribal elder and head bird singer Willard Golding Sr. walked on February 19 from complications of pneumonia. He was 70.
“When I woke up this morning and saw the rain, I thought it was our Creator’s way of expressing his sadness,” Kenrick Escalanti, president of Kwatsan Radio, told the Yuma Sun the day after Golding’s death.
Escalanti called his death a “major loss to the Quechan Nation and Indian country.”
Golding spent his entire life on the Fort Yuma Reservation in Arizona and was a member of the Roadrunner Clan.
“He was well respected. He attended a lot of community events and provided his services by singing traditional songs at funerals, community events and special occasions,” Quechan Tribal President Keeny Escalanti told the Yuma Sun.
Lyman Golding, Willard’s son, told the Sun that his father served the tribe as head singer for more than 50 years and taught five generations of bird singers. He said his father was a funny and soft-spoken man who put aside “personal things” to help the tribe grow “strong in tradition.”
Daniel Golding, Willard’s nephew, told the Sun that he dedicated his life to teaching the tribe’s culture to younger generations.
“He gave a lot of his time to the community,” Daniel said. “He loved all tribal members. He considered them all to be his family.”
“Mr. Golding was an amazing man and teacher with cultural influence that will stand for generations to come,” Kenrick Escalanti said.
The family will hold a private viewing on Sunday, February 24 followed by a public procession at 5 p.m. over the Ocean-to-Ocean Bridge from Funeraria del Angel to the Cry House (Fort Yuma Big House) on the reservation. | <urn:uuid:9d6100f6-adc2-4f72-baff-bbf87211a4c0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2013/02/22/quechan-tribe-mourns-loss-head-bird-singer-147855 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977975 | 425 | 1.617188 | 2 |
Basically, the Internet works because it is well...fair and open. You as a consumer have the ability to choose what services you want on the Internet based on the quality of the offering from the vendor. For instance:
You can choose between Scout.com and Rivals.com based on the quality of their writers and the speed at which they break stories.Basically, you choose based on the quality of their product.
You can choose between Etrade and Ameritrade based on the price of their commissions, their user interface and the speed at which they process your transaction.
You can choose between ESPN and SI based on whether you think Mandel or Maisel is the bigger dork.
Without Net Neutrality laws, Internet Service Providers such as Bellsouth.net, Comcast and Earthlink would be able to strike backroom deals with content and application providers like those companies listed above. They would be able to degrade your access to sites of their choosing based on payments from those vendors without you knowing.
Suddenly, you have fewer choices for content and services via the Internet as sites who weren't paying "sponsorships" or who had competing products would have sites that were so slow to YOU that you wouldn't be willing to use them. Think this doesn't matter? This 3 minute video explains Net Neutrality. Given the power, reach and impact of the Internet, this issue impacts all of us. Please take a moment to listen.
If you'd like more info on this issue written in plain English by folks like us who love college football, check out the MZone's take on it. They look particularly at how this ruling could affect free sites that you enjoy such as Google, YouTube, MySpace, and blogs like this one. It's a very solid look at the issues specifically as they relate to your ability to read sites like mine, DawgSports.com, EDSBS and DawgBone.net. The video explains things in terms of big issues like phone service and search engine usage. MZone boils it all the way down to the internet college football experience.
I'll go back to silly pictures and making fun of Tech shortly. In the meantime, take a minute to check out the video. | <urn:uuid:0ca50acb-2ad9-4f50-bdf7-0ab248e20827> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://georgiasports.blogspot.com/2006/06/serious-issue-net-neutrality.html?showComment=1149786000000 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00075-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975539 | 453 | 1.703125 | 2 |
Q: What is accreditation?
A: Accreditation is a voluntary review of an educational institution’s quality, verifying that the school meets a set of educational standards. In the U.S., colleges and universities are accredited by one of 19 accrediting organizations. The Western Association of Schools and Colleges is the accrediting organization in California and Hawaii. Institutions granted initial accreditation by WASC can be certified for a maximum of five years. Once they have gone through the process, the maximum is 10 years.
Q: Why is accreditation important?
A: Colleges must maintain accreditation to continue receiving federal financial aid. Accreditation by a government-recognized body also is required if institutions want government research or program funds. Officials said it can be difficult for a student to transfer credits from an unaccredited institution to an accredited one.
Q: What happened with Ashford University’s accreditation application?
A: WASC denied Bridgepoint’s application for Ashford University, finding Ashford lacking in six key areas, including student retention and completion, providing a sufficient core of full-time faculty members and aligning resources with educational purposes.
Ashford had pursued an accelerated path to accreditation, which is available for schools already accredited by another agency.
Ashford is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges, which covers institutions in the Midwest.
That’s because its on-ground campus is in Iowa, while its online programs and students are served out of Bridgepoint’s headquarters in San Diego.
Only six institutions have pursued expedited accreditation, and Ashford is the only one to have its application denied outright.
Q: What’s going to happen next?
A: Ashford can reapply for initial accreditation, with a single follow-up visit by the Western Association staff no sooner than spring 2013.
The association could have required the university to start over with a self-study that could have taken 18 to 24 months, but instead called for a special visit that will focus on the six key issues it identified, said Ralph Wolff, president of the Senior College Commission of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
Ashford has said it will appeal the denial; it has 28 days from the date of the denial letter to file.
“They could say there was bias on the part of the commission, procedural errors, or they could say the action wasn’t warranted,” Wolff said.
WASC officials said they receive few appeals, and the last one was filed about five years ago. If an appeal is filed, a commission will be appointed to review the claims.
Ashford’s reapplication for accreditation would be pursued at the same time. The university must submit a detailed report explaining how it has come into compliance with Western Association standards before the site visit can occur.
Time is of the essence. Because the Higher Learning Commission requires colleges to have the bulk of their administration and educational operations within its region to maintain accreditation, there’s a chance that Bridgepoint might need to move its school leadership and academic staff out of San Diego.
The company faces a Dec. 1 deadline, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. | <urn:uuid:b021aba2-98f3-4571-adfd-8f12311ed0a0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/jul/11/tp-keys-to-college-accreditation/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00029-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965075 | 681 | 1.914063 | 2 |
The Southwest Public Health District is working to bring in a telemedicine component into its existing Centering Pregnancy program thanks to assistance from state officials, who invested $58,000 in a camera cart and ultrasound machine. (Outlook 2013)
ALBANY, Ga. — For the Southwest Public Health District, strengthening the Centering Pregnancy program via telemedicine, and establishing a stronger social media presence, is where the focus will be this year.
Centering Pregnancy was brought into Southwest Georgia in 2009 as a way to address the alarming prenatal care trends in the area — and has so far shown results in breastfeeding rates, low birth weights and preterm birth rates, officials say.
There are two sites within the district where the program is being offered to moms-to-be — at the Dougherty County Health Department on South Slappey Boulevard in Albany and at the Farm Worker Health Program in Ellenton. In recent months, there have been two grants received for Centering — $80,000 from the Healthcare Georgia Foundation and $30,000 from the March of Dimes.
“(This funding) will sustain the program for this year,” Dr. Jacqueline Grant, director of the health district and an obstetrician, said.
State officials recently footed the bill for an ultrasound machine and a camera and monitor cart for a total of $58,000 worth of equipment. There were a few thousand dollars the district had to put up for lines to be put in, which makes for a little more than $60,000 invested overall.
Through telemedicine capabilities, district officials will be able to connect with maternal and fetal medicine specialists via the Georgia Telemedicine Network — thereby allowing consultations from physicians based in Atlanta to be done remotely at the Dougherty health department.
“Instead of patients arranging for transportation, we will be able to get it done onsite,” Grant said.
The ultrasounds will be conducted in an exam room at the health department, while the cart provides a monitor with a camera attached to it to allow for a doctor to videoconference into the session — which will give the patient and physician an opportunity to interact in real time, and for the physician to look at tests that seem abnormal.
“The referrals we normally make are sometimes out of the area, or in the area — and we may not get a timely referral,” Grant said. “With a video consultation, we can provide a timely consultation.”
Grant herself will even be able to use the technology from her office on North Jackson Street.
“If a nurse comes across something I need to look at and I can’t make it (to the health department), I have camera equipment at my office. I can do a consult remotely,” she said. “I can listen to a heartbeat remotely, and can see a lesion remotely.”
The care will be provided in the area of the health department that once housed the department’s dental care services. While most of that area is being restructured to accommodate expectant mothers, there will be at least one dental chair that will remain to allow for teledenistry services down the road, Grant said.
“With such an oral health need (in the area), we didn’t want to lose all of (those services),” Grant said.
She also indicated that there is a good possibly other specialties of care the health district provides could be impacted by this technology.
The necessary equipment is in place, and is already being used to conduct meetings with officials from various parts of the 14-county health district. Training for incorporating it into the Centering program is expected to start this month.
The service should go live sometime in March, Grant said.
“When we can do more one-stop shopping, it will be a big win for us and help patients get their needs met,” she said.
Grant also added that there will be site fees billed to providers who join the network, which will serve as a revenue source for the district — although it is unclear at this point how much of an income there will be, she said.
The first order of business this year, while the telemedicine component is being initiated, will be strategic planning for the district as a means to ensure officials are doing what needs to be done for the public it serves through the most cost-effective means possible.
This is something that has not been done on a district-wide level for a few years, the district’s director said.
“It is important to take a look at what is working and what is not,” Grant said. “We are letting the data drill what we do a little more.
“With Centering, we have made sure it is worth the time and resources. It is time to step back and look at everything that way.”
Meanwhile, the health district is working toward revamping its website to make it more interactive and interesting. One of the changes will include integrating it into a system that will allow officials to post messages across multiple social media platforms, thereby streamlining the process of getting information out to people in the event of a public health emergency via the district’s website, Facebook and Twitter simultaneously.
This builds on a Facebook presence already in place that has allowed officials to respond to questions or concerns for the purpose of guaging which topics are of greatest interest.
“Tweeting information is especially helpful during emergency events, when we might want the public to know where public health is dispensing medication during an outbreak or where the closest shelter is during an evacuation event,” said Carolyn Maschke, public information officer for the district. “Of course, it can be used for non-emergency events and activities as well.
“But the important points about social media such as Facebook, Google +, YouTube, Twitter and others is that they allow for interaction between public health and the community we serve. The communication is two-way rather than one-way.”
The Facebook page “Southwest Georgia Public Health District,” has thus far been utilized to alert followers about upcoming clinics and health fairs, inform people on outbreaks the district is tracking and present opportunities to win various items including T-shirts and personal preparedness kits.
Maschke added that, in the future, the site www.southwestgeorgiapublichealth.org will include blogs, an interactive calendar, the ability to translate the page to another language and provide alerts for emergency updates.
“We recognize that more and more, people are turning to smart phones and computers to get and share information,” she said. “Social media gives us another tool to reach people more quickly, and to respond quickly. However, since Southwest Health District has limited resources, and a single public information officer, we are making our changes in increments.
“The Facebook page is active. The webpage has been tweaked but wholesale changes won’t be visible for some months yet. Twitter will be the last component to be added.” | <urn:uuid:40f57770-a934-4030-8d7e-cd9317376864> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.albanyherald.com/news/2013/feb/23/outlook-2013-centering-pregnancy-social-media-focu/?opinion | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960554 | 1,480 | 1.726563 | 2 |
MADRID.- The work of James Coleman (Ireland, 1941) proposes a reflection on the construction and experience of reality and explores questions relating to perception, representation, memory and identity. Through his use of audiovisual media, Coleman situates the subject at the centre of his work inviting the viewer to consider how interpretation shapes our understanding of what we see. The photographic (still and moving image) plays an essential role in these investigations, which are articulated and accompanied by a certain poetic hermeticism and meticulous use of language.
Incorporating synchronized projections of slides, films, audio narrations and soundtracks, Coleman creates mise-en-scène with references taken from daily life, literature, painting, theatre and cinema. Proposing visual scenarios which remain open to interpretation (double images, repetitions, dissociation of image and text, different narrative rhythms and tempos, alternation of past and present) Coleman´s work solicits viewers to participate in the unfolding of meaning. This exhibition, the most comprehensive retrospective to be devoted to Colemans long and illustrious career, brings together a wide selection of his work that includes his early pieces from the 1970s, his work of the '90s like Lapsus Exposure and I N I T I A L S, and important pieces like Fly, Box, Untitled: Philippe VACHER and Retake with Evidence. A special selection of material from his personal archives is also on view to the public for the first time.
Early Films, 1967-1972
This group of films made in Milan and Ireland between 1967 and 1972 makes it clear that from very early on, Colemans explorations on the properties of the photographic were going to constitute the allegorical basis for his analysis of the photographic image as a psychic and social staging of the self. In Pheasant, the interplay of photograph and moving image presents us with an irresolvable reality between death and life through the image of a pheasant posed to look as though it realizes it is being watched. In Clock, he films an alarm clock with its hands stopped at 7:22. The filmic time passes yet the hour remains motionless, which gives the image a certain similitude with a still photograph. La Valle della Morte presents the first few frames of a film, with the title superimposed on a landscape. However, the view shown is not that of Death Valley (California-Nevada) but Monument Valley (Navajo Tribal Park, Utah-Arizona border), an icon of the Hollywood western. In Skull, the film restores an enigmatic appearance of life to a rams skull shown in isolation, subverting the fascinum attributed to the photographic gaze as that which petrifies life. In Work-Apron, a shot of a balcony in an Italian town assumes the character of a theatrical performance, reminding the viewer that the photographic or filmic image conceals the world behind the scenes.
Clara and Dario, 1975 (Exhibited in the Sala de Protocolo, Sabatini Building)
Clara and Dario is regarded as one of the artists key works because it develops the unique format which characterizes his later creations: the projection of slides with a recorded voiceover narrating a story of intersubjective relations. Two synchronized carrousels each project in continuous cycle a sequence of colour photographs of a face. On the left is the character Clara, and on the right, Dario. The alternate forward and backward movement of the images complements the play between the present and the past in the narration, a possible dialogue between two people who are indecisive about whether or not to go on a journey together to Lake Como, the place of their childhood. Meanwhile, a romance between two further characters, Elsa and Andrea, enters the picture, and the viewer becomes uncertain whether they refer to Clara and Darios adolescent identities or to childhood friends. Two narratives thus cross and fold over each other like a Moebius strip. Through the voiceover and the tender gazes of the projected faces, the viewer is taken on a journey to an experience where personal identity is seen as a process in continuous flux, not wholly owned by the self, but inseparable from its shared intimacy with others.
Box (ahhareturnabout), 1977(Exhibited in the Sala de Bóvedas, Sabatini Building)
This is one of the few works by Coleman based on documentary material, in this case footage from the legendary 1927 return match in Chicago between Gene Tunney and Jack Dempsey for the world heavyweight boxing title. It is also the work which implicates the body most intensely. A regular beat consisting of two components, a pulse and its reverberation resembling the systole and diastole of the human heart, takes almost violent hold of the visitors body and turns it into the resonating chamber of the artwork. At regular intervals, the images flash for a few fractions of a second, so briefly that it is impossible to follow the progress of the fight. With the heartbeat, the pulse of the visitors own body and the staccato phrases that are heard, Coleman orchestrates a link between the visitor and the visual and acoustic apparatus. Not only does this generate the works complex aesthetic configuration, in which subject, structure and effect are interwoven, but several temporal levels also intersect. The representation of a historic event and the presence of its perception become permeable to each other, as if the historic were not represented but present and at the same time suspended in the aesthetic experience, thus evoking a dialogue with Walter Benjamins concept of history and experience.
Seeing for Oneself, 1987-1988
The dramaturgical elements introduced into Colemans earlier performed works are here transformed into photographic tableaux vivants based on the visual codes of popular pictorial narratives, and presented as a slide projection synchronized with a recorded narration. Seeing for Oneself circulates around the paradoxes of the subjects formation ensuing from its attempts to reconcile the truth of rationalist logic and the sense of the phenomenal body, social conformity and individual agency, the self and its representation.
Charon (MIT Project), 1989
The work owes its title to the fact that it was produced during an artists residency at the MIT List Visual Arts Center in Cambridge, Mass. It is a piece which combines and synthesizes all the aspects of his earlier work: the problem of perception; the dimensions of the psychological, the social, the cultural and the historic; dramatic and theatrical elements; and the search for the self and the impossibility of an irrefutable identity. It consists of a tape and slide projection arranged as a number of episodes. Each one begins with the description of a photographic image and the circumstances surrounding its creation. In one episode concerned with a Frankenstein image, Franz Kafka is quoted:
we photograph things in order to drive them out of our minds. Here, the work takes on the meaning of depiction as exorcism. In another episode, portrayal can be interpreted as a means of manipulating reality. Over a projected image of a bedside table in a hospital, an invisible subject ponders the possibility of escaping death by the appropriation of a photographic image. If, at the final moment, it is true that ones whole life flashes before ones eyes, this final moment also has its image of remembrance, and that image its image, making up an endless series of images. Death would thus be eternally postponed, and the image included in a lived reality as a means of staving off death: photography as an elixir of life.
Untitled: Philippe VACHER, 1990
This piece, produced in an operating theatre in a hospital, shows an actor, Philippe
Vacher, falling forward onto a surgical cart, and then righting himself and turning
towards the camera. One imagines the entire action would take about three seconds,
but in fact it unfolds over seventeen minutes. Time seems dilated. Certain images
appear to linger longer to determine whether this is an objective peculiarity or a
subjective perception. A second manipulation of the footage teeters on the edge of
perceptibility. Not at all evident at first, it only gradually becomes visible in time. Its first sign is that by about five minutes into the piece, the primary colors are muted and start fading as if the filmstock itself had aged. Through the use of a black and white negative and a second process of rephotography, Coleman gradually leaches the color from the film.
Lapsus Exposure, 1992-1994
The work evolves around a nineties pop group who have assembled under contract to record a new album and have a group photograph taken for the cover, Lapsus Exposure delves further into the philosophical and social implications of the reproductive image.
I N I T I A L S, 1993-1994
The clinical setting of this work, peopled by several characters, offers nothing that allows their relationships to be established with any certainty. They could be members of a family, hospital employees or even patients. In any case, there is a doubling amongst these potential roles. As the rooms in the hospital are painted and renovated, the occupants are also preparing, or dressing up, for an occasion, which may be the performance of a play. However, interwoven with this reading is a parallel narrative that relates to the hospitals earlier function, accentuating the sense that the past still haunts the present. The act of folding, which is alluded to visually as well as vocally, equates with the Deleuzian notion of enfolded multiple temporalities, for which the photograph becomes a primary metaphor.
The work consists primarily of projected photographs of a group of schoolchildren, predominantly girls, who are rehearsing a dance in costume. The projection is accompanied by a narration delivered by a young womans voice. Photograph unites
theatricality with poetic rhythm, rhyme and content. This theorizing of the staging of
subjectivity takes the relationship between words and images as the site where meaning is negociated between the semiotic media.
Retake with Evidence, 2007
Retake with Evidence, an allegory concerned with issues of judgement from the
perspective of the Western subject, explores the origins of thought in Ancient Greece through its mythology and philosophy. The actor Harvey Keitel slowly makes his way through a sparse but dramatically lit set, reciting a text on guilt and governance, sightlessness and oblivion, retribution and beauty. The work shows that evidence is located at the nucleus of questions of representation. Evidence not only plays an important part visually in the setting of the piece, but also in its narration. Seeing the actor amid this scenery of broken Greek statuary and skulls brings Oedipus Rex to mind. Metaphors of vision and blindness make Sophocless play a tragedy of enlightenment that dramatizes the heroic attempts of reason to fix the identity of the subject.
In addition to these works, the exhibition also includes Fly (1970), Connemara Landscape (1980) and Ligne de Foi (1991). | <urn:uuid:0ca07d29-e069-4cce-8bb6-85f7143472a3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=55041 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94843 | 2,266 | 2.03125 | 2 |
by Jon Melegrito | May 02, 2011
AFSCME corrections officers in Wisconsin join thousands of workers at the state Capitol in February to protest Republican Gov. Scott Walker’s union-busting bill. (Photo credit: Greg Dixon)
At a time when public service workers are under attack by anti-worker, anti-union politicians, National Correctional Officers and Employees Week (May 1 through 7) is an excellent opportunity to recognize the thousands of corrections officers across the country and honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.
These courageous and dedicated women and men work hard and perform heroic acts in very dangerous conditions, often risking their lives to keep our communities safe.
Yet, these officers continue to be used as scapegoats by politicians who blame public service workers for budget problems they did not create.
In Wisconsin, Gov. Scott Walker (R) signed a union-busting bill stripping corrections officers and other public employees of collective bargaining rights. Twenty-one other states are considering the same measure.
More than a dozen states, notably Ohio and Michigan, are also using state budget shortfalls as an excuse to privatize corrections and shift core responsibilities to companies that are motivated by profit, not service.
Right-to-work laws – designed to weaken unions – are currently considered in Indiana, Minnesota and 14 other states.
Last year, corrections officers in Iowa opened up their contracts to accept a week of mandatory, unpaid days and the temporary elimination of deferred compensation allotments.
To help find solutions to states’ economic problems, corrections officers along with other public service workers have made sacrifices because they care and they are proud of the work they do.
In observance of this special week, national steering committee members of AFSCME Corrections United (ACU) are in Washington, DC to talk about these critical challenges and plan for the battles ahead. They will also make a renewed effort to win passage of the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act (S.3991), which would grant collective bargaining rights to law enforcement officers across the country, including corrections officers, emergency medical technicians, police and firefighters. Last year, the U.S. House passed the bill but the Senate failed to take action.
“All workers deserve the freedom to be in a union and collectively bargain,” says Sgt. First Class Chet Millard, a veteran of both wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and a Wisconsin corrections officer (AFSCME Council 24, Local 219). For Millard, the attack on workers’ rights in Wisconsin is an attack on the freedoms he fought to protect as a member of our armed services.
“We are proud of the difficult work they do,” declares Pres. Gerald W. McEntee. “Too often, their voice and experience are undervalued by those in government who seek to privatize their jobs or cut their pay and benefits. We salute their brave and dedicated service. We will continue to fight for them and the valuable work they do for all of us.”
Read more about corrections issues in the latest ACU News. | <urn:uuid:bf050896-f1c5-406e-b027-111475ce58b4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.afscme.org/blog/honoring-our-corrections-officers | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00074-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964138 | 637 | 1.570313 | 2 |
Fife is the smallest (mainland) region of Scotland, though the fifith most populous, with 350,000 inhabitants. Outlined by the Firth of Tay to the north and the Firth of Forth to the south, it was formed wholly from the traditional county of Fife, itself named after the ancient Pictish Kingdom of Fife.
The star attraction is the small town of St Andrews, home to the third oldest university in the English-speaking world (founded in 1410-13) and famous worldwide for being the place where the modern game of golf was first developed. The Old Course at St Andrews, established in 1552, is one of the oldest golf courses in the world and one of the most prestigious.
Other noteworthy places include Dundee, Fife's largest city, where marmalade is said to have been invented in 1797; the pretty little port of Anstruther; and the historic town of Dunfermline. The small county town of Glenrothes is of little tourist interest.
Wemyss Castle Gardens | <urn:uuid:b06ce0a8-4f3e-4be8-ae99-ef5e452515ba> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.eupedia.com/scotland/fife.shtml | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00064-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960348 | 216 | 2.203125 | 2 |
Arthur Berger (1912 - 2003) was an influential composer, critic, and teacher for more than half a century. Born in New York City, he received his musical education at New York and Harvard Universities, pursuing further studies in Paris with Nadia Boulanger, and at the Sorbonne. By his early twenties he was accepted into the circle of avant-garde New York composers and became a member of the Young Composers Group that revolved around Aaron Copland as its mentor. In his capacity as critic, Berger became one of the chief spokesmen of American music for that period.
Although Berger made notable contributions to the orchestral repertory, he devoted the major share of his compositional activity to chamber and solo piano music. Virgil Thomson called his Quartet in C Major for Winds “one of the most satisfactory pieces for winds in the whole modern repertory”, and his String Quartet received a New York music Critics Circle Citation in 1962. Among his orchestral works are Serenade Concertante, written for the CBS Orchestra; Polyphony, a Louisville Orchestra commission; and Ideas of Order, commissioned by Dimitri Mitropoulos for the New York Philharmonic - a work that received a full page story in Time Magazine following its premiere.
Among Berger’s numerous published critical and analytical articles, his seminal study “Problems of Pitch Organization in Stravinsky” applied the expression “octatonic” to the 8-note scale that has since become conventionally known by that term. At a time when Stravinsky’s so-called neoclassicism was under attack, Berger wrote extensively and cogently in its defense. He was one of the first to write about Charles Ives and the first to write a book on the music of Aaron Copland. This study, which had occupied him since the early 1930's, was published by the Oxford University Press at a time (1953) when there was no precedent for books on American composers dealing as he did with their musical technique. In 1990, “Aaron Copland” was reprinted by Da Capo Press.
When Berger received an award from the Council of Learned Societies in 1933, it turned out to be but the first in a long series of honors bestowed on him by prestigious organizations over the years: Guggenheim, Fromm, Coolidge, Naumburg, and Fulbright Foundations; the NEA, League of Composers, Massachusetts Council on the Arts & Humanities to name a few. He was a Fellow of both the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the American Academy of Arts & Sciences.
Berger started his college teaching career in 1939 at Mills College where the following year Darius Milhaud joined the Faculty. It was Milhaud who persuaded Pierre Monteux, conductor of the San Francisco Symphony, to ask Berger to write a Woodwind Quartet for first-desk men of that orchestra. In 1943 Berger became a music critic for the New York Sun and in 1946 accepted Virgil Thomson’s invitation to join the New York Herald Tribune. After a decade as full-time daily music reviewer in New York City, he resumed teaching in 1953 at Brandeis University during the formation of its graduate music program. Following his retirement from Brandeis in 1980 as the Irving Fine Professor of Music Emeritus, Berger taught at the New England Conservatory of Music until 1999. Coinciding with his 90th birthday in 2002 the University of California Press published Berger’s memoir, “Reflections Of An American Composer,” which won a 2003 ASCAP-Deems Taylor Award.
Arthur Berger died in Boston on October 7, 2003. His archive is in the American Music Collection of the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center. His personal Web site is located at www.arthurvberger.com | <urn:uuid:72bf5318-97cd-4284-9a13-bb956d1146ec> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.edition-peters.com/composer/Berger-Arthur | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00037-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975021 | 804 | 2.03125 | 2 |
I like everything in science, but the evolution theory is the biggest fail.
For one, we date fossils by the geographical columns we find them in but we date the columns by which ever fossil you find in them. Circular reasoning.
Carbon-dating has a huge faulty assumption. I'm not going to explain how it works in details, but it assumes the amount of carbon in the earths atmosphere remained constant throughout millions of years. Why carbon in atmosphere matters? Short explaination, plant absorbs CO2, animals eat them, its in their flesh, then you date the flesh.
Living snails have been dated few thousand years old. Keep in mind, they're living. On mammoths, the skin of the mammoth and another part of it has a difference of few thousand years(you can look up many examples of this). Talk about slow growth.
Plus fossils doesn't prove evolution. We have not found ONE missing link. The only thing fossils tells you is that it died. You don't know if those fossils have any kids, let alone different kids.
Evolution is based on dwarvins natural selection theory.
In order for natural selection to work we must have mutation. There are NO beneficial mutations.
Flys have been nuked and gotten all kinds of flys. Flys that fly in circles, zigzag, no wings, etc. All which is worst off than the original.
The ONE beneficial mutation you'll always hear is, people with sickle cell amneia can't get malaria. That isnt a benefit both sickle cell and malaria is negative. Thats like saying people without arms cant get handcuffed.
And natural selection is a perfection process. In order for it to work, you must have the one with a beneficial trait live and ALL the rest must die, otherwise the genes will blend right back into the population. Not just that, natural selection is a checking process. Imagine a automobile line. Your job is to make sure all the working cars make it through, thsoe that don't work, missing a part, etc, throw it out.
Let me ask you. how long will this process take to turn the car into a helicopter? NEVER. Its a self checking process.
I can go on and on about this topic.
Fifth, WoW offtopic 54 Comments
[8/29/2008 10:11:58 PM]
Fundie Index: 7
Submitted By: Worldsend | <urn:uuid:57cbe88b-ea37-4706-b9fb-28c2a09b7e00> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.fstdt.com/QuoteArchives.aspx?Archive=1&Date=2008/8&Page=3 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944858 | 508 | 2.203125 | 2 |
The title doesn't adequately describe the blog and is over-simplified a bit but I'm lazy so whatever. Here is a comment I gave about buddhism and other western religions/philosophies and how they differ from traditional christian teachings which I thought worth sharing:In eastern religions like buddhism, taoism etc this is nothing unusual, the wisdom of their teachings is esoteric, meaning so subtle it can be learned but cannot be directly taught. When you go to a zen master they teach by leaving a trail of bread crumbs, not hitting you over the head with some simplistic message - the point is to make you wise not make you conform. And you can't become wise by being told what to think any more than you can become a bodybuilder by watching someone lift weights - you have to do the work yourself. This is why I really like buddhist and taoist teachings, because they're not dogmatic. It's not about believing anything, it's about using these subtle texts to make you think and to open your mind and make you gain more and more insight over time. The first time I read the tao te ching every other paragraph I was thinking "um, okay..." But by the fifth read I was struck by the meaning of passages I found objectionable on their face or thought didn't make sense. Which isn't to say I now understand the "true" meaning of them, there is no true meaning, there is only truth. And when a doctrine is dogmatic it narrows peoples' minds, but when it is a riddle it produces open and seeking minds. One way produces tremendous ignorance and arrogance like what we see in fundamentalism, and the other produces wisdom and open-mindedness and deepens the positive qualities of humanity. | <urn:uuid:ada334ab-1e40-4b10-88c0-b8edba784f45> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://agnophilo.xanga.com/767374915/buddhism-vs-christianity/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00072-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976309 | 366 | 1.679688 | 2 |
If you're a swimmer splashing around for help in the ocean near Malibu this summer, don't be afraid if you spot a red object speeding toward you. It's not a sunburned shark with a first-aid symbol tattooed on its back, but a robot lifeguard coming to rescue you.
Emily (Emergency Integrated Lifesaving Lanyard) is a remote-controlled motorized contraption containing a sonar device that can scan for underwater movements associated with distressed swimmers. Lifeguards toss it into the surf from a beach, aircraft, or ship, and it zooms toward its target at speeds up to 28 mph. Once … Read more | <urn:uuid:a65fadcc-8aa2-4caf-9f02-b17c403395aa> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cnet.com/8300-5_1-0.html?keyword=lanyard | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00043-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953835 | 136 | 1.859375 | 2 |
One of the greatest health achievements in the twentieth century has been the near elimination of the common childhood infectious illnesses by 95 to 100 percent. However, these "bad bugs" are still in our environment, and our children need their immune systems to be ready to protect against them.
Through immunizations, your baby is protected from serious diseases like polio, whooping cough, and all the others listed on the chart below. Young infants are at the greatest risk, so babies need all of these immunizations before their second birthday. Because vaccines are always being improved and because different brands of shots may be slightly different, your own health care provider may have a slightly different schedule of shots for your baby. In any case, keep a chart like the one below handy so you can keep track of your baby's shots yourself. Double-check with your health care provider at each visit to make sure your baby is up to date. New vaccines are on the horizon, so don't be surprised by changes in this schedule.
At ages 4 to 6 and 11 to 12, your child will need to have "boosters," additional shots, as well as other recommended immunizations for older children and teens. Be sure to keep your child's immunization record all through childhood and bring it to each health visit. Children with special health concerns may need additional shots or will need the schedule varied to suit their situation. Preemies will need their shots at the correct ages, not at times adjusted for their prematurity. Should your child miss an immunization and need to catch up, there are guidelines to get your child up to date.
All good health plans cover the cost of the full recommended schedule of immunizations described below. However, if you have no health insurance for your child, free vaccines are available through your local public health department and through state and federally funded programs at your medical office. Don't let money issues get in the way of your child's health.
2. The new form of the vaccine, DTaP, contains an acellular form of the pertussis vaccine. It is becoming the preferred form as it produces less fever. DTP is still used in some cases and provides good protection as it has for the past 30 years.
3. The Hib vaccine may be combined with other vaccines or given as a separate shot. Because this immunization comes in slightly different forms, it's important to stay with the same clinic or provider for the series. If this isn't possible, make sure to bring in your immunization card on which the exact vaccine information is recorded so your provider can match your previous dose. In some cases, the 6-month dose may not be needed. For children 5 years and older who have not received the Hib vaccine, one dose of Hib vaccine should be considered for those children who have sickle cell disease, leukemia, HIV infection, or who have had a splenectomy.
4. The polio injection using the inactivated (IPV) polio virus is now preferred because we have lowered the overall incidence of polio and the oral vaccine contains the live, attenuated (modified) virus. The last dose in the inactivated poliovirus vaccine series is now recommended to be given on or after the 4th birthday and at least 6 months after the previous dose. If 4 doses are administered before age 4 years, an additional 5th dose should be given between 4 and 6 years of age. If you or your child is going to a foreign country, is in an epidemic, or crosses the United States' southern border frequently, the OPV (oral polio vaccine) may be better, particularly for the later immunizations in the series. Most children in military families will need the oral form.
5. This shot is recommended for all children ages 2 months to 23 months and for some children several times between 2 and 18 years. The original vaccine, which is still being used, is 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV 7). It has been replaced by the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV 13). A PCV series begun with PCV 7 should be completed with PCV 13. A single supplemental dose of PCV 13 is recommended for all children 14 through 59 months of age who have received an age-appropriate series of PCV 7. The supplemental dose of PCV 13 should be administered at least 8 weeks after the previous dose of PCV 7.
7. Hepatitis A vaccine (Hep-A), protecting against a certain type of liver infection, is now recommended for all children at 1 year of age (12 to 23 months) as a two-dose regimen. The doses should be given at least six months apart. Children not fully vaccinated by age 2 years can be vaccinated at subsequent visits. Hepatitis A vaccine is also recommended for older children who live in areas where vaccination programs target older children, those who are at increased risk for infection, or those for whom immunity against Hepatitis A is desired.
8. Children age 6 months to 18 years should get a flu vaccine every year. For children who have not been vaccinated before, two doses at least 28 days apart must be administered. Children previously vaccinated need only one dose. Children aged 2 years and older who do not have underlying medical conditions may now get either the intranasal vaccine (live, attenuated influenza vaccine) or the injectable form (trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine). See our article on H1N1 influenza. Children 6 months through 8 years of age who received no doses of monovalent H1N1 2009 vaccine or in whom the dosing schedule is unknown should receive 2 doses of 2010-2011 seasonal influenza vaccine separated by at least 4 weeks.
9.The Rotavirus vaccine is an oral vaccine that helps protect against a common type of viral gastroenteritis, the vomiting and diarrhea illness that affects infants and toddlers especially in the winter and early spring. There are two approved vaccines: RotaTeq, which requires three doses; and Rotarix, which requires two doses. Talk to your child’s health care provider about the dosage schedule for these vaccines.
Note: Recommendations may change for any immunization if there are vaccine shortages.
Official information on vaccines is available from the American Academy of Pediatrics (www.aap.org) and from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov/nip; 800-232-4636).
DIPHTHERIA (the "D" in the DTaP vaccine)
HEMOPHILUS INFLUENZA/TYPE B (Hib vaccine)
MEASLES ( the first "M" of the MMR vaccine)
MUMPS (the second "M" of the MMR vaccine)
PERTUSSIS, also known as whooping cough (the "P" in the DTaP vaccine)
POLIO (IPV, the injectable polio vaccine, administered as a shot, or in some cases, OPV, the oral polio vaccine, administered in the mouth)
RUBELLA (the "R" of the MMR vaccine)
TETANUS, also known as "lockjaw" (the "T" in the DTaP vaccine)
VARICELLA ZOSTER or "Chicken Pox" (the VZV shot)
DIPHTHERIA (the "D" in the DTaP vaccine). Diphtheria is a serious respiratory illness that causes a thick coating or film in the nose, throat, and air passages, which can lead to breathing problems, heart failure, paralysis, and even death. Up to 20 percent of people who get the disease die from it. Very young infants are at the greatest risk, although unprotected adults can get and transmit the disease, too.
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HEMOPHILUS INFLUENZA/ TYPE B (Hib vaccine). Hemophilus influenza is a bacterial infection that can cause pneumonia, meningitis, severe swelling in the throat, and other serious infections. It is not influenza (aka "the flu"). It's a regular cause of bacterial otitis, middle ear infections. Before the vaccine, hemophilus influenza killed or seriously disabled thousands of children. It is most common in children under 5.
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HEPATITIS A (the Hep-A shot). Hepatitis A is a viral infection of the liver, causing fever, tiredness, jaundice, and loss of appetite. Although most children have few or no symptoms, infected adults can be sick for months or even years. Hepatitis A is transmitted most often from person to person through fecal contamination and commonly occurs in certain communities in outbreaks. Very young children in developing countries tend to get this disease, although more than 25,000 cases are reported in the United States every year. In addition to the Hep-A vaccine, immunoglobulin shots are often administered to provide additional protection to children over 2 who are at risk because of household or community exposure.
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HEPATITIS B. Serum hepatitis (HBV) is a viral disease of the liver that can be very serious, even leading to liver failure or chronic liver disease. More than a million people carry this virus in the United States. Three doses of hepatitis B vaccine are needed for full protection. Adolescents and adults may also get this series for protection. Those who have had the disease may have an increased chance of getting liver cancer later in life, so early protection has long- and short-term effects. Transmission from mom to baby may occur during birth, while others get the disease through contact with infected blood. People who share a household with someone who has Hep-B can get it, and it's also spread through sexual intercourse. Although this series is best given at birth, children, adolescents, or adults who haven't gotten the shots should get the series as soon as possible.
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MEASLES (the first "M" of the MMR vaccine). Measles (also called "red" or "hard" measles) is a viral illness causing a rash, cough, and fever that can lead to diarrhea, ear infections, pneumonia, brain damage, or death. Children at greatest risk are those who are malnourished or have chronic illnesses. Measles outbreaks occur every year in the United States, and it is a common illness around the globe.
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MUMPS (the second "M" of the MMR vaccine). Mumps causes fever, headache, and swelling of the parotid gland in front of the ear. In some cases it leads to meningitis, an infection of the brain and spinal cord, or encephalitis, a swelling of the brain. It can also lead to hearing loss, and, in boys and men, can cause swollen testicles and possibly infertility. Mumps can be very serious and very painful in adults, so it's best to get immunized early in life.
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PERTUSSIS (the "P" in the DTaP vaccine). Pertussis, or whooping cough, causes coughing and choking that lasts for weeks. The coughing spell is followed by the characteristic "whoop" of the child trying to catch her breath. Vomiting afterwards is common. Pertussis can lead to pneumonia, seizures, brain damage, or death. Very young unimmunized children are at the greatest risk and often need to be hospitalized if they become ill. Adults who catch pertussis may become very sick, but they usually recover after weeks or months. Unfortunately, they may pass the disease along to infants and young children.
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PNEUMOCOCCAL DISEASES. The pneumococcus bacterium can cause pneumonia and meningitis and is the most common bacterial cause of ear infections. There are several subtypes of pneumococcus, and vaccines protect against some but not all of them. Young infants are at greatest risk for these infections. Children over 7 months and under 5 years who missed the shot as infants will benefit from one or more of these shots.
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POLIO (IPV, the injectable polio vaccine, administered as a shot, or in a few cases, OPV, the oral polio vaccine, administered in the mouth). Polio is a common virus that causes fever, sore throat, nausea, headaches, diarrhea, stomachaches, and stiffness and weakness in the neck, back, and legs. It's considered an old-fashioned disease that caused paralysis. However, it's only old-fashioned because so many of us received the vaccine. The injectable form is now preferred, as the oral vaccine -- which has never caused any cases of polio -- allows the altered virus to get into the environment through bowel movements. However, for those going to a foreign country where polio is common, or if there is an epidemic, the oral form gives the best protection for the individual, as the virus enters the body through the gastrointestinal tract.
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ROTAVIRAL GASTROENTERITIS. Rotaviral gastroenteritis is an intestinal viral infection that occurs primarily in infants and toddlers. It occurs most commonly in the winter and early spring, and usually starts with lots of vomiting that then progresses on to watery diarrhea that can last five to seven days. The most common serious complication with the illness is dehydration, which can be so severe that it can require hospitalization and cause death in malnourished children. Infants and toddlers with the illness should be carefully watched for signs of dehydration such as decreased urination, dry mouth, reduced tears, and lethargy. Children who have received the Rotavirus vaccination usually do not get the illness or have a milder form of illness that does not lead to severe dehydration.
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RUBELLA (the "R" of the MMR vaccine). Also known as "German measles," rubella is a mild viral illness that causes a rash on the face and neck, mild fever, and swollen glands. It can cause arthritis, especially in women and girls. If pregnant women become infected, their babies can have birth defects or die. Immunization in childhood protects the next generation, as well as pregnant women in the environment.
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TETANUS (the "T" in the DTaP vaccine). Tetanus causes serious and painful muscle tightening and is often deadly. It's sometimes called "lockjaw" because it causes the muscles in the jaw to "lock," making it difficult or impossible to eat. Breathing failure causes death. The bacteria live in dirt and thrive when they get into deep cuts or puncture wounds.
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VARICELLA ZOSTER (the VZV shot). Commonly called chicken pox (or shingles), this is a highly contagious infection with a blistering rash on the scalp and body developing over the course of three to four days, as well as respiratory symptoms. In most cases, it's not seriously harmful to healthy children, but it can be very serious for small infants, older children and adults who haven't had the disease (or the vaccine), people with immune deficiencies, and for some children who have eczema or are taking certain medications (for example, salicylates). Each year almost 10,000 people are hospitalized for chicken pox, and about 100 die. The disease lasts seven to 21 days, and its long incubation period means that children harboring the disease will pass it on to hundreds of people before anyone knows they are ill. Children must stay out of daycare or school until they are no longer infectious. Pneumonia, serious skin infection, brain damage, and other problems can complicate the disease. Non-immune women may give birth to infants who are at serious risk if they're exposed to chicken pox during infancy. Most people who get the shot will be protected, but some immunized people who get the shot will get a mild case of the disease.
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Wrong: All of the bacteria and viruses against which we immunize are still in the environment in the United States and abroad. Every year there are outbreaks and deaths among unimmunized children.
"My baby is small (or was born prematurely). He's too little to get the shots."
Wrong: These small, fragile babies are at the greatest risk if they acquire any of the diseases we immunize against. They need their shots right on time, not adjusted for their prematurity.
"I'm breastfeeding, so my baby's already protected."
Yes and No: Your breast milk does contain powerful infection-fighting proteins and cells. However, the level of specific protection is not high enough to keep your infant completely safe. He needs to build specific antibodies to those diseases he'll come up against.
"The vaccines don't work anyway you can still get the diseases."
No and Yes: The vaccines work very well 90 to 99 percent of the time. There's a small chance your baby will be among the few who aren't protected, but it's very tiny, particularly if he gets the whole series of a vaccine. For those who get the disease after being immunized, the illness is usually mild.
"These shots cause autism I heard it on TV."
Wrong: Autism appearance and some shots come at the same time. But after years and years of investigation, there is no scientific evidence that immunizations cause this disorder. Autism is caused by irregularities in very early (pre-birth) brain development.
What's the Downside?
Fever. We expect some fever with most of the shots it's a sign that the body is responding as we wish to the injection, building up immunity. In general, the fever increases with each subsequent dose of a particular shot. When fever occurs after a shot, have your thermometer and the correct dose of acetaminophen ready. Call your health care provider if the fever gets high or lasts more than a day or two.
Local redness, bumps. The place where your child gets the shot will be a little tender and may develop a small bump. This is another sign that the shot is working to spark the body's response. Acetaminophen or ibuprofen and a warm washcloth on the spot will ease any discomfort. Call your health care provider if the red area is bigger than a dime, produces any pus, or is still red after two to three days. Sometimes a little area of fat damage at the injection site can leave a small hard lump that lasts a month or two but will go away. It shouldn't be red or tender, however.
A rash. Sometimes the shot creates a mini-illness of the type we are immunizing against. The symptoms, which can develop up to two weeks after the shot, are very mild and usually cause little concern.
An allergic reaction. This is extremely rare but very serious. Sometimes kids are allergic to the components used in the vaccine and develop an allergic reaction. For example, children with egg allergies will have trouble with vaccines made from viruses originally grown on eggs. Symptoms of this allergic response may include a blotchy, red rash (hives), shortness of breath, wheezing, breathing difficulties, paleness, dizziness, or a fast heartbeat. These symptoms develop within minutes to hours after the shot. For that reason, most health care facilities have you wait a bit after the shot before leaving, and you should certainly return right away if these symptoms develop after you leave. If your family tends to have allergies, or if anyone in the family has had a reaction to shots, be sure to tell your health care provider before the shot is given. | <urn:uuid:af8820cd-cd22-4c03-8c72-edc207313067> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.pampers.com/your-baby-s-complete-immunization-schedule | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00059-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955438 | 4,096 | 3.09375 | 3 |
Cancer cells develop between the uterus and the cervical part leading to the vagina. This is called cervical cancer. Cervical cancer develops mainly due to an infection known as Human papillomavirus (HPV) when the cancer virus combination affects the cells in the cervical area causing mutations which leads to cervical intra epithelial neoplasia resulting in cervical cancer. Not all types of HPV cause cancers but a few may cause cervical cancer. This type of virus may spread by having sex with a person who carries it. This type of cancer may not show any complications for the first few years.
Symptoms of Cervical Cancer:
- Excessive vaginal bleeding
- Abnormal change in menstruation cycle
- Bleeding during sexual intercourse or insertion of diaphragm in cervical area
- Pain during sexual intercourse
- Anaemic due to excessive bleeding
- Experiencing pain in pelvic region, legs and back
- Abnormal discharge of mucus with bleeding
Because of excessive bleeding, chances of urinary problems occur due to the blockage of the urethra or kidney which causes continuous pain in the pelvic, legs or back regions. These symptoms cause weight loss and to some extreme cases, leaking of urine. | <urn:uuid:04247008-dbe7-4728-8139-fb7bca2f43bb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.desidieter.com/get-in-shape-2011/article/cervical-cancer.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00052-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.92872 | 248 | 3.234375 | 3 |
2/6/2013 2:15 PM ET|
'Boomerang' kids: Moving out again
If you’re a young adult striking out on your own again, these tips can help prepare you for your new life away from the folks’ house.
The boomerang generation is throwing itself back out of the nest.
Until recently, a bad economy had been squashing the rate at which Americans set up new households. The so-called household formation rate fell by more than half, with just 650,000 new households annually between 2008 and 2011, compared with an average of 1.5 million a year between 1997 and 2007. Lousy job prospects meant fewer young people leaving home to strike out on their own.
That trend reversed last year, with nearly 950,000 new households formed, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The number had been on track to top 1 million, but the economy slowed unexpectedly in the fourth quarter. Still, economists for Goldman Sachs predict 1.2 million new households in 2013 and 1.3 million annually in 2014 through 2016.
If you're one of those about to launch, or you're a parent sending your kid out the door, here's what you need to know to have a successful transition:
Figure out what you can afford. Pile up too many obligations, and you'll wind up back in Mom and Dad's basement. Be conservative about the rent and loan payments you take on.
Here's one method that may help: Look at the gross income you earned on your last paycheck and subtract the taxes you paid (including federal and state withholding and FICA, which covers Social Security and Medicare). Multiply that after-tax figure by the number of paychecks you get in a year, and divide that sum by 12 to get your monthly after-tax income.
Now divide that figure in half. You don't want to spend more than about 50% of your after-tax income on essentials, such as rent, utilities, transportation, food, insurance and minimum loan payments. That will leave you enough money to have a little fun (30%) while still being able to save and pay down debt (20%).
Keep track of your finances. Forget to take out the trash and Mom gets cranky. Forget to pay a bill, and it's your credit that will be trash. Mark due dates on your calendar, and consider using an online aggregator such as Mint.com to help you keep track of account balances, as well as due dates. Set up alerts with your financial companies so you're notified by text or email if your checking account is on fumes or your card balance creeps above the limit you set. Automatic payments are a great way to make sure you never forget a bill or pay a late fee.
Build those credit scores. If you're under 35, you're more likely to use debit cards or cash as your main payment method. Only 20% of people under 35 use credit cards for most purchases, according to a report by Auriemma Consulting Group. That compares with 29% of those ages 35 to 54 and 34% of those 55 and over. But eschewing credit cards entirely can prevent you from building good credit scores, which you will need in order to rent a decent apartment, get a car loan or land a mortgage someday. Don't believe the myth that you have to be in debt or carry a credit card balance to have good scores. You just need to have -- and use -- credit accounts.
Start saving for retirement. It's never too early to start, and pretty soon it will be too late. If you have a 401k or other workplace retirement plan, you should be contributing something to it -- at least enough to get any employer match, and ideally much more than that. If you don't have a plan at work, you can contribute up to $5,500 a year to a tax-deductible IRA.
Boost your emergency fund. In an ideal world, you'd have at least three months' worth of expenses saved before you leave your parents' house. Saving that much can take a couple of years, though. But you needn't delay your departure. A few hundred dollars initially is all you need to keep most minor setbacks from sending you back home.
Get the right insurance. You need health insurance to protect you from catastrophic medical bills if you get sick or injured. If your employer doesn't offer coverage and you're under 26, you can still be included on your folks' plan, even if you don't live at home. You also should get renters and disability insurance if you can. Finally, consider buying more than the minimum liability coverage if you have auto insurance. Now that you have a job, you have something to lose, and boosting the coverage to $100,000 shouldn't be prohibitively expensive.
Say thank you. Maybe this isn't strictly required, but it would be nice to take your parents out for a good meal as a thank-you for putting you up (and putting up with you) while you got on your financial feet. May it be the last time you need their help.
Join the conversation and send in your financial questions on my Facebook fan page.
Liz Weston is the Web's most-read personal-finance writer. She is the author of several books, most recently "The 10 Commandments of Money: Survive and Thrive in the New Economy" (find it on Bing). Weston's award-winning columns appear every Monday and Thursday, exclusively on MSN Money. Join the conversation and send in your financial questions on Liz Weston's Facebook fan page.
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RESOURCES for EMPLOYERS
Become a MomsRising Business Member
It's free! MomsRising Business Members support our efforts to strengthen families and assist employers in creating open flexible workplaces. Click here to learn more about the program.
Tips & Tools: What are Flexible Work Arrangements?
Offering flexible work options helps the corporate bottom line by increasing employee productivity and retention, and thus saving costs. It's a win-win--for both parents and businesses.
- Definitions and examples of flexible work arrangements, from Workplace Flexibility 2010.
- The Flex–Options Guide from Women Entrepreneurs, Inc.
- Why is workplace flexibility good for you and your employees? What is the business imperative for workplace flexibility?
- The Top Ten Reasons for Workplace Flexibility, by Ellen Galinsky of the Families and Work Institute, for compelling arguments and a touch of humor.
- Workplace flexibility helps meet families’ needs, a document from Workplace Flexibility 2010.
- Workplace flexibility promotes children’s well-being, a document from Workplace Flexibility 2010.
- Two documents by Jodie Levin-Epstein: A short article in The American Prospect, The Business Case for Employment that Values Fairness and Families; and longer study, Getting Punched: The Job and Family Clock (It's Time for Flexible Work for Workers of All Ages).
- The Business Impacts of Flexibility—An Imperative for Expansion, A report by Corporate Voices for Working Families.
Need help getting started? Take a look at these model practices, case studies, and tools and templates:
- Flex-Options Guide from Women Entrepreneurs, Inc.
Lower Wage Workers Need Flexibility too! These reports describe why:
- One sick child away from being fired: When “opting out” is not an option, by Joan Williams.
- Flexibility for Lower Wage Workers, by Corporate Voices for Working Families.
How Businesses can Provide a Family Responsive Workplace to Lower Wage Workers: Model Programs and Policies:
- Increasing the Visibility of the Invisible workforce: Model Programs and Policies for Hourly and Lower Wage Employees, by The Center for Work and Family, Boston College.
- The Ins and Outs of Homesourcing, a Business Week article about allowing employees to work from home.
Need information about retaining highly talented women and highly skilled parents?
- What are the best practices for retaining highly skilled parents? This report from The Flexibility Alliance describes them.
- Find solutions to the problems that keep women out of the workplace. This report by Sylvia Ann Hewlett and Carolyn Buck Luce includes Off-Ramps and On-Ramps: Keeping Talented Women on the Road to Success.
- Learn about workplace programs that enable new parents to return to their jobs with their babies for the first several months of life and to care for their children while working. Babies in the Workplace provides extensive implementation information and details benefits for families, businesses, and society. | <urn:uuid:972442f3-5629-4937-936c-e98899bb7dab> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.momsrising.org/page/moms/employerresources | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00060-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.904135 | 627 | 1.945313 | 2 |
Athletic Eligibility and Students with Disabilities - Guidance on applying the State rule on athletic eligibility for students receiving special education.
At-Risk or Alternative Education and Special Education - Eligible individuals may participate in at-Risk or alternative education schools, programs, or services.
Collaborative Teaching Guidance (2006-12-07)
Distinguishing Schools vs Programs - Guidance for districts about the rules/ramifications surrounding if locations are a school or a program.
Early Intervening Services Guidance Memo (August 2010) - Memo on permissible uses of 15% of Part B funds for coordinated early intervening services in general education.
Eligibility Determinations Without AEA Staff - Explains the Law's requirement that AEA staff be a part of any decision that a child is eligible for special education.
Grades, Diplomas, and Transcripts for Students with Disabilites (2006-09-20) - This document was released for review, as a Field Edition in August of 1998. A wide variety of people, ranging from teachers and administrators to parents and administrative law judges, carefully critiqued the document. After concerns and suggestions were received from this diverse group, all comments were individually considered and many of them are reflected in the final document titled Grades, Diplomas, and Transcripts for Students with Disabilities (March 1999) It is hoped that this document will answer many of your questions and that it will serve as a guide for you as you strive to meet the needs of students with disabilities.
Limitations on Filing CINA Petitions (2007-05-25) - Explains filing CINA Petitions to obtain Mental Health or other services for children with disabilities and when this practice is permissible and when it is not.
Multiple Measures In Eligibility Requirement - Explains how special education eligibility determinations based on single factors are improper.
Nonpublic Schools and Special Education Services
- Special Education and Nonpublic Schools Guidance - Answers questions about serving students with disabilities who attend accredited nonpublic schools.
- ICN Follow-up Questions - Questions received and answers given during an ICN session in 2010 regarding special education in nonpublic schools.
Placement of Students Ages 3-21 with Disabilities Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) - Guidance for teams making placement decisions for children with disabilities. It answers ten key questions about placement decisions, with supporting references from state and federal law.
Revocation of Consent for Continued Special Education Services - Addresses commonly asked questions that arise when a parent revokes consent for a child's continued special education services.
Revocation of Consent for Continued Special Education Services When Parents Disagree - Explains when one parent requests that special education services be ended, special education services must end, even when the other parent wants services to continue. Also provides guidance about how to determine whether a parent has sole power to make educational decisions.
Special Education Services in Difficult Budgetary Times - Explains when it is and is not permissible to consider cost or cost savings when deciding programs for eligible individuals.
Transporting Students with Special Needs - The Department is currently updating the document. Please check back in August of 2013.
Use of Special Education Funds
- Use of Special Education Funds, Questions and Answers - Answers commonly asked questions about permissible uses of special education funds under state and federal law, including permissible and impermissible examples.
- Use of Special Education Funds, Explanatory Charts - Charts illustrate and explain the use-of-funds concepts contained in "Use of Special Education Funds, Questions and Answers" document above.
Withdrawal from Special Education and Section 504 - Clarifies that parents who withdraw their children from special education are not entitled to demand Section 504 Plans. | <urn:uuid:a66c2043-293f-47d9-9c70-9a573143a756> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://educateiowa.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1284&Itemid=3930 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00028-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.931556 | 777 | 2.5 | 2 |
Innovation – the successful exploitation of new ideas – incorporating new technologies, design and best practices is the key that enables businesses to compete effectively in the global environment.
The challenge for companies is to bring to the market integrated packages comprising of new, improved products and value added services that cater to different requirements of the business. Advances in technology, communications and networking capabilities today offer organisations almost unlimited opportunities to create business advantage by conducting business anywhere, anytime, using multiple types of devices and communications. Organisations have the potential to create and support innovative new business models—from advanced collaboration environments to customer self-service to mobile workforce support.
Taking a leap forward from last year, INFOCOM, now in its seventh year, will celebrate the spirit of Information Technology that is surging through the world. The event will continue its drive in showcasing the immense potential waiting to be explored in India by hosting the largest gathering of industry professionals, users and key policymakers who will come together to define India’s role as a global ICT player and carry the agenda of INFOCOM forward. Thought leaders, Visionaries and Innovators will converge to discuss the importance of innovation to bring integration in order to stand out in the ever changing world of ICT. | <urn:uuid:8a067597-6791-4bce-8e6b-402d285fec77> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.indiainfocom.com/2009/conference/overview.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00035-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.920819 | 250 | 1.507813 | 2 |
The recent death-in-custody of a Pakistani citizen, Robert Fanish Masih, has once again challenged all notions of human decency and demands our attention, our indignation, and indeed our anger. It reminds us – yet again, and as if more reminder was needed – of the inhumanity of the situation that this law places us in. A bold call has come from the Punjab Governor to repeal the law. It is well past time to do so. But there are others, including our Federal Minister for Religious Affairs, who continue to waver with excuses. But this is only one more incident in what has become a nearly routinized parade of inhumanity in the name of blasphemy laws.
Incidences of violence and abuse in the name of blasphemy have increased perceptibly. So must the indignation in society and so must the calls by all honorable people for its repeal. Two editorials today, in the Daily Times and in Dawn, make exactly that point. And they are exactly right.
Here is the editorial from the Daily Times. It is worth reading in full, and especially the last paragraph.
In the aftermath of the death-in-custody of the blasphemy-accused Fanish Masih in Sialkot, the Governor of Punjab, Mr Salmaan Taseer, has courageously called for the repeal of the infamous law targeting the minorities in general and the Christian community in particular. He was echoing the demand being made by protesters in Lahore reacting to the cruel thrashing Christian protesters were given by the police in Sialkot.
Fanish Masih was found dead in his cell. The police say he committed suicide, but the question for all of us to consider is that Masih was kept in solitary confinement even after the police knew prima facie that the charge against him was concocted. Also, there was confusion all around springing from a conflation of blasphemy with desecration of the Holy Quran. Masih himself must have been sure that he was in a trap where his death was certain.
The sheer negative jurisprudence of the Blasphemy Law shocks the rational person and instils despair in the accused. Yet, the Pakistani mind is divided over details that are accepted by all as shameful to the pride of the nation, equating Pakistanis with backward Nigeria where blasphemy laws have killed hundreds so far, tragically, in imitation of Pakistan. The irrationality of the public attitude came to the fore when the federal minister for religious affairs, Allama Hamid Kazmi, was asked to react to Governor Taseer’s call for the repeal of the law.
Mr Kazmi was grieved by the Sialkot violence against unprotected Christians but was determined to defend the Blasphemy Law. His case was of a piece with the one made by the conservative Urdu press and the clergy. He assumed that blasphemy occurred in Pakistan and that no Muslim could collude with it by removing the deterrence of law. But the facts were ignored by him. The truth is that there is no blasphemy proved in Pakistan so far, except in the lower courts where mobs carrying weapons force the judge to hand down death.
Any society free of extremism would grasp this fact. Why should a law be enforced in a society where no one can actually blaspheme? And what does it mean that after the promulgation of the law, blasphemy actually raises its ugly head? Hundreds of cases have gone up from the grassroots courts to the higher judiciary where the accused has been let off, except for cases such as the one regarding a woman of unsettled mind who is being recommended for mental asylum after a lifetime in jail.
In May this year, 500 clerics stormed a court in Lahore’s Mustafabad when a judge bailed out Munir Masih and his wife for keeping a Holy Quran in their home. The victims insisted they had kept it for spiritual protection and out of devotion; but the accusation was that they were unclean as a community and therefore the Holy Quran was defiled. Later the charge was changed from desecration to blasphemy, after which the court was assaulted.
In April this year, the Supreme Court rejected an appeal against a Federal Shariat Court ruling that death is the only punishment under Islamic law for blasphemy. This is what the victim knows when he is framed and put in solitary confinement in jail: he is going to die either sentenced by a scared sessions judge or killed by the police during the remand.
The Council for Islamic Ideology recommended in 2006 that blasphemy cases be registered with the High Court and that high officials free of local blackmail be appointed as investigators, but nothing has happened. Both the mainstream parties want the law repealed. Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani in his memoir complains that Nawaz Sharif as prime minister wanted to change the Blasphemy Law but Ms. Bhutto did not help him in parliament. Later Ms Bhutto returned to power in 1993 and wanted to change the law but this time Nawaz Sharif did not help.
The PPP and the PMLN are busy fighting their other less worthy battles in parliament, but if they had the wellbeing of the country at heart they could have joined hands to repeal the Blasphemy Law and then faced up to the extremist backlash just as the country is finally confronting the terrorism of the Taliban. There is no other way to tell the killers of our Christian community that they have to stop this horrible pastime.
The Dawn editorial picks up exactly the point made in the last paragraph above and asks why no one is looking at the real issues that we face – frankly, that includes the media (which is preoccupied with Meera’s marital status, Gen. Musharraf’s trails, Zardaris escapades, and the cat and mouse games of the political parties) and political pundits (who can always pontificate on global political conspiracies and grand geopolitical strategy but choose to remain silent on our own inhumanity to our own citizens.
Dawn’s editorial, too, is worth reading in full. And thinking about:
PEOPLE are dying queuing for grain in Pakistan. This is a country where food inflation is forcing parents to pull their children out of school – they can eat sparsely or be educated, not both. Lives are being lost to ailments that are easily curable. Street crime is rampant across a country where human life is worth less than a cellphone. Yet our political leaders appear oblivious to the misery that is everywhere. They seem to have no perspective, no grip on reality. Does a man who can’t feed his children really care whether or not Pervez Musharraf is tried for treason? Is a mother whose child has died of gastroenteritis likely to give much thought to America’s military presence in the region? Will a jobless person be impressed by the president’s much-touted ‘achievements’ during his first year in office? Our leaders have clearly lost sight of the core issues.
This is a country where religious minorities are targeted by Muslim mobs while the law-enforcers look on. Deadly attacks against Christians, in particular, are on the rise in Punjab. As is usually the case in such incidents, the violence has been triggered by unproven allegations of blasphemy. Robert Fanish Masih, who had been arrested last Saturday on blasphemy charges after Muslims went on the rampage in village Jaithikey near Sialkot, was found dead in his cell on Tuesday. The next day his family and community members, who had all been forced to flee Jaithikey, were prevented from burying him in their native village. And this heartless, inhumane act wasn’t the work of Muslim vigilantes alone. The local police also told the mourners to turn back, on the grounds that their presence could fan violence. In short the victims were punished, not the aggressors.
The Punjab government needs to take urgent steps to protect minorities in the province for the situation there is deteriorating. Its stance on minority rights will be gauged by its response. The centre, meanwhile, should start working towards the repeal of the blasphemy laws. For too long they have been used to settle personal scores, grab land – and to kill. These draconian laws must be struck off the books.
One does not have much confidence that our own words, or the words of these editorials, will make much of a difference. But following Faiz Ahmed Faiz, speak we must. Even if that is all we do. It is true that words alone can never bring change. But all change, always starts with words. | <urn:uuid:3841d78d-9146-47ae-9a8f-f154a91d973d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://pakistaniat.com/2009/09/18/blasphemy-law/?cp=7 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976085 | 1,785 | 1.75 | 2 |
What is the purpose of rear wheels on a vehicle ? Are they useless, yes will be my answer because what i am sharing with you today is another conceptual jet car which efficiently reduces the rear wheels space of the car from the road acquiring less space on the road.
Designed by Samir Sadikhov forwarded the concept of Bridgestone Falcon Car which does not have rear wheels, looks amazing ? The vehicle gives the touch of rocket more than a car. The rear wheels of the car is replaced by jet turbines. The vehicle grips the road through its front vehicle dual wheels when it switches to city environment which makes its easier for congested roads and parking.
Is this supposed to be your dream car ?
via Trend Hunter | <urn:uuid:f054b0aa-d719-4ae1-bc2b-228b1abe23a5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.itechgiz.com/2010/06/the-bridgestone-falcon-two-wheels-hybrid-jet-turbine-conceptual-vehicle | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00067-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970698 | 147 | 1.890625 | 2 |
A wireless technology is a technology in which cables or wires are not used for communication. Right from initial radio and TV broadcasting to modern mobile phone and Blue tooth technologies, are examples of wireless technologies. Many of these wireless technologies use electromagnetic waves for transmission.
The First communication satellite, Tel, start was launched in 1960s, which made it possible to communicate to any part of world without wires.
Following are the different wireless communication technologies available in the current scenario:
FM and AM Radio is the first to use wireless technology commercially. This brings wireless technology to the common man.
After the introduction of radio, television is considered to be the next advanced wireless technology. This brings wireless technology even closer.
Mobile technology such as GSM and CDMA made a revolution on communication and it uses time division, frequency division and code division multiplexing. These are the latest example of wireless technologies.
Latest and greatest technology which uses wireless system is Global positioning system – radio waves are used for this. By this technology one can know the location of any moving object.
This technology only works on high frequency radio signals. WiFi operates on several hundreds feet between two places of data transmission. WiFi is divided in to three parts viz., infrastructure mode, ad hoc network and mixed network.
It is a type of low cost, ultra low power wireless technology which is used for different purposes.
Bluetooth technology is an important form of wireless technology, that is used to transmit the data from one device to another device with the help of mobile phone technology.
Infra red technology:
These infra red rays are used to treat cancer in the medical field by transmitting these rays in to body of the patient. Many other electronic items also use infrared technology.
It is the type of the wireless networking technology that transmits the information in the form of microwaves.
The above mentioned technologies are the various forms of wireless technology. | <urn:uuid:361c33cc-7f30-4507-8b90-9067c66fadba> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://top100opinions.com/2011/04/different-wireless-technologies/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9094 | 387 | 3.265625 | 3 |
Published on SikhNet (http://www.sikhnet.com)
Sarkozy welcomes Sikhs sans turbans
Daily News News EU
French President Nicolas Sarkozy, at the concluding press conference of the European Union/India Summit in Marseille, France, stood next to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, a Sikh wearing a light blue turban, as he answered this reporter's (Tejinder Singh) question about the wearing of turbans by Sikhs in France. Regarding the required Sikh head covering, an integral part of their religious identity, Sarkozy, replied curtly, "Sir, we respect Sikhs. We respect their customs, their traditions. They are most welcome to France."
Visibly irritated, Sarkozy continued, "But sir, we have rules, rules concerning the neutrality of civil servants, rules concerning secularism, and these rules don't apply only to Sikhs, they apply to Muslims or others. They apply to all on the territory of the French Republic."
The practice by Sikhs of allowing one's hair to grow naturally is a symbol of respect, the most important of the five outward symbols required of all Sikhs, and the turban is worn to cover the uncut hair. Sarkozy explained that the banning of turbans is not discrimination, that, "These rules apply to everybody, to everybody with no exception. There is no discrimination whatsoever."
Making it clear to the Sikh community in France that they have no option other than to conform to the rules, [Mai here: Not so. The Sikhs in France have at least two options. They can pick up their marbles and leave, as did my sixth brother, a long-time resident of la belle France. Or they can stay and fight this horrible law in various ways, ranging from fighting for repeal to opening their own schools. But Sikhs just give up and accept this? I don't think so. Evidently, Pres. Sarkozy has never heard of chardi kala.] Sarkozy made the paradoxical statement, "We respect their traditions and their customs and we are convinced that they too respect the laws, traditions and customs of the French Republic."
Discrimination begins early in France
In 2004, three Sikh boys, Jasvir Singh, Bikramjit Singh and Ranjit Singh, were expelled from French schools for wearing turbans. These students were the first victims of the ban instituted which prohibits Sikh students from covering their hair at school, a decision that has prompted world-wide protest from the Sikh community.
Commenting on the discrimination and its impact on children, Mejindarpal Kaur, the Director of United Sikhs, a worldwide Sikh organisation, stated in a press release that a preliminary survey of Sikh children affected by the French law found that 84 percent of the students interviewed were prevented from wearing head coverings to school. The survey also revealed that students had been expelled from French schools for refusing to remove their turbans, and many more suffered from alienation by their peers.
Also in 2004, Shingara Singh Mann, a French Sikh, reported he was prohibited from renewing his driver's license after it was lost in a theft because he was wearing a turban to cover his uncut hair.
On December 5, 2005 the French High Court ruled in favour of Shingara Singh Mann, giving him the right to wear his turban for his driving license identity photo, overturning an earlier decision by the French Ministry of Transport. But within 24 hours of the court decision, the Ministry issued a circular expressly forbidding turbans to be worn in driver's license photographs.
Kudrat Singh, Director of United Sikhs in France, said, "This is an example of oppression and discrimination which has not been seen in France for decades, and calls into question whether one can be both Sikh and French." According to legal opinions, the ban is a violation of Article 9 of the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) which provides for right to freedom of religion.
MEP Gill urges EU action
Asked to comment, Neena Gill, a member of the European Parliament had said, "I am astounded by the level of discrimination that is in fact growing … it is not confined to France … it is in Belgium, in Germany and it really smacks against all these initiatives that the European Commission is constantly launching."
However, solutions aimed at nurturing "unity in diversity," the European Union's frequently appearing slogan, are already working in the United Kingdom, one of the member states of the European Union, and across the Atlantic in the United States.
Highlighting the integration and diversity that prevails across the English Channel, Gill, who was born in Punjab, India, said, "If you look at the United Kingdom, you can wear a turban not only in mainstream jobs but also in the police, the army, the air force or the navy. There is no restriction. In fact, the army has special days when they try and recruit people from the Sikh community and the Dastar (turban) is not a problem for them, so I really think we do need to raise awareness, especially from the European Commission in these particular years of Equality and Intercultural Dialogue. We have to target the resources at these issues to ensure that there is greater awareness across the EU in accepting people of different appearances."
US efforts to embrace Sikhs
Discriminatory incidents involving Sikhs increased dramatically as a consequence of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States. There were numerous cases of discriminatory attacks on Sikhs as they were misunderstood as allies of Osama bin Laden due to their appearance.
While the US is making the effort to remove misunderstanding and give Sikhs their legitimate place in society, in some member states of the European Union, comparable progress and acceptance has flowed in reverse.
US lawmaker speaks out
US Congressman Mike Honda (Democrat-California), who represents Silicon Valley and who is involved in this issue in his capacity as Chairman of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, told this correspondent, "I don't believe in sacrificing freedom in order to protect freedom. Turbans are part of the religious identity of Sikhs and we must strive to respect their freedom of religious expression. A balance can be struck between national security and religious liberties, but that balance can only be reached by consulting all the parties involved, in this case the Sikh community."
"It would be ironic that many Sikhs, who fled their homeland seeking religious freedom, would find that America curtailed their religious freedoms when they arrived upon our shores," Honda had added.
The root cause of the discrimination and a pragmatic solution to root it out was aptly summed up by Jennifer Handshew, a seasoned public relations professional in New York who had told this journalist, "I feel that ignorance and fear are the primary factors that fuel this discrimination and believe that education and awareness will help people better understand what the turban means to the Sikhs."
What Handshew and others suggest provide a succinct analysis and a solution, but for now, the door to a respectable life in France for Sikhs has been slammed shut by the French President Sarkozy, in the presence of Indian Premier Manmohan Singh, himself a member of the Sikh community.
Author: Tejinder Singh at the EU-India Summit in Marseille, France
30 September 2008 - Issue : 801
Copyright © 2008 SikhNet, All Rights Reserved
30 September 2008 | <urn:uuid:0f1e2ae6-6744-4994-8e03-5fbad46a4323> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://roadtokhalistan.blogspot.com/2008_09_30_archive.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00051-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973666 | 1,522 | 1.664063 | 2 |
Geographic Information Systems
A Geographical Information System (GIS) is used to analyse and query spatial data (such as population attributes) and is a tool to create maps.
Urban Edge Environmental Consulting uses GIS in the majority of our projects in order to better understand the potential effects of plans, strategies and projects on the human and natural environment. GIS analysis and maps help inform our work, as well as being essential for our clients and stakeholders - as the saying goes, 'a picture tells a thousand words'.
Our GIS projects have included the collection and representation of data across the whole of Scotland, for sub-regions such as the Black Country and South Hampshire, for individual cities, districts and boroughs, and for localised projects and site-specific zones in Environmental Impact Assessments.
We regularly create entire suites of maps for local authorities on a variety of topics as part of Green Infrastructure Strategies, Sustainability Appraisals and Strategic Environmental Assessments. In previous projects we have mapped environmental considerations, flood zones, population and deprivation characteristics, health services, wildlife corridors, open space, proposed developments and transport links. For research projects, we have digitised and analysed post code, origin, species territory, and route data for a variety of spatial analyses.
GIS has been instrumental in the assessment of our recreational and visitor surveys, and for creating detailed surface maps of air pollution levels around the Solent. We also use GIS to identify which protected environments may potentially be affected by proposals in development plans (e.g. as part of Environmental Impact Assessments or Habitats Regulations Assessments), as well as for mapping habitat types, target notes and territories in ecological surveys. | <urn:uuid:16d1e542-4660-4a5a-bc87-2d9bfa206ca7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ueec.co.uk/services/design/geographic-information-systems.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00041-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.914779 | 348 | 2.953125 | 3 |
I asked my colleagues at the Cleveland Clinic Breast Center what they perceive to be patients’ most common misconceptions about breast cancer diagnosis, treatment and care.
Combining our list, these six misconceptions rose to the top:
1. “If I have an annual mammogram, I don’t need to examine my breasts.”
It is important to understand that effective breast cancer screening includes both mammograms and self-breast awareness. A recent study published in the American Journal of Surgery, conducted over an eight-year period, looked at 1,222 patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer. It found that 13 percent of these patients had a normal mammogram within the 12 months prior to their diagnosis of breast cancer. Knowing your breasts can play a critical role in the early detection of breast cancer, even when a woman has annual screening mammograms.
2. “I feel something in my breast, but my mammogram and/or ultrasound were normal. I’m sure I’m okay.”
Feeling a lump, nodule or anything of concern should always prompt consultation with your doctor. Palpable areas often turn out to be normal breast tissue, but they could also be cancerous even though a woman has recently had a normal mammogram and/or ultrasound. For this reason, it is best to have a health professional perform a breast exam on you and consider both the imaging and “feeling” characteristics to determine if further treatment is needed.
3. “I don’t need annual mammograms – I need MRIs.”
Many national health groups, including the American Cancer Society, have endorsed screening breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as useful adjunct (not substitute) for women with a 20 percent or greater lifetime risk of developing breast cancer. However, MRI has a significant false positive rate. These same groups have explicitly recommended against annual MRI screenings because the average American woman has only a 1 in 8 (12.5 percent) lifetime risk of developing breast cancer. If you are concerned because your personal and family history puts you at greater risk for breast cancer, you should talk with your doctor about breast MRI.
4. “I shouldn’t have a yearly mammogram because the radiation dosage is too high.”
There is no scientific evidence that associates annual mammograms beginning at age 40 with an increased risk from radiation. The effective dosage received from a routine screening mammogram is similar to the amount of background radiation exposure that a woman normally receives from sources in her environment over a three-month period.
5. “Thermography is an effective substitute for a mammogram.”
Thermography is the making of images of the breasts’ radiant infrared energy for the purpose of detecting cancer. In a June 2011 report, the Food and Drug Administration released its views on thermography. This report said the FDA “was not aware of any valid scientific data to show that thermographic devices, when used on their own, are an effective screening tool for any medical conditions, including the early detection of breast cancer or other breast disease” and that it was “concerned that women will….not receive needed mammograms” if they relied solely on thermography.
6. “I should have the same breast cancer treatment my friend had.”
This is a misconception I encounter almost daily in my practice and the one I dislike the most. Since breast cancer consists of a wide range of diseases, there are many different treatment options. Moreover, there have been many advances in treatment over the past 20 years. What was the standard of care even a few years ago may be obsolete today. It is important for a woman to select a healthcare provider who provides evidence-based treatment options and takes time to explain the risks and benefits of each in order to help her understand the best choice for her particular disease and body.
As some of the most common misconceptions, I hope this helps you stay informed. Knowing the facts can help safeguard your health.
How to Do a Great Self-Breast Exam
Myth Busting: BRCA Genes and Breast Cancer
A Personal Story of Personalized Cancer Care
Breast Cancer: A Serious Risk for Men Too
Preventive Care: A Checklist for Women
Video: Beyond the Mammogram
A Vaccine for Breast Cancer
Don’t Buy Into Myths About Women’s Health
Buy a Bagel, Help Beat Cancer
Get Moving to Reduce Your Cancer Risk
Attend a live health chat
Breast Cancer: Prevention, Treatment and Survivorship
October 17, Noon
Ask our oncology nurses
We are here to help you get the cancer information you need. Please contact Cleveland Clinic Cancer Answer Line at 866.223.8100. Two oncology Advanced Practice Nurses (APNs) and their staff provide information and answer questions about cancer. The Cancer Answer Line operates from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday – Friday. You don’t need to be a Cleveland Clinic patient to use this service. | <urn:uuid:07156b43-bdb0-4a2a-b315-3cdc22525b48> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://health.clevelandclinic.org/2012/10/6-misconceptions-about-breast-cancer/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943787 | 1,047 | 2.375 | 2 |
From the Dec. 2009 Issue
Professionals who manage corporate accounting and tax compliance know the intricacies of depreciation. And while individual filers may have need for asset depreciation and business expense calculations for their Schedule C businesses, their asset bases are generally very small and change infrequently, making easy work of managing them. But more formal businesses, especially as they grow, increasingly find themselves in more difficult territory as they acquire more business assets and encounter different disposal needs multiple times throughout the year.
While there are, no doubt, many professionals out there who have become experts at managing asset depreciation using Excel spreadsheets, you may want to ask yourself, “Is this really what you got into the profession to do?” Once upon a time, asset management wasn’t very complex: Simple straight-line depreciation was easy to handle. But over the past 20 or so years, depreciation methods have grown increasingly challenging, with the need to maintain multiple books per asset, sometimes as many as six or more, when you consider available methods for federal tax, GAAP, AMT, ACE, E&P and individual states.
While these additional methods can prove beneficial to companies, for spreadsheet users, they result in increasingly complex spreadsheets that require more and more time. Combined with ever-changing laws and annual changes to bonus depreciation and Sec. 179 rules, trying to use Excel to manage client assets can snowball into hours spent tweaking calculations and macros; time that probably won’t be billed at full value or, at the least, could be better spent on the golf course.
Fixed assets are often the most substantial investments that businesses make, and their valuation and the tax benefits that come with prudent depreciation strategies is critical to developing sound financials, business planning, income taxation, and state and local property taxes. This is why effective asset management for companies with more than even 20 to 30 assets requires a system that includes all of the most recent legal changes, and that automatically makes computations as different treatments are applied. This enables users to quickly see which available methods are the most beneficial to the business in the short and long term, with the ability to see the effects of those elections and make projections over multiple years. The asset management programs in this review all offer variations on these features, with some essentially working as extensions of spreadsheet systems, while others offer much more powerful database structures.
But in addition to easing the processes of depreciation calculations, many of today’s asset management systems also offer a wide range of other tools that can be valuable to either a public accountant offering services to multiple clients or to businesses that manage their asset accounting in-house. While most people may instinctively think of financials and taxes when they think of the word accounting, the heart of the word also encompasses the important concept of accountability. This means not just determining what an asset’s book value is, but also having answers to the following questions: Where is it? What shape is it in? And who has it?
For companies with growing asset bases, especially across multiple departments or geographical locations, these questions can be nearly impossible for an internal bookkeeper or staff accountant to answer. Fortunately, many asset management programs now extend their capabilities to the related tasks of tracking assets, including some that offer barcode scanning or RFID functions that greatly speed asset inventories. These tools can also help unify often differing asset knowledge from across an organization, bringing together all factors that can affect the utility of an asset, from maintenance and lifespan, to removing the property tax liabilities of ghost assets. | <urn:uuid:5f1bb2d5-af02-46f2-9bf8-5f17438e6973> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cpapracticeadvisor.com/article/10268105/2009-review-of-fixed-asset-management-programs | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00046-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957054 | 720 | 1.617188 | 2 |
News Date: Thursday 16th March 2006
Tim calls for action to address health problems effecting Asian community
East Worthing and Shoreham MP Tim Loughton has attended the Parliamentary launch of a high profile initiative by South Warwickshire PCT to raise awareness of the growing incidence of cardiovascular disease and diabetes within the UK Asian population in the hope that Adur and East Worthing will be able to learn from their approach.
In the light of research showing that UK Asians have a higher chance of developing diabetes and heart disease, South Warwickshire PCT has developed a DVD for healthcare professionals and the community. The DVD includes guidance and practical information on how small changes to diet and lifestyle can have a big impact on health.
"Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease remain two of the leading causes of premature death for all UK adults and the available data suggests that British men and women whose families originate in the Indian sub-continent are even more at risk than their European counterparts. For example, they are approximately 50% higher risk of coronary heart disease, with 20% diagnosed with type 2 diabetes compared to 3% of the general population.
"I hope that the rest of the South East region follows Warwickshire's lead and targets those suffering from high blood pressure and untreated diabetes. If people are encouraged to exercise more and eat healthily then the number of people at risk of dying or developing health complications from heart disease and obesity will fall dramatically."
Note to Editors:
1) The Healthy Living DVD has been developed with the aid of an unrestricted educational grant from sanofi-aventis. Copies of the DVD are available by calling 01737 815361 between 8am and 8pm, Monday to Friday. Calls will be charged at standard call rates.
Tim Loughton MP , 2006 | <urn:uuid:efed2417-5c21-4890-a6cc-0308cec11d55> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.timloughton.com/news/news2006-03-16.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943516 | 370 | 1.742188 | 2 |
Egyptian Greco-Roman figure of harpocrates, 100 BC
browse these categories for related items...
All Items: Antiques:Regional Art:Ancient World:Greek:Sculpture: Pre AD 1000: item # 1166398
Aweidah Gallery - Jerusalem based gallery
P.O.Box 51067 - Jerusalem, ISRAEL
This is a wonderful opportunity to own an affordable, authentic piece of ancient art that represents a fusion of three of the greatest cultures in history
Ancient Egyptian “Gerco-Roman” hollow terracotta figure of harpocrates “God of Secrecy and silence” Harpocrates is shown seated with his right forefinger to his lips
Dated from, 100 BC – 100 AD
This gesture was misconstrued by the Greek and Roman conquerors as an exhortation of silence and consequently adopted Harpocrates as the God of secrecy and silence
Measurements: Height: 13.5 – Width: 9 cm – Height on stand: 15.5 cm
Condition: Un-touched as found, not repaired and not restored
Mounted on a plexi-glass “Lucite” display stand of high quality
ALL ITEMS THAT WE OFFER FOR SALE COME WITH A CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY
Harpocrates is the Greek name given to this particular representation of Horus meaning "Horus the Child". Though the deity took many forms in Ancient Egypt, Horus the Child was one of the most popular representations that survived through the Greco-Roman Period. He was considered to be the son of Isis and Osiris, tasking his father's place on earth after avenging his death through numerous battles with Seth, the god of Chaos.
In late Greek mythology as developed in Ptolemaic Alexandria, Harpocrates (Ancient Greek: is the god of silence. Harpocrates was adapted by the Greeks from the Egyptian child god Horus. To the ancient Egyptians, Horus represented the newborn Sun, rising each day at dawn. When the Greeks conquered Egypt under Alexander the Great, they transformed the Egyptian Horus into their Hellenistic god known as Harpocrates, a rendering from Egyptian Har- pa -khered or Heru- pa- khered (meaning "Horus the Child"). | <urn:uuid:79c2491f-28af-4ecc-8726-9a91d3e761cb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.aweidah-gallery.com/items/1166398/item1166398store.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.911588 | 477 | 3.25 | 3 |
I do my own taxes. They are not that complicated and the tax forms and instructions provided by the IRS are pretty clear and straightforward.
Basically, the system for most individuals is that you add up all your income to get your gross income, then subtract all the allowable deductions (personal and dependent deductions, state and local taxes, home mortgage interest, IRA and charitable contributions, etc.) and you are left with what is known as your taxable income. At the very least, a single person in 2008 would be able to claim the standard deduction of $5,450 and one personal exemption of $3,500, meaning that their taxable income would be $8,950 less than their gross income. If they put away another $5,000 in an IRA savings account, their taxable income gets further lowered by that amount and they pay even less in taxes.
In 2008, for a single person, the tax is computed as follows (see page 80):
On the amount of your taxable income that is $8,025 or less, you pay 10% of the amount.
On the amount over $8,025 and less than or equal to $32,550, you pay 15%
On the amount over $32,550 and less than or equal to $78,850, you pay 25%
On the amount over $78,850 and less than or equal to $164,550, you pay 28%
On the amount over $164,550 and less than or equal to $357,700, you pay 33%
On the amount over $357,700, you pay 35%
The size of each income tax bracket is adjusted each year for inflation.
This is what is meant by a progressive tax code, that the percentage of income that is taxed goes up the higher the bracket in which your top income level is. Your marginal tax rate is the percentage that is taxed on that portion of your income in the highest bracket. So the marginal rate for someone earning $50,000 is 25% (meaning that the portion of income over $32,550 is taxed at 25%), while for someone earning $250,000 it is 33%.
Because of this progressive structure, the actual percentage of your gross income that goes as taxes is much less than your marginal rate. For example, a single person who earns a gross income of $50,000 pays less than 11% of their gross income in taxes, even though their marginal rate is 25%, while a single person who earns a gross income $100,000 pays only about 18% of their gross income in taxes (assuming they take the standard and personal and IRA deductions) although their marginal rate is 28%. So when people say that they are ‘in the 25% tax bracket’, they are merely talking about their marginal tax rate, not the effective rate at which their entire income is taxed.
This is an important distinction between marginal and effective rates that some anti-tax advocates like to blur, by suggesting that small increases in marginal rates are a disincentive to earning, and that it makes good economic sense to limit your earnings so that you stay at a lower marginal rate. It is never the case that, by raising your taxable income so that you move into the next higher marginal tax rate, you will lower your after-tax income.
If you were earning $78,850 dollars (and thus your marginal rate was 25%), and by doing a little extra work you earned $1 more and that pushed you into the 28% marginal rate, only that last dollar would be taxed at the 28% rate, with all the other income unaffected. Your take home income would still increase by 72 cents. If you earn more, you get to keep more.
So-called ‘flat tax’ proposals, in which all income is taxed at the same rate, is regressive. The so-called ‘payroll taxes’ such as Social Security and Medicare are regressive taxes since they are flat taxes of 6.2% and 1.45% respectively on all income. In fact, the former is extremely regressive since that tax is not levied on income over an upper limit that is adjusted for inflation (and is $102,000 for 2008), which means that the more you earn over that limit, the lower the percentage of your income that you pay as tax.
The reason that a progressive tax structure is fairer is that poorer people pay a far greater proportion of their total income for basic necessities like food, clothing, shelter, and health care while the rich have far more disposable income to spend on luxuries. You do not want to heavily tax that portion of the income that goes to meet basic needs, hence the lower rate on the lower brackets.
When George W. Bush came into office in 2000, there were five income tax brackets:
On the amount of your taxable income that was $26,250 or less, you paid 15% of the amount.
On the amount over $26,250 and less than or equal to $63,550, you paid 28%
On the amount over $63,550 and less than or equal to $132,600, you paid 31%
On the amount over $132,600and less than or equal to $288,350, you paid 36%
On the amount over $288,350, you paid 39.6%
Even though these taxes were much lower than most years since 1933 (In 1945, the top marginal rate reached a peak of 94%), Bush and the Republicans pushed relentlessly for even lower tax rates, especially the top marginal rates that affected the very wealthy. By 2003, there were six income tax brackets (as now) but the rates for each bracket were reduced to 10%, 15%, 27%, 30%, 35%, and 38%.
Bush and the Republicans pushed for the even lower rates, which resulted in the current situation. All of these cuts largely benefited the wealthy since it lowered their top rates by more. In other words, they made the tax code more regressive. As a result of these tax cuts, a single person in 2008 earning a gross income of $50,000 saw a drop in their taxes of about $1,300 (compared with the 2000 rates) while someone earning $500,000 saw a drop of about $21,000. The loss in revenue due to the tax cuts that largely benefited the rich, coupled with the huge costs of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, has resulted in the budget surpluses of 1998-2001 becoming deficits from 2002 onwards.
These tax cuts were sold as a temporary measure, and to help passage a sunset provision was added that was due to go into effect at the end of 2010, causing the rates to revert to their 2000 values. But it was entirely predictable that when the time came for the sunset provision to kick in, the tax cut zealots would start misleadingly squealing that we were getting a tax hike, rather than the truth that we were ending something that was meant to be a temporary measure. And we see this happening now.
While I expected this kind of opposition to reverting to the 2000 rates, what took me by surprise was the sudden channeling by some people of their inner Ayn Rand and their plan to oppose the sunset provisions using a bizarre strategy based on, of all things, the plot of her novel Atlas Shrugged.
Next: Ayn Rand and ‘going Galt’.
POST SCRIPT: Civil liberties and internet censorship
Chris Hansen, senior national staff counsel for the ACLU, will be speaking at the Case Western Reserve University Law School Moot Court Room on Thursday, March 19th from 4:30-5:30 on the topic of “Civil Liberties and Internet Censorship.”
The event is free and open to the public. Call 216-472-2220 or go here for more details. | <urn:uuid:0cb40972-a870-4337-a495-7b7f6301d81d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://freethoughtblogs.com/singham/2009/03/18/phony-tax-arguments/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978371 | 1,613 | 2.65625 | 3 |
Nothing is known for certain about the life of William Langland, an obscure fourteenth-century cleric, but a tentative outline can be made from the supposedly autobiographical elements in the manuscrips of his poem. Born in about 1332 at Cleobury Mortimer in Shropshire, the son of a small Oxfordshire landholder, he was probably educated at the monastery of Great Malvern; he trained to be a priest but due to the death of his patrons he only took Minor Orders and was unable to advance in the Church. He wandered a good deal in England and was clearly familiar with London; he also lived for some while in a cottage on Cornhill with his wife Kit and his daughter Colette, making a meagre living by singing the Office of the Dead for wealthy patrons. Langland lived an unvonventional life, constantly writing verse, and was thought by some to be crazed. Tall and thin, he was nicknamed 'Long Will'. He died at the end of the century.
Find Books by William Langland | <urn:uuid:a3b5de97-8e20-44a9-b473-9f01e50ef1eb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.us.penguingroup.com/nf/Author/AuthorPage/0,,1000008284,00.html?sym=BIO | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00050-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.987202 | 214 | 2.328125 | 2 |
Shoes online exhibition
Accession number 1984.183.3
These diver’s lead boots are part of a diving suit that was used in the Liverpool docks before coming into the collection of Merseyside Maritime Museum.
The boots are made of leather and weighted with leadened soles, which along with chest and back weights in the rest of the suit took the diver down to the required depth.
The suit was manufactured by Siebe Gorman Ltd. This British company, established in the early 19th century, developed diving and breathing equipment.
The rest of the equipment in the suit comprised of a canvas diving suit with rubber collar and attached mitts, breastplates, weights worn on the back and chest, and a helmet made of copper. Air would have been pumped from the surface through an air hose which is connected to the back of the helmet.
Back to the top | <urn:uuid:9102a6ef-bac2-48ba-97d4-e4868861fb5b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/online/exhibitions/shoes/maritime/divers_boots.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00060-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970654 | 182 | 2.65625 | 3 |
Why Physical Therapy?
The Facts of Life
If you read this, you are sitting down. Not surprising! In our era of prevailing sedentary life style we spend much more time seated down than we ever have in the past. Grassy playgrounds of the childhood are largely replaced by synthetic-green screens of computer games. In the virtual world the batter hits the ball with the flick of the wrist and dribbles the basketball with rapid movements of his thumbs. Players don’t need to get up the couch to toss the bowling ball for a strike, or serve an ace, or putt an eagle.
People have become entangled in the web of on-line social groups where they do not need to leave the room to find new friends or meet with the old ones. Actually you can, hardware permitting, maintain multiple independent face-to-face video-aided conversations from the comfort of your room, all at the same time.
Major museums offer virtual tours of their exhibits where one navigates the halls with a click of the mouse. It is possible to take a walk in the botanic garden or enjoy a gondola ride in the canals of Venice without moving a single major muscle.
In fact it is possible to have a very gratifying and fulfilling day with the most strenuous physical effort expended on the trip to the bathroom or to answer the door when the food is brought in.
It gets worse. The advancements in laptop technology allow users to perform all of the above without even as much as getting out of their beds.
The truth is we are gradually and irrevocably digressing from Homo erectus to Homo computicus. Daily physical activity has become the thing of the past as it is being replaced by prolonged sitting in front of the computer monitor and sporadic, if haphazard, gym activities, neither of which bears any benefit for our musculoskeletal system. Slouched position has been accepted as comfortable in our society. Even the furniture is designed to embrace our bent out of shape frames.
In contrast to human brain, which can easily adapt to virtual reality, human spine and musculoskeletal system is much less able to do so. Slumping for days at a time in the comfy contoured chair wreaks havoc to the delicate balance of postural alignment and destroys normal movement patterns that took millions of years for the evolution to develop.
In fact, people in their daily routines have been substituting the natural movement patterns with those that suffice to answer the demands of their computerized jobs and no less computerized leisure activities. How many people spend hours on the couch with their laptops? How many people have the slightest idea of what the proper ergonomic position at the desk might be?
The Pain is here
Postural alignment is a foundation of the healthy human movement. Healthy movement patterns are disrupted if postural alignment is continuously kept off line. Proliferation of the neck, middle back, shoulder, elbow and wrist painful syndrome complaints have reached endemic proportions throughout the civilized world. Dramatic increase in the number of prolonged seating-induced low back and the pelvic painful syndromes sends thousands of sufferers to seek professional help. Orthopedic surgeons are overwhelmed by the numbers and are presently fighting the losing battle in a war with musculoskeletal diseases.
This war can only be won if medical professionals realize that conventional surgical treatment methods can no longer help to quell the epidemic. The importance of conservative non-invasive cares as a first line of defense against poor posture and abnormal movement patterns must be established if any strategic success is to be gained.
The solution must come from both ends of the patient-doctor chain. The physicians and surgeons must accept the fact that their role is no longer primary in fighting musculoskeletal scourge and shift the emphasis to physical therapy specialists and chiropractors (the practitioners who address primarily movement faults and dysfunctions). They must acknowledge the obvious that it is easier to prevent development of wrong movement patterns than to treat herniated disk or to correct well-established thoracic scoliosis.
The patients on the other hand must be educated of the importance to see a physical therapist or a chiropractor on a regular basis, as they would go see a dentist. The treatment must be directed to identification and elimination of the faulty, repetitive movements, misalignments, poor posture and structural overuse before structural pathology reveals itself in a surge of debilitating pain. Only then the epidemic could be brought under control.
The secrets of posture and movement disorders are being scientifically explored and are understood on a much greater level then before. As a result new much more effective rational conservative therapies are developed.
The latest scientific consensus is that great majority of musculoskeletal complains can and must be treated conservatively. On the recent multidisciplinary world congress on back and pelvic pain only 10 percent of lecture time were allocated to surgical and other invasive interventions. Unique and innovative concepts with excellent research backup were presented.
Physical therapy based on passive therapeutic modalities is being phased out and can only be employed in a supportive role at best. Modern physical therapy based on active dynamic model is taking primary therapeutic role. If patients’ dysfunctions are timely addressed and patients are disciplined about their home exercises there would be rare need for the invasive procedures.
Dynamic Neuromuscular Rehabilitation
Dynamic Neuromuscular Rehabilitation is a multidisciplinary facility with the emphasis on physical therapy and rehabilitation of patients suffering from back pain, neuromuscular, orthopedic and sports-related disorders.
Our approach is based on the functional model and the dynamic fusion of manual medicine into physical therapy and rehabilitation.
Our experience with the DNS – a breakthrough scientific method we were the first clinic in NYC to embrace allows us to integrate this reflex neuromotor CNS-based physical therapy into the treatment of back pain, sports injuries and orthopedic disorders.
Dr. Karel Lewit (our mentor and the godfather of European school of manual medicine and rehabilitation) once said: Rehabilitation is time consuming and the time can not be wasted.” With that in mind we have created a thoughtful and rational approach combining the most unique rehabilitation methods with modern physical therapy. Our therapeutic method is based on integration of most scientifically proven, innovative approaches and techniques such as Dr. Shirley Sahrmanns MSI and the DNS by Dr. Pavel Kolar among others.
Our Physical Therapy Treatment
Our physical therapy treatment is based on meticulous clinical evaluation of movement dysfunction using most advanced and scientifically proven examination techniques.
Dr Kalika’s experience goes back to working under one of the world’s leading physicians in the field of physical therapy and rehabilitation Prof. Vladimir Janda of the renowned Czech School of Rehabilitation, which was heralded by the Spine magazine as the worlds leader in the field of physical therapy and rehabilitation of the 20th century.
Dr. Kalika’s proficiency in imaging with diagnostic ultrasound, his many years of experience working with leading European sports medicine and back care specialists, his knowledge in orthopedics and sports medicine allow him deeper understanding of medical diagnosis and its implications for the rehabilitation. This indeed is a rare occurrence among the practitioners in the fields of musculoskeletal medicine. Knowledge of medical diagnostics is rare among physical therapists and chiropractors, while the knowledge of functional medicine an understanding of movement is uncommon among medical doctors.
Our physical therapy facility uses the most technologically advanced rehabilitation equipment such as Alter-G (gravity reduced) treadmill, Spineforce, and Wave Vibration therapy. Our individualized approach and broad expertise in musculoskeletal dysfunctions has helped patients with variety of neuromuscular and orthopedic disorders. Among our patients are star Olympians, elite professional athletes and NYC ballet dancers.
Please also check out our Physical Therapy page. | <urn:uuid:78f54886-1a74-4fbf-8e06-a925b93f69ac> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nydnrehab.com/who-we-are/nyc-physical-therapist/why-physical-therapy/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943814 | 1,602 | 2.3125 | 2 |
The Big Dog
The brightest star in the night sky has some teeth to it. It's the Dog Star, Sirius -- part of the constellation Canis Major, the big dog. Sirius is well up in the south at nightfall, with most of the other bright stars of Canis Major stretching below it.
Canis Major is one of those rare star patterns in which you can actually see what the constellation is supposed to represent. It's not as easy to pick out as the scorpion of Scorpius, or even the lion of Leo. But if you look carefully, you should be able to make out a pattern that does resemble a four-legged animal.
The constellation represents one of the hunting dogs of Orion, which is to the upper right of Canis Major during the evening hours. The other is Canis Minor. Both dogs seem to trail their master across the sky.
One interesting sight in Canis Major is a star cluster known as M41. It's visible to the unaided eye as a faint smudge of light below Sirius. Binoculars or a small telescope reveal a swarm of several dozen stars. They're all about 2300 light-years away.
To find the big dog, look for Sirius in the south as darkness falls, and in the southwest later on. It outshines all the other stars in the night sky, so it's easy to find. It twinkles fiercely, especially when it's low in the sky, blinking from red to green to pure white.
Sirius represents the front of the dog's body. One of his forelegs stretches to the right, with his body and his hind legs below.
Script by Damond Benningfield, Copyright 2004, 2011
For more skywatching tips, astronomy news, and much more, read StarDate magazine. | <urn:uuid:58994ffb-eac2-4379-b8e0-d9a14930f1a4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://stardate.org/radio/program/big-dog | 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 | 0.960452 | 374 | 3.09375 | 3 |
Ideas Alone Never Key People
Perhaps, the most difficult concept to get across about Emergence is that the keys, the cues which wake up the suffering in each of us, are always literal experiences, never conceptual experiences. By this, I mean that people can not be keyed by "the fear of success," but they may be keyed by hearing the words, "You did well." And children who have trouble sitting still do not struggle because they have A.D.D. (Attention Deficit Disorder), but children given this label are often keyed by hearing the words, "sit still," even if the words occur in their own minds.
I tell Jacob's story to support this idea; that concepts never key people, that people can only be keyed by literal events.
I first met Jacob when he was one month old. I can still picture his sleepy little face and bow shaped mouth, his little fingers and tiny nose. I also know that somehow, magically, in that brief instant in which I first held him, he and I fell in love.
For the next few months, then, each time he and I met, Jacob would immediately be at ease with me. When he saw me coming, he would smile and gurgle. When I held him, he would relax into my arms. He would even remain calm when his mother would briefly leave him with me. Until he was about four months old, that is.
Jacob's gets a BLock
Now, as I think back to the day I first discovered things had changed between us, I still feel a little sad about it. On that day, Jacob and his mother came to visit me, and as they got settled in, she laid him down on a blanket on the floor in front of me. Expecting our usual happy hello, I smiled and bent over to greet him. But something was very different and very wrong this time; the moment Jacob saw my face, he froze. And when I say "he froze," I mean he literally froze. In fact, he went into shock just like a little deer caught in car headlights at night; his breathing got shallow, his whole body tensed, and his eyes literally locked onto my face and froze.
Immediately, because I could so obviously see what his eyes were locking onto, I knew what the key was. My mustache. Little Jacob was freezing in terror the moment he saw my mustache.
As his mother and I then spoke about how Jacob was reacting to me, I learned that Jacob had begun to have similar reactions to both of his grandfathers as well. Whenever either of them tried to hold Jacob, he would struggle and twist and cry in protest. And of course, everyone, including me in that moment, felt hurt by Jacob's rejections. No coincidence, too, that everyone Jacob struggled with, including both of his grandfathers, had mustaches.
Want to cause a therapist to feel completely lost? Put him or her in front of a wounded little four month old and ask them to help. Why? Because most therapists believe that it is the concepts they teach people which heal their wounds. They rely on their ability to teach people concepts. And in order to teach people concepts, people must first understand words. Can you teach concepts to a four month old who does not yet understand words? No way.
Fortunately, this problem completely disappears when you understand keys. Because I understood keys, I knew I had no need to teach Jacob anything. Jacob was being keyed by seeing a physical object; my mustache. Further, because I knew the what key was, and because this meant I could reliably key Jacob at will, I had everything I needed to help Jacob to heal this BLock.
Beginning the Emergence Work
Minutes later, we began. First, I asked Jacob's mother to hold him between her legs and to gently rubs his arms and legs. I asked her to do this knowing her touch would help Jacob to come out of the shock he was going into when he saw my mustache. Then, I began, by slowly glancing away from him and then back in his direction, while I used my forefinger to slowly trace my mustache from one end to the other and back.
Of course, at first, Jacob would freeze each time he saw my mustache, and honestly, watching him repeatedly go through this pain was hard me. But gradually, after six or seven attempts, Jacob became noticeably more able to stay conscious as he looked up at me.
Did this work completely eliminate Jacob's fear of mustaches? No, it did not. But then, I was not expecting this to happen. My intuitive sense of how we heal our BLocks is that in each successive Emergence session, we heal about half of what remains of the block. In the first session, you heal half of the BLock; in the second, half of the half that is left, and so on.
Knowing this, then, over the course of the next few months, Jacob and his mother and I continued to work on Jacob's fear of mustaches; in all, probably on about three or four separate occasions. Each time, Jacob became more able to look at my mustache and stay conscious. Finally, as I said hello and held him one day, he reached over and touched my mustache.
It just happened that on this day, one of his grandfathers was also supposed to come and visit him and so, his mother and I both wondered if Jacob would be any different this time. Sure enough, when his grandfather reached out to hold him later that day, Jacob had no problem going into his grandfather's arms.
What Had Changed in Jacob?
Many people, I am sure, will conceptualize this scene with the idea, "Jacob was just scared of men." No, Jacob was not scared of "men" in general, nor can his fear be generalized to any other concept. Jacob was going into shock when he witnessed a literal, real world object; he became terrified when he saw hair above a man's lip.
Equally important, many people would now offer the behaviorist's answer as to what had changed in Jacob; that Jacob had simply gotten used to being held by men; that he simply "grew out" of his fear. Here, too, this idea is simply not true.
When people get used to something, in effect, they simply become more and more able to suppress their symptoms, which is in fact, precisely what behavioral therapists are trained to do for people. Emergence practitioners, on the other hand, are trained to do exactly the opposite, in that they focus their efforts on helping people to become more and more able to consciously witness the thing which is provoking their symptoms.
In other words, behaviorists actually train people to become less conscious of the painful object. Emergence practitioners help people to become more conscious of the object.
What is the difference? The difference, which is profoundly important, is that you can not love what you can not consciously witness. This means that to the degree that you learn to suppress your reaction to something painful, to that degree, you lose your ability to love it.
The inverse is also true. To the degree that you learn to consciously witness a key, to that degree you become able to love what you see. And in Jacob's case, he had learned to love my mustache.
In case you have not considered what would have happened if I had not helped Jacob to heal this BLock, think about how this four month old baby would have struggled to "endure" his grandfathers' loving attention. And how this difficulty would have also affected his relationships with any and all men who had mustaches. Worse yet, think about how this difficulty would have affected Jacob's ability to trust all men, in that without consciously realizing what the key was, he would not have known which men he could trust. These events would then have quickly accumulated into enough painful experiences to have caused Jacob to distrust most men.
Worst of all, Jacob, himself, is male. Think about how his distrust of men would have generalized to a distrust of himself.
In reality, I expect Jacob to have exactly the opposite experience. In fact, this has already begun to happen, in that Jacob's relationships with his grandfathers have already begun to deepen. And when I picture this happening, my heart fills up, especially when I remember that all this happened with not one word being spoken, a strange but wonderful experience for me, a man who has struggled his whole life to find words to describe his experiences. Gee, do you think this may have been my motivation to become a therapist. I wonder sometimes.
It has now been more then two years since I helped Jacob with his BLock in and around mustaches. During this time, he and I have seen very little of each other as we both have busy lives.
With this in mind, I'm sure you can understand how happy I was to see him recently when, just days before I left to be with my family for the year end holidays, he, his mother, and his four month old brother, Max, came to visit.
As they rang my bell, I, of course, was wondering how Jacob would react to me and also, how his little brother, now the same age as Jacob had been when his mustache BLock first surfaced, would react as well. Sadly, my answer was not as I would have wished for in that, although Max was fine, when Jacob and his mom and brother walked into my house, Jacob, very quickly, got scared. And although I'm sure some of his fear can be attributed to not having seen me in quite a while and to the normal fear of strangers children his age have, sure enough, as I scanned his eyes, his gaze had locked on my mustache.
As he held tightly onto his mother's leg, my heart ached. Still, I knew what I had done previously to help him and its effects were real, not just by my reporting but also by his mother's, she, too, a trained therapist. Then, as I slowly drew my finger across my mustache and back and as his mother gently held him, Jacob watched intently.
Hours went by and Jacob relaxed into what for him was a new house, his early memories of it buried in the depths of his first months of life. We laughed and ate and played my hand drums for awhile, and Jacob fell in love with drums. In fact, he was so excited by them he kept dragging them out for more. During this time, in a moment when he sat near and felt safe, I again traced my finger across my mustache, this time teaching him the word for it; mustache.
Weeks passed and I returned from my vacation. That week, Jacob's mother called. During her call, I was again reminded how BLocks heal in layers as she told me, with great amazement and joy, how Jacob had sat on her father's lap, pointed to his mustache and said, "grandpa, you have a wonderful mustache!" She went on to tell me she had no idea when he had even learned the word, "wonderful." Even so, she, and I, were literally awed once more by the events we had witnessed.
The obvious question is, has all of Jacob's BLock in and around mustaches healed? Probably not. Still, the only proof of healing I trust is to see love replace fear and so, what Jacob said, "grandpa, you have a wonderful mustache!," certainly qualifies. Clearly, Jacob's "wonder" was a genuine example of love and so, whatever remains of this BLock in Jacob's nature is surely small and insignificant, in that now that his love of mustaches has emerged, whatever discomfort he might feel in future events will quickly be overridden by his love and wonder.
(read about the Pyramids of Experience) | <urn:uuid:85bb1bfd-9ca8-49dc-8d6b-3cf3e54a0c6d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://theemergencesite.com/Stories/StoryJacobs.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00064-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.992832 | 2,454 | 1.953125 | 2 |
Erlang language issues
Mon Apr 22 19:58:35 CEST 2002
On Wed, 17 Apr 2002 11:56:44 +0200 (MET DST)
Richard Carlsson <> wrote:
> On Wed, 17 Apr 2002, Vlad Dumitrescu wrote:
> > Would a "block comment" concept be wrong for Erlang? Difficult to
> > implement?
> Not difficult to implement; just a question of deciding on the
> delimiters. Joe Armstrong also proposed this, mainly to make it easier
> to write edoc documentation, and it has been agreed that block comments
> should be added to the language, probably for the next release. (Should
> have told you this before, Vlad - sorry.)
> After some initial attempts at inventing new delimiters, all of which
> had subtle problems, we came to the conclusion that the normal C comment
> delimiters /* ... */ were probably the best choice.
> Flames, anybody?
Yes. I object to the characterization of any part of C as 'normal'.
The only pressing reason to have block comments that I can see is to
HTML. Personally I find that approach, with any two languages, very ugly
- polyglots are interesting curiousities, but relying on them during real
work is headache-y.
I know next to nothing about XML, but - isn't it supposed to provide
alternatives for this sort of thing? By supplying a 'structured document'
approach? Parts of a document can be in Erlang, parts can be in HTML,
diagrams and theme music and whatever else. The Erlang part can be
automatically extracted just before compilation - it's not as if the
compiler should care what's in comments. But I know nothing about XML, so
maybe I'm on the wrong track with that idea.
Erlang is in theory self-documenting - but choosing appropriate function
and variable names is a lot harder than it sounds. Many functions should
probably be nested, but aren't, resulting in some very strange names,
suffixed with _tail or 0. And single-letter variable names are a hard
habit to break, when called for - sometimes they are OK, in utility
functions where there is not much that can be assumed about the values.
Other times they are disastrous, although, probably worse in a
non-single-assignment language like C.
More information about the erlang-questions | <urn:uuid:e37a06de-e05e-4714-a4ba-8a4f0baf8a3e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://erlang.org/pipermail/erlang-questions/2002-April/004741.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937522 | 530 | 1.679688 | 2 |
Tuesday, January 15th
7 – 9pm
Registration is $20 for non-members / $15 for members (discount promotional code = MEMBER). Tickets can be purchased at the following link:
This workshop will teach you to separate various components in food, not biochemically (like your stomach), or mechanically/pretentiously (like molecular gatronomists), but chemically, using the basic principles of thin-layer chromatography. We will primarily investigate and compare pigments from a variety of healthful and junk foods, with the opportunity for some artistic forays using these food-derived hues. There will also be discussion of the other major ingredients, their properties, their molecular behavior, and ways to detect these non-colored components. Participants are invited, though not required to bring a colorful food to experiment with.
About the instructor
Chelsea Martinez is visiting faculty in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Oberlin College, after stints working in science education policy at the National Academy of Engineering and the White House. She graduated with a PhD in Chemistry in 2011 from UT Austin, where she also hosted a science news talk show on student-run KVRX-FM. She likes color, especially lots of colors all at once. | <urn:uuid:ba72e7ce-a950-4348-91d1-7502a5c4d79a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://machineproject.com/archive/classwork/2013/01/15/gastrochromatography/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00055-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940722 | 256 | 2.125 | 2 |
Great film about Montgomery Wards; marketing class comprised on international students notable one from Russia and one South Asian who wears a turban learn about business through the example of Wards; Russian students talks about the bad Soviet system; Indian students says they still barter in Asia.
21:27:06:01 Great shot pan over table with red and white checkered picnic table cloth, table is covered with various Italian dishes and cups of wine, various disembodied hands reach to plates of food to serve themselves more, salad, olives, grapes, chicken bread, bowl of shredded parmesan cheese, pan ends at large Italian woman eating at head of table. VS Italian man gives cheers “Salute!”; American woman says “Seven courses! But it was good” wiping her face with a napkin; man speaking with Italian accent smoking a cigar tells American woman if she eats more meals like this she will become as plump as the chicken.
21:29:52:21 VS 1950s department store fashion show, audience of women watches as models model new clothes and accessories while another woman narrates what the model is wearing; sign in background on wall behind dress rack reads “Misses Dresses”.
21:30:48:07 VS teacher leads class on marketing, class consists on one young woman and four men, one man is wearing a turban; teacher leads class at a conference table, map of United States behind him with distribution center buildings dispersed over map; one student is Russian and works for the GUM; modern department.
21:31:46:13 Great pan over the GUM department store in Moscow , facing Red Square, several Russian soldiers walk across frame of shot; VS in BW of fashion show in the Gum, VS audience watching models walk down runway.
21:32:24:29 Marketing class seated at conference table, Russian student speaking with poor Russian accent stands up and walks over to the window and delivers a monologue with great sound bites:
“Yes we’ve had to learn to go without our everyday needs. Sometimes I wonder, we don’t have the nice things but we don’t have- when I look at your stores you have everything, acres and acres, and your people are buying everything. You know what it is like in my country”; LS inside American department store, dissolves to interior of the GUM department store in Moscow, VS the GUM, audio track man speaking with Russian accent describes the GUM department store in Soviet Russian, man says American stores a much better then Russian ones and much cheaper; dissolves to VS inside American department store, more great sound bits of Russian man describing American stores “I can’t get over it how in America you take for granted you can buy anything”; Russian student walks back to the conference table and tells class that in Russia “you stand in line and buy a voucher…the state operates the store the kulaks don’t handle any money. By the time you stand in line and get a voucher, the goods may be gone, and no one ever knows when war will begin, maybe next week, maybe a month…”
21:33:42:26 MS teacher with grey hair wearing grey suit and black tie sitting in front of an American flag says that “…we Americans do take our ways for granted” then asks South Asian man wearing a turban how things are in his country; VS student wearing turban says in most Asian countries “we still barter…there is much haggling…we haggle that is how we buy”; teacher pulls out a mail order catalogue saying it is a strictly American way of doing business, the Russian and South Asian man wearing a turban look at the catalogue enthusiastically.
21:34:50:29 VS sepia tone footage of a reenactment of the Chicago fire of 1871; buildings up in flames, people running around frantically, horse-drawn carriage in the river
21:36:50:12 CU disembodied hand signs bottom of letter written in cursive, Montgomery Ward.
21:38:20:02 Great shot of a 1950s prototype for a BW portable television being shaken on machine to test durability, BW cartoon runs on TV set.
21:38:30:26 MS a davenport cushion’s durability is tested; large hammering device slams down on cushion.
21:39:01:07 CU disembodied hands on assembly line assemble wood puzzle for babies, puzzle of a duck assemble in two pieces; pressure cookers moving down conveyor belt; workers working on lawn mowers on assembly line; whitewall tires moving down conveyor belt, workers in background inspect tires; high-angle shot workers in plant inspecting large ice boxes.
21:40:24:08 LS pan over Montgomery Ward department store, parking lot filled with 1950s cars; ribbon cutting ceremony, giant scissor cuts the ribbon; VS huge crowd trying to get into the Montgomery Ward store.
21:41:30:04 car pulls into Ward’s Auto Service garage on snowy and icy winter day; Ward’s mechanics working on car.
21:41:39:06 Row of Montgomery Wards repairmen at work benches, one man is fixing a television, another an electric blender.
21:41:51:03 Man working on presentation of mannequins in a Montgomery Ward’s display window.
21:42:06:28 Woman enters frame and looks at television set in department store.
21:42:36:17 Great shot Montgomery Ward mail order telephone operators, two long rows divided by conveyor belt for processing order, each woman with a head set and her own catalogue to take orders; CU woman on headset taking phone order.
21:43:06:13 VS large Montgomery Wards department store in the suburbs; parking lot packed with cars.
21:44:16:22 VS IBM RAMAC computer; enormous computer in empty room; CU black control panel with blinking red lights.
October 3, 2012 Subject:
I'm Monty Ward, Love me!
A little bit of a boring overview of a Marketing class which are of laughable ethnic stereotypes (I'm really not too sure if the "indian" is wearing his turban right) that seem to dwell upon the fact that it's Monty Ward's way or nothing baby! Nice shots of a "russian" fashion show as well as shopping centers circa 1950's. But the whole MW fawning really gets tiring quick. | <urn:uuid:d1ec5264-e178-45cd-a2c4-a08ecaf65b47> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://archive.org/details/0648_Untitled_American_Fashion_and_American_Department_Stores_21_25_23_00?start=233.5 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940422 | 1,371 | 1.539063 | 2 |
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Gems of geometry
By John Barnes
When Gems of Geometry arrived through the post it seemed the Gods had conspired to despatch the perfect book for me to review. Like the author, John Barnes, I have a fascination with Edwin Abbot Abbot’s Flatland and spent many childhood hours gluing paper models of fantastical geometric constructions together. Not only that, mine and Barnes' paths had also crossed in a former life, when I once shared an office with the commissioning editor for his best-selling computer programming books.
So, would the author of successful student textbooks in one field, be able to apply his magic to a popular mathematical treatise?
At first glance the content is fairly standard stuff: we learn about the golden ratio, explore Platonic and Archimedian shapes and solids in two and three dimensions and dabble in four-dimensional figures, projective geometry, topology, chaos, fractals and relativity. What's not so standard is the stuff you find out along the way. Barnes, as it turns out, is a geometry geek. And, as with all geeks, when he's talking about his pet subject you can't help but be inspired by his quirky, endearing and infectious enthusiasm, even if he occasionally veers off topic.
Throughout, Barnes refers to physical manifestations of the mathematical concepts, whether it's Meccano structures, the buds of sunflowers, cacti and pineapples or some elderly paper models of his own making. These help to bring new perspectives to even the most familiar of shapes. For instance, imagine a solid cube. What shape would you see if you sliced diagonally through its centre? What solid would you make if you joined the midpoints of its faces? And what relationship does this have with the form created by joining the midpoints of an octahedron's faces? If you'd like to try it out yourself, you'll find the answers below.
Barnes also considers common artistic and literary interpretations of geometric figures, regularly citing the work of Escher and Dali, and talking about the stories of Charles Dodgson (a.k.a Lewis Carroll), William Upton and Robert Heinlein. In the latter's And he built a crooked house a couple's new dream home folds up into a hypercube (the four-dimensional analogue of a square) after an earthquake. If the couple attempt to go out of the window of the master bedroom above the kitchen, they end up falling into the kitchen from the ceiling. If they leave the kitchen by the window opposite, they enter the study by the corresponding window, upside down. And when they go out onto the roof of the study they end up in the basement. Sheer havoc.
This fascination with stories and books isn't limited to the main text. Each chapter ends with a detailed description of recommended further reading, which led me to add a number of titles to my Amazon wish list. Who knew about Robin Wilson's Stamping through mathematics, which collects together almost 400 images of postage stamps depicting aspects of maths? (Plus, it seems, did — read the review here.) Or Soap Bubbles, published in 1890? Its author, Sir Charles Vernon Boys, was known for entertaining Victorian dinner parties with his soap bubble demonstrations.
There are also regular pauses for discussion of the curious etymology of mathematical terms. Barnes shares the Greek and Latin derivations of seemingly familiar words like corollary (from the Latin corollarium, a garland of flowers given to an actor as a gift, indicating that a corollary comes for free with no further effort) and concurrent (from the Latin con — together — and curro — I run). He also makes a point of stating the proper name for a regular nine-sided polygon as enneagon (from the Greek for nine, ennea) alongside the more common Latin prefix version, nonagon. And if you look carefully, you'll even find a nod towards Old Norse — used to describe a solid with 12 pentagonal faces and 80 triangular ones.
All these disparate topics aren't just interesting asides. To some extent they reinforce Barnes' belief in the beauty of geometry itself, which he considers demonstrated by the occasions when "seemingly unrelated topics suddenly have a deep resonance". Sharing this beauty — and the sometimes surprising nature of geometry — is just one of the book's objectives, though. Barnes is also keen to show that, despite living in a three-dimensional world, our understanding of three dimensions is fairly poor. So, in answering the questions above, did you realise that a diagonal cut through a cube produces a hexagonal shape? Or that joining the midpoints of its faces produces an octahedron? And that doing the same for an octahedron produces a cube — making the two shapes dual? I certainly didn't.
The book's other key aim is to stress that solving and understanding a problem depends very much upon getting the right point of view, whether that's considering the location of a clock-watching observer in a special relativity experiment or using projective geometry and inverse transformation to prove Steiner's porism about circles within circles. There's even a chapter dedicated to four dimensions, where Abbot's Flatland is invoked to encourage us to imagine what we would see if four-dimensional figures were to pass through our very own "spaceland".
If all this sounds a bit too complex, you should be able to get through most of the book without much mathematics. But if it's just the gems and beauty you are after, you won't be disappointed. The book is illustrated with vibrant colour figures, some produced in stereo (you'll need to hold a piece of paper between the printed images and focus into the distance in order to appreciate the full effect). And there are plenty of exercises and suggestions which encourage you to make or colour in shapes and patterns (just another example of how Barnes taps into that childish fascination with geometry for geometry's sake). My only quibble is that, having invested in glossy paper and colourful illustrations, the publisher might have gone one step further, to lay out the book in a more imaginative style. For me, the rather academic page design undermines the work's key selling point: the author's passion (verging on obsession). And unlike your average student textbook, this is a book designed to be dipped into, explored, enjoyed and savoured.
- Book details:
- Gems of geometry
- John Barnes
- hardback — 324 pages
- Springer (2010)
- ISBN: 978-3642050916
You can buy the book and help Plus at the same time by clicking on the link on the left to purchase from amazon.co.uk, and the link to the right to purchase from amazon.com. Plus will earn a small commission from your purchase.
About the author
Anna Faherty read physics at Cambridge before working in publishing for fifteen years. She commissioned the Modular Mathematics Series and worked on 50 mathematical ideas you really need to know. Anna is now a freelance writer and consultant working with a diverse range of clients including the Science Museum, the National Maritime Museum and Time Out London Guides. She also lectures in the School of Journalism and Publishing at Kingston University, London. | <urn:uuid:58a1bfe8-27a8-47b7-8365-e297bfc5c7f6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://plus.maths.org/content/comment/reply/5466 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951786 | 1,493 | 1.515625 | 2 |
This Guide is for you if you are under 18 years old, you live in California, and you are pregnant or are already a parent. The Guide answers your questions about the law for pregnant or parenting minors.
The guide, put together by the National Partnership for Women and Families, answers questions about young people’s options regarding a pregnancy, how to access health care, and provides a great list of resources for young people who are pregnant or parenting in California. The guide is fabulous – comprehensive, understanding of youth issues, not patronizing or stigmatizing of young mothers, and it’s also in Spanish! Check it out! | <urn:uuid:b72d82c0-d59e-4d45-b1aa-2973c1112d30> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://latinainstitute.wordpress.com/2012/03/15/great-resource-california-pregnant-and-parenting-youth-guide/?like=1&source=post_flair&_wpnonce=9233933e84 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.906244 | 129 | 1.734375 | 2 |
This is the first set of responses from Frank A. Bolz Jr., one of the founders of the New York Police Department’s hostage-negotiating unit answering reader questions. Read the second and third sets of responses and the introductory post about Mr. Bolz.
What was the biggest mistake you made during a negotiation and how did you apply what you learned to the next one?
— KevDog, Williamsville
Fortunately, we have not made any mistake that caused anyone any harm. However, there was one instance that we learned from.
It was in a Bronx tenement, on a fourth-floor landing, 4 o’clock in the morning. A family is being held hostage by an emotionally disturbed relative. I am on the landing negotiating, accompanied by my secondary negotiator. We are backed up by two Emergency Service Unit tactical officers armed with shotguns. We are seven hours into the job. During the course of negotiating we gathered intelligence about the perp and about the family.
Suddenly we hear running footsteps coming down the darkened apartment hallway. We shout out “Stop! Stop! Halt.” The steps keep coming, the secondary and I back off and the Emergency Service Unit guys aim their shotguns. In a fraction of a second, an 8-year-old girl appears at the door.
The disciplined team had held their fire. We would later learn the child was deaf, and that while gathering intelligence about the family no one thought of her as disabled and never mentioned the deafness.
In any of the situations that you were involved in, was anyone ever successful? That is, were all of their demands met, and they then got away with it, and if so… why?
I’d like to add that saying that you must have led an interesting life/career compared to the average Joe.
— RC, Pompano Beach FL
That depends on what they were looking for. Many situations come about because the person is looking for attention, for himself or for a cause. He/she takes a hostage, makes threats and does a lot of screaming and makes demands, many of them impossible. He believes he is successful because of all the police and media presence. He is on the news.
As far as my career, no job quite like it. The Hostage Program has saved a lot of people.
Is there a movie that really “gets it right” regarding what you do?
— Aubman, 32080
In the movie “The Negotiator,” the title character identifies a lie by the fact that the speaker “looked up and to the left” while talking. What do the professionals think of such “tells”: bunk or real?
— Pat, US
Are there any representations of hostage negotiations in film or TV that you find particularly accurate? Conversely, any things about hostage negotiations that film and TV often get wrong?
— Nick, LA, CA
Though Hollywood rarely gets it completely right, “The Negotiator” was better than most and the closest to being accurate in the actual negotiating process. What I find disturbing in some films or TV is the way they portray the lack of cooperation between the negotiators and the tactical team. Film creates a conflict between the two, which is not accurate. In the N.Y.P.D., we had the negotiators train at the range with the Emergency Service tactical guys, establishing a team effort, each getting to know the other’s function.
The other big problem I have is that “The Negotiator” is not “in command” of the incident. In our program, the ranking patrol commander is in charge, because when the tactical guys and the negotiators pack up their gear and leave, it is the patrol guys who will have to deal with the community.
Body language can be a very important part of the intelligence portrait of the subject. We have included some mention of it in our training program. Though it may not get the same significance as in a poker tournament.
Are some situations more difficult to resolve than others? For example, are domestic hostage negotiations typically harder to resolve peacefully than one with political overtones?
— Trixie in the Heart of Dixie, Atlanta, GA
It seems that domestic incidents make up the major part of hostage and barricaded situations that hostage- and crisis-negotiating teams respond to. They can be the most dangerous to the victims because the parties know each others’ faults and foibles and often harbor deep personal animosities. Though these situations are difficult, we have been very successful. For many years, more police officers were killed or injured responding to domestic disputes than to all other crimes.
Political incidents, though they may start locally, will usually be deferred to federal authorities with our backup, though the N.Y.P.D. has handled a few hostage and barricade situations at foreign missions to the United Nations successfully.
What can everyday people take away or learn from what you do?
Is humor a tool you have ever used?
— Aubman, 32080
One thing I mention to folks is try to avoid being taken hostage. Before you enter a bank or store look through the window. If you see a bunch of people with their hands up, don’t go in. That may seem simple, but we have had it happen on more than one occasion.
One must be very careful with humor. The subject may be setting you up to make you appear prejudiced. Then again, some people just can’t tell a joke. When the time is right, the subject may permit some humor later on. | <urn:uuid:a7174230-5019-49a1-9ecf-95eb445288ed> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/12/answers-about-hostage-negotiation-part-1/ | 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 | 0.975264 | 1,171 | 1.59375 | 2 |
A boy wore a placard around his neck reading, “I am Trayvon Martin.” Others waved posters of the slain Florida teen, emblazoned with the words, “Protect Our Children.”
They were among 2,000 demonstrators who rallied March 21 in Union Square, in what organizers called the Million Hoodie March – a reference to the garment worn by the 17-year-old high school student the night he was gunned down. Protesters, many of them parents, called for justice for Trayvon Martin – and demanded protection for their own children.
“I just want my kids to understand what’s going on now,” said Bronx mom Taisha Herrara, who brought her children, ages 6 and 7, to the rally.
Her sentiments and those of much of the crowd were echoed two days later by President Obama, who declared at the White House, “If I had a son, he would look like Trayvon.”
The Union Square rally featured speeches by City Council members Jumaane Williams (D-Brooklyn) and Ydanis Rodriguez (D- Manhattan), who spoke against gun violence and racial profiling. But the gathering’s emotional high point came when Trayvon’s parents, who traveled to New York for the event, spoke.
“This is not a black or white thing,” said Sybrina Fulton, Trayvon’s mother. “This is a right and wrong thing.”
Florida authorities said they will convene a grand jury next month to probe George Zimmerman, 28, the self-appointed neighborhood watch leader who admitted to shooting Trayvon on Feb. 26. Sanford, Fla. police have come under fire for failing to charge Zimmerman and thoroughly investigate the shooting.
- Cancer Survivors Find Solace in Yoga
- Young Immigrants Dare to Dream
- Rally for Ousted Principal
- GOP Faithful Stage Last-Minute Rally
- Dem Camps Scour City For Votes | <urn:uuid:49898b54-91a2-45af-a7a5-b014c0d32c18> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nycitynewsservice.com/2012/03/23/families-rally-for-trayvon/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00044-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958398 | 409 | 1.78125 | 2 |
Muslims and Christians who attended a funeral for the victims of Sunday night’s crackdown chanted angrily for the dismissal of the country’s military chief, Field Marshal Mohammed Hussein Tantawi.
The bloodshed, in which at least 25 people were killed and more than 300 wounded, marked the most powerful blow to the military’s image as the protector of the revolution, a status it earned by showing restraint in the face of a popular uprising.
Since it assumed control of Egypt on Feb. 11, the military has been criticized for governing erratically and failing to uphold the democratic principles that fueled the revolution. Soldiers have been accused of using excessive force in some instances and of failing to intervene in others.
“The army realizes that its forces committed a massacre against a religious minority,” said Hossam Bahgat, head of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights. “There is no telling what will follow.”
Perhaps the most troubling lesson from Sunday’s unrest was the ease with which simmering sectarian tensions and a mob mentality could unleash chaos in a country ruled for decades as a police state.
That dynamic poses a dilemma for the military leadership, which must balance its desire to maintain stability with a pledge to oversee a transition to democracy. Some observers fear that commanders could use the rising tension as a pretext to delay the shift to civilian rule and rely more heavily on authoritarian tactics.
Sunday’s events, and other recent steps by the military, including its indecision on the electoral process, show that its leaders are still learning how to govern, said Adel Iskandar, an Egyptian American who teaches communications and contemporary Arab studies at Georgetown University. “A lot of people believe that this is the second phase of the revolution, and the next institution to be confronted is the military.”
Prime Minister Essam Sharaf said the violence was a further setback to what the country’s leaders had acknowledged has been a difficult transition to democracy. In a televised address late Sunday, he blamed the unrest on “hidden hands, domestic and foreign,” resorting to a line Egypt’s interim rulers have used in recent months to try to absolve themselves of roles in the country’s woes.
The military council said Monday that it would not allow a rift between the military and the people to grow. It said it would form a committee to investigate the incident and take the “necessary precautions to stabilize security,” and it promised to hand over power to a civilian government. The statement appeared to be a response to critics who accused the military of using the violence as an excuse to prolong its rule. | <urn:uuid:074f438f-87db-45bd-9cee-7c1ee7d030e4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/egyptian-prime-minister-essam-sharaf-promises-investigation-of-violence/2011/10/10/gIQAW4snZL_story.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00043-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964147 | 542 | 1.617188 | 2 |
ESPIRITU SANTO, VANUATU
A spectacular World War II wreck in a South Pacific paradise
Season: Year round diving
Water Temperature: 24-29°C/75-84°F
Shore-based resort: Hotel Santo and Allan Power Diving
Can be combined with Fiji
Vanuatu comprises a north-south chain of 83 volcanic islands some 1100 miles (1770 kms) east of Queensland, Australia and about 550 miles (890 kms) west of Fiji. It was here on these idyllic islands that James A Michener was inspired to write Tales of the South Pacific, the magical Bali Hai of his imagination. One of the poorest and least developed nations in the world, Vanuatu is simultaneously supposed to be the happiest nation in the world. The people of Vanuatu are certainly friendly and welcoming, and travellers generally feel safe in this far-flung island nation. Nowadays an independent democracy, the islands were for a time ruled as a condominium by Britain and France, and the islands still have an interesting mix of Anglophone and francophone traditions. Espirito Santo, more commonly known simply as Santo, is the largest and most mountainous island of the archipelago. Since the 1980s, divers have been visiting Santo to dive the world famous wreck of the SS President Coolidge, the largest accessible wreck of a passenger vessel on earth, and the numerous other pieces of military hardware from the Word War II era that now reside under the sea. Whilst this is an area famed for its wrecks, there is some beautiful soft and hard coral reef diving to be done off the southern tip of the island.
United States President Calvin Coolidge was known as ‘Silent Cal’ for his laissez faire attitude to the economic situation facing America in the late 1920s. The wreck of his namesake vessel, the SS President Coolidge, is certainly silent now! She counts among the best wreck dives on the planet. With a length of almost 200 metres and a gross weight of 21,936 tonnes, the President Coolidge is certainly an imposing and impressive sight as she greets divers on their descent to depths of between 20 and 50 metres! The wreck is so large and so extensive that it is said that one can dive on her over 15 times and still not have seen all she has to offer. Her ‘double identity’ never ceases to fascinate divers from around the world. She began her travels as a luxury cruise liner in 1931 and was converted into a troop carrier for the US military during World War Two. To think that such a vessel would meet its watery doom so far from home in the South Pacific is a stark reminder of the nature and reach of ‘total warfare’. On the 26th October 1942, she ran into two ‘friendly’ mines as she attempted to enter the heavily protected port of Espiritu Santo and was subsequently run aground on a nearby reef on Captain Henry Nelson’s orders. (It subsequently emerged during the naval court of enquiry that, because he was a civilian, the captain had not been alerted by the military authorities that the harbour was mined, so that the significance of the instructions he had received for the precise means of entering Segond Channel had not been appreciated by him! Captain Nelson was subsequently acquitted of all charges.)
Captain Nelson’s quick thinking in running the Coolidge aground soon after the two massive explosions tore into the ship undoubtedly saved a great loss of life. Thinking that they would be able to return later to collect them, the soldiers left their equipment and personal belongings behind as they followed captain’s orders and abandoned ship, only to find that the vessel slipped off the reef 55 minutes after the grounding and rolled over onto her port side as she sank. Of the 5092 troops on board, only two were lost!
The fact that the wreck is so full of items means much delight for the visiting divers of our modern era. Springfield rifles, helmets, water bottles, cooking pots and even jeeps still litter the deck and interior of the SS President Coolidge. Throughout the three decks of the ship the living quarters still hold personal affects of the soldiers; defying the ravages of time. The toilets, bathrooms and even ceiling light bulbs have survived undamaged. In the medical supplies area of the ship, syringes, bottled of medicines and powders have all survived. Even the barber’s chair seems to be waiting for the next customer! Towards the bow of the ship, ‘Euart’s Door’ survives as a memorial to Captain Elwood Euart’s bravery. Returning to look for a missing man, Army Captain Euart sacrificed his own life when the President Coolidge sank.
Alongside these grim reminders of wartime, remnants from the ship’s first life as a high-class luxury liner have also survived. ‘The Lady’, a porcelain relief of a lady riding a unicorn, is one of the most beautiful sights that this remarkable ship has to offer. Together with the breath-taking Italian mosaic fountain and chandeliers, she echoes the grandeur and opulence that once was. Amid so much imagery of her past, marine life has of course taken over the wreck and she nowadays serves as a huge artificial reef covered in hard and soft corals. Moray eels lurk and bob amongst the crevices, while a host of anemonefish inhabit their symbiotic anemone ‘houses’. Sea turtles, Spotted Eagle Rays and reef sharks sweep past much like navy planes would have done in the ship’s days of old. It seems that every large wreck is home to barracudas and the Coolidge is no exception. Mantis shrimps also now make their home on the wreck. Night dives are especially remarkable, for when you turn off the lights the bioluminescent organs of the flashlight fish make for a particularly memorable underwater disco! The exterior of the vessel offers an equally exciting snapshot of history, war and nature; fire extinguishers, Wellington boots and typewriters litter the ship’s portside promenade deck and divers can still swim in the mosaic-tiled first class swimming pool or take a closer look at the ship’s cannons and the crows nest.
The bows of the Coolidge lie at about 18m, the stern at about 55m (the sea floor is at about 70m). In order to explore the deeper parts of the wreck, decompression diving is required, but much can be seen without needing to do this.
When World War Two was over, the US military dumped hundreds of tons of equipment into the ocean at Million Dollar Point after to failing to acquire the desired selling price. Located less than one kilometre to the east of the Coolidge in Segond Channel, here, sitting 35 meters of water, you can find bulldozers, trucks (including six-wheeled Studebakers) and jeeps, all of which are now wear camouflage of a different nature as they are covered in almost fifty years worth of coral growth. The dive is usually conducted from the shore with a short swim of about 20 meters before descending onto the huge ‘junk pile.’
As well a the President Coolidge and the array of military hardware at Million Dollar Point, there is also some rewarding reef diving at Tutuba Point with both hard and soft corals that are home to sea turtles, Napoleon Wrasse and passing reef sharks. Caverns and swim throughs give this dive site a little bit of everything!
Located in the centre of Luganville and only 10 minutes from the airport, you are sure to find a warm welcome at the Hotel Santo. The hotel offers pleasant accommodation and a friendly atmosphere. The hotel is two storeys tall and has a total of 30 rooms. Twenty two Air-conditioned Rooms are located on the first floor and either overlook Segond Channel and Unity Park across the street or look out over the pleasant gardens, while 8 Fan-cooled Rooms overlook the gardens. All rooms have an en-suite bathroom, telephone, tea and coffee making facilities, and a fridge. The pool is a perfect spot for sunbathing or relaxing with a cocktail. Soak up the local ambience and meet fellow travellers (many of the overseas visitors are here to dive the President Coolidge). The hotel’s restaurant serves local and international food and there is a well-stocked bar. Thanks to its central location, the hotel is the perfect base for exploring the town with its various restaurants, shops and market. Champagne Beach with its inlets, tropical vegetation and coconut groves makes for a lovely non-diving day trip.
Allan Power has been diving in the waters of Espiritu Santo for over 35 years. Located in the main town of the island, Luganville, his dive centre, Allan Power Diving, and its staff are known as the ‘Caretakers of the Coolidge’. The staff of the dive shop regularly take part in the cleaning and restoration of the vessel. Diving on the Coolidge is conducted from either the shore, where you can descend down the gently sloping reef to the wreck, or from their purpose built aluminium dive boat, ‘The Lady’ that holds up to 14 divers. Typical group sizes are 2-4 divers with a guide, and there are never more than 5 divers to a guide. Personal guides can be hired. Due to depths often reached on the Coolidge, it is recommended that divers do no more than two dives a day. Dives on the Coolidge are mostly begun from the shore where a dedicated ‘gearing up’ area has been established by the dive shop. Dives at Million Dollar Point are likewise mostly done from the shore, while reef dives are by boat. The typical dive day will begin with an 0800 pick up before the first dive of the day. Tea, coffee and cakes are provided for post dive snacking at Allan’s house! Divers then head back to their hotels for lunch before being collected at 1400 for the afternoon dive. Nitrox is available.
COMBINATIONS: If you are travelling to Vanuatu via Fiji, why not extend your trip to dive with the sharks of Beqa Lagoon, visit Taveuni or Kandavu, or take a Fiji liveaboard cruise? Talk to us about the possibilities.
Price: from about $923 for 7 nights. Includes: airport transfers; 7 nights room and breakfast accommodation on a twin/share basis in an Air-conditioned Room at Hotel Santo; 5 days of diving (2 shore dives daily; dive guide). Boat diving, particularly to more distant dive sites, can also be arranged. Reduction for non-divers. Single Occupancy Supplement: from about $401 for 7 nights.
FLIGHTS: Please contact us. | <urn:uuid:0e3c1af7-3357-4e76-8282-06b1f84410ce> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.divequest-travel.com/Espiritu-Santo-Vanuatu-scuba-diving-holidays-dive-travel | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00058-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961902 | 2,263 | 2.140625 | 2 |
With all the hoopla surrounding a recent WSJ article which Shall Not Be Named, I noticed there are a lot of adult readers who, for various reasons have avoided/shied away from YA. This is the second in a series of posts where I recommend “gateway” novels– novels that will help ease reluctant adult readers into the Behemoth known as the YA world.
This week, dystopia! There have been so many really good books in this genre that it was hard for me to choose, but I finally did, so here they are!
All Synopses taken from Goodreads.
1. Divergent by Veronica Roth
In Beatrice Prior’s dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can’t have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.
During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she’s chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she’s kept hidden from everyone because she’s been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.
2. Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi
Set initially in a future shanty town in America’s Gulf Coast region, where grounded oil tankers are being dissembled for parts by a rag tag group of workers, we meet Nailer, a teenage boy working the light crew, searching for copper wiring to make quota and live another day. The harsh realities of this life, from his abusive father, to his hand to mouth existence, echo the worst poverty in the present day third world. When an accident leads Nailer to discover an exquisite clipper ship beached during a recent hurricane, and the lone survivor, a beautiful and wealthy girl, Nailer finds himself at a crossroads. Should he strip the ship and live a life of relative wealth, or rescue the girl, Nita, at great risk to himself and hope she’ll lead him to a better life. This is a novel that illuminates a world where oil has been replaced by necessity, and where the gap between the haves and have-nots is now an abyss. Yet amidst the shadows of degradation, hope lies ahead.
3. The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins
Synopsis for The Hunger Games:
In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.
Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister’s place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love.
4. The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Imagine waking up one day in total darkness, unsure of where you are and unable to remember anything about yourself except your first name. You’re in a bizarre place devoid of adults called the Glade. The Glade is an enclosed structure with a jail, a graveyard, a slaughterhouse, living quarters, and gardens. And no way out. Outside the Glade is the Maze, and every day some of the kids — the Runners — venture into the labyrinth, trying to map the ever-changing pattern of walls in an attempt to find an exit from this hellish place. So far, no one has figured it out. And not all of the Runners return from their daily exertions, victims of the maniacal Grievers, part animal, part mechanical killing machines.
5. Uglies Series by Scott Westerfeld
Synopsis for Uglies:
Tally is about to turn sixteen, and she can’t wait. Not for her license — for turning pretty. In Tally’s world, your sixteenth birthday brings an operation that turns you from a repellent ugly into a stunningly attractive pretty and catapults you into a high-tech paradise where your only job is to have a really great time. In just a few weeks Tally will be there. But Tally’s new friend Shay isn’t sure she wants to be pretty. She’d rather risk life on the outside. When Shay runs away, Tally learns about a whole new side of the pretty world — and it isn’t very pretty. The authorities offer Tally the worst choice she can imagine: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn pretty at all. The choice Tally makes changes her world forever.
6. The Giver by Lois Lowry
Jonas’s world is perfect. Everything is under control. There is no war or fear or pain. There are no choices. Every person is assigned a role in the Community. When Jonas turns twelve, he is singled out to receive special training from The Giver. The Giver alone holds the memories of the true pain and pleasure of life. Now, it is time for Jonas to receive the truth. There is no turning back.
7. Delirium by Lauren Oliver
Ninety-five days, and then I’ll be safe. I wonder whether the procedure will hurt. I want to get it over with. It’s hard to be patient. It’s hard not to be afraid while I’m still uncured, though so far the deliria hasn’t touched me yet. Still, I worry. They say that in the old days, love drove people to madness. The deadliest of all deadly things: It kills you both when you have it and when you don’t. | <urn:uuid:a8b6d45f-9cb6-4b4b-8036-b95f5ce5773d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://caitlinnicoll.wordpress.com/tag/dystopian/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954938 | 1,413 | 1.609375 | 2 |
Chile must use heritage to sell more wine
- Monday 10 December 2001
Agustin Huneeus Snr, part owner of the Veramonte winery in Chile's Casablanca valley, said there is a lack of cohesion between producers, no common message to the rest of the world, and no interest in selling the natural attributes of the country.
'We should be capitalising on our familiar landmarks and images to help make the wines more distinctive on the crowded shelves in foreign markets,' Huneeus, who also owns Franciscan Estates in California, said. 'When people think of Chile, they think of the Andes, the Pacific and the Incas.'
He added there should be a coordinated approach to appellations, with these best-known 'landmarks' reflected in the DOs so that producers could put them on their labels. New DO regulations were introduced in Chile in July, but the regional denominations will be unfamiliar to many buyers.
'It would make sense to introduce three appellations that correspond to these landmarks geographically and which producers could use on their labels - Pacific Coast, Andes Foothills and Inca Trail, for instance.'
At the same time Huneeus questioned the value of certain popular terms like 'reserva', which has no official definition and which Chilean producers can use freely. 'We never use the term on our wines. It is meaningless,' he said.
picture courtesy of chile.com | <urn:uuid:3f68f8df-2ede-4773-ac99-ac60c87456ec> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.decanter.com/news/wine-news/489021/chile-must-use-heritage-to-sell-more-wine | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948331 | 298 | 1.71875 | 2 |
Saturday afternoon, thirty-five people looking to volunteer their time will climb on board a bus and take their seats. They don’t know where the bus is going or what they’ll be doing when they get there, but they know it will be good.
And co-founder of the Do Good Bus, Rebecca Pontius, is not giving up the secret destination.
“People are going to get their hands dirty,” Pontius said. “I can tell you that.”
The Do Good Bus is a Los Angeles nonprofit that transports volunteers for a fee to participate in events or outreach to support local charities. Along the way, the riders are rewarded with food, wine and a chance to help organizations they might not know about ordinarily. But the causes remain a mystery until the bus doors open. | <urn:uuid:be77a849-1d70-4ba6-aec8-2359979a7c96> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://derbydolls.com/press/?currentPage=9 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96648 | 170 | 1.734375 | 2 |
Update 7 p.m. — The dolphin that had been stranded all day in the murky and poisonous waters of the Gowanus Canal finally succumbed to its injuries, dying at around 6 p.m. tonight
——- Earlier —–
Emergency crews are attempting to rescue a stranded dolphin that has been bobbing up and down and swimming in the massively polluted and toxic-to-all-marine-life Gowanus Canal, beneath the Union Street bridge since at least 1 p.m. this afternoon, say onlookers.
According to NYPD Deputy Commissioner Paul J. Browne, the NYPD Harbor and Emergency Service Units are on the scene along with marine mammal experts from the Riverhead Foundation.
However, rescuers are going to wait for high tide at 7:10 p.m. “to see if the dolphin can free itself” and will assist “in the morning” if and when Riverhead personnel decide it necessary to aid it in escaping.
The dolphin-sighting was first reported by the folks over at the Red Hook Lobster Pound, who tweeted the news out at 1:05 p.m.
Curious and concerned residents are lined up on the bridge, watching the dolphin, whose grey skin is covered in a coat of black residue. He may be bleeding from the dorsal fin.
The Gowanus Canal is a designated Superfund site by the Environmental Protection Agency, which just this week held community meetings with residents of Carroll Gardens, Park Slope, and Red Hook to present their multi-year plan to clean up the toxic waters, which is polluted with a century’s worth of industrial and chemical waste, sewage and more — measuring in the parts per hundreds, versus parts per millions, as is typically found in the rest of the country.
The Canal is not habitable to sustaining any form of marine life. The last time an animal became stranded there was in 2007, when a minke whale died before rescuers could guide it out to open waters.
- Whale that washed ashore and died in Queens could pose health threat
- Kosciuszko Bridge connecting Queens and Brooklyn to be replaced
- Brooklyn resident, Mallory Hagan, wins Miss America crown | <urn:uuid:2cd14f77-a4cf-4dc6-9a62-f8954a832c40> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://queenscourier.com/2013/dolphin-stranded-in-the-gowanus-canal/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00044-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954052 | 446 | 1.789063 | 2 |
For the first time, about 70 percent of a country has been mapped using an advanced remote sensing technique known as hyperspectral imaging. In order to assist Afghanistan in understanding their abundant natural resources, in particular the development of an economically viable minerals market, the U.S. Geological Survey and the Department of Defense Task Force for Business and Stability Operations led an effort to fully map Afghanistan with hyperspectral data.
Airborne hyperspectral sensors measure light reflected from the earth. The spectrum of the reflected light can be interpreted to identify the composition of materials at the surface, such as minerals, man-made materials, snow, and vegetation. These materials can be identified remotely due to their unique light spectra. In addition, these data allow large geographic areas to be mapped quickly and accurately, showing mineral resources, natural hazards, agricultural conditions and infrastructure development.
The project was funded by the Task Force for Business and Stability Operations, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and the Afghan Government. The TFBSO is a Department of Defense organization that promotes stability and security in Afghanistan by developing growth of the private sector. The Task Force has been working closely with the Afghan Ministry of Mines to assist in identifying and tendering major mineral deposits to international mining companies.
"Hyperspectral sensors deployed from aircraft are the ideal tool for mapping the mineral provinces of a nation with rugged topographic relief and lack of substantial ground cover," said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "When compared with conventional ground mapping, use of this technology has accelerated by decades the identification of the most promising areas for economic development in Afghanistan."
"This is a tremendous tool for the Afghan government for locating and identifying its myriad rich mineral deposits," said Jim Bullion, Director of TFBSO. "These maps clearly show the enormous size and variety of Afghanistan’s mineral wealth and position the country to become a world leader in the minerals sector."
In developing the maps, more than 800 million pixels of data were generated. Over the course of 43 days and 28 flights, USGS flew nearly 23,000 miles (37,000 kilometers), collecting data that covered approximately 170,000 square miles (440,000 square kilometers).
The hyperspectral data collected in Afghanistan have already allowed USGS and the Afghan Geological Survey to identify several areas with a high potential for mineral formations. These data are being used by the Afghan Government to develop information packages to support mineral development in the country.
The hyperspectral coverage was unveiled at the Afghan Embassy in Washington, D.C., by USGS and the TFBSO on Tuesday, July 17, 2012.
The new hyperspectral maps of Afghanistan are available online. There are two maps:
Links and contacts within this release are valid at the time of publication. | <urn:uuid:6bafa7bc-bb00-4b84-b579-c7c12293e6f0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=3280 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00064-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936751 | 565 | 3.265625 | 3 |
|—||New York Times Magazine article, “Teaching Good Sex” about sex positive, non-abistence only sex education.|
The full article, by Connie K. Borkenhagen, appeared in the American Bar Association Journal in April, 1975.
In the following situation, a holdup victim is asked questions by a lawyer.
Laywer: “Mr. Smith, you were held up at gunpoint on the corner of First and Main?”
Mr. Smith: “Yes”
Laywer: “Did you struggle with the robber?”
Mr. Smith: “No.”
Laywer: “Why not?”
Mr. Smith: “He was armed.”
Laywer: “Then you made a conscious decision to comply with his demands rather than resist?”
Mr. Smith: “Yes.”
Laywer: “Did you scream? Cry out?”
Mr. Smith: “No, I was afraid.”
Laywer: “I see. Have you ever been held up before?”
Mr. Smith: “No.”
Laywer: “Have you ever GIVEN money away?”
Mr. Smith: “Yes, of course.”
Laywer: “And you did so willingly?”
Mr. Smith: “What are you getting at?”
Laywer: “Well, let’s put it like this, Mr. Smith. You’ve given money away in the past. In fact, you have quite a reputation for philanthropy. How can we be sure that you weren’t CONTRIVING to have your money taken from you by force?”
Mr. Smith: “Listen, if I wanted –“
Laywer: “Never mind. What time did this holdup take place, Mr. Smith?”
Mr. Smith: “About 11:00 P.M..”
Laywer: “You were out on the street at 11:00 P.M.? Doing what?”
Mr. Smith: “Just walking.”
Laywer: “Just walking? You know that it’s dangerous being out on the street that late at night. Weren’t you aware that you could have been held up?”
Mr. Smith: “I hadn’t thought about it.”
Laywer: “What were you wearing at the time, Mr. Smith?”
Mr. Smith: “Let’s see … a suit. Yes, a suit.”
Laywer: “An EXPENSIVE suit?”
Mr. Smith: “Well – yes. I’m a successful lawyer, you know.”
Laywer: “In other words, Mr. Smith, you were walking around the streets late at night in a suit that practically advertised the fact that you might be good target for some easy money, isn’t that so? I mean, if we didn’t know better, Mr. Smith, we might even think that you were ASKING for this to happen, mightn’t we?”
Full article can be downloaded here.
The continued blame of an 11-year old girl for her own rape, not to mention the New York Time’s unacceptable apology (I’m sorry, Mr. Brisbane, but reporting what the child, THE CHILD, was wearing contributes to rape culture) is sickening. A mother of one of the accused recently said that the girl had lied and said she was 17. She clearly needs to be reminded that rape, regardless of age, is illegal. We, as a country and a culture, have an opportunity to examine rape culture and make a change for future generations of women and men. (And of course there’s the USC frat boy missive/viral email about date rape and racism!) I can’t say it enough, but this is a child. Can you imagine what would be being said if she were a teenager or a young woman?
-1 in 5 Women use Planned Parenthood
-It is estimated that if funding to Planned Parenthood is cut, it will lead to 400,000 More Abortions each year because women will lose access to affordable contraception.
-Planned Parenthood saves lives by providing low cost breast exams and cervical exams. WOMEN WILL DIE IF FUNDING IS CUT.
-Title X also seeks to cut funding for Women Infant Children (WIC) which serves 9.6 million low-income women, young mothers, and infants, each year by providing nutritional support.
The current Republican Congress does not care about women or children. This is an assault on women and human rights, and WE WILL NOT TAKE IT!!!
DEMOCRACY IS NOT A SPECTATOR SPORT!
Enter your zip code and SEND A LETTER TO YOUR SENATOR! It takes less than a minute to do the right thing.
Sign the petition: I Stand With Planned Parenthood. | <urn:uuid:a13a35fd-cc94-4a72-ae34-8865490c3290> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://womanofsteele.tumblr.com/tagged/New-York-Times | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00072-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955288 | 1,098 | 1.882813 | 2 |
Cross-posted from Sightline Daily.
You might think that vehicle safety studies are all about the crash dummy tests you see on TV, with simulated collisions. But those kinds of tests don’t tell you how often collisions occur. A car that does well in a simulated crash test might not actually be all that safe in the real world, particularly if it’s bulky and hard to maneuver on on the road.
And that’s what Dr. Tom Wenzel of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has pointed out repeatedly over the past decade: Bigger vehicles like SUVs aren’t always safer vehicles.
There’s a lot of food for thought in Wenzel’s report from last March on the relationship between vehicle size and safety [PDF] — which, as far as I can tell, is the most comprehensive and best-documented review of the relationship between vehicle size and real-world safety records.
This study is his most sophisticated look at the topic to date, since it looks not only at real-world crash and fatality records of different makes and models, but also at the kinds of drivers who are involved in the crashes, as well as the the kinds of places that crashes occur. Not too surprisingly, he finds that young males and elderly drivers crash more than the average driver.
Crash fatalities are more common in rural areas than in urban areas; in fact, measured by fatalities per vehicle, the densest urban areas are also the safest places to drive. (See the chart to the right; click it to enlarge). But Wenzel is mostly interested in the inherent safety of the vehicles themselves – so his analysis excludes crashes in the most rural and most urban areas, and among higher-risk demographic groups.
The end result is a nuanced take on the relationship between vehicle size and vehicle safety. For example, he finds that …
- Heavier cars do, in fact, tend to be safer than lighter cars;
- Midsized cars are slightly safer than mid-sized SUVs, and compact cars are on a par with small SUVs.
- “Compact SUVs” based on car-body designs are actually safer than the larger, heavier fullsize SUVs based on truck designs;
- For vans, pickups, and fullsize SUVs, gains in safety to drivers are typically offset by increased risks to drivers of other vehicles; and
- There’s a lot of variation in the data: The size of vehicle is just one factor among many when trying to choose a safe car.
In short, Wenzel finds that there is a relationship between vehicle size and safety — but it’s a different relationship for different kinds of vehicles. People who chose a big SUV because it seemed “safer” than a car in a collision were often making a bad decision; a smaller CSUV, or even a large car, might have offered a safer ride. Similarly, people who chose a big SUV over a smaller one for “safety” reasons were often just increasing the risks they pose to other drivers.
But perhaps the biggest lesson of all is in the chart above: If you want to stay safe, your best bet is to live in a place where you don’t have to drive much. The casualty differences between a compact urban neighborhood and a suburb are much greater than the relatively minor safety gains from getting a slightly bigger car. Which suggests that if you really want to drive safely, your best option is to drive less. | <urn:uuid:36fae0dc-3593-4ba6-8b4a-ca2b9696ce40> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://grist.org/article/2011-01-14-smaller-suv-safer-ride/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00052-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972546 | 719 | 2.6875 | 3 |
Still Image Capture: Hardware and Software
This document is an introduction to digital cameras and scanners and their role in digitisation. This document also looks at the features found in software used to edit images captured by cameras and scanners.
Digital image capture (or digitisation) is the process of creating a digital image file directly using a digital camera or scanner. An original work can also be digitised indirectly via an analogue intermediary such as a photograph of the original work using a scanner or digital camera.
The digitisation process requires both hardware and software. The choice of hardware will be primarily dependent on the nature of the source material and the intended quality of capture. The choice of software should take into account what image processing operations are required and how the images will be delivered to the user.
Commonly used digital capture devices fall into two general types: scanners and cameras.
These are available in several forms including drum, flatbed, and film. Traditionally drum scanners provide the highest quality, but are expensive to use and hard to operate. More recently, flatbed technology has matured into a viable, easy to use and high quality alternative at a price affordable by smaller digitisation projects. Factors to be considered when selecting an appropriate scanner include optical resolution, optical density, maximum scanning area, bit depth and scanning time. There tends to be a natural trade-off between quality, cost, scanning area and speed of operation (fast, larger than A4 and high quality units tend to be more expensive).
Digital cameras are increasingly being used for image capture – especially where flatbed scanning is impractical or might cause damage to the original material (for example, a sculpture or a fragile manuscript). Today, affordable consumer cameras are capable of delivering images of high quality for print or archival use. Professional cameras normally offer higher quality and greater flexibility in a more robust package but at a price.
An alternative approach is to capture the image onto medium or large format photographic film and then scan this using a film or transparency scanner. This procedure is known as using an "analogue intermediary". As the image quality captured by digital cameras and scanners improves this process is becoming less common. One advantage of this process is that there is an analogue image, which can be archived along with the digital data.
You will find in-depth information in JISC Digital Media's advice document Digital Cameras.
Digitisation software falls broadly into two types: image capture (and workflow) software and image editing software, although there is often a great deal of overlap between the two.
Image capture software
Capture software can be found in various forms: from complex, device-specific, programs that control the whole capture process through to simple, driver plug-ins that work within image editors or image management software. Using a plug-in might remove the need for a further piece of software but may also limit the functionality of the workflow. Using a dedicated image capture program is likely to add complexity to the process but can provide benefits such as a streamlined workflow or increased functionality and automation.
Image editing software
The digitisation project has two main uses for image editing software:
- Image editing - where captured images are prepared for further use, including cropping, tonal and colour correction and any necessary image repair work.
- Creating surrogate delivery images - where images are re-sized, compressed and then saved in a file-format appropriate for their intended use.
Choosing the correct image editing software for a project can prove a challenge and will depend on the uses and demands that are made of it, as well as the budget available.
Factors that will need consideration include:
- Capability - will the software be able to undertake all the tasks required of it? Can it be automated for use within your workflow? Does it provide ICC based colour management? Can it record any editing within an audit trail?
- Hardware and operating system requirements - platform (i.e. Mac/Windows), memory, processor, display, hard disk space
Further information is available in JISC Digital Media's advice document Image Editing Software.
Thought should also be given to the way the image capture device interacts with the host computer – both the physical, hardware connection (e.g. SCSI, USB, FireWire connections) and the software interface or drivers (e.g. TWAIN or ISIS). A key consideration here is speed. When dealing with hundreds or thousands of images, a few additional seconds per image can really add up. For the same reason, a fast computer and CD-writer (if this is the chosen means of archiving) are well worth the investment. | <urn:uuid:ebfed1ef-94ac-43b3-97d0-3d1faf3fa10d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.jiscdigitalmedia.ac.uk/guide/still-image-capture-hardware-and-software | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.924769 | 939 | 3.46875 | 3 |
Climate Change Is Here to Stay, for Centuries
Carbon dioxide already in the atmosphere has locked the world into at least a 3.6-degree Fahrenheit global temperature increase that will last for millennia, according to a new report released by the National Research Council. Marilyn Raphael, a UCLA geography profesor and member of the report committee, urges action and not despair.
By Alison Hewitt for UCLA Today
THERE IS ALREADY enough carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that the world is locked into at least a 3.6-degree Fahrenheit global temperature increase that will last for millennia, according to a new report released by the National Research Council.
Marilyn Raphael, a UCLA geography professor who helped write the report from the National Academy of Sciences, said the implications were sometimes frightening even to her committee of mostly experts from government and academic institutions that teamed up to develop "Climate Stabilization Targets: Emissions, Concentrations, and Impacts Over Decades to Millennia." The team collected previously published scientific reports to compile their report on climate change.
"I think most of us were really taken aback by the length of time that we're locked into climate change," Raphael said. "Previously the conversation has been about the next generation or two, but now we're looking at millennia. It's sobering and a little frightening."
To prevent the global average temperature from increasing more than 3.6 degrees, carbon dioxide emissions would have to be reduced by 80 percent now, the report said. "I think you'll agree, that's not likely to happen," Raphael said.
So, not to put to fine a point on it, but is the world screwed?
"Yes. We're locked into a temperature change," she said. "It doesn't mean we give up or lose hope. On a personal level, it does make me think about personal choices I can make to reduce my carbon footprint."
As the world's population continues to emit CO2, it will be locked into higher and higher temperature increases, the report explained. But the sooner emissions are reduced, the authors wrote, the sooner that temperature climb will level off, or stabilize. "Stabilization" doesn't mean the world will cool back down – it will just stop getting hotter, Raphael explained.
Because carbon dioxide takes so long to dissipate from the atmosphere, the current levels of CO2 are going to be with us for thousands of years, no matter how much people reduce their emissions, the report said. Today's CO2 measurements – 390 parts per million – will culminate in a 2-degree Celsius, or 3.6 F, increase in the Earth's average temperature, Raphael said.
"That doesn't sound like much, but it will change things," she said. "Think of the warmest summer you've experienced in your lifetime. You can expect that to become the norm for summer."
As the world's average temperature rises, the report found that for each degree Celsius:
- The Mediterranean, the southwestern U.S. and southern Africa will face 5-10 percent less rainfall;
- Arctic sea ice will melt 15-25 percent;
- Alaska and other far-northern regions will face 3-10 percent increases in heavy rainfall;
- Food crops will falter by 5-15 percent;
- Rivers like the Rio Grande will dwindle 5-10 percent;
- Wildfires will consume two to four times as much land.
While the report anticipated current carbon dioxide levels will create a 2 C increase and therefore multiply each of those effects by two, worse is yet to come, the document said. Emissions must be cut by 80 percent to prevent that 2-degree increase from growing – but scientific articles predict CO2 will continue to accumulate.
"Carbon dioxide concentrations could double or nearly triple from today's levels by the end of the century," which would eventually cause warming of 5 C, or 9 F, the report warned.
The National Academy of Sciences committee that developed the report included scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); Stanford University; the University of Washington, Seattle; Texas Tech University; the Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. in DC; Concordia University, Montreal; and others in addition to UCLA.
"It's important that people realize that what we have done to the Earth has an impact not just on our lives and our children's lives, but generations of children to come," Raphael said. "People have to use this information to decide what steps to take next. It's information to act on, not to give up on."
Published: Tuesday, August 24, 2010 | <urn:uuid:53f08280-2ec8-4dc2-9d38-fb1967d90d51> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.international.ucla.edu/asia/article.asp?parentid=117063 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956261 | 950 | 2.9375 | 3 |
When you hear about a crime that's occurred, do you wonder how someone could commit such an act? Are you curious about what happens to someone after they've been accused of a crime? In Criminology and Law Studies, we investigate the various reasons people commit crimes. We also dig into how police, courts and the corrections system work, as well as why the criminal justice system works the way it does — the good, the bad and the ugly.
Upon completion of the Criminology and Law Studies major, a student should be able to:
|Criminology and Law Studies:
A Socially Meaningful Field of Study
Looking for a socially meaningful, thought-provoking and fascinating field of study? Dr. Mary Ann Farkas, associate professor of social and cultural sciences, invites you to consider majoring in criminology and law studies at Marquette. Enroll in a course and explore the causes of crime, criminal behavior and how the criminal justice system responds. What you learn may surprise you. | <urn:uuid:86ada78c-8cab-4f05-8a16-ab2b57ab9d1e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.marquette.edu/socs/criminology.shtml | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946787 | 210 | 2.203125 | 2 |
Orleans church models crèche after its members
ORLEANS — Shepherds herd their sheep through a field, some excitedly pointing at the Star of Bethlehem, while Mary and Joseph kneel over the manger.
The Nativity scene is a common sight around Christmas, usually with miniature figurines depicting the birth of Jesus, the shepherds and the coming of the Magi. Most aren't true to scale or modeled after real people.
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The Community of Jesus at Rock Harbor in Orleans has taken its crèche one step further, creating a life-size scene with Mary, Joseph and the shepherds life cast from members of the church.
The crèche will be officially unveiled at the community's Advent teas and services of lessons and carols this weekend.
In January, Brother Joel Sweet and Brother Phillip MacNeill came up with the idea for the crèche, as the community's old one was starting to fall apart.
As life-cast crèches are rare, the entire project was a learning process for everyone involved. Sweet said one of the only other examples he could find was at The Vatican, so there weren't many people to ask, "Hey, how do we do this?"
It quickly became clear that they would need more help, so the brothers and other volunteers from the religious community all joined in. There was a niche for everyone, both the artistic and non-artistic, be it welding, sculpting, painting or draping fabric. There was also some help from beyond the church.
"We had a hand from above help us in acquiring the materials," Sweet said.
More than $2,000 of alginate, a seaweed-based molding compound, was donated to the church from an art house that received it and couldn't use it because of the smell.
"We are located right on the harbor, so the smell isn't a problem," Sweet said with a laugh. Perhaps the most interesting donor was a store called Dapper Cadaver, a Los Angeles prop company that gave the community glass eyeballs.
The 10 figures created so far each took 150 hours to make and were made in a workshop in Brewster owned by the church.
They started out as a steel stick figure. Then, sculptors placed Styrofoam over the armatures and carved it to resemble the human form, which was then covered with a layer of a hard, resinous material.
The feet, hands and face were all life-cast — three-dimensional replicas made in a precise process.
Alginate is placed on the model's face for about 15 minutes as it hardens.
"We had to have people sit very still throughout the process with holes under their nostrils so they could breath. Next time, we will use nose straws," Sweet said.
"Alginate is also very heavy," he explained. "You can't try to hold a facial expression with it on. We told people to spend their 15 minutes thinking of what they want their expression to be, then make it at the last minute. People who tried to hold an expression the whole time ended up with face masks that drooped and looked like the ghost of Jacob Marley."
Kate Shannon, publicist for the church, said, "We used the mold of their face shape as a starting point and added characteristics to it."
Each cast created a different foundation for the artists to work with; some were smiling and showing their teeth, while others looked serious.
"We could have never sculpted expressions like this," Sweet said.
Once assembled, the figures were airbrushed with three layers of paint, were given the eyeballs and dressed in clothes made out of burlap, dipped in resin and shaped . The finished results are realistic lifesize figures, so accurate that the contours of muscles beneath the skin, wrinkles and veins are visible.
"Shepherds were the easiest thing for us to learn how to cast and get our 'sea-legs,' so to speak; next year we hope to have baby Jesus cast, along with the Magi, and eventually more animals," Sweet said.
"Once it was set up, people were really impressed and happy seeing the end result of all their hard work," he said. "There's so much more we can do. The sky is the limit."
The Community of Jesus, 5 Bay View Drive, Orleans, will unveil its new crèche at Advent teas followed by services of lessons and carols this weekend. The crèche will be up through Epiphany on Jan. 6. Tea and services are at the following times:
- Tea 3-4 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Tickets: $18
- Service of lessons and carols: 4:30 p.m. Friday, Saturday, Sunday. Free. | <urn:uuid:9be1fd40-0df5-403d-a7dd-f82c6c5dcf5d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://m.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20121207/NEWS/212070321/-1/WAP&template=wapart | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.981572 | 1,009 | 1.75 | 2 |
Home >White Tailed Deer Management Program
The Morris County Park Commission is currently responsible for the stewardship of over 18,000 acres of land. It recognizes that a controlled hunting program is the most efficient and effective way available to minimize the severe threats posed to the biodiversity of native flora and fauna by overabundant white-tailed deer populations. The MCPC's controlled hunts are specifically used as a population management tool and do not represent recreational hunting opportunities.
Questions and comments about the program should be directed to:
Morris County Park Commission, ATTN: Natural Resources Office
P.O. Box 1295
353 East Hanover Avenue
Morris Township, NJ, 07962-1295 | <urn:uuid:6787a195-ecdc-4e24-83da-184fb785e218> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://morrisparks.net/deer/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00061-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.905605 | 145 | 2.21875 | 2 |
The last and southernmost drilling site occupied during Leg 197, Site 1206, was located on the southeastern side of the lower summit terrace of Koko Seamount. Koko Seamount is a flat-topped seamount or guyot with a crowning ornamentation of small reefal bodies. It rises from the abyssal floor (~5000 m) of the western subtropical Pacific Basin at 35.3°N, thus just north of the "bend" (~32°N) in the ~5000-km-long Hawaiian-Emperor Seamount chain. The seamount was named by Thomas Davies and colleagues in 1972 for the 58th emperor of Japan (Davies et al., 1972).
A short seismic survey was conducted to locate a suitable structural and stratigraphic setting for Site 1206, which was initially targeted for the vicinity of DSDP Site 308, drilled in 1973 during Leg 32 (Larson, Moberly, et al., 1975). Weather conditions prevented Leg 32 from reaching basement during drilling at this site, which penetrated to a depth of 68.5 m in Koko Seamount's sediment cover. In consideration of the short time remaining in Leg 197 to conduct basement coring at Koko Seamount, a location was sought where a thin sedimentary section covered its main shield-building volcanic mass. Site 1206, at a water depth of ~1545 m, was located ~6.2 km south of Site 308 in an area where the surficial section of acoustically layered material, presumably all or mostly sedimentary beds, was less than one-half that recorded at Site 308 (Fig. F42). At Site 1206 (34°55.55´N, 172°8.75´E), basement was reached at a subsurface depth of 57 m. Coring continued to a depth of 335 mbsf, or 278 m into basement.
The top 57 m of sediment was washed through with the core barrel in place. Recovered debris in the wash core included fragments of fossiliferous calcarenite and calcareous mudstone and siltstone indicative of shallow-water depositional settings. The lower part of the wash core recovered a 15- to 20-cm-long section of laminated, shell debris-bearing mudstone containing a nannofossil assemblage typical of Zones NP14 and NP15, of the early to middle Eocene (43.5-49.7 Ma). This age range brackets a radiometric analysis (48.1 Ma) reported for a dredged rock (Clague and Dalrymple, 1973) from Koko Seamount. Although volcaniclastic beds commonly rich in shell fragments were recovered from Hole 1206A in the underlying sequence of volcanic basement rock, none of these deposits contained identifiable nannofossils.
Lava flows dominated the lithology in Hole 1206A, with smaller proportions of volcaniclastic beds and thin lenses of calcarenite (Fig. F43). Many lavas are pahoehoe flows interbedded with subordinate a'a units that show evidence of subaerial extrusion. A large degree of variability in bulk density, grain density, and porosity of these basement rocks was observed downcore. Although P-wave velocity varies widely (2215-4820 m/s) with depth, velocity correlates strongly with bulk density, and thus inversely with the degree of vesicularity. The bulk of the basalt flows are aphyric to olivine-phyric lava (Fig. F44) and tholeiitic or transitional to alkalic in composition. With respect to major and trace element geochemistry, the basaltic lavas from Koko Seamount resemble those drilled during DSDP Leg 55 at Suiko Seamount (Figs. F45, F46).
All the basalt flows recovered at Site 1206 are slightly altered, in the form of a patchy homogeneous assemblage of Fe oxyhydroxide, clay (brown clay, saponite, aliettite, and celadonite), carbonate, and zeolite. Unaltered olivine is characteristic of many of tholeiitic lava flows. The occurrence of aliettite (alternating talc and saponite-layered smectite), which expands in contact with water, caused the mechanical disintegration of some massive basalt intervals. Possibly, this phenomenon led to the onset of unstable hole conditions that, with respect to probable tool loss, made logging too risky to conduct.
Low-field magnetic susceptibilities, Koenigsberger ratios, and high median destructive field values (Figs. F47, F48, F49) suggested that the lava flow units from Hole 1206A carry a stable remanent magnetization and are suitable for the determination of preliminary paleomagnetic inclinations. Three early Tertiary polarity chrons were recognized in the lava flow units. Geomagnetic polarity reversals were not found at other Leg 197 sites. At Koko Seamount, 14 independent paleomagnetic inclination groups were identified, yielding a mean inclination of 38.5° (+8.4°/-10.9°; 95% confidence interval) (Fig. F50). The preliminary mean inclination of the lava flow units suggests a paleolatitude of 21.7° (+6.4°/-7.0°) for Koko Seamount.
The paleolatitude result gained at Koko Seamount strengthens confidence in the correctness of the implications of the paleomagnetically determined latitude of formation for Nintoku, Suiko, and Detroit Seamounts. These volcanic edifices, each located progressively north of Koko Seamount, also formed paleomagnetically progressively farther north of the present location of the Hawaii hotspot (~19°). Thus, singularly and as a linear group, the latitudes of formation of these four Emperor Seamounts establish that to reach its present position, the Hawaii hotspot moved rapidly southward during the Late Cretaceous and early Tertiary (i.e., from ~81 to 43 Ma). | <urn:uuid:c09e6ea6-1273-43b8-a610-93f1a4ed84ec> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www-odp.tamu.edu/publications/197_IR/chap_01/c1_9.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00020-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.921547 | 1,265 | 2.296875 | 2 |
Hall Memorial Building (HMB)
||Elizabeth M. Gibbons, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Psychology
- Ph.D., Temple University, School Psychology, 2009
- Ed.M., Temple University, School Psychology, 2005
- B.A., State University of New York, Purchase College, Psychology, 2001
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SHORT BIOGRAPHYDr. Gibbons is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at Gallaudet University where she teaches in the school psychology program. She is a nationally certified school psychologist with experience providing a range of psychoeducational services in a variety of settings. She received her Ph.D. in School Psychology from Temple University in January 2009. Her dissertation research involved a national survey of >350 school psychologists and was focused on the role of the school psychologist in making educational placement decisions for deaf and hard of hearing students.
LICENSURENationally Certified School Psychologist | <urn:uuid:e112f5d2-cf58-46bd-bde2-07aee330ec8a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.gallaudet.edu/Faculty-Staff/Psychology/Gibbons_Elizabeth.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00070-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939054 | 202 | 1.609375 | 2 |
Beth Howard pulled up to Newtown in her 24-foot-long camper, loaded with 240 apple pies.
She dished out pie to kids from Sandy Hook Elementary School, grieving parents and anyone who asked.
She describes herself as an attaché for grief, with her greatest gift being pie “made from love.” Most people simply call her "the pie lady."
“Pie is meant to be shared,” she said. “It’s meant to be given away.”
As she spoke, there was a knock on her door. Women preparing a wake for one of the slain girls would like some pie for mourners.
“Of course,” Howard said. “Will you please put ribbons on them?”
Her 1,100-mile journey here began with a Facebook post last Friday. Like the rest of the nation, she was horrified by the massacre that killed 26 people at the school, including 20 children.
She told her Facebook friends that she was considering loading her RV up with baking supplies and heading to Newtown.
She lives in Eldon, Iowa, in the American Gothic home where artist Grant Wood got his inspiration for his most famous painting - the farmer couple with a pitchfork. She sells pies there from the Pitchfork Pie Stand.
Within two hours, she had $2,000 in donations.
“I felt like, how could I not go with that groundswell of support?” she said.
She hit the road at 8 a.m. Saturday. She picked up a friend in Chicago and cruised to another friend’s home in Flanders, New Jersey, where she “walked into this pie-baking mania.” More than 60 volunteers were peeling apples and making dough throughout the neighborhood. One family made 60 in a single day.
“They were making pies for Newtown because of this one Facebook comment,” she said. “That was a powerful thing.”
After several days of intense baking, she posted on her The World Needs More Pie website at 8:45 a.m. that the pies were done and en route: “We’re on our way to Newtown, Connecticut, now to hand out slices of pie, gift pies to funeral receptions and grieving families, and later in the week bake more pies with residents of the community.”
They went straight to the Newtown Youth Academy where therapy dogs helped children cope with the horror at their school. Parents were there too. One mother said she realized she hadn’t eaten since before the tragedy. She was glad to eat apple pie.
Another father explained his two sons knew one of the slain children.
“He was talking about how he was talking with his children about the grief, and they seemed to have had a very open conversation about it,” Howard said. “That was very encouraging to hear.”
"It’s a pretty positive energy over there, I have to say. There’s grief, but there’s also an amazing spirit here. It comes through very loud and clear,” she added.
An author, blogger and TV host, Howard knows about grief: Her husband, Marcus Iken, died three years ago of a ruptured aorta. She poured her grief into baking pies.
“Why pie? Answering that is about as easy as explaining why seemingly healthy Marcus dropped dead at the age of 43,” she wrote in her book, Making Piece: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Pie. “If only the answer was as easy as ‘It was his time.’”
Relaxed in her pie-filled RV, she elaborated. “What I learned is people don’t like to talk about grief,” she said. “That’s a big reason why I’m here.”
“If I just keep slicing pie, that helps me. It’s not a cake that you make with a little mixer. This is something made by hand," she said. "The pioneers made pie; the pilgrims made pie. It’s about endurance. It’s about nurturing. It’s about simplicity. It’s about nostalgia. And ultimately, for me, it’s about sharing and it’s about giving.”
Her love of pie goes back to her parents’ courtship. One night, her mom baked a banana crème pie. When the two finished, her father said, “Will you marry me?”
“Pie makes me happy,” she said. “It makes people happy. It makes me want to do something nice for somebody else.”
Another resident knocks on her door. She wanted a pie for her family and for a friend’s. A smile grew across her face when she was given two.
Howard smiled too.
“People smiled today,” she said. “And that alone was worth the drive.”
So far, she has raised $7,000 in donations. Any extra money - after gas and pie expenses - will be donated to a local grief counseling center.
From around the web | <urn:uuid:b38bfb6e-6cd5-434d-9d75-996150743c42> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2012/12/19/bringing-healing-to-newtown-one-pie-at-a-time/?hpt=li_t5 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00070-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.982658 | 1,112 | 1.640625 | 2 |
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From stereotypical roles as maids and cooks to Academy Award-winning performances in blockbuster movies, African-Americans have come a long way in the world of film and TV. Early stars like Sidney Portier and Hattie McDaniel may have been the first actors to win awards for their stellar performances, but modern-day actors such as Denzel Washington and Halle Berry are still breaking new ground as the first African-Americans to win Oscars, Emmys and Golden Globes in certain categories. Learn about the African-American actors who became the first to change the fabric film and TV with their dramatic performances.
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It is Saturday afternoon in La Campanera, an overcrowded suburb of Soyapango, a satellite of San Salvador. It's another oppressively hot day in the rainy season and muddy children sway on rusty swings outside a rapturous congregation in a happy-clappy Baptist church.
By nightfall the residents of this barrio take refuge in their fortified houses. Being out after dark is asking for trouble in a suburb where children and teens from rival gangs kill each other and ordinary residents get caught in the crossfire.
In a typical colonia, or narrow pedestrianised street, we enter Helen's home, a small neat house shared by four teenage girls aged 13 to 17, and 18-month-old baby Franklin. The girls do not work or go to school. The 15-metre square house, left to one of the girls, is clean and homely, with pictures on the wall, a 'Shalom' sign and little china christening gifts. Outside, a tank collects rainwater for washing. There has been no running water since two earthquakes devastated El Salvador last year.
The girls' parents are dead or have abandoned them to work illegally in the US. Thousands of children were orphaned during El Salvador's war and a basket-case economy has forced 1.5 million Salvadorans to emigrate, often without their children. So these girls have created their own family.
In the poverty of La Campanera, the girls look like beauty queens. Like teenagers the world over, they are dressed in trendy tank-tops and figure-hugging jeans which have been sent by relatives in the US. They do not look like pandilleras - gang members.
But Cristabel, 17, pulls up her top to show the numbers 'one' and 'eight' tattooed on her midriff, signifying her allegiance to the Calle Dieciocho, the 18th Street gang, named after a Los Angeles street. To enter the gang, she had to be ritually beaten by three of her 'homies' while the gang counted slowly to 18. On her back is a tattooed crucifix and RIP, in memory of her 'homegirl' who was killed by the rival Mara Salvatrucha gang last year.
Cristabel's 17-year-old boyfriend, Nelson, has diecocho inscribed on his forehead, making him a walking target. It is ugly, but what is pathetically tragic is that it is spelt incorrectly - the tattooist has left the second 'i' out of dieciocho.
Nelson is ruined anyway. In El Salvador anyone with a tattoo is unemployable. Hiding them is difficult - this is a country where 'medicals' and lie detector tests are commonplace even for jobs in sweatshops. 'What difference does it make?' he asks. He expects to die young. If you want to be cruel, ask him: 'What if you don't die? What is your future?' and he and his homies are horrified. The prospect of not dying young has never occurred to them.
Belonging to the 18th Street gang has given these youngsters the sense of belonging they crave; but it condemns them to a blood feud with the MS - which also originated in LA - and is essentially a mirror image of the 18th Street gang. The girls call their enemies the Mierda Seca, the 'Dry Shit'.
Armed with knives and homemade guns, the 18th Street and the Mara Salvatrucha gangs have carved up El Salvador; they kill each other for honour, territory and crack. Which gang you belong to depends on your barrio - graffiti tells you who is in charge. The youngest gang members are the most dangerous - they have the most to prove.
I am in El Salvador with cameraman-director Rodrigo Vazquez, making a film about gangs for Channel 4's Unreported World . Helen, 13, Melda, 17, and Cristabel, 16, sit on their bed, putting on make-up for the camera. They are coy about drugs and robbery.
Then I ask if they have ever killed, and we are back on comfortable territory. Helen, who is holding an Uncle Sam teddy bear, gets a large kitchen knife. A murder weapon.
'I was with my homies and we saw one of the MS scum who had killed my homegirl,' Helen recalls. 'I stuck this knife into his back and he fell. We kicked him and crushed his head with a brick. Then we pushed his body into a ditch. I was covered in blood. Revenge is sweet,' she said. Her friends smiled.
Melda dreams of becoming a beautician. But the year-long course costs $20 a month, a fortune. She says she has killed too: 'I was on the bus in Soyapango. A girl got on and made an MS sign to me. I plunged a knife into her heart.'
Children as young as seven join the gangs; some, like baby Franklin, are being born into the culture. Police estimate there are at least 25,000 gang members in El Salvador, perhaps twice that. In this country of six million people, there are half a million guns and no jobs. One in three people is a victim of violent crime.
The 12-year war between left-wing guerrillas and a US-backed military dictatorship cost 80,000 lives. Around half a million refugees fled to the US. Most settled in the ghettos of Los Angeles.
Since 1992, almost 35,000 Salvadoran migrants have been deported from the US, 40 per cent for committing crimes. It was deportees who brought the LA gang culture to El Salvador.
Young people join the gangs to find a sense of identity, says social psychologist Miguel Cruz. 'Our country doesn't give them opportunities,' he says, 'and when they join the gangs they get a power that society denies them.'
One tiny NGO, Homies Unidos, or Homies United, is trying to help gang members with apprenticeships and scholarships. Run by former LA gang members, Homies is about to go bust; reliant on donations, it only has money to last until the end of the year.
'Our work is vital,' says director William 'Weazrock' Huezo, 'but we're sinking fast'. Without government or international funding they are powerless to improve life for any of El Salvador's gang members, youngsters who are, literally, dying to belong.
· 'Unreported World: Killing to Belong', filmed and directed by Rodrigo Vasquez, is on Channel 4 early in the new year. | <urn:uuid:5bf57a20-cfd0-41ef-8323-516e84e04b16> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2002/nov/10/sandrajordan.theobserver | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00044-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963248 | 1,371 | 2.140625 | 2 |
A Quick Guide to Early Intervention
When our son was 18 months old, my husband and I were told that his chronic ear infections had led to a pair of repeatedly perforated eardrums and 25 percent hearing reduction to boot. Luckily, tubes cleared the infections — and the hearing loss — right up. But Julian’s inability to say more than a few words at nearly 2 years prompted our ENT to recommend he be evaluated for a speech delay through Early Intervention.
As an adoptive parent, I was familiar with EI, as post-institutionalized kids often come home with developmental delays. But as we began the process with Julian, I discovered that most biological parents I knew had only a vague understanding of what Early Intervention services are and who can get them. Here’s a quick guide to the basics:
- What is Early Intervention? EI is a federally funded, state-run program that provides support for infants and toddlers with disabilities or who are at risk for having significant developmental delays. “Disabilities” at this age can be anything from severe special needs to feeding difficulties to delays in fine-motor skills, communication, or muscle development.
- Who’s eligible? EI services are provided in all 50 states (as well as Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico) and are free to any child who qualifies based on an evaluation, regardless of family income. Officially, kids age out of Early Intervention at 3, or at the time they enter preschool and are eligible to be evaluated for an Individualized Education Program (IEP).
- Which services are offered? According to the U.S. Department of Education, Early Intervention services are intended to address the “physical, cognitive, communication, social-emotional, and adaptive developmental needs” of infants and toddlers. Based on her evaluation, a child may be recommended for a long list of services, including speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and counseling. The families of kids receiving EI services are also provided with training and support.
What is the evaluation process? The specific agencies involved in Early Intervention vary state to state, but the basic process is the same everywhere. The steps include:
- Referral: If you suspect your child may have a delay or disability, your pediatrician or preschool can refer you to your local Early Intervention office.
- Coordination: An Initial Service Coordinator will be assigned to your case to walk you through Early Intervention services and the evaluation process.
- Evaluation: As a parent, it’s your right to choose which approved agency will evaluate your child. Often there will be more than one evaluation for a specific concern.
- The IFSP meeting: If your child is deemed eligible for Early Intervention, an Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP) meeting will be held to determine which services are needed and how often they’ll be given.
- What if you disagree? If you’re unsatisfied with the Early Intervention process at any point, you have the right to express your concerns and request changes. No one knows your child better than you, so don’t be afraid to speak up.
- For more information: Check out the U.S. Department of Education’s Web site at http://www2.ed.gov/programs/osepeip/index.html or do an Internet search for Early Intervention Services in your state.
Recommended Products for Your Child Ages 0-2 | <urn:uuid:d12b4183-f556-4eb9-933d-a47a394cf524> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.scholastic.com/parents/resources/article/disabilities-special-needs/quick-guide-to-early-intervention | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00035-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954805 | 711 | 3 | 3 |
It's time for Americans to forsake their lawns. Unless you are an avid fan of croquet, lawn tennis, or summer garden parties, let your lawn go natural. Today's obsession with perfect, park-like lawns is not only a waste of time and money; it's bad for the environment. Embrace a natural yard, as our household has done on about half of our property.
An estimated 80 percent of American households have a lawn; in aggregate, lawns would cover an area about the size of North Carolina. That represents a lot of Saturday afternoons spent mowing, even on a riding lawn-mower.
Anthropologists tell us settlers were driven to clear wild areas near their dwellings to reduce marauding varmints and vermin. Today, I suppose neighborly peer-pressure and side-glancing comparisons may also motivate excessive lawn care. How else could we be convinced a manicured expanse of genetically modified Kentucky bluegrass is a good diversion of time and money?
Here's the scenario: in spring, we must mow the lawn weekly; that uses fossil fuels. In summer, lush lawns require lots of water; if you use a well, excess sprinkling depletes the groundwater. In fall, we rake fallen leaves from the lawn and often remove them from the yard. In the absence of decomposing leaves, soil becomes depleted of nitrogen, phosphorus and other minerals that help plants grow, so the following year we need to buy fertilizer. Nitrogen fertilizer is one of the most energy-intensive products known, made by the combustion of natural gas under high temperature and pressure.
Suburban lawns accumulate carbon in their soil, but their storage capacity is outweighed by the carbon dioxide emissions generated by products used to maintain them (gas mowers, fertilizer, herbicides, store-bought mulch, etc). In the eastern United States, a natural landscape is usually more efficient at carbon storage. If you like, plant a hardy ground cover that requires no regular maintenance or chemical inputs. If you're worried about ticks, simply reduce the size of your lawn to where your family picnics or the kids play.
Most lawns, indeed most yards, are maintained at an unnaturally low level of biological diversity, largely through the use of lawn herbicides and the systematic removal of shrubby vegetation that might invade it. A more diverse natural landscape would support populations of the creatures that prey on common landscape pests. In their absence, somewhat ironically, we depend on chemical pesticides to maintain a "healthy" looking landscape.
Pesticides inadvertently reduce the populations of microbes, earthworms and other organisms that maintain natural soil fertility. Rain washes pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers into local streams, eventually leading to the pollution of major water bodies, such as the Hudson River, that are our source of drinking water.
In a world where time is short and the price of fossil fuels is skyrocketing, I can't think of a good reason to maintain a park-like suburban lawn. Let it go: you'll enjoy the return of wild songbirds to your yard. Recalibrate to a new normal and return to nature - something many Americans pay dearly for by traveling to "natural" vacation spots. Meanwhile, back at home, their lawns suck up time and money. | <urn:uuid:4beecccb-a410-40e3-939f-ccb9cd9a627d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.caryinstitute.org/newsroom/let-lawn-go-and-reap-benefits?page=0%25252C1%252C3 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00029-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948956 | 683 | 2.703125 | 3 |
I recently read a white paper on the web that claimed: when burning audio tracks to CD for eventual mastering, use a model recommended specifically for audio recording.
The informational claimed that audio requires a slightly deeper groove-cut; & that using a data drive to write audio can result in playback problems with CD players (ranging from long cue ups, mis-tracking, or even not executing playback at all.)
A) Is this true?
B) If so, how about differeneces in the resulting audio quality itself? Wouldn't a more stable burn yeild a higher quality sound?
Thanks in advance,
I was really inquiring as to pre-mastering...getting the highest quality burn prior to sending the CD-R off to the replication house (as oposed to ripping.) I'm in the process of checking out the technical info that was posted; & I really did get a lot out of the discussion.
Can hear no difference on a direct burn from cd to cdr. Hear difference when converting to wav file & then burning, so I recommend bypassing hard drive. Regards, HiFi Guy
Your right about conversion to .wav first. I've heard this is due to the mix engine. John Vestman has some good relative info on his site:
Since audio CDs are organized differently than data CDs, attention must be paid when converting CD-A to .wav files on your hard drive. This process is called "digital audio extraction". Do a google search on this term to learn more about it.
Never converted CD Audio to a .wav file yet.
And you can't make me either!!!
Been using more recently a Yamaha CD Burner for PC.
Whenever I get the chance I burn in Audio Master Quality mode, and on my main stereo sometimes the copy sounds better than the original: firmer soundstage and more low-level detail. On good recordings to begin with, the copy sounds to me just as good the original, and I'm quite picky when it comes to low-level resolution.
Audio Master mode DOES make a quantifiable difference, however, on ANY audio system, because it reduces jitter and reading errors.
While I can't measure jitter (only appreciate it subjectively by listening), it's very easy to show the benefit of Audio Master recording mode in terms of minimizing the skipping errors. Just put a CD in the car, or portable CD player and take it jogging. Miraculously, no skips! Minidisc-like stability. Or almost no skips, while the original CD or a regular copy skips like crazy. Unfortunately, one can only burn 63 min. of music on a 74 min. CD or 68 min. on a 80 min. CD, respectively.
For Audio Master mode you can only use NERO 5.5.9.xx or later (currently 5.5.10) *** for Yamaha CD Burners ***, which only works with the Yamaha. I've also a TDK but, as expected, doesn't work.
Otherwise Clone CD is another excellent program, but you can't do AMQR mode with it.
Cos they do not always read the source CD properly
On a computer or data based burner you can re -read the data if you "RIP" it , ie extract it properly from the source , a stand alone (or if you burn a CD on the fly with a data recorder) cannot always read the info and if the error correction is not 100% you can get a corrupt burn , not to say this wont play , but it might lose info.
I have been burning since the first audio only CD recorders came out and have been thru all the hoops etc
Apart from this , I have owned both , and my CDRs burnt on a top of the range Pioneer PDR-05 DONT play on my meridian transport - whereas 24x burnt CDr's/cdrw's DO.
I used to be anal about both audio and data burns , burning at 1 or 2x speed only , using expensive media , devoting a puter to Audio only as well as using a Meridian 518 mastering processor tween my source and the PDR-05 - nowdays my 24x LG burner takes 3 mins to burn an audio cd that plays in EVERYTHING.
I did a whole lot of blind , double blind and sighted tests with originals and CDr's burnt via various means and came to the conclusion that sometimes burnt CDrs sounded better and with stand alones , cables and scource CD transport mattered.
Now this is all academic , modern burners and media do a fantastic job and all the "care" taken those days is not an issue these days.
What matters now is that you have a decent burning program , reasonable media (Do a search on BLER or BLERS to find out what matters with media) and the correct firmware for your burner and a puter capable of running it all. I have blind tested originals vs 24x burnt and cannot tell the difference.Funnily enough , when I was doing sighted tests , I always said the original was best , when doing the same tests blind , mostly the recorded cdr came up as "the best"
There is NO reason , apart from wishing to record analog(where stand alones are more convenient) in using a much more expensive stand alone type burners that use audio only CDR media (no diff to normal media , in fact worse as it does not have to comply with media that spin at 40x which has to be balanced and far better in terms of BLER rates etc)
Data and computer based burners are more than up to the task of recording audio. The added benefits of a puter based system are legion , cost , low cost media , no copy protection , data and audio , speed , the ability to edit , mixed mode recording etc.
If the burner is capable of writing red book standard there is no issue with "deep cuts" etc , the puter burners dont burn "deeper" at any rate and anything that burns with some proprietory mode is to be avoided.
There is one issue with data burners and cd copiers in general , the audio data on a CD has no real "start" address and you get what is called an offset error , IE the first block of data is not read from it real "beginning" , but this is not something to agonise over at all.
The other issue is to use a decent "ripping" program, EAC is free and considered the best as well as a source that can rip digital audio (using the burner to do this works perfectly)
When you say "mastering" from this information, it might be related to professional recording studios. If I was a recording engineer making master CDs for sale and distribution, I would pay very close attention to all aspects going into making it.
But aren't we just a bunch of guys making favourites CDs for parties and our vehicles? My new CD burner, unlike my old one, has yet to disappoint me so I have no burning desire to get one just for audio CDs.
i swear i can hear the differance between a cd copy i made on the computer and the original (mabey that's why i'm in the Asylum).the copies seem to have less dynamic range.i noticed that they do sound better when i copy the entire cd "on the fly",than when i use the compilation feature.i've often wondered if a good stand-alone unit would make better sounding copies.
Even on my budget stereo, comparing a CD-R (burned at 4x) with the original, something sounds "different" to me. I think the CD-R sounds more sterile, and less dynamic, less bass, and slighty more bright. If you're crazy, then I guess I am too.
I also get a lot of errors on the transfer of tracks from the original to the hard drive. Even if CD-ex says there are no errors, after listening to the final burned product, there are still cracks and pops. Any idea why this happens? My CD-RW is a generic one included on a Dell Laptop.
From the problems you describe, then it's not surprising they sound worse. You should get zero (or very near zero) errors when copying, and there should be no cracks and pops at all.
Most tracks on most discs copy with zero jitter errors. But then there are sometimes when an original disc could have 50% of its songs copy with read errors (the disc is pretty much scratchless and clean). Sometimes I have one song that is causing most of the trouble...I have to recopy it perhaps 5-10 times to get a "perfect" copy, but even that does not assure me of the song being pop and error free.
I'd say about 5% of all songs copied, despite being reported as error free, still contain errors.
It's still under warranty my laptop. I think I should take it in to get it replace, though I have a feeling Dell is very bitchy when it comes to replacing things that are all but dead.
Plus, the last time I phoned Dell Cust. Serv. I was put on hold for nearly 45 minutes, and this was 11:00 PM - hardly a peak hour for calls. Unless its a supply side problem, and they were understaffed at the time.
Possibly somehow related to the green colour of the CD-R which might "magically" absorb the reflecting red beams of the laser? Recall the green/black marker tweak for CD's that came out a few years ago ;)
The cracks pops etc are cos the Audio data is not being extracted properly
Download Exact Audio Copy , EAC (www.exactaudiocopy.com or exactaudiocop.de) and use it , if this does NOT help then the source CDr you are ripping from is not properly capable of extracting digital audio and you need one that is , plextor , lg , yamaha etc are good at this.
laptops are not ideal for audio burning , even my 2.4 ghz p4 with a Cdrom/cdr/dvd combo can only burn at 8x and can thus not support the good "full size" recorders which are pretty cheap
It depends on the burn speed. The slower the burn, the less chance of errors and the burn is indeed "deeper" thus making it easier for a player to read it. I do all my archivals on a Marantz Pro CDR-500 and use the computer for quickies and hand-outs.
How deeply it burned the disc matters. Just because one player can successfully read a disc that was burned at 64x doesn't mean any others will. You would be amazed at how much error correction has to happen with a disc that has a "faint" burn.
It would seem to me that if "faint burning" was the problem, then the error correction that is burnt as part of the process would have the same problems. So just how would there be so much successful error correction occurring, if the error correction data was "faintly" burned?
it's a statistical thing. Chances are the more correction bits you add, the better the chance that any errors that occur can be corrected. Yes, the error correction bits have the same chance of being in error as any other, so long as the total number of bit errors in any given 'word' of data does not exceed the redundancy built in via the error correction bits, then the data can be recovered.
What I am saying is that any given player is going to have a harder time reading a "faintly burned" CD over one that has a deep burn. I know of several players that I and some of my friends have that cannot sucessfully read a CD that was burned at high speeds. The fainter the burn, the bigger the chance that error correction is going to take place. The only thing you gain by burning a CD a a high rate is time. I'd rather do it right the first time. As far as error correction in the dubbing process goes, I would guess the same thing. Discs read at high speeds will probably have more errors than ones read at a slower speed. From what I have read, some CDR's that dub do not even use error correction during a dub. They take data from the source deck and dump it to the recording deck.
A pit is not a 0 and a land is not a one or anything like that at all , the laser actually reads troughs and non troughs , not a zillion "pits" , the data on a Cd is also not contiguous , it is interleaved and has error correction as well , the depth of a trough CANNOT actualy vary much as the reciver of the laser works when the pit is a 1/4 of the wavelength of the laser deep as it then "disrupts" it , you cannot go willy nilly and make deeper troughs etc. You might define the start of a trough better by sort of "slowing" and burning at this point or increasing power at the start, its actually called power ramping (I use it on my cutting lasers - where it slows down on curves or changes the power to less when doing 90 degree corners as it slows down at these corners)
There are also other conversions involved and the end result is not a series of ones and zeros or digital "pulses" , rather an analog sine like wave at about 3mhz - so the notion of an On/OFF and no grey area type thing is actually not really accurate.
The way a laser reads has all to do with reflectivity , speed and tracking issues and how the laser interprets or if indeed it CAN interpret the troughs or "less reflective" areas.
I am aware of how it works at that level, and yes the 1/4 wavelength principle behind it means that the word "deeper" must stay in quotes, but I beg to differ on the last part of your description a little, and perhaps to add some. The 'sinewave' varies. A series of alternating 1's and 0's will give an even mark/apce ratio and hence approximate a sinewave, but a few 1's, followed by many zero's then some quick 1's and 0's will give a rather odd looking waveform. Now, the next thing that is done in the curcuitry, is to turn that wave into a digital waveform, a certain voltage level indicating a 1 and another indicating a 0. This is why I referred to reading 1's and 0's, not wanting to get into the nitty gritty of HOW they are read. Nevertherless, that is what the player is interested in.
Within limits, your pits and lands can get pretty sloppy and so long as detected waveform is at the correct level/state when sampled (let's not get into a lengthy discussion on oversampling and jitter etc etc) then the result is a 1 or a 0. So, within normal tolerance, I believe what I said is correct.
The proof of the pudding is in the eating, and I get no more errors at 16x than at 4x, and subjectively it sounds just as good. Of course a good burner might compensate for the increased speed (power ramping you called it), in fact, such techniques must be one of the reasons burners keep getting faster.
I have a disc made by the church I attend in their own studio. I can play it on the computer, and on a portable in my office. However, I am inable to play it at home on my DVD player as it skips. I exchanged the disc for another, but I only ended up with skipping in different places. What would cause a consistent problem such as this?
Either the reflectivity of the Disc , the Disc not having been burned to Red book standard , a bad glass master if they did a big volume run or the fact the DVD is faulty or perhaps intolerant to slightly out of spec recordings
Its most likely badly recorded
Thanks, Rodney. What's interesting is that this is the second disc with this problem, and they only made 1500. No other disc in my collection (somewhere between 400-700), has this problem. Yet, two of these do. Since I know the folks involved quite well, what should I tell them to do about the problem? How do they ensure that future recordings don't suffer from such problems?
You probably want to take a look at the following review of Yamaha CD FRW-1 burner.
It does both data and audio, but has a special mode to achieve improved quality in audio mode, including the increased groove size. Note that in eithet case it uses data CDRs. Also if I'm not mistaken, it can record in CAV mode to minimize the jitter while recording.
Thanks, man. Check out this link to the Yamaha site:
Click on the icon for Advanced Audio Mastering; & check out the technology demonstration (I know you probably already have one of these things, but I'm now starting to feel like, between this burner; & some good mastering or maximizing software, I have a chance to compete (or, at least be in the same ballpark) as "pro level" CD pre-mastering. Thanks again.
using *audio mode* ( tagged Audio Master Quality Recording ) actualy made it worse to my ears. More vailed and lack of transient bites compared to the copies made with 4X speed.
I've replaced Tascam CDW-2000 with this Yamaha for both archiving WAV files on the HD as well as making a stand-alone copies.
Perhpas, this unit still needs some running in, but, results so far is pretty dissapointing. It is possible it's because of ripping software I use. ( Toaster 5.2 and iTunes ) PC users might have better luck with it.
< < < worse to my ears > > >
That's curious... in my case Audio Master mode ALWAYS yielded improvements, often in sound quality (it lifts the veil off the recording) and regularly in playback stability. Try EAC or Easy CD Extractor to rip wavs.
I have noticed no difference in audio quality or playback reliability between my CD burner in my PC vs the outboard Pioneer CD recorder in my stereo rack.
Also, I have noticed no difference in sound quality or reliability using "audio" CD recordable media vs cheap "data" CD media.
I have both including the CD R/W drive in my PC and a Pioneer consumer CD recorder. They both do an outstanding job and I don't notice any difference in the quality of the CD copy.
I find the PC CD R/W drive (along with my PC CD ROM drive) to be very convenient for high-speed copying of an original CD to recordable CD media. Not so convenient for making copies of various tracks from different CD's onto a single recordable CD media.
On the other hand, I find the outboard standalone Pioneer CD recorder to be more convenient when recording from my 5-disc CD changer. I program a couple dozen tracks on the CD changer from 5 different CD's, press a couple buttons and walk away. Instant "favorites" CD when it's all done. (I can then take that "favorites" CD and make high-speed copies on the PC).
Audio CDs cost more becasue of the royalties. I have used data cds for years and they sound pretty damn good.
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors: | <urn:uuid:ef98cf28-0d6d-44b8-b96d-82a7c913b0c6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/t.mpl?f=general&m=248936 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00062-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951448 | 4,096 | 2.140625 | 2 |
How to kill a tree?
mrijken at inter.NL.net
Fri Feb 9 13:59:41 EST 1996
I hope planting trees gets as much attention as this thread, but
nevertheless I would like to share the following experience with you.
My father was annoyed by the multitude of roots in his lawn of his
favorite Prunus serrulata. A friend told him to put copper nails in
the roots to let them disappear. Well, he was right. The roots
disappeared... because the tree died after a few months...
Was my father just unlucky, or is copper really this bad for trees?
@..@ Marti Rijken mrijken at inter.NL.net
( >__< ) OSTYPE=Linux; export OSTYPE
More information about the Plantbio | <urn:uuid:17403b65-7c7f-4477-8300-5ccf437141ef> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bio.net/bionet/mm/plantbio/1996-February/009894.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946523 | 181 | 1.773438 | 2 |
The deflated housing bubble has had widespread effects that continue to poison the lives of many Americans and the greater economy. As much as we are faced with stories of foreclosure after foreclosure, the results of a recent survey by real estate website Zillow suggest that many aren't taking away important lessons from the housing debacle. ABC News Consumer Correspondent Elisabeth Leamy is discouraged by this and offers a few key takeaways from the popped bubble.
17 percent of people say they plan to buy a house with zero percent down. Leamy says: "Zero-down loans are not available anymore . . . A 20 percent down payment makes a lot more sense. Time to start saving up."
55 percent of people say the reason they want to buy a new home is so they can get a bigger one than they have now. Leamy's reaction: "Hey, if your family can afford a bigger house in this economy buy it . . . But for those who can't afford it, it's time to get comfortable with more modest living."
30 percent of home
Blog Posts by SavvySugar
The deflated housing bubble has had widespread effects that continue to poison the lives of many Americans and the greater economy. As much as we are faced with stories of foreclosure after foreclosure, the results of a recent survey by real estate website Zillow suggest that many aren't taking away important lessons from the housing debacle. ABC News Consumer Correspondent Elisabeth Leamy is discouraged by this and offers a few key takeaways from the popped bubble.Read More »from Three Lessons to Learn From the Housing Fiasco
We've all been on the receiving end of a bad presentation: while the speaker drones on, you doodle idly on your notepad, daydreaming about your plans for the weekend and wishing you were doing something more productive. Spare others the same fate when your turn comes at the podium by following these tips.
- Give the PowerPoint a Rest: Sure, it's a helpful presentation tool, but PowerPoint can also be a snooze-inducer if you lean on it too heavily. Try to incorporate a variety of media (white boards, handouts, demonstrations, etc.) into your presentation - it'll keep your audience engaged and keep you from going into autopilot mode.
- Consider Your Audience: Are you speaking in front of peers? Trainees? Your boss? The same jokes that get your co-workers laughing might seem inappropriate to your superiors. As you plan your presentation, keep in mind who you'll be talking to, and adjust your tone, content, and examples accordingly.
- Keep It Interactive: Having one
They might not be your typical beach reads, but this isn't any typical summer. Unemployment numbers are stubbornly high, and books offering career advice and tips for landing jobs are up there on this season's list of hot reads. They might not be the juicy books you're used to buying for summer, but at least you can soak up the sun while learning something useful.
- Get the Job You Want Even When No One's Hiring: Just released in June, this timely book, Get the Job You Want Even When No One's Hiring ($14), "explains the special strategies necessary to land a job during an economic crisis," and "addresses the realities of this job market with real-world, actionable steps."
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Career counselor Mark N. New recommends The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People ($10) for those who have recently lost jobs and told the New York Times, "You have to emotionally be in the right place to put your best foot forward."
- Fired, Laid-Off or
Traveling is stressful. Most plans will go off without a hitch, but there's always a few who get the short end of the travel stick when their flights are canceled. Weather, mechanical problems, and shortage of crew are a few reasons why flights might be delayed or canceled altogether. The Associated Press prepared a tip sheet with what you can do if your flight is canceled. Familiarize yourself with the action plan before you leave for the airport.
- "Try to be rebooked. Some major airlines have interline agreements that allow them to easily rebook a passenger on another carrier." This option wouldn't lead to additional costs on your end.
- "Request a refund. Most airlines will refund the amount you paid for a ticket if they cancel your flight and can't accommodate you on another flight that gets you to your destination on the day you were expecting." If you take the refund route, the AP warns that the walk-up fare for purchasing a ticket from another airline may be much higher than
You might have said some pretty terrible things about particular hiring managers in the past, but in many cases, those in charge of HR duties are frustrated by the annoying antics of applicants in the dark. You might be qualified for the job, but your chances for getting it will be better if you avoid doing these 10 things hiring managers hate about you.
- Exaggeration: There are plenty of ways applicants make themselves seem more perfect than they actually are. But total, obvious exaggeration, like saying you read through one book every day, is telling the hiring manager she's too naive to pick out a lie.
- Assuming You Have the Job: Certain questions give the impression that you think you already have the job, like asking where your desk would be located and how every minute of every day will be spent.
- Feeling Too Comfortable: Even if the hiring manager appears to be around your age, do not treat her like she's your pal. Friendly small talk is encouraged to break
When job hunting is your full-time job, you've got to do everything in your power to get an interview. That means using your open-ended days to exhaust all of your resources. Get out of your job hunting rut and find more opportunities by tapping into these 10 places.
- Get the word out that you're looking for a job, and make extra effort with contacts employed at companies that you'd like to work for. Employers often alert their employees about open positions before advertising them on their website or job boards, so get on your job search on your existing network's radar pronto.
- Many employers rely on select recruiting companies to fill their open positions and don't bother with posting their open positions online. Get in touch with a couple recruiters to tap into their unique connections.
- Be one of the first to know about an open position by becoming a fan of companies you love on Facebook or becoming their friend on Twitter. And of course, visit company websites
- SavvySugar | Work + Money – Wed, Jun 24, 2009 8:03 PM EDT
Read More »from Good Call: Get a Massage For a Fraction of Regular Prices
Stress is more than a temporary affliction these days; to say you're stressed is often more of a general mood. There's only so many times we can ask the strong hands at home to give us a much deserved rubdown, so get creative with your stress-relief and find a cheaper massage. Massage school students might still be amateurs, but they're on their way to using their hands professionally and will dole out massages for a fraction of regular prices. Search online for local schools and schedule a budget massage. The downside is that the hours are often limited, but when you're in a financial pinch you can't be too picky about the convenience factor. Have you ever gotten a massage from a therapist-in-training?
More Budget Friendly advice and Stress Relief Tips
Shaking off a rough day at work isn't always easy. Let go of the workday blues when you leave the office by taking time for yourself. There are plenty of ways to detach from the day's events and none of these ideas involve retail therapy - no need to make things worse by spending money you may not have. Check out these ways to unwind and then take a load off, working girl.
- Take a Bubble Bath - Light a few tea candles to set the mood for a relaxing bubble bath. No bath in your bathroom? A hot shower with your favorite shower gel can be just as good.
- Get Lost in a Book or Magazine - Books and magazines are perfect distractions after a long day.
- Cook Dinner - As long as you enjoy cooking, stirring and chopping while filling the kitchen with delicious smells can be highly cathartic.
- Go Kickboxing - If your gym offers a kickboxing class, take advantage of it and get out some of your pent up aggression from the long day.
- Meditate - When we're used
Don't let the recession prevent you from taking a romantic honeymoon. The economy has caused personal budget belt-tightening and the travel industry is feeling the effects. Many destinations are more affordable these days, so save up and get hopping on those cheaper reservations - these incredible deals won't last forever.
- Fiji - Plane tickets aren't cheap, but thanks to a suffering local economy, you'll find deep discounts once you arrive on Fiji.
- London - The notoriously expensive destination has become relatively more affordable compared to last year. Don't expect bargains, but if you've been looking for a reason to go, the more favorable exchange rate could be it.
- Brazil - Brazil has a bounty of beautiful beaches, offers a fun nightlife, and an enjoyable cultural experience. Did I mention the beaches?
- Thailand - Thailand relies on tourism to bring money into the country, and it's been hit by shriveling global tourism. Incredible deals are now available
Yes, we're all human. Yes, we all make mistakes. But your job search isn't the time to make them. Your attention to detail is crucial during a job hunt - even with a killer cover letter and résumé, mistakes that you may consider minor may just cost you the job. Keep these ten job hunting errors in mind for a better chance at getting that job offer. To read on, click here | <urn:uuid:0c6f3e8e-862d-4f14-8605-bd25e1da815a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://shine.yahoo.com/blogs/author/ycn-1137153/archive/28.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00059-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959073 | 2,072 | 1.820313 | 2 |
Science Fair Project Encyclopedia
Pale Fire (1962) is a novel by Vladimir Nabokov, his fourteenth in total and fifth in English. Many of Nabokov's fans consider it one of his most significant books (typically alongside Lolita), and it has drawn a great deal of critical attention, with commentators offering a wide variety of interpretations.
Pale Fire is at first glance the publication of a 999-line poem in four cantos ("Pale Fire") by the famous American poet John Shade. The Foreword, extensive Commentary, and Index are by Shade's self-appointed biographer, Charles Kinbote, who is Shade's neighbor in the small college town of New Wye. The name of the book alludes to a metaphor about creativity and inspiration from Shakespeare's Timon of Athens: "The moon's an arrant thief, / And her pale fire she snatches from the sun" (Act IV, scene 3). Some interpreters have noted a secondary reference to Hamlet, where the Ghost remarks how the glow-worm "'gins to pale his uneffectual fire" (Act I, scene 5).
Shade is murdered and, according to Kinbote, the poem as he left it remains unfinished. Kinbote takes it upon himself to oversee its publication, telling readers that it lacks only one line.
In the Commentary and Index, Kinbote concentrates surprisingly little on explicating the poem. Instead he tells his own story and the story of Charles Xavier, the deposed king of the "distant northern land" of Zembla. The reader soon realizes that Kinbote is Charles Xavier, living incognito—or that he is insane and his identification with Charles and perhaps all of Zembla are his delusions.
Kinbote's apparatus criticus, especially his Commentary (in the form of notes to various lines) and Index, is full of cross-references and narrates his stories in a highly non-linear way. (The book has been cited by Ted Nelson as an archetypal proto-hypertext.)
Some readers concentrate on the apparent story (a minority believe that Zembla is as "real" as New Wye), focusing on traditional aspects of fiction such as the relationship among the characters. They may make a case that Kinbote is parasitic on Shade, or that Shade's poem is mediocre and Kinbote, the inventor of Zembla, is a true genius. In 1999, Brian Boyd published a much-discussed study arguing that the ghost of the poet's daughter, Hazel Shade , influenced the commentary as well as the poem itself, and that the ghost of John Shade influenced Kinbote's contributions. (Boyd accepts the common but not universal reading that Hazel Shade committed suicide.)
Other readers see a story quite different from the apparent narrative. "Shadeans" maintain that John Shade wrote not only the poem, but the commentary as well, having invented his own death and the character of Kinbote as a literary device. "Kinboteans", a decidedly smaller group, believe that Kinbote invented the existence of John Shade. Some see the book as oscillating undecidably between these alternatives, like the drawing that may be two profiles or a goblet.
Some readers, including Boyd and Nabokov's annotator Alfred Appel, see Charles Kinbote as an alter-ego of the insane scholar Professor V. Botkin, to whose delusions John Shade and the rest of the faculty of Wordsmith College generally condescend. Nabokov himself endorsed this reading, writing in his diary in 1962 (the novel's year of publication): "I wonder if any reader will notice...that the nasty commentator is not an ex-king and not even Dr. Kinbote, but Prof. Vseslav Botkin, a Russian and a madman" (quoted on page 709 of the second volume of Boyd's biography); critic Michael Wood calls this "authorial trespassing."
Still other readers de-emphasize any sort of "real story" and may doubt the existence of such a thing. In the interplay of allusions and thematic links, they find a picture of English literature, criticism, or some other topic.
The only consensus is that the book is unique.
The book is full of references to culture, nature, and literature. Many feel the book is more enjoyable if the reader deciphers these references independently.
- Timon of Athens
- Red Admiral
- Novaya Zemlya
- William Wordsworth
- Oliver Goldsmith
- "On First Looking into Chapman's Homer"
- Franklin Knight Lane
- Lev Yashin
- Gutnish language
Links and references
The contents of this article is licensed from www.wikipedia.org under the GNU Free Documentation License. Click here to see the transparent copy and copyright details | <urn:uuid:e9b18dfd-fea5-4bc4-ac0e-f120a085664c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.all-science-fair-projects.com/science_fair_projects_encyclopedia/Pale_Fire | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942653 | 1,014 | 3.125 | 3 |
In 2010, the Let Us Build Cully Park! coalition brought together Cully residents, community-based organizations, environmental professionals and government agencies to design and conduct a thorough examination of the site's environmental conditions.
In this examination, we looked for pollution that could be harmful to people's health, with a focus on the most vulnerable members of our community: children, the elderly and people with diseases. First, we examined the location for the Cully Park Community Garden. Second, we examined the Full Site.
Click on the headers below to learn more about each of the topics
From the 1950s to 1980, the Cully Park site was mined for sand and gravel. After mining operations ended, a large pit was left behind, this made the property an ideal landfill site. This pit was covered on the bottom and sites with a liner (30-mil polyvinyl chloride geomembrane) to prepare it for use as a landfill.
From the early 1980s to 1990, the site was operated by Riedel Waste Disposal Systems as the Killingsworth Fast Disposal/KFD landfill, accepting mostly construction waste and other waste that does not rapidly decompose. In 1991, the landfill operation stopped, and a final landfill cover, or “cap,” was completed, and then more than a foot of soil was placed over the cap. A limited gas control system was completed in 1992
In 1994, Riedel Waste Disposal Systems went out of business, and its parent company declared bankruptcy. Soon, it became apparent that the limited gas control system was not working properly – there were four underground fires in the landfill, and landfill gas was moving off site into neighboring buildings. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality/DEQ designated KFD as an orphan project in July 1999, and used funds from the Solid Waste Orphan Site Account to upgrade the methane control system, and implement upgrades to the landfill cover, site drainage, and site security.
The design of a the new methane control system was completed in August 1999, and new methane extraction wells were installed in September 1999. In 2000, the City of Portland became the owner of the site. Through an agreement with the City of Portland, Metro became responsible for monitoring and maintenance of the site.
Today, the site looks like 25 acres of rolling grassy hills meadow, although the above ground features of the landfill remain. Landfill gas will continue to be produced for as long as it takes the material in the landfill to break down and decompose. This gas is contained within a methane control system, and is burned daily in a small facility next to the NE 75th Avenue entrance. The methane is burned daily in a small facility next to the NE 75th Avenue entrance.
The landfill cap consists of a 30-mil polyvinyl chloride geomembrane, covered with approximately 2 feet of compacted soil and grass. 6 groundwater monitoring wells, a leachate (liquid created by decomposing material) sump, and 6 methane monitoring points are distributed throughout the site.
A leachate collection system pumps leachate generated within the landfill to a sewer that is then discharged to the City of Portland’s sewage treatment plant for treatment before being discharged to the Willamette or Columbia Rivers
Yes! Cully Park is not the only example of a park built over a landfill. Nationwide there are many examples, and many more to come as land for parks, green space, wildlife and recreation becomes harder and harder to acquire in urban areas.
The site has been slated for park development by the City of Portland since 2002. In 2006, at the urging of the community, Portland Parks & Recreation worked with the community to complete a Master Plan for park development at the site. Completion of the master plan gave the green light to further development of the park.
In 2010, the Let Us Build Cully Park! coalition brought together Cully residents, community-based organizations, environmental professionals and government agencies to design and conduct a thorough examination of the site’s environmental conditions.
In this examination, we looked for pollution that could be harmful to people’s health, with a focus on the most vulnerable members of our community: children, the elderly and people with diseases. First, we examined the location for the Cully Park Community Garden. Second, we examined the Full Site.
LUBCP! worked with community members and the Portland Brownfields Program to examine the environmental conditions at the Community Garden site. This assessment took place in two phases:
LUBCP! worked with community members, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality/DEQ, and the Oregon Health Authority/OHA to conduct a Human Health Risk Assessment of the Full Site. This assessment is required by the State of Oregon before a brownfield can be returned to productive use. DEQ and OHA have fully funded the Assessment, an in-kind contribution valued at over $135,000. This Human Health Risk Assessment took place in two phases:
Meeting monthly from January-September, 2012, CIC members shared community concerns, advised agency staff, participated in sampling activities, visited the Portland Bureau of Environmental Services lab to learn how samples are analyzed, and gained knowledge and skills in the risk assessment process.
Full Site Phase II has been completed, and the HHRA's Final Report, known as a "Health Consultation Report," has been released. The Report states that the site is safe for park development, "all contaminants tested for are too low to cause concern for human health. Please click here to read the Health Consultation Report, and click on the following links for summary sheets in English, Spanish or Somali.
At Cully Park, LUBCP!, community members, DEQ and OHA have created a new model for community development of a brownfield, a model that offers real community and environmental benefits. And, we have been sharing this model. Together with agency partners, Verde and CIC members have presented the model at the Oregon Annual Brownfields Conference (June, 2012, presentation available here) and at the Oregon Public Health Association Conference (October, 2012).
Key components of this model include:
Cully Park Master Plan (4 MB)
Garden Testing Info Sheet (1 MB)
Phase I Exec Summary (1 MB)
Phase I Report (9 MB)
Phase II Results (1 MB)
Phase I Summary (8 MB)
Phase I Appendix A, B (2 MB)
Phase I Appendix C, D (9 MB)
Final Health Consultation Report (6.5MB)
Summary Sheet English (1MB)
Summary Sheet Spanish (2MB)
Summary Sheet Somali (1MB) | <urn:uuid:0fd234c9-235b-4389-9e7b-d5cf6a04b90b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://letusbuildcullypark.org/health-safety | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00041-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952251 | 1,370 | 2.796875 | 3 |
Mister reminded me, oh, I don’t know how many times last week, that on Saturday morning we were committed to the library: Ruby Sisson had scheduled a Lego club and, if there’s anything Mister is about in year nine, it’s Legos.
Zombies, Star Wars, Matchbox cars, plastic army men — none of those capture his imagination nearly in the way that Legos grab him. Of course, those little plastic blocks allow him to create infinite worlds. and he’s only limited by the number of pieces he has at any given time (and the TYPE of pieces; he’s an aficionado). When he conceives of something bigger and better, he has to figure out what he can add to it and, given good behavior (and some diligence toward his chores), how he can finagle another set of blocks.
In his room, alone with the apprehension of what he might do with an infinite set of Legos, he makes plans for huge star cruisers, planets occupied with warrior robots, cities filled with ninja assassins that also make sure that every kitty and puppy has a home, all is set on making the world better. When those aspirations fall short due to a lack of resources, he calls upon Dad or Loml (Love of My Life, if you hadn’t figure that out) to subsidize his grander dream.
At the library’s Lego Club, every kid involved knew that dilemma, and the first half hour was spent accumulating as many pieces as each participant could grab. Well before the projects had started, each child made numerous trips to the Grand Bin of Blocks, scooping up armloads of pieces that they then dropped into piles, only to return to the Grand Bin for more.
By the time each child had as many blocks as he or she could handle, the projects began (“Monsters,” in congruence to Halloween) with everyone wondering where to go from a huge pile of blocks to a concept.
It was at that point when children began with collaboration, pairing off or making teams in order to combine both material and creative resources. Alliances were created, some with the right stuff as far as the desired blocks, others with cool ideas that the team wanted to build. And, as concepts took hold, each looking over the piles that other teams had, they figured out trades for this or that piece; it was, indeed, the economy of Legos.
What was impressive to me was how that economy played out organically — how (mostly) boys between 5 and 12 years old made up their minds to build things with finite resources and figured out how create something cooperatively, with savvy toward the other guy’s stuff.
More impressive, to me, was watching 20 or so kids engaged in building, watching their faith in seeing something completed from the concept stage to the last brick placed upon their creation. Even if (at the end of the session when everyone was called upon to show what they had built) a minor detail was missed and meant to be placed at the last minute, they were all proud of what they had put together following the mad scramble for parts and pieces, then figuring out what to do with their mounds of plastic.
My own memories regarding what could be built from Legos didn’t have so much to do with what those kids had done, but what could be done in real life.
The kids on Saturday were among the generation that saw the space shuttle program scuttled; my generation had seen humans landing on the moon.
I was about Mister’s age when I stood on the railing of Hoover Dam, awe-struck at the scope of that massive slab of concrete holding the mighty Colorado back to create Lake Meade. It was then (and even now), inconceivable as far what it took to put such a massive project into place, and then make it work.
Unfortunately, this country has become small-minded as far as what we can do as a nation, claiming that government cannot do what free enterprise does — whatever that means.
Small (and greedy) minds have somehow convinced us that free markets — and the fallacies of Adam Smith — will create some Shining Mansion on the hill for each and every one of us. Yet, in the 30 years or so that the country has been moving further and further towards lasseiz-faire economics, not a single massive infrastructure project has been completed for the betterment of society. At best, free-enterprise has managed to shoot a few satellites into the troposphere, while Virgin Enterprises has promised to offer rich people an experience to fly above the atmosphere for 100-grand a pop.
I remember when we had grander ideals, when we were determined to create big things, to impress the rest of the world with what we had built. I remember the stories of Soviet officials stunned by everything we offered in our stores, our cars, our washers and dryers; I remember Chinese Communists touring out farms and wondering how we could feed our country outside of collectivism.
And I recall a time when the extremists won the vote, moving the Overton Window, spending profligately on missiles and jails, yet convincing us that we could no longer afford to be great, that we could no longer pay for our children to stand head and shoulders amongst the rest of the world.
“Oh, massive infrastructure? That’s something the Europeans or Chinese do, not us — at least not anymore. We’d rather go from first to 24th in life-expectancy, first to 27th in education, and first to 64th in income disparity. U-S-A! U-S-A! 24th in life expectancy!”
These were my thoughts as I watched kids build things, as they put little bricks together to fabricate space ports and launching pads. A generation distant from a time when this country threw up its hands to build things, they continued to possess the dreams and desires that made us great.
The desire to build, to create, to see into the future still resides in our next generation — I saw it in a room in the library as about two dozen kids scrambled to grab Legos and, in an hour’s time, collaborate and cooperate to stack little plastic bricks in order to merely make something.
Why is it that this generation can’t live up to their expectations (much less their aspirations) should be a source of inextricable shame? To tell them that we “can’t” build something, that we’re afraid to invest in a future, a possibility, a structurally sound country is an embarrassment. God knows, in order to make a few dollars, we gambled — and lost — as we allowed the extremists to continue to try and convince us that we were the greatest country ever and, at the same time, half things and half the halves, seeming to harken to Zeno and the paradox of the arrow.
The last 40 years of lasseiz-faire fundamentalism in this country is as specious as Zeno’s paradox; we know that we can afford to build things — at the expense of our desire to drive four Mercedes-Benz sedans, just as we know that an arrow does eventually reach its target.
I can say, with 100-percent certainty, that the kids on Saturday know that, if you shoot an arrow, it will eventually come to rest, that half and half and infinity just don’t make sense.
As such, I’m convinced that they know we can build whatever we want, given the will, the desire to cooperate, and sufficient creativity. From what I saw, they have that in an infinite capacity.
If we are to be adequate guides to the future, we have to jettison our fears. We need to plan, to be creative, to build. We have to show this next generation, those kids building whatever they could with wide-eyed enthusiasm and finite resources but endless aspirations, that we are no less creative, that we have the will to collaborate, that we will make do with the resources they have, and invest in a better tomorrow. Anything less is cheating their faith in us as the preceding generation, their blind respect in what we’ve done to build the country that we’ve given them.
Lego Club taught me a lot about what our next generation is capable of as well as what this generation has to do in order to gain their respect. “If not now, when?” isn’t a question — it’s a mandate. | <urn:uuid:45c00470-e554-4363-a9b2-1323bd980d36> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://pagosasun.com/archives/2011/10October/102011/randomshuffle.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00072-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974745 | 1,794 | 1.609375 | 2 |
A long time ago, “Bolivian marching powder” meant cocaine.
Now it could mean quinoa. Quinoa is a massive crop that for millennia has honed its extraterrestrial nutritional powers in the dizzying altitudes of the Andes. In recent years, this curious substance—like coke before it—has also become a major export for Peru and Bolivia.
But, as the Guardian recently reported, the foreign market for the good seed has driven the street price of quinoa up so high that most Bolivians and Peruvians can no longer afford their homegrown staple. For the people who used to live on it, protein-dense quinoa is now more expensive than chicken. That’s rich.
Denied their indigenous marching grain (technically a “pseudocereal”), Bolivian and Peruvian peasants are turning to junk food—the same sugary bunk that sickens and malnourishes millions of us in the U.S. And thus we net a nifty parable of globalism, progress and nutrition, with one clear upshot: Foodism, like every other ideology, is dangerous—and carries unintended consequences.
I would tell you what quinoa is, in hair-splitting pseudo-agricultural detail, but then I’d sound like just one of them. The foodies. Those people who are always saying—oh, I can’t even mock them. Suffice it to say I’d rather hear an Oxycontin addict talk about how he puts the edge back on with Adderall than I would a foodie talk about how he balances the acids in mustard greens with cake flour. At least the Oxy folks don’t turn their boring and expensive pleasure into sanctimony. In my experience, they’re even somewhat private and sheepish about it.
But let’s just say quinoa is a thing that foodies adore, that exists by the gunnysackful in the stockrooms of liberal-elite restaurants and liberal-elite kitchens in Boston, San Francisco, Manhattan, Portland, Chicago, Austin and Seattle.
Quinoa is stylish and, furthermore, believed by the Timothy Learys of the foodists to goose or balance “amino-acid levels,” without which many noble vegans and carniphobes would perish (or have to resort to yucky supplements). To be a good sport, since I live in foodie Brooklyn myself, I have tried quinoa with beets and cheese and fish, in muffins, beside eggs—wherever regular American carbs like potatoes used to be served.
The people of the Andes like to eat quinoa this way too, it turns out. Quinoa is known to Andean folks as the “lost crop of the Incas,” as well as a “miracle grain” for its near-holy amino-acid balance. But then, suddenly, rich people in other countries, including the United States, some of whom have shifted their taste from white powder to this other intoxicant measured in grams, wanted to sample the latest Bolivian miracle. So we enriched many farmers by buying up the quinoa—and further impoverished the Andeans, by dooming them to malnutrition.
What a story! Quinoa prices, according to the Bolivian department of agriculture, have almost tripled in five years, during which time Bolivia’s own quinoa consumption has dropped by a third. In areas where quinoa is grown, chronic malnutrition in children marches upward.
Of course, there’s a style issue in Bolivia, too. Kids in Park Slope, Brooklyn or Marin County, Calif., raised in the cult of Alice Waters and Whole Foods, may like quinoa, but regular kids in countries that aren’t hyper-trophically developed don’t typically ask for it. Sensibly, they ask for what’s sugary and on circus-colored billboards. Explains Víctor Hugo Vásquez, vice minister of rural development and agriculture in Bolivia, “If you give them boiled water, sugar and quinoa flour mixed into a drink, they prefer Coca-Cola.”
At the same time, ballooning quinoa prices also raise questions that could, if answered, change the story from ironic and sad to more complex still.
As Marc F. Bellemare, an assistant professor at Duke University, points out in his blog, the tragic take on the quinoa boom assumes that Bolivian households are mostly quinoa consumers penalized by a bull market and not quinoa farmers and sellers who stand to gain from it. In fact, agricultural economists haven’t sorted this out yet. Journalists who make the opposite, and equally unfounded, assumption—that Bolivians are mostly quinoa farmers (and not children starving for want of quinoa)—sound like delirious free-market boosters. In The Globe and Mail, Doug Saunders has raved that for Bolivians the quinoa craze is “the greatest thing that has happened to them. … Quinoa had all but died out as a staple in Bolivia, replaced by beans and potatoes, until farmers began planting it in the 1980s with exports to North America in mind.”
The important thing, then, is to follow the food without getting ideological, not only about wholesome classy quinoa, but also about delicious tawdry Coca-Cola, that bugbear of foodies who are perpetually disgusted to discover that the feeble-minded among us still like a little sugar with our water. Eat what you want, but stop preaching about it, and it surely can’t hurt to leave some Andean quinoa for the people of the Andes.
To help children in Bolivia, where more than half the kids 6 months to 5 years old suffer from malnutrition, and 54 in a thousand die in childhood, consider supporting MAP’s Community School for Life.
How many Bolivians are dying because foodies love quinoa?Thu, Jan 24, 2013
A long time ago, “Bolivian marching powder” meant cocaine.
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The only time normal people seem to care about national beauty pageants is when one of the contestants messes up the question-and-answer round in the worst way possible. Well, it happened again last night at the Miss USA pageant, with Miss Utah giving an answer so bad that it eclipsed all other terrible pageant answers before her. Meet 21-year-old Marissa Powell. She is from Salt Lake City. And this is the full, cringe-worthy sequence you will be seeing a lot of this week:
- Bieber behind wheel as car hits man in Hollywood
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Video shows Justin Bieber running into a photographer with his white Ferrari in Hollywood, but police say there was no crime and the injuries aren't life-threatening. | <urn:uuid:7c863a79-d868-420d-8cfa-0909555802f6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://news.yahoo.com/how-many-bolivians-are-dying-because-foodies-love-quinoa--184648929.html | 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 | 0.951438 | 1,975 | 1.625 | 2 |
The Institute for Genome Sciences (IGS) at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) has been awarded a five-year contract by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) at NIH to establish a new Genomic Sequencing Center for Infectious Disease (GSCID).
The Genomic Sequencing Center for Infectious Disease provides researchers with rapid and cost-efficient production of high-quality genome sequences of NIAID Category A-C priority pathogens, related organisms, clinical isolates, closely related species, and invertebrate vectors of infectious diseases and microorganisms responsible for emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. The GSCID addresses the need for sequencing microorganisms and invertebrate vectors of disease that are considered agents of bioterrorism and/or high priority pathogens that could be public health concerns. Both data and new analytical tools generated by the GSCID will be shared publicly to advance research in pathogenicity, drug resistance, disease transmission and vaccine development.
The Institute for Genome Sciences was selected to participate in this contract because of our expertise in genome sequencing, annotation and analysis. Dr. Claire Fraser, Director of IGS, serves as Principal Investigator for the GSCID. Dr. Lisa Sadzewicz, Administrative Director for the Genomics Resource Center and Project Manager for GSCID, and Luke Tallon, Scientific Director of the Genomics Resource Center at IGS, are leading the sequencing, assembly, and genome finishing efforts. Dr. Owen White, Director of Bioinformatics at the School of Medicine, and Anup Mahurkar, Director of Software Engineering and IT, are leading the annotation and analysis of genome sequences.
In addition to IGS, NIAID has funded two other centers, one at the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI) and one at The Broad Institute. | <urn:uuid:5075e2d5-3268-4a13-8048-b04b60dfb57d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://gscid.igs.umaryland.edu/index.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00054-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.920383 | 386 | 1.640625 | 2 |
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program
The Occupational Therapy Assistant curriculum prepares individuals to work under the supervision of a registered/licensed occupational therapist in screening, assessing, planning, and implementing treatment and documenting progress for clients receiving occupational therapy services.
Course work includes human growth and development, conditions which interfere with activities of daily living, theory and process of occupational therapy, individual/group treatment activities, therapeutic use of self, activity analysis, and grading/adapting activities and environments.
Graduates may be eligible to take the national certification examination for practice as a certified occupational therapy assistant. Employment opportunities include hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, long-term/ extended-care facilities, sheltered workshops, schools, home health programs, and community programs. | <urn:uuid:941c2b83-3d55-460e-839c-04d908940a7a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.pittcc.edu/academics/programs/health-sciences/occupational-therapy-assistant/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00074-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.911264 | 145 | 2.03125 | 2 |
Michael Phelps is the most decorated Olympian of all time. But is that the same as being the 'greatest'?
That was the question left hanging in the air after the swimming superstar won the 19th Olympic medal of his career by anchoring the US 4x200m freestyle relay team to gold in London on Tuesday.
That saw him overhaul the record of 18 medals amassed by Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina between 1956 and 1964.
Phelps's haul, which includes 15 golds, is outstanding.
But swimmming opens itself up to producing multiple-medal winners by having categories for styles as well as distances.
So while athletics has the 100m, in swimming the distance can be covered in several different ways.
And there are those who argue longevity is a key factor in determining greatness - Phelps is still only 27 and his medals have been amassed over the space of just three Games.
However, longevity wasn't an option for Jesse Owens, who overcame barriers of racial prejudice to win four track and field golds in Berlin in 1936 and was then stripped of his amateur status for accepting a few commercial offers.
And even if he had still to be allowed to compete Owens, like many contemporaries, would have seen his career cut short by the Second World War when the Games were suspended.
That Phelps could even contemplate winning eight gold medals at a single Games, as he did four years ago in Beijing, was in a sense only possible because fellow US pool great Mark Spitz had won a then record seven - and all in world record times - at Munich in 1972.
That feat redefined the scope of Olympic achievement, with every subsequent multi-medallist sympathising with Spitz's remarks, just before he won his seventh gold, when he said: "If I swim six and win six, I'll be a hero. If I swim seven and win six, I'll be a failure."
Swimming is also one of the showpiece sports of the Games and that, along with modern mass commuications, has heightened Phelps's profile.
By contrast Germany's Birgit Fischer has received nothing like the same publicity for winning eight canoeing golds over six Olympics, despite missing the 1984 Games because of the then East Germany's political boycott.
Steve Redgrave, widely regarded as Britain's greatest Olympian after winning five gold medals, one at each games from 1984 in Los Angeles to Sydney in 2000, is well-placed to consider Phelps's standing.
"He has been able to pursue multiple golds at his last three Olympic Games, and one might argue that this diminishes his place among the greats. But how do you rank greatness?," Redgrave wrote in Wednesday's Daily Telegraph.
"With 15 gold medals he already has to be listed as one of the finest Olympic athletes ever, and yet I still believe his feat would have been more impressive if he achieved it over six or seven Games."
There are those who maintain the decathlon remains the ultimate test of Olympic excellence and that a gold medal winner should thus be considered the athlete of the Games.
So how much greater does that, say, make Britain's Daley Thompson, who won decathlon gold at both the 1980 Games in Moscow and again in Los Angeles?
For Redgrave, who denied, against a backdrop of a running public spat between the two men, that he had a "rift" with Thompson, the answer is clear.
"It is extremely impressive to be able to do that (the decathlon), but your rivals are not specialists - they are generalists, just like you.
"You are never going to be competing against Usain Bolt in the 100 metres, or against Liu Xiang in the high hurdles."
In the end the question of who is the greatest is one where a defintive answer often proves elusive, a point London 2012 chairman Sebastian Coe, himself twice a track 1500m gold medallist, summed up on Wednesday.
"This is the global pub game - who is the greatest Olympic athlete of all time?" said Coe.
"You have to say he (Phelps) is up there, but whether he is the greatest? In my opinion, probably not. But my opinion is no different from anyone else." | <urn:uuid:9a1ede38-a0a1-45a4-861b-af29403c4baa> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://sport.iafrica.com/news/808938.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00051-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.981625 | 875 | 1.828125 | 2 |
Nearly 100 dogs were found abused and in deplorable condition at the site of an animal rescue group in Wingo, Kentucky that was set up to save them and give them a chance for a new life.
Animal Rescue Corps (ARC) assisted Kentucky’s Graves County Sheriff’s Office in the rescue effort called “Operation Sweethearts.”
When rescuers arrived on the scene they found various breeds and sizes of dogs including hound mixes, Poodles, Cocker Spaniels, Maltese, Pomeranians, a Rottweiler and many other breeds running loose among piles of debris and living in crowded, dilapidated pens and small filthy cages in several buildings on the property.
There were dead dogs and dog bones scattered throughout the property. ARC reported that some of the dogs were so hungry they had begun consuming the remains of those that had died.
“This is one of the worst cases of animal abuse I have seen,” said Animal Rescue Corps President Scotlund Haisley. “The dogs had no access to food, water, or shelter. They were eating each other to stay alive.”
The case began when ARC received a tip that a non-profit organization set up to rescue dogs was abusing them. After several months of investigation, evidence was brought to the sheriff who obtained a warrant to seize the dogs.
“Graves County takes allegations of animal abuse very seriously,” said Sheriff Dewayne Redmon. “We did not hesitate when Animal Rescue Corps brought us the information necessary to take action.”
All of dogs were transported to an emergency shelter set up at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds. The animals will receive veterinary exams, vaccinations and any necessary medical treatments by a team of local veterinarians. ARC will provide daily care until custody of the animals is determined and animals can be placed with shelters and rescue groups.
ARC’s rescue effort worked in conjunction with Ady Gil World Conservation, who provided funds and PetSmart Charities who donated many of the supplies. Additional support was provided by Bowling Green Humane Society and Holistic Pet Source.
Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may
not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers. | <urn:uuid:2f8fa391-2b91-4823-8dd2-88689cde7b83> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.care2.com/causes/100-dogs-saved-from-abusive-animal-rescue-group-slides.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973479 | 469 | 1.960938 | 2 |
“Don't grow up too quickly, lest you forget how much you love the beach.”
-- Michelle Held
love builds up the broken wall
and straightens the crooked path.
love keeps the stars in the firmament
and imposes rhythm on the ocean tides
each of us is created of it
and i suspect
each of us was created for it”
“A real friend is someone who takes a winter vacation on a sun-drenched beach and does not send a card.”
“I am you; you are ME. You are the waves; I am the ocean. Know this and be free, be divine.”
--Sri Sathya Sai Baba
“The cure for anything is salt water - sweat, tears, or the sea.”
“Sponges grow in the ocean. That just 'gets' me. I wonder how much deeper the ocean would be if that didn't happen.”
--Stephen Wright quotes
“I have always loved the beach. The smell of the salty water, the wind in my face, the gentle roar of the waves all combine to create a sense of peace and calm.”
“I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each.”
-- T. S. Eliot
“Why do we love the sea? It is because it has some potent power to make us think things we like to think.”
“My life is like a stroll on the beach...as near to the edge as I can go.”
“Our memories of the ocean will linger on, long after our footprints in the sand are gone.”
“The Sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.”
“I dropped a tear in the ocean, and whenever they find it I'll stop loving you, only then.”
“We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.”
“Even the upper end of the river
believes in the ocean.”
“The waves of the sea
Help me get back to me.”
“Just as the wave cannot exist for itself, but is ever a part of the heaving surface of the ocean, so must I never live my life for itself, but always in the experience which is going on around me.”
“One cannot collect all the beautiful shells on the beach; one can collect only a few, and they are more beautiful if they are few”
--Anne Morrow Lindbergh
--Anne Morrow Lindbergh
“Eternity begins and ends with the ocean's tides.”
An amazing book all about Beach-Therapy. A perfect gift for female friends, bridesmaids, mothers, and daughters :
"Gift from the Sea"
"In every outthrust headland, in every curving beach, in every grain of sand there is the story of the earth"
“Roll on, deep and dark blue ocean, roll. Ten thousand fleets sweep over thee in vain. Man marks the earth with ruin, but his control stops with the shore.”
“Everyone has faith in God though everyone does not know it. For everyone has faith in himself and that multiplied to the nth degree is God. The sum total of all that lives is God. We may not be God, but we are of God, even as a little drop of water is of the ocean.”
“As the ocean is never full of water, so is the heart never full of love”
“Thank God for the food and for the hands that prepared it and also for the ocean.”
--Bode Dykens (age 2)
“It’s hard for me to put into words why I like the beach so much. Everything about it is renewing for me, almost like therapy...Beach Therapy”
“The beach is in our blood. Everyone in our family returns to the beach instinctively, just like the sea turtles.”
“Play in the sand; splash in the water; get dirty; get wet. The beach is the only place my mom doesn’t get mad about me doing that stuff. Of course I love the beach!”
--Dixie Dykens (age 5)
“I honestly think the beach is the only place children actually entertain themselves.”
"Do I love you? My God, if your love were a grain of sand,
mine would be a universe of beaches."
~From "The Princess Bride" - Wesley to Buttercup
“The three great elemental sounds in nature are the sound of rain, the sound of wind in a primeval wood, and the sound of outer ocean on a beach”
"On the beach, you can live in bliss."
- Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys
(submitted by Linn Campbell, Navarre Beach, Florida)
"One learns first of all in beach living the art of shedding; how little one can get along with, not how much."
- Anne Morrow Lindbergh
(Submitted by Mary Lou Ownby)
"At the beach, life is different. Time doesn't move hour to hour but mood to moment. We live by the currents, plan by the tides and follow the sun."
"Are you feeling, feeling, feeling like I'm, feeling
Like I'm floating, floating, up above that big blue ocean
Sand beneath our feet, big blue sky above our heads,
No need to keep stressing from our everyday life on our minds
We have got to leave all that behind"
-At the beach, The Avett brothers
"Well, they can take, take, take the kids from the summer
But they'll never, never, never take the summer from me
It was the very first time that I lost my mind for a week
They can make, make, make me forget the weather
If we'll never, never, never wash the sand from my feet
It was the very last time that we said goodbye to the beach"
-The Beach, All Time Low
"Let your waves crash down on me and take me away"
-Ocean Avenue, Yellowcard
"Happiness is a summer breeze, sand between your toes, and your best friend by your side."
(Submitted by Rachel, United States)
"Come walk with me, take off your shoes, let's walk the beach with only the moon to light the path and waves to hear you tell me you love me."
"Why does the ocean rock the moon to sleep every night? So the sun will wake and kiss the beach."
- Submitted by J. Henson, Oregon, United States
Have a Beach Therapy story to share?
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Want to save some other beach lovers from visiting a less than beautiful spot or send them to the perfect place?
Have a beach quote to share?
We would love to hear about your favorite beach vacation experiences.
Beach-Therapy by Visitors
Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...
Wildwood Crest NJ 08260
My family spent most of our summers down the shore. I was going through some personal issues and I knew the place that I would find a true sense of peace …
My stress free place - Boracay Island Philippines
First proud to be a Filipino because Boracay Island is found in the Philippines. Top 2 best beaches in the world according to tripadvisor.com. It has a …
North Myrtle Beach, SC.
Seeing a family having the time of their lives celebrating some of the simple joys of life fills me with joy and inspiration. There is so much more to …
The clouds above dance in unison with the tides and together is where dreams are created and washed ashore waiting to be discovered.............As a child …
I love the beach for he is my confidant... Not rated yet
When i am happy, i remember the best kiss i had facing the beach..when i miss my love i send my warm wishes to him with the tie..when i'm sad, my tears …
Where Will You Find Me? Not rated yet
Where will you find me?
You will find me at the beach-
Romping through the waves
Giggling as the sand and water tickles my toes
Searching for seashells …
My Shell Not rated yet
Why do I love this particular shell?
Because it is beautiful.
And it has its own story to tell.
Where did it come from?
Where has it traveled …
My Home. Not rated yet
Ever since I was a little girl I've had a special connection with water. I can find out what the direction the ocean is in just by closing my eyes and …
Pencaola, Florida Not rated yet
And it's during the sunset that time stands still on the southern coast. We know that the tides roll in and the tides roll out carrying our fears and worries …
Click here to write your own. | <urn:uuid:7d243403-e011-4833-b45a-89fa4f3e40d7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.beach-therapy.com/beach-quotes.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.929119 | 1,944 | 1.945313 | 2 |
Those words, which he uttered on a peaceful Sunday morning in 1941 on the Hawaiian island of Oahu, would haunt Kermit A. Tyler for the rest of his life.
Tyler was the Army Air Forces' first lieutenant on temporary duty at Ft. Shafter's radar information center on the morning of Dec. 7, when a radar operator on the northern tip of the island reported that he and another private were seeing an unusually large "blip" on their radar screen, indicating a large number of aircraft about 132 miles away and fast approaching.
"Don't worry about it," Tyler told the radar operator, thinking it was a flight of U.S. B-17 bombers that was due in from the mainland.
Instead, the blip on the radar screen was the first wave of more than 180 Japanese fighters, torpedo bombers, dive bombers and horizontal bombers whose surprise attack on Pearl Harbor and the island's main airfields shortly before 8 a.m. plunged the United States into World War II.
"I wake up at nights sometimes and think about it," Tyler said in a 2007 interview with the Star-Ledger of Newark, N.J. "But I don't feel guilty. I did all I could that morning."
Tyler, who suffered two strokes within the last two years, died Jan. 23 at his home in San Diego at age 96, said his daughter Julie Jones.
After Pearl Harbor, Tyler flew combat missions in the Pacific. He retired from the Air Force as a lieutenant colonel in 1961 and earned a degree in business from what is now San Diego State.
He then launched a career in real estate and later became a landlord.
But there always was the memory of his role on Dec. 7, his infamous words immortalized in history books, articles, documentaries and a 1970 movie about the attack on Pearl Harbor, "Tora! Tora! Tora!"
Often ridiculed and second-guessed, Tyler occasionally received angry letters blasting him for not taking action that day.
And audiences watching the Pearl Harbor documentary at the Pearl Harbor Visitors Center theater still groan when they hear that Tyler's response to the radar report was: "Don't worry about it."
"He's certainly a footnote to the Pearl Harbor history and the most misunderstood actor in this drama," said Daniel Martinez, chief historian for the National Park Service at World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument in Pearl Harbor.
Tyler, a fighter pilot assigned to the 78th Pursuit Squadron at Wheeler Field, was working the 4 a.m.-to-8 a.m. shift as the officer on duty at the Ft. Shafter radar information center on Dec. 7.
"He was never trained for that job," Martinez said. "He had a walk-through the previous Wednesday, but had never spent a full day there.
"The commanding general of Wheeler Field wanted young pilots to learn as much about the radar system as possible so they'd be more effective at intercepting enemy aircraft," and Tyler was selected to be an observer-trainee in the radar information center.
Congressional committees and military inquiries that looked into what happened at Pearl Harbor did not find Tyler at fault, Martinez said.
Although the two radar operators thought the "blip" on their screen represented about 50 planes, Martinez said, they never volunteered that information to Tyler.
And, he said, there was indeed a flight of B-17s flying in from Hamilton Field north of San Francisco, and they were due to land at Hickam Field at 8 a.m.
"We look for simple answers and Kermit Tyler fit in as the fall guy for the attack -- that he was the one that didn't act properly, that he made a misjudgment," Martinez said. "What was lost is there's a certain amount of culpability in the command of both the Army and the Navy."
A wayside exhibit panel on the shoreline at Turtle Bay Resort on the North Shore of Oahu tells the story of the radar contact on Dec. 7. Included is a sidebar on Tyler's role that ends with: "His assessment was based on deductive reasoning with limited information and two days' experience. Would you have acted differently?"
Tyler was born April 21, 1913, in Oelwein, Iowa, and later moved with his family to Long Beach.
He attended junior college in Long Beach and spent two years in the Civilian Conservation Corps before being accepted into the Army for cadet flying training in 1936.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Marian, and a son, Michael.
In addition to his daughter Julie, he is survived by two other children, Carol Daniels and Terry Tyler; three grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter. | <urn:uuid:fa52ddbf-4de5-4729-9954-89e0a4de02ee> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-kermit-tyler25-2010feb25,0,707205.story | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.981413 | 974 | 1.851563 | 2 |
Kim Komando, Special for USA TODAY
A sluggish wireless network is frustrating. It's no fun when an exciting movie suddenly starts buffering or an important Internet video call breaks up.
A few years ago, families didn't put much demand on routers. All they did was browse the Web and read email. The average home had one or two PCs.
Today, a family might have several computers, a wireless printer, a game console, a streaming video gadget and a variety of smartphones and tablets. A router can really bog down when everyone wants to surf, download files, play online games and stream music and movies at the same time.
Fortunately, there are a few simple ways to tune up your router and get it running like a sports car again.
Before you dive into that, however, double-check your Internet connection to make sure you're getting the advertised speed that you are paying for. Even a blazing fast router seems slow with a poor Internet connection. Speedtest.net is a great service that will give your Internet connection a quick speed test.
Once you're sure the slowdown is the router, take an inventory of all the computers and gadgets that use your home network. If you bought your gadgets within the past few years, they probably support the now-common wireless-N standard. You'll also see this written as 802.11n. Check your manuals to be sure, or use manualsonline.com to look up manuals if you've lost them.
If a gadget uses the older 802.11g or b standard, there isn't much you can do to speed it up. If your computer is using 802.11g, consider upgrading to 802.11n using an external USB wireless adapter.
Of course, your router needs to support 802.11n as well to see any benefit. If your router is an old 802.11g (or a really old 802.11b) model, it's time to upgrade.
One of the many perks of new routers is that they can simultaneously operate on two separate bands - the older 2.4GHz band as well as the faster 5GHz band.
The 5GHz band is less prone to interference from other Wi-Fi networks and Bluetooth signals, which makes it more suitable for streaming and gaming. Some of your newer gadgets can probably operate on this band.
If your router already supports 802.11n, you might want to make sure your router's firmware is up to date. Instructions for checking the firmware will be in your router manual.
Firmware is like your router's operating system. Most updates fix minor bugs, but sometimes a major update significantly boosts performance or offers features that didn't exist when the router was first sold.
Next, it's time to tweak your router's settings, which is done through an Internet browser.
Open your browser of choice, type in the router's IP address and hit Enter. Common IP addresses are 192.168.0.1 for D-Link and Netgear routers, 192.168.1.1 for Linksys routers, and 192.168.2.1 for Belkin routers. Refer to the manual for other routers.
You'll have to enter a password. If you don't know what this is, check your manual for the default option. Usually, it's something simple like admin or password. That's why it is important to change the password to something less well-known.
Check your network settings first to see if you're running at "802.11n only." There's no reason to operate at the combined - and slower - 802.11g/n setting if you don't have to.
If you change to n-only and one of your gadgets gets kicked off the network, it's probably not n-compatible. Switch back to the mixed setting or upgrade the gadget.
With a dual-band router, you can effectively split your home wireless network in two. Have family members connect to the 2.4GHz band network for Web browsing and file downloads; reserve the 5GHz band network for gaming, video streaming and Internet voice/video calling.
If you're feeling adventurous, dive into your router's advanced QoS (Quality of Service) settings for more adjustments (not every router will have QoS options).
QoS allows you to assign priorities to certain types of traffic so they aren't interrupted. Some routers prompt you to simply enable various QoS features, and then they automatically assign a higher priority to audio and video streams over other kinds of data.
Other routers will let you assign high priorities to specific applications, such as Skype or World of Warcraft. You can also give high priority to a specific gadget. That's handy if you use a game console to play online games and also stream HD movies.
It's a balancing act to get the right combination of high-, medium- and low-priority settings. But with a little trial and error, you should be able to put buffering and lagging woes in the rearview mirror.
Above I told you to change the default password for security. Well, another common security measure people fail to do is to encrypt their wireless signal.
An encrypted connection will keep criminals, snoops and neighbors off your network. In fact, a suddenly slow network could indicate someone outside your home is downloading illegal movies - or worse - using your router. Trust me; you don't want the legal hassle that could cause.
Kim Komando hosts the nation's largest talk radio show about consumer electronics, computers and the Internet. To get the podcast, watch the show or find the station nearest you, visit www.komando.com. E-mail her at email@example.com. | <urn:uuid:d4847769-e06e-43af-9efb-01ec413e6cab> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ksdk.com/news/article/353325/3/Best-tricks-for-speeding-up-your-Wi-Fi-router- | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00045-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943104 | 1,169 | 1.640625 | 2 |
phpAdamoto is a mass administration and software deployment tool with a Web console. phpAdamoto lets you start script code on a chosen subset of your network systems with just some mouse clicks on a Web console. phpAdamoto is the successor of the well known application adamoto. phpAdamoto is very easy to install and just needs a LAMP or WAMP environment on the server and Perl on the clients.
wiggle is A utility that applies conflicted patches intelligently. When 'patch' fails, wiggle often can succeed by ignoring changes to the original file that are not relevant to the patch. The result should always be reviewed, as wiggle cannot notice semantic changes that are important.
musl is a new implementation of the standard library for Linux-based systems. It is lightweight, fast, simple, free, and strives to be correct in the sense of standards-conformance and safety. It includes a wrapper for building programs against musl in place of the system standard library (e.g. glibc), making it possible to immediately evaluate the library and build compact statically linked binaries with it. | <urn:uuid:f82b98e3-0251-4396-a6ae-10ac8ef83622> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://freecode.com/tags/software-deployment?page=1&with=&without=14387 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00020-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.930073 | 226 | 1.71875 | 2 |
That’s how Gawker puts it.
Googlers are being provided with credits on TaskRabbit, an online service that brokers odd jobs in five major cities. Recent job listings on the site include “Fold Laundry and Put it Away,” “Cook dinner for 2,” “assemble four items from Ikea,” “standard wash and fold: 3 loads,” “dispose of Ikea bead,” “Pick up and deliver cake,” and “walk a dog.
(Thanks to YG for sending me the link – this tale’s for you.)
This brings back a flood of memories because in 1993, I was a consultant working on a massive project at Pepsi Cola HQ in upstate New York. Pepsi provided a concierge service to their staff that would arrange car rentals and baby sitters, even send people to wait on line to pick up Grateful Dead tickets.
By massive project, I mean they were migrating their entire beverage sales, inventory and delivery application from mainframe to client/server. There were more than 600 consultants there – most of them came from two huge companies that spent most of their time battling each other over how many people they could get on site. (I was there from a third company. We were neutral in all this, the Switzerland of consultants.)
To give you an idea of how things can go wrong on a project, they needed to provide new handheld computers to every truck driver. Rather than ordering just a handful and trying them out, they ordered hundreds of them. And only then did someone think to show them to the drivers. ”These have no lights,” the drivers said. ”We do our deliveries at 5 AM when it’s dark out, how are we supposed to see the screens?” Hundreds of HHC’s were junked.
Pepsi’s offices were somewhat remote, outside of town in a 250 acre campus that included a massive garden stocked with a global variety of floral and fauna and over 50 major works of outdoor sculpture. We’d be sitting in there toiling away and look out the window and see people strolling through the garden or having picnics. Pepsi quite rightly realized that in order to keep people focused on their work and at their desks longer, they’d need to bring essential services to the staff. So once a week someone came to the employee parking lot to do oil changes for cars. Shops from town were allowed to set up tables in the employee cafeteria to sell stuff during lunch time.
Of course we got all the soda we wanted for free – being programmers, we went for Mountain Dew, which had double the caffeine of Pepsi. There were soda vending machines in every hallway and none of them required money – just push a button and a can would pop out. People would line up at these machines at 5 PM, filling up their bags with a supply to take home. Yeah, management wasn’t too crazy about this and offered to sell use cases at a discount, but how can you compete with free?
At the time, Pepsi owned Tricon. And that meant that the food in the employee cafeteria included KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell. Not to forget every product made by Frito Lay, all at tremendous discount. It was not the healthiest place to work.
They also had the U.S. distribution rights for Stolichnaya at the time. And that tells you about how the world has changed. Back then, you couldn’t get money out of Russia. Pepsi wanted to sell there but couldn’t take out any hard currency. So they worked out this exchange deal, Stoli for Pepsi. Stoli was the one product we couldn’t get free or at a discount and it was the one we needed the most. (Later, when they could get their cash out, they were happy to give up the Stoli deal, reportedly because the product didn’t fit in with their otherwise “family-friendly” line-up.)
We were not allowed to mention Coca Cola, much less bring any to work. It was always referred to as “the C word.” I still remember the one time a dozen of us went for lunch to the one restaurant outside of Pepsi grounds. ”Can I get you all something to drink?” the waitress sweetly asked. ”I’ll have a Coke,” I said. My 11 friends all said the same, one after another. The waitress quite properly said to us, “I’m sorry, we don’t serve Coca Cola here, would Pepsi be okay?” ”I’ll just have water,” I replied. And then each of my 11 friends said the same. The waitress lost her patience. ”Do you know where you are?” ”Do you know where we work?” I asked and we simultaneously held up our Pepsi employee IDs. Okay, it was a tough project and we were easily amused.
What did I do on that project? Oy vey. I had just been hired by Sybase Professional Services but had no experience with any Sybase products. My first week, just when I was about to head out for a month of training, I instead got sent to this project. I knew nothing about Sybase! The client would say stuff to me, I’d nod my head, and my Sybase co-workers frantically covered for me until I got up to speed (which, I must say, I did fast). My job was to review all the code written by all the programmers – I’d go through about 1,000 pages of printouts a day, looking for the SQL code embedded within the programs, and look for ways to make it run faster.
Sometimes I regret my decision to “migrate” my career from technical to managerial. By the time I left Sybase in 1996, I was considered one of the company’s top experts in several of their products. But in my next job, I gradually became “just” a manager. I still have days where I think to myself, “If only I’d stayed the course and became Super DBA.”
The other thing about consulting is that it was the only time in my career where I was a profit center instead of a cost center. I’d generally manage to bill out an entire year’s salary within the first four months of the year which meant that I could have as much down time as I needed in the remaining 8 months. It was pretty sweet. My last gig with Sybase in the US, before they moved me to HK, I was project manager of what turned out to be the consulting division’s most profitable project ever. Those were the days, my friend.
Okay, enough of this aimless rambling, off to bed (and back to Keith Richards’ Life). | <urn:uuid:c4bb63ce-77e8-46d9-b91b-482e1ce54910> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://hongkietown.com/2010/10/29 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.982101 | 1,467 | 1.523438 | 2 |
FDA Approves New Indication for Gardasil to Prevent Genital Warts in Men and Boys
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved use of the vaccine Gardasil for the prevention of genital warts (condyloma acuminata) due to human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6 and 11 in boys and men, ages 9 through 26.
Each year, about 2 out of every 1,000 men in the United States are newly diagnosed with genital warts.
Gardasil currently is approved for use in girls and women ages 9 through 26 for the prevention of cervical, vulvar and vaginal cancer caused by HPV types 16 and 18; precancerous lesions caused by types 6, 11, 16, and 18; and genital warts caused by types 6 and 11.
HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States and most genital warts are caused by HPV infection.
“This vaccine is the first preventive therapy against genital warts in boys and men ages 9 through 26, and, as a result, fewer men will need to undergo treatment for genital warts,” said Karen Midthun, M.D., acting director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.
Gardasil’s effectiveness was studied in a randomized trial of 4,055 males ages 16 through 26 years old. The results showed that in men who were not infected by HPV types 6 and 11 at the start of the study, Gardasil was nearly 90 percent effective in preventing genital warts caused by infection with HPV types 6 and 11.
Studies were conducted to measure the immune response to the vaccine in boys ages 9 through 15. The results showed that the immune response was as good as that found in the 16 through 26 years age group, indicating that the vaccine should have similar effectiveness.
The manufacturer will conduct postmarketing studies to obtain additional information on the safety and effectiveness of Gardasil in boys and men.
Gardasil is given as three injections over a 6-month period. Headache, fever and pain at the injection site, itching, redness, swelling and bruising, were the most common side effects observed.
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Nobel Peace Prize winner Mohamed ElBaradei's appeal appeared to be aimed at responding to a sharp warning by the head of the armed forces a day earlier that Egypt could collapse unless the country's feuding political factions reconcile.
Two more protesters were killed on Wednesday when they were hit with birdshot during clashes with police near Cairo's Tahrir Square, a security official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the press.
So far the opposition National Salvation Front headed by ElBaradei and the government of President Mohammed Morsi have been at loggerheads, with the front demanding Morsi make major concessions as a condition for any dialogue. Morsi has ignored their demands, holding his own "national dialogue" program, mainly with his own Islamist allies.
Meanwhile, violence has spiraled after first erupting in Cairo on eve of last Friday's second anniversary of the uprising that toppled authoritarian president Hosni Mubarak. It since spread around the country, with the worst violence in the Suez Canal city of Port Said, which has virtually declared itself in revolt against Morsi's government.
In a Tweet, ElBaradei called for an immediate meeting between Morsi, the defense and interior ministers, the Brotherhood's political party, the National Salvation Front and parties of the ultraconservative Salafi movement "to take urgent steps to stop the violence and start a serious dialogue."
He said stopping the violence is the priority, but stuck by the front's previous conditions for holding a dialogue—that Morsi form a national unity government and form a commission to amend contentious articles of the Islamist-backed constitution.
There was no immediate response from the presidency or the Muslim Brotherhood on ElBaradei's new call. Morsi was on a brief visit to Germany and was expected back in Egypt later Wednesdsay.
Over the past week, Morsi ignored ElBaradei's demands, and the Brotherhood said they don't accept conditions for talks.
The Front has depicted the unrest as a backlash against Islamists' insistence on monopolizing power and as evidence that the Brotherhood and its allies are unable to manage the country on their own.
Morsi has been holding his own national dialogue program for more than a month, touting it as a chance for non-Islamists to make their voice heard in decision-making. But almost all opposition groups have shunned it as mere window dressing.
Officials in the presidency and the Brotherhood have blamed the opposition for instigating the violence, accusing them of trying to bring down Morsi, Egypt's first freely elected president.
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