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falconryArticle Free Pass
Hunting and training techniques
Falconers control trained hawks in flight with a combination of visual or oral signals—for example, walking in the direction they wish the hawk to follow or whistling—so it is important that the trained hawk remain in sight, even if it is high and distant, and preferable that it be in close enough proximity to hear a shout or a whistle. So essential is this communication between falconer and bird that the image of the falconer losing control is used in W.B.Yeats’s “Second Coming” as a symbol of chaos and anarchy:
Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold….
Styles of direct-pursuit hawking with longwings include rook hawking, crow hawking, and houbara hawking—i.e., the hunting of bustard in which Arabs use four-wheel-drive vehicles to follow their prey-pursuing falcons across the desert. An example of a “waiting-on” flight is “game hawking,” in which the prey are game birds such as grouse, pheasant, or partridge and trained falcons are flown over hunting dogs that point to indicate where game is lying in cover. Shortwings and broadwings, depending on their size, are flown at prey ranging from small birds to large mammals. In areas of Central Asia such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Mongolia, golden eagles are flown at wolves, foxes, and gazelles.
The principles of training a hawk have remained unchanged since the earliest days of the sport, a fact that can be ascertained from ancient falconry books, manuscripts dating to the 10th century, and Petruchio’s comments on the “training” of a wife in Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew (Act 4, Scene 1):
My falcon now is sharp and passing empty;
And till she stoop she must not be full-gorged,
For then she never looks upon her lure.
Another way I have to man my haggard,
To make her come and know her keeper’s call,
That is, to watch her, as we watch these kites
That bate and beat and will not be obedient.
The key to the hawk’s training is in conditioning, which means finding the correct hunting, or “flying,” weight—i.e., the weight at which it would hunt if living in its natural environment—which is different for each individual hawk, and getting the hawk fit by increasing both the time it spends flying and the distances over which it is called to the falconer.
The first stage in the training of a hawk is called “manning.” This literally means taming—getting the hawk used to the falconer and its new environment. The amount of time the hawk spends in the company of the falconer—being carried on the gloved fist—is critical, but so also is the hawk’s weight. An overweight hawk will be comparatively wild. Only when it recognizes the falconer and the glove as a source of food will it begin to become tamer, and this is irrespective of whether the hawk is captive-bred or taken from the wild. The falconer does not deny the hawk food but asks it to earn it, initially by the hawk feeding from the glove, then by jumping a short distance for food while tethered to the creance—a lightweight training line. As the appetite sharpens, so the hawk will fly farther for food. Shortwings and broadwings are called to the falconer’s outstretched arm for food, while longwings are called to a swing lure, a pair of bird wings tied together and swung by the falconer to simulate the flying game they are being trained to hunt. The falconer keeps daily notes on the hawk’s performance, its weight, and its food intake and from this can deduce the hawk’s flying weight.
Once the hawk responds instantly when the falconer calls it for food and will chase a lure simulating the type of game it is being trained to hunt, then the creance is removed and the hawk is flown free. In the next stage the hawk is introduced to wild game in a process known as “entering.” When the hawk has achieved its first kill, the training is complete and the sport begins. By this time a bond has formed between falconer and hawk, which, combined with accurate weight control, alleviates much of the risk of losing the hawk. However, some hawks may become lost when flights at prey take them over a considerable distance and out of sight of the falconer. Small, lightweight bells attached to the legs of the hawk can help the falconer find the bird, and many falconers now attach a transmitter to a trained hawk so that it may be tracked down with a radio-receiver unit.
Originally, falconry was a means of catching game for the table. When a trained hawk is on a kill, the falconer approaches it and holds a smaller piece of meat in his glove between the hawk’s beak and the carcass. The hawk transfers its attention to the meat in the falconer’s fist and steps up onto the glove, leaving the game to be transferred into the falconer’s game bag and the hawk with sufficient appetite to hunt again. Although the pleasures of keeping and training a hawk have become the primary reasons for practicing falconry, game suitable for consumption is still usually eaten by the falconer.
What made you want to look up "falconry"? Please share what surprised you most... | <urn:uuid:31a849a7-bde3-4b36-b59d-55a26898a04e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/200711/falconry/215012/Hunting-and-training-techniques | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957868 | 1,229 | 3.15625 | 3 |
Northern Victorian irrigators on the Murray, Goulburn and Campaspe systems will be able to carry over water for the coming 2010/11 irrigation season with very low risk, under reforms to carryover rules confirmed today by the Water Minister Tim Holding.
There will no longer be a limit on how much unused water an irrigator can carry over from this season to the new season starting on 1 July 2010.
Instead of irrigators losing water once their carryover and allocations reach 100 per cent of their entitlement volume, they can keep their carryover in a new spillable water account. This water will only be lost if the storages actually spill.
“These changes overcome problems caused by the existing rule,” Mr Holding said. “This season some irrigators carried over the full 50 per cent allowed and then had to forfeit water to the communal pool because of recent rains and rising allocations.
“As flagged in the Northern Region Sustainable Water Strategy released last year, these new rules mean water users will have more flexibility, certainty and confidence in how they acquire and manage carryover water.
“The environment will also benefit because environmental water managers will be able to manage their carryover water more efficiently and use it at the most suitable times.”
Currently irrigators can carry over water up to 50 per cent of their entitlement, but water carried over plus the next season’s allocations must not exceed 100 per cent of the customer’s entitlement.
Under the new rules irrigators will no longer lose water once their carryover and allocation equal 100 per cent. Spillable water accounts will be an automatic feature of customers’ existing water accounts from 1 July this year.
Any carryover and allocation above 100 per cent entitlement volume will be recorded in a spillable water account and this water cannot be used or traded while there is a risk of the storage spilling.
Once the Resource Manager declares that storages will not spill later in the season, all water in a spillable account will be available for use or trade. After the declaration date all future allocation increases will be credited directly to existing water accounts.
Mr Holding said there would be a small charge for the use of spillable water accounts and this revenue will be used to reduce storage costs for all entitlement holders.
Carryover rules on the Broken, Loddon and Bullarook regulated systems will remain the same as for the 2009/10 season. Further work is being done to assess the impact of how new carryover rules could apply on these smaller systems.
Detailed information on carryover rules and spillable water accounts, developed in consultation with a working group which included irrigation and environmental representatives, will be available from water authorities. | <urn:uuid:b5cc9957-fc3a-4744-b686-0f6f910281c0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.candybroad.org/Pages/Media_Centre/2010-03/New_Rules_Give_Irrigators_More_Carryover_Certainty.aspx | 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 | 0.934869 | 556 | 1.585938 | 2 |
An edible fish of the North Atlantic.
(SS‑204: dp. 825 (surf.), 1,179 (subm.); l. 238'11", b. 21'8"; dr. 12'1" (mean); s. 16 k. (surf.), 9 k. (subm.) cpl. 38; a. 1 3", 6 21" tt.; cl. Mackerel.)
Mackerel (SS‑204) was laid down by the Electric Boat Co., Groton, Conn., 6 October 1939; launched 28 September 1940; sponsored by Mrs. Wm. R. Furlong; and commissioned 31 March 1941, Lt. John F. Davidson in command.
Throughout World War II, Mackerel, assigned to Submarine Squadron 1 at New London, Conn., participated in the training and improvement of the Navyís submarine force. Designed as an experimental submarine, she provided support services to the Underwater Sound Laboratory and training services to the Submarine and the Prospective Commanding Officers Schools at New London, in addition to training Allied surface vessels and aircraft in antisubmarine warfare.
Although most of her time was spent in the New London area., she steamed as far north as Casco Bay and as far south as Chesapeake Bay to conduct antisubmarine training exercises. While in the New London‑Narragansett Bay area she often worked with TG 28.4, the antisubmarine development detachment, as well as with the Underwater Sound Laboratory; thus aiding, both tactically and technically, in the development of submarine knowledge.
During the course of the war, Mackerel made only one contact with the enemy. Having departed New London 12 April 1942, she proceeded, on the surface, to Norfolk, Va., to conduct antisubmarine training exercises for Army and Navy aircraft. On the night of the 14th her lookouts sighted the wakes of two torpedoes heading for the submarine. Evasion maneuvers proved effective and Mackerel, undamaged, launched two torpedoes at a surfaced enemy submarine. The enemy, dodging Mackerelís torpedoes, gathered speed and soon out‑distanced the training submarine. The following morning another, or the same, enemy submarine was sighted, but Mackerel was again out‑distanced.
At the end of the war, Mackerel was ordered to Boston, where she decommissioned 9 November 1945. She was struck from the Navy list 28 November 1945 and sold for scrap, to the North American Smelting Co., Philadelphia, Pa., 24 April 1947. | <urn:uuid:4e4912be-6a31-4b2b-bfe8-de7758ecf860> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/m1/mackerel-i.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00068-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946669 | 534 | 2.8125 | 3 |
BANGKOK — Renewed sectarian violence between Muslim Rohingya and Buddhist Rakhine is spreading in Burma’s western Rakhine state. At least two people were reported killed and there are concerns the death toll may grow.
Authorities say fighting erupted late Tuesday in two more towns, Kyaukpyu and Myebon.
Burma's state media said communal violence has left more than 1,000 homes burned since Sunday.
The New Light of Myanmar newspaper reported two people were killed in the fighting, while unconfirmed reports say casualty figures are much higher.
Al Haji Nyunt Maung Shein is chairman of Burma's Islamic Religious Affairs Council. He says they received reports as many as 178 Muslims and Buddhists were killed, but were unable to independently confirm the figures.
"Still the violence is going on in Rakhine state, especially in Kyaukpyu area and Myinbya area last night. And recently they are suffering so much. And almost all, nearly 2,000 houses are burnt," he said.
The council cancelled celebration of the Islamic religious festival Eid al-Adha out of concern for security.
It is not clear what started this week's unrest.
Human Rights Watch Burma researcher Matthew Smith says the remoteness of Rakhine state is partly to blame. But he says prejudice also plays a role.
"This is an issue that has not been covered in any sort of adequate way. And, the sympathies that few people have in the country for the plight of the Rohingya are certainly drowned out by opposing viewpoints," said Smith.
The Rohingya Muslims are not recognized as citizens in Burma, despite many living there for generations. Most Buddhists in Burma consider them illegal migrants from Bangladesh. Their legal status leaves them open to exploitation, and the United Nations calls them one of the most abused minorities in the world.
Toronto-based democracy activist and Burma analyst Vijay Sappani says the government needs to offer the Rohingya better protection.
"I think the long-term solution is to find some form of a citizenship status or some form of a status that can be given to them so that there is a law which is clearly defined and that can be implemented," said Sappani. "The challenge right now is that there is a law that is fairly discriminative and the majority do support it."
The government withdrew an offer last week for the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to open an office in Rakhine State, following Buddhist-monk-led protests.
Tensions between the Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims broke out in June over allegations in state media that Rohingya men raped a Rakhine girl. A Rakhine mob attacked and killed a busload of Rohingya and spiraling revenge attacks left close to 90 people dead and tens of thousands homeless.
A government appointed investigation commission is to deliver a report on the violence in November.
Victor Beattie in Washington D.C. contributed to this story | <urn:uuid:224b5507-1c68-4d59-81bf-5d790fe86227> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.voanews.com/content/over-one-thousand-homes-burned-during-clashes-in-burma/1532177.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00061-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973201 | 611 | 1.796875 | 2 |
The Alexis Project
The Alexis Project is the work of a small group of Romanian people interested in preserving the prehistory, history and culture of their region, and increasing knowledge about their area. It gives valuable insights into this district in the south west of Romania, on the Danube and its tributaries.
This is a panorama of the Jiu River, the lifeblood of the Oltenia Region, and a wonderful resource for the inhabitants.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe
A team from the section for NATURE of Oltenia Museum and University of Craiova is making a deep research over the area of the Jiu river, near Craiova, also over Baile Ionele lake, as well as the sweet-water lakes near Urzicuta village, the Baboia river, the Eruga river, Cioroiasi village, also over the Bad Valley from Radovan village, helped by Alexis project for a better evaluation of those areas. It is an important cooperation between Alexis Project and the Oltenia Museum, keeping in mind future Eropean Union projects at those locations.
This page is to record information about the culture of Bulgaria, and interesting sites there.
Forgotten Heroes - this page is to honour people who have died, but have not received the recognition they deserve.
This page is to show the strange and unusual things to be found in Romania today.
Old Ada Kaleh - Ada Kaleh was a small island on the Danube populated mostly by Turks that was submerged during the construction of the Iron Gates hydroelectric plant in 1970. The island was about 3 km downstream from Orşova and measured 1750 by 450 metres. The isle of Ada Kaleh is probably the most evocative victim of the Iron Gate dam's construction. A Turkish exclave, it had a mosque and numerous twisting alleys, and was known as a free port and a smuggler's nest.
The New Ada Kaleh on Șimian Island - During the construction of the Iron Gates dam, and before the rising waters flooded Ada Kaleh, some of the structures that were built on the island were relocated to the nearby Şimian Island, including part of the masonry of the fortress' catacombs, the Mosque, the bazaar, Mahmut Pasha's house, the graveyard and various other objects. However, the Ada Kaleh community decided to emigrate to Turkey after the evacuation of the island, instead of re-settling on Şimian Island. Also, a smaller part went to Dobruja, another Romanian territory with a Turkish minority, so the reconstruction of the New Ada Kaleh was never completed.
Recent additions, changes and updates to the Alexis site
This site is to publicise the history and culture of Romania, and displays information from the Alexis Project Association
Alexis Project Filiasi/Romania
RC J/263/230/2007 CIF 21464151
in a partnership and contract with the Oltenia Museum:
Oltenia Museum Craiova/Romania
Because Oltenia Museum has the ability to verify the scientific importance of this information and because the specialists of Oltenia Museum have made contributions to this site, the copyrights to it are part of Oltenia Museum property.
If you have any photographs or information which would be useful for this site please contact Don Hitchcock
This page last modified Monday, 20th May, 2013 01:10pm
Webmaster: Don Hitchcock
My Archaeology website: http://donsmaps.com/ | <urn:uuid:a5d98e72-b293-4d36-a280-59282c4d73a1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://alexisphoenix.org/index.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.93771 | 742 | 2.53125 | 3 |
Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906) was perhaps the most eloquent and influential voice in the early struggle for women's rights in the United States. While she dedicated herself to many issues, including the abolition of slavery, temperance, domestic violence, equal pay, coeducation, and financial autonomy, her chief legacy was as a leader of the woman suffrage movement. From the mid-1800s through the turn of the century, she organized suffrage conventions, lobbied legislators, petitioned politicians, and lectured throughout the country and abroad for what she took to be the most crucial political right of all — the vote. Unlike other women's rights activists, she insisted that the vote was the single most critical right, for without it none of the others would last. While she died 1906, fourteen years before the Nineteenth Amendment was ratified, she nevertheless succeeded in changing many laws and attitudes and became one of America's most venerated public figures.
Failure is Impossible is an engaging and well-edited collection of excerpts from Anthony's speeches, letters, diaries, and interviews, woven together by Lynn Sherr's biographical commentary. The book examines all aspects of Anthony's life and work, from her childhood as the daughter of a Quaker activist and her early work in the temperance movement to her close friendships with Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott and her efforts over nearly fifty years to secure the vote for women.
According to Lynn Sherr, Anthony remains very much a woman for our time. As a pioneer of the women's movement, she and her colleagues were not only the first to take up many of the issues with which today's feminists are struggling, but "they carefully, wittily, and sometimes painfully laid the groundwork for virtually every right" that women are either demanding or already take for granted today. "Modern feminists, whatever they call themselves, tend to believe that every problem they face is a new one, that every issue needs a new solution. In short, they are still trying to reinvent the wheel without realizing that the instruction manual has already been written."
Copyright 1995 by Scott London. All rights reserved. | <urn:uuid:d3759601-a647-44ee-86a2-030e4c35646c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.scottlondon.com/reviews/sherr.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00058-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978139 | 437 | 2.828125 | 3 |
FPS stands for frames per second, and is a measurement of how fast a computer can run a certain game. In simple games the update and rendering speed are tied together, as in update, render, update, render, and so on. Let's say we limit our game speed to 50 updates per second. This means that 1. the game cannot be rendered at a higher frame-rate than the game is updated, because an update is followed by rendering, meaning that the game cannot render at any higher than 50 FPS, and 2. that if the rendering of the game (which is usually heavier than updating) starts taking too long time the whole game will run slower. It will not just stutter, it will actually run slower, which is often undesired. It's better to not render each frame in this case and instead focus on updating so the game actually runs at normal speed.
For a better explanation see the excellent game loop tutorial here: http://www.java-gaming.org/topics/game-loops/24220/view.html
To summarize: You often want your game to render at a rate that is independent to the updating rate. | <urn:uuid:d5c6ceb2-e1c6-4449-a70b-3f11aa6386eb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.java-gaming.org/index.php?topic=25627.msg221601 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00045-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.927809 | 239 | 2.90625 | 3 |
1 Peter 4:12–19
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing; so that also at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with exultation. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. By no means let any of you suffer as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not feel ashamed, but in that name let him glorify God. For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner? Therefore, let those also who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.
Suffering and Christian Hedonism
It might seem strange to you that 1 Peter is one of my favorite biblical books—since it's mostly about suffering and how to live in a hostile culture, while I am a card-carrying, full-blooded, unwavering Christian Hedonist. But it isn't strange for people who have lived long enough to realize what Paul Brand, the missionary surgeon to India wrote in his book: Pain: The Gift Nobody Wants.
I have come to see that pain and pleasure come to us not as opposites but as Siamese twins, strangely joined and intertwined. Nearly all my memories of acute happiness, in fact, involve some element of pain or struggle. (Christianity Today, Jan. 10, 1994, p. 21)
I have never heard anyone say, "The deepest and rarest and most satisfying joys of my life have come in times of extended ease and earthly comfort." Nobody says that. It isn't true. What's true is what Samuel Rutherford said when he was put in the cellars of affliction: "The Great King keeps his wine there"—not in the courtyard where the sun shines. What's true is what Charles Spurgeon said: "They who dive in the sea of affliction bring up rare pearls."
Christian Hedonists will do anything to have the King's wine and the rare pearls—even go to the cellars of suffering and dive in the sea of affliction. And so you can see that it is not strange that we love the epistle of 1 Peter—a handbook for Christian persecution and martyrdom.
A Story About a Joy-Seeking Missionary Family
When Bernie May was the head of Wycliffe Bible Translators he visited a young family in a Muslim nation. They had been there three years working with a people group of 100,000 people and no knowledge of Christ. This couple had three children under five years old.
The baby was covered with pox marks, some of which looked infected. He asked if the child had chicken pox. "No, those are ant bites," the mother said. "We can't keep the ants off him. Eventually he will become immune to them."
Bernie May wrote:
In a moment of honesty she confessed she felt guilty because she was suffering from stress. Stress! She and her young husband came there from mid-USA. Now they live in a place where the temperature is above 100 degrees most of the year. The children are covered with bites; a war is going on close by; their helpers are in danger for being their friends; many in the villages are suffering from hunger and disease; they can't even let their supporters know what they are doing so that they can pray for them since they are in a "critical" area—and she feels guilty because she is under stress.
I told her she had every right to feel stressful. I had only been their three days and I was already beginning to come unglued.
Yet this dedicated young couple are laughing and joking and filled with the joy of the Lord. (Letter from Bernie May, Jan. 1990)
1 Peter is a letter mainly about how to be like that. Today's text, in fact, commands us to be like that and gives at least six reasons why we should be and can be.
Keep on Rejoicing: Six Reasons to Do So
The command is found in verse 13: "To the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing." Keep on rejoicing. When you are thrown in the cellars of suffering, keep on rejoicing. When you dive in the sea of affliction, keep on rejoicing. In fact, keep on rejoicing not in spite of the affliction but even because of it. This is not a little piece of advice about the power of positive thinking. This is an utterly radical, abnormal, supernatural way to respond to suffering. It is not in our power. It is not for the sake of our honor. It is the way spiritual aliens and exiles live on the earth for the glory of the great King.
"Count it all joy when you meet various trials," is foolish advice, except for one thing—God. Peter gives six reasons why we can "keep on rejoicing" when the suffering comes. They all relate to God.
1. Not a Surprise but a Plan
Keep on rejoicing because the suffering is not a surprise but a plan.
Verse 12: "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you."
It isn't strange. It isn't absurd. It isn't meaningless. It is purposeful. It is for your testing. Look at verse 19: "Let those also who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful Creator." "According to God's will." Suffering is not outside the will of God. It is in God's will. This is true even when Satan may be the immediate cause. God is sovereign over all things, including our suffering, and including Satan.
By why? For what purpose? Compare verses 12 and 17. Verse 12 your fiery ordeal comes "for your testing." Verse 17 says, "For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?" The point is that God's judgment is moving through the earth. The church does not escape. When the fire of judgment burns the church, it is a testing, proving, purifying fire. When it burns the world, it either awakens or destroys.
Verse 18: "And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner?" Believers pass through the testing fire of God's judgment—not because he hates us, but because he loves us and wills our purity. God hates sin so much and loves his children so much that he will spare us no pain to rid us of what he hates.
So reason number one is that suffering is not surprising; it is planned. It is a testing. It is purifying fire. It proves and strengthens real faith, and it consumes "performance faith."
Alexander Solzhenitsyn had long been impressed with the patience and longsuffering of Russian believers. One night in prison in Siberia Boris Kornfeld, a Jewish doctor, sat up with Solzhenitsyn and told him the story of his conversion to Christ. The same night Kornfeld was clubbed to death. Solzhenitsyn said that Kornfeld's last words were, "lay upon me as an inheritance . . . It was only when I lay there on rotting prison straw that I sensed within myself the first stirrings of good . . . Bless you, prison, for having been my life."
We have strong hope, therefore, that the sufferings of our own day will bring purity and life to many. Suffering is not surprising; it is purposeful.
2. Evidence of Union with Christ
Keep on rejoicing because your suffering as a Christian is an evidence of your union with Christ.
Verse 13a: "But to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing." In other words your sufferings are not merely your own. They are also Christ's. This is cause for rejoicing because it means you are united to Christ.
Joseph Tson, a Romanian pastor who stood up to Ceausescu's repressions of Christianity, wrote,
This union with Christ is the most beautiful subject in the Christian life. It means that I am not a lone fighter here: I am an extension of Jesus Christ. When I was beaten in Romania, He suffered in my body. It is not my suffering: I only had the honor to share His sufferings. (undated paper: "A Theology of Martyrdom")
Keep on rejoicing, because your sufferings as a Christian are not merely yours but Christ's and they give evidence of your union with him.
3. A Means to Attaining Greater Joy in Glory
Keep on rejoicing because this joy will strengthen your assurance that when Christ comes in glory, you will rejoice forever with him.
Verse 13b: "[As you share the sufferings of Christ] keep on rejoicing; so that also at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with exultation." Notice: keep on rejoicing now, so that you may rejoice then. Our joy now through suffering is the means of attaining our joy then, a thousand-fold in glory.
First there is suffering, then there is glory. 1 Peter 1:11, "The Spirit predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glory to follow" (cf. 5:1). Paul said, "If we suffer with him we will be glorified with him." First the suffering, and then the glory—both for Jesus and for those who are united to him.
If we become embittered at life and the pain it deals us, we are not preparing to rejoice at the revelation of Christ's glory. Keep on rejoicing now in suffering in order that you might rejoice with exultation at the revelation of his glory.
4. The Spirit of Glory and of God Resting on You
Keep on rejoicing in suffering because then the Spirit of glory and of God rest upon you.
Verse 14: "If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you."
This means that in the hour of greatest trial there is a great consolation. In great suffering on earth there is great support from heaven. You may think now that you will not be able to bear it. But if you are Christ's, you will be able to bear it, because he will come to you and rest upon you. As Rutherford said, the Great King keeps his finest wine in the cellar of affliction. He does not bring it out to serve with chips and on sunny afternoons. He keeps it for extremities.
If you say, "What is this?"—the Spirit of glory and of God resting on me in suffering—the answer is simply this: you will find out when you need it. The Spirit will reveal enough of glory and enough of God to satisfy your soul, and carry you through.
Seek to be holy; seek to bring truth; seek to bear witness; and do not turn aside from risk. And sooner or later you will experience the Spirit of glory and of God resting upon you in suffering.
5. Glorifying God
Keep on rejoicing in suffering because this glorifies God.
Verse 16: "If anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not feel ashamed, but in that name let him glorify God."
Glorifying God means showing by your actions and attitudes that God is glorious to you—that he is valuable, precious, desirable, satisfying. And the greatest way to show that someone satisfies your heart is to keep on rejoicing in them when all other supports for your satisfaction are falling away. When you keep rejoicing in God in the midst of suffering, it shows that God, and not other things, is the great source of your joy.
I mentioned Paul Brand earlier—the missionary surgeon to India. He tells the story of his mother who was a missionary in India and who did something that symbolizes a life devoted through suffering to the glory of God and not self. Dr. Brand writes,
For Mother, pain was a frequent companion, as was sacrifice. I say it kindly and in love, but in old age, Mother had little of physical beauty left in her. The rugged conditions, combined with the crippling falls and her battles with typhoid, dysentery, and malaria, had made her a thin, hunched-over old woman. Years of exposure to wind and sun had toughened her facial skin into leather and furrowed it with wrinkles as deep and extensive as any I have seen on a human face . . . Mother knew that as well as anyone—for the last 20 years of her life she refused to keep a mirror in her house. (Christianity Today, Jan. 10, 1994, p. 23)
Twenty years of ministry without a mirror. Do you get it? She was the mirror. God was the light and the glory
6. God's Faithfulness to Care for Your Soul
Finally, keep on rejoicing because your Creator is faithful to care for your soul.
Verse 19: "Therefore, let those also who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right."
The degrees of suffering and the forms of affliction will differ for every one of us. But one thing we will all have in common till Jesus comes: we will all die. We will come to that awesome moment of reckoning. If you have time, you will see your whole life played before you as you ponder if it has been well-spent. You will tremble at the unspeakable reality that in just moments you will face God. And the destiny of your soul will be irrevocable.
Will you rejoice in that hour? You will if you entrust your soul to a faithful Creator. He created your soul for his glory. He is faithful to that glory and to all who love it and live for it. Now is the time to show where your treasure is—in heaven or on earth. Now is the time to shine with the glory of God. Trust him. And keep on rejoicing. | <urn:uuid:1fce7b29-1caf-4b5c-80aa-2ce706ce5618> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/sermons/why-we-can-rejoice-in-suffering?turn_off_admin_bar=true | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00076-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969431 | 3,083 | 1.632813 | 2 |
Framework for Spectrum Auctions in Canada
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Application of Auctions
- 3. Licence Attributes
- 4. Competition Principles: Promoting a Competitive Post-Auction Marketplace
- 5. Auction Process Overview
- 6. Auction Design and Rules
- 7. Conclusion
Radio frequency spectrum is a finite public resource. Both private users and wireless communications service providers require spectrum for a diverse range of uses. Industry Canada, through the Department of Industry Act, the Radiocommunication Act and the Radiocommunication Regulations, with due regard to the objectives of the Telecommunications Act, is responsible for spectrum management in Canada. The Spectrum Management Program operates under the guidance of the Spectrum Policy Framework for Canada, revised in 2007, which provides a single policy objective and a set of guidelines to guide Industry Canada’s management of this resource.
Where the demand for spectrum is not expected to exceed the supply, Industry Canada generally uses a first-come, first-served licensing process to award spectrum licences. In instances where the demand for spectrum is expected to exceed supply, a competitive licensing process, such as an auction, is generally used.
This Framework for Spectrum Auctions in Canada (the Auction Framework) describes the general approaches that Industry Canada will use to auction spectrum licences.
As indicated in the 2007 Spectrum Policy Framework for Canada, Industry Canada has adopted a policy objective to maximize the economic and social benefits that Canadians derive from the use of the radio frequency spectrum resource. One of the enabling guidelines under this objective recognizes that market forces should be relied upon to the maximum extent feasible. With due regard to this policy and guideline, Industry Canada will generally consider the following broad conditions in determining whether an auction process will be used as the spectrum assignment mechanism:
- whether the demand for spectrum is expected to exceed the available supply Footnote 1 and
- whether government policy objectives can be fully met through the use of an auction.
The use of auctions as a spectrum assignment mechanism may not be appropriate for certain radio services as described below.
The issuance of broadcasting licences is the responsibility of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) as outlined in the Broadcasting Act. The Minister of Industry’s role in broadcasting extends to spectrum management and the technical aspects of broadcasting. In order to operate a broadcasting undertaking, both a licence from the CRTC and a certificate from Industry Canada are required. Although broadcasting licences will not be the subject of an Industry Canada spectrum auction, spectrum used by broadcasting services may be the subject of an auction under certain circumstances, such as where alternative uses are also permitted. Such a process would be subject to a public consultation on spectrum utilization prior to a proposed auction.
An auction will generally not be used to license spectrum in bands designated for priority services (such as those whose radiocommunications systems are vital to national sovereignty and defence, law enforcement, public safety and emergency services).
Where satellite systems are global in nature, it would not be practical for an individual country to use an auction as the assignment mechanism. However, for domestic or regional satellite systems that cover Canada, the Minister may, under certain circumstances, determine that an auction is appropriate, for example, when the spectrum is pre-assigned to Canada as part of an International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Plan or when Canada has priority access to the spectrum internationally.
In order to develop business plans, secure financing and develop a bidding strategy, it is important that bidders understand exactly what is being auctioned. The Auction Framework outlines the general attributes of auctioned spectrum licences. The precise attributes related to specific spectrum licences will be included as part of the public consultation preceding a specific auction, as well as in the corresponding policy and licensing framework documents.
Applicants should be aware that auctions represent an opportunity to become a licensee, subject to certain conditions and regulations. Industry Canada makes no representations or warranties about the use of auctioned spectrum for particular services. A spectrum auction does not constitute an endorsement by Industry Canada of any particular service, technology or product, nor does a spectrum licence constitute a guarantee of business success. Applicants should perform their due diligence before proceeding, as they would with any new business venture.
The following sections outline the general attributes of the spectrum licences in an auction.
The authorizations available for assignment in an auction will be spectrum licences. These are defined in subparagraph 5(1)(a)(i.1) of the Radiocommunication Act as authorizations “...in respect of the utilization of specified radio frequencies within a defined geographic area.”
Spectrum licences issued pursuant to an auction are subject to relevant provisions in the Radiocommunication Act, the Telecommunications Act and the Radiocommunication Regulations. Specifically, the Minister has the power to amend the terms and conditions of spectrum licences at any time during the licence term (paragraph 5(1)(b) of the Radiocommunication Act). Upon expiry of a licence, the Minister may set new terms and conditions, which would normally be the subject of consultations that would take place approximately two years prior to the end of the term of the licence in question.
As well, section 40 of the Radiocommunication Regulations continues to apply, which allows among other things, the Minister to reallocate spectrum or to permit others to use the same spectrum on a non-interfering basis, for example, through the use of cognitive technology. Industry Canada recognizes the significant investments made by licensees to establish their networks and the impact that a reallocation may have on a client base. It is therefore important to note that pursuant to these regulations, Industry Canada would reallocate, or provide alternative access to spectrum licences assigned through auction, only under extraordinary circumstances (for example, where a change in international allocation or an overriding policy need arises), taking into consideration whether the licensee has complied with the conditions of licence, the level of investment made and the size of its established client base, and in the case of alternative access, the degree to which the existing use would continue unimpeded. If a reallocation or shared access were contemplated, it would take place only after consultation.
Auctions allow market forces to determine who will gain access to spectrum and, indirectly, how it will be used. To allow licensees to continue to quickly and efficiently adapt their services to changing consumer demands, Industry Canada will generally provide licensees with the maximum possible flexibility in determining the services that they will offer and the technologies that they will employ. Beyond the need to conform to the applicable Canadian spectrum allocation, only those limitations required for interference management purposes will generally be imposed. These limitations will include the terms of international agreements entered into by Canada and the provisions of the ITU’s Radio Regulations.
Industry Canada publishes a document entitled Service Areas for Competitive Licensing, which outlines the general service areas that will be proposed for an auction. The defined geographic areas have been categorized under “service area tiers” that are based on Statistics Canada’s census divisions and subdivisions. The definition of the service areas within these tiers and accompanying maps and data tables are available on Industry Canada’s website. Industry Canada will continue its practice of seeking and considering comments from stakeholders, prior to the auction, on the proposed tier level and on whether alternative approaches are warranted for the specific spectrum being offered.
Given the geography of Canada, the borders of some of the service areas will inevitably have incidental coverage of water bodies and/or coastal areas. The provision of a service within these incidental areas will generally be permitted, subject to the domestic and international sharing arrangements that are in effect.
Licences issued via auction will have terms of up to 20 years, based on the specific spectrum being offered. Where spectrum use is not anticipated to change, longer terms (e.g. 20 years) would be offered. As a condition of licence, licences will have a high expectation of renewal, unless a breach of licence condition has occurred, a fundamental reallocation of spectrum to a new service is required or an overriding policy need arises.
As stated in paragraph 5(1)(b) of the Radiocommunication Act, the Minister retains the power to amend the terms and conditions of spectrum licences, during the term of the licence and at the end of the term, as part of the licence renewal process. Footnote 2
For licences issued through a renewal process, licence fees that reflect some measure of market value will apply. Generally, when a majority of licences in a specific band are nearing the end of their licence term, a public consultation regarding the renewal process will be launched. This consultation will usually commence approximately two years prior to the end of the licence term. Comments would be sought on the appropriate conditions of licence to be applied to the new licences, including the level of fees. In the case where Industry Canada foresees the possibility that it will not issue new licences (e.g. due to a fundamental reallocation of spectrum to a new service or an overriding policy need), a consultation would also be conducted on relevant issues.
Licences acquired through an auction are transferable in whole or in part (divisibility) to a qualified recipient, in both the bandwidth and geographic dimensions, subject to the policy and licensing frameworks applicable to these specific licences. Generally, the area transferred may be no smaller than a single spectrum grid cell (a hexagonal figure with an area of 25 square kilometres). The grid cells fit together in an interlocking pattern over the geography of Canada. In general, no minimum limit will be imposed on the amount of spectrum that can be transferred in the bandwidth dimension. However, limits may occasionally be required on the amount of spectrum that can be transferred in order to respect band channelling plans or other policy needs. Such limits would have been discussed as part of the auction consultation for the band in question and will be defined in the final policy and licensing document.
In an effort to ensure that social and economic benefits are maximized from the use of the radio frequency spectrum, it will be important that licensees operate in a competitive marketplace post-auction. Measures available to the government to promote a competitive post-auction marketplace include restricting the participation of certain entities in an auction and/or placing limits on the amount of spectrum that any one entity may hold by using spectrum set-asides or spectrum aggregation limits. Industry Canada will consider the two guiding principles outlined below in choosing when and how to impose pro-competitive measures.
Principle 1: Restricting Participation in the Wireless Market
Industry Canada may decide that an entity that currently provides telecommunications services should be restricted from holding certain licences if:
- the entity possesses market power in the supply of one or more telecommunications services in a region covered by the licence to be auctioned;
- a new entrant is likely to use the licence to provide services in competition with the entity’s existing services; and
- the anti-competitive effects of the entity acquiring a licence are not outweighed by the potential economies of scope arising from the integration of the spectrum in question into the entity’s existing network.
Principle 2: Spectrum Aggregation Limits
It is the view of Industry Canada that, when multiple licences for the use of spectrum in a given geographic area are auctioned, and when these can be used to provide closely substitutable service, aggregation limits may be required on the amount of spectrum that any single bidder is allowed to acquire so as to ensure competitive markets. Spectrum aggregation limits may be imposed in the following circumstances:
- a bidder that acquires an amount of spectrum beyond a certain level would not face effective competition from providers of closely substitutable services; and
- the anti-competitive effects arising from the acquisition of an amount of spectrum beyond a certain level by a single bidder would not be offset by lower prices or higher valued services resulting from a single entity holding this amount of spectrum.
In the analysis of the above-noted competition principles, it is appropriate to consider the current Canadian market, activities of other regulators who deal with the wireless industry and the experience of other countries.
This section outlines the general steps in the auction licensing process. A more detailed discussion of specific auction design and rule elements will be provided as part of the consultation process conducted prior to a specific auction, as well as in the corresponding policy and licensing framework documents. The time required to complete the auction process, from the release of the original consultation paper to the assignment of licences, will vary somewhat depending on factors such as: the complexity of the issues related to any specific auction; the specific auction design; the volume of consultation comments received; the number of licences being offered; the number of parties applying to participate in the auction; the number of qualified bidders; and the time required by bidders to prepare their bidding strategies and financing. However, the elapsed time between the release of the final policy and licensing framework documents, and the opening of the bidding is generally six to 10 months, with the auction itself taking anywhere from one day for a sealed bid auction to several weeks to complete for a more complex auction. One of the goals in the process is to clearly articulate the policy and licensing considerations and decisions so that potential bidders have the fullest possible knowledge of the spectrum at issue, as well as the auction procedures and rules, prior to the auction.
Industry Canada also makes available background documents related to the specific auction. The documents typically include a backgrounder, frequently asked questions, the dates relating to the auction and an auction fact sheet. These documents are for information purposes only and do not form part of the official policy.
In general, a spectrum auction will take place according to the following steps:
- 5.1 Public Consultation: A notice will be published in the Canada Gazette announcing the availability of a consultation paper that addresses issues related to the spectrum auction in question. The objective is to provide interested parties with the opportunity to comment on all aspects of the policy related to a specific auction, the auction design, and the licensing procedures and rules prior to the auction.
- 5.2 Comment Period: An initial comment period (generally 45-90 days) will be provided. For common framework issues, comments will be sought as to whether there is any reason to deviate
from the approaches laid out in the Auction Framework document. For other issues that will
require a different approach from auction to auction (for example, the geographic and bandwidth
definition of licences), specific proposals or options will be put forward for comment.
After the closing date for receipt of comments, copies of all the comments received will be posted on Industry Canada’s website.
- 5.3 Reply Comment Period: A second, shorter comment period may then be opened during which respondents will be invited to comment on the initial comments of others. After the closing date of this reply comment period, these comments will also be made available on Industry Canada’s website.
- 5.4 Development of Final Policy: After reviewing all the input received, the Minister of Industry will issue the final policy decisions. A second notice will be published in the Canada Gazette announcing the availability of the paper that provides the final policy decisions and describes the licences to be auctioned, the terms and conditions that will be attached to the licences, the opening bid for each licence, as well as any changes to the rules of the auction, the eligibility criteria and the application procedures to participate in the auction. A summary of key dates associated with the licensing process will generally be included in this document and updates will be provided on Industry Canada’s website.
- 5.5 Amendments, Supplements and Clarification Questions: Industry Canada may provide an opportunity for the public to submit written questions asking for clarification of rules or policies related to the auction. Questions received by the established deadline and Industry Canada’s written answers to these questions will be published on Industry Canada’s website. The answers will be considered as amendments or supplements to the policies and rules set out in the final policy and licensing procedures document. Industry Canada may also issue other amendments and supplements to the final policy as appropriate and will publish these on Industry Canada’s website.
- 5.6 Submission of Applications: To participate in an auction, all applicants must submit a completed application form, including details of their beneficial ownership, and a financial deposit. Specific requirements will be included in the consultation preceding a specific auction, as well as in the related policy and licensing documents.
- 5.7 Publication of List of Applicants: A list of all applicants may be made public via Industry Canada’s website soon after the closing date for receipt of applications. The publication of this list in no way qualifies the applicants to participate in the auction.
- 5.8 Publication of List of Qualified Bidders: A list of all qualified bidders, the licences for which they are eligible to bid, and their initial level of eligibility points may be made public via Industry Canada’s website.
- 5.9 Auction Opens: Specific details on the start date and/or schedule of an auction will be included in the consultation preceding a specific auction, as well as in the related policy and licensing documents.
- 5.10 Auction Closes: The conclusion of an auction will be dependent on the auction design and format used. Specific details on the closure of an auction will be included in the consultation preceding a specific auction, as well as in the related policy and licensing documents.
- 5.11 Issuance of Licences: After the close of the auction, each provisional licence winner must
submit eligibility documentation where required, as well as payment for the full amount of its
standing high bids and any penalties that it has incurred, as set out in the framework document
for that auction process.
Upon completion of payment of the sum of its standing high bids and the sum of its penalties, if any, and a determination by Industry Canada that the eligibility requirements have been met, a provisional winner will be issued the appropriate licences.
- 5.12 Unsold Licences: Should a licence not receive a bid during the auction, Industry Canada may make this licence available at a later date. Available licences, including any licences that were forfeited after the close of the auction, may be offered in a subsequent re-auction or through an alternative process (such as a first-come, first-served process).
Auctions are an efficient market-based means of assigning spectrum licences, through a fair and transparent process, to those who value them most. Industry Canada’s objective is to select an auction design that is optimal for the spectrum being offered and the circumstances that exist at the time. As both the theoretical and practical aspects of auction design continue to advance, Industry Canada will continue to examine new auction design developments and adopt them as appropriate.
Special details with regard to auction design, rules and attributes will be included as part of the public consultation preceding all specific spectrum auctions, as well as in the corresponding auction policy and licensing framework documents.
As outlined above, this document provides the framework and concepts that will generally be applicable for spectrum auctions in Canada. The specific rules and the implementation of these concepts will be provided in the policy and licensing documents that will precede each auction.
Theory and practice related to spectrum auctions will continue to evolve. New developments in auction design will continue to be examined and adopted when appropriate. This Auction Framework will be updated from time to time to ensure that it is aligned and consistent with associated Industry Canada policy objectives and guidelines.
Return to footnote 1 It is often difficult to estimate whether the demand for particular spectrum authorizations will indeed exceed the available supply. Thus, the process outlined in this document moves seamlessly to an auction where demand is anticipated to exceed supply and acts effectively as a first-come, first-served process should supply exceed demand.
Return to footnote 2 The licence renewal process, including the timing and need for renewal consultations, may vary for satellite licences.
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Climate change isn't just increasing outdoor temperatures and warming up the
oceans. It may also greatly increase your chances of getting a really bad case
of poison ivy.
As the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increases, it's boosting
the growth of poison ivy plants, two recent studies show. These elevated carbon
dioxide levels are creating bigger, stronger poison ivy plants that produce
more urushiol, the oil that causes the allergic reaction and miserable poison
ivy rash. The urushiol isn't just more plentiful; it might also be more
"Initial data suggests that there may be a more [powerful] form of
urushiol being produced with increasing carbon dioxide," says Lewis Ziska,
PhD, a weed ecologist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Beltsville, Md.,
and a co-researcher of both studies.
In the last 50 years, Ziska says, the growth rate of the poison ivy plant
has doubled. "The chances of encountering poison ivy and coming down with a
rash are greater than they used to be," he tells WebMD.
About 80% of people are sensitive to the plant -- meaning they may develop a
poison ivy rash if they come in contact with the plant. While the reaction is
not typically serious, getting poison ivy can doom you to a week or more of
miserable itching. The poison ivy rash can also raise your risk of getting a
potentially serious skin infection from scratching your skin. Here's what you
need to know before you head out to the woods, or the backyard.
Poison Ivy Studies
In Ziska's latest study, published in the July-August issue of Weed
Science, his team compared the effects of four different concentrations of
carbon dioxide on poison ivy plants, working in the laboratory. The carbon
dioxide concentrations corresponded roughly to those that existed during the
middle of the 20th century, the current concentration, and the concentration
predicted for 2050 and 2090.
"What we found was even during that 50- or 60-year period that poison
ivy could significantly respond to even a small change in carbon dioxide,"
Ziska says. The growth rate doubled, he says.
Ziska says his latest study confirms the findings of an experiment reported
last year in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. In
that study, Ziska and researchers from Duke University and other institutions
compared poison ivy plants grown in ambient air with those grown in areas with
a piped in system that increased the carbon dioxide levels. In the six-year
study, the scientists showed that elevated carbon dioxide boosts the growth of
poison ivy and results in the production of a more powerful form of the
From Oil to Rash
The urushiol found in the sap of the poison ivy plant binds to skin cells
when it comes into contact, says Ziska. | <urn:uuid:4e6c0fae-1253-40ca-b9cc-127b572f5194> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/features/climate-change-brings-super-poison-ivy | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939066 | 628 | 3.359375 | 3 |
August 11, 2010
My Fox New York
by Luke Funk
Your thumbprint might soon be the key to an afternoon candy bar. A Massachusetts based vending machine company is joinng the growing ranks of companies that are field-testing new technologies.
Next Generation Vending and Food Service is experimenting with biometric vending machines that would allow a user to tie a credit card to their thumbprint.
“For a certain demographic that is pretty cool,” says company president John S. Ioannou.
Next Generation is currently testing about 60 of the biometric machines in various locations in the northeast.
The company is also testing other technologies. Ioannou says the key to the transforming the vending machine business is making the consumer feel more engaged.
The days might be numbered where a consumer watches a bag of chips roll through the machine and drop. Next Generation is also testing a machine that includes a 46″ touch-screen display that acts similarly to an iPhone display. The user can click on an item, flip the image and even see the nutrional information on the back of the packaging.
Ioannou says initial results are good saying, “The feedback is extraordinary.”
The machines include internally mounted cameras to monitor what is going on outside of the machine.
The tests are scheduled to run through the end of 2010. After that, Next Generation will decide if it is worth rolling out across its sales region in the northeast and Pennsylvania.
The company is also installing wireless or Ethernet connections on all of its current machines so there will be real-time reporting of the amount of goods in the machine for restocking purposes. Monitors will even be able to report when a coin is stuck in the machine. All of the current machines will be upgraded by the end of 2011.
There are other innovations that are being tested outside of the United States, including machines that use retinal scans to identify and charge consumers for their purchases.
August 9th, 2010
By: Heidi Blake
The humanoid machine, called Nao, hunches its shoulders when it feels sad and raises its arms for a hug when it feels happy.
It has been designed to mimic the emotional skills of a one-year-old child and is capable of forming bonds with people who treat it with kindness.
Nao is able to detect human emotions through a series of non-verbal “clues”, such as body-language and facial expressions, and becomes more adept at reading a person’s mood through prolonged interaction.
It uses video cameras to detect how close a person comes and sensors to work out how tactile they are.
The wiring of the robot’s “brain”, designed to mirror the neural network of the human mind, allows it to remember its interactions with different people and memorise their faces.
This understanding, along with a set of basic rules about what is “good” and “bad” for it, allow the robot to indicate whether it is “sad” or “happy”.
The actions used to display each emotion are preprogrammed but Nao decides by itself which feeling to display, and when.
“We’re modelling the first years of life,” said Lola Cañamero, a computer scientist at the University of Hertfordshire who led the project to create Nao’s emotions.
“We are working on non-verbal cues and the emotions are revealed through physical postures, gestures and movements of the body rather than facial or verbal expression.”
Cañamero believes that robots will act as human companions in future.
“Those responses make a huge difference for people to be able to interact naturally with a robot,” she said.
“If people can behave naturally around their robot companions, robots will be better-accepted as they become more common in our lives.”
Nao was developed as part of a project called Feelix Growing, funded by the European commission.
Though some scientists believe that robots could be used to help around the house, or to care for the elderly, in the future, others have warned that the humanoids could spin out of control and attack their owners by accident.
April 30, 2010
By Paul Joseph Watson
European Central Bank chief Jean-Claude Trichet’s announcement that the Bank for International Settlements is to become the primary engine for global governance is a shocking admission given the fact that this ultra-secretive menagerie of international bankers was once controlled by top Nazis who, in collusion with global central banks, funneled money through the institution which directly financed Hitler’s war machine.
During a speech to the elitist CFR organization earlier this week, ECB head Trichet said that the Global Economy Meeting (GEM), which regularly meets at the BIS headquarters in Basel, “Has become the prime group for global governance among central banks”.
The GEM is basically a policy steering committee under the umbrella of the Bank for International Settlements. In its current form, the BIS, which itself is not accountable to any national government, is comprised of banking chiefs from global central banks, most of which are private and also have no responsibility to their nation states or their citizens.
The board of directors who control the BIS include Federal Reserve chief Ben Bernanke and Bank of England head Mervyn King, as well as Trichet himself.
So how did the Bank for International Settlements get started? The BIS was founded in 1930 by Governor of The Bank of England, Montague Norman and his German colleague Hjalmar Schacht, who later became Adolf Hitler’s finance minister.
The bank was initially founded in order to facilitate money transfers related to German reparations arising out of the Treaty of Versailles, but by the start of the second world war, the BIS was largely controlled by top Nazi officials, people like Walter Funk, who was appointed Nazi propaganda minister in 1933 before going on to become Hitler’s Minister for Economic Affairs. Another BIS director during this period was Emil Puhl, who as director and vice-president of Germany’s Reichsbank was responsible for moving Nazi gold. Both Funk and Puhl were convicted at the Nuremberg trials as war criminals.
Other BIS directors included Herman Schmitz, the director of IG Farben, whose subsidiary company manufactured Zyklon B, the pesticide used in Nazi concentration camp gas chambers to kill Jews and political dissidents during the Holocaust. IG Farben worked closely with John D. Rockefeller’s United States-based Standard Oil Co during the second world war.
Baron von Schroeder, the owner of the J.H.Stein Bank, the bank that held the deposits of the Gestapo, was also a BIS director during the war period.
As Charles Higham’s widely acclaimed book Trading With The Enemy, How the Allied multinationals supplied Nazi Germany throughout World War Two points out, several parties at the Bretton Woods Conference in July 1944 wanted to see the Bank for International Settlements liquidated, because its role in aiding Nazi Germany loot occupied European countries during the war. Norway called for the bank to be shut down, a view supported by Harry Dexter White, U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and Henry Morgenthau, but the BIS survived despite its highly contentious Nazi influence.
Higham writes that the BIS became, “A money funnel for American and British funds to flow into Hitler’s coffers and to help Hitler build up his machine,” founded by Nazi finance minister Hjalmar Schacht on the basis that the “Institution that would retain channels of communication and collusion between the world’s financial leaders even in the event of an international conflict. It was written into the Bank’s charter, concurred in by the respective governments, that the BIS should be immune from seizure, closure or censure, whether or not its owners were at war.”
Today, Kevin explains how Congressmen are able to exempt themselves from the laws they pass and why America & Russia have spent so much time in Afghanistan. Plus, find out how food companies can get away with working with the drug companies to hurt your health and what needs to happen to eliminate virtual every disease and illness.
Also, as a special treat, the tables are turned and Kevin gets hit with the tough questions by Corrine Furnari of Take Charge of Your Health. You won’t want to miss this interview!
Take Trudeau on the Go! Click here to download this show to your iPod, mp3 player, or PC through iTunes!
Click below to hear The Kevin Trudeau Show RIGHT NOW!!! | <urn:uuid:a2d2d9ef-e607-4464-affd-2042218f219b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ktradionetwork.com/tag/machine/ | 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 | 0.960371 | 1,814 | 1.523438 | 2 |
Distant Saturn Sighting
March 21, 2003
Saturn appears serene and majestic in the first color composite made of images taken by NASA's Cassini spacecraft on its approach to the ringed planet, with arrival still 20 months away. The planet was 285 million kilometers (177 million miles) away from the spacecraft, nearly twice the distance between the Sun and Earth, when Cassini took images of it in various filters as an engineering test on Oct. 21, 2002. It is summer in Saturn's southern hemisphere.
Topics: Environment, Cassini–Huygens, Moons of Saturn, Spaceflight, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Technology Internet, Cassini–Huygens timeline, Phoebe, Saturn, Spacecraft, Space exploration | <urn:uuid:719e7011-d21a-4e71-90ce-c54ec962fb85> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.redorbit.com/images/pic/1785/distant-saturn-sighting/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00071-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.916032 | 157 | 2.890625 | 3 |
- Save time creating more effective documents and emails by using these utility programs and tips for working with text and formatting.
Wouldn’t you like to write in less time? Here is an assortment of great writing tools and tips to speed up the writing process. Do you write emails off and on all day long? Do you prepare presentations, agreements, legal arguments, or articles? Read on!
Text Substitution Programs
The tool that can improve your writing productivity the most is a text substitution program.
A text substitution program takes abbreviations you enter and automatically expands them into words, phrases, or entire blocks of boilerplate text. For example, you can type “plm” and the program will replace it with “Please let me know if you have any questions. I will be happy to answer them.” This sort of program may also be called a text expansion or text replacement program.
The speed with which you write increases markedly when you use your abbreviations often. You can insert long words, names, phrases, and paragraphs by typing abbreviations you have entered and memorized. You can also pop up a list of abbreviations, organized into folders, and select the one you want to use.
Reduced wear and tear on your wrists and arms is another benefit of using a text substitution program. You may also find you get an emotional lift from entering just a few characters and seeing a larger amount of text appear without your having to type all of it!
PhraseExpress has proven to work better than other text substitution programs. PhraseExpress is not free, but it is well worth the cost. It is a tall order to be compatible with every other program where you might want to enter text. PhraseExpress works with all of the many, many programs we have installed over the last five years. It even works as expected with remote access services such as GoToMyPC.
Click here to find freeware alternatives to PhraseExpress. However, it is doubtful you will find one with so many well-implemented features. One option that is especially attractive in PhraseExpress is that you can create abbreviations that expand immediately after the last character is typed. With most programs, you are required to type either a hotkey or any one of several convenient terminating characters such as space, period, comma, or return. That approach has advantages, but it can also be limiting.
Multiple Clipboard Managers
The essence of serious writing is rewriting. When you need to copy or move around paragraphs, blocks of text, or website links, use a multiple clipboard program as your tool. Microsoft Office has a multiple clipboard feature, but it can be confusing and works only with Office programs.
Ditto is a free, open source utility program that manages multiple clipboards for you. Ditto gives you access via a selectable hotkey or from a system tray icon. It works well for both keyboard enthusiasts and mouse devotees. On multiple computers, Ditto allows shared access to captured clipboards across a network. It has received the best reviews by those comparing the alternative free clipboard managers.
My favorite text replacement program, PhraseExpress, includes an excellent multiple clipboard manager as a built-in feature at no extra cost.
More Readable Emails
You want people to pay attention to the content of your emails. But, like you, they have a long stream of them to plow through. Do your clients, associates, and yourself a favor: Make your emails more readable while saving time.
How do you make your emails easier and faster to read? Use the Bullets button in your Outlook toolbar. Why?
- Bullets break the monotony of line after line of text.
- Bullets focus the recipient’s attention on the key points you make.
- Points that stand out in bullets are grasped faster.
To draw even more attention to your points, click on the right edge of the Outlook Bullets button to select a different shape for your bullets.
If you need the recipient to respond to several questions, use the Numbering button. Why?
- The recipient is less likely to overlook one of your questions if they are numbered.
- When responding, the recipient can easily refer to your questions by number.
Don’t be afraid to use bold or italics to provide some emphasis instead of wracking your brain for adjectives and adverbs. What might be inappropriate in a brief, article, or book may be just the right way to help your email recipient understand what is especially important. Press Ctrl-B to begin bolding your text and Ctrl-B again to stop. Ctrl-I works the same way for italics.
Copy and Paste
Even if you are a diehard mouse user, master the Ctrl-C and Ctrl-V shortcut key combinations for Copy and Paste, respectively. They will save you time again and again.
Writing often requires synthesis: taking text from multiple locations and combining it into new, useful forms. You can speed up your writing process by learning to use two hotkeys (shortcuts or key combinations): Ctrl-C for Copy and Ctrl-V for Paste. You can use these hotkeys in almost all Microsoft Windows programs to copy selected text from one place and paste it into another. Highlight the words you want to copy. Press Ctrl-C. Place the cursor in the new location and press Ctrl-V to paste the words.
Ctrl-C for Copy is easy to remember. For Ctrl-V, think of the little “V” as a wedge that pushes words into the current location of the text cursor.
Dictation With SpeakWrite
You may be a very fast typist, but dictation can allow you to record a burst of thought faster than you can type. It also reduces the muscle fatigue that results from using a keyboard.
SpeakWrite transcribes your dictation into word processing documents economically. I have not run across another company that is so easy to work with and that offers these different options for creating and submitting dictation:
- Transfer files from a digital recorder via the web;
- Dial their 800 number, give your phone number and password, and start dictating;
- Use a smartphone app to record and submit your dictation;
- Dictate to a SpeakWrite program installed on your computer;
- Fax a handwritten or printed document.
Within three hours, a SpeakWrite typist transcribes your dictation into word processing documents and emails them to you. Concerned about security? SpeakWrite adheres to HIPAA’s privacy and security policies. All of the typists are screened, trained in security and confidentiality policies and procedures, and located in the United States or Canada.
Pricing for this dictation service is a 1.25 cents per word, or 1.5 cents if you want a trained legal transcriptionist to do your transcription. There are no other costs. Turnaround time is advertised as about three hours, but in my experience the service is usually faster. Founded by a lawyer, no other service matches SpeakWrite’s excellent quality and service. Contact the company at 800-828-3889 or www.speakwrite.com.
Research With LastPass
LastPass automates the process of logging into password-protected websites. Do you jump around to different websites where you have accounts when doing research? LastPass can both save you a lot of time and spare you from having to remember and type various logins and passwords.
With LastPass you use one login and super-secret password to store and protect all your passwords and critical private information. No one can access the contents of your account without your master password. Your master password is not known to LastPass administrators, and they cannot recover or restore it.
The service is available in free and premium ($1.00 per month) versions. The free version is fully functional but displays an advertisement on the side of the screen. The premium version supports use on mobile phones.
Mindmaps and Flowcharts
A picture is worth a thousand words. One diagram makes a big difference when you need to explain a procedure with multiple options or outcomes.
But creating diagrams is time-consuming. With the right mindmap or flowchart application, you can bring clarity to a complex topic in minutes.
Mindmaps have much in common with outlines: they allow you to divide a subject into topics (branches), subtopics, and short text entries. But mindmaps also let you draw ad hoc connections from one subtopic to another one in a different branch.
A mindmap can assist you in organizing a writing project quickly before you begin. The time you devote to organizing, prioritizing, and sorting reduces the overall time for your project. Your writing goes much faster when it is well organized.
MindManager stands out as the best PC-based mindmapping program, but I have switched to a web application (Software as a Service) named MindMeister. I find that MindMeister is less complex and faster without sacrificing important capabilities. It has the added advantages of all web-based applications: it is available on any computer, and there is no need to install anything.
Flowcharts serve a narrow but crucial niche for lawyers. Whenever you need to plan a sequence of events or a procedure that involves more than a few steps, think of using a flowchart. A flowchart enables you to spot shortcuts or omitted parts of the process you are working with.
For flowcharts I used to use AllClear. I still love its design, but the $340 cost for PC-based software is a disincentive even with the price break for upgraders. I have switched to LucidChart, another web application. The free version lets you create many charts with up to 60 objects per chart, but has some limitations. The basic version at $3.33 per month has more features and no limit on objects.
If nothing else, don’t miss the Hey Jude video on the LucidChart Example page. It is fascinating, entertaining, and instructive.
Organize With Headings and Styles
In any writing that has multiple parts, you can use headings to organize the content for both you and your readers. The headings make it easier for your readers to work their way through the material.
Microsoft Word has shortcut keys to convert a line of text into a heading. Press Ctrl-Alt-1 for Heading 1, Ctrl-Alt-2 for Heading 2, or Ctrl-Alt-3 for Heading 3. Each heading can have different formatting. You configure the formatting by right-clicking on a heading in the Style area of the menu ribbon.
Whether you are writing a quick email or a long legal document, these tips can save you time and make the process of writing easier. If you have a favorite tech tip, please let me know. Your suggestion could make it into a future column and be most helpful to other readers. | <urn:uuid:55733457-6703-45f6-a1b8-f6d98786f740> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.americanbar.org/publications/gpsolo_ereport/2012/july_2012/technotes_tools_tips_faster_better_writing.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00047-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.923662 | 2,261 | 1.75 | 2 |
Still, his case reopens debate about whether rules should be changed to favor youth over age in giving out scarce organs. As it stands now, time on the waiting list, medical need and where you live determine the odds of scoring a new heart — not how many years you’ll live to make use of it.
“The ethical issues are not that he had a transplant, but who didn’t?” Dr. Eric Topol, a cardiologist at Scripps Health in La Jolla, Calif., wrote on Twitter.
Cheney received the transplant Saturday at Inova Fairfax Hospital in Falls Church, Va., the same place where he received an implanted heart pump that has kept him alive since July 2010. It appears he went on the transplant wait list around that time, 20 months ago.
He had severe congestive heart failure and had suffered five heart attacks over the past 25 years. Cheney has had countless procedures to keep him going — bypasses, artery-opening angioplasty, pacemakers and surgery on his legs. Yet he must have had a healthy liver and kidneys to qualify for a new heart, doctors said.
“We have done several patients hovering around age 70” although that’s about “the upper limit” for a transplant, said Dr. Mariell Jessup, a University of Pennsylvania heart failure specialist and American Heart Association spokeswoman. “The fact he waited such a long time shows he didn’t get any favors.”
More than 3,100 Americans are waiting now for a new heart, and about 330 die each year before one becomes available. When one does, doctors check to see who is a good match and in highest medical need. The heart is offered locally, then regionally and finally nationally until a match is made.
“You can’t leapfrog the system,” said Dr. Allen Taylor, cardiology chief at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. “It’s a very regimented and fair process and heavily policed.”
Jessup and Taylor spoke Sunday from the American College of Cardiology’s annual conference in Chicago, where Cheney’s treatment was a hot topic.
Patients can get on more than one transplant list if they can afford the medical tests that each center requires to ensure eligibility, and can afford to fly there on short notice if an organ becomes available. For example, the late Apple chief Steve Jobs was on a transplant list in Tennessee and received a new liver at a hospital there in 2009 even though he lived in California.
That’s not done nearly as often with hearts as it is for livers or kidneys, said Dr. Samer Najjar, heart transplant chief at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. Each transplant center decides for itself how old a patient it will accept, he said.
“Most centers wouldn’t put somebody on” at Cheney’s age, said University of Pennsylvania bioethicist Art Caplan, who has testified before many panels on organ sharing issues.
“I’ve been arguing for a long time that the system should pay more attention to age because you’ll get a better return on the gift” because younger people are more likely to live longer with a donor organ, Caplan said.
News reports detail other successful heart transplants in septuagenarians.
In Canada, a man described as a home builder and philanthropist received a heart transplant when he was 79 at the University Hospital in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He lived for more than a decade with the organ, dying in 2010 at age 90.
In Texas, a 75-year-old retired veterinarian received a heart last year from a 61-year-old donor, but he had been a marathon runner and was presumably healthier than many of his peers.
Cheney will have to take daily medicines to prevent rejection of his new heart and go through rehabilitation to walk and return to normal living. He was former President George W. Bush’s vice president for eight years, from 2001 until 2009. | <urn:uuid:2c0f8645-80fb-4c86-b324-de4586c6768e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.couriernews.com/view/full_story/18009662/article-Dick-Cheney%E2%80%99s-transplant-reopens-debate-about-age | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967695 | 846 | 2.203125 | 2 |
Monday, August 22, 2011
"As rebels fight for control of the Libyan capital of Tripoli, President Obama and other world leaders have called on Libyan leader Col. Muammar Gaddafi to step down. On Sunday, the United States officially recognized the Transitional National Council as the legitimate governing authority in Libya. Meanwhile, the whereabouts of Gaddafi remain unknown, but three of his sons are in rebel custody. Libya’s rebel chief, Mahmoud Jibril, issued a statement to Libyans in the early hours of Monday asking fighters to treat Gaddafi loyalists with dignity and respect. We are joined in Cairo by Khaled Mattawa, an acclaimed Libyan poet and scholar who just returned from Libya. We also speak Fred Abrahams, a special advisor for Human Rights Watch, who just returned from Libya last Thursday, and with Juan Cole, a professor of history at the University of Michigan who has been following developments in Libya closely on his blog, "Informed Comment" at JuanCole.com. “Libya has reignited the flame of liberty in the Arab world,” says Juan Cole....." | <urn:uuid:6f1df5e1-2e5f-4a62-b10b-2b040573d9a6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://palestinianpundit.blogspot.com/2011/08/libya-has-reignited-flame-of-liberty-in.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966101 | 224 | 1.804688 | 2 |
The primary purpose of SourceWatch is to provide well-documented information about organizations, people and activities related to deceptive public relations campaigns, along with case studies examining the techniques used to manipulate public opinion and public policy. The guidelines below indicate the types of information that are most important to include in the articles you submit. If you don't have all of the information listed in these suggestions, go ahead and provide the information that you do have. Hopefully someone else will be able to fill in the remaining pieces. That's the beauty of collaborative research!
- Short description: a sentence or two introducing the reader to why this organization is included in SourceWatch.
- Controversies or Issues: this section, which may have many subsections, should highlight information about the organization that is not part of their own PR or generic description available anywhere. This section should provide information that informed citizens or consumers should know.
- Funding: a list of who or what the organization funds or is funded by. This section might also include information on executive compensation and the known compensation of PR consultants or lobbyists.
- Basic description: a brief summary of the organization's mission, history and activities.
- History: a chronological listing, including the date the organization was founded (and disbanded), along with highlights of activities in which the organization has participated. If an activity warrants more description than you can summarize in a few sentences, create a separate article about the activity using the guidelines below.
- Personnel: a list of individuals, past and present, who are either paid employees of the organization or who have collaborated with it on an ongoing basis.
- Case studies: a list of examples of instances in which the organization has engaged in misleading research or other manipulations of information.
- Contact information: Address, telephone, email, URLs and any other information that can be used to contact the organization itself.
Each article about a person should use his or her full name as the title. Ideally, it should also include the following additional information:
- Date of birth and date of death (if applicable).
- Relationship to organizations: a list of organizations for which the person has worked or with which he or she has been affiliated. If possible, include dates of employment, salary information, and job titles.
- Relationship to funders: a list of foundations and other institutional funders that finance the individual's activities.
- Case studies: examples of instances in which the individual has engaged in misleading research or other manipulations of information. Ideally, each case study should consist of a brief description with a wiki link to a separate article providing further details.
- Contact information: address, telephone, email, URLs and any other information that can be used to contact the individual.
An activity could be a PR campaign, a publicity action (such as a news conference, a demonstration or a publicity stunt), or a news event (such as an oil spill or other crisis whose negative publicity a client is trying to control). Each article about activity should ideally contain the following information: People: a list of individuals who played significant roles
- Time frame (a date or range of dates) when the activity occurred
- Type of event (PR campaign, news event, etc.)
A case study is an analysis of a deceptive or manipulative public relations activity. Examples might include creation of a front group or other use of the third party technique, spying on citizen groups, use of propagandistic rhetoric such as name-calling or glittering generalities, greenwashing, "partnerships" for the purpose of co-optation, or presenting biased and misleading scientific information. Case studies are an important part of propaganda analysis. When examining how some issue such as global warming has been manipulated, it isn't enough merely to show that global warming skeptics have received funding from an industry with a vested interest in global warming denial. The mere fact that people have a vested interest doesn't necessarily prove that they are wrong. It is important, therefore, to provide case studies that critique the improper methodology behind misleading arguments.
A quick reminder on references
Because SourceWatch's purpose is to expose manipulation of information and opinions about controversial issues, it is important to provide references to reports that document, as authoritatively as possible, the accuracy and fairness of your facts and analysis. Please try to keep rhetoric to a minimum, avoid speculation, and focus on providing verifiable facts. Each article should include a list of resources at the bottom: news stories, books, scientific studies, web sites, database or other documentary records that support the facts in the article and that can be consulted for further information. Whenever possible, each resource listed should include the following information:
- publication date
- name of author
- name, city and state of publisher (e.g., New York Times, Tarcher/Putnam publishing)
- URL (if the report is available online)
For a more detailed discussion of referencing in SourceWatch, see SourceWatch:References. | <urn:uuid:4d3bee9b-7b30-4a0b-94dd-d8f785d536b2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=SourceWatch:Article_guidelines | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.922474 | 1,011 | 1.890625 | 2 |
Environmental Science Major
The 10-unit environmental science major provides broad exposure to environmental sciences at the introductory level, focused work in science at the upper level, and a set of cognates designed to show the social and humanistic context in which scientists work.
Core: Five units of science and mathematics, consisting of Biology 195, Chemistry 121, Geology 101, Geology 111 and Mathematics 141.
Science electives: Five units of focused work in science. Courses should have a central theme such as (but not limited to) habitat protection, modeling in environmental science or water resources, be selected in consultation with a science faculty adviser and be approved by the CSE director. Courses must be at the 200-level or higher, no more than three courses can be in one department, and at least one 300-level course must be included. Before beginning the theme of study, the student must secure the CSE director's approval of the proposed five-course sequence. This approval must be granted no later than mid-semester of the second semester of the student's sophomore year. A copy of the approved program and any subsequently approved changes are to be filed with the registrar after being signed by the CSE director.
Cognate courses: 2.5 units, ENVN 201, ENVN 220, and one additional cognate selected from the "Society and Culture" or "Language, Idea and Image" lists in the environmental studies major.
- Participation in a series of bi-weekly evening seminars sponsored by CSE.
- Completion of a research project, internship or service project related to academic interests and career goals. | <urn:uuid:fddb1cf5-3ccd-4627-a403-fa17210318d4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.albion.edu/athletics/mbasketball/67mbkstats/1126abhc.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00045-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.927927 | 337 | 1.984375 | 2 |
A picture of cluster MS1054-0321, containing thousands of galaxies. The picture is comprised of pictures taken by three different telescopes.
Click on image for full size
HST: Megan Donahue (STSCI); ground: Isabella Gioia (University of Hawaii), and NASA.
Hot, Heavyweight Cluster Found!
News story originally written on August 20, 1998
Megan Donahue, an astronomer with the Space Telescope Science Institute, has discovered one of the heaviest and hottest galaxy clusters. Cluster MS1054-0321, located 8 billion light-years from Earth, contains thousands of galaxies
and many trillions of stars
! The temperature of its intergalactic gas (the material between galaxies) is approximately 300 million degrees Fahrenheit. Imagine finding this during your normal work day!
What Donahue and colleagues have found is that this cluster is surprisingly massive; it is a heavyweight of clusters. Now remember, by looking so far away, these astronomers are seeing this cluster as it was when the universe was half the age it is now.
In this traditional view of the universe, either space holds just enough matter to be able to expand forever or the universe is a dense universe and it will collapse under its own weight into a reverse Big Bang. According to dense universe theories, massive clusters such as MS1054-0321 should not have had time to form this way yet (ie, this cluster should not be so massive according to the dense universe theory). So the conclusion that these astronomers are making is that the universe is not a dense universe, or it is not dense enough to stop its own expansion. This discovery becomes another piece of evidence supporting the eternal universe.
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Denying Genocide in Darfur -- and Americans Their Coca-Cola
By Dana Milbank
Thursday, May 31, 2007; A02
The Iraq war gave us Baghdad Bob, the Iraqi information minister who, while American troops patrolled nearby streets, held a defiant news conference to proclaim that there were no U.S. forces in the city.
Baghdad Bob, whose real name is Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf, earned a place among the ranks of colorful propagandists such as Hanoi Hannah and Tokyo Rose. Now, the genocidal Sudanese government has an entry in this category. Let's call him Khartoum Karl.
Karl -- a.k.a. John Ukec Lueth Ukec, the Sudanese ambassador to Washington -- held a news conference at the National Press Club yesterday to respond to President Bush's new sanctions against his regime. In his hour-long presentation, he described a situation in his land that bore no relation to reality.
Genocide in the Darfur region? "The United States is the only country saying that what is happening in Darfur is a genocide," Ukec shouted, gesticulating wildly and perspiring from his bald crown. "I think this is a pretext."
Ah. So what about the more than 400,000 dead? "See how many people are dying in Darfur: None," he said.
And the 2 million displaced? "I am not a statistician."
Khartoum Karl went on to say that, all evidence to the contrary, his government does not support the murderous Janjaweed militia. "It cannot happen," he said, "so rule it out." As for the Sudanese regime itself: "We are the agents of peace, people like me, my colleagues who are in the central government of Sudan."
What's more, the good and peaceful leaders of Sudan were prepared to retaliate massively: They would cut off shipments of the emulsifier gum arabic, thereby depriving the world of cola.Allow me to say this...
Khartoum Karl, bite me.
Americans would rather pay more for soda than finance genocide. We may be soda swilling, burger eating, reality TV watching plebeians but the majority of us would rather drink tea than finance genocide. | <urn:uuid:bf55217f-3d1c-4d2f-89f0-2d86461cd0cb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://crapomatic.blogspot.com/2007_05_01_archive.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00061-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968184 | 479 | 1.664063 | 2 |
In some monasteries, on days when the Divine Liturgy is not served, it is replaced by a service of Typical Psalms. The service consists of Psalms 103 and 146 with a hymn by the Emperor Justinian, Only-begotten Son. These are the First and Second Antiphons of the Liturgy in most Orthodox Churches. Also, the Beatitudes, the Creed, and certain other hymns and prayers are sung.
From Psalm 103, Psalm 102 (LXX)
- Bless the Lord, O my soul! Blessed art Thou, O Lord!
- Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name!
- Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.
- Who forgives all iniquities, Who heals all your diseases.
- Bless the Lord, O my soul, blessed art Thou, O Lord.
From Psalm 146, Psalm 145 (LXX) and a hymn by Emperor Justinian
- Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
- Praise the Lord, O my soul!
- I will praise the Lord as long as I live,
- I will sing praises to my God while I have being.
- Put not thy trust in princes, in sons of men, in whom there is no salvation.
- When his breath departs he returns to his earth: on that very day his plans perish.
- The Lord will reign forever: thy God, O Zion, unto all generations.
- Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
- O only begotten Son and immortal Word of God,
- Who for our salvation didst will to be incarnate of the Holy Theotokos and ever-Virgin Mary,
- Who without change didst become man and was crucified,
- Who art one of the Holy Trinity, glorified with the Father and the Holy Spirit:
- O Christ, our God, trampling down death by death, save us!
- In Thy Kingdom remember us, O Lord, when Thou comest into Thy Kingdom.
- Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
(In 12 Verses)
- Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
- Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
(In 10 Verses)
- Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.
- Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
(In 8 Verses)
- Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
- Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God.
(In 6 Verses)
- Blessed are they that are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
- Blessed are you when men shall revile you and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely for My sake.
- Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in Heaven.
(Glory to the Father and to The Son and to The Holy Spirit, Both Now and Ever and Unto the Ages of Ages. Amen.) | <urn:uuid:cfd297dd-3d7a-4605-bb02-1ad1e5f54aec> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=Typical_Psalms&oldid=49770 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.914647 | 696 | 2.078125 | 2 |
Barack Obama’s Reassuringly Vacuous State of the Union Address
President Barack Obama’s second State of the Union Address was almost entirely focused on domestic issues. This was appropriate considering the magnitude of social, economic and moral problems America is facing, and the attendant absurdity of pursuing grand global themes for as long as those problems remain unresolved.
The clichés and the rhetoric were kitchy and old-fashinedly quaint. At least Obama did not give us any of his predecessor’s neocon-infested world-historical drivel (“History has called America and our allies to action, and it is both our responsibility and our privilege to fight freedom’s fight… America will always stand firm for the non-negotiable demands of human dignity… We’ve come to know truths that we will never question: Evil is real, and it must be opposed.”) What we have instead is a chief executive visibly reluctant to engage in foreign dragon-slaying missions. An inoffensive Latin American tour is on the cards instead, exactly the sort of stuff the President should do when he decides to do nothing.
Obama mentioned the withdrawal of troops from Iraq and Afghanistan—two doomed wars inherited from his predecessor—and steered clear of the old caveat about “getting the job done.” No “job” is ever “done” by a non-Muslim power in the Islamic heartland, which Iraq illustrates today, and which Afghanistan has proven on four occasions over the past 175-odd years. That both will revert to their nasty and brutish Hobbesian-Mohammedan ways once the last GI departs is obvious. Judging by his speech Obama knows this. His en-passant pledge that the U.S. “stands with the people of Tunisia” is reassuringly meaningless: presumably the “standing” will continue regardless of whether the Islamists take over, which is likely, or the country turns into a beacon of Western-style democracy in North Africa, which is not.
Not a single word about the Arab-Israeli conflict in the State of the Union is excellent news. For the moment the best U.S. policy in the Middle East is passivity. Over the next year or two Washington should leave Israel and its Arab neighbors to their own devices. We are further away from a comprehensive settlement than at any time since Oslo two decades ago. Prime Minister Netanyahu is not in a mood to offer anything to the Palestinians, and they are not in a position to insist on anything. As I wrote in Chronicles five months ago, those Americans who contend that the U.S. has the moral obligation to bring an end to the conflict should recognize that, like in many other national, religious and ethnic conflicts around the world, it will go on if both sides are willing to pay the costs of what they regard as a just and necessary fight: “No outside deus-ex-machina can save the parties from themselves. Not unlike other wars, the Arab-Israeli war will end when both sides grow weary of it and conclude that their interests would be better served at the negotiating table, with the outcome of such negotiations reflecting the balance of power between them.”
Since the parties in the Israeli-Palestinian dispute are unable or unwilling to do so today, Obama is right to stay aloof. Only when both sides are exhausted by the conflict and ready to make peace should the United States mediate a settlement. Only then some reference to the U.S. effort deserves to be made in the State of the Union address. This was not one such occasion.
Iran and North Korea were mentioned only in passim, which is also excellent news. On Iran the neocons have been trying long and hard to impose their agenda on a reluctant President, and judging by his perfunctory reference to the issue they have not succeeded. If and when the regional nuclear menace from Iran becomes real, those who have reason to feel threatened by it should act to curtail it or eliminate it as they deem fit. The riddle of Iran’s nuclear intentions is not a vital national security issue for the U.S.
As for North Korea, American disengagement from the peninsula is long overdue. The best and safest way to accomplish it is to leave the tactical and short-range nuclear arsenal behind, thus enabling South Korea to deal with Comrade Kim on its own. Obama may not subscribe to this view, but by wisely ignoring Pyongyang in his purview he has at least allowed for the possibility that he does.
My only problem with Obama’s speech was the millenerian phrase “winning the future.” The future is not there to be won or lost. Those who believe otherwise end up singing “Tomorrow Belongs to Me” and slaughtering millions. Obama is not in that league. On other fronts he is a failure and a menace, but on world affairs he is the least bad President we’ve had for a generation. | <urn:uuid:b239e9b4-f504-46a9-98b4-a4259ff7f2e7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.chroniclesmagazine.org/2011/01/26/barack-obama%E2%80%99s-reassuringly-vacuous-state-of-the-union-address/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00069-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968289 | 1,033 | 1.609375 | 2 |
Big news, ladies: The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (a companion organization to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, or ACOG) announced yesterday its official recommendation that oral contraceptives should be sold over the counter, without a prescription. Plenty of paperwork still stands in the way of this monumental moment in women's health, but it appears as though the United States is one step closer to broader access to contraceptive for all women.
In a video on the ACOG website, Gerald F. Joseph, M.D., says The College's recommendation was based on the unintended pregnancy rate in the United States, which has hovered around 50 percent for the last 20 years. By providing greater access to contraception without a prescription--as is already done in many other countries around the world--ACOG hopes to finally make a dent in this number.
So even though this may mean you won't have to see your Ob-Gyn on a yearly basis to get that prescription refill, you should ABSOLUTELY continue to see your doc annually. As Joseph says, "It's important to have an annual well-woman exam, and to be able to talk with your Ob-Gyn about options for contraception other than, lets say, oral contraceptions. Only by that kind of visit can a woman really get the full range of benefits for health care."
The College, the 65,000-member professional organization that represents about 90 percent of U.S. board-certified obstetrician-gynecologists, makes its case for OTC contraception in the December issue of its monthly journal, Obstetrics and Gynecology and in order for the recommendation to become a reality, drug makers will have to file applications and prove to the FDA that their medications will be safe and effective when sold over the counter.
OTC status has never been granted for a medication that's taken every day for an unspecified amount of time--and concerns will surely arise about potential health risks (like blood clots), as well as social, ethical and religious implications. And while the Affordable Care Act ensures that women can get free or low-cost prescription birth control, OTC pills may not fall under the same legislation.
Still, the FDA's 2006 decision to allow the emergency contraception Plan B to be sold over the counter paved the way for this new recommendation, and it's quite possible that we could find The Pill on drugstore shelves within the next five years, ACOG fellow Daniel Grossman, M.D., told CNN. Regardless of your beliefs on birth control or where you get it--now or in the future--it's important to know your options, as well as the benefits, effectiveness, and potential side effects for each type of contraception.
MORE FROM SELF.COM:
- Birth Control 101: Know Your Options
- Presidential Debate 2012: Where Were the Women?
- 6 Things Your Gyno Won't Tell You | <urn:uuid:bac2db24-7135-4547-93cd-8d8d179012c0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.self.com/blogs/flash/2012/11/birth-control-pills-should-be-otc-say-obgyns.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00049-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946824 | 603 | 1.671875 | 2 |
This is a follow-up my previous question. Several of the answers indicated that the mass of a particle (atom, proton, etc.) increase with the "binding energy" of it's component particles - the energy needed to split them apart - which doesn't make sense to me. I'm convinced that, at least in an exothermic chemical reaction (where the product bond energies are larger) the product's particles will lose mass (proportionally to the heat dissipated) or at least have no change.
To use a larger-scale analogy, if an object, a "particle", is 100m above the Earth's surface, it has potential energy from gravity. As it falls, this energy is lost, converted into KE. Overall, the two "particles", the object and the Earth, end up with the total energy, and therefore the same total mass. There is no room for a "binding energy" that adds mass.
My reasoning is that this extends to particles, with electrostatic or nuclear forces taking the place of gravity. Potential energy of component particles becomes KE of the bonded particle, they end up with the same mass. Actually, if this KE is dissipated (as in a burning / nuclear fusion reaction) the particles should actually have more mass in their uncombined/unreacted state, thanks to their PE. Surely it isn't possible for the mass to increase without an external input of energy?
However, answerers of my energy in chemical reactions question said that:
the energy involved in the bonds is ... half of what we normally consider the "mass" of the proton - David Zaslavsky
potential energy of the chemical bonds do correspond to an increase of mass - Ben Hocking
So, how can this be, and where is my reasoning incorrect? What exactly is the binding energy (if not just the energy needed to break the bond), and where does it come from? | <urn:uuid:923004a3-227e-4012-a293-00fb44daa22f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/11515/the-binding-energy-of-bonded-particles-adds-mass | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00070-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948948 | 397 | 2.875 | 3 |
It is time to reinforce our belief in the core secular ideas of modernity and socialism. This is what should be said loudly after Babri judgment, not going back but moving forward.
Films like other performative cultural forms can speak the language of its own times, in which they have been created and situated. As a visual reflection of society in which it is contextualized, it can speak both covertly and overtly about the past and present world, and albeit can articulate politics and reflect upon philosophy as well. James Cameron’s Avatar, a mainstream Hollywood blockbuster is not an exception in this regard. Maidul Islam writes in his review of the film.
''There is an irony or paradox built into liberal thought: you must be properly intolerant of assaults on tolerance. But this irony is in perpetual danger of getting out of hand. For the liberal state to accommodate a diversity of beliefs while having few positive convictions is one of the more admirable achievements of civilization. But such neutrality, once under pressure, can easily slide into superiority, as sitting loose to other people's faith comes to look like rising disdainfully above it. It is then only a short step from superiority to supremacism.''-Argues eminent literary critic and cultural theorist Terry Eagleton in an article published in Guardian.
The role of the mass media (MM) in influencing mass and class behavior has been a central concern among critical writers, especially since the turn of the Twentieth century. Debates and studies on the MM have focused on its political bias, ownership and links to big business, relationships and ties to the state, relative openness and diversity, promotion of wars and corporate interests among other major issues affecting the relations of power, wealth and empire. Of particular interest to writers opposing and supporting the role of the MM is the impact of the MM in influencing mass outlook, opinions and behaviors. Essays, monographs and empirical studies have been published as to the extent of MM influence, the time frame in which it retains control, the ‘depth’ of loyalty to MM inculcated opinions, and the ‘place’ in which MM messages have the greatest influence in inducing mass opinion in conformity with ruling class interests.
An understanding of the role and power of the MM in contemporary capitalist society requires us to organize the debate according to three major schools – conservative, liberal and Marxist – before proceeding to a critical analysis and finally presenting notes towards setting alternatives to elite-controlled communications networks. | <urn:uuid:3c57f099-dfbf-4dc1-bb49-127472002625> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.pragoti.in/bn/taxonomy/term/1241 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94546 | 501 | 1.84375 | 2 |
ANTIBIOTIC-resistant bacteria such as MRSA tend to be associated with hospitals, but household pets are also helping superbugs to spread.
Richard Oehler of the University of South Florida in Tampa reviewed studies from the last decade of people who caught infections from their pets, either through bites or other contact. He found that a significant portion of infections were antibiotic-resistant, including some caused by the dreaded methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. One analysis found that 35 per cent of S. aureus samples taken from cats and dogs were MRSA (The Lancet, vol 9, p 439).
Oehler suggests that the rise in antibiotic-resistant infections in people means pets are also more likely to be infected. They then act as "reservoirs" that reinfect humans. "Finding MRSA in a pet doesn't mean the pet was the original source," says the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. | <urn:uuid:73957bbd-8af7-441f-b162-30cf94c03a79> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20227143.400-pets-play-role-in-superbug-spread.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969151 | 202 | 3.359375 | 3 |
How good are your soft skills? Put yourself to the test
5 September 2007
You may believe that having finished law school you are now ready to get stuck into your new career as a solicitor. But are you sure that during your studies you developed all the skills you will need to become a successful lawyer?
Have you thought, for example, about how you are going to behave in the office and what rules you should follow when dealing with partners, assistants, other trainees and clients? Every senior lawyer will tell you that the ability to deal with people effectively and politely (also known as soft skills) are just as important as, if not more than, technical skills.
So have a go at the following test to see whether you need to improve your soft skills.
Showing confidence to partners
You are discussing a case with a partner in their office and the telephone rings. The partner answers the phone and starts talking with the caller, without giving you any indication as to whether the call will be long. What should you do?
A) Attract the partner’s attention with a gesture and query whether you should go and come back later.
B) Try to make eye contact with the partner and query whether you should go and come back later.
C) Remain where you are and show that youre interested in the call.
D) Remain where you are and start pretending to review your papers and notes so as to show that you have something to do while he is speaking.
Correct answer: D
You should always give a partner a sense of privacy if they are on the phone with someone in respect of a matter that does not concern you. Do not show any annoyance or impatience about the interruption and do not offer to leave the office and come back later. If the partner anticipates that it will be a long call, they will politely ask you to come back later.
Speaking at meetings
You have been invited to attend a meeting together with two colleagues from your firm who are more senior than you. The meeting is at the offices of a new client of your firm. It is an introductory meeting and is attended by two representatives from the new client. The purpose of the meeting is to have an initial discussion about a matter on which you do not know much but are not completely ignorant either. When and how much should you speak at the meeting?
A) You should speak as soon as possible from the start of the meeting and speak again now and then even if just to ask questions.
B) You should only speak if invited to. The more senior colleagues from your firm are supposed to do most of the talking and can certainly speak with more authority and experience than you.
Correct answer: A
There is one single truth you should bear in mind when attending a meeting with a client: the sooner you speak and the more you speak, the more credible you will appear in the eyes of the client. If you do not speak early at a meeting, you could give the impression of not being actively participating or that you lack importance. When you attend a meeting try to be among the first two or three people to speak and to speak again now and then every ten minutes or so, even if just to ask questions and show that you are actively participating. You do not always have to say anything particularly meaningful but make sure that you do not appear to like the sound of your own voice.
You have come to realise over the years that eye contact is one of the most important communication tools when dealing with people and that maintaining good eye contact during a conversation shows respect and interest in what the other person has to say and gives them a feeling of sincerity and friendliness on your part. But how much eye contact should you maintain when talking to people in a business environment?
A) You should keep continuous eye contact during a business conversation. If you dont, you will appear evasive or disinterested in what the other person is saying.
B) You should maintain eye contact around 60-70 per cent of the time. This is how much people generally maintain eye contact during a business conversation.
C) You should make eye contact now and again during the conversation but no more that 20-30 per cent of the time. More than this might cause discomfort in the other person considering that youre business acquaintances and not friends.
Correct answer: B
It has been observed that in the UK people tend to keep eye contact in a business conversation around 60-70 per cent of the time. You should follow this custom. Doing it more than that could cause discomfort or anxiety in the person you are talking to and could create tension. Try to avoid eye contact during long silences and avoid continuous eye contact, which might be taken as a sign of insincerity or even lying on your part. As an alternative to eyeball-to-eyeball gazing, you may wish to keep your gaze generally into the lower part of the face of the person you are talking to, that is just below their eyes. This is sometimes called intimate gaze. Intimate gaze is perfectly friendly and less intimidating in a business context than full eye contact and particularly appropriate if you wish to use eye contact to underline an important point while talking.
The cab you called to take you and two senior lawyers from your firm to a meeting has just arrived. As you approach the cab, you wonder who among your party should enter the car first and where you should sit.
A) You should invite colleagues to enter the cab first and let them choose the seat that they prefer.
B) Since you called the cab, you should enter first and sit behind the driver so that you can easily give them instructions.
C) There are no rules of etiquette governing this situation. You shouldnt worry about who should enter the car first and where you should sit.
Correct answer: B
Proper etiquette requires that the host should enter the vehicle first so that guests do not have to slide across the seat and the host can easily give instructions to the driver. If no formal host/guest relationship exists (as in the example above), the more junior person should enter the cab first and slide over followed by the more senior persons or the clients. The preferred passenger seat in a car, which should be reserved for the most senior person or the client, is the rear seat on the passenger side. You should therefore invite your senior colleague or client to sit there, while you sit next to them on the driver side of the rear seat. But if access to the rear seat is only from one side, you should never have your colleague or client slide over. The host or more junior person should also be the last passenger to leave the vehicle and be responsible for paying the driver.
You have arrived at the offices of your client and are asked by reception to sit in the entrance hall while someone from your client comes to pick you up. You wonder whether you should keep your coat on or take it off while you are waiting.
A) Keep it on.
B) Take it off.
Correct Answer: B
Proper etiquette requires you to take your overcoat off as soon as you enter an office building. Once removed, you may wish to carry your overcoat over the left arm so as to keep your right hand free for when you will shake hands with the person you are visiting.
Giuseppe Giusti is a solicitor and author of Soft Skills for Lawyers | <urn:uuid:0d9bf5d9-8f53-42cc-9f90-6b16990fb907> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thelawyer.com/how-good-are-your-soft-skills-put-yourself-to-the-test/128435.article | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00053-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964059 | 1,515 | 1.742188 | 2 |
Future of the Forest Industry Series by the Telegraph Journal – Research taps into forestry possibilities
Wed. Feb 1 2012
Byline: Chris Morris
FREDERICTON - From budworm-resistant trees, to perfumes made from smelly pulp effluent, to bio-pharma and bio-fuels, innovative, bio-tech breakthroughs are shaking Canada's forestry sector to its roots.
People working in the industry, whether they're in charge of large forest companies or private woodlots, are realizing there's more to trees than wood.
"As far as new products go, we all have heard that there has to be more to our forests than just lumber and pulp," said Peggy McDougall, a professional forester who helps look after a 5,500-acre woodlot at Thulium Farm in south-eastern New Brunswick.
Click here to read the full article. | <urn:uuid:12887731-0cb0-4dfe-bf12-1f6a7e918449> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.jdirving.com/ForestFutureArticle.aspx?id=2414 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00023-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962264 | 185 | 2.34375 | 2 |
Campaigners say the live transport of horses from the US to Mexico is cruel. Photo: Ecostorm/Handle With Care.
News investigation America's secret and brutal horsemeat trade
18th March, 2013
Few Americans are aware that their country's horses are being exported and slaughtered abroad - often in appalling conditions - to supply European taste for a meat that's shunned at home. Andrew Wasley reports
Herded down a concrete shute, the horses -- black and brown and grey; fat, healthy, thin, lame -- have little idea of the fate that awaits them. But one by one, the horses are separated from those behind, a metal trapdoor swinging down to confine each to a metal box. There's blood and filth on the walls and floor. Flies buzz.
A man leans over the horse -- the animal freezes at first, then jerks forward slightly, obviously terrified -- and stabs a knife forcefully into the top of the horse's head. The horse crumples to the ground and the man stabs it again. The side of the box opens, discharging the body onto a stained floor. A metal chain is hooked around a hoof, the horse swings up and onto a moving production line. Men set upon each body as they come through, slicing away skin and tissue and butchering the exposed flesh.
The footage illustrating this grisly scene in a Mexican abattoir offers a rare glimpse into a brutal and secretive trade that few Americans are aware of -- the export and slaughter of homegrown US horses to supply a meat that's shunned at home but popular with diners overseas. Each year, thousands of horses -- abandoned pets, ex-racehorses, farm animals -- are rounded up and trucked across the country south into Mexico, or north into Canada, for killing and processing and dispatching abroad, many to Europe, a major hub of horsemeat consumption.
It's a murky and often-informal business, with numerous buyers, sellers and middlemen in on the game. And it's part of a much bigger, international trade in horses and horsemeat now in the spotlight in the wake of the European horsemeat scandal. This was initially triggered by the discovery of equine meat in "beef" burgers on sale in Ireland and the UK, and has now widened to include numerous meat products.
Seizing their chance, long-time critics of the horsemeat industry have stepped up efforts to close the trade down, citing appalling horse suffering and health risks to humans through controversial drugs entering the food chain.
For welfare campaigners, the cruelty begins well before the slaughterhouse. Most horses destined for the international meat market begin their journey being trucked to auction houses across the US. From there, they are transported on to feedlots, and then exported across the border to slaughter facilities in Mexico or Canada. Activists say that horses are frequently crammed into vehicles -- many not suitable for carrying livestock -- and forced to endure lengthy journeys without adequate food, water and rest, leading to injuries and exhaustion.
Poor conditions at feedlots have also been highlighted. The pressure group Animals Angels last year investigated a major livestock auction and horse feedlot in New Mexico, and claimed to have found "multiple horses in a bad condition... emaciated, [with] untreated wounds, open cuts, lame, [with] eye injuries."
Graphic pictures show a number of other horses sprawled on the ground, apparently too sick to get up, and an aborted foal abandoned in the dust. Conditions were so bad that investigators say they pleaded with the auction authorities to euthanise a number of the horses.
Cheryl Jacobson, from the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), says such scenes are all too common in the US horse trade -- and blames lenient penalties for fostering a culture of poor treatment: "As at [the New Mexico auction] we've seen that if they get caught for animal welfare problems the costs incurred are still not [a deterrent], it's still worthwhile."
"It's the same down the slaughter pipeline, with middlemen buying at auction and horses being shipped on trailers not in a good enough condition... [if they get caught] for transportation offenses they just start up a new business," she says. "The fines are not collected and they get away with it until caught."
The owner of the New Mexico facility investigated last year is believed to truck some 10,000 horses to Mexico annually, part of the estimated 100,000 animals that are sent to Mexico and Canada each year. In turn, these countries supply about 15,000 tons of horsemeat to Europe annually in a trade worth as much as £40 million (over $60 million).
Horsemeat has never been popular with American consumers. There's been a de-facto ban on slaughtering horses domestically since 2006 when the federal government withdrew funds for inspections at abattoirs slaughtering horses for human consumption. In 2007 the last slaughter facility still butchering equines shut its doors to the trade, and a number of states, including Texas and Illinois, outlawed horse slaughter altogether.
As well as welfare concerns, campaigners say they are increasingly alarmed about the potential for US horsemeat contaminated with veterinary drugs -- including phenylbutazone, or bute, an anti-inflammatory medicine -- entering the human food chain.
Bute, among other substances, is banned for use in farm animals across Europe as it is a known carcinogen in humans. But the drug is routinely administered to racehorses (and other equines) in the US and it's feared some of these horses could be finding their way to Mexican and Canadian slaughter facilities, and thus into horsemeat exported overseas.
Testing carried out in Europe recently identified traces of bute in meatballs and burgers containing horsemeat being sold in Portugal. Previously, horsemeat in Switzerland was found to contain bute, and horse carcasses exported from the UK to France tested positive for the substance.
Although it's not clear the horsemeat involved originated in the US (the Swiss horsemeat was traced back to Canada), campaigners say inadequate enforcement and safety loopholes make it "highly likely" contaminated meat is getting through.
Officially, EU regulations passed in 2010 stipulate that only meat from horses with complete medicine treatment records can be exported to Europe. But horse dealers presenting animals at the Mexican and Canadian borders are simply required to fill in paperwork confirming horses have not been administered drugs that would exclude them from being slaughtered for human consumption -- a process ripe for abuse, say campaigners.
The nature of the horse trade, with buyers trawling auctions and purchasing horses whose veterinary backgrounds are unknown, renders the system useless. "US horses fall at the first step... as they do not have that lifetime treatment record," says HSUS's Jacobson.
She points out that the EU's own Food and Veterinary Office audit of US-Mexican horse trade mechanisms in 2012 found substantial problems: "[...] the system in place as regards the sworn statements by the [horse] owners on medical treatments, as well as the deficiencies noted as regards the identification of live horses... can presently not provide standards equivalent to those laid down in EU legislation," the audit noted.
Academics too had earlier warned that procedures appeared insufficient. A 2010 paper jointly authored by Nick Dodman, of the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, reported: "Veterinary records from American horses sent to slaughter for human consumption are not available to the public. Moreover, horses are not raised as food animals in the United States and there appears to be inadequate testing to ensure that horses given banned substances such as PBZ [bute] do not enter the slaughter pipeline."
EU officials maintain current procedures for policing the import of US horsemeat are sufficient, but say there are flaws in Mexican and Canadian mechanisms.
"There are acknowledged problems in relation to these imports which need to be addressed by the authorities in Mexico and Canada from where imports, including of meat from horses of US origin, is sourced," says Frédéric Vincent, spokesman for the EU Health and Consumer Policy Commissioner Tonio Borg. "The EU has demanded corrective measures and will decide on the basis of the response to these demands and the test results on imports if any further restrictions are necessary."
Experts from the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe have called for an immediate investigation into how bute entered the supply chain. And the revelations that bute has been turning up in products containing horsemeat across Europe has intensified scrutiny of the continents' own internal trade in live horses. Some 65,000 animals are thought to be trucked between European nations each year to supply meat regarded as a delicacy in Italy, France, Belgium and elsewhere.
As in the US, conditions are regularly criticized by campaigners who say that, despite regulations stipulating minimum welfare standards, breaches are commonplace and enforcement programs unacceptably weak. Critics also claim this live transport increases the risk of spreading equine diseases -- research by the group World Horse Welfare discovered that over 90 percent of horses found in a single shipment showed signs of disease.
"Having been involved in investigating the trade of live horses between central and Eastern Europe and Italy, to me the fact that horsemeat is now being found in other products in the food chain is certainly a scandal but not a surprise," one experienced undercover investigator involved in tracking the trade says.
"The horses I saw were generally animals that were at the end of their working lives, bought at rock-bottom price from families in Romania by middlemen who then sold them on for a profit to the livestock transport operators based there. The aim was to ensure a full lorry load was available to be transported, whatever the condition of the animals, so overheads were kept as profitable as possible."
The investigator says those running the trade "operate on the periphery, with animals bought for transport kept in barren holding facilities, deliberately away from the public eye" in order to avoid inspections.
In the UK, a minor player in the horsemeat trade (like Americans, the British don't think much of horsemeat), questions are now being asked about conditions at its own small number of abattoirs slaughtering equines. Undercover filming by a television news team recently revealed animals being beaten and neglected, and a number of illegal procedures being carried out, at a plant killing horses destined for European food markets.
A version of this story first appeared in Alternet magazine.
Andrew Wasley is a UK-based investigative journalist specialising in food and the environment. He was editor of The Ecologist between 2010 and 2012, is co-director of the Ecologist Film Unit and a founder of the ethical research agency Ecostorm. He regularly reports for Link TV's Earth Focus programme.
It's time we copied the Malaysians and ate less meat and dairy
As Earth Overshoot Day gets earlier every year, David Nussbaum argues that changing our diets to less meat and dairy could help us stay within the planet's environmental limits
Lab grown meat: a low-fat, low-carbon, cruelty-free future?
The technology isn't fully developed yet, but when meat really can be grown in a lab it's going to turn all our arguments about carnivorous diets on their heads...
Jonathan Safran Foer: environmentalists who eat meat have a blind-spot
Factory farming depends on our ignorance but the world needs to move away from eating meat, US author Jonathan Safran Foer tells Tom Levitt
Undercover Investigation: The shocking cost of US 'mega-dairies'
With planning permission for Britain's biggest dairy at Nocton about to be re-submitted, The Ecologist travels to California to examine intensive milk production - and finds factory farms, conflict, intimidation, pesticides, pollution and small-scale farmers driven out of business...
UN claims 'food production needs to double' exposed as myth
Widely quoted figures of the need to double food production by 2050 have been used to justify an expansion of industrial factory farming, but have been brought into question by a new report
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Rodd, H. D., Marshman, Z., Porritt, J., Bradbury, Jane and Baker, S. R. (2012) Psychosocial predictors of children’s oral health-related quality of life during transition to secondary school. Quality of Life Research, 21 (4). pp. 707-716. ISSN 0962-9343Metadata only available from this repository.
Dental conditions have the potential to impact negatively on children’s oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). However, little attempt has been made to investigate how psychosocial variables and significant life events affect children’s OHRQoL. This research aimed to explore how children’s dental status, coping, and self-esteem influenced OHRQoL during transition to secondary school.
All patients were undergoing treatment at a UK Dental Hospital. Self-report questionnaires obtained psychosocial data on self-esteem, coping styles and OHRQoL and were completed by children 3 months prior to secondary school entry and 3 months following educational transition. Data were extracted from the clinical records of the paediatric patients who agreed to participate in the research.
A total of 92 children aged between 10 and 11 years participated at baseline (43% response rate) and 71 of these children participated in the follow-up investigation (77% response rate). Multiple lagged regression analyses revealed that clinical variables and children’s self-perception of their physical appearance were significant predictors of OHRQoL following transition to secondary school.
Children who were satisfied with their physical appearance reported fewer impacts on their OHRQoL. The mechanisms through which this domain of self-esteem impacts on OHRQoL warrants further investigation.
|Subjects:||B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology|
R Medicine > RK Dentistry
|Schools:||School of Applied Sciences|
|Depositing User:||Jane Bradbury|
|Date Deposited:||17 May 2012 10:29|
|Last Modified:||17 May 2012 10:29|
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American Buzzard or White Breasted Hawk . . . Falco Leverianus
Pastel, graphite, chalk, white opaque watercolor on medium weight wove [J. Whatman] paper
Purchased through the Katharine T. and Merrill G. Beede 1929 Fund and the Mrs. Harvey P. Hood W'18 Fund; D.2003.52
John James Audubon, widely acclaimed as America’s most innovative and influential artist-naturalist, drew this work before he undertook his famous illustrated publication The Birds of America (1826-38). This double-elephant folio of 435 handcolored prints after Audubon’s original watercolors and drawings is one of the great achievements of American art and natural science. Although self-taught as a naturalist, Audubon’s extended, direct experience in the wilds afforded him an intimate understanding of ornithological behavior that in many ways surpassed the dry, taxonomic approach of more learned scientists and artist-naturalists. This image, inscribed “drawn from Life . . . at Henderson K.Y.,” actually depicts a juvenile red-tailed hawk, not a new species as Audubon had thought when he titled it American Buzzard. The life-size work already exhibits his naturalistic approach to rendering birds. Here the hawk stretches its neck down and forward, opens its beak as if ready to feed, and lifts the leg that clasps its faintly drawn prey. The incomplete drawing of the small bird in the hawk’s grasp shows us how Audubon began all of his drawings by “outlining” his subjects in graphite. He then used a variety of marks in pastel and graphite—his primary media until he switched predominantly to watercolor about 1821—to build up the forms and create the varied colors and textures of the plumage. He highlighted the legs with opaque white watercolor, which he then articulated with graphite to simulate their scaly texture. Through his close observation and complex technique, Audubon finessed a bold image of stunning realism that exemplifies his vital contributions to the fields of both science and art.
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Our local newspaper, the St. Paul Pioneer Press, quoted me briefly at the end of a story about a freshly-passed Minnesota law concerning credit cards and identity theft. When a security breach involving credit card data is the fault of a retailer rather than the issuer of the card, the “Plastic Card Security Act” shifts liability to the retailer to pay for associated costs like notifying affected consumers and reissuing cards. (The state already has a data breach notification law, similar to those now spreading through state legislatures like wildfire.) The statute also imposes data security requirements on retailers in their handling of payment information such as credit card numbers and PINs. The governor signed the new law Monday. Five other states have similar bills pending and Congressman Barney Frank recently said that he would introduce a federal version.
The direct benefit to the consumer here is pretty modest. The law’s data security requirements pretty much replicate those that are already embodied in the contracts retailers have with the major credit and debit card issuers. But these contractual rules are not always followed, as apparently demonstrated by the jaw-dropping theft of some 45.7 million such records from retailer TJX, the parent company of Marshall’s and TJ Maxx. So there is some virtue to having the security requirements enshrined in law and enforceable by the state attorney general. I seldom buy the argument (made by retailers opposing the new Minnesota requirements) that a law is not necessary because industry already follows it. After all, if the rule is already followed then there should be no additional compliance burden, right?
Beyond this marginally beneficial redundancy in security rules, why does this law matter? Well, it seems fair to impose the cost on the party at fault. Small credit unions were especially vigorous advocates of the new law, because they get left holding the bag when retailers screw up.
More fundamentally, though, I see this as an interesting and encouraging sign of the (slow) evolution of consumer privacy law. There was a time not long ago when no one bore the costs for identity theft except for victimized individuals (and conceivably, if you caught them, the hackers could go to jail). Before data breach notification, even a snafu as big as the one at TJX could have gone unreported. It’s comforting to see two major industries slugging it out over responsibility for privacy protection. The underlying assumption must be that someone is going to pay, and the cost is serious enough to try to pass on to somebody else. I’ll take that as progress. | <urn:uuid:3538cc08-9d84-4450-bb21-e3de52f41c5b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/infolaw/2007/05/24/new-law-on-paying-the-price-for-identity-theft/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00047-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959232 | 518 | 1.679688 | 2 |
For the past several years, the Spanish Government had offered study abroad scholarships, but to the disappointment of many young Spanish students, the Ministry of Education announced that there would be no scholarships granted this year. Kaplan International, a leading provider of English language courses and study abroad programs, wanted to bring back the excitement and motivation that those scholarships had given to students, so the school decided to step in with an innovated competition and award Béca-ME scholarships to five Spanish competition winners who impressed judges and Facebook fans with their aspirational essays.
The winners will soon start to learn English with Kaplan all over the world after demonstrating in their essays that they deserved the chance to travel abroad and learn English. The Béca-ME competition attracted more than 1,000 entrants, and offered 5 tuition and accommodation scholarships in Kaplan locations in the USA, Canada, the UK and Ireland, and Australia and New Zealand. Competition entrants were asked to write an essay entitled “The Experience of a Lifetime” explaining how they would fulfill their dreams and ambitions if they were given the chance to study abroad.
Raquel Martinez, Head of Spain for Kaplan International, said that Kaplan wanted to “bring back the excitement and motivation that those scholarships had given to students year after year. It has been a very emotional experience for all of us reading the essays full of dreams and aspirations. Students have fantastic values in Spain.” They wrote heartwarming essays about a variety of topics from the lack of opportunities caused by the economic crisis, to gaining new life skills. What a wonderful and charitable thing Kaplan has done.
If you know anyone who is interested in this topic, why not help them out! Just share this article with them.
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The Privileged Practice of Violence: Worship of the Demi-god Prowess
This chapter explains why knights worshipped at the shrine of the demi-god prowess and that they were the ones practising violence. Knights considered the practice of violence to be a privilege. The primary constituent in chivalry is prowess which wins honour. Prowess and honour are closely linked in the minds of knights, for the practice of the one produces the other, a theme expounded in all chivalric literature.
Oxford Scholarship Online requires a subscription or purchase to access the full text of books within the service. Public users can however freely search the site and view the abstracts and keywords for each book and chapter.
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Yes. Pesticide residues are often found on produce, and fruits and vegetables will be an important part of your child's diet from the time he starts eating solids.
Pesticides help make groceries more affordable by saving crops from damage. But research shows that pesticides contribute to a wide range of health problems, including cancer, lung disease, reproductive problems, and possibly disorders of the endocrine and immune systems.
Animal testing also indicates that pesticides can cause permanent changes in brain chemistry that may lead to behavioral disorders, learning disabilities, and even long-term damage of the brain and nervous system.
Pesticide exposure can affect your baby today as well as in the future. In fact, some of the effects may not become apparent until later in life.
Yes, for several reasons: Children tend to eat a limited number of foods, which can increase their exposure to specific pesticides. They also eat more food relative to their body weight than adults do.
Children may also absorb pesticides more easily. And because of their still-developing gastrointestinal tract, their bodies may be less capable of breaking them down.
Finally, pesticides can block the absorption of nutrients that are vital to healthy growth and development.
Food isn't the only way your baby can come into contact with pesticides. Pesticides also make their way into drinking water. And if you use pesticides in your home or yard, your baby will also be exposed. He could even ingest pesticides after they're brought into your home on the soles of shoes if he puts something he's picked up off the floor into his mouth, for example.
Pesticides can cross the placenta, which means that pregnant women need to take care to avoid contact.
In the United States, there are regulations that intend to do that. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets limits on the amount of pesticide that may be used on crops. The limit is based on how toxic the particular pesticide is, how much pesticide residue will remain on the crop, and how much of the crop a consumer is likely to eat.
Some consumer advocacy groups believe that limits on pesticides should be stricter to protect children.
In 1996, the Food Quality Protection Act tightened food safety laws by requiring that the residue levels of pesticides be safe for babies and children, taking into account children's special sensitivity to pesticides. Under certain circumstances, however — in the case of economic hardship to the farmer, for example — the EPA can authorize the use of pesticides that don't meet safety standards.
While federal regulations have been gradually eliminating the use of some of the most dangerous pesticides, more remain. In addition, tests have found that some produce contains high levels of pesticides that have long been banned in the United States but that are still in the soil. When farmers plant in contaminated soils, they often end up with contaminated produce.
The USDA's Pesticide Data Program tests foods for pesticide residues. According to the program's annual report, 78 percent of the fresh fruits and vegetables tested — and 38 percent of the processed fruits and vegetables — showed detectable pesticide residues. Low levels were found in some dairy products. | <urn:uuid:80686328-b4de-44ac-b17c-76e24d653e7d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.babycenter.com/0_pesticides-in-your-babys-food-what-you-need-to-know_1408813.bc | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963521 | 633 | 3.359375 | 3 |
Imagine paying a bill with no cash, check, PayPal, or smartphone app. “Three of the nation’s four largest banks are launching a system that lets customers transfer money from their checking accounts using only a mobile number or e-mail address,” USA Today reports.
White meat or dark meat? For decades, Americans preferred white meat, which is lower fat but higher priced. Not anymore. “Chicken drumsticks are finding their way to American dinner tables as a slowdown in exports has kept more of the dark meat in U.S. grocery stores and warehouses,” MSNBC reports.
When you buy your next new car, something will look a little different. “Potential car buyers will see new designs for fuel economy labels, reflecting the increased use of alternatives to gasoline such as electric and diesel,” CNN reports.
Businesses invested less in big equipment last month than they had in the previous six months. “Businesses cut their orders for heavy machinery, computers, autos and airplanes in April,” USA Today reports. “The big drop in April came following a 4.4 percent increase in March.”
You’ve probably seen Mark Haines, even if you don’t recall his name. A CNBC anchor for 22 years, Haines died Tuesday evening at age 65. “Haines may be best remembered for his calming and commanding presence during the 9/11 tragedy when he reacted unflappably to the furious stream of incoming rumor,” MSNBC reports.
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Driving school is a time-tested method for training teen drivers and has been proven to statistically reduce the number of fatal accidents. While AAA does not recommend a specific driving school, we urge the parents of teenagers to take an active role in selecting an appropriate driving school.
You can also order our interactive driver education DVD, Driver-ZEDTM, available to everyone and FREE for Members. Get your copy today.
Learn more >>
Driving School Instruction
Structured classroom and behind-the-wheel instruction are the first steps in preparing students for driving in today's traffic. Professional instructors can provide comprehensive training that addresses the mistakes new drivers are likely to make.
Supplementing the Classroom Experience -- Parent Involvement is a Must
The driver's education instructor cannot be the only person to work with the new driver. As a parent, you are the person who cares most about your teenager's driving ability and safety. Getting a driver license is not the end of learning to drive. The six hours of behind-the-wheel instruction a new driver receives in many states falls far short of the amount of time actually needed to learn to drive.
Ask friends and neighbors to recommend a driving school
Why did they select this specific school? What pleased them about the experience?
Call several schools
Find out the course schedule, fees, registration procedures, and the dates and times of the next available courses.
Visit the school
Ask to see the classrooms and observe part of a course. Classrooms should be clean, have a desk available for each student, have instructional equipment and visual aids visible from all desks.
Ask to see the course curriculum and textbook
There should be a current study guide or book for each student. Each student should also receive a copy of the state driver's handbook.
Check the Driver Education School License
It should be displayed in the school's business office.
Ask how many fully-licensed driver education instructors work for the school
How many teach the classroom, behind the wheel, or both phases of the course? A good ratio is thirty students to five instructors. This allows sufficient time for students to complete the training in approximately twelve weeks.
Check classroom vs. behind the wheel sessions
An ideal program integrates both. The classroom should consist of a structured lesson plan that includes coverage of risk prevention and defensive driving practices. Behind the wheel sessions should reinforce, through practice, the classroom concepts. Beginners learn best with two in-car lessons each week.
What to look for
|•||Classroom and behind the wheel lessons should be supported by practice lessons.|
|•||Schools should offer interactive educational tools to help parents provide at least 50 hours of supervised, supplemental driving experience for novice drivers.|
|•||Driving environments should include residential streets, city traffic, rural roads, highways, and limited-access freeways.|
|•||Students should receive limited visibility-traction instruction at night and in poor weather.|
Ask to see the driver education vehicles
Instructional vehicles should be late model cars in good condition and have the following equipment:
|•||two exterior side mirrors|
|•||rearview mirror, eye check mirror, and dual control brake for the instructor|
|•||safety belts, air bags, and head restraints|
|•||wedge shaped seat cushions and/or pedal extensions to improve visibility for students of small stature|
|•||a large "Student Driver" sign, as well as one that identifies the driving school, to alert other drivers that the driver behind the wheel is learning to drive.|
Find out about the instructors
Consider their experience. School management and staff should have successfully completed a minimum of three professional development courses and be licensed by the state. Continuing education ensures that instructors teach current information.
Students with disabilities
Students with disabilities should choose a school with instructors and equipment particular to their specific needs. The Association of Driver Rehabilitation Specialists (ADED) can provide information about facilities in your area.
Find out about refund policies, class make-up policies and how the school resolves complaints. Check with the Better Business Bureau, which keeps files of complaints and compliments received about local businesses.
Ask for references
Get the names of previous students and parents you may call. Ask them about their experience with the school.
Cost is one of many factors to consider when choosing a school. Driver education costs range in price and in structure, so you will need to factor in some basic information, such as:
|•||Amount of classroom instruction offered combined with behind-the-wheel training.|
|•||A typical driver-training package consists of 30 hours of classroom instruction and six to ten hours behind the wheel.|
|•||Additional behind the wheel lessons beyond the state's requirement may be offered at a per hour fee.|
|•||Fees may be incurred when the new driver misses a session.|
A professional driving school will help new drivers learn proper vehicle-control techniques, not just prepare them to pass the state's driver exam. If you feel the driving school is not providing sufficient instruction to meet this goal, talk with the instructor or the school manager. If corrective action is not taken, contact the Department of Motor Vehicles or Better Business Bureau. | <urn:uuid:e1dd74fb-caa1-4412-afb4-ebb621f04bbc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://calstate.aaa.com/auto/car-traffic-safety/choosing-a-driving-school | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939995 | 1,087 | 2.296875 | 2 |
Imagine having HIV and not knowing it. According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than half of new HIV cases of people ages 13 to 24 don't know they are affected. In 2010, there were 12,000 new cases of HIV reported.
More than 19 and a half million dollars in state funding is being distributed to 54 community organizations, hospitals and health agencies in Jersey that provide HIV and AIDS prevention, care and treatment.
On this, the 19th annual National HIV Testing Day, Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services Commissioner Mary O'Dowd is encouraging all Jersey residents to get tested, know their HIV status and to help stop the spread of HIV.
Federal drug regulators are affirming that a landmark study showing that a popular HIV-fighting pill already on the market can also help people avoid contracting the virus that causes AIDS in the first place.
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Horse Therapy and Trouble Teens
Many schools offer residential treatment for troubled teens, but few offer daily equine therapy programs such as ours as a means to healing many of the common social, and behavioral disorders that exist in many teens today.
The leading new treatment involves Equine Assisted Therapy. Horses are the first choice for therapy programs because a horse will mirror a person’s feelings, reactions and attitudes to perfection.
Many studies have been done to show the effects of building relationships with animals and horses. Endorphins are released into the body and decrease chemicals which cause stress and arousal when sessions with horses are experienced by troubled youth. Troubled teens are typically in a state of aggression, defiance, or anger. Using horse therapy with these teens helps maintain a constant and healthy chemical balance.
Horses cannot speak like humans, and careful attention must be placed on their body language. They will let you know if they are nervous, relaxed, frustrated, exited, or dangerous by their body language. Learning how to recognize this language is key in learning how to train and become one with a horse.
Horses have been used for therapy for many centuries. Many disabled people both physically and mentally have used horses to overcome their obstacles. More recently, horses are being used for troubled teens. The principles are the same.
Teens who may struggle in school, have alcohol or substance abuse problems, or have social or mental disorders can greatly benefit from horse therapy programs.
Not only do horses provide therapy as a result of emotional connection between the human and horse, they also provide troubled youth with an opportunity to learn how to control and work with animals. Learning how to work with horses will help them in their day-to-day lives as they deal and work with humans.
Horses can often times be stubborn, reluctant to follow orders, and have to learn how to get along with a team. Members of horse therapy groups will learn how to properly lead, groom, and take care of the animals. These teens may realize that they exhibit some of the exact same behaviors as the horse. By learning how to get along and work with the horse they will better understand their own emotions and body language. | <urn:uuid:e55c119e-fe0b-44d6-967a-af430cdc3b3b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.calicojunctionnewbeginningsranch.org/toubled-teens.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971005 | 446 | 3 | 3 |
Children learn basics at SLV Sports Camp
Jul 05, 2012
| 1659 views | 0
Jeff Mercer shows 4-year-old Oliver Calloway some basic basketball techniques Tuesday, July 3, during the summer Valley Sports Camp at San Lorenzo Valley Middle School. Young children learned many sports skills during two week-long sessions of the summer camp in the valley. Next year the plan is to launch a third week of camp in Scotts Valley.
Six-year-old Connor Scarborough participates in the activies of the Valley Sports Camp. Lucjan Szewczyk/Press-Banner
Andy Wise, one ot the camp participants, shoots a basket. He said "My favorite part about coming to camp is the sportsmanship. The camp is run by the Mercer brothers. Lizzie Kay/Press-Banner
Photos from the Valley Sports Camp at San Lorenzo Valley High School and Middle School. The camp is run by the Mercer brothers.
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Apollo 11: American Excellence Remembered
July 21, 2008
By Christopher G. Adamo, www.chrisadamo.com
Sunday July 20, 2008 will likely be a fairly typical summer day in America. People will get up, go to Church, and maybe hold a barbeque in the back yard. Perhaps the more industrious amongst us will wash the family car. Calmness, serenity, and above all, normality will rule the day. And in a way, that is an awful shame.
Thirty nine years ago on that date (also a Sunday), the nation was anything but normal. Americans huddled around their TV sets and radios, listening to the almost unintelligible exchange of technical jargon, watching crude network animations, trying desperately to comprehend the unfolding events a quarter of a million miles away. Few realized just how close the mission was to total failure, with only seconds of fuel remaining in the spacecraft.
Then, at 4:53 pm eastern time, after a heart-stopping momentary hush, an eight word message, crisp, clear, and easily discernable, crackled across the void of space and into the homes and businesses of anxiously awaiting Americans. Eight words that, from that day forward, might well have irrefutably defined the course of this nation, its history, and its legacy in terms of "before" and "after." "Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed." In the aftermath of Neil Armstrong's brief declaration, some aspects of life on earth would be changed forever.
During the following twenty one hours, a fantastic drama unfolded as Armstrong set foot on the moon, accompanied a few moments later by his co-pilot Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin. A crude black-and-white television transmission allowed earthlings to share in the occasion, as the astronauts collected samples, raised the American flag over lunar soil, and talked with the President via telephone from the Oval Office. Finally they launched their spacecraft back towards their awaiting colleague overhead for the journey home.
Back on earth, other forces, more typical of humanity in all of its futility and flailing, were working hard to undo the stunning success for America that was Apollo 11, along with everything patriotic and good that it represented. Modern academia vastly prefers instead to recall the summer of 1969 with remembrances of "Woodstock," a four-day tribute to the self absorption and debauchery of the hippie and flower-child movement.
Even in the midst of the massive parades and celebrations that characterized America's immediate response to the successful Apollo mission, its larger significance as a defining event of the Cold-War escaped the comprehension of many. During the years since, this aspect of the "Space Race" between America and the Soviet Union has been all but erased from consideration. Yet, as an event no less pivotal in its age than was the D-Day invasion of Normandy in World War II, the significance of Project Apollo cannot be overstated.
Ultimately, man's journey to the moon entailed not just the skill and courage of the three astronauts who flew the mission, but rather was the summation of American technical expertise and commitment to the cause. Thus, the feats of Apollo 11 Commander Neil Armstrong, Lunar Module Pilot Edwin Aldrin, and Command Module Pilot Michael Collins represented a pivotal moment in a life or death struggle against Soviet Russia for technological dominance of the world. It was in that realm, far more than in the arena of the traditional military battle, that the encounters of the Cold War would be fought, and its outcome decided.
Barely a dozen years prior, the gauntlet of this conflict had been thrown down by Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev. On October 4, 1957, the world was electrified by the Soviet announcement that it had successfully orbited the world's first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1. Visible from earth, it sailed dispassionately through the night skies with a menacing silence that at once promised greater horizons for humanity, accompanied by the appalling threat that such a future might be realized in a world under the iron fisted dominion of the Soviet Union.
America's technological superiority, unquestioned at the close of the Second World War as it ushered in the atomic age, was now seriously in jeopardy. Not only had the Soviets managed to appropriate the secrets of the atomic bomb within five years of its invention, with the advent of Sputnik and the advances in rocketry it represented, they were quite possibly equipped to deliver a nuclear warhead, via intercontinental ballistic missile, to selected targets within the United States.
The future of the entire free world would thus be determined by the arms race, the space race, and ultimately the moon race that ensued. And in the dark days immediately following news of Sputnik, an American win was by no means assured. In truth, the Soviets had every intention of beating America to the moon, having even chosen their premier Cosmonaut, Alexi Leonov, to fly the mission.
However, several catastrophic space-hardware failures during the 1960s eventually rendered their chances for success a virtual impossibility. Meanwhile, America had risen to the occasion, inspired by President John Kennedy's momentous May 25, 1961 speech in which he challenged the nation to achieve a manned moon landing before the end of the decade.
Apollo 11, derided by the Soviets as technologically insignificant, excessively expensive and indifferent to the suffering of common citizens (an indictment immediately echoed by America's leftists and eventually accepted and carried by the nation's liberal media), was nonetheless the crowning jewel of that challenge.
So on that twentieth of July thirty nine years ago, America did indeed realize a decisive victory in the Cold War. American heroism and greatness was on display. Flags were flying then. And they should be flown every July 20 lest we ever forget. | <urn:uuid:22108d0b-1962-4c0a-8bc9-49e6eeeaf545> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://conservativetruth.org/article.php?id=591 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00054-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964534 | 1,198 | 2.171875 | 2 |
Fukuda Takes Office in Tokyo, and First Issue Is the Crisis in Burma
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This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.
Japan's new prime minister, Yasuo Fukuda, took office this week -- and quickly faced a crisis. The unrest in Burma claimed the life of a Japanese cameraman. Kenji Nagai was shot Thursday as security forces moved to crush anti-government demonstrations.
Mr. Fukuda rejected the idea of immediate economic sanctions. He directed a Foreign Ministry official to go and push the government for a full explanation.
Japan provides aid but not as much since the military in Burma violently suppressed protests for democracy in nineteen eighty-eight. The next year, the generals ruling Burma changed its name to Myanmar, a name the United States and Britain do not recognize.
Mr. Fukuda spoke Friday by phone with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao about the situation in China's neighbor. He said he asked that China, given its close ties, exercise its influence and that "Premier Wen said he will make such efforts."
Mr. Fukuda of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party easily won election Tuesday in the lower house of parliament. The upper house rejected him. Opposition parties won control of the upper house in July. But the L.D.P. still controls the lower house. And the vote of the lower house decides the winner in such a split.
This was the first split vote of this kind since nineteen ninety-eight. Mr. Fukuda's closest competitor was main opposition leader Ichiro Ozawa.
The new prime minister is seen as politically moderate. He says one of his goals will be to repair public trust in the ruling party. The L.D.P. has recently faced a series of investigations of financial wrongdoing involving cabinet members.
Mr. Fukuda has kept much of Shinzo Abe's cabinet. Nobutaka Machimura, the foreign minister under Mr. Abe, will serve as chief cabinet secretary. Former defense minister Masahiko Komura will serve as foreign minister.
Mr. Abe resigned on September twelfth after only one year as prime minister. He has apologized for resigning suddenly. He said he did so only because of health reasons.
Mr. Fukuda is seventy-one years old. He is the eldest son of former prime minister Takeo Fukuda. And he served as chief cabinet secretary under Junichiro Koizumi.
His success could depend on his ability to find a way to work with the opposition. An early test will involve Japan's naval refueling operations in support of American-led forces in Afghanistan.
The mission began in two thousand one. Legislation supporting it will end on November first unless Japan extends it. Mr. Fukuda supports the idea. But opposition parties are expected to resist an extension.
He also faces a high government debt and a longtime budget deficit. Japan has the world's second largest economy after the United States.
Japanese newspapers found that more than half the public supported the new prime minister and his cabinet. He gives a policy speech next week.
And that's IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English, written by Brianna Blake. I'm Steve Ember. | <urn:uuid:43b62765-f9af-4380-a55d-997b1ae14db8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.manythings.org/voa/0/12261.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969859 | 660 | 1.65625 | 2 |
Two Iraq War vets and an Iraqi refugee will begin The People’s Journey
on June 2, 2010 from San Francisco. They will speak to groups about their experiences each day as they travel across the US and will be joined by three women from Palestine two weeks later in Washington DC. The group of six then travel to all speak in New York City, then in Detroit at the US Social Forum, reaching the Pacific Northwest by the fourth of July. Their messages is positive about the possibility of peace, and does not point a finger at a set of “wrong-doers.”
Josh Stieber, Conor Curran, and Salam Talib, two Iraq War veterans and their Iraqi refugee friend respectively, have joined forces to spread a message of peace. For them “The People’s Journey,” forms a continuation of a trek Stieber completed last year which he called the “Contagious Love Experiment.” Stieber and Curran, who joined Josh in the middle of that first cross-country trip, met Talib during their final stop, in the San Francisco Bay area where they became friends.
The People’s Journey was conceived by an inspiring group of youth from Afghanistan as a result of their conversations with Josh and other young people in Afghanistan, the US, Israel/Palestine and Iraq. It became very clear that when people truly listen to one another that they want to hear more and soon get to know each other. This direct communication – hearing each others voices, their stories of life during war, and everyone’s yearning for peace – led to a level of caring, or love, that will no longer allow for harm. The People’s Journey to a Peace Beyond Dismissal is posted here and is available to all who attend the tour presentations.
The tour route and dates is here: | <urn:uuid:0ca1b58b-3c4b-489f-b344-e094c555d322> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thepeoplesjourney.org/?p=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00053-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969245 | 383 | 1.773438 | 2 |
Composting starts with compost bins, and sizes do matter. If the garden compost bins are too small, they cannot retain the heat necessary for decomposition, and they are difficult to aerate and turn compost. If the composter is too large, air will not flow through all layers.
Compost is mulch; it amends the soil and replaces or lessens the need for fertilizers and pesticides. Compost loosens and restructures soil, improves fertility, promotes healthy root systems, improves soil pH, keeps moisture in the soil, prevents erosion, suppresses soil-borne plant pathogens, destroys pollutants, and supplies soil with beneficial microorganisms and micronutrients.
Compost is the result of worms, insects, fungi, and bacteria feeding on waste and producing excrements that are rich in nutrients. Composting is man's duplication of nature's recycling process. It's a positive reaction to the negative action of cities refusing to collect leaves and grass clippings. Composting is ecological support.
Do Compost It, or Don't
Compost bins are layered with organic matter: one part greens, rich in nitrogen; and three parts browns, rich in carbon. Greens consist of coffee grounds, tea bags, fruit and vegetable trimmings, grass clippings, hair, house and garden plants (disease-free), and tree prunings. Browns consist of clean shredded white paper, newspaper, cardboard, coal-free ashes, cotton or wool scraps, crushed nutshells and eggshells, dry leaves, dry yard trimmings, straw, sawdust, and woodchips from untreated wood.
Never add bird droppings, urine, or feces from animals or humans, all of which harbor harmful bacteria. Avoid bones, dairy products, meat, and blood that will smell and attract rodents. Greasy items and oil-based foods, as well as chemically treated items, do not belong in a compost bin. Limit pine needles, eucalyptus leaves, and citrus peels that can slow down the composting process; limit ash, which can alter soil pH. Plastic, Styrofoam, and rocks will never break down, so keep them out. | <urn:uuid:133fd8f2-86bf-4c3f-b79f-3d790362522e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.compostbins.com/compost-bins/whattocompostarticle.cfm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00068-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.911059 | 453 | 3.34375 | 3 |
The moustache. The mo'. The moussy. The tache. The slug. It's the thing these days, culturally speaking. And how can we blame it for being so? In as many words, we can't. The mo' is definitely the go; the tache is where it's at. A man is a more of a man with a moustache, purely and simply, culturally and psycho-geographically.
Beer won't do in defining hyper-masculinity anymore, it just won't do; the product was invented by a woman, for Pete's sake. Now, you could say, "everything was invented by a woman", as a womb-man is the source of all men and all men invented almost everything. Fine, and that's fine. So we factually didn't invent beer.
We men invented the moustache, mind you. And a moustache will not make you into a mountainous mound of cellulite through over-use, like beer will. No, a moustache will tell you, "I derive from the 1970s, man: a time when drunkenness was still glamorous, smoking was still sophisticated and garish taste in all things was celebrated". In short, when life was a laugh.
The mo' is a laugh, a lark - it really isn't serious. Hindus wear moustaches as status symbols, signs of prestige, but Hindu cosmology contends all life is a big act.
A moustachioed man thus imparts implicitly "this isn't the real me, but isn't it brilliant, anyway?" In other words, the moussy, while obtaining temporal prestige, is a very handy mask for a temporal existence. It hides your life away while paradoxically nudging at your funny bone. People plainly get the giggles with and around moustaches - they're screamingly funny.
The strange thing is, though, a moustache makes a man look more serious than normal, in that it resembles a hairy frown, overriding and overshadowing the actual mouth and smile. A kind of mouth brow, if you will. Therein lies the paradox. Need I remind you, Napoleon Dynamite, one of the most absurdly serious characters of the silver screen from the selfsame film, wistfully wished he could grow a moustache, in the way his pal Pedro could, in the famous cafeteria scene? The dichotomies and ironies are fascinating.
Crucially, a slug makes a suited gentleman less gentle, brings out what Lawrence would call "the unbroken spark in him" and puts the "men" back in menacing. Indeed a suit and a moustache is a hyper-masculine combination, no matter what way you look at it.
Further, there's something unsettling about a tache with a suit, in a ridiculous sort of way. I mean you couldn't have James Bond running round with one. It would detract from his annoyingly perfect nature.
Further, a beard with a suit can't achieve what a mo' can; unless you want to look like Barry Gibb at the Grammys. To be fair, the falsetto singer from the Bee Gees isn't renowned as the manliest of men, is he? Additionally, I can't recall his partying days and he's never been funny. Give me Ron Burgundy any day, even though he isn't real. Voila! More irony.
In sum, I know that not one of us is perfect; I know that I'm not perfect. The slug serves to humanise us, humbly indicating there's always a fly in the ointment, as the cliche goes. Without one, man is perfect, but not every one wants to be Roger Federer, do they? It's like the spiritual guru who smokes and drinks - his behaviour delineates he's human after all.By Jem Beedoo Email Jem | <urn:uuid:d93c85a5-7e0a-4934-84ff-3d5aef37e588> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=10847423 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00054-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965883 | 811 | 1.742188 | 2 |
UTMB to conduct pediatric H1N1 vaccine trials
Houston Business Journal — August 14, 2009
The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston is joining Baylor College of Medicine in testing the H1N1 flu vaccine.
The medical center has been selected by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to conduct pediatric vaccine trials.
"Because children have had so many fewer seasons of exposure to influenza, their immune systems are considered naïve and at much higher risk for serious illness and death than adults," Dr. Christine Turley, vice chairwoman for pediatric clinical services at UTMB, said. "This is a key reason that the vaccine is being studied in children so quickly."
Last week, Baylor College of Medicine began enrolling adults in its vaccine trials.
It is one of eight federally funded sites taking part in studies to determine the best dose of the experimental vaccine to protect against the H1N1 virus.
News that UTMB is conducting the trials also was reported by KTRK-TV (Ch. 13) Houston, KHOU-TV (Ch. 11) Houston, the Beaumont Enterprise and the Galveston County Daily News. The Houston Chronicle's Robert Stanton wrote about it in his blog, Galveston After Ike. KXLN-TV (Ch. 45) Univision in Houston on Sunday interviewed UTMB's Dr. Ragini Miryala about the trials. | <urn:uuid:9a8862f2-216d-43fc-b495-b1cae4ab1a1a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.utmb.edu/ihii/081409b.shtml | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957531 | 290 | 1.84375 | 2 |
DARPA Seeks Better Satellite Launch System
Defense research agency wants a cheaper, faster, and more reliable way to launch smaller satellites.
Through its Airborne Launch Assist Space Access (ALASA) program, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) wants to reduce the time it takes to launch a small satellite, as well as find a way to get around weather constraints that cause launches to be cancelled at the last minute.
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The program also aims to reduce the cost of a satellite launch, which can be up to $30,000 per pound, a figure DARPA program manager Mitchell Burnside Clapp said is "unsustainable over the long haul."
[Where is DARPA focusing security research efforts? Read DARPA Boosts Cybersecurity Research Spending 50%.]
Being dependent upon a bigger satellite that's also being launched is another concern DARPA aims to eliminate.
"Even when our increasingly capable small satellites are launched, they are obliged to go to orbits selected by the primary payload on current launchers, rather than to the orbits their designers and operators would prefer," Clapp said in a press statement.
The DOD and NASA are both working on developing smaller satellites that are less expensive to send into orbit and don't have the same complexities for launch that larger ones do.
ALASA aims to reduce costs per flight to less than $1 million for 100-pound satellites, a figure that also includes support costs, according to DARPA.
To launch small satellites into a dedicated orbit preferable to those managing the launch (rather than orbits dependent on other satellites they're launched with), DARPA envisions a launch design in which an aircraft will carry smaller satellites and their boosters, either inside or externally. The aircrafts will then release the satellite and booster at a certain altitude and direction along their climb into space.
DARPA has released a request for proposals seeking ideas for technology that can contribute to making this vision a reality, including propellant systems, inflight liquid-oxygen production, motor case materials, flight controls, nozzle designs, and thrust vectoring, among others. Those interested in responding have until Dec. 20 to do so.
Our annual Federal Government IT Priorities Survey shows how agencies are managing the many mandates competing for their limited resources. Also in the new issue of InformationWeek Government: NASA veterans launch cloud startups, and U.S. Marshals Service completes tech revamp. Download the issue now. (Free registration required.) | <urn:uuid:91ae48c2-688f-4354-a651-2985a533fe67> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.informationweek.com/government/enterprise-architecture/darpa-seeks-better-satellite-launch-syst/231902870 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00052-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.929619 | 583 | 2.5 | 2 |
Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Announces Funding To Create Jobs, Reduce Energy Costs for Agricultural Producers and Rural Small Businesses
NEW ORLEANS, December 14, 2011 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced loans and grants for agricultural producers and rural small businesses across the country to implement renewable energy and energy efficiency measures in their operations. The funding is provided through USDA Rural Development's Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). Under Secretary for Rural Development Dallas Tonsager made the announcement on behalf of Secretary Vilsack while attending an energy efficiency conference here today.
"Stable energy costs create an environment for job growth in rural America," Vilsack said. "The Obama Administration is helping agricultural producers and business owners reduce their energy costs and consumption – and by doing so is helping preserve our natural resources, protect the environment and strengthen the bottom line for businesses, ranchers and farm operations."
Collectively, these REAP-funded projects announced today, and those announced earlier by USDA are expected to lower energy usage by 2 billion kilowatts and prevent nearly 2 million metric tons of emissions from being released into the environment. Today's announcement concludes the REAP awards cycle for 2011. REAP, authorized through the 2008 Farm Bill, provides loans and grants for farmers, ranchers and rural small business owners to purchase and install renewable energy systems and make energy-efficiency improvements. These federal dollars are leveraged with other funding sources for the projects.
Tonsager said that in Fiscal Year 2011, USDA Rural Development provided through the REAP program a total of $23.2 million for energy efficiency projects, $20.9 million for biodigesters, $20.3 million for solar energy projects, $8.2 million for hydroelectric systems, $7 million for biomass energy projects, $4.28 million for flexible fuel pump projects, $3.9 million for wind energy projects, $1.4 million for geothermal installations.
Improving Energy Efficiency
One recipient announced today, Wilford J. Hayden in Lowell, Ind., is expected to save almost 1.4 million kilowatt hours when he replaces a grain dryer with a more efficient one. K and K Farms, Inc., in Stuart, Iowa, has been selected to receive a $10,737 grant to help purchase a new grain drying system that is expected to reduce annual energy costs by more than 57 percent.
Under Secretary Tonsager noted that the nearby Port of New Orleans moves more than half of the nation's grain exports, and that the more fuel efficient grain dryers that USDA is helping to fund contributes to that success. "The Port of New Orleans is considered America's gateway to the global market. It helped American farm exports reach a record high of $137.4 billion for fiscal year 2011 -- supporting 1.15 million jobs, and creating a record trade surplus of $42.9 billion," said Tonsager. "As Secretary Vilsack stated last month, strong export performance means higher incomes for farmers and ranchers, more opportunities for small business owners and jobs for folks who package, ship and market agricultural products."
With today's announcement, USDA Rural Development is funding more than 280 projects to help reduce energy costs. In all, the department funded more than 1,100 energy efficiency projects in fiscal year 2011, including improvements in aquaculture, poultry lighting and ventilation, irrigation system upgrades, maple syrup production efficiency, small business heating and cooling, rural grocery cooler replacement and others.
Flexible Fuel Pumps
USDA is providing support for 12 flexible fuel pump projects in eight states as part of today's announcement, bringing the number of flex-fuel projects funded to 65 in FY 2011, with 266 new pumps being installed in 30 states. Installing flexible fuel pumps encourages the use of biofuels and supports our nation's growing clean-energy economy. Flexible fuel pumps are specifically designed to dispense ethanol-gasoline blends that contain up to 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. In addition, they may also dispense mid-level blends, such as E15 and E30.
For example, Mid-Iowa Cooperative in Beaman, Iowa, has been selected for a $94,211 grant to purchase and install six flexible fuel pumps. The following is a list of additional flexible fuel projects announced today that USDA is funding:
Freedom Rock Renewable Fuels, LLC #1 – $49,925 grant to install two flexible fuel pumps
Freedom Rock Renewable Fuels, LLC #2 – $49,578 grant to install a flexible fuel pump
Heller Implement, Inc. – $36,001 grant to install three flexible fuel pumps and a new underground biofuel storage tank
Marcus Junction, LLC – $7,500 grant to install a blender fuel pump
Mid-Iowa Cooperative – $94,211 grant to buy and install six flexible fuel pumps
CC of Hays, Inc. – $35,925 grant to install a flexible fuel pump, underground biofuel storage tank and fuel lines
Zeeland Fuel Services, LLC – $500,000 grant to install seven flexible fuel dispensers, several underground biofuel storage tanks and associated infrastructure at a new fuel station that will sell ethanol and biodiesel fuel
Farmers Cooperative Oil Company – $68,205 grant to install eight flexible fuel blender pumps at two locations
NCP Fuel Services, LLC – $418,250 grant to construct a new fueling station with seven flexible fuel stations that will offer ethanol and biodiesel blends
Farmers Union Oil Company of Velva – $159,739 grant to purchase and install 13 flexible fuel dispensers
Stone Oil Company, Inc. – $33,307 grant to install flexible fuel pumps
CP Fuels, LLC – $500,000 grant to construct and install five flexible fuel pumps
USDA Rural Development also is funding several other types of renewable energy and energy efficiency projects through the REAP program. For example, Kyle Van Dyke has been selected to receive a grant to help replace a conventional heating system for his Edgerton, Minn.-based business with a geothermal system that is expected to reduce annual energy costs by nearly $3,900. Ken's Greenhouses, Inc., Kalamazoo, Mich., has been selected to receive a grant to install energy efficient greenhouse curtains. With its grant award, Wildflower Farms, Inc. in Clearwater, Neb., expects to save 406.8 million BTUs annually by converting a diesel irrigation motor to an electric motor.
Funding of each REAP award is contingent upon the recipient meeting the conditions of the grant or loan agreement. Grants can finance up to 25 percent of a project's cost, not to exceed $500,000 for renewable energy, $250,000 for energy efficiency. A complete REAP recipients announced today, excluding the flex-fuel projects listed above, is available by clicking here.
Since taking office, President Obama's Administration has taken historic steps to improve the lives of rural Americans, put people back to work and build thriving economies in rural communities. From proposing the American Jobs Act to establishing the first-ever White House Rural Council – chaired by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack – the President wants the federal government to be the best possible partner for rural businesses, entrepreneurs and people who want to live, work and raise their families in rural communities.
USDA, through its Rural Development mission area, administers and manages housing, business and community infrastructure and facility programs through a national network of state and local offices. Rural Development has an existing portfolio of more than $155 billion in loans and loan guarantees. These programs are designed to improve the economic stability of rural communities, businesses, residents, farmers and ranchers and improve the quality of life in rural America. More information about USDA Rural Development can be found at www.rurdev.usda.gov.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice), or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). | <urn:uuid:304d8072-bd48-482e-aa99-942eed452b80> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=2011/12/0515.xml | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00047-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932624 | 1,669 | 1.984375 | 2 |
A note about this course: This course is not intended to be studied progressively but is meant to be used as a reference. My aim is to help you with the actual pronunciation of Chinese words based on pinyin so that when you come across them you will know exactly how they are to be pronounced. With this aim in view I have included as many commonly-used Chinese words as possible to give a more meaningful illustration of the various sounds. Don't try to learn them all by heart before you proceed to the next section as there are too many of them. So long as you know how they should be pronounced (and with the correct tone) by looking at them, you can proceed to the next section. You can always come back to refer to the words (or copy them in a small notebook) when you need to use them in an actual conversation.
Please note that in Taiwan the Wade-Giles system of romanization is often used and might create some confusion with Hanyu (mandarin) Pinyin. This course is confined to Hanyu Pinyin i.e. as used in mainland China. Go here for differences between pinyin and the Wade-Giles system.
The aim of this course is to make the study of spoken Chinese* as easy as possible. In order to do this I am stripping it down to its barest essentials - even if it means "bending" a few rules in the process. Thus:
My third tone does not rise. Theoretically the third tone consists of two parts - a falling tone at the beginning followed by a rising tone. I find that by making it rise again many students confound it with the second tone. (In fact the third tone that does not rise again is not exactly wrong as that is the case in 95% at least of the situations where a third-tone word is used. But because all textbooks emphasize the 5% where it rises at the end - usually when a third-tone word stands alone as when you reply "Hao" or at the end of a sentence - many students confuse it with that of the second tone.) It is for this reason that I am "bending" the rule in this course so there will be a clear and sharp distinction between each of the four tones.
But let me assure you that the Chinese will understand you perfectly if you just let the third tone fall without ever letting it rise again under all circumstances.
The theoretical 3rd tone
My 3rd tone (doesn't rise)
As for the neutral tone or the "fifth tone" it is not something that you need to worry too much about. It can be picked up very easily once you hear it being used. It should be more correctly called "toneless" as it does not have a specific tone and varies according to the tone carried by the syllable preceding it. It is light and brief as illustrated in the second syllable of the word ba4ba (father) . It has not got a tone mark above it, thus leaving many students perplexed as to its pronunciation. I sometimes give it one of the four tone marks if I think that it is sufficiently close to that tone.
I treat j, z and zh as the same sound (the non-aspirated or unvoiced ch sound, as in church, making no differences among the three of them.) English-speaking students would certainly find it much easier to handle if there is a one-to-one correspondence with existing English sounds than to try to produce foreign sounds. And despite the slight difference that might exist between the j, z and zh sounds (if you attend a Chinese class, your Chinese language teacher will gladly expound on this), I don't think it is worth all the trouble, time and energy spent on them as, I repeat, this course is essentially for those who just need Chinese at a survival level.
(It is interesting to note that under the Wade-Giles system of romanization, no distinction is made between j and zh, as it represents both by ch (voiceless). Similarly it makes no distinction between q and ch, representing both by ch' (voiced). From this it can be seen that even for a big part of the Chinese themselves, what are represented as two different sounds under pinyin is actually the same sound. Again I ask, why be pedantic and see differences where the Chinese themselves do not?)
Similarly I treat q, c and ch as a single ch aspirated (or voiced) sound, the differences among them being negligible. Really, I can never understand why so much time is spent on oral practice over something that is hardly discernible, even to the Chinese ear.
To my mind these 6 sounds (j, z, zh, q, c and ch) pose the biggest problem to learners of pinyin. Many students find themselves at a complete loss when they have to distinguish between them. Hence my efforts at simplifying things here.
I don't join words that normally are joined together eg. hen3gui4 is spelt as hen3 gui4 here (in two words, which they actually are when written with the Chinese characters). This again is to make the learning process easier.
In the case where the reading tone has to be changed (as when the first of two third-tone words becomes a second-tone word) I don't give it the official tone mark but give it the new tone that it actually has. Thus I spell hen2 hao3 the way it is actually pronounced though officially it is written hen3hao3 which is not how it is pronounced at all.
Consequently this course is not suitable for those who are after perfection. But then at the end of the day it is results that count. After all what is the use of being able to pronounce a word in the third tone as it should be theoretically or being able to make distinctions between the z and zh or the c and ch sounds if you cannot carry out a simple conversation in Chinese after years of study?
I will be providing the Chinese characters at the end of each section for those who might need them but I will not be going into the written aspect of the language. (Those who are more interested in learning the Chinese characters can go here.) The main aim of this course is to make the student able to read and speak Chinese based on pinyin (romanised spelling), and not on Chinese characters. Although it helps a lot to know the written characters I believe it is better to just start with spoken Chinese. The study of Chinese characters can proceed after a good knowledge of pinyin is acquired. Trying to do both at the same time is overly ambitious, if not foolhardy and is one of the principal reasons why many students give up the study of Chinese from the very beginning. To complicate matters further there are no tone marks in Chinese characters to tell the student which of the four tones to use when pronouncing them. Then again there are two systems in use in the writing of Chinese characters - simplified and traditional. So which one to study? The simplified system (with fewer strokes in many characters) is widespread in mainland China and for this reason it is the one shown here. However Taiwan still sticks to the traditional script.
But please don't let me scare you off by all the above talk. From now on we will get down to brass tacks and leave the theory part aside. The audio files are there to make things really simple for you. And, believe me, there is no reason at all why you cannot make yourself understood in Chinese - if you just don't try to be perfect!
I believe this unorthodox course would be particularly useful to students who have given up after trying to study Chinese for years. To them I say "Give yourself a second chance with this course." If you are willing to slog at it there is no reason why you cannot succeed.
*also known as Mandarin. The Chinese term is han4 yu3, zhong1 wen2 or pu3 tong1 hua4. | <urn:uuid:0b083275-8ccd-409f-a3d8-074bb3c8b526> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://pinyin.pgoh13.com/chinese_introduction.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00068-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974145 | 1,658 | 2.9375 | 3 |
He's actually saying Dumbass MARK not mort. White boys born after 1992 shouldn't try to define terms in era video games about the same year.
adj. A person identified as a loser, "buster" or a person who is easy to scam or hustle. Its origin is from that of gangsters and hitmen who would refer to their intended victim as a "mark."
"That fool was a buster-ass mark!"
A word used by Carol Johnson in Grand Theft Auto San Sndreas to describe the driver of a car he is hit by.
It means a stupid person who fucks in the ear and says it was a pussy.
He was a dumbass mort and his friends knew it by what his girl told em | <urn:uuid:2ef96879-48e3-4fe5-9917-b91b6c8b6275> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=dumbass%20mort&defid=1036162 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.986605 | 155 | 1.578125 | 2 |
Answers to these questions (and even the questions themselves)
come from a North American perspective on Mennonites.
For instance, the answer to "What do Mennonites wear?"
is different in the U.S. than in Africa. And while Mennonites
mostly agree on key points, the denomination is not structured
with an overall authority (other than Jesus). So Mennonites
practice their beliefs in different ways. Mennonites in
other parts of the world, as well as in North America,
express their faith in different styles of worship and
living. The best way to learn about Mennonites is to check
out a congregation near you and get to know them.
If your question has not been answered go to our Mennonite Glossary, or Information Request
Form to send your question or comment. | <urn:uuid:93dff650-07b4-4cb5-b447-e6ef11ae2f7d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thirdway.com/Menno/FAQ.asp | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941362 | 181 | 2.09375 | 2 |
This past school year, Saudi Arabia sent 66,000 students to U.S. universities, four times the number before the 2001 attacks…Terrorism works. via Saudi Students Flood In as U.S. Reopens Door – WSJ.com. h/t DP
Monday, July 30, 2012
WASHINGTON—Dressed in caps and gowns, the college students packing a graduation ceremony in suburban Washington, D.C., acted like excited graduates anywhere in the United States.
Except, perhaps, when the men broke into tribal line dances. Or when the women, wearing headscarves, burst forth with zagareet, soaring trills of their tongues, in celebration.
The more than 300 graduates gathered at a hotel overlooking the Potomac River were all from Saudi Arabia, part of a massive government-paid foreign study program to earn bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees and return home to help run their country.
“You are the best of the best, and the future of our country,” Saudi Arabia’s cultural attaché, Mohammed al Issa, declared at the May event.
In the years following the security crackdown on Arab travelers after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks—in which 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudi Arabian—tough restrictions kept most Arab students away from the U.S. In 2004, only about 1,000 Saudis were studying in the U.S., according to the U.S. State Department.
This past school year, Saudi Arabia sent 66,000 students to U.S. universities, four times the number before the 2001 attacks and the fastest-growing source of foreign students in the U.S., ahead of China, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education. The Saudi influx is part of a broader increase in international students in the U.S. as American universities seek to raise tuition revenues. Some 723,277 foreign students enrolled during the 2010-2011 school year, up 32% from a decade ago.
To accommodate the new Saudi students, Central Washington administrators offered to provide halal food prepared in accordance with Islamic law, or set aside space on campus for a mosque. The Saudi students declined, preferring to eat at town cafes like everyone else, Mr. Launius said.
The Saudi contingent “doesn’t seem to have caused any kind of consternation and stir at all,” said Mr. Launius. “I think this is a good exposure to what these folks are actually like.”
Saudi Arabia’s international scholarship program, launched when Saudi King Abdullah took the throne in 2005, is a key part of his efforts to equip future generations in handling the country’s main challenges, including a fast-growing population and declining oil reserves.
Since taking over, the Saudi king has emphasized scientific education and exposure to foreign countries as keys to combat religious extremism and transform Saudi Arabia into a modern state. This year, the scholarship program has about 130,000 young people studying around the world, at an estimated cost of at least $5 billion since the program began.
The king’s efforts to modernize, including the scholarship program, have led to constant tension between Western-influenced Saudis and a religiously educated core who hold heavy sway over society and reject modernization because it is associated with the West.
That internal tension was on display this month when Saudi Arabia, under threat of a ban from the Olympic Games, finally ended its status as the last Olympic nation to refuse to include women on its teams.And the U.S. enforced sharia law for them segregating men and womens interview rooms and makeshift mosques. See pics below.
King Abdullah, who is in his late 80s and was educated by clerics in a mosque, initiated the scholarship program after persuading U.S. officials, particularly President George W. Bush, to reopen the student visa service after 9/11. At a pivotal meeting in 2005 at the president’s ranch in Crawford, Texas, the King convinced Mr. Bush that the education program was crucial for the two countries’ long-term relationship.That relationship consists primarily on oil supply, right? What else do the Saudi’s have to offer?
“The impassioned plea that the King made for this, and the long-term importance of the relationship, really made an impression on President Bush,” said Frances Townsend, former homeland security adviser, who attended the 2005 meeting.Bush approved it, Obama has exploited it.
Posted by GS Don Morris, Ph.D./Chana Givon at 4:41 PM | <urn:uuid:59aa4ae4-4cdf-4618-a478-7d9548237d31> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://docstalk.blogspot.com/2012/07/saudi-students-flood-in-as-us-reopens.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954569 | 953 | 1.78125 | 2 |
Photo: Mike Leaky (Flickr)
The nationwide demand for steel is increasing with higher demand for cars, trucks and oil and gas equipment, according to a Ball State University report.
Ball State Center for Business and Economic Research Director Dagney Faulk says it is a trend likely to create more jobs in steel centers like Gary, Indiana.
“Steel production has been increasing in the U.S. and that‘s particularly good for mid-western states because there are a lot of steel plants in the part of the country,” he says.
Gary is home to Gary Works, U.S. Steel‘s largest plant in the nation. Faulk says steel production came in at 2,003 thousand net tons in April 2012. That is up from 1,814 thousand net tons a year ago – a 10.4 percent increase. Faulk says analysts are optimistic production will continue to increase for the foreseeable future. | <urn:uuid:e4fc9528-2156-47bd-832e-48ab548e356a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://indianapublicmedia.org/news/national-demand-steel-benefits-indiana-manufacturers-29757/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944669 | 193 | 1.859375 | 2 |
MET Professor Enrique Silva Oversees the Mirebalais Planning Initiative in Haiti
Metropolitan College Assistant Professor of Urban Affairs and City Planning Enrique Silva is lead principal investigator on the Mirebalais Planning Initiative (MPI), a project resulting from a partnership between Boston University, the University of Massachusetts Boston, and the University of the West Indies. The $150,000 project is partially funded by a $75,000 grant from the Kellogg Foundation.
Intended to expand community leadership in Mirebalais, Haiti, in the wake of the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the goal of the MPI is to galvanize local community associations, residents, and municipal authorities around planning, economic and human development projects. Projects focusing on concrete priorities such as solid waste management and the impact of the Partners in Health/Zanmi Lasante Mirebalais Teaching Hospital will demonstrate the possibility of municipal-led planning and innovation in Haiti—and provide the groundwork for continued municipal leadership in the development of the infrastructure and resources of post-quake Haiti.
Silva will be coordinating the partner institutions, and overseeing a series of community workshops intended to expand local institutional capacity and encourage the engagement of citizens in planning and community decision-making. The first workshop will focus on solid waste management and water. The MPI and its workshops will benefit from the participation of BU faculty who can contribute valuable subject matter expertise.
Silva was the first faculty member to receive a fellowship from MET’s Patricia W. Chadwick (MET’75) Fund for Professional Development, for his proposal “Connecting the Dots: Haiti and the Multiple Sites of Planning Research and Pedagogy.” Silva used the award to pursue the financial resources necessary for longer-term engagement in Haiti, securing the funding from the Kellogg Foundation for the MPI collaboration. | <urn:uuid:045a0cfe-2aaf-4ce2-b703-87d26612e295> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bu.edu/met/2013/03/01/met-professor-enrique-silva-oversees-the-mirebalais-planning-initiative-in-haiti/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.908761 | 377 | 1.53125 | 2 |
ONE tragic side effect of modern education is that it leaves many young people more obtuse than they were when they first entered college or university. They end up with their B.A.s, Ph.D.s or M.Sc.s, and not knowing God, or with no vibrant relationship with him. Yet, having thus become no-brainers and no- hopers, they think they are so cool.
But what could be more idiotic than to look at this wonderful world in which we live, and think that it is simply the result of a billion billion freaky accidents? Even primitive tribes had more gumption than that.
Professor Richard Dawkins, if he found himself on a desert island, might wake up one morning to find his name written in the sand and think, “Gosh, the crabs around here are very evolved.”
Most of us, however, would conclude that the writing was done by a human being who knew our name. And nothing would convince us otherwise. In other words, if something bears the marks of intelligence, then we look for an intelligent cause.
And if we can say that about writing in the sand, a painting or a computer, we can certainly say it about the complexity, wonder and beauty of nature.
Only a mind crippled and prejudiced by modern education could fail to see the extraordinary intelligence and love behind creation.
And a bit more reasoning would lead us to God, the supreme being with this intelligence, love and creative power.
There is a PDF of their hardcopy newspaper, the article "Helping victims of a college eduction" is at the top of page 4 | <urn:uuid:245e75ae-f44f-422f-b8c2-0c8e0b5c8247> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.richarddawkins.net/news_articles/next_article?article=355&category=&videos= | 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 | 0.97687 | 339 | 1.890625 | 2 |
Return to Currituck Co.
HARRISON FAMILY BIOGRAPHY
by Betsy Taylor
The roots of the Harrison family can be traced back to 1677 when Edward Harrison and his wife moved here from the Williamsburg, Va. area. Edward was born in 1647 in or around Williamsburg, VA. He was the nephew of Benjamin Harrison, who was the clerk of council in Williamsburg. Edward signed the petition of the followers of Nathaniel Bacon (Bacon’s Rebellion) and shortly thereafter joined his brother-in-law, John Cropsley in North Carolina. Edward and his wife had three sons: William, Joshua and Daniel. William married Sarah Vines and they had six children: Joshua, William, Edmund, Sarah, John and Vines. Joshua married Sallie Russell, the daughter of William or Benjamin Russell. They had two known children: Josiah and Zorababel.
Zorababel Harrison, Esq. was my great-great-great-great grandfather. He was born in 1757 and died April 16, 1812. He was married to Julia, born c. 1770 and died in 1842. They settled in the area of Currituck Country known as Harbinger, Spot, and Point Harbor. County and historical records from this period indicate they owned a great deal of land in these areas. In 1796 an early deed was located in Currituck County conveying property from Daniel Lindsey. A provision of the deed was that Zorababel build a house to specifications and clear the land for tilling. The original home of Zorababel and Julia was built about 1780 and was located on Edgewater Drive. It was built in the typical dormered Williamsburg style with a detached kitchen. The family cemetery still exists not too far from the original home site, which is currently in the center of a golf course, formerly Newbern’s field and is still tended by the direct descendants of Zorababel and Julia.
Zorababel and Julia had six children and they are as follows:
§ Polly Harrison was born March 30, 1798 and died November 15, 1812. She was the wife of S.H. Gregory. She died in childbirth with her newborn child and is buried in the Zorababel Harrison cemetery.
§ Alfred Harrison married Sally Saunderson. Their seven children were Fanny, Scott, Thomas, William, Julie, Henry and Martha.
§ William Harrison, who married Director Chaplin. Their four children were Walter, Benjamin, Virginia and Joshua. Joshua Harrison was married to Ann Caroline Jarvis, who was the daughter on Bannister Jarvis and the sister of Gov. Thomas Jarvis. Joshua was a very prosperous farmer in the Jarvisburg area and was accused of the 1906 kidnapping of a local boy, Kenneth Beasley. Historical records show that Joshua denied all charges but was none the less found guilty on March 19, 1906 and sentenced to 20 years in jail. While waiting for a Supreme Court decision of appeal, Joshua committed suicide on September 17 and protested his innocence to the end.
§ Holland Harrison
§ Lucinda Harrison
§ Joshua Harrison, Esq. was born May 23, 1800 and died November 12, 1858. Joshua married Sallie Tillett who was born April 25, 1806 died March 15, 1876. Joshua was a Representative of Currituck County to the State Legislature from 1833-1834. They made their home on the family land not far from Joshua’s father. The home was built about 1830 in the classic federal style with a detached kitchen. Children of Joshua and Sallie were:
§ Mary C., born December 21, 1826, died September 26, 1828
§ Julia was born November 8, 1828 and died October 2, 1832
§ Hollon M. was born October 18, 1832 and died March 1, 1847
§ Thomas B. was born March 23, 1835 and died April 7, 1910. Married to Annie Rogers – one child Nevada Harrison born December 16, 1869 died December 13, 1946. Nevada married Nathan Dulin on November 29, 1885 and had two children, Julia and Laura. Her second husband was B.F. Doyal and they had three children: Milton, Beulah and Winston.
§ Lucinda was born January 21, 1838, died January 5, 1899. Lucinda married Hiram Gallop. Lucinda and Hiram had three children: Little Hodges, Clara Harrison and Marion. Lucinda married a second time to Mathias Owens, son of Zachariah and Fanny Owens, on February 18, 1869. They are buried in the Lucinda Thicket Cemetery in Harbinger.
§ Colenda was born 1840 died before 1880. Married Banister Guard. They had Flora M., John Thomas and Sarah H. Guard.
§ George William was born 1842. Married Lovey Simpson.
§ Lovey married Isaac Aydlett. They had four children: Frances, Mary, Colinda and Samuel.
§ Flora Ann "Toni Ann" was born June 10, 1846 and died September 10, 1906. Toni Ann married John Combs, born August 8, 1844 and died September 4, 1913, on August 10, 1873. John Combs was from Columbia, NC and was a veteran of the Civil War, having enlisted in March 1864. He was a Private in Company B, Regiment 8 of the North Carolina Troops. He was taken prisoner on December 24, 1864 and sent to Point Lookout Prison in Maryland where he remained until the end of the war. At that time he was sent to Petersburg VA and released and from there he walked home to North Carolina. Toni Ann and John lived and raised their children in the home of her parents, Joshua and Sallie. John built and owned a General Store, which was located at the corner of what is now Edgewater Drive and Hwy. 158, which he operated until his death in 1913. Several items from the store have been preserved and are still in the possession of his granddaughter, Flora Lawson Houska.
Flora Ann (Harrison) Combs & John Combs - photo made c. 1880's
John and Flora had nine children:
§ Sallie was born October 23, 1874 and died December 1940. Sally married Robert Sumrell. They had three children, Lloyd, Melvin and Estell. Sally and Robert’s home was located at the end of Edgewater Drive on the sound front. The property was sold after her death
§ Julia was born December 1, 1877 and died December 21, 1877
§ Colenda was born November 26, 1878, died August 27, 1882
§ Lucinda Holland was born November 18, 1880 and died May 22, 1957. Lucinda married William Melson and they had two children, William Donald and Lessie Hollon.
§ Flora was born September 30, 1882 and died July 9, 1883
§ William Nelson was born April 27, 1884 and died January 21, 1931
§ Flora Ann was born March 8, 1887 and died November 9, 1891
§ John Harrison was born September 7, 1889 and died November 24, 1891
§ Mary Ann was born May 26, 1876 and died October 21, 1958. Mary Ann married Robert Carlton Lawson, born March 1, 1873, died February 15, 1933, on July 2, 1905 in Harbinger. Robert was the son of James Lawson of Hampton, VA and Adelaide Yarrid of Matthews County, VA. James Lawson was a waterman, oysterman and fisherman in the Chesapeake Bay. They had three children: Mary, Carolina and Robert.
Robert and Mary Ann made their home in Harbinger in a charming house on Hall’s Harbor Road for about six years after their marriage. Robert, known all of his life as Captain Bob, was the captain of a schooner and had been raised on his father’s boat. His mother had died of pneumonia when he was two years old and he and his sisters lived with his aunt for a while but when he was still a boy he joined his father on the boat where he learned the art of sailing, which he followed for most of his life. When he was grown he had his own boats, sloop, skipjack and schooner. Unlike his father who kept to the bay, he took to the sea and was known as a blue waterman.
Captain Bob and Mary Ann had three children:
§ Robert James was born September 1908 and died October 12, 1908. He is buried in the Zorababel Harrison cemetery.
§ Elbert Carlton was born May 14, 1910 and died January 31, 1979
§ Flora Antoinette (Toni) was born February 3, 1912 and is still living.
All of the children were born in Harbinger. However, having tired of the long weeks and months at sea away from his family, Captain Bob moved his family to Norfolk, VA where he went to work as a Master ship carpenter. He later went to work for the railroad where he remained until his death in 1933.
Upon her husband’s death, Mary Ann returned home to Harbinger where she had family land and built a home. Her children returned with her and remained there about a year until she was established.
Flora Lawson Houska is my grandmother and is presently 93 years old and is living in her mother’s home in Harbinger. She has shared many stories of growing up in Currituck in the early 1900’s and has been an invaluable source of information.
Sources: Family Bible, NC Archives, Currituck County Courthouse, Currituck County Historical Society, Flora Lawson Houska, personal knowledge.
© 2005 Kay Midgett Sheppard | <urn:uuid:f82b5c8c-61be-4c73-8582-2b79aa647eaa> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ncgenweb.us/currituck/families/harrisonfamilybio.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00065-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.99381 | 2,056 | 2.40625 | 2 |
Check out Chris Davis' in-depth coverage here.
From the Facebook page:
Money can be a sensitive subject for anyone, but especially for artists who commit a significant amount of their time and energy to work that doesn’t always have a foreseeable financial return. And that’s putting it lightly - many artists devote a lifetime and put much of their own money into art projects with little hope of ever breaking even!
“One-Hour Business School for Artists” is a free, public lecture by Amy Whitaker, writer of “Museum Legs: Fatigue and Hope in the Face of Art”, who will talk about economics from an understandable perspective relevant to art-makers.
Whitaker will cover big-picture economic and finance theory, and some practical applications for use by artists of the supply & demand and time value of money. Whether it’s earning a living with your non-art day job, living off your work full-time, renting studio space, finding fame and fortune, or starting a design firm from the ground up, the economic life of an artist is complex, but not impossible to manage.
Uniquely qualified on the subject with an MFA in painting from the Slade School of Fine Art in London and an MBA from Yale University, Whitaker currently teaches at RISD and California College of the Arts. She has worked in art museums including the Guggenheim, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Tate, and for various artists and hedge funds.
Crosstown Arts, 427 N. Watkins, www.crosstownmemphis.com | <urn:uuid:f03e68b8-08df-45e3-b313-f4cc17c434a1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.memphisflyer.com/ExhibitM/archives/2011/03/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947939 | 330 | 1.898438 | 2 |
IT WAS a stunt that launched a thousand conspiracy theories. Market researcher James Vicary claimed in 1957 that he could get movie-goers to "drink Coca-Cola" and "eat popcorn" by flashing those messages on the screen for such a short time that viewers were unaware of it. People were outraged, and the practice was banned in the UK, Australia and the US.
Vicary later admitted that his study was fabricated, and scientists through the years who have tried to replicate it have largely failed. But now researchers have shown that if the conditions are right, subliminal advertising to promote a brand can be made to work.
Johan Karremans at the University of Nijmegen in the Netherlands and his colleagues wanted to see if they could subliminally induce volunteers to favour a particular brand of drink, Lipton Ice. For comparison, they chose a brand of mineral water called Spa Rood, as it ...
To continue reading this article, subscribe to receive access to all of newscientist.com, including 20 years of archive content. | <urn:uuid:1ccea37a-619a-474c-b203-4fedd1e76801> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19025494.400?DCMP=NLC-nletter&nshref=mg19025494.400 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978119 | 217 | 1.945313 | 2 |
TUESDAY, Jan. 12 (HealthDay News) -- A gene variant that is good for the heart also appears to be good for the brain, slowing age-related decline in mental function and cutting the odds for Alzheimer's disease, a study indicates.
"If you carry two copies of the favorable form of the gene, it reduces the risk of Alzheimer's disease by 70 percent," explained study lead author Dr. Richard B. Lipton, professor and vice chair of neurology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City.
Drugs that mimic the activity of the gene variant already are being developed, said Lipton, whose group reported the finding in the Jan. 13 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
A 2003 study by Lipton and his associates identified a variant of the gene for cholesterol ester transfer protein (CETP) -- involved in carrying cholesterol in the bloodstream -- as being associated with a longer life span. "The longer you live, the more common is the favorable variant," Lipton noted. "The incidence is 5 percent at age 50 and 35 percent at age 95."
The new study followed 523 people, all age 70 or older, for four years, testing their mental function and relating it to the variant of the CETP gene they carried.
Participants who carried two copies of the variant gene experienced an age-related decline in mental function that was about half as rapid as people with two normal versions of the gene, the study found.
Individuals with two copies of the favorable CETP variant also had a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer's disease compared to those with two normal versions of the gene, the study found.
Besides its effects on the brain, the favorable CETP gene variant also appears to boost blood levels of HDL ("good") cholesterol, which helps prevent artery-blocking clots from forming.
How does the gene variant work its magic? Lipton put forth two theories.
"We know that it protects against disease in blood vessels," he said. "It lowers the risk of heart attack and stroke, and stroke is a risk factor for cognitive decline. So it protects the brain against atherosclerotic disease.
"The other mechanism is more speculative. It might protect against formation of proteins involved in Alzheimer's disease, such as beta-amyloid," Lipton said. The buildup of beta-amyloid protein plaques within brain tissue has long been a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease.
One expert found the study results intriguing.
"It's a great candidate gene for research on Alzheimer's disease and dementia," said Dr. James Burke, director of the Memory Disorders Clinic at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C.
The benefit probably does not come from improved blood flow to the brain, he said. "I think it's related to lipid-cholesterol transport and metabolism," Burke said. Drugs that raise HDL level in the same way as the variant gene might therefore be useful against Alzheimer's disease, he reasoned.
According to the researchers, the CETP gene variant was first identified in a population of Ashkenazi Jews, descendents of western and central Europeans. The current study was done among an ethnically diverse population of people living in the Bronx who have been followed for 25 years.
It remains a small study that requires verification in broader research, Lipton said. "We have enrolled 600 additional people who we are following and we hope to enroll other groups," he noted.
Most studies of the genetics of Alzheimer's disease have concentrated on genes associated with increased risk, such as the ApoE-a4 gene, which also is involved in cholesterol metabolism, Lipton pointed out. "We hope that by understanding the genetics of the condition we can improve diagnosis or treatment or both," he said.
There's more on Alzheimer's disease at the Alzheimer's Association. | <urn:uuid:e8ddb182-776c-4f72-90da-ac38eb8447aa> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.harthosp.org/HealthLibrary/News/default.aspx?chunkiid=566293 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00055-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961219 | 790 | 2.515625 | 3 |
This is the city district that has The Field, called The Mound by the Locals. (See Link Bellow)
This district was originally outside the Old City Wall, but will be well within the new city wall, when it is complete. The Field’s Mound is one of the tallest structures in the city (four stories), so it is visible from almost every part of the city. The district was actually built up around the mound.
The district has a larger road passing through it, not far from the Mound. It has four inns within shouting distance of the Mound, and three more in its boundries. These cater to people coming to and from the Field (some teams and actors travel upto a week for The Game), as well as general travellers.
The Distract has the new theater. This structure is built along the lines of the famous Globe Theatre. Since it holds fewer people and can have plays at night, it does not compete with The Field.
In the district, there are a couple of taverns, one brewery (two of the taverns are tied houses), a bakery (specializing in sweets), a weaver shop (who makes blankets and flags), and a blacksmith/ farrier (for tourney day shoing).
The homes and businesses of the district will often fly penants on event days, adding to the colorful feel. The flags will express what is “playing” that day at The Mound. Sometimes it will be team colors (usually based on the flags of their city or region) or the heraldy of famous jousters.
The Family that runs The Field, built up most of the houses in the district and rent them out. They can make their tennants fly the flags. Everyone else does it because it is good for business, their landlords make them do it, and to fit in. | <urn:uuid:60d6fbb6-efa8-46c9-b715-41d3017b64f7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://strolen.com/viewing/1722 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00050-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.979109 | 388 | 1.8125 | 2 |
Volcano erupts in New Zealand
Mount Tongariro, a volcano in New Zealand's north island, erupted for the first time in 115 years, creating an ash cloud that closed roads and disrupted regional air travel before moving off the coast.
The eruption was reported by a member of the public about 11.50pm local time last night, New Zealand Police said in an e-mailed statement.
Government scientists are monitoring the event, which they said was driven by steam rather than magma, and can't rule out further explosions. "I wouldn't be surprised if there were more small-scale eruptions," Brad Scott, a volcanologist at GNS Science, a government agency, told reporters at a televised news conference.
Ash fell to a depth of as much as 15mm and was drifting east, he said.
Tongariro is one of three volcanoes in the middle of the north island, about 340 km north of the capital city Wellington.
It lies just to the north of Mount Ngauruhoe, which was used by film director Peter Jackson to depict Mount Doom in his movie trilogy based on J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" novels.
There were no reports of damage or injuries, the ministry of civil defence and emergency management said in a statement.
The ministry lifted a potential threat notice for the area in the early afternoon, based on GNS Science advice that eruption activity had subsided, according to its website.
No evacuations were ordered although some people did briefly leave their homes voluntarily, the ministry said.
Residents are being urged to check water supplies for ash contamination. Hiking tracks and huts around the mountain are closed.
An ash cloud extending as high as 12 km formed after the eruption, and moved quickly east, the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research said in an e-mailed statement, citing satellite imagery.
The cloud had blown off the coast by late afternoon, it said. Air New Zealand, the nation's biggest carrier, resumed flights to most regional airports east of Tongariro after cancelling services earlier because of the risk from the ash, it said in a statement on its website. | <urn:uuid:19e80360-a25f-4949-b605-ac3ee7bdde77> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.irishtimes.com/news/volcano-erupts-in-new-zealand-1.729570 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00044-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.982105 | 447 | 3 | 3 |
The caliber of public discussion about AIDS has greatly improved since 1988 when there were 863 people recorded as living with AIDS in Oregon.
The Cascade AIDS Project
was only five years old, and about to embark on an AIDS awareness ad campaign that was to appear on the side of TriMet vehicles, and in The Oregonian
. TriMet lasted a few days before pulling the tame picture of two fully clothed men, arms around each other, and the line underneath, “We Can Live. Together.” The Oregonian
never went through with it. Then-Associate Editor David Reinhard said this about the campaign ad, “It should appear no where in public, save some gay publications. The poster is less about AIDS protection than gay promotion. The poster is tasteless and offensive.”
Today there are 7,000 people living with AIDS in Oregon, and the need for public discussion and awareness is as great as ever. on Friday, CAP's executive director, Michael Kaplan, spoke at City Club of Portland's weekly forum, this one titled, "Confronting AIDS in Portland."
In The Governor Hotel's Heritage ballroom, under the terracotta angels and ornate filigree, Club members and guests engaged in the anachronism that is a formal luncheon, silverware clinking, while Kaplan unleashed a string of AIDS statistics. After a few minutes, his command of the material and stage became undeniable, and most of the forks were dropped. Maybe it was when Kaplan said he tested positive in 1992.
“I was the prom king in high school, but did I know I was gay?," he said. "I was that guy dating some of your daughters but sneaking out after dark, to the places and with the people who were ready to show you what it means to be gay."
Kaplan's point is that focusing education and prevention efforts only on those who identify as gay misses the entire population of people who would never take on that identity, yet engage in risky sexual behaviors. Nationally, 20 percent of those infected, don't know they are. Another 20 percent figure: how much less is spent nationally on prevention, as compared to 2002.
Among the most alarming statistics are those about population segments most vulnerable to the disease. In Oregon, African-Americans are three times more likely to contract AIDS than the rest of the population. And 75 percent of infections are contracted by gay men. Over 80 percent of all infections in Oregon are in Portland. And despite incredible advances in life prolonging medicines-- Kaplan himself has not progressed to AIDS after 13 years of living with HIV—39 percent of those who test positive for HIV in Oregon develop AIDS in 12 months.
And so the point Kaplan conveyed was to know your status, and have the conversations.
“There are commercials for Viagra, but god forgive there be discussions about condoms in schools,” he said.
To learn more about the services that Cascade AIDS Project offers, like testing counseling and housing, visit its website | <urn:uuid:21b8163f-ff61-4df4-82c4-19545e41eca1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wweek.com/portland/blog-4563-confronting_aids_with_cap.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00070-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975058 | 618 | 1.679688 | 2 |
Testing Times (presented By Michael Rosen)
We live in testing times - SATS, GCSEs, AS levels, Degrees - but Michael Rosen is not convinced.
With his usual humour and insight he looks at exams, explores other ways of monitoring achievement and hears from pupils, past and present who think he should keep his nose out of it because exams are wonderful (and easy-peasy).
|01||01||Testing Times||20031026||20031101||In the first programme, Alan Titchmarsh explains why failing his 11 Plus was one of the best things that ever happened to him.|
|01||02||Cheating||20031102||20031108||""Michael Rosen continues to ruminate with wit and humanity on the subject of exams"".|
With contributions from A level pupils, Oxford undergraduates and those studying for vocational qualifications in the building trade Rosen looks at the way we mark attainment in higher education, what this says about our priorities and assumptions and whether or not we ""could do better"".
Professor Ted Wragg helps him cheat.
|01||03 LAST||Psychometric Testing||20031109||20031115||In the final part of his trilogy of talks about exams Michael Rosen turns his attention to psychometric testing.|
This form of 'mind measurement' was thought to have been developed by the Chinese civil service in the Han Dynasty over a 1000 years ago.
It is now used as a recruitment tool in around 70% of major British companies.
Advocates recommend it as the most effective way to measure aptitude rather than attainment.
Michael has his doubts, especially when he is strongly advised never to try for a career in dentistry. | <urn:uuid:88ffa8d7-173c-4b0b-b739-ff50b28250b9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.radiolistings.co.uk/programmes/t/te/testing_times__presented_by_michael_rosen_.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00063-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946834 | 355 | 1.867188 | 2 |
Dudley Moore biography
Born on April 19, 1935, in Dagenham, Essex, England, British actor and comedian Dudley Moore rose to fame with comedy partner Peter Cook. Together, they created sketch comedy shows, Derek & Clive record albums, and movies like 1967's Bedazzled. After ending his partnership with Cook, Moore went on to make Hollywood films, most notably 10 (1979) and Arthur (1981). Moore was also a musician and composer. | <urn:uuid:0f299674-4d54-418e-9c5d-14e4408681dd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.biography.com/print/profile/dudley-moore-9413328 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00072-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959685 | 94 | 1.734375 | 2 |
In less than a century in space, humankind has built only four inhabited outposts in orbit – Salyut, Skylab, Mir and the International Space Station. Since 31 October 2000, there has been a continuous human presence at the ISS, although Mir was permanently inhabited between September 1989 to August 1999. Given that the first person to leave the planet, Yuri Gagarin, did so on 12 April 1961 – nearly half a century ago – that’s a surprisingly short, and recent, period of time.
But then, not everyone has agreed that space stations are useful; and even now there are those who consider the ISS a waste of money better spent on other space-related projects. Yet a space station captures the imagination in a way that’s only been surpassed by the Apollo Moon landings. If you look up at the sky, there are people up there, some 340 kilometres above your head – that’s about the distance between London and Liverpool. As I write this, there are in fact thirteen people in orbit: six in ISS Expedition 23‘s crew and seven on STS-131 Space Shuttle Discovery.
Space Stations – Base Camps to the Stars by former NASA chief historian Roger D Launius captures the appeal of the space station. In seven copiously-illustrated chapters, Launius presents a history of space stations, focusing chiefly on the US’s Skylab and Space Station Freedom, and the ISS. The opening chapters outline the origins of the concept and NASA’s various early plans, featuring a number of illustrations of space stations from the 1930s to the 1950s. An entire chapter is devoted to the political wrangling which killed Space Station Freedom. In truth, Space Stations is chiefly a political study of its subject. It’s the reasons for their existence, rather than the technical achievements they represent, which Launius documents. Certainly I agree that space stations are a vital first step in the move off-planet. And we need to eventually move off the Earth, if only to provide room for the planet’s ever-increasing population and to find the resources necessary to maintain that population.
But Launius’s books is not about the commercial or scientific development of our Solar system, and the role space stations will play in that development. As Space Stations‘ subtitle suggests, Launius is documenting further visions – missions to other stars. Those early visionaries – Tsiolkovski, Oberth, Noordung, von Braun – all looked to the stars. And space stations were a necessary component of their visions.
Although Space Stations was published in 2003, Launius foresaw the increase in space tourism following Dennis Tito‘s flight to the ISS in 2001 (there have been eight space tourists to the ISS to date), and concluded that the commercial sector would play an increasingly larger role in the development of space. While not an especially prophetic conclusion, President Obama’s recent cancellation of Project Constellation and directive for NASA to use private space companies can only mean more of the commercial sector in space. Which Launius sees as positive, especially in relation to the role of space stations in future interstellar exploration: “But this path into the future, although seemingly stalled, may already be in the process of becoming.”
Space Stations – Base Camps to the Stars, Roger D Launius (2003, Smithsonian Institution, ISBN 1-58834-120-8, 230pp + appendices, chapter notes and index) | <urn:uuid:6d488183-497f-4637-9d04-1b2ea2c05b04> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://spacebookspace.wordpress.com/category/mir/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939166 | 720 | 3.5625 | 4 |
Security Administration Quality Review
Identifies Eligibility for Social Security Disability Benefits
As a result
of an internal Social Security Administration (SSA) quality review,
approximately 130,000 low-income Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
disability beneficiaries nationwide may now be eligible to receive
Social Security disability insurance payments because they have
earned sufficient work credits to qualify for the disability insurance
program. In addition to being eligible for higher ongoing monthly
payments - $20 or less on average - they will also be eligible for
retroactive payments averaging over $2000 per individual.
percent of the current 45.5 million Social Security and 6.6 million
SSI beneficiaries receive a monthly payment that represents the
precise amount they are due.
are proud that our internal quality review system worked and, as
a result of our efforts, some of our low-income disabled beneficiaries
will be eligible for additional dollars," said Larry G. Massanari,
Acting Commissioner of Social Security. "This benefit increase
will improve the lives of people with disabilities."
Administration employees in local offices across the country will
contact those individuals affected by the review and provide assistance
to them in applying for the higher benefits; no one need contact
SSA. Most of those affected are individuals who have gained the
necessary work credits to be eligible for Social Security disability
insurance since they began receiving their SSI benefits.
SSA identified the cases through its ongoing quality review process
and is distributing a list to the offices servicing these customers.
Each case will be screened for eligibility. For those who are eligible
for Social Security disability benefits an application will be secured
and the necessary action taken to start payment of Social Security
benefits. Because of the complexity of these cases and, in many
instances the need to obtain medical evidence and make new disability
determinations, it may take a year or more to process some of the
It is anticipated
that retroactive benefits amounting to an average payment of $20
or less per month will be due in the majority of cases. The period
involved could range from a few months to several years. There will
be instances where the Social Security disability benefits will
cause the SSI benefits to terminate. Because SSI benefits require
recipients to apply for any and all benefits for which they might
be eligible, Social Security benefits must be elected if eligibility
SSI benefits to 5.3 million disabled individuals.
of most SSA press releases, as well as other Social Security information
are available at SSAs Internet site, Social Security
Online, at http://www.ssa.gov.
Also look there for information on subscribing to SSAs
free electronic newsletter, Social Security e-news.
SSA Press Office 4-H-9
West High Rise. 6401 Security Blvd. Baltimore, MD 21235
410-965-8904 FAX 410-966-9973 | <urn:uuid:07021f16-c0cf-4fda-aa58-ef737f1af9a6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ssa.gov/pressoffice/dibquality.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00047-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.903963 | 615 | 1.546875 | 2 |
Found: St. Paul
Photo: negative, black and white
Accession Number: 57-10
Descriptive Narrative: Hand-lettered Divine Liturgy of the Russian Orthodox Church. Text in Church Slavonic.
Exhibition: ASM 1/71-6/72 ...
Title taken from label on matting. View of building originally built as Russian bishop's residence, office, and chapel, which later became part of Sitka National Historical Park. Sign in yard reads: "Russian mission, 1842." Original label, crossed... | <urn:uuid:815415cb-be80-4242-ae4d-ae414f6ccccb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://vilda.alaska.edu/cdm/search/searchterm/ecclesiastical/mode/all/order/title | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.91984 | 114 | 1.710938 | 2 |
Thinking of buying a car online? The FBI and eBay are warning car shoppers about criminals listing cars at rock-bottom prices, making up sad stories about why they need to sell so low and assuring buyers that the eBay “Vehicle Purchase Protection” will cover the buyer if there are any problems.
Of course, that’s not how the deal goes down. Instead, shoppers are enticed to send their payment via Western Union or Moneygram. Do that, and a crook will be driving away with your cash. Sources tell me that many of these schemes are run out of Romania and despite hundreds of arrests, the fraud continues.
Wire transfer scams take many forms, but always end up with someone’s money disappearing. Bottom line: Don’t wire money to someone who offers to sell you something or buy something from you, especially if you encountered that person online. | <urn:uuid:9947ef66-db77-4076-ab47-ae22ed7add21> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.atg.wa.gov/BlogPost.aspx?id=28824&blogid=4110&blogid=4110 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944525 | 184 | 1.632813 | 2 |
On this weekly radio address to the nation, President Obama highlighted the landmark trade agreements passed in a bipartisan way this week which will support tens of thousands of American jobs, level the playing field for American workers, and help us meet our goal of doubling our exports. The President will continue to urge Congress to do more and pass the American Jobs Act so we can grow our economy and create jobs now.
“I’m here in Detroit visiting workers at a GM plant in the heart of a resurgent American auto industry. And I brought a guest with me – President Lee of South Korea.
We’re here because this week, Congress passed landmark trade agreements with countries like Korea, and assistance for American workers that will be a big win for our economy.
These trade agreements will support tens of thousands of American jobs. And we’ll sell more Fords, Chevys and Chryslers abroad stamped with three proud words – “Made in America.”
So it was good to see Congress act in a bipartisan way on something that will help create jobs at a time when millions of Americans are out of work and need them now.
But that’s also why it was so disappointing to see Senate Republicans obstruct the American Jobs Act, even though a majority of Senators voted “yes” to advance this jobs bill.
We can’t afford this lack of action. And there is no reason for it. Independent economists say that this jobs bill would give the economy a jumpstart and lead to nearly two million new jobs. Every idea in that jobs bill is the kind of idea both parties have supported in the past.
The majority of the American people support the proposals in this jobs bill. And they want action from their elected leaders to create jobs and restore some security for the middle class right now. You deserve to see your hard work and responsibility rewarded – and you certainly deserve to see it reflected in the folks you send to Washington.
But rather than listen to you and put folks back to work, Republicans in the House spent the past couple days picking partisan ideological fights. They’re seeing if they can roll back clean air and water protections. They’re stirring up fights over a woman’s right to make her own health care choices. They’re not focused on the concrete actions that will put people back to work right now.
Well, we’re going to give them another chance. We’re going to give them another chance to spend more time worrying about your jobs than keeping theirs.
Next week, I’m urging Members of Congress to vote on putting hundreds of thousands of teachers back in the classroom, cops back on the streets, and firefighters back on the job.
And if they vote “no” on that, they’ll have to tell you why. They’ll have to tell you why teachers in your community don’t deserve a paycheck again. They’ll have to tell your kids why they don’t deserve to have their teacher back. They’ll have to tell you why they’re against commonsense proposals that would help families and strengthen our communities right now.
In the coming weeks, we’ll have them vote on the other parts of the jobs bill – putting construction workers back on the job, rebuilding our roads and bridges; providing tax cuts for small businesses that hire our veterans; making sure that middle-class families don’t see a tax hike next year and that the unemployed and our out-of-work youth have a chance to get back in the workforce and earn their piece of the American Dream.
That’s what’s at stake. Putting people back to work. Restoring economic security for the middle class. Rebuilding an economy where hard work is valued and responsibility is rewarded – an economy that’s built to last. And I’m going to travel all over the country over the next few weeks so that we can remind Congress that’s their job. Because there’s still time to create jobs and grow our economy right now. There’s still time for Congress to do the right thing. We just need to act. | <urn:uuid:3c99496e-29b2-4d3e-84e2-fc76b5b825fd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.goodpoliticsradio.com/?m=201110 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952161 | 870 | 1.796875 | 2 |
Professor Ganesh Thiagarajan and his student Rini Mitra won first place in an international earthquake simulation contest. They will be recognized at the 14th World Conference on Earthquake Engineering in October in Beijing, China.
Earthquake simulation win, NSF award added to engineer's credits
Professor Ganesh Thiagarajan knows the secret to effective engineering.
“Whenever you’re working with enthusiasm, good things tend to happen,” said Thiagarajan, a civil engineer in UMKC’s School of Computing and Engineering (SCE).
Last fall, he was working with enthusiasm when he and graduate assistant Rini Mitra won first place in an E-Defense blind analysis international earthquake simulation contest. The earthquake simulation challenge aimed to improve the seismic performance of steel frames through numerical simulation.
Using commercial computer software and their drawings, they most closely predicted the actual movements of a four-story building that researchers shook in Japan. They will be recognized at the 14th World Conference on Earthquake Engineering in October 2008 in Beijing, China.
Previously a UMKC Faculty Scholar – an award established to give face to the vision, values and goals the university has created in the areas of teaching and research – Thiagarajan has added another honor to his growing credits. Recently, he received the coveted National Science Foundation’s (NSF) CAREER award.
A model for academic excellence
The CAREER award is NSF’s most prestigious award in support of the early career development activities of faculty who most effectively integrate research and education.
“Ganesh has been an extraordinary faculty in all aspects of academia,” said Khosrow Sohraby, Curators' Professor and associate dean for research in the SCE. “As the Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering at UMKC grows, he will be a role model for all its new and existing faculty members."
Thiagarajan called the award a special honor.
“It is an award that usually one dreams of, and it feels like a dream come true,” he said. “In the long term, it provides for funding to continue, consolidate and promote the research efforts in the specified topic for the next five years.”
The $400,000 NSF grant was awarded for Thiagarajan’s project titled “Fracture Analyses in Concrete via Experimentation & Simulation (FRANCES): Examining Discrete Crack and Fracture Modeling of Concrete under Blast and Impact Loading.”
Project FRANCES addresses a critical national need of how to build safer infrastructure that can withstand blast and impact loading. The project involves the study of the response of reinforced concrete structures through both experimentation and analytical studies.
Thiagarajan hopes to get undergraduates and high school students involved in the project and exposed to these concepts. The high school students targeted are participants of ARROWS, a NSF-funded projected sponsored by the SCE and the School of Education.
Opportunities through partnering
The relationship the SCE has with its students, other UMKC schools and the community opens the door to many of Thiagarajan’s projects.
He and Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering Chairman Mark McClernon are partnering with Black and Veatch to optimize turbine foundation designs.
Thiagarajan has worked with biomedical researchers to build finite element models of patient- specific knees. The group is studying the stresses and strains in various soft tissue and bone materials when subjected to kinematic motions. With the help of a graduate student, he has translated MRI images into models that could study the mobility of the knee.
He also has worked with the School of Dentistry in developing software to study the structure, property and functional relationship in dentin and dentin adhesive interface materials.
“In engineering, we go out seeking projects that will help UMKC and the community,” Thiagarajan said. “Most of our work flows naturally from the last thing we did or from people asking, ‘Can you do this?’”
Because a professor’s day is limited to 24 hours, Thiagarajan’s students benefit from the overflow of work.
“We have the ideas, but not the time,” Thiagarajan said. “Someone like Rini comes in, and she brings in her talents. There’s certainly no way with my time commitments that I could have entered the earthquake simulation contest alone; it’s definitely teamwork.”
He said Kansas City is an ideal place for professional and student engineers to apply their research.
"The thing about Kansas City is we get interesting projects from the people around us, and we’re excited to take them up,” Thiagarajan said.
"In engineering, we go out seeking projects that will help UMKC and the community. Most of our work flows naturally from the last thing we did or from people asking, 'Can you do this?'" --Ganesh Thiagarajan | <urn:uuid:ebe386d1-8b72-4560-af1a-f591850a3f79> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.umkc.edu/news/2008-web-profiles/Ganesh_Thiagarajan.asp | 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 | 0.950277 | 1,070 | 1.703125 | 2 |
That is a question I have been thinking about lately while covering the ongoing dispute between the city of Glendora and its municipal employees association as well as when looking at the salaries of various city employees.
Is the private sector employee rife against the higher pay and much better benefits public employees receive caused by an objective discontent with the misuse of public funds or is it just because their jealous?
When talking about merit increases, benefits, salaries, concessions, etc., many of the Glendora council members tried to make a case for their argument to impose concessions on the employees association by saying, basically, you still have it better than the private sector.
Getting raises for “satisfactory” performance wouldn’t happen in the private sector, Mayor Ken Herman said. And most people agree that government pensions are much better (in terms of compensation) than 401Ks or social security.
And make the argument all you want about the need for pension reform and how CALPERS is a drain on government, that is now what I am talking about here.
The question is this: Do private sector jobs pay for the work employees do? Think about it. How many people out there believe they are paid what they deserve?
No idea? That’s OK. Gallup has a poll for you.
In a 2008 Gallup Poll, half of Americans believed they were underpaid and only 3 percent believed they were overpaid. Middle and lower income earners made up a large portion of those feeling they weren’t getting their dues.
So, hypothetically speaking, if private sector workers are often underpaid, wouldn’t that distort our objectivity or perception when evaluating the pay of someone, who on average, makes more than us for the same job – such as public employees?
That makes me wonder: who has it right? Public pay or private pay?
You have to acknowledge the possibility – especially given the fact that private company CEOs, board members and executives pull in million dollar + salaries – that the public sector may pay its middle and lower wage employees closer to their worth rather than overpaying for the same jobs that pay less in the private sector.
If that is the case, should officials and the public make the comparison to private employee pay as much as they do, when being critical of high pay for public employees – or should it be vice versa? Should we be critical of private pay and look to the public sector as a (gasp!) good example?
I am not claiming to know the answer, but it is within the realm of possibility. | <urn:uuid:f212eb67-2e07-4010-ab4d-6fbe00e8b9dc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.insidesocal.com/sgvgov/2010/08/27/is-the-private-sector-underpay/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975098 | 526 | 1.765625 | 2 |
World of Warcraft plague 'swamps servers'
When Blizzard introduced the God of Blood - Hakkar to his mates - in a new World of Warcraft scenario called Zul'Gurub, little did it know it was summoning up the online equivalent of Ebola or AIDS.
According to a posting on WoW fansite Shacknews, anyone who ends up in a fusticuffs-style confrontation with Hakkar will be attacked with a magic spell called Corrupted Blood. It's a nasty one. There's little the victim can do to resist it, and it should do sufficient damage to wipe them out.
Except sometimes it doesn't.
The result: infected players become themselves infectious, and have started passing the plague on to other characters. WoW being an online game, with the virtual world ticking over while players pause for pizza, pee breaks and - now and then - forty winks, the contagion continues to spread from non-player characters to non-player character and anyone else entering the game.
As the poster claims: "Some servers have gotten so bad that you can't go into the major cities without getting the plague. And anyone less than like Level 50 nearly immediately die."
It's said that attempts have been made to quarantine the infected, but the efforts of what might be called the World of Warcraft Health Organisation (WWHO) appear to be ineffective. Plague-carrying players escape the curfew to lug the lurgey out into the wider WoW world.
The Corrupted Blood disease is, in short, out of control and rapidly taking on epidemic status.
WoW has more than 2m of players around the (real) world, Blizzard said in June. How many of their virtual incarnations are at risk remains unknown. We're awaiting comment from Blizzard.
The Zul'Gurub scenario was introduced last week with version 1.7 of the game. ® | <urn:uuid:aa9208db-cbcf-46b8-b180-daf1e6227bc2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/09/21/wow_virtual_plague/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963919 | 388 | 1.546875 | 2 |
I looked yesterday at the spending side of Obama’s budget and found some good news and bad news. The good news was the absence of any big new initiative to expand the burden of government. That’s a welcome relief since the past couple of years have featured budget busting proposals such as the so-called stimulus scheme and a government-run healthcare plan.
The bad news is that the budget does nothing to undo any of the damage of the past two years. Nor does it undo any of the damage of the previous eight years. And because the President’s budget refuses to address entitlement spending, it certainly doesn’t do anything to avert the damage of rapidly expanding budgets over the next several decades.
Now let’s look at the tax side of the fiscal equation. In large part, the White House is recycling class warfare ideas from last year’s budget. The President wants higher tax rates, including higher taxes on investors, entrepreneurs, and small business owners. He also wants to increase the tax burden of American companies that are competing for market share in global markets.
These are remarkably misguided proposals. But what’s especially disappointing is that the Administration stuck with these bad ideas when the President’s own fiscal commission proposed lower tax rates and base broadening. Those proposals would have increased the overall tax burden, so they definitely were not pure supply-side economics. And the Commission also proposed an increase in the double taxation of saving and investment, which also would be unfortunate.
But at least the Commission proposed to do the wrong thing in a good way. Yes, taxes would have increased, but the damage would have been ameliorated by a better tax structure. Obama’s budget, by contrast, does the wrong thing in the worst way – increasing the tax burden while also making the tax system more unfair.
It’s also worth noting that the President decided to punt on the issue of corporate tax reform. This is remarkable since even he acknowledged during his State-of-the-Union address that America’s corporate tax rate is far too high in a competitive global economy.
Last but not least, it’s worth noting that Obama’s budget shows that tax revenues will rise above their long-run average of 18 percent of GDP – even if taxes are not increased by one penny.
America’s budget problem is too much spending, period. | <urn:uuid:3f4cf78b-a522-43a8-943f-18da9ee8a0f3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://freedomandprosperity.wordpress.com/2011/02/15/deconstructing-the-revenue-side-of-obama%E2%80%99s-budget/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971432 | 496 | 1.773438 | 2 |
Multi-culturalism – not as a positive lived experience – but as a social policy is a politics of division. I agree.
It divides people into cultures and puts cultures (the most regressive aspects) before citizens. But in response, Minister Eric Pickles says a return of Christianity in Britain’s public life will bring about the community cohesion that is lacking under multiculturalism.
No it won’t. Especially because not everyone in a ‘majority’ or ‘minority’ group think alike. In a plural society, with many beliefs and opinions, you need to keep beliefs out in order to bring about any sort of social cohesion.
And as a first step, you need a concept of citizenship that goes beyond people’s beliefs and to some extent keeps their beliefs our of the state and public insititutions. And you need secularism, which is a minimum precondition, for basic rights and freedoms.
But they will never learn…
On a positive note, the fight back by those wanting a larger role for Christianity in the public space (as if having an established church and bishops in the house of lords is not enough) is because they are feeling the pressure of secularists. This is a very good thing. The other good thing is that all this talk of a return to Christian values will get secularists speaking out though they may have been silent when it was about Islam’s role in the public space due to bogus accusations of racism and Islamophobia…
So bring it on. | <urn:uuid:5a1e89d7-7502-4f6b-add2-e156b2cbf3f6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://freethoughtblogs.com/maryamnamazie/2012/02/21/they-will-never-learn/?ak_action=force_mobile | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00052-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958038 | 315 | 1.78125 | 2 |
- Life Style
Two weeks after the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) concluded its sixth annual convention, Egypt’s opposition groups have grown more divided over the best strategies to prevent the “scenario of presidential inheritance.”
Support for independent figures such as the outgoing head of the UN nuclear watchdog Mohamed ElBaradei and secretary general of the Arab League Amr Moussa have been the most contested issues in the political scenery.
In a televised interview with CNN, ElBaradei, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, said he would not rule out running for the presidency as long as he had “written” guarantees that the 2011 presidential elections would be “free and fair.”
The 67-year-old Egyptian diplomat’s remarks have stirred conflicting reactions and further confused an already perplexed opposition.
Veteran writer Fahmy Howeidy calls ElBaradei’s comments on presidential candidacy as “absurd.”
In his column in the independent daily Shorouk, Howeidy writes that “the outcomes of the next presidential elections are predetermined. It’s either [President Hosni] Mubarak or his son.”
For the Islamist-leaning writer, Egyptian politics have been constructed in a way that leaves no chance for a non-NDP contender.
Howeidy advises “the good-hearted” director of the International Atomic Energy Agency not to run because “the regime only wants a respectful second role actor to make its film appear more democratic.”
Other writers describe ElBaradei as “detached” from Egypt’s socio-economic realities, an accusation that has also been leveled at Gamal Mubarak. Unlike all of Egypt's presidents since the 1952 revolution, neither Mubarak nor ElBaradei is a civil servant or militar officer.
Columnist Omar Taher writes in the independent daily Dostour that ElBaradei has actually lived in Egypt for only six years (1974-1980) since he first left in 1964 to pursue a master's degree in International Law in Geneva.
“ElBaradei only knows Egypt through the lens of a tourist,” says Taher. He explains that “ElBaradei is unaware of our daily problems. He doesn’t know the cost of a loaf of bread and the price of a metro ticket. He doesn’t have a clue about the matrices of our relations.”
Amr Moussa, who hinted last month that he might run for presidency, has also received his share of criticism in the press.
Columnist Alaa Oureiby of the opposition daily Al-Wafd reviews a book by former Arab League and Syrian diplomat Kawkab al-Rayes in which the author accuses Moussa of “corruption and nepotism.”
Oureiby quotes some parts of the book that highlight “Moussa’s favoritism to some of his loyalists to promote them into the high ranks of the Arab League at the expense of the more qualified and better trained diplomats.”
Divisions among Egyptian opposition platforms took a more dramatic step this week when Kefaya’s General Coordinator Abdel Halim Qandil decided to withdraw from the one-month-old Egyptian Campaign Against Presidential Succession on the grounds that its founder, Ghad Party leader Ayman Nour, had received an invitation to participate in a seminar organized by the Washington-based National Endowment for Democracy (NED).
Mohsen Hashim, a leading member of Kefaya and a close aide of Qandil, told the independent weekly Al-Youm Al-Sabea that Kefaya’s decision was based on the fact “that the NED is funded primarily through the US congress” which jeopardizes its credibility as an independent NGO.
Hashim added that Kefaya adheres to its founding principle of “rejecting any kind of support from foreign powers.”
Nour, a former presidential candidate who spent four years in prison on charges that he allegedly forged his party’s founding documents, strongly dismissed the charges.
He told the daily Dostour that “he has never received any funds from the United States or other countries,” describing Qandil’s stance as “childish and irresponsible.”
According to the state-run daily Ros el-Yusuf, Nour has accused other Nasserists members of the anti-succession campaign of receiving grants and funds from foreign states. Ros el-Yusuf quotes unidentified sources in Ghad Party as saying that Nour told his fellow colleagues that “a leading member in the Nasserist Karama Party did receive funds from Qatar last month without any charges of him being an agent of a foreign state.” | <urn:uuid:5068cb5f-40ff-467b-9028-39c866cece50> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/egypt%e2%80%99s-opposition-divided-over-counter-attack-strategy | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00047-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963598 | 1,009 | 1.5625 | 2 |
The Psychotherapy and Spirituality concentration within the Clinical Psy.D. program invites the personal and professional transformation of psychologists through engagement in the diverse breadth and meaningful depth of integrating spirituality and psychology into their clinical work. Specialized coursework includes subjects such as social psychology and spirituality, neurobiology and spirituality, and discernment diagnostics, assessment, and research in psychology and spirituality.
Discernment: Diagnostics, Assessment, and Research in Psychology and Spirituality
Addresses both assessment and research in the field of psychology and spirituality. Course begins with the origins of the history of assessment and diagnosis in the "discernment of the spirits" among various traditions. It explores both formal instruments used to assess spirituality and significance in individual lives, as well as explores the un-thematized spiritual aspects of more commonly used instruments in administrating psychological batteries. The course also addresses various kinds of diagnostic discourse used in spiritual assessment (i.e., DSM, Pastoral Diagnoses, etc.), as well as critiques the presumptions and practices of diagnosis and assessment by way of various pastoral traditions. As this concentration understands research to also be an activity of assessment, it also explore various research methodologies and topics in the field of psychology and spirituality in order to facilitate more clarity and options for future projects, including but not limited to the student's dissertation.
Social Psychology and Spirituality: Contemporary Issues in Culture and Society
Addresses the presence and purposes of spirituality within current issues in social-political-economic-cultural context, both nationally and internationally, and explores the role of the professional psychologist as assessor and intervener in these matters. The course surveys the centrality of spirituality in war, allocations of resources, technology, conflict mediation, among other issues. It then proceeds to an exploration of a current issue in world politics to address in academic and practical ways. The contemporary topic of concern may vary each time the course is taught.
Neuro-Biology and Spirituality
Explores various topics in the field of neuro-science (e.g., imaging, psychophysiology, pharmacology, etc.) and spirituality. Topics include the biology of belief, the theology of the body, neurobiological understandings, and measurements of various states of consciousness (i.e., altered, meditative, etc.), neurobiological understandings of spiritual, transcendent, and paranormal experiences, and spirituality among individuals with various brain pathologies, among other topics.
View full course catalog » | <urn:uuid:60537ad6-57d5-47bc-bbe3-4a97258f67a3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thechicagoschool.edu/Chicago/Our_Programs/PsyD_in_Clinical_Psychology/PsyD_in_Clinical_Psychology_Psychotherapy_Spirituality_in_Psychology_Concentration | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.919453 | 499 | 1.648438 | 2 |
Sarah E. Goode STEM Academy
The Public Building Commission has enjoyed a long-standing association with the Chicago Public Schools, with the PBC designing and building new educational facilities, creating additions and annexes, and making renovations to existing buildings. The PBC manages millions of dollars of work for the Chicago Public Schools' Development Program and has been instrumental in the "Modern Schools Across Chicago" initiative, a $1 billion dollar plan to bring brand new schools to Chicago's communities.
Under "Modern Schools Across Chicago," the PBC and the Chicago Public Schools have planned new high schools, middle schools and elementary schools, as well as substantial renovations to some buildings. Many of the high schools will use a prototype design in which the schools will have a gymnasium and indoor pool, with those facilities available to the public during non-school hours.
Examples of the working relationship between the PBC and the Schools include construction of Tarkington School, the first Chicago Public School to be recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council as a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified building, and the rehabilitation of the historic Bronzeville Eighth Regiment Armory, which now houses the Chicago Military Academy at Bronzeville while also occupying a place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Recognizing that education is more important than ever, the Public Building Commission is committed to incorporating new features into the buildings to make them safer, stronger, more technologically adaptable and more environmentally friendly. Such features include virtually indestructible block walls, green roofs, programmable HVAC systems, wiring for voice and data transmissions, low emission building materials and security cameras that can be linked to the city's Office of Emergency Management and Communications. Further, the designs for all new schools include features that qualify the building for certification under the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards. | <urn:uuid:36309b2c-fc6e-457e-ae67-09685ca0a789> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://pbcchicago.com/content/projects/public_schools.asp | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00062-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956729 | 392 | 2.09375 | 2 |
In recent years it became clear that people with diabetes face an ominous prospect – a far greater risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. Now researchers at The City College of New York (CCNY) have shed light on one reason why. Biology Professor Chris Li and her colleagues have discovered that a single gene forms a common link between the two diseases.
They found that the gene, known to be present in many Alzheimer's disease cases, affects the insulin pathway. Disruption of this pathway is a hallmark of diabetes. The finding could point to a therapeutic target for both diseases. The researchers report their finding in the June 2012 issue of the journal "Genetics." (http://www.genetics.org/)
"People with type 2 diabetes have an increased risk of dementia. The insulin pathways are involved in many metabolic processes, including helping to keep the nervous system healthy," said Professor Li, explaining why the link is not far-fetched.
Although the cause of Alzheimer's is still unclear, one criterion for diagnosis of the disease after death is the presence of sticky plaques of amyloid protein in decimated portions of patients' brains.
Mutations in the human "amyloid precursor protein" (APP) gene, or in genes that process APP, show up in cases of Alzheimer's that run in families. In the study, Professor Li and her colleagues scrutinized a protein called APL-1, made by a gene in the worm Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans ) that happens to be a perfect stand-in for the human Alzheimer's disease gene.
"What we found was that mutations in the worm-equivalent of the APP gene slowed their development, which suggested that some metabolic pathway was disrupted," said Professor Li. "We began to examine how the worm-equivalent of APP modulated different metabolic pathways and found that the APP equivalent inhibited the insulin pathway."
This suggested that the human version of the gene likely plays a role in both Alzheimer's disease and diabetes.
They also found that additional mutations in the insulin pathway reversed the defects of the APP mutation. This helped explain how these genes are functionally linked.
The APL-1 is so important, they found, that "when you knock out the worm-equivalent of APP, the animals die," Li explained. "This tells us that the APP family of proteins is essential in worms, as they are essential in mammals," like us.
Professor Li and her colleagues hope that this new insight will help focus research in ways that might lead to new therapies in the treatment of both Alzheimer's disease and diabetes.
"This is an important discovery, especially as it comes on the heels of the U.S. government's new commitment to treat and prevent Alzheimer's disease by 2025," said Dr. Mark Johnston, editor-in-chief of "Genetics." "We know there's a link between Alzheimer's and diabetes, but until now, it was somewhat of a mystery. This finding could open new doors for treating and preventing both diseases."
Professor Li has identified one link in the diabetes-to-Alzheimer's chain. However, the protein fragments into many parts along the insulin pathway, each of which may attach to and signal neurons and other cells along the way. "The big question," she said, "Is how the amyloid precursor protein and its cleavage products intersect."
Each intersection offers a possible target for drugs and other treatment. Professor Li plans to continue down the pathway, mapping its crossroads as she goes. | <urn:uuid:d64bcd35-995a-4e8a-bf22-e8cdbf672921> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sciencecodex.com/gene_may_link_diabetes_and_alzheimers_ccny_researchers_find-93345 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9656 | 721 | 2.96875 | 3 |
“We gave the exterior a new face,” says Hereford, who chose a more contemporary design for the old house. He took elements of the Craftsman style first developed by early 20th-century California architects Greene and Greene, the design duo most noted for Pasadena’s 1908 Gamble House. The house achieves a horizontal quality intermixed with Japanese flourishes, such as the flared front porch roof. To maximize natural light entering the home, Hereford incorporated a gable and a barrel roof dormer to the front facade. The barrel dormer acts as the clerestory windows for the living room, bringing much needed light into the space. A band of three windows also bring in additional sunlight. Not forgetting the other facades, Hereford popped in clerestory windows and additional barrel vaulted dormers to the side and back of the house, again, to bring in as much natural light as possible.
“The client chose vibrant paint colors to speak to the artwork in the various rooms – she was not scared of color,” says McGrath.
Although the exterior gives a nod to the California Craftsman style, the cladding is all Cape. Gray shingles cover the exterior. To add interest, Hereford finished shingled corners and tapered Craftsman-style columns with a double basket weave design. He also employed bands of scalloped and diamond shingles. A subtle wave motif—first realized in the arched dormered windows—was introduced throughout the design to reflect the rhythm of Chatham Harbor and the open ocean beyond.
Upon entering the home, one is struck by the level of detail that Hereford carried from the exterior. Tapered pilaster moldings frame the entry to the living room. Crown moldings and baseboards are built-up to create balance and harmony within the spaces. “All the moldings are custom-made and create continuity between the exterior and interior trim detailing,” says Hereford. Other trim touches Hereford incorporated into the home are the dining room’s beamed ceiling, built-in shelves, and cove moldings that conceal rope lighting. | <urn:uuid:9ced1110-048a-41eb-b105-4450d5e815af> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://capecodlife.com/home/stories/2011/05/creative-craftsman/2/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937782 | 442 | 1.601563 | 2 |
The N.C. Department of Transportation met with the public to discuss its plans to widen U.S. 221 into a four-lane road, and explain how local residents might be impacted by the project.
Members of the community were encouraged to voice their opinions, questions and concerns during the meeting, which was held at the Ashe County High School on Tuesday, Dec. 4.
“The reason for this public hearing is simply to make you, the public, a part of the development process,” said Jamille Robbins, the N.C. DOT’s public involvement officer who presented the information during the meeting.
According to Robbins, this project will span 16.1 miles from the intersection of U.S. 421 in Deep Gap to U.S. 221 business/N.C. 88 in Jefferson. The new four-lane road will be divided by a grass median between 17.5-36 feet wide. The road will also have eight-foot-wide shoulders (four feet paved and four feet grassed).
This project is estimated to cost $154,710,928 in all. The construction cost for the project is estimated to be $118,400,000, utilities cost is estimated to be $2,313,028, and the cost of right of way acquisition is estimated to be $33,997,900.
Funding for this project will be aided by the federal government, which will pay 80 percent of the project’s total cost. The remaining 20 percent will be paid for by the state government.
Robbins explained during the meeting this project is part of the Strategic Highway Corridor Plan, which is a plan to create a network of free-flowing roads connected all across North Carolina. U.S. 221 will become Corridor 13 under this initiative.
During the meeting, Robbins said the widening will be important to alleviate congestion in the future. According to him, traffic volume will more than double in many locations on U.S. 221 by 2035.
“There is a good chance this area will have serious traffic problems moving forward; we’re looking 20-30 years in the future,” said Robbins.
To alleviate congestion, the new road will incorporate a new “Superstreet Design,” which will attempt to eliminate left-hand turns onto the roadway.
According to Robbins, this design will also reduce travel time, environmental impact, and the design will help improve safety.
Robbins said the majority of traffic accidents are caused by drivers turning left onto a major roadway, which is why companies like UPS and FedEx have eliminated left-hand turns from their drivers’ routs.
In order to make the construction stage for this project more manageable, the DOT has divided the project into five sections.
Sections A and B, which begin at the U.S. 421 intersection and end at Fleetwood, will begin acquiring right of way in summer of 2013, and begin construction in 2015.
Section C will begin at Fleetwood and end at N.C. 194. Right of way acquisition for this section will begin in 2014 and construction will begin in 2017.
Right of way acquisition and construction for Section D will occur in 2013 and 2015, respectively. Section D will span from N.C. 194 to South Jefferson Avenue.
The widening will end at Section E, which runs from South Jefferson Avenue to N.C. 88. No time frame was given for this section because the funds have not yet been provided.
According to Robbins, the main reason why the N.C. DOT isn’t ready to begin today is they need to conduct more surveys to see what impact the road will have on Ashe County’s citizens.
“Anytime the N.C. DOT widens a roadway, we conduct a noise survey to find the noise impact the new road will have on the area,” said Robbins
For this project, two areas have qualified for noise reduction, and a “noise wall” may be erected to buffer noise pollution from the area. The two locations are at the end of South Jefferson Avenue and at N.C. 88.
In order for a noise wall to be built, residential areas must be densely packed and close to the road. All residents in proximity to the noise wall areas will be given a ballot to vote yes or no to erect the noise wall.
The right of way acquisition will begin once the DOT has conducted its final survey, the “Finding No Significant Impact (FONSI)” survey.
Once the FONSI survey is completed, the DOT will begin purchasing right of way access, at least 200 feet for the total width of the road.
The DOT currently estimates 70 residents and 33 businesses will be displaced because of the road’s widening.
Robbins said property owners will have their options and rights fully explained to them by a right of way agent. Displaced property owners will be paid the highest current market value for their property.
Also, the DOT will provide additional assistance in the form of compensation and relocation advice, said Robbins.
Once the project was fully explained to those in attendance, a few members of the community expressed their opinions of the project.
Martha Kincaid was concerned about the existing grade of U.S. 221, saying a few areas are “a bit like a roller coaster,” and “many wrecks have occurred on that stretch.”
Kincaid said she was worried that widening and resurfacing the road wouldn’t effectively prevent traffic accidents unless the road’s grade was also changed.
Robbins responded by saying, “these are things we will take a look at.”
Also, Brad Vest advocated using local contractors for the project, something Robbins said the DOT had considered.
According to Robbins, the public’s comments will be taken into consideration during the development process, but suggestions cannot threaten the roads safety, or other factors like cost and environmental impact.
“We will incorporate your input into our design plans, but we also have to make sure we put the best product on the ground,” said Robbins.
Citizens will be able to submit written comments to the N.C. DOT until Dec. 21. Comments may be mailed to Jamille A. Robbins at 1598 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, N.C. 27699-1598.
Robbins can also be reached by phone at (919) 707-6085 or by email at firstname.lastname@example.org. | <urn:uuid:eeff8d2f-34e5-4275-a7cb-c376f6b08abc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.jeffersonpost.com/pages/home/push?class=&per_page=3&rel=next&x_page=209 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954151 | 1,364 | 1.835938 | 2 |
Are we seeing the unraveling of the American Dream? You work hard, raise a family, save money, and plan to retire comfortably with a reliable pension. But in the age of disappearing pensions and empty promises, you need to set aside part of your retirement savings into a “personal pension plan.”
Unfortunately, unless you’ve professionally managed a successful pension, you’ll need some help in crafting it. To get started, here are the six most important steps to securing your retirement income:
Diversify your income streams. Sure, it’s smart to diversify your investments, but what about diversifying your income streams to lower the risk of outliving your savings. Many advisors and investors proclaim that you shouldn’t run out of money if you only withdraw 3-4 percent per year from your stock portfolio. Wrong. “Shouldn’t” implies hope, and hope is not a plan. Spread your investment dollars among as many non-correlated income-producing assets as possible (global bonds, dividend paying stocks, private REITs, MLPs, and secured floating income investments to name just a few).
Guarantee your income. Just like the foundation in your home is there to protect you during a storm, the foundation of your income plan should be guaranteed in case the perfect economic storm hits. For better or worse, the only account that can guarantee you a lifetime income is an annuity. Annuity options are plentiful—many aren’t that great—so carefully compare fees, risks, and potential performance.
Inflation-proof your income. If inflation averages three percent per year then you’ll need 30 percent more income to live a comfortable lifestyle ten years from now. Zero percent interest rates can’t last forever and much, much higher interest rates and inflation are on the other side of this government-manipulated market. Prepare by owning investments that provide income and thrive during inflationary times, like global inflation-protected bonds, and utility, energy, or natural resource stocks that pay regular dividends, or hard assets such as, again, opportunistic REITs and floating income investments.
Make responsible withdrawals from your stock account. A prudent investor will have a percentage of no more than 100 minus his or her age invested in stocks or mutual funds. So, if you are 45 years old, a prudent person would have no more than 55 percent of their money invested in equities or equity funds. I would advise that 55 percent to be extremely diversified among as many markets and sectors as possible with a bias toward higher dividend paying stocks. Assuming you achieve a blended dividend yield of 4 percent (the S&P 500 yield is 1.9 percent) commit to taking only the dividends as part of your income plan and to not withdraw principal (because reverse dollar cost averaging could cause you to run out of money during volatile market periods).
Watch fees that can eat into your income plan. If you’re paying 1 percent to an advisor to pick mutual funds (add in another 1.5 percent in fund fees) then 2.5 percent of your money is going out in fees every year…a pretty good income for your advisor and the mutual fund company! If you’re going to own mutual funds, it doesn’t pay to pay someone to “manage” the fund managers. While a good wealth advisor may be worth his orher weight in gold, find out, in writing, what their total fees are. Look for a transparent fee structure, one that is all-inclusive.
Set reasonable goals. Generating a 5-6 percent cash flow (adjusted for inflation) with a responsible level of risk is reasonable. I believe it’s possible to accomplish this by following my guidelines above. Could you generate more? Sure, with more risk, but is it really prudent to accept a greater risk of running out of money? There are no do-overs in life and in retirement this is one area of planning that you must get right!
America was born with revolutionary beliefs like individual freedom, the pursuit of happiness, and personal accountability. Maybe the silver-lining of the failures or inept management of pension plans across this great land is really taking us back to what made this country great…YOU…not the government, and not your employer. Build your “personal pension plan” and declare your independence from empty pension promises.
Robert Russell is CEO & CIO of the Ohio-based Russell & Company, a private wealth management firm specializing in helping affluent individuals ages 45 and up create and preserve their wealth. He co-hosts a radio show, authors The Rob Report blog, and is a frequent contributor to The Wall Street Journal, SmartMoney, & FOX Business. | <urn:uuid:45fd24c0-48a7-4287-8924-95831cbeeaf0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/the-smarter-mutual-fund-investor/2012/08/23/6-steps-to-your-personal-pension_print.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00050-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945801 | 978 | 1.585938 | 2 |
Well, now I feel that the second post is as hard to write as the first one. It’s easier to write about my history than writing about a thing I’m sure lots of people reading this now knows better than me: CAM. As I said in my previous post, I fall in love with CAM a decade ago… in the company I used to work there was a guy who was in charge of the post-processors and softwares. From my first contact with the expression “post-processor” on I started to dream about becoming a post-writer myself too… wow… many things happened after that time… 8)
The importance of CAM in the modern industry
Well, the fact is that CAM is behind nearly everything we have in the modern life. CAM takes place in turning into reality nearly every industrial process. It does play a critical role in how competitive the manufacturing companies are, although many of them do not promptly realize this. Some don’t even know where CAM plays a key role in their processes. Manufacturing, in a great extent, drives the world’s economy. And CAM is a big part of this mess. | <urn:uuid:9cbb038f-7471-473b-973b-7cba6c707272> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://camzone.org/tag/intel/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965795 | 241 | 1.8125 | 2 |
Fregate is the most easterly of the Seychelles granitic Inner Islands, 35 miles from Mahe.
Fregate IslandThe most easterly of the granitic Inner Islands of the Seychelles, Frégate Island (which is more correctly termed 'Frégate Island Private') lies 35 miles from Mahé and just four degrees south of the Equator. One of the Seychelles' largest private resort islands, yet still only 2.19 km², it's a topographical mix of granite peaks and plateaus, mystical forests of Banyan trees, and seven startlingly beautiful beaches, from the windswept length of Grand Anse to the picture-perfect cove at Anse Victorin.
Aside from its striking beauty, Frégate's varied geography is home to some unusual flora & fauna. Fourteen bird species are resident and breeding on the island, including the rare Seychelles magpie robin; over 400 relocated Aldabra giant tortoises roam free; both Hawksbill and Green turtles frequently nest on the quiet beaches; fruit bats circle continually and even two endemic insects can be found: the flightless Giant Tenebrionid beetle and the Enid snail.
These creatures are all treated with care and respect, in keeping with the strong environmental code of the resort, and like the guests, enjoy their simply stunning surroundings in perfect peace.
Getting to Frégate IslandFlights to Fregate Island are very flexible, and usually organised as charters. It's possible to fly from any of the inner islands (and indeed many hotels) directly to Frégate Island by helicopter, or alternatively by light aircraft.
We can also arrange private transfers by boat from Mahe, Praslin and La Digue (subject to availbility). | <urn:uuid:80abc73a-58aa-458b-b153-0276cdd4aada> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.expertafrica.com/seychelles/fregate-island | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.922224 | 373 | 1.757813 | 2 |
Eliphaz returns to the charge against Job, and describes the wretched state of the wicked.
And Eliphaz the Themanite, answered, and said:
Will a wise man answer as if he were speaking in the wind, and fill his stomach with burning heat?
Thou reprovest him by words, who is not equal to thee, and thou speakest that which is not good for thee.
As much as is in thee, thou hast made void fear, and hast taken away prayers from before God.
For thy iniquity hath taught thy mouth, and thou imitatest the tongue of blasphemers.
Thou hast made void fear: That is, cast off the fear of offending God.
Thy own mouth shall condemn thee, and not I: and thy own lips shall answer thee.
Art thou the first man that was born, or wast thou made before the hills?
Hast thou heard God' s counsel, and shall his wisdom be inferior to thee?
What knowest thou that we are ignorant of? what dost thou understand that we know not?
There are with us also aged and ancient men, much elder than thy fathers.
Is it a great matter that God should comfort thee? but thy wicked words hinder this.
Why doth thy heart elevate thee, and why dost thou stare with thy eyes, as if they were thinking great things?
Why doth thy spirit swell against God, to utter such words out of thy mouth?
What is man that he should be without spot, and he that is born of a woman that he should appear just?
Behold among his saints none is unchangeable, and the heavens are not pure in his sight.
How much more is man abominable, and unprofitable, who drinketh iniquity like water?
I will shew thee, hear me: and I will tell thee what I have seen.
Wise men confess and hide not their fathers.
To whom alone the earth was given, and no stranger hath passed among them.
The wicked man is proud all his days, and the number of the years of his tyranny is uncertain.
Wise men confess and hide not their fathers: That is, the knowledge and documents they have received from their fathers they are not ashamed to own.
The sound of dread is always in his ears: and when there is peace, he always suspecteth treason.
He believeth not that he may return from darkness to light, looking round about for the sword on every side.
When he moveth himself to seek bread, he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.
Tribulation shall terrify him, and distress shall surround him, as a king that is prepared for the battle.
For he hath stretched out his hand against God, and hath strengthened himself against the Almighty.
He hath run against him with his neck raised up, and is armed with a fat neck.
Fatness hath covered his face, and the fat hangeth down on his sides.
He hath dwelt in desolate cities, and in desert houses that are reduced into heaps.
He shall not be enriched, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall he push his root in the earth.
He shall not depart out of darkness: the flame shall dry up his branches, and he shall be taken away by the breath of his own mouth.
He shall not believe, being vainly deceived by error, that he may be redeemed with any price.
Before his days be full he shall perish: and his hands shall wither away.
He shall be blasted as a vine when its grapes are in the first flower, and as an olive tree that casteth its flower.
For the congregation of the hypocrite is barren, and fire shall devour their tabernacles, who love to take bribes.
He hath conceived sorrow, and hath brought forth iniquity, and his womb prepareth deceits. | <urn:uuid:e370eefb-f55c-42ad-8d0f-6b5b0d1f9505> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://drbo.org/x/d?b=drb&bk=20&ch=15&l=3 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00072-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977724 | 821 | 2.09375 | 2 |
Memory Enhancement Regimen
Below is a nootropic regimen designed specifically to provide a boost to one’s memory. To learn about how your brain creates memories and how nootropics can affect it click here. You also might notice that this regimen is very similar to the intelligence regimen. That is because working memory and intelligence are very closely tied together. Some scientists have even suggested that fluid intelligence is little more than working memory.
How Will This Regimen Improve Memory?
This regimen will improve your memory by improving your synaptic plasticity. Synaptic Plasticity refers to your brain cell’s ability to form new connection. Being able to effectively form these new connections is one of the most important factors involved in memory and learning. This regimen is designed to improve synaptic plasticity through various methods.
Increases levels of Acetylcholine (ACh) in the brain. ACh is a key neurotransmitter involved synaptic plasticity. - Taking DMAE, Oxiracetam, and Huperzia at the same time have a synergetic effect. Not only does your brain have more “supplies” to build ACh, but it can build it faster. On top of that, your brain is breaking the ACh down more slowly.The result is more ACh, which leads to greater synaptic plasticity, which leads to improved memory.
- DMAE is a nootropic that can readily cross the blood brain barrier. Once it has entered the brain, it acts as a precursor to ACh. In other words, more DMAE equals more ACh.
- Huperzia Serrata also crosses the blood brain barrier to increase levels of ACh. However, it works in a different way. Instead of increasing production of ACh, Huperzia prevents your brain from breaking it down as fast.
- Oxiracetam is a nootropic belonging to the “racetam” family and is regarded as one of the most potent in that family. It has the ability to expedite the production of ACh. In other words, it causes your brain to produce ACh at a quicker rate.
- Theanine crosses the blood-brain barrier to act as an analog to glutamate. glutamate in the brain means a more plastic brain.
Increases levels of NF-KB in the brain. Higher levels of the NF-KB protein leads to improved synaptic plasticity.
- Vinpocetine increases levels of the NF-KB protein. Anecdotal evidence has suggested Vinpocetine’s effect on memory may be greater than any nootropic which effects levels of ACh.
More oxygen will reach your brain. - Oxygen is fuel for your brain. All oxygen first comes through your brain and is then distributed to the rest of your body. Your brain first distributes oxygen to life-supporting functions, then to higher level brain functions. This means that the more oxygen your brain is receiving, the more oxygen there is for your brain to use on functions such as working memory, and concentration.
- Vinpocetine is able to increase cerebral blood flow. A study conducted on stroke patients concluded that a 2-week long Vinpocetine treatment was able to contribute effectively to increasing blood flow to the brain.
- Oxiracetam may increase cerebral blood flow. Though no studies have been conducted specifically on Oxiracetam to test for this; a study has indicated that Piracetam increases cerebral flood flow. Given the similar mechanisms of action exhibited by drugs in the “racetam” family it is very likely that Oxiracetam acts in the same way. Its effects on blood flow could even be greater than that of Piracetam.
What Other Effects Will I Notice?
Even though this nootropic regimen is specifically designed to improve your memory, it will also improve other aspects of your cognition. The most notable is fluid intelligence. This regimen is completely interchangeable with regards to improving your fluid intelligence. Working memory and fluid intelligence are virtually the same thing. In order to view all the effects, read the specific articles which pertain to each nootropic. Some of the more notable ones are highlighted below. References and studies to verify these effects can be found within each nootropic’s specific articles.
- Increases focus, attention (DMAE, Oxiraceteam)
- Increases mood (DMAE, Theanine)
- Neuroprotectant (Theanine, Vinpocetine)
- Increases the rate at which neurons grow (Huperzia Serrata)
Recommended Starting Doses
Because you will be taking such a wide variety of nootropics and some of them have synergetic effects you will notice these recommended starting dosages are much lower than the dosages listed in each individual article.
- Oxiracetam – Start with 400mg taken once per day. If you experience no gradually increase doses to a maximum of 800mg taken twice per day.
- DMAE – Start with 100mg once per day. Doses should be taken with meals. If you experience no side effects gradually increases doses to a maximum of 200mg twice per day.
- Huperzia – Start with 25mcg taken once per day. If no side effects occur, gradually increases doses to a maximum of 100mcg once per day.
- Vinpocetine – Start with a dosage of 2mg per day. If you experience no side effects, gradually increase doses to a maximum of 10mg per day.
- Theanine – Start with a dose of 100mg taken once per day. If no side effects occur, gradually increase dose to a maximum of 400mg taken per day.
- Choline – Start with a dose 250mg taken once per day. If no side effects occur, increase dose to 500mg taken once per day.
- Ashwagandha – Start with a dose of 200mg per day. If no side effects occur, gradually increase dose to a maximum of 1,000mg per day. Dose can be taken all at once or split up throughout the day. | <urn:uuid:a907b7f2-0816-477a-8cad-b5cc8f4262ef> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.whatarenootropics.com/memory-enhancement-regimen-2/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00042-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936336 | 1,278 | 1.929688 | 2 |
People sometimes have negative views about
things they don't understand, such as mental health problems. This is
Because of stigma, others may look down on you.
Some people may believe things about mental health problems that aren't true.
Other people may have good intentions but still feel uncomfortable when they
find out you have a mental health problem. This can make people treat you and
your family differently.
Stigma occurs when others:
Don't understand the mental health problem or think it's a
Don't realize that a mental health problem is an
illness that can be treated.
Think that a mental health problem is
"your own fault" or that you can "get over it."
Are afraid they
might someday have a mental health problem themselves.
Are nervous around you.
You may feel shame or guilt about having a mental health
problem. You may not want an employer or even your friends to know. This is
called "self-stigma," and it can keep you from getting treatment or finding
Breaking the stigma
Respecting yourself is an
important part of your recovery. Don't let guilt or shame keep you from getting
help. You can reach goals that are important to you even if you have a mental
Your attitude and actions can influence what
others think. Be honest with people, and show them who you really are. When you
help people understand your mental health problem, they are more likely to get
past their negative views.
Here are some ways you can help others
better understand mental health problems.
Let them know that your mental health problem is a
medical problem that can be treated.
Talk about your recovery. This
will help them understand the challenges you face.
Show them your
strengths and talents. Don't let your mental health problem keep you from going
after things you want to do.
Remember that "you are the message."
You can show how you want to be treated by the way you act. Treating yourself
with respect can set an example for everyone.
Accept that you may
need breaks during activities. Your symptoms may make it harder to focus on
things for a long time.
Work with your family and doctor to set
goals you can reach. Let them know what changes you want to make in your | <urn:uuid:b94ed86f-bd2d-49d4-9977-329bdb681b90> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/tc/ptsd-work-and-your-community-overview | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00051-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960674 | 481 | 3.671875 | 4 |
Kanai K et a. Motor axonal excitability properties are strong predictors for survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2012 May 7 [Epub].
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate whether axonal excitability indices are associated with survival in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS=Motor neuron disease in UK and Lou Gerhig's disease in USA). Previous nerve excitability studies suggested increased persistent sodium currents in motor axons of patients with ALS, which lead to axonal hyperexcitability (Overactivation of nerve) and potentially enhance neuronal death.
METHODS: 112 patients with sporadic ALS were followed up until endpoint (death or tracheostomy). Multivariate analyses were performed using the Cox proportional hazard model. Threshold tracking was used to measure multiple axonal excitability indices in median motor axons, such as strength-duration time constant (SDTC; a measure of nodal persistent sodium current). Latent addition was also used to estimate the magnitude of persistent sodium currents.
RESULTS:The overall median tracheostomy-free survival from onset was 37 months. Prolonged SDTC was strongly associated with shorter survival (adjusted HR 4.07; 95% CI 1.7 to 9.8; p=0.0018) compared with older onset age (>60 years; HR=1.80) and bulbar onset (HR=1.80). Estimated median survival was 34 months in the longer SDTC group and 51 months in the shorter SDTC group. This index was highly statistically significant even after multiple testing adjustments with age and site of onset (bulbar or limb). Latent addition study results were consistent with these findings.
CONCLUSIONS. Axonal persistent sodium currents, estimated by SDTC and latent addition, are strong and independent predictors for shorter survival in patients with ALS. Membrane hyperexcitability is possibly associated with motor neuronal death, and modulation of excessive sodium currents could be a novel therapeutic option for ALS.
It is thought the demyelination in MS can be associated with problems of sodium channels and sodium loading. Furthermore over stimulation of the nerve is thought to lead to excitotoxicity. Although ALS and MS, have different causation, excititoxicity is thought to be a problem in both MS and ALS. ALS is a more aggressive disease than MS so things are more easy to detect. However, there is, but there is one drug (Riluzole) that is licenced for ALS. Could it have any benefit in progressive MS there is an indication that it could do..
Killestein J, Kalkers NF, Polman CHGlutamate inhibition in MS: the neuroprotective properties of riluzole. J Neurol Sci. 2005;233:113-5.
In addition to demyelination and damage to oligodendrocytes, axonal injury and neuronal cell death are dominating histopathological characteristics of multiple sclerosis (MS). Still little is known about the cause of the damage. Extracellular accumulation of glutamate contributes to excitotoxic injury of neurons and glial cells, suggesting that the maintenance of subtoxic extracellular glutamate levels may be crucial. Riluzole is a neuroprotective agent that inhibits the release of glutamate from nerve terminals and modulates glutamate, i.e., kainate and NMDA receptors. It inhibits excitotoxic injury in several experimental models of neurodegenerative disease. We performed a small run-in versus treatment MR-monitored pilot study in 16 primary progressive MS patients. The results suggest that riluzole reduces the rate of cervical cord atrophy and the development of T1 hypointense lesions on magnetic resonance imaging in primary progressive MS. The rate of brain atrophy was only slightly decreased. The results indicate an effect on mechanisms involving lesion evolution and axonal loss, but no clear effect on new lesion formation. However, the data suffer from several limitations and must be confirmed in future trials.
Hopefully these studies will get done soon, it is only ten years since these initial investigator led studies....All I can say is "Shame on You Pharma" as this could have been looked at many, many years ago. It probably is not great but perhaps it could do something positive and slow down progressive MS. | <urn:uuid:6a6fbdc0-9e3d-4c00-8cdf-d6f64b12fb03> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://multiple-sclerosis-research.blogspot.com/2012/05/researchanother-sclerosis-may-teach-us.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00055-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943618 | 893 | 1.828125 | 2 |
1 We a in b, the Eternal Father, and in His c, Jesus Christ, and in the d.
2 We believe that men will be a for their b sins, and not for c transgression.
3 We believe that through the a of Christ, all b may be c, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
4 We believe that the first principles and a of the Gospel are: first, b in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, c; third, d by e for the f of sins; fourth, Laying on of g for the h of the Holy Ghost.
5 We believe that a man must be a of God, by b, and by the laying on of c by those who are in d, to e the Gospel and administer in the f thereof.
6 We believe in the same a that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, b, c, d, e, and so forth.
7 We believe in the a of b, c, d, e, f, g of tongues, and so forth.
8 We believe the a to be the b of God as far as it is translated c; we also believe the d to be the word of God.
9 We believe all that God has a, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet b many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.
10 We believe in the literal a of Israel and in the restoration of the b; that c (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will d personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be e and receive its f g.
11 We claim the a of worshiping Almighty God according to the b of our own c, and allow all men the same privilege, let them d how, where, or what they may.
12 We believe in being a to b, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in c, honoring, and sustaining the d.
13 a believe in being b, true, c, d, virtuous, and in doing e to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we f all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to g all things. If there is anything h, i, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things. | <urn:uuid:f6d3ba90-7beb-4c06-bc8f-7d90a36d5ff5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.lds.org/scriptures/pgp/a-of-f/1.3?lang=eng | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959384 | 505 | 1.632813 | 2 |
10 Ways to Boost Your Child's Math Success
Learn 10 ways to boost your child's math success.
Hover over each Learning Benefit below for a detailed explanation.
Memory and Memorization
- Make sure he understands the concept, or he's facing the daunting challenge of memorizing meaningless rules and drills.
- Teach her to write clearly and neatly. Tracing letters or writing on graph paper will improve her number writing.
- Be around to refresh his memory or explain forgotten concepts.
- Review math vocabulary to ensure she can define the skills she's learning.
- Promote putting down the calculator. Computing math problems in his head will reinforce concepts more quickly.
- Check to make sure your child is approaching her homework properly. She should study the textbook and practice the sample problem before starting the assignment.
- Encourage him to tackle more than just the assigned problems.
- Approach word problems together. Suggest that she read aloud, repeat, and draw a picture of each problem.
- Explain how math applies to real-life situations and challenge him to help you solve the math problems you encounter when you're out together, such as figuring out how many apples to buy or calculating change. He'll be more interested in mastering math if he realizes its value.
- Does she really know it? If she can answer a basic math question within three seconds she's mastered the concept. Try drills and flash cards to get her up to speed.
Recommended Products for Your Child Ages 8-10 | <urn:uuid:93a04de4-6a53-44b7-9d2a-8cc492e8ba08> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.scholastic.com/parents/resources/article/homework-project-tips/10-ways-to-boost-your-childs-math-success | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00071-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.930162 | 306 | 4.125 | 4 |
Get flash to fully experience Pearltrees
Introduction DynObj is an open source library that provides a C++ application with run-time class loading facilities (AKA plugins).
This is a complete Implementation of the FCP2 Specification for the access of Freenet-nodes with any .NET Language.
By Alex, on July 3rd, 2007 To recap the process needed to use a library:
Now that we are on the verge of a public release of ELF file format compilers and utilities, it is a logical time to explain the differences between a.out and ELF, and discuss how they will be visible to the user.
Here are some C and C++ libraries, DLLs, VCLs, source code, components, modules, application frameworks, class libraries, source code snippets, and the like, that you can use with your programs without payment of fees and royalties. Note that some libraries (etc) listed here may have certain restrictions about its use and/or distribution.
This methodology, also known as "shared components" or "archive libraries", groups together multiple compiled object code files into a single file known as a library. Typically C functions/C++ classes and methods which can be shared by more than one application are broken out of the application's source code, compiled and bundled into a library. The C standard libraries and C++ STL are examples of shared components which can be linked with your code.
A comprehensive list, organized by topic, of keyboard and mouse shortcuts for Firefox 3.5 and Firefox 3.6 on each of the major operating systems. Ken Saunders from AccessFirefox.org has created and made available PDF and ODT versions of this document. http://www.7is7.com/software/firefox/shortcuts.html Copyright Otto de Voogd .
I have already featured here some of the best web eCommerce software available for Linux. However, I've noticed that I left out several other high-quality web e-commerce solutions.
Check your security settings Connection issues are typically caused by security settings on your network or computer.
Module One: Getting Started Icebreaker Housekeeping Items The Parking Lot Workshop Objectives Module Two: SmartArt
Recommending the best product for all users is not always easy because of differing user requirements. For example, most of the recommended writers have many options and while this is a plus for advanced users it is a minus for those who only want a simple PDF writer. Presently, I am most taken with BullZip and PDF24 , but all of these programs have their individual strengths and weaknesses.
Version 1.0 Author: Falko Timme <ft [at] falkotimme [dot] com> Follow me on Twitter Last edited 09/03/2010
Takeaway: Jack Wallen discovered one of the easiest CalDAV servers for the Linux operating system. In this tutorial Jack shows how to set up a calendar server quickly and easily. | <urn:uuid:d89d9187-7a42-4bf7-806d-de2b3b815d44> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.pearltrees.com/simse/software-1/id4574588 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.907549 | 609 | 2.203125 | 2 |
We strive to provide the most reliable electric service possible, but outages are going to occur. Weather conditions, automobile accidents and animals are just a few of the issues that can cause disruption of service. Please follow the steps below if your power goes out.
STAY AWAY FROM DOWNED LINES AND BROKEN UTILITY POLES. PLEASE NOTE THE LOCATION AND CALL US IMMEDIATELY. EVEN LINES THAT LOOK HARMLESS CAN BE DANGEROUS. DO NOT TOUCH ANYTHING TOUCHING A LINE SUCH AS LIMBS, TOOLS AND TOYS.
1. If your power is out, check with your neighbors. If they still have electricity, check your circuit breakers or fuses. If that doesn't solve the problem, CALL 931-648-8151 ANYTIME DAY OR NIGHT. Follow the prompts to verify your service location. If we are aware of the outage, you will hear a message stating areas we are aware of that are out. IF YOU HAVE AN ELECTRICAL EMERGENCY, PLEASE CALL 911.
CRITICAL CARE CUSTOMERS
CDE maintains a list of customers who have special medical needs so that in the event of a prolonged outage, CDE can notify these customers of the expected duration. Assignment to the Critical Care list DOES NOT guarantee priority attention in the restoration process.
2. Once you have called to report your outage, there is no need to keep calling. Our system will give you the option to receive a call back from CDE once we believe your power has been restored. If your power has not been restored, you can report it again at this time.
3. Don't keep checking the refrigerator and freezer. Food will keep much longer with doors left closed.
4. Keep a flashlight and battery-powered radio handy. Know where the electric service panel for your home is located and how to reset circuit breakers or replace blown fuses. Make sure your family knows where the service panel is and what to do if you are not at home.
5. When service is restored, overloaded lines could cause another outage. You can help prevent this by switching off your heating and cooling equipment and other appliances during the outage. Leave a light on so you'll know when service has been restored.
Additional Outage Resources:
CDE communicates major outage information to the following media outlets:
Television: WKRN-2, WSMV-4, WTVF-5, FOX17
Radio: 540 AM, 1400 AM, 94.3 FM, 97.5 FM, 100.3 FM, 107.9 FM
Newspaper: The Leaf-Chronicle
Online: www.clarksvillenow.com, www.clarksvilleonline.com | <urn:uuid:3b388622-b59c-4b90-be0b-aa5b2bf1cbd6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.clarksvillede.com/pages/index.asp?Page=Power%20Outages | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00073-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.911621 | 576 | 1.945313 | 2 |
1. Discuss with your students about the characteristics of a team. Have a team building vocabulary word of the day or week, such as responsibility, cooperation, dependability, loyalty, etc. Build lessons and activities around your terms.
2. Divide your class into small groups or teams. Assign specific duties to each member. Have the group come up with a team name, symbol, logo, mascot, etc.
3. Integrate team building activities into your curriculum;
a. Work on a Math problem as a team, graph, or write and solve a story problem.
b. Write a story about their team, names, and characteristics and how they chose their name. Design a poster with the team name, and a self portrait of each member.
c. Read a story as a team using buddy reading, and then present the story in play form to the rest of the class.
d. Design and decorate a classroom bulletin board based on an academic or seasonal theme.
e. Work as a group on a Science or Social Studies project. Each member would be responsible for different segments of research and presentation.
4. For the first week or so of school, have a "question of the day" which would be a daily question that students would answer about themselves. Team students up with different partners and have interview one another. For young children, their responses to questions could be used to write a class experiential story, or display responses as part of a class "Bio Board", or an "Introducing Us" bulletin board.
14 Ways to Build Self Esteem In Kids
1. Respond to each child individually-call him by name
2. Take time to talk with the child about what's important to him/her
3. Use positive guidance and suggestions whenever possible. Reinforce the behavior you like.
4. Keep your expectations consistent with the child's stage of development and ability--be realistic
5. Give a child an opportunity to make choices and take responsibilities that fit his stage of development.
6. Provide opportunities for the child to succeed--challenge him/her when the chances of success are good.
7. Give a child quality time--it's more important than quantity
8. Compare a child's skills against his previous accomplishments--avoid comparing him to other children, especially brothers, sisters, and fellow classmates.
9. Avoid shaming or labeling a child.
10. Be a good model--children learn through watching adults.
11. React to the behavior instead of the personality. ("I don't want the classroom cluttered with materials" instead of "You're a messy, bad boy.")
12. Give a child your recognition for his accomplishments
13. Accept the child's feelings--negative and positive--without judging him
14. Be your students mentor and cheerleader!
Happy Sack -- Take an ordinary brown paper lunch sack and decorate it with smiley faces. Each day when someone sees an act of kindness or notices another classmate being nice, have them write it down on a slip of paper. Put the note into the "Happy Sack". On Friday, go through the Happy Sack and read all of the wonderful things going on in the classroom.
Take it to the Bank -- This is similar to the Happy Sack idea, except that it uses the concepts of making deposits in the bank. Have colored strips of paper available around the room. When students catch each other doing good deeds, have them record what happened on a strip of paper and place it in the "Depository". You could use a decorated shoe-box, large envelope, or any type of container. I actually attached my depository to the wall so that I could have one for each class. Then, on Friday, I spent some time reading through the deposit slips. We recorded each deposit into our class "register" to keep track of our good deeds. If you want, you could also have students record hurtful acts as "withdrawals" and then keep a balance between the withdrawals of the week and the deposits of the week. Use Friday as a time to discuss the issues that may be occurring in the classroom and work through any on-going problems in the classroom. It would be best, if doing this, to start with withdrawals and end with deposits.
Thank You! - On the computer, work up easy "Thank you" notes for students to fill out. There should be between six and eight on a page. Copy the master sheet on colorful paper and cut into squares. There should be one thank you note on each square. Have these available around the room. As a student sees or feels an act of kindness, have them fill out a thank you note to that person. Have students either give the note directly to the person, or place it on their desk. It is amazing what little notes like this from fellow classmates can do to encourage positive community building. | <urn:uuid:0386e4f9-d62c-4295-a082-144a965f2003> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.inspiringteachers.com/classroom_resources/tips/beginning_of_the_school_year/building_a_community.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00067-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949912 | 1,003 | 4.09375 | 4 |
EAGLE COUNTY, Colorado - For as long as ski and summer traffic has backed up from Dumont to Silverthorne, people have been talking about transit along the Interstate 70 corridor. But for every time someone has said "something must be done," someone else has asked, "How will we pay for this?"
For the past eight years, Eagle County Commissioner Peter Runyon has been the county's representative on the Interstate 70 Coalition, a group of officials from the counties along the highway's mountain corridor. That group for years has been looking for solutions to the weekend backups that snarl the highway, with, so far, no real results.
The coalition and the Colorado Department of Transportation earlier this month held a forum at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds near Golden. There, representatives of eight different companies showed off their ideas of how to more efficiently move people and cargo. Runyon, who's seen a host of ideas over the years, said he was impressed with some of what he saw, particularly an idea for four-passenger vehicles.
The vehicles would be available to individuals and small groups, would run on demand and could easily make side trips off the main line along the interstate. That addresses one of conventional transit's biggest problems: Any system that carried lots of people would have to stop too often to build up any real speed.
The smaller system would cost less, too.
The biggest problem, though, is that the smaller system is still more idea than reality.
Still, Runyon believes that the idea has merit, especially if backers can make the system work with a combination of private investment and fare revenue.
Whatever happens - state officials say they want to pick a plan next year, with an eye toward having the first leg built by 2017 - Runyon said he's now "cautiously optimistic" that something might be built, sometime.
Vail Town Manager Stan Zemler is also a member of the coalition's board. Zemler said he's seeing more actual enthusiasm from state officials than he's seen before.
"They're really embracing this big step - that wasn't the case 10 years ago," Zemler said.
While most people talk about carrying passengers from the resorts to the city, Zemler said there's another part of the equation: freight. The ability of any system to haul freight would take any number of trucks off the highway, which would both reduce traffic and help cut down on bottlenecks caused when trucks lose control on icy roads on high passes.
Putting day-to-day deliveries on a transit system could also help create more steady demand, since passengers would be mostly limited to weekend rides.
There's still a long list of questions to answer before any system even makes it to the drawing board. Cost is at the top of the list, but so are questions about whether the ability to get from, say, Avon to Lakewood in an hour would create suburban-type growth in this area.
"If you have the political will, you can manage how and where we grow," Runyon said, adding that he believes the resort experience in the Vail Valley would benefit from a high-speed, high-tech way to get here from Denver's airport.
Zemler agreed that a transit system is an essential next step for the region.
"There's a notion that you progress as a state, as a country, by building alternative transit networks," Zemler said. "You need to do that over time."
Business Editor Scott N. Miller can be reached at 970-748-2930 or firstname.lastname@example.org. | <urn:uuid:79ec91ca-3650-4217-87d0-8fcc74481538> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20121223/NEWS/121229911 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974715 | 742 | 1.71875 | 2 |
Balm of America: Patent Medicine Collection - History
Origin of Patent Medicines
|Hooper's Female Pills|
Many of the earliest English patent medicines, such as Turlington’s Balsam of Life, Bateman’s Pectoral Drops, and Hooper’s Female Pills, were very successful within the American colonies. Some of these medicines survived well into the 20th century, such as Dicey’s Dr. Bateman’s Drops, whose original patent was granted by King George I in1726.
Rise of American Patent Medicines
Civil War Taxation
The government returned to patent medicine taxation during the Spanish American War (1898-1902), using a distinctive “battleship” stamp, as seen on the box of Warner’s Safe Asthma Cure.
Golden Age of Patent Medicines
The second half of the 19th century is considered to be the golden age of American patent medicines. Rapid increases in industry and manufacturing, urban living, advertising in national newspapers and magazines, and the absence of drug regulation all contributed to a boom in the production and consumption of patent medicines. Many people turned to patent medicines out of fear and distrust of contemporary medical practices. This was the period of “heroic medicine,” in which extreme techniques such as bloodletting and the use of harsh purgatives and emetics were often employed by physicians. Working before the advent of germ theory at the end of the 19th century, regular physicians had few therapies that could compete with the patent medicine industry’s promise of easy health in a bottle.
Patent Medicine Advertising
Patent medicine makers were pioneers in the use of such advertising techniques as solicitation through the mail, the provision of free samples and promotional trinkets, national newspaper campaigns, outdoor signage, and testimonials. Popular patent medicine almanacs (free publications of 30 to 40 pages containing weather forecasts, horoscopes, and household and health advice) offered abundant advertising for the sponsoring companies’ products.
Giveaways, such as a matchbook style needle and thread case from the Lydia Pinkham Company, were also used to boost sales.
Beginning of Drug Regulation
Such exposes helped to promote the first federal Food and Drug Act, signed into law by President Theodore Roosevelt on June 30, 1906. The act was amended in 1912, and an even stronger Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act passed in 1938. These laws required drug labeling to include a list of ingredients and prohibited manufacturers from making false and misleading claims.
From 1906 to 1918 manufacturers could label their products with a “guaranty” that their medicine complied with the new food and drug law. The 1906 law required manufacturers to label their products if any of the following ingredients were present: alcohol, morphine, opium, cocaine, heroin, eucaine, chloroform, cannabis indica, chloral hydrate, or acetanilide. A complete listing of all ingredients was not required until 1938.
Federal food and drug regulation continues to evolve. Amendments to the laws in 1951 established clear distinctions between prescription and over-the-counter drugs. More recently, new regulations have introduced the category of “dietary supplements,” whose health claims must be labeled as “not evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.” Also, a “Drug Facts” label has been required on all over-the-counter medicines since 2002.
Patent Medicines Today
Despite dramatic changes in medical knowledge and federal regulation in the past 100 years, self-medication continues to be a popular form of treatment for many Americans. Although no longer referred to as “patent medicines,” over-the-counter products today offer an enormous array of choices without requiring the consultation of a physician. Manufacturers of these remedies continue to rely on extensive advertising to reach the consumer directly, employing many of the methods pioneered by patent medicine marketers over 100 years ago. | <urn:uuid:a2d7bf2a-e7d6-4693-8321-aac98d5521a1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/object-groups/balm-of-america-patent-medicine-collection?ogmt_page=balm-of-america-history&edan_start=0&ogmt_view=grid&edan_fq=date%253A%25221870s%2522 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950354 | 817 | 3.3125 | 3 |
Confronted with INTERACTIVE, optical image of music (DVD format), the listener simultaneously transforms into a viewer. This shakes his experience of music. Insecurity awakes, along with doubt, but also the wish to understand, mostly what is going on at the sensory level. Thus the role of sensory perception increases, which is expressed in sharper awareness and a consciousness that increasingly focuses on understanding. If the listeners’ concentration and the wish to understand are strong enough, a simultaneous control and understanding of two different items of information is ensured, which enables a conscious and richer experience of music. The synthesis of individual contents (visual and aural) into a complete emotional experience also signifies the process of practical adaptation to given reality. We often approach the latter through a deceptive single meaning which is unchangeable and impossible to decompose. This comprehension, acquired by the enhanced stimulation of consciousness while listening to music, our eternal and welcome companion, restores our desire to improvise and create a new, fresh, sensible reality.
Studio INTERAKT has prepared several musical works for demonstration purpose only. The DEMO works do not show the final quality of INTERAKT Visual Music. Quality is limited only to the available hardware used for visualization and/or presentation, including modem connection. Our intention is only to demonstrate our way of visualization process, which is unique and widely recognized as a wonderful artistic-computer solution for a centuries-long desire of many famous personalities in the history of mankind. As such, INTERAKT opens new windows for business applications in practically any industry segment.
- audio, - video, - automatic speed selection | <urn:uuid:97ee6358-a569-41a9-8ad8-719b581dcda3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.si21.com/interakt/demoa.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00061-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.928686 | 326 | 1.804688 | 2 |
2005, Back Bay Books
First Sentence: The story that follows is one I never intended to commit to paper.
Reason for Reading: The premise of the novel intrigued me from the very first time I heard about it. I knew that this was a book I needed to read. I put off reading it until the mood was right—and because I wanted to first read Bram Stoker’s Dracula, which I had been told would provide a little background.
Comments: As is already known, reading is a passion of mine. I enjoy a good story, stepping into the lives of the characters, visiting familiar or completely unknown places, traveling through time, and taking in experiences through the written word that I most likely will never experience in my own lifetime. Through books, my mind and heart are opened to new knowledge and perspectives, whether in fiction or fact. So far this year, I have had the privilege of reading many wonderful books, books that I finished and thought, “Wow!” And then I come across a book like Elizabeth Kostova’s The Historian. A simple “wow” does not do the novel justice. I am not even sure a triple “wow” would cover how I felt reading this book.
Elizabeth Kostova has taken a popular myth, that of Dracula, and added new life to an old story. The Historian is the story of a young woman’s discovery of a dark family secret, told through her voice as well as that of her father’s and his own letters and that of friends. It begins when our sixteen-year-old narrator finds a mysterious book hidden on the top shelf in her father’s study. Inside there is a woodcut of a dragon. She also finds several letters that suggest danger, which further peaks her interest and she soon asks her father to tell her the story behind them. Reluctantly, he does so. As the mystery unfolds, the young woman discovers her family’s connection to the infamous prince, Vlad the Impaler, more popularly known as Dracula, who ruled during the late 15th century. As the characters travel through Europe, they are on an adventure that proves both enlightening and very dangerous. The story goes back and forth in time as the various stories—that of the narrator’s father, mother, Dracula’s and her own—come together.
The author weaves fact with fiction, using her own imagination as well as her thorough research into the history and folklore of the various regions visited in the novel and that of Vlad Dracula. Ms. Kostova captured the political tensions of the times, which was essential because the setting of the novel plays an important part in the story. The writing is elegant and beautiful. I was lost in the prose as soon as I began reading and held in suspense with each chapter. And when I was not reading the book, it was never far from my thoughts. I longed to return to Ms. Kostova’s world when forced to stop because of work, sleep or the usual daily responsibilities.
Perhaps it is my interest in history and other cultures that fascinated me most about The Historian, or it could have been the many mysteries the novel offered. It also could be several of the characters, whose life stories intrigued me and whose intelligence, unfailing curiosity and courage won me over from the first introduction. I have no doubt that it is a combination of all of these factors. This is by far the best book I have read in years and has earned a place among my all time favorite novels. The Historian is a novel that will definitely be worth re-reading, and with each new reading, I am sure something new will be discovered.
Favorite Part: I most loved the author’s descriptions of the various cities and countries that were visited. I felt like I was right there with the characters every step of the way. I loved visiting the various libraries and monasteries. It was all so fascinating to me! I think though, if I had to pick, Paul and Helen’s time in Istanbul is my favorite part of the book. That is where I met Professor Bora and his wonderful wife. But then, I also enjoyed my time in Bulgaria, meeting Stoichev, and his niece. Oh, how I would have loved to spend time listening to the stories he could to tell!
Miscellaneous: This is the hundredth book I have read this year. I am amazed I managed to get this many books read, and it’s only October. I purposefully chose to make The Historian my hundredth book at the beginning of the month, and I think it’s a well-deserved spot.
I bought the hardback version of this book last year when it came out, knowing I wanted to read it. As it turned out, it was not until the paperback version hit stores that I found my way to it among my TBR shelves. I talked my husband into letting me buy a copy of the paperback version—I figured the size would be more convenient to lug around to work and back, not to mention easer to hold when reading in bed each night. | <urn:uuid:31f0b8f0-5060-4aa2-b157-9af158e25772> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.literaryfeline.com/2006/10/review-of-historian-by-elizabeth.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00056-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.983701 | 1,072 | 1.640625 | 2 |
Antiquity of advaita vedanta (was : an open letter to all)
vpcnk at HOTMAIL.COM
Thu Jun 15 12:35:24 CDT 2000
>1) In the words of
>Anantakrishna Sastri, one of the great scholars of advaita in the 20th
>century, he speaks of mAdhyamika or shUnyavAda (I quote) "...tanmataM
>dUShitaM bhAmatInyAratnAvalyAdau vistareNa" (foot note on page 142 -
>advaita-siddhi, parimal publications), "...that system has been
>refuted in detail by works such as bhAmatI, nyAyaratnAvalI, etc."
>And guess who the author of bhAmatI is? VAchaspati Mishra himself.
>So now we have a problem. Pt. Anantakrishna Sastri says VAchaspati
>Mishra has refuted mAdhyamika in his bhAmatI whereas you say that
>the same VAchaspati openly lauds mAdhyamika. Who should we believe?
>Please solve this problem for us!
Please read the bhAmati yourself. VAchaspati criticizes the SarvAstivAdin
bauddhas as being of inferior intellect, the vijnAnavAdins as being of
middling intellect and lauds the MAdhyamas as of having a superior
intellect. And MAdhyamaka as a school later developed into many forms which
was not truly faithful to the original teachers of the schools - some of the
new forms were the svatantra MAdhyamaka of BhAvaviveka, the SautrAntika
vijnAnavAda of DignAga and Dharmakiirti etc. Most VedAntic criticism's are
of those schools and are not aimed at NAgArjuna.
>2) You are right that shrIharshha uses Buddhist logic to refute
> nyAya theories. But he is very clear in showing his allegiance to
> vedAnta! The conclusion is he uses the techbiques only as a tool,
> to put forth his own thesis of vedAnta. It is possible to put forth
> the advaita doctrine using modern logic. Would doing so mean that
> we are somehow indebted to the western logicians? No it doesn't.
> To argue for advaita, we can use Buddhist logic, modern logic or
> some other technique. Buddhist logic is NOT indispensable, not even
If you notice that's what I'm trying to say out here - that the MAdhyamaka
dialectic can be used as a tool for us to have an intellectual grasp of
mAyA. Since very few of us have the guts to be real VedAntins who could
experentially understand mAyA, this is almost the only jnAnic way out.
And logic doesn't differentiate between bauddha or nyAya or modern. It is
only the conclusions that logic is used to arrive at that marks it as
specific to this or that school. According to both Advaita and the
MAdhyamaka, the phenomenal world is unreal in the ultimate sense. That's
the reason Sri Harsha has no problems about using MAdhyamaka logic.
>3) As far as GauDapAda saluting Buddha, nothing can be farther from
> the truth. His salute to "dvipadAM varaM" has been shown by Shankara
> to refer to nArAyaNa Himself. And we have the concurrence of the
> shrIvaiShNava scholars on this point as well. GauDapAda salutes
> nArAyaNa in his kArikA, not Buddha. (Of course, you may argue that
> Buddha was considered an avatar of ViShNu, but that point is irrelevant
Have you read the KArikA? The opening salute is not the only place of
reference. There are numerous other direct references to the Buddha in the
>4) Speaking of Shankara, we are yet to see brilliant claims of his
> worshipping Buddha. While you are working on this, please explain
> why Shankara is so sharply critical of EVERY school of Buddhism in
> his sUtra-bhAShya. Concluding his refutation of Buddhism with the sUtra
> "sarvathAnupapatteshcha", Shankara says "na kAMchidapyatropapattiM
> pashyAmaH", " we do not see any (logical) propriety here (in
> Buddhism)." Shankara means that Buddhism is logically flawed. He
> says the Buddha taught mutually contradictory theories either because
> he was so terribly incoherent in his teachings or because he really
> wished to harm his followers by confusing them.
Swami Jayendra Saraswati of KAnchi Matham recently said something in this
context. Asked whether Hindus should disown the Buddha since Shankara
sharply criticized him, the swami diagreed saying that somebody of the
spiritual genius of Shankara could do that and not us. When he himself, a
practicing VedAntin and an AchArya considers himself in the "us" category, I
don't think we should even talk about the subject.
>The question I have
> is: should we then conclude based on what your insight in mAdhyamika
> provides us that Shankara was incapable of understanding what the
> Buddha meant, something that you have been able to accomplish?
And this I suppose is the trick question which is supposed to pit me against
Shankara himself and thus invalidate my arguments. Any which way you can to
win the argument, I suppose!
Anyway the answer is that Shankara himself was not a direct disciple of the
Buddha. What he knew of the Buddha's teachings was through the various
schools which had sprouted up, each claiming to teach the true message of
the Buddha. And of the numerous schools probably only two are truly close to
his teachings. And they have a lot in common with Advaita itself. But even
these two schools by the time of Shankara had flowered to various forms. And
Shankara's main criticism is against the distorted versions of the new
schools and not of the original authors themselves.
Even in your posting from Advaita Siddhi, where it is said that ShUnyavAdins
endorse momentariness, it is a plain misreading of the MAdhyamaka position.
Nowhere does NAgArjuna even endorse momentariness, infact he specifically
refutes the theory.
And can't we have an objective discussion without resorting to personal
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bhava shankara deshikame sharaNam
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Post your BUSINESS/Events for just a CUP OF COFFEE, and we can share it with our 100,000+ Urban Professional AUDIENCE that range in age mostly from 25-45 and are 65% Female making at least $30K and live and like nice things!
A Double Edged Sword
Daily we make decisions which can have life-changing consequences but often we don’t see them that way – especially if they affect others, and not ourselves. I guess that’s the human part of us that has a limited capacity to feel empathy or even care when we, ourselves have so much going on. Some things just aren’t real until they become ours.
Think about the last time you heard some bad/sad news from a friend, how did you respond or react? “We’re getting a divorce.” “My child flunked math.” “We decided to get an abortion.” “They fired me from my job because I spoke up to my supervisor.” “My wife gave me a disease.” “I had to file bankruptcy.” “My husband got another woman pregnant.” “He keeps saying he’ll stop hitting me and I have no where else to go.” “My parents can’t take of themselves anymore so I have to do it.” “The doctor said I have 3 months to live.” “They said it was cancer.” “We’re getting evicted tomorrow.”...
Have you ever had someone make a statement like one of those to you? What did you do or think or say? And did you process it or did you say something politically correct and then just move on, trying to erase the memory thinking, “I’m glad it wasn’t me!”?
Well, people go through stuff every single day. And if you haven’t you’ve been extremely isolated – or so self-focused that people don’t even bother to share important things with you.
It’s time to stop being hypocrites and face up to your own challenges as well as those of your friends and neighbors. So many bad things are happening and there is too much hate. The difference is that people are becoming more and more bold in sharing their positions. Well, we must become more and more bold in being the best person(s) we were designed to be.
Stop holding in and isolating your pain, confusion, snobbery, arrogance or lack of esteem. Stop only thinking about yourself. Think about the consequences of your behavior. If you cheat, lie, mislead, avoid or leave, your actions or attitudes may crush the spirit of those who have been in your corner. The stakes are too high.
If you are not shining, we are all missing the benefits of who you are and why you are here. We are interwoven whether we acknowledge it or not. It’s time to take back our lives, our finances, our careers, our families and our societies. This country was built on belief in God and with hard work and determination. There are daily reminders of where we have been and there are daily bread crumbs to lead us to where we can be.
Get off your butt and get into your head and heart. We need the best of who you are, right now. Make a call, correct a child, offer a ride, listen to a story, speak up when you see wrong, be open to love, resist hate, get out of your ego, claim your confidence and get on your knees regularly.
You are brilliant. This season we all have a chance to wrap it up nicely and to start off preparedly. What are you going to do? Who do you love and how do you show it?
There are people in this world waiting on you. You are brilliant. #Be Inspired
From my heart,
Jo Lena Johnson, Be Inspired!
Offering Inspiration and Solutions
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The mephedrone ban came into force last month in the United Kingdom. Also known as Meow, Bubbles and MCAT, there's no denying that it has been hitting the headlines over the last three months in a big way.
It was an offense under the Medicines Act to sell mephedrone for human consumption, so it was often sold as "plant food" or "bath salts" in the United Kingdom, because it wasn't covered by the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. On April 7, an amendment to the act was passed by the U.K. parliament, making mephedrone and other substituted cathinones (stimulants) Class B drugs illegal starting April 16.
Substance abuse is a serious social issue and societies and governments have different ways of dealing with it. How we measure societies' attitude towards a sensitive issue can be tricky, and there are various ways of doing this. Let's examine how Britain is searching online for mephedrone and other drugs to see whether we as a society are kicking the habit, or on the verge of getting hooked.
Historical Drug Search Data
Over the last five years, just what have our search habits been with regards some of the headline hitting drugs?
While cannabis had its heyday in the mid-2000s when it was downgraded to class C, it has been struggling for search interest ever since. It was reclassified in 2009 with little effect on the level we conduct our searches.
The hard drug cocaine is the second most popular narcotic, but its level of interest has also been decreasing. The spurt in 2005 may be been attributed to a popular documentary series.
Much lower down the ranks is crystal meth. Interest peaks in 2005 (not sure why) and again in 2009 (related to Louis Theroux's documentary on Central Valley, California).
U.K. Mephedrone Search Trends
There's no denying that mephedrone is the drug of the moment in terms of searches, surpassing cannabis. But just how are we searching for it, and is the trend similar to the other three? For the top three related searches, common to all four drugs is our interest in their effects.
There are also the informational searches: "crystal meth drug," "cannabis uk," "drugs cocaine," "mephedrone uk." However, mephedrone stands by having a top search for a keyword with commercial intent: "mephedrone buy."
Top Rising Searches
Drilling down a bit further looking at habits leading for the first three months of this year, when the legality of this drug was being heavily debated, here's how the U.K. was searching:
Source: Google Insights for Search
While the top interest search was still related to buying mephedrone, it's interesting to note that the top rising searches in the same period were news related.
Source: Google Insights for Search
But, note that people were still searching to buy and this trend was also increasing in the run up to the ban. And is this a drug of the moment, and has the searching public found an alternative to cocaine and cannabis in terms of interest?
It will be interesting to study the behavior in the engines over the course of the coming months. Does the fact that more people are searching to buy mephedrone mean the U.K. is on the verge of getting hooked as a society?
Maybe we will learn from TalktoFRANK.com, which has started a paid search campaign, targeting mephedrone keywords with high commercial intent to educate us on the harmful effects of this drug.
Know your Ambiguous Customer: Effective Multi-Channel Tracking
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Register today - don't miss this free webinar! | <urn:uuid:614a8240-65cb-41cc-ba08-07e9ac760c74> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2049320/Tracking-Search-Habits-The-Mephedrone-Ban | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00058-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966167 | 808 | 1.5625 | 2 |
Vatican Bank seeks to counter image of secrecy
The Vatican Bank has opened up to the media in an effort to appear more transparent, amid a scandal surrounding the Vatican's financial affairs.
In a briefing to journalists, director Paolo Cipriani said the bank wanted to dispel "myths", including that it runs secret bank accounts.
In May, the bank sacked its president, who said he was being punished for seeking greater transparency.
Earlier this year, leaks hinted at Vatican rifts about the bank's running.
The Vatican said the official, Ettore Gotti Tedeschi, had been dismissed for being an ineffective manager.
The series of leaked memos known as Vatileaks revealed allegations of corruption, nepotism and internal conflicts within the Vatican, including about how to to comply with international banking regulations.
In May, the Pope's personal butler, Paolo Gabriele, was arrested and charged in connection with the Vatican's inquiry into the scandal. Officials said he was involved in leaking documents.Openness
Thursday's briefing comes as Moneyval, the Council of Europe body tasked with counteracting money laundering, is to due to rule in July on whether the Vatican meets international standards on financial transactions.
Mr Cipriani acknowledged that the bank's operations had been shrouded in a "veil of mystery" in the past, but said it had taken steps to comply with international standards.
"We have nothing to hide," the Reuters news agency quoted Mr Cipriani telling the briefing.
"I want to deflate the legend once and for all: There are no numbered accounts and there are no links to offshore banks."
The bank, known formally as the Institute for Works of Religion, handles Vatican officials' financial accounts, although it relies on commercial non-Vatican banks for some banking operations.
In 1982, it lost $250m (£158m) in a scandal involving the collapse of one of Italy's biggest private banks - the Banco Ambrosiano - with which it had close ties. | <urn:uuid:f53f4957-7c52-41db-a36c-1d60866457c9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-18631950 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9643 | 418 | 1.757813 | 2 |
Edem Adubra, Chief of the Section for Teacher Policy and Development, UNESCO Paris, France
Enhancing the status and professionalism of teachers in the digital age: UNESCO’s perspective
Teachers are a priority in the framework of Education for All (EFA) and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) implementation. At a global level, the role of teachers has been mentioned in major conferences and reports related to EFA and MDGs. And this role has increasingly been mentioned in parallel with the important role of technology in education, both as key players of the development of education.
UNESCO has five main functions:
- Laboratory of ideas, including foresight on the future of education.
- Standard-setter, helping to set educational policies.
- Clearing house.
- Capacity-builder in UNESCO’s fields of competence.
- Catalyst for international cooperations.
UNESCO’s Teacher Education programme provides training and management, advice on policies and quality assurance, information on gender and ICTs, etc. including a Recommendation concerning the Status of Higher-Education Teaching Personnel that was issued jointly with ILO.
In the field of capacity development, UNESCO works in the intersection of ICTs and teacher education, assisting with the development and adaptation of online tools and resources, with a focus on open educational resources (OERs) and guidelines for the effective use of ICT in teacher education, including how to adapt curricula, methodologies and syllabuses.
Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is also an important part in capacity development for teachers.
UNESCO usually partners too with the private sector to be able to carry on specific projects: Microsoft, Intel, Varkey GEMS Foundation, Nokia, etc. We need to bring the expertise of those who are working in the field to know what is working and what is not, so that UNESCO’s policies and actions are guided by research and real experience.
Emma Kiselyova: what can be done to increase the adoption and impact of the recommendations, resources and outcomes in general of conferences and committees related to education? Adubra: Curricula and teachers’ practices are very difficult to change overnight. We have to have a clear and smooth implementation plan, and this is what is lacking. And most of the research on these topics remains closed within the “ivory towers” of academic publishing, with serious flaws concerning outreach and with an arguable lack of effectiveness.
Q: how can we avoid the “westernization” of teaching all over the world? how can we embed in international policies the way of thinking that is not from Western countries? Can ICT be used outside of Western educational context? Adubra: surely governments have a crucial role in “transposing” international recommendations to the context of their own populations. And the responsibility of education is to tame technologies so that they do not destroy, but help in the building of a society.
Arthur Preston: what strategies can we put up in practice to fight the digital divide in education? Adubra: basic infrastructures are a prior stage that has to be addressed. Education and ICT in Education cannot be treated as an isolated matter, but within a bigger framework.
Q: how do we use technology for assessment? Adubra: we promote participatory teaching, collaborative learning, but our assessment (especially State-level ones) still is based on pencil and paper, writing essays, etc. Maybe, instead of trying to organize new assessment strategies yet again at the State-level, what we should focus is on teacher training on new assessment methodologies, and afterwards see how we make them compatible or comparable one to another.
UOC UNESCO Chair in Elearning VIII International Seminar: Teacher Training: Reconsidering Teachers' Roles (2011)
If you need to cite this article in a formal way (i.e. for bibliographical purposes) I dare suggest:
Peña-López, I. (2011) “Reconsidering Teachers’ Roles (VII). Edem Adubra: Enhancing the status and professionalism of teachers in the digital age” In ICTlogy,
#97, October 2011. Barcelona: ICTlogy.
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