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Brian Whitman (The Echo Nest) teaches computers how to make, listen to, and read about music. He received his doctorate from the Machine Listening group at MIT’s Media Lab in 2005 and his masters in Computer Science from Columbia University’s Natural Language Processing group in 2000. His research links automatically extracted community knowledge of music to its acoustic properties to “learn the meaning of music.” His composition and sound art projects consider the effects of machine interpretation of large amounts of media, such as the first actual “computer music” (as in music for computers) of “Eigenradio.” As the co-founder and CTO of the Echo Nest Corporation, Brian architects an open platform with billions of data points about the world of music: from the listeners to the musicians to the sounds within the songs.
For information on exhibition and sponsorship opportunities at the conference, contact Gloria Lombardo at firstname.lastname@example.org
For media partnerships, contact mediapartners@ oreilly.com
For media-related inquiries, contact Maureen Jennings at email@example.com
View a complete list of Velocity contacts | <urn:uuid:292ae7b6-fb07-4519-a94f-efa7c13cac9a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://velocityconf.com/velocityeu2012/public/schedule/speaker/101325 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00067-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.909145 | 239 | 1.585938 | 2 |
Campus Calm is way ahead of its time - an organization that recognizes that today's young women are incredibly high achieving and also totally overworked and overwhelmed. Accolades and A's are not what life, ultimately, is about. Campus Calm reminds us to enjoy the view and teaches us how.
–Courtney E. Martin, Editor Emeritus at Feministing.com
The media does not help women’s self-esteem and college sometimes places too much emphasis on being perfect. Maria gave us another perspective that was empowering. We must learn when enough is enough!
–Kelsee, attendee of Purdue University’s 12th Annual Women in Leadership Conference
A "Calm Oasis" for college women leaders, college students and young professionals
As a mentor for rising leaders and a natural overachiever, Maria Pascucci understands the first-hand effects of striving for perfection in all facets of life. She urges college women leaders, college students and young professionals to be mindful of the detriment these effects can have on their mental, emotional and physical state and believes that sometimes, it is best to just "keep calm".
Maria is a former frazzled college perfectionist turned award-winning author, speaker, leader and change-maker before her 30th birthday.
She specializes in:
- College women student leadership, self-esteem and wellness
- Personal leadership development for college women, college students and young professionals
- Exposing perfectionism as a private barrier to college success, retention and resilience building
- Exposing perfectionism as a private barrier to women's leadership and how to lead by example to break the cycle
© 2013 Campus Calm®. All rights reserved. | <urn:uuid:8ec4a457-cea1-4cee-998a-3849bbf1d870> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://campuscalm.com/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00057-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957543 | 347 | 1.554688 | 2 |
. "2. The Influence of the National Science Education Standards on the Science Curriculum." What Is the Influence of the National Science Education Standards?: Reviewing the Evidence, A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, 2003.
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RECOMMENDATIONS FOR RESEARCH
Upon completion of a review of the literature related to the influence of the NSES on the science curriculum, one is left with many unanswered or partially answered questions. There are many gaps in the research literature. The following recommendations are offered to researchers and funding agencies to consider as a research agenda for the next decade:
Innovative designs are needed to learn more about the nature of standards-based instructional materials in K-12 science.
Consumer report studies are needed to characterize the degree to which available instructional materials in science at all levels and in all subjects are standards-based. These studies should be repeated at least once every three years, because instructional materials are continuously changing. The results of these studies should be disseminated widely.
States and school districts need assistance and support in identifying and selecting high-quality, standards-based materials.
Studies are needed at regular intervals to determine the degree to which local school districts are adopting high-quality, standards-based materials and to determine the factors that influence successful use.
For reform to proceed, intensive and extended professional development and substantial resources are required to support teachers in enacting standards-based curriculum, instruction, and assessment practices.
Studies are needed to investigate the nature of the enacted curriculum in classrooms throughout the nation to determine the quality of the program and the alignment with best practices.
Large-scale studies are needed to investigate the impact of standards-based science programs (where curriculum, instruction, and assessment are well aligned) on student achievement.
Failure to conduct these studies will ultimately cast doubt on the value of the massive expenditures on standards-based reform. The public and educators alike will demand a continuous chain of evidence that strongly supports the claim that standards-based reform has improved the quality of science education in our nation’s schools. Without establishing alignment of all aspects of the system, however, it will be impossible to draw valid conclusions about the value of national standards in science. | <urn:uuid:50c70a84-981d-4d8e-94b2-e21e19cd8b2f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=10618&page=63 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00071-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.931096 | 492 | 3.34375 | 3 |
Pests and Pesticides: The organic foodies attack S
September 12, 2000
by Dennis T. Avery
National Review September 11, 2000
Last February, John Stossel gave us a powerful expose of the organic-food myth on ABC's 20/20. Now the organic industry (and the environmental movement that sponsors it) are trying to punish Stossel, warn other journalists away, and erase the 20/20 tapes forever.
Newspapers all over the country recently published an organic-industry charge that Stossel had deceived the American public in his broadcast. The organic fans say Stossel should be fired. Katherine DiMatteo of the Organic Trade Association says her group is considering a class-action lawsuit because of Stossel's "damage to the organic industry." (Amusingly, the group's press releases were distributed by Fenton Communications, which-just a few years ago-gave us the Alar hoax that had mothers snatching healthful
apples out of their children's lunchboxes.)
What was Stossel's awful mistake? He said ABC had tested organic and mainstream vegetables, and found no pesticide residues on either kind-when in fact, ABC hadn't tested any vegetables for pesticides. But then, his program wasn't about pesticides, it was about bacterial contamination.
Stossel apologized to his viewers on the August 11 20/20 broadcast for the error in what was essentially a footnote of the segment. But he also reiterated his central point: ABC News tested mainstream and organic foods for bacteria. They wanted to see if organic consumers were at greater health risk because organic farmers typically use pathogen-laden animal manure to fertilize their food crops. (Mainstream farmers rarely use manure on food crops; mostly they use chemical nitrogen taken from the air.)
The answer to that question was a loud yes: ABC News found the levels of dangerous bacteria on the organic spring greens and sprouts more than ten times higher than in their mainstream counterparts. Stossel told his viewers the exact truth about finding much more E. coli bacterial contamination on the organic vegetables. The organic faction counters that ordinary E. coli is only a little dangerous, and that people shouldn't worry unless they find the more virulent O157 strain-which can kill healthy people and leave even its survivors with permanent damage to internal organs such as kidneys and
livers. But while it's true that ordinary E. coli kills only the weak, millions of other people get severe stomach pains from it, and a few hundred thousand per year must visit the hospital. Dr. Lester Crawford, former head of food-safety inspection for the Food and Drug Administration, said on the 20/20 broadcast that health authorities consider any E. coli in food a health hazard and an indication of filth and contamination.
As for "damage to the organic industry," the most damaging statements were made by its own spokeswoman. When Stossel asked DiMatteo if organic food was more nutritious than regular food, she said, "It's as nutritious as any other product." (She said it twice.)
That's a radical scaledown, coming from an industry that has claimed for decades that its products are vastly more nutritious, more "natural," and more vigorously healthful. They've trashed mainstream farmers unceasingly, claiming they produce pallid food, bereft of the rich nutrition our forefathers enjoyed. We have to assume DiMatteo finally told the truth on 20/20 because Crawford was on the program, and would have exposed the usual organic lies about extra nutrients. He knows that many comparative tests of organic and regular food have been done over the decades, and have found no consistent differences. Tufts University even held a conference in 1997 comparing the nutritive quality of organic and mainstream crops from 19 countries. It turned out that the varieties of carrots and spinach the growers planted made a bigger difference than the growing system.
The British organic industry was asked the same nutrition question last year, at an official government hearing. They claimed they hadn't had time or funding to do the complex tests. But they've been making their claims of superior nutrition for more than 50 years. Their poster boy is Prince Charles, who not only has a fortune estimated at $475 million, but is the patron of the Royal Agricultural College. Surely, the Prince could have gotten some testing done?
Stossel also asked DiMatteo if organic food was safer. Again, she felt forced to tell the truth. "Organic agriculture," she admitted, "is not particularly a food-safety claim." In fact, the organic label means only that the farmer used organic fertilizer instead of chemical fertilizer, and used "natural" pesticides such as copper sulfate (broadly toxic) and sulfur (a soil contaminant). DiMatteo was forced to admit the truth on national
television. Now she's demanding that ABC never show the program again. No wonder.
Even Stossel's mistake-saying "our tests surprisingly found no pesticide residue on the conventional samples or the organic"-was not an error about the underlying scientific truth, merely an error of attribution. He would have been correct if he had simply referred to published government data. The FDA finds no pesticide residues on about 70 percent of the unwashed vegetables it tests-and it mostly tests where it expects to find pesticides.
The FDA's market-basket survey annually finds we're being exposed to less than 1 percent of the "allowable" amount of pesticide residue (which has 1,000-fold safety factors built in).
Meanwhile, Dr. Bruce Ames, to whom President Clinton gave the National Science Medal just last year, says 99.9 percent of the pesticides we ingest are natural; thousands of these natural pesticides are produced in the plants to fend off pests. So much for organic food being pesticide-free.
Despite the fact that these are carcinogens, our non-smokers' cancer risks have been declining significantly throughout the pesticide era. (Stomach cancer, for example, is down by three-fourths.) The dose makes the poison, and we ingest only tiny doses of pesticides, be they natural or synthetic.
Why, then, the uproar over Stossel's mistake? It's being driven by the same politically correct agenda that has led Marian Burros, the food editor of the New York Times, to write more than 100 columns and articles over the last two years praising organic food. (That's not news, but a campaign.)
Organic food is now the icon on which the environmental movement is based. Without the lie that organic farming gives us more nutritious foods, the average consumer might have more respect for the abundance provided by high-yield farming. Without the lie that organic food is safer for people, parents might worry about their children's food being fertilized with pathogen-laden animal manure. Without the lie that pesticides endanger
wildlife, city folks might realize that without high-yield farming, we would already have plowed down every square mile of forest on the planet to feed ourselves.
The organic and environmental movements can't let the facts get out. They need to have Stossel punished so harshly that no other reporter will dare expose the organic myth.
Dennis T. Avery is based in Churchville, VA, and is director of the Hudson Institute's Center for Global Food Issues. | <urn:uuid:04b0433e-0a52-4d3e-aac8-33a5e0d633ef> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.hudson.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=publication_details&id=693 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963673 | 1,511 | 1.59375 | 2 |
Moringa Tree is an exceptionally nutritious tree with a variety of potential uses. The tree is slender with drooping branches, and grows up to 10 meters in height. The Moringa tree grows very quickly- it comes into leaves at the end of the dry season, when other foods are the scarcest. Actually, the Moringa grows quickly in any tropical climate. Moringa is a versatile plant that can be grown as a tree or as a “perennial-vegetable” under intensive cultivation. Within six months of planting a seed or a piece of trunk, one can cut leaves from the tree. The leaves can be cooked, which looks like cooked spinach, or dried, ground over a screen for several days, and ground into a fine powder that can be added to almost anything as a nutrient supplement.
Moringa leaf powder can be used as a tea, added to beverages, sprinkled on food or taken in capsules. Moringa leaf powder is loaded with nutrition, easy to make, easy to store and easy to use. The ways to incorporate Moringa leaf powder into the diet are truly endless. It can be used in cooking, but high temperatures destroy some of the nutrients. | <urn:uuid:36311a3f-7cd2-40a3-bcc3-867b82591fc8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.moringa-powder.com/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00073-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958364 | 251 | 3.203125 | 3 |
Stories about IHA and our community. Please contact us if you have a story or a suggestion for a blog posting.
ADHD Video for Mental Health Awareness Month
Thu, 05/09/2013Check out this free PSA for ADHD and visit the Speak Up For Kids website for more information on learning disorders and the value of getting help for ADD, ADHD, and other learning disorders.
Recent Study: Relationship Issues a Risk Factor for Depression
According to a recent blog post from UofMhealth.org, relationship issues are a strong pre
Overcoming Violence and Recovering from Aphasia at UMAP
A UMAP client is on his way to recovering from aphasia through intensive speech therapy and other aphasia treatment after he was the victim of an act of violence that caused severe damage to the brain. We wish Danny and his family all the best on their journey to recovery from this traumatic event.
Autism Diagnosis Expert Leads Autism Assessment Workshops—Deadline Approaching!
Dr. Fiona Miller and Ms. Vanessa Hus Bal of UCCF are hosting workshops on autism diagnosis at our Ann Arbor offices next month. Our workshops focus on two autism assessment tools, the ADOS-2, including the toddler module, and ADI-R. Deadlines for applications are approaching!
Mental Health Awareness Month: Mental Health in Children
President Obama recently proclaimed May as National Mental Health Awareness Month. We are getting involved in raising awareness for mental health in children, and we encourage you to take part in raising mental health awareness at home and in your community. Here's how you can get involved.
Helping Children Experiencing Behavior Issues Find Success
UCCF provides parent information and parental support for those helping children with behavior issues find success in their environments, helping parents work toward beneficial behavior modification.
Take a Tour of Our New Location
Tue, 02/26/2013At the start of the year, after 17 consecutive years of treating clients in East Hall, the University Center for the Child and the Family (UCCF), the U-M Psychological Clinic, and the Institute for Human Adjustment's central office moved to a new location.
Handling Traumatic Events
Mon, 12/17/2012In response to the tragic school shooting in Connecticut, we would like to provide you with resources to utilize in helping your children or family cope with this difficult situation.
Our Newest Video: Social Interactions for Autism Spectrum Disorder
Fri, 11/30/2012As part of our annual Adjustment Matters: Community Form Series, Judy L. Nantau, MA, CCC-SLP, recently presented a free lecture on social interactions for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at the Ann Arbor downtown library. Ms. Nantau described the ways in which ASD diagnoses are changing and provided information on and tips for successful social communication with individuals on the spectrum. She also recommended several resources, from programs to applications (apps), for parents and caregivers to use to foster social interactions with individuals diagnosed with ASD. | <urn:uuid:62e12ef6-b189-47d1-a673-5426a916d530> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://iha.umich.edu/news-events/blog | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.922498 | 622 | 1.78125 | 2 |
Graduate Programs SDSU's Engineering Graduate students work closely with faculty in many research areas such as telecommunication systems, bioremediation engineering, signal processing, residual stress measurements using acoustic microscopy, high altitude unmanned aerial vehicle design, sintering polymeric powders, storm water management, and hybrid-electric vehicle design.
San Diego is known globally for its dynamic research-oriented environment and many projects involve faculty and students collaborating side-by-side with local industry. SDSU's graduate research enjoys funding from contracts and grants from industry, state and federal government agencies, and non-profit organizations.
The College of Engineering Graduate Program offers the Master of Science degree in:
* The Master of Engineering degree prepares engineering leaders with a blended curriculum of engineering and business courses.
In addition, a doctoral degree in Engineering Science and Applied Mechanics is offered jointly with the University of California at San Diego.
All graduate applicants must satisfy requirements for admission to the Graduate Division at San Diego State University. For more information, please visit:
Graduate and Research Affairs
MyGAP - Graduates Access Page
Webpage for the discipline, listed above | <urn:uuid:deb342ed-2203-4848-80d5-151e93d898c9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.engineering.sdsu.edu/engineering/graduate_programs.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00070-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.925788 | 234 | 1.609375 | 2 |
You may have learned about your carbon footprint in an environmental science class, but have you learned about your online footprint?
Your online footprint is what you leave behind on sites like Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram—the list goes on. More and more college admissions officers are using these social networks to do research on prospective students before admitting them—or not admitting them in some cases.
Here are some tips on how to make your online profile squeaky clean for Admissions:
1. Dave Copeland at ReadWrite.com writes about high school students amping up their privacy settings and changing their profile names in order to avoid scrutiny from admissions officers. If you’re nervous about what people can see about you, this may be a good option: laying low for a while. However, remember that even if you change your “name,” there are other ways people can find you, including through email addresses and phone numbers.
2. On the other hand, Anne Collier with The Christian Science Monitor writes that having no online presence at all can look suspicious to admissions officers, demonstrating a need to hide oneself. So you can lay low without completely going off the grid.
3. Just stop and think before you post. Honestly, if it’s something you wouldn’t want your parents seeing, you probably wouldn’t want admissions officers seeing it, either. According to Kaplan Test Prep’s 2012 survey, most admissions officers cited foul language, pictures depicting the consumption of alcohol, and blatant plagiarism to be the biggest turn-offs.
4. Do you have a presentable Facebook photo? If admissions officers are looking for you, would you rather them see your senior picture or a picture of a disappointed McKayla Maroney? Think of your Facebook photo as an actor’s head shot. But be natural, not phony. You want to to leave the best online impression of yourself that you can. | <urn:uuid:b27f4072-6a8f-4727-9323-428be722f38a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.collegeprowler.com/2012/11/high-school-students-is-your-online-self-ready-to-be-admitted-to-college/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942945 | 396 | 2.21875 | 2 |
Wreck-la-mation: n. the act of destroying, forever, a vibrant, Alaska salmon stream; 2: PacRim's coal strip mine plan for the Chuitna River watershed in Upper Cook Inlet.
Under the state's large mine permitting system, there's no law that prohibits mining through a salmon stream. So, few Alaskans probably know PacRim's proposed Chuitna coal strip mine in Upper Cook Inlet plans to be the first major strip mine project in Alaska's history to completely remove the streambed and permanently take out the "root" of 11 miles of vibrant salmon streams. I want every Alaskan to understand -- and to speak out about -- the horrible precedent that could be set right here in Cook Inlet.
We're no different from other Alaskans who love to hunt and fish. We marvel at the incredible resources God put before us and we're blessed to be able to fill our freezer with salmon and moose every year. And we have an excellent relationship with industry, having lived with oil and gas in our backyard for many years.
But responsible development is one thing, and the Chuitna coal strip mine is another. In addition to mining through an important salmon stream, this massive project would dump an average of 7 million gallons of mine waste and runoff into the Chuitna River and Cook Inlet every day. Plus, this mine would rip through up to 30 square miles of pristine fish and game habitat if fully developed. The whole Kenai Peninsula, from Hope to Homer, is underlain with coal, but a project like this would never be considered if it were in the Kenai or Kasilof watersheds.
Last week in Fairbanks, Gov. Parnell told the Alaska Miners Association "We're never going to allow a mine that trades the future of one resource for another." We agree 100 percent. Why would we ever destroy a healthy stream full of wild Alaska salmon, just so a couple Texas millionaires who are behind this project can make a buck selling our coal to China? Scientific reports show this complex river system could never be reclaimed to produce healthy fish runs again. Instead of "reclamation," we should just call it what it really is -- "wrecklamation."
There ought to be a law against mining through a salmon stream. Because if it can happen here in Cook Inlet, it will happen anywhere there's a quick buck to be made at the expense of healthy, sustainable salmon runs.
If there's one thing that sets us apart from the Lower 48, it's that we haven't trashed our fish streams. Yet. But we're making the same mistakes they made Outside unless we draw a line in the sand and say "no mining through salmon streams." Period. It's good stewardship, and it's the right thing to do for our kids, grandkids and all future Alaskans.
If you agree, and if Cook Inlet salmon are important to you and your family, then get involved. Learn more at www.chuitna.org, sign the petition at www.obviouslaw.org, then write to Gov. Parnell and tell him he's right not to trade one resource for another. If we don't put our foot down now, we shouldn't be surprised when our fisheries go the way of the once-mighty salmon runs in Oregon, Washington, California and British Columbia.
Judy Heilman is president of the Chuitna Citizens Coalition, an association of property owners, fisherman and hunters working to protect fish and game habitat from the impacts of the proposed Chuitna coal strip mine in Upper Cook Inlet. | <urn:uuid:3d273b2c-72ac-483b-b516-3036ab1513e4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.adn.com/2010/03/22/1194926/chuitna-coal-project-plans-to.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946319 | 750 | 2.328125 | 2 |
If you compete in sports that require repeated short bursts of very fast running, such as in basketball, soccer, or football, will you recover faster by standing still or by continuing to move at a slower pace? A study from Brooklyn College in New York showed that it doesn’t make any difference (International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, February 2006). Researchers asked fit athletes to perform multiple bouts of exercising to exhaustion. Between the bouts of vigorous exercise, one group spent 12 minutes staying completely still, while the other group continued to exercise at less than 20 percent of their maximum workload. Athletes in both groups showed equal recoveries and performances.
However, those who stayed still between all-out efforts had blood that was more acidic than those who continued to exercise. Many athletes believe that lactic acid buildup in muscles hinders their performance, but this study shows that blood acidity has little to do with recovery from hard exercise. When you exercise so intensely that you cannot get all the oxygen you need, lactic acid starts to accumulate in your muscles and spills out into your bloodstream to make your blood more acidic. This can make your muscles burn and hurt, but it will not delay your recovery for your next bout of all-out effort.
Subscribe to my free Fitness and Health Newsletter | <urn:uuid:572cbd7a-55cd-49f8-af98-6d4ba767688a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://drmirkin.blogspot.com/2006/09/stand-still-or-keep-moving-between.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00056-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967233 | 263 | 3.078125 | 3 |
Mountain Lions and Fear Growing Out West
EVERGREEN, Colo. Carrie Ann Warner has repeatedly called authorities about the stalker that has peered into her son's bedroom window at night, killed the family cat and even chased the family into their home in the wooded hills west of Denver.
The mountain lion has eluded wildlife officers perched on the porch with shotguns, traps baited with roadkill and even a motion-detection camera fastened to a pine tree.
Six-year-old Schylure told his parents the lion stared into his room "like it was mad at me."
"We're living in this vale of fear," said Carrie Ann Warner, whose family has built a steel enclosure around their back porch. "I've reached my wit's end. I don't know what to do."
Reports of mountain lions roaming neighborhoods and devouring family pets have cropped up from suburban Denver to Fort Collins, one of the most heavily populated stretches in the Rockies. In April, a lion attacked and broke the jaw of a 7-year-old boy on a trail in Boulder before it was chased off.
The following month, witnesses said a mountain lion walked into a Boulder home, ate a pet cat and the cat's food before being captured. And a man shot and killed a 130-pound mountain lion that attacked his dog in May outside the family's home near Buckhorn Canyon in the Arapahoe National Forest.
The number of human-lion encounters nationwide has increased from about two each year in the 1970s to between six and 10, said Paul Beier, a conservation biology professor at Northern Arizona University.
Still, mountain lion fatalities are rare -- only 17 nationwide since 1890. The last fatal attack is believed to be in January 2004, when a lion killed a bicyclist in an Orange County, Calif., park.
A 2003 book by David Baron, "The Beast in the Garden: A Modern Parable of Man and Nature" suggests mountain lions may be learning to look at family pets and people as potential food.
However, wildlife experts insist that, for the most part, the animals are naturally wary of people. Ken Logan, a nationally recognized mountain lion biologist, said science doesn't support the premise that lions are starting to view humans as dinner.
There are an estimated 3,000 to 7,000 mountain lions in Colorado. Hunting, development and other activities wiped them out in most of the East and Midwest, though most experts agree they are gradually moving east, prompting North Dakota and South Dakota to start hunting seasons.
Wildlife officers are trying to educate people about how to get along with the big cats as development pushes farther into the canyons and pine-studded hills the animals once had to themselves.
"These are intelligent animals," Logan said. "They can learn to live around humans."
But some Colorado residents say they're living in fear of the mountain lions, which can weigh as much as 180 pounds.
Tracey English no longer allows her teenage son to jog by himself in a nearby open space and her dog stays inside unless it's being walked on a leash. Last month a mountain lion was captured in a trap in her backyard.
"I don't feel like we're living in a natural wilderness. Nothing about it is natural," English said. "I believe the lions need to be managed."
Jon Silver says he has caught rare glimpses of mountain lions in the nearly 30 years he has lived west of Boulder, and warns the people living on his rental properties.
"It's just a matter of adapting to your surroundings," Silver said. "If I'm in Manhattan and it's 11 o'clock at night, maybe I wouldn't be walking down streets that weren't well lit."
For Silver, adaptation has meant devising a special dog run. His wife's German shepherd puppy, Me Too, goes outside by running through a doggie door into the garage, where it enters a door on the floor, scampers through a 40-foot underground tunnel, complete with a light triggered by a sensor, and bursts into a 24-foot-long chain-link cage.
The door over the tunnel closes when the garage door opens so the Silvers can drive cars in with no problem.
"I want to live with wildlife. It's their territory," Diana Silver said. "But I also want to protect my dog."
Source: Associated Press | <urn:uuid:1130e66f-2304-48b1-8bbc-2b37e079f8cf> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.enn.com/top_stories/article/4671 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.979014 | 908 | 1.976563 | 2 |
Islamic Center Of Pittsburgh
[ venue info
Muslim teens and young adults are welcome to this weekly program to learn more about Islam.
Like Judaism and Christianity, Islam is a monotheistic religion rooted in the teachings of the ancient leader Abraham. It is based on the revelations of a sixth century religious and military leader from the Arabian peninsula named Muḥammad ibn `Abd Allāh. An adherent of Islam is called a Muslim and in Arabic the word "halaqa" refers to a religious gathering or meeting for the primary purpose of learning about theology.
For more information, call (412) 682-5555.
Report a problem with this event | <urn:uuid:578cd298-7dd5-4274-a88d-142818882509> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://old.post-gazette.com/events/default.asp?mode=8&id=72576 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00048-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.918672 | 136 | 2.9375 | 3 |
I’ll never forget hearing Dr. Doug Kelly (one of my theology professors in seminary) saying in class, “If you want to make people mad, preach law. If you want to make them really, really mad preach grace.” I didn’t know what he meant then. But I do now.
The law offends us because it tells us what to do–and we hate anyone telling us what to do, most of the time. But, ironically, grace offends us even more because it tells us that there’s nothing we can do, that everything has already been done. And if there’s something we hate more than being told what to do, it’s being told that we can’t do anything, that we can’t earn anything–that we’re helpless, weak, and needy.
The law, at least, assures us that we determine our own destiny.
The law does promise life to me,
If my obedience perfect be. (Ralph Erskine)
This we understand. And we like it. We like it because we maintain control–the outcome of our life remains in our hands. Give me three steps to a happy marriage and I can guarantee myself a happy marriage if I follow the three steps. If we can do certain things, meet certain standards (whether God’s, my own, my parents, my spouse’s, society’s, whatever) and become a certain way, we’ll make it. Law seems safe because “it breeds a sense of manageability.” It keeps life formulaic and predictable. It keeps earning-power in our camp.
The logic of law makes sense.
The logic of grace, on the other hand, doesn’t.
Grace is thickly counter-intuitive. It feels risky and unfair. It turns everything that makes sense to us upside-down. Like Job’s friends, we naturally conclude that good people get good stuff and bad people get bad stuff. The idea that bad people get good stuff seems irrational and wrongheaded on every level. It offends our deepest sense of justice and rightness.
Grace is not rational…The gospel of grace throws our glory train off its tracks. Instead of calculating, mastering, and determining, we find ourselves completely helpless, left with no option but to fall into the everlasting arms of the God who could consume us in his wrath but instead embraces us in his Son. (Mike Horton)
So, it doesn’t surprise me at all when I hear people react to grace with suspicion and doubt. It doesn’t surprise me that when people talk about grace, I hear lots of “buts and brakes”, conditions and qualifications. That’s just the flesh fighting for its life, after all. As Walter Marshall says in his book The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification, “By nature, you are completely addicted to a legal method of salvation. Even after you become a Christian by believing the Gospel, your heart is still addicted to salvation by works…You find it hard to believe that you should get any blessing before you work for it.”
Because we are natural born do-it-yourselfers–God-wannabes–(and have been since Genesis 3), the vitriol reaction to unconditional grace is understandable. Grace generates panic because it wrestles both control and glory out of our hands. This means that the part of you that gets angry and upset and mean and defensive and slanderous and critical and skeptical and feisty when you hear about grace is the very part of you that needs to be reckoned dead. That’s where mortification begins–it begins with that part of us that hates grace.
But while I’m not surprised when I hear venomous rejoinders to grace (the flesh is always resistant to “It is finished”), I am saddened when the very pack of people that God has unconditionally saved and continues to sustain by his free grace are the very ones who push back most violently against it. Some professing Christians sound like ungrateful children who can’t stop biting the very hand that feeds them. It amazes me that you will hear great concern from inside the church about “too much grace” but rarely will you ever hear great concern from inside the church about “too many rules.” Why? Because we are by nature glory-hoarding, self-centered control freaks. That’s why.
It’s high time for the church to honor God by embracing sola gratia anew–the “high-octane grace that takes our conscience by the scruff of the neck and breathes new life into us with a pardon so scandalous that we cannot help but be changed…For many of us the time has come to abandon once and for all our play-it-safe, toe-dabbling Christianity and dive in” (Dane Ortlund). It is time, as Robert Farrar Capon put it, to get drunk on grace. Two hundred-proof, defiant grace.
It’s scandalous and scary, unnatural and undomesticated…but it’s the only thing that can set us free and light the church on fire. | <urn:uuid:7a4ec3ec-c355-4d1e-a085-7a7b6d2e6c57> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.christianpost.com/news/might-as-well-face-it-youre-addicted-to-law-66644/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00053-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94819 | 1,111 | 1.921875 | 2 |
Ibiza, Biodiversity and Culture (C/N 417rev)
The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined Document WHC-10/34.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 33 COM 7B.41, adopted at its 33rd session (Seville, 2009),
3. Notes the results and recommendations of the joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS/IUCN reactive monitoring mission to the property carried out in November 2009 and encourages the national and local authorities to keep taking the appropriate management measures for the benefit of the property;
4. Also notes the State Party report and the detailed comments from the Balearic Port Authority on the recommendations of the reactive monitoring mission report;
5. Urges the State Party to immediately inform the World Heritage Centre of any unexpected or adverse impacts that occur during the dredging and requests the State Party to undertake and report on appropriate mitigation and monitoring measures during and after the work on the port in order to avoid any significant negative impacts on the Outstanding Universal Value of the property;
6. Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2011, a detailed report on the state of conservation of the property and the status of the harbor reorganization project, including information on how the key recommendations arising from the reactive monitoring mission have been addressed, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 35th session in 2011. | <urn:uuid:e2cd70e3-64f3-4e30-a2d4-2a6c56097662> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://whc.unesco.org/pg_friendly_print.cfm?id_decision=4149&cid=305 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00073-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.904456 | 292 | 1.585938 | 2 |
by Lynn Ridenhour
It's that time of year again. A time to love. A time to be a child again. A time to
accept everyone & everything. It's time for the Christmas Story.
We all know it. And it's a blessed theme.
May I put a new spin on it?...
Much of the symbolism of the Christmas story, I believe, wraps around one of my
favorite personsJoseph Smith, Jr. Take, for instance, the star. Wise men from
the east looked for this sign to appear in the heavens.
And the star must appear at an appointed time. It must appear on the darkest night of
the year. Which happens to be, by the way, December 23rd. Joseph Smith was born on
December 23rd--the darkest night of the year. The Egyptians referred to this night as the
It was believed among the ancient Egyptians that the purpose of earth life was to
prepare for eternal life with the Gods in the world to come. Everything that was, had been
before. There was nothing "...new under the sun." Every person simply had to
find his place on the celestial stairway, pass the guardian angels and find his way back
into celestial glory.
I submit--Joseph is that Star which leads a dark world out of "Winter
Solstice"-- back to the Christ child. He's the guardian messenger who has the
revelations, the hidden mysteriesthat lead us back into celestial glory.
Especially in our dispensation, for so many grand truths were lost in the reformation.
December 23rdWinter SolsticeJoseph Smiththe Star on
that dark nightand the Christmas Story. I can see the symbolism.
Wise men from the east were called magi, or grand magi. Wise men from the grand orient
lodge will follow that star until they find the babe wrapped in his stable. There was no
room for the babe in the Inn (or lodge). No room for the Master in other lodges, so he was
born among the common folks of his day. Nothing has changed
There will be those of us who will follow the Master out of all lodges of perfection,
even in our dayout of all false plans of salvation. They will be known as wise
men who will follow the star that leads them to the Inn where the babe lies in a manger.
Joseph Smith, Jr. was one of the Wise Men of his day. I want to be one of the Wise Men
of my day. I'm sure the same can be said of all of us. We want to be wise.
Wherein lies wisdom? It's found in the simplicity of the Christmas Story. It's said of
the three wise men--they were learned men of the east, schooled in astronomy and the signs
of the stars. Yet these three wise men followed their hearts that night and found the Gift
of Love. They laid aside their wisdom and found His. They embraced the simplicity of the
story. The Christmas Story is a simple story. Even a child understands. It's we adults who
I love Joseph Smith, for he had a simple mind. (He was not simple-minded.) He played
with children. He loved simple things. And he restored the simple gospellove
your neighbor as yourself. It takes a wise man to remain simple.
Jesus said an interesting thing during his sermon on the mount; "...consider the
lilies of the field, how they grow...and yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his
glory was not arrayed like one of these" (Mt. 6:28,29).
He made reference to the "...lilies of the field," and then made reference to
Solomon. Solomon, in his writings, also referred to the same flower. Hymns have been
written about Solomon's classic statement, "...I AM therose of Sharon and the lily of
the valleys" (Song of Solomon 2:1). As a young lad growing up in a small Baptist
Church back in the hills of the Ozarks, I heard many a sermon preached on Jesus as the
lily of the valley and the Rose of Sharon. I've sung the hymn "Lily of the
Valley" many times.
Let me suggest another possible meaning. Joseph Smith was born on December 23rd, 1805,
in Sharon, Vermont. The word "rose" means "secret unfolding." The Rose
of Sharon is often the emblem for secret brotherhood. It's used as an emblem in many
I believe Joseph Smith is the Rose of Sharon. His teachings are like secrets unfolded.
Like roses. Like Jesus and his sermons, you either get it or you don't. You're either part
of His "wise brotherhood" who spread the simplicity of the gospel around, or you
don't. Like the three wise men, you've either exchanged your worldly wisdom for his, or
you haven't. Perhaps you too have decided to follow your heart--and have found the
greatest story ever told. The Gift of Love in a manger, wrapped in all its plainness. You
either have a revelation of the kingdom of God on this earth, or you don't. You either
speak well of Joseph Smith, or you don't. You'll either come out of all other lodges and
embrace the Rose of Sharon, embrace his secret unfoldings, and start spreading the gospel
of simplicityor you won't. Yes, I believe Joseph Smith was the Rose of Sharon.
He was also the Lily of the Valleys. The flower lily is white as white can be. It's
known for its whiteness. The lily stands for purity and innocence. Joseph's heart, I
believe, was both pure and innocent. Like a child's. Those who have sat under his
teachings and who have watched him unfold his secrets, they have seen his white heart. And
the lily grows in the valley. So did Joseph. His life was one of trials, trails,
temptations and tears. He grew in the valley. And so do we.
Well, Jesus said, "...Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of
these."...one of these?..."
Like one of those who follows the Rose of Sharon and his teachings of Jesus Christ.
It's the Gift of Love wrapped in all its simplicity. | <urn:uuid:f8984fbe-4f2d-4602-8cb8-a9dec7c03a18> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://greaterthings.com/Ridenhour/me_in_restoration/Christmas_story.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00068-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970032 | 1,352 | 1.671875 | 2 |
Four Steps to Epiphany, has helped formulate the thinking behind the Lean Startup methodology, together with Eric Ries. I had an opportunity to meet him during a discussion around the Startup Genome project. He observed that most startups that succeed aren't lean: their goal is to have an exit rather than a scalable business. What would be the methodology for startups that simply want to flip?Steve Blank, author of
Flip startups are agile startups that aim to exit quickly. Unlike Lean startups, their priority isn't to learn in order to create a scalable business model. Instead, their goal is to create a promising product. For example, it could be a successful single app or game. The idea is to build a hit that would make the founder(s) an appealing and quick talent acquisition (sometimes referred to as an acq-hire). This is lean development without any customer development. The focus is on building. Recent examples include Blindtype, Hipster or About.me. All three were bought before or right after launch.
The many hackathons such as GameJam or Garage48 have shown that it is possible to create a viable game or Web service in 48 hours. In addition, channels such as Applifier, Appsumo or the Humble Indie Bundle have made it easy to reach large groups of users. There is a growing amount of microfunding platforms, such as Kickstarter, Appbackr or A-List Games.
The consolidation of the social graph by Facebook, the various app stores and the abundance of cloud-based services lower time to market. Lastly, large companies that seek new talent will likely hire promising individuals through a small exit. All these factors combined make it more likely for a single coder to create a one-time hit.
Here's a tentative methodology for flips.
1: Find a Simple Idea
If your goal is to exit quickly, your aim is to deliver an MVP as quickly as possible. This means looking for an idea that is easy to execute with a limited set of skills. In the case of Blindtype, the software was mostly based on AI and required no frontend.
If your idea is simple, it not only means it's easier to deliver, but also easier to sell: your app/technology is probably easier to integrate and meet another company's needs if it has a limited scope. However, an idea that is too simple and doesn't stand out will be difficult to sell.
Furthermore, if this project doesn't work, you'd like to be able to reuse some of its code, in order to iterate new ideas quickly, so you might want your code to be somewhat generic. Eventually, you should focus on an idea you can deliver, reuse, in a field you know really well, so that you require little to no outside help. This should also help valorize you in a acq-hire scenario.
2. Build It
The development part is similar to a lean startup: you want to be agile. The part where they differ is that lean startups will seek to implement analytics and track user feedback for their next iteration, whereas flips won't.
Build your product on top of existing blocks. You may have existing code lying around from earlier projects, or be able to use open-source components or libraries to make your life easier. Hosting can be pushed to public clouds, authentication to OpenID or Facebook; services like Launchrock or Optimizely can help create a landing page. The same goes for payments, analytics, emailing and more. Once you have those out of the way, you can focus on creating only your actual app, game or service.
Services such as Cabana or GameSalad let you easily create an app using drag and drop. There is nothing inferior about using such a tool to create something meaningful rapidly. However, this will impact the value of your IP.
3. Create Buzz
Every startup needs PR, but this is even more true of flips. No one is going to buy your product if they don't see potential in it. The key is that you want to create the promise of value and showcase your idea in the best angle. There's nothing wrong with hype; movie trailers do this all the time, after all.
Hipster got pre-registrations because of their name and the rumor they were working on something amazing. Blindtype posted a video on Youtube that showcased its technology. Creating quick buzz and social proof is not the same a developing long-term customer development, but it pays off.
A good way to get attention is to get catchy metrics. Being the most-downloaded app in a small country, generating the most traffic or the most downloadable content sells. For a small investment of money, you can get your friends and family to buy your product and extensions, and buy your way to top of the app store. Consider it a type of SEO investment!
4. Don't Pivot, Reboot
The vast majority of startups fail. At this point, you will probably think about what your next steps should be. The key for a flip is to make sure you don't put all your eggs in the same basket and diversify as fast as possible, to maximize your chances of success.
Think of yourself as a VC. You have a limited fund, bandwidth for deals you can work on, and a portfolio of existing code and skills. In that sense, lean startups are similar to a focused investment strategy, whereas flips are more like diversified, "spray and pray" approach.
How would you handle your failed investment? Do you have anything of value to get out of it, such as traffic, brand or technology? Ideally, you'd like to be able to piece the stronger parts together to create something event stronger.
If things go well, you may want to persist with your idea, but do keep in mind that transitioning from a product built on a hunch to a scalable business is a risk. At that point, you should seriously consider becoming a lean startup.
The good news is that the goal of a flip is aligned with VCs; their aim is to sell too, not simply to build a sustainable business. The problem is that they are also known for their herd mentality. Your idea might fit their portfolio or a hot trend, but your early traction isn't enough to be the basis of a healthy business. After all, you haven't proven any assumption yet.
One more thing to consider is whether or not you feel like turning your successful hobby into a full enterprise, and recruiting and managing a team. Do you want to stick to this idea in the long term and possibly gamble further, or fold?
Flip or Lean?
The decision to create a lean startup or a flip is entirely dependent on your ambition. If your goal is to show off your skills, create apps, make a quick buck and maybe get hired, flips are the way to go.
While I expect many supporters of long-term value creation to be detractors of this approach, I think it is safe to assume that we will see more and more small apps being built and propelled to success in this way in the coming years.
What remains to be seen is whether flips are dependent an environment where large companies are constantly making talent acquisitions and where apps can scale to hundreds of millions of users, or whether this methodology is sustainable regardless of industry trends.
Photo by nighthawk7 | <urn:uuid:9dd0d7df-297e-476d-a16b-e61011f62d73> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://readwrite.com/2011/03/27/how-to-flip-your-startup-in-5-steps | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964421 | 1,514 | 1.773438 | 2 |
As they struggle to understand modern climate change, scientists have long realized the importance of reconstructing past climate variability. That’s the only way to gain a sense of perspective, to understand how anomalous modern climate events are or aren’t.
Yet the field of “paleoclimatology” has been plagued by controversy, with reconstructions of past temperatures emerging as a particular target for climate-change contrarians.
The essential problem, of course, is that the temperature record that tells us the Earth is warming goes back only to about 1850, when observation stations systematically began keeping such data, and most other climate records are even shorter and spottier. Reconstructing climates prior to 1850 requires the use of “proxies” for temperature and rainfall, like tree rings and pollen grains in lake sediments.
Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research
Now comes a new installment in this literature that may be sobering for many people, particularly in the American Southwest. Led by Cody C. Routson, a graduate student at the University of Arizona, the paper supplies strong evidence of a half-century “megadrought” in the Southwest that occurred in the second century, with the driest stretch being a 25-year period from A.D. 148 to 173. (A summary of the paper is here, and readers with American Geophysical Union credentials can get the full paper here. A news release about the paper is here.)
Mr. Routson and his co-authors, Connie A. Woodhouse and Jonathan T. Overpeck, focused on bristlecone pines, the longest-lived of all trees. They found a stand near Summitville, Colo., covering more than 2,000 years, and were able to obtain specimens of dead wood and thin cores from living trees. (The trees were not harmed by the research.)
Analyzing tree rings and matching them with previous work, they found what they consider to be compelling evidence a long dry spell in the Southwest stretching through the first four centuries of the Christian era and punctuated by more acute dry stretches.
Scientists already knew the Southwest was prone to long, severe megadroughts far worse than anything that has happened there since European settlement of the region began. Some of the same scientists involved in this work helped document such a drought in the medieval era. And some previous research had already pointed toward the likelihood of a second-century megadrought. But with the fresh evidence, the Arizona scientists believe the case is nailed.
“Our record brings these previous studies together to show that is event was indeed real and widespread,” Mr. Routson told me by e-mail.
Evidence of the causes is of course quite thin, but the scientists speculate that one factor may have been a broad pattern of warmth in the Northern Hemisphere, possibly caused by an uptick in the sun’s energy output. This warm spell is often called the “Roman Warm Period,” and while it has not been definitively proven to exist, evidence for the idea is growing.
Climate-change contrarians love to cite the Roman Warm Period and its counterpart, the Medieval Warm Period, as proof that there is nothing unusual about today’s rising temperatures. But mainstream climate scientists say these earlier episodes, while intriguing, do not necessarily shed light on the question of whether modern-day human activity is causing the climate to warm, as their evidence suggests it is.
“The evidence for human-induced warming is overwhelming, but not the focus of this study,” Mr. Routson said.
Scientists expect temperatures in the coming century to rise substantially compared with these earlier warm periods. Since the earlier periods were associated with severe droughts and climate disruptions in some parts of the world, they warn of a potential replay — except that the coming megadroughts could be worse.
For people in the Southwest, living through a severe drought and its consequences right now, that cannot be good news. “Showing that the most extreme droughts in the Southwest have predominantly occurred during warmer intervals in our past raises important questions about what we should expect in an even warmer future,” Mr. Routson said. | <urn:uuid:024293aa-682d-4673-b56a-7f4e995147f0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/07/bristlecone-pines-help-reconstruct-a-long-ago-drought/?ref=universityofarizona | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00075-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960279 | 864 | 3.703125 | 4 |
08-17-2004 until 09-18-2020
Forum Etiquette & Guidelines
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POSTING ARTWORK/CRITIQUE ETIQUETTE
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- Be prepared: The goal of the Penciljack Forum is to be an inclusive learning environment. As such, all art posted in the Laboratory Forums is subject to critique by all members.
- Be kind: When critiquing another member's artwork, be honest, but be kind. There's nothing to be gained by being flippant, rude or excessively harsh in your response. And remember - the member you are criticizing now may take the opportunity to criticize your artwork later.
- Careful when going above and beyond: Keep in mind some members are expecting verbal criticism and might not take kindly to non-standard methods of offering criticism (such as overlays or other image manipulation). If you don't know a member is amicable to receiving different forms of criticism, just ask first, or keep the criticism verbal
- Take it in stride: Remember, even if someone gives you a harsh, negative critique, they still took their valuable time to offer advice to you. Don't be defensive or feel you have to make excuses for your work. Your work stands on its own. Take the advice you have been given, analyze it, take what you want from it and move on. | <urn:uuid:b3b1546b-1b95-4a6e-8c68-e43a2d1b8cc7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.penciljack.com/forum/announcement.php?f=16&a=23 | 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 | 0.951039 | 1,307 | 1.664063 | 2 |
Michigan History Day
Michigan History Day (part of National History Day) is a fascinating opportunity for students to move social science beyond rote learning. It is an educational competition (similar in organization to a science fair) designed to encourage students in grades 4-12 to explore historical subjects related to a broad annual theme. Students choose topics in state, national, or world history that personally interest them and perform research using primary and secondary sources on their topic. Entries are presented through the allied disciplines of art, literature, music, drama, visual communications, and writing.
Students participating in the Michigan History Day program are shown to boost their school performance and job skills. Read more about how the program helps students in Michigan.
←Please use menu at left for Michigan History Day information and resources.
Michigan History Day is sponsored by:
The Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation | <urn:uuid:2d04b731-55ce-4630-9eab-1113745ad66e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.hsmichigan.org/mhd/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.909808 | 175 | 3.5 | 4 |
By Kelly Herdrich, Contributing writer
Balancing the things you have and want to do over the holidays is no easy task. Thankfully, by making "less is more" your holiday mantra, the holiday season can be managed and your sanity saved.
Between the decorations, the parties, the presents, and day-to-day life, the holiday season has changed over the years.
No longer filled with joy, togetherness and meditation, the holidays have become a string of stressful days and nights. Balancing the things you have and want to do over this time is no easy task. Thankfully, by making "less is more" your holiday mantra, the season can be managed and your sanity saved.
Rethink Gift Giving
One of the most stressful components of the holiday season is the shopping. Holiday shopping is plagued with long lines, pushy customers, and short supply of the must-have items on the Christmas shopping list.
Rather than waste precious holiday hours in stores, consider rethinking holiday gift giving. Do the bulk of holiday shopping online when possible.
Cut down on giving gifts to extended family and friends, and focus on immediate family. Involve the kids in a handmade craft rather than something anyone could purchase at the store.
Rethinking holiday gift giving has the potential to save money, as well as help you maintain your sanity.
Avoid Hosting Holiday Gatherings | <urn:uuid:11302bba-7b7e-4fa8-bee5-e29717b510cb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wlwt.com/holidays/How-to-maintain-your-sanity-during-holidays/-/15987916/1751206/-/item/0/-/eckky6z/-/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948157 | 287 | 1.601563 | 2 |
All too often, developers think that documenting their new
creations just means writing a detailed technical description
of what it does. In a sense, they're explaining things to
themselves. But what you really need to do is explain things
to someone who's coming across your stuff for the first time.
I recently completed an interesting self-imposed task: writing
package.html files for all of the packages in the JMX API (javax.management.*).
Up until now, each package description looked like this:
Package javax.management Description
Provides the core JMX classes.
Well, that's useful.
When the JMX API was a separate API, this was perhaps acceptable. If
were reading the documentation, you had probably gone to the trouble of
downloading and installing it. You already knew what it was and why you
were interested in it.
But now, the JMX API is going to be part of the standard J2SE
platform. So what's your reaction going to be if, out of
curiosity, you click on the javax.management link?
You'll see 66
interfaces, classes, and exceptions, and that one helpful sentence to
tell you what they are about. Then you'll go and look at something else.
In fact, all the information you need to know is present in that
HTML set and in the separate PDF specification document. But where do
start? It is not enough for the information to be present. It must be accessible.
Making information accessible means putting yourself in the position
of somebody who's learning about it for the first time. The key
What will they look at first?
Why will they be interested in what they see?
Where will they go from there?
In the case of the JMX API, the answer to the first question is
simple. They'll look at the package documentation for javax.management
first. So it better contain good answers to the other questions.
The new package summary begins with this text:
The Java Management Extensions (JMXTM) API is a standard API for management and
monitoring. Typical uses include:
consulting and changing application configuration
accumulating statistics about application behavior and making
notifying of state changes and erroneous conditions.
The JMX API can also be used as part of a
solution for managing systems, networks, and so on.
The API includes remote access, so a
remote management program can interact with a running application for
The idea here is that, before launching into a detailed discussion
of what is in the API, we explain what the API is for. Maybe the person reading this
doesn't have a very clear idea of a management system is. Maybe they do
have a clear idea, but it doesn't correspond to what this API does. So
straight away we provide a quick summary. If you are just curious, or
if you want to know whether the API can address a specific problem you
have, or if you wonder which of your problems it might address, this
simple text should give you some idea.
The text is deliberately brief. The more you write, the less
people read. It uses bullet items, because people tend to look at those
first. The full text also includes many subheadings, for the same
The remaining text then takes the reader on a brief tour of the most
important concepts and classes of the API. The information it includes
was already present in the JMX specification. If you needed to know how
to write a simple MBean, you could figure it out after studying the
specification. But why should you be forced to do that? Everybody
beginning to use this API will need to know this, so the new text
includes examples. Examples
of what the interfaces might be used for, and code extracts to show
them in use.
It's hard to overstate the importance of examples. Everybody thinks
in terms of examples. Don't believe anyone who tells you they don't.
Yet so much API documentation is written as if it were sufficient just
to say what the interfaces do. As if the person writing the
specification were just beaming their understanding directly into the
reader's mind through the magic words of formal language. (Of course,
lots more API documentation doesn't even
say what the interfaces do, in any but the vaguest terms.)
Examples serve as a high-level specification. If I give an example
of the naming conventions that the JMX API parses for its Standard
MBeans, then that tells 99% of the users everything they need to know.
The full specification is still necessary to cover the details, but it
can be buried deeply in the documentation.
Examples give readers context. When they read the definition of an
interface, they can see how it relates to the example. They can imagine
modifying the example in various ways and see how the interface matches
Examples also act as a sanity check for API designers. If you can't
think of an example for your interface, then why is it there? If the
only example you can think of is incredibly far-fetched, couldn't you
redesign things so that a simpler example is possible? If you include a
code extract in your example, and it is complicated, then maybe that's
a sign that you should adjust the API so that simple examples are
simple to code. There were a couple of instances of this in the
examples I wrote for the JMX API, which will be useful next time that
API is revised.
Putting things where people will find them
In fact the Reference Implementation for the JMX API has always
contained examples. If you unpack it, you will find an examples
subdirectory. But don't expect people to look there. People will look
at the Javadoc, and they might
look at one or two introductory documents like READMEs, but for the
most part they won't go burrowing around in the directory structure.
Furthermore, the existing examples serve a slightly different
purpose. They are complete, self-contained programs that show the API
in action. This is useful too, but not for the person consulting the
API documentation. That person wants to see examples in the text they
are looking at. They don't want to have go and look somewhere else and
juggle two sources of information at once. And working examples contain
extraneous detail that distracts from the key points being communicated.
As a general rule, there should be one starting point for someone
working with the documentation. It should be an expected starting point
(ideally the top level of the generated HTML), and it should provide an
obvious path to the other information. The Javadoc tool already works
well in this respect. From the top-level HTML, there are links to the
classes and subpackages.
Those key questions again. Put yourself in the position of someone
who's encountering your stuff for the first time.
Doxygen and the likes are fabulous tools but I simply *hate* following a link to "documentation" of some library or other source code that I am interrested in and find that it was autogenerated from the code. To understand code you have to become familiar with the paradigms and terminology that is used. This rarely shows from a list of classes and methods.
> Examples also act as a sanity check for API designers... If you include a code extract in your example, and it is complicated, then maybe that's a sign that you should adjust the API so that simple examples are simple to code.
This sounds a bit like Test-Driven Design, where you write a test first that doesn't work, then write code that makes the test work. | <urn:uuid:7b44e5a5-db92-49a9-ada0-d3c2b4c0b060> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.artima.com/forums/flat.jsp?forum=106&thread=61979&start=0 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939562 | 1,645 | 2.359375 | 2 |
I joined Parnell Heritage this afternoon to listen in on a show-and-tell event they held in Knox Presbyterian Church in Birdwood Crescent.
The site has two buildings -- the 1899 white wooden church, still basically the same as when R. W. de Montalk designed it, except that the northern pinnacles are now gone from the buttresses. Its foundation stone was laid on 29 November 1898 by Lord Ranfurly, the Governor of New Zealand.
The Knox Hall joined the church from 1906, also a design by de Montalk. The church complex is named after John Knox of the Scottish Presbyterian church, but Mrs. Elizabeth Knox was the one who laid the foundation stone for what was initially a Sunday School hall. Mrs. Knox is immortalised on one of the brass plaques that line the inner walls of the main church building. It was finally lined and finished inside during the First World War. From 1980 it was Knox Community Centre, then came to be used as a pre-school for the local Niuean congregation.
Falling numbers of European local parishioners meant integration of the remaining parishioners with the Niuean congregation in 1997.
The two buildings are quite close to each other, as you can see. The afternoon, by the way, was wonderful -- listening to stories of Parnell's past, and enjoying an afternoon tea of sandwiches and scones. I'm grateful for the kind invitation. | <urn:uuid:ae4a518c-d04c-4d85-a923-052567f243eb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://timespanner.blogspot.com/2009/08/knox-presbyterian-church-parnell.html?showComment=1334218935434 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975034 | 294 | 1.65625 | 2 |
So far, so (pretty) good for the WhatIfSports.com computer that simulated the NCAA Tournament 10,000 times. Fourteen of the original most likely Sweet 16 and all eight of our likely Elite Eight teams remain in WhatIfSports' bracket. In fact, the two Sweet 16 teams still alive that were not in our original likely bracket, Arizona and Missouri, were given 21.4% and 25.9% probabilities of making it this far respectively - essentially the same one-in-four chance that any team would have if all teams were considered equal. In the first round, this analysis helped to foreshadow upsets as Western Kentucky (47.9%) over Illinois, Arizona (46.1%) over Utah, Wisconsin (33.1%) over Florida State and Cleveland State (29.8%) over Wake Forest were all still considered rather likely.
What is the computer saying now?
WhatIfSports.com again used its acclaimed college basketball simulation technology to attempt to forecast the future by simulating the rest of the 2009 NCAA Menís Basketball Tournament 10,000 times. North Carolina is still the slight favorite to defeat UConn and claim this year's NCAA Tournament Championship. Unlike our original prediction and last year's fluke, not all number one seeds advance to the Final Four as the numbers now suggest that Kansas will join UNC, UConn and Pitt in Detroit. A couple very close games in the upcoming round will definitely keep this tournament interesting throughout.
Results of the simulations can be found at BracketPreview.com and in the widget below. The widget is already loaded with the most likely occurrence from the Sweet 16 forward; but, if you want to change an outcome, the rest of the bracket will update accordingly with the new most likely teams advancing based on your changes. Just click on a region to get started.
Last year, this methodology correctly identified all Final Four teams, the finalists and the winner as of Selection Sunday. Davidson, Siena and Kansas State were double-digit seeds we expected to win that did. In the update published at this time last year (before the Sweet 16), Bracket Preview accurately predicted the winners of the final 15 games, including Davidson's Elite 8 run and Kansas' Final Four rout of UNC. Because it can account for the statistical interactions of all players on the floor at one time (and do so many times very quickly), simulation is the most comprehensive and accurate way to judge any sporting event. With our recent success of choosing Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl (by four points), the Phillies over the Rays in the World Series, the Celtics taking out the Lakers in NBA Finals (in exactly six games), Detroit over Pittsburgh in the Stanley Cup (as of the end of the regular season) and last year's March Madness, we feel we have illustrated this power. Not only can we help you settle historical debates, we have a knack for predicting the outcome of future events as well.
Arizona, a 12-seed led by at least two future first round NBA draft choices in Jordan Hill and Chase Budinger, is the lone remainging double-digit seed capable of making a George Mason or Davidson-like run deeper in the tournament. According to the computer output, the Wildcats advance past Louisville and then either Kansas or Michigan State to the Final Four 10.5% of the time. That may not sound very likely, but it is exactly 15 times more likely to make the Final Four than George Mason was to make its incredible run in 2006.
Purdue, the only other "unexpected" (by seed, though we had them there) team to advance to the Sweet 16, has a more difficult path to the Final Four than Arizona. The Boilermakers have just a 19.6% chance of winning against UConn and making the Elite 8 and a 7.7% chance of advancing past Memphis or Missouri into the Final Four. Missouri, from the same region, is actually the least likely Final Four team remaining at just 6.8%.
As could be expected in this year's tournament, just one upset is likely in the Sweet 16. Defending champion Kansas is 68.7% expected to knock out 2-seed Michigan State. The Jayhawks are then the favorite to represent the Midwest in the Final Four.
While other Sweet 16 upsets are not expected, there should be several close games this Thursday and Friday nights. Duke is just a 50.2% favorite to defeat Villanova. The projected score for that game after 10,000 simulations is 76.6 to 76.4. Clearly, that could go either way. Both games in the South should be excellent with UNC eliminating Gonzaga 69.6% of the time and by just six points, 83-77, on average and Oklahoma outlasting Syracuse 63.3% of the time and by a score of 80-76.
Ultimately though, the WhatIfSports.com bracket concludes with the better seeded teams on top. North Carolina has the highest chance of winning the tournament at 19.2%. UConn (18.9%) and Pitt (18.4%) are close on North Carolina's "tar" heels as the only other teams with greater than a 10% chance to win it all. With strong wins over Morgan State and Michigan, Oklahoma has almost doubled its championship likelihood, improving from 5.9% last week to 9.8% now. Those top four teams are followed by Memphis (8.5%), likely Final Four team Kansas (7.6%), remaining one-seed Louisville (6.4%) and then Gonzaga (3.0%), Syracuse (2.1%), Villanova (1.6%) and Duke (1.2%). Getting all the way to and winning a championship depends quite a bit on who a team plays along the way, so things get much better for other teams like Xavier and Michigan State if they can get through the next round or two.
Next Monday, Bracket Preview will have Final Four boxscores, recaps and plenty of stats. Don't forget to come back and check those out. Enjoy the Madness!
Paul Bessire is the Product Manager of Content and Quantitative Analysis for WhatIfSports.com, a division of FOX Sports Interactive. With any comments, questions or topic suggestions, Paul can be reached at BtB@whatifsports.com. Thanks! | <urn:uuid:587ddcbf-eab6-4dde-adff-9c721d3e15b5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.whatifsports.com/beyondtheboxscore/default.asp?article=2009BP16 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00065-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952828 | 1,294 | 1.757813 | 2 |
He says it was like a light bulb went off in his head.
Former Arizona Cardinal and ASU lineman Scott Peters played seven years in the NFL.
Sidelined for some of that time by an ankle injury, Peters began to cross-train in Brazilian jiu jitsu and mixed martial arts.
It helped him to bounce back quicker, but it also gave him an idea. Now he is looking to upset the established method of doing business on the football field.
"Guys are taught from an early age to lead with their face, their helmet," says Peters.
Repeated head contact and sharp blows to the helmet are shortening players careers and causing problems for them after retirement.
"The old-school method is still being taught, unfortunately. This is what guys are learning at the lowest levels on up to the NFL. That's what I did when I played, and that's lead with your forehead first," says Peters.
Born out of Peters' mixed martial arts training, he has begun teaching and incorporating new techniques to players both young and old by fusing them into blocking moves. He finds these techniques are more effective. They reduce helmet-to-helmet contact.
"This is the evolution of the game of football, especially in the tackle box," says Peters. "This is the great eliminator, the great equalizer."
Peters' system is called "SAFE" football.
"It's coming forward with your hips and your hands up," he explains. "It mitigates, if not eliminates the need for helmet contact within the tackle box, which could eliminate the majority of concussions."
The University of Washington has hired Scott and brought him up to Seattle to train their players with the SAFE football techniques.
"The explosive movements that he was demonstrating on my players was quite unique, and I was going, hmm. We ought to continue to research this even more," says University of Washington offensive line coach Dan Cozzetto.
Peters says he doesn't see teaching SAFE football as a job but as a mission to help players at all levels reduce the number of hits to the head.
"I'm looking at this as an obligation from the standpoint of helping a solution to the concussion crisis, and it is a crisis at this point," says Peters.
His clients include a number of NFL players and the Penn State football program.
Copyright 2013 CBS 5 (KPHO Broadcasting Corporation). All rights reserved. | <urn:uuid:df384491-dcfe-4b01-9d3c-eec69528ef0f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.kpho.com/story/20953643/former-arizona-cardinals-player-teaching | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00071-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.987343 | 508 | 1.757813 | 2 |
When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the technical bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the software, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Technology and of Technology's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all iPhones are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Dev teams are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the served, — That whenever any Form of Terms of Service becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Software, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Terms of Service long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Terms of Service, and to provide new Software for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these early Adopters; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Software. The history of the present King of Cupertino is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these Devices. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.Links Mentioned in this Episode:Jailbreak 3.0 on iPhone 3G, 1st Gen iPhone & 1st Gen iPod Touch - pwnagetool for MacJailbreak and unlock iPhone OS 3.0 with PwnageTooliPhone Dev Team Releases redsn0w for iPhone, iPhone 3G, and iPod Touch[ HOW TO ] Jailbreak iPod Touch with redsn0w | 1G/2G Dev Team Release Redsn0w for Windows & Mac users to Jailbreak iPhone OS 3.0PwnageTool 3.0 and other iPhone Dev-Team tools have been released for the iPhone 3.0 Firmware | GeekologyUltrasn0w iPhone 3G unlock for 3.0 is 0utHow To Jailbreak your iPhone or iPod Touch with Redsn0wUnlock iPhone 3G 3.0 (OS 3.0) with Ultrasn0w 0.6 How to GuideTutorial : How to Install Apps on iPhone 2G, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS and iPod Touch Sci-Tech Today | iPhone Jailbreaking Returns, But Can Be ExpensiveJailbreak your iPhone to OS 3.0 with RedSn0w - TechComboStep-By-Step Guide to Jailbreak iPhone 3G running iPhone OS 3.0 using Redsn0w (Windows)Dev-Team Blog - The needs of the many..iClarified - Apple News - iPhone Dev-Team Asks 3GS Owners to Prepare for JailbreakiClarified - iPhone - How to Capture Your iPhone 3GS iBEC and iBSS (Mac)Jailbroken IPhones Leave Users More Vulnerable - PC WorldUnlock iPhone 2G OS 3.0 | Jailbreak iPhone 2G running OS 3.0 | Jailbreak iPhone, Jailbreak iPhone 3G, Jailbreak iPhone 3GS AppleInsider | First iPhone 3GS jailbreaking tool available for downloadApps and Software Mentioned in this Episode:
Big Boss Fantasy Pack2
Tricker Three G | <urn:uuid:08326bd5-c5bb-4f8b-a749-cc6017b28889> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://tii.libsyn.com/webpage/tii_i_tem_0087_the_jailbreak_episode/comments | 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 | 0.912783 | 826 | 1.90625 | 2 |
The Minor in German provides a focused development of German language skills and knowledge of the cultures and literatures of German speaking peoples. The Minor offers students a course of study that provides an important supplement or complement to their majors. It aims to provide more tools for understanding globalization while providing students with insights and understanding of the German and Germanic cultures.
The program is designed to develop a high level of communicative competence in all four language skills — listening, reading, speaking, and writing — through a focused collection of advanced grammar and composition courses.
To learn more about German programs at CSU San Marcos, please visit the Modern Language Studies website. | <urn:uuid:0d74a2aa-00a4-40b8-a3d6-325e5c0870f3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.csusm.edu/explore/academics/programs/german.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00070-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.93461 | 129 | 2.15625 | 2 |
SEATTLE (AP) — The state Department of Natural Resources wants to test the use of drones to combat wildfires this year.
But an agency official testified before senators Wednesday that a bill proposing strict regulations on the purchase and use of unmanned aerial vehicles could hinder their plans.
Deputy Supervisor Randy Acker, who oversees the state's wildfire protection program, said the department has submitted an application to the Federal Aviation Administration to test out a drone during this year's wildfire season.
"DNR sees tremendous potential to use unmanned aircraft more effectively in fighting wildfires and thereby allowing us to reduce suppression costs," Acker said before the Senate Law and Justice Committee.
Acker said the department uses helicopters to collect fire data, but those operations can't always be safely carried out in heavy smoke or at night.
"It is under these conditions that we believe unmanned aircraft could prove in the future to be extremely valuable," Acker said.
He added drones also would be cheaper than helicopter flights.
Republican and Democrat lawmakers are working on a proposal that would impose restrictive regulations on drones. They include a mandate that law enforcement agencies obtain approval from their respective legislative government before buying a drone.
The measure also would require law enforcement agencies to obtain warrants and erase data collected if the surveillance target has done no criminal activity.
Proponents of the drone bill said they have worked out language allowing agencies like the Department of Natural Resources to obtain drones. But the agency's concerns underlined other hesitations expressed about the measure, which has attracted bipartisan support.
It wasn't immediately clear if department officials have reviewed the changes to the bill.
Mitch Barker of the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs said the use of drones by law enforcement agencies would be better decided in court cases.
"I think our courts have done an excellent a job providing checks and balances," Barker said.
The Association of County Officials argued the drone bill is attempting to regulate law enforcement searches, which are already covered in existing state and federal laws.
Democratic Sen. Senator Maralyn Chase of Shoreline, the sponsor of the Senate bill, said the drone issue is not only about civil liberties but about jobs, because some of the vehicles are manufactured in Washington.
"There is a place in our society for the use of drones," Chase said in testimony.
Lawmakers in at least 11 states are looking at plans to restrict the use of drones over their skies amid concerns the vehicles could be exploited to spy on Americans. Concerns have increased since the FAA began establishing safety standards for civilian drones, which are becoming increasingly affordable and small in size.
Earlier this month, the city of Seattle abandoned its drone program after community protests. The city's police department had purchased two drones through a federal grant.
Manuel Valdes can be reached at http://twitter.com/ByManuelValdes | <urn:uuid:7208635f-f240-4b21-b927-f12252bb1d6d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.krem.com/news/national/192146751.html?ref=next | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958873 | 580 | 2.203125 | 2 |
- The median age of mothers who gave birth in 2006 was 30.8, up from 29.2 in 1996.
- Women could expect to have 1.8 children in their lifetime in 2006, the most since 1995.
- Births are up - Australia registered 265,900 births during 2006 - more than in any year during the last three decades.
- More mothers with children aged under 15 years are employed than in the past. Almost two-thirds (63%) of mothers with children aged under 15 years were employed in March 2008, compared with 54% ten years earlier.
- 60% of employed mothers with children aged under 15 years worked part time.
- As employment among mothers has increased, the use of formal child care has also increased. The percentage of children under the age of 12 years attending formal care increased from 14% in 1996 to 23% in 2005.
- In 2006, mothers with children aged under 15 years spent, on average, between 16 hours per week (for those employed full time) to 28 hours per week (for those not employed) caring for children.
- In 2005, 83% of employed mothers with very young children (aged under 2 years) used some form of working arrangement to help balance work and child care responsibilities. The arrangements most commonly used were flexible working hours, used by 44% of employed mothers; permanent part-time work, used by 39%; and working from home, used by 27%.
- 67% of mothers in a couple family with children aged under 15 years, and 61% of lone mothers with children aged under 15 years, reported in 2006 that they 'always or often felt rushed or pressed for time'.
Information sourced from Births, Australia, 2006, cat. no. 3301.0
, Labour Force, Australia, Detailed - Electronic Delivery, Mar 2008, cat. no. 6291.0.55.001
and Labour Force data available on request, Child Care, Australia, June 2005, cat. no. 4402.0
, How Australians Use Their Time, 2006, cat. no. 4153.0
and Pregnancy and Employment Transitions, cat. no. 4913.0
This page last updated 16 October 2009 | <urn:uuid:ae53cb29-ac6d-4a20-9d58-3874b13de6f7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/mediareleasesbyReleaseDate/F89E3A591E7100C3CA25744300833C68?OpenDocument | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00048-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967611 | 457 | 2.5 | 2 |
Shooting a double victory
by Cherie Newman
Full-Court Quest: The Girls from Fort Shaw Indian School: Basketball Champions of the World
Linda Peavy and Ursula Smith
Oklahoma Press, 2008.
Sixteen years before women in the U.S. gained the right to vote and long before women's public sporting events were considered decent, a team of American Indian girls from Montana traveled to St. Louis and became the basketball champions of the world. Then they were forgotten -- almost.
A photograph initiated their return to fame's spotlight. In 1997, independent scholars Linda Peavy and Ursula Smith found an image of "eight Indian girls dressed in buckskins and standing in a semi-circle" in the archives of the Montana Historical Society. After a decade of research and writing, Peavy and Smith have produced 479 pages of highly readable Western history that adds a new storyline to Montana's narrative.
American Indian girls born near the end of the 19th century had few choices. But even as the federal government was busy trying "to break tribal loyalties (and) eradicate cultural traditions," the girls from Fort Shaw drew strength from their tribal legacies -- including a sport called "double ball" that was played by their female ancestors -- to become a formidable basketball team.
It was more than athletic ability, however, that propelled them to their title at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair. It was timing and marketing. The team was in its prime when the Fair "focused attention not only on the forward march of ‘civilization' but also on the indigenous peoples who were ‘acquired' along with the rest of the vast western wilderness" by the Louisiana Purchase. Fort Shaw's team traveled to St. Louis to do more than play basketball. They lived in the Fair's "Model Indian School" for five months, on display for visitors, proof of the successful acculturation that was the federal government's goal.
Although Full-Court Quest is sprinkled with passive and cliched prose, the story is strong and supported by meticulous research. Maps, drawings and photographs illuminate the narrative.
It took near-flawless teamwork for the Fort Shaw Indian School girls to win their championship title. A century later, it required collaboration between writers, editors, historians, archivists, librarians and family members to tell this extraordinary story. Ultimately, both teams succeeded.© High Country News | <urn:uuid:f5737f66-3c69-444a-b086-2c7af44bb915> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.hcn.org/issues/41.3/shooting-a-double-victory/print_view | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973829 | 495 | 2.84375 | 3 |
As women, we face unique challenges as leaders, whether we work in the corporate world or as entrepreneurs.
There seems to be a large chasm between female leaders who too easily sacrifice authority, and iron-fisted women who never budge once their minds are made up. Unfortunately, neither approach is effective in a long-term leadership position.
There are many aspects of leadership, but the core question is this: as strong and capable women…
How can we lead without being labeled bossy, b*tchy, or worse?
It’s easy to play the game and pander to what others expect us to be in the workplace. However, when strong leadership becomes synonymous with negative labels like “controlling” and “demanding,” the female leader has not only lost her power, but often her respect as well.
Early in my career, I observed a much younger manager effectively lead her older subordinates during a conflict. In trying to meet a shipping deadline, it was all hands on deck, but one team member was questioning every decision. This young manager very kindly but firmly stated, “I am happy to discuss the reasons why with you later, but at this moment we need your help without question to get this out the door.” I was both impressed by the balanced approach and intrigued by how her leadership style struck the balance between confident, executive and collaborative leader.
I turned to Professional Mentor and Career Acceleration Coach at Illustra Consulting Sarah Hathorn for advice about women who want to lead without losing themselves in the process.
“Women who by lead by mimicking men reveal a lack of professional identity,” said Hathorn. “Professional confidence is not gender-based; it’s all about authenticity and developing the qualities that resonate with who you are.” To find their own authentic style, leaders need realistic assessments — ones that highlight where they need to develop a more professional presence.
If you’re struggling to find your authentic style, follow these three steps:
Look to Leaders You Admire
Observe their traits, how they interact within a team and work under pressure. It may be worthwhile to pursue mentorship so you can work together with your leadership development in mind.
Stop Putting Yourself First
Leadership is an exercise in service, and as John Quincy Adams said, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” It’s a tricky balance because as a figure of authority, you must often be the deciding voice on things. Instead of focusing on your authority, Hathorn recommends starting from a place of service. For women who “lead as a coach by giving support, training, encouragement, mentorship and resources, employees will become loyal followers whom you can lead to victory.” Service involves putting your own advancement and ego aside to focus on the needs of the team and business.
Find and Refine the Balance Between Personal and Professional
Hathorn recommends getting to know your team, but setting clear boundaries and expectations. “When you’re working, it’s important to perform to get results; after work, time is for relaxation and personal relationships.” Professional behavior and authenticity have to go hand in hand — while you may be open about your personal life or struggles with friends, the same sharing can negatively impact your leadership at the office. Oftentimes a casual and collaborative leadership approach, which women gravitate towards, can easily be sabotaged by overly personal behavior or even things like apparel.
Embodying your authentic leadership style is a process, but it sends a powerful statement and commands respect. In the end, it’s not about conformity or mimicry, but looking within yourself to find the style that resonates with you — and wearing it, inside and out, with confidence.
Besides, being labeled “bossy” is still better than being “fake”… (and maybe b*tchy).
About the Author: Kelly Azevedo is the founder of She’s Got Systems, a custom coaching program that leads clients to get support, documenting and dominating in their fields. She has worked in startup, successful six-figure and million-dollar online businesses, helping owners create the systems to serve their needs.
The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, the YEC recently launched #StartupLab, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses via live video chats, an expert content library and email lessons. | <urn:uuid:c0af4711-5a6d-4143-9e6c-b6b6c559f179> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.youtern.com/thesavvyintern/index.php/2013/02/23/women-in-business-3-steps-to-an-authentic-leadership-style/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00074-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962188 | 969 | 1.523438 | 2 |
Nicolaus Copernicus, died 1543; Leonhard Euler, died 1783; scientists Friday, May 24
These two men were both scientists who helped to explain the wonders of God's universe. Copernicus is best known for promoting the idea that the sun, not the earth, is at the center of our solar system. Euler was one of the founders of pure mathematics, and contributed to many other fields.
You'll find previews of our Sunday worship services here, as well as other materials related to worship at Saint John's. Bulletins for the following Sunday are typically posted by the end of the day Friday. Please join us Sunday morning for worship! See the home page for the most up-to-date schedule.
The "Classic Grace" banner uses "Organ" by tamburix. The "Hearts Afire" banner uses "Piano" by Yamanaka Tamaki. The photograph of the baptismal font is a copyrighted image of Saint John's sanctuary and used by permission of the photographer. | <urn:uuid:253d7113-3f89-42a1-a134-f748dcdee3a8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.stjohnsfc.org/index.php/ministries/worship | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00020-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960617 | 213 | 2.28125 | 2 |
REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE
Published by Authority
|NO. 2]||Friday, February 11||[2005|
The following Act was passed by Parliament on 25th January 2005 and assented to by the President on 3rd February 2005:—
Limited Liability Partnerships Act 2005
(No. 5 of 2005)
S R NATHAN
Date of Commencement: 11th April 2005
An Act to provide for limited liability partnerships and to make consequential amendments to certain other written laws.
Be it enacted by the President with the advice and consent of the Parliament of Singapore, as follows:
1. This Act may be cited as the Limited Liability Partnerships Act 2005 and shall come into operation on such date as the Minister may, by notification in the Gazette, appoint.
—(1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires —
“Authority” means the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority established under the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority Act 2004 (Act 3 of 2004);
“corporation” means any body corporate formed or incorporated or existing in Singapore or outside Singapore and includes —
any limited liability partnership registered under this Act; and
any foreign company,
but does not include —
any corporation sole;
any co-operative society; or
any registered trade union;
“limited liability partnership” has the meaning given to it by section 4(1);
“limited liability partnership agreement”, in relation to a limited liability partnership, means any agreement expressed or implied between the partners of the limited liability partnership or between the limited liability partnership and its partners which determines the mutual rights and duties of the partners and their rights and duties in relation to the limited liability partnership;
“liquidator” includes the Official Receiver when acting as the liquidator of a corporation;
“manager”, in relation to a limited liability partnership, means any person (whether or not a partner of the limited liability partnership) who is concerned in or takes part in the management of the limited liability partnership (whether or not his particulars or consent to act are lodged with the Registrar as required under section 23(2));
“officer”, in relation to a limited liability partnership, means —
any manager of the limited liability partnership;
a receiver and manager of any part of the undertaking of the limited liability partnership appointed under a power contained in any instrument; and
any liquidator of the limited liability partnership appointed in a voluntary winding up,
but does not include —
any receiver who is not also a manager;
any receiver and manager appointed by the High Court; or
any liquidator appointed by the High Court or by the creditors;
“Official Receiver” means the Official Assignee appointed under the Bankruptcy Act (Cap. 20) and includes the deputy of any such Official Assignee and any person appointed as Assistant Official Assignee;
“partner”, in relation to a limited liability partnership, means any person who has been admitted as a partner in the limited liability partnership in accordance with the limited liability partnership agreement;
“prescribed person” means a person, or a person within a class of persons, prescribed by the Minister;
“register” means any register kept and maintained under this Act;
(2) Where a limited liability partnership has more than one manager —
anything that the manager is required by this Act to do may be done by any one of the managers; and
anything which constitutes an offence by the manager under this Act constitutes an offence by each of the managers.
(3) A reference in this Act to the managers of a limited liability partnership shall, in the case of a limited liability partnership which has only one manager, be construed as a reference to that manager.
(4) A reference in this Act to the doing of any act by 2 or more managers of a limited liability partnership shall, in the case of a limited liability partnership which has only one manager, be construed as the doing of that act by that manager.
—(1) The Authority shall be responsible for the administration of this Act, subject to the general or special directions of the Minister.
(2) The Minister may, after consultation with the Authority —
appoint an officer of the Authority to be the Registrar of Limited Liability Partnerships; and
from amongst the officers of the Authority, public officers and the officers of any other statutory board, appoint such number of Deputy Registrars and Assistant Registrars of Limited Liability Partnerships as the Minister considers necessary,
for the proper administration of this Act.
(3) The Registrar shall be responsible generally for the carrying out of the provisions of this Act and for the collection of the fees thereunder and shall pay all amounts so collected into the funds of the Authority.
(4) The Authority may give to the Registrar such directions, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, as to the exercise of his powers, functions or duties under this Act, and the Registrar shall give effect to such directions.
(5) The Registrar may, subject to such conditions or restrictions as he thinks fit, for the purposes of the administration of this Act, delegate to any person all or any of the powers, functions and duties vested in him by this Act except the power of delegation conferred by this subsection. | <urn:uuid:54789fb5-5368-4c49-8000-6dbec4200382> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://statutes.agc.gov.sg/aol/search/display/view.w3p;orderBy=date-rev,loadTime;page=0;query=DocId%3A%226f2b2128-60fe-43b1-89d7-29c6748e6bb4%22%20Status%3Apublished%20Depth%3A0;rec=0 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954566 | 1,110 | 1.703125 | 2 |
Football players as young as 7 years old sustained an average of 107 hits per player during a single season, the first study to analyze head impact exposure in youth football shows.
The hardest of the hits came during practice, not games.
The study, published in the Annals of Biomedical Engineering, analyzed just seven kids, but the findings helped secure funding for a much larger study announced this week. Head impact exposure in high school and college athletes has been well documented. While this study suggests that youth football players sustain less frequent hits, the level of acceleration can reach the same level measured in adults — which is high enough to cause concussions.
"This new study for 2012 allows for a dramatically increased sample size [approximately 50,000 head impacts will likely be recorded] and head exposure mapping for all age groups,” said Stefan Duma, department head of the Virginia Tech – Wake Forest University School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences, which directs the project.
To study the biomechanics of impacts, researchers will use medical imaging protocols combined with brain computer modeling.
The initial study also led to the development of the National Impact Database, containing the first safety rating system for adult football helmets.
Between 1991 and 2006, participation in one popular youth organization, Pop Warner Football, almost doubled from about 130,000 players to 260,000 players. No need for coaches to wait for further results to start modifying practice, authors of the initial study suggest. Avoiding replicating game situations in practice could significantly reduce head impacts, they say.
Photo Credit: Corbis | <urn:uuid:fd527684-6d47-47cf-86c7-dfd38edb5e26> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://news.discovery.com/human/young-football-players-122302.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00061-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954041 | 318 | 3.0625 | 3 |
During the years 1896 to 1903 the following cases of scarlet fever were under my observation at the Cook County Hospital:
Number of cases, 628; males, 307; females, 321; deaths, 44.
—Suppurative otitis, 11; nephritis, 47; pneumonia, 19; arthritis, 2.
—Number of cases, 142; deaths, 17; diphtheria, 96; measles, 29; diphtheria and measles, 1; varicella, 13; parotitis, 3.It will be seen from the above table that the mortality was a little over 7.07 per cent. of all the cases treated. In the mixed infections the mortality was 11.9 per cent. It will be noted that among the complications, suppurative otitis media occurred eleven times, or in 1.7+ per cent. of all cases. In about 35 per cent. of the cases there was pain in the ear. The mild or catarrhal form of otitis media, according to Bader and | <urn:uuid:ae979d4e-8eb1-451c-9891-374e7eb53bc0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=451958 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.90276 | 216 | 2.6875 | 3 |
Female, Jewish, and Educated presents a collective biography of Jewish women who attended universities in Germany or Austria before the Nazi era. To what extent could middle-class Jewish women in the early decades of the 20th century combine family and careers? What impact did anti-Semitism and gender discrimination have in shaping their personal and professional choices? Harriet Freidenreich analyzes the lives of 460 Central European Jewish university women, focusing on their family backgrounds, university experiences, professional careers, and decisions about marriage and children. She evaluates the role of discrimination and anti-Semitism in shaping the careers of academics, physicians, and lawyers in the four decades preceding World War II and assesses the effects of Nazism, the Holocaust, and emigration on the lives of a younger cohort of women. The life stories of the women profiled reveal the courage, character, and resourcefulness with which they confronted challenges still faced by women today.
|"Freidenreich (Temple Univ.) details the lives of 460 Jewish women who attended German or Austrian universities between 1900 and the Nazi Era. Predictably intelligent and assertive, these mostly middle-class women sought intellectually challenging, economically secure, and socially responsible lives. Also predictably, they encountered pervasive antisemitism and, after 1933, the Nazi dictatorship, impacting them publicly and privately—indeed, often cruelly shortening or warping their existence. Despite untold hardships, many persevered to become successful in exile, but at considerable costs to their families and themselves. Including both well-known and comparatively obscure women, this study focuses on specific stages in their experiences: childhood, university years, professional development, career and/or family, political involvement, Nazi persecution, and, for the fortunate, life after 1945. Learning about them is both frightening and inspiring. Freidenreich's meticulous combing of archival and secondary sources, her personal contacts with many of these women and their families, and her carefully constructed descriptions and analysis make this a powerful, moving account. Its persuasive argument, statistical tables, photographs, detailed scholarly citations, and comprehensive bibliography will stimulate general readers and scholars to further questions and research. Highly recommended for both public and university libraries with holdings in women's and/or European history." —D. R. Skopp, Plattsburgh SUNY, Choice , November 2002
". . . a meticulously researched work." —Austrian History Yearbook
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Table of Contents
Preface: Finding Our Mothers, Finding Ourselves
1. Emancipation through Higher Education
2. Dutiful Daughters, Rebels and Dreamers: Shaping the Jewish University Woman
3. University Years: Jewish Women and German Academia
4. Professional Quest and Career Options
5. The Marriage Plot: Career and/or Family?
6. Jews, Feminists and Socialists: Personal Identity and Political Involvement
7. Interrupted Lives: Persecution and Emigration
8. Reconstructing Lives and Careers
Epilogue: The Legacy
Glossary and Abbreviations | <urn:uuid:cb2ea250-b57a-493e-b716-357b44e825e7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.iupress.indiana.edu/product_info.php?cPath=1037_1116_3644&products_id=182120 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00056-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9252 | 635 | 2.828125 | 3 |
Okay, it’s actually not the balls that will warm you, but rather what you can make with ‘em: Cocoa Tea!
That’s right, the same Cocoa Tea that we first told you about a couple years ago, with two very big and important differences.
1) This Cocoa Tea is the very best around!
What makes it the best? Why, the cocoa used to make the tea, of course. It comes from the Tobago Cocoa Estate W.I. Ltd., a combination heritage park and working cocoa estate located in the lush rolling hills above the sleepy town of Roxborough on the island’s southern coast.
Here, the sweet science of chocolate production is being taken to new heights of excellence by a spirited few adherents to the island’s traditional cultivation techniques, with some modern day sustainable farming methods mixed in to help preserve the area’s flora and fauna.
The main man behind this revolution in cocoa production is local Tobagonian Duane Dove, an evangelically affable guy with an uncompromising demand for excellence in every phase of his chocolate production so high it redefines persnickety.
Hershey’s, M&M’s, 3 Musketeers – all are bad words to Duane. To him, truly great chocolate comes from much finer stuff. Specifically, the Trinitario bean.
Of the three primary varieties of cocoa beans used to produce chocolate, Trinitario occupies the middle rung; a hybrid of the more rare and expensive Criollo bean and the all-too-common Forastero that’s used to make what most of us have come to know as “chocolate.”
As you may have guessed from the name, Trinitario cocoa beans originated in Trinidad & Tobago, so Duane’s chocolate is 100% Trini-to-de-bone – a nice plus in my book! It also carries a richness in flavor and sophistication that’s light years beyond those mass-market confectioneries. Seriously, if you think you love chocolate now, just wait til you get your lips around a Tobago Cocoa Estate chocolate bar. It’s on a whole ‘nother level, trust me.
So too are the Cocoa Balls pictured up top. You don’t eat these balls, though; you grate ‘em to make Cocoa Tea! Here’s the simple recipe printed on the Cocoa Balls packaging…
Grate two tablespoons of cocoa to one cup of water. Boil for five minutes, strain and add milk and sugar to taste. That’s it!
The flavor explosion you’ll enjoy is absolutely incredible, with luxurious Trinitario chocolate combining with bayleaf, nutmeg and spices to warm you to the core, as though you were in Tobago all now.
This brings me to the second of the big and important differences I mentioned above…
2) You can buy Tobago Cocoa Estate Cocoa Balls right here on UncommonCaribbean.com!
That’s right, we’ve just added a limited supply of Tobago Cocoa Estate Cocoa Balls to our online store! To order just click “ADD TO CART” below!
Last updated byon . | <urn:uuid:2f3df7eb-6ed5-4906-820c-8a5780408a2a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.uncommoncaribbean.com/2013/03/12/taste-of-the-caribbean-warm-your-winter-with-cocoa-balls-from-the-tobago-cocoa-estate/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00059-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.909641 | 691 | 1.867188 | 2 |
C. diff rates doubled between 1996 and 2003. With the incidence and severity of C. diff infection rising throughout the United States in the last 10 – 20 years, determining the actual prevalence of the disease has become a priority for public health officials and researchers.
People are most often infected in hospitals, nursing homes, or other long-term care institutions, though C. diff infection in the community is increasing. The best and most recent estimates include:
- 3,000,000 Americans become infected during stay in a health care facility each year
- 20,000 Americans become infected in community settings each year
According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 30,000 people die every year from C. diff infection. 9,000 from the hospital acquired onset, 3,000 from hospital acquired, post-discharge onset, and 16,500 from nursing home-acquired disease.
The rate of C. diff acquisition is estimated to be 13% in patients with hospital stays of up to 2 weeks, and 50% in those with hospital stays longer than 4 weeks.
Of those infected 25,000 – 75,000 (1% to 2.5% of all cases) will die, and 250,000 to 300,000 (10% of all cases) will suffer from severe or complicated disease, including pseudomembraneous colitis (infection of the large intestine (colon) with an overgrowth of C. diff bacteria), sepsis, shock, and toxic megacolon.
Sources: Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology’s 2008 National Prevalence Study of Clostridium difficile in U.S. Healthcare Facilities, November 11, 2008; “The Growing Incidence and Severity of Clostridium difficile Infection in Inpatient and Outpatient Settings”, Expert Review of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, August 25, 2010. | <urn:uuid:12a84b13-b624-43ed-bfa0-f2c85bcfab31> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.peggyfoundation.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=47&Itemid=29 | 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 | 0.952951 | 399 | 3.046875 | 3 |
One of the often repeated criticisms of social media is that it tends to be glib and shallow. That’s a simplification, but I think it has some truth to it — when I’m on a site like Twitter, I’m usually looking for (and sharing) jokes, tidbits of news, and random observations.
Jonathan Gheller is hoping to go in the opposite direction with a new site called Storylane, which is all about highlighting content that’s more sincere and in-depth. That content can take the form of text, images, or audio. For example, if you go to Gheller’s profile, you can find stories about the crucial investor in his previous startup Fashmatch, or recounting the happiest moment of his life.
Storylane allows you to follow individual users, but you can also discover stories that are trending with the general community. Right now, the Storylane front page features some tech relevant stories, including Steve Huffman’s explanation of what it feels like to have sold (and no longer be involved with) Reddit. There’s also also plenty of general interest content, like Storylane designer Matej Hrescak’s description of an inspiring teacher.
Ultimately, when you look at someone’s Storylane profile, Gheller says it should represent the “narrative” side of who they are, rather than just their social connections or random ephemera.
Now, none of this is a huge breakthrough from a technology perspective. You could, of course, share stories like this on Facebook, or on a blog of your own. (And there are other new social publishing platforms emerging, such as Medium.) But Gheller’s goal is to create tools that not only allow this type of expression, but actually encourage it and make it easier.
One of the common challenges with blogging, for example, is figuring out what to actually talk about. Storylane actually presents you with prompts that you can choose from, like “What hobbies do you enjoy the most?” and “What is the most difficult part of your job?” None of these require lengthy answers, but they do ask for a little more thought than, say, updating people on where you are or what you had for breakfast. Users can also ask each other questions, and they can offer feedback on a story, whether it’s a generic “like” or hitting the “I’m moved!” button. (For now, you’re limited to the feedback options that Storylane offers, so you can’t write completely free-form comments. Gheller is trying to figure out a commenting system that avoids, or at least minimizes, trolling and snark.)
As for making money, Gheller says the first goal is growth, but ultimately he wants to allow brands to create a presence on Storylane too. | <urn:uuid:c6ef888d-cca2-4b63-8892-41d7da6e5a14> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://techcrunch.com/2012/10/12/storylane-launch/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938996 | 615 | 1.59375 | 2 |
What is White Mulberry?
The white mulberry tree (Latin: Morus alba) is a deciduous tree native to China. It grows to a height between 25ft - 60 ft., bears white flower and red berries. The fruit is sweet but lacks a strong flavor. The leaves of the white mulberry are used to brew tisanes (herbal teas) which are valued for their sweet earthy flavor and for their health benefits.
White Mulberry Leaf tea offers a wide range of health benefits. In research studies, White Mulberry leaf tea was found to inhibit the production of the enzymes that process sugars. Consequently, a greater percentage of sugars are eliminated form the body as waste instead of being absorbed into the blood stream. Reduced sugar absorption may be beneficial for those individual having difficulty processing glucose and for weight loss. Additionally, white mulberry tea is chock full of anitoxidants which are key in strengthening your immune system and in reducing your bad cholesterol (LDL). Finally, it is naturally packed with calcium (twice the calcium in a cup of white mulberry tea as in a 8 oz glass of milk) so its great for bone strength and warding of osteoperosis. | <urn:uuid:84ff8c11-97a6-47f7-b7f4-672c02ad87d5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.immortalitea.com/what-is-white-mulberry-ezp-14.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00049-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958327 | 249 | 2.9375 | 3 |
Automated Robotic Drilling
Robots make drilling tasks easier and more accurate. Their consistency to meet higher specification requirements save time and waste. Industrial drilling robots also take a repetitive task, that is hard to manually complete on a long-term basis, and makes it more efficient.
Drilling Robot Benefits
There are many benefits to robotic drilling. Automating the drilling process will increase your company's productivity and efficiency. You will be able to create floor space for more important equipment and products and free up your labor force for other projects. | <urn:uuid:3a308b98-dc6b-4ff9-83b3-2722ab174ba8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.used-robots.com/robot-applications.php?app=drilling | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00023-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.914395 | 109 | 2.09375 | 2 |
Chicago is moving forward with an ambitious and large-scale Bus Rapid Transit project on Ashland Avenue, a north-south corridor running from Cortland to 31st parallel to the Red Line L to the east. Back in 2011, I did a post on a report from a Chicago nonprofit called the Metropolitan Planning Council on a plan for a network of BRT lines in the city. At the time, it looked like Western was the natural choice for rapid transit as the longest arterial in Chicago; following a study and outreach process on both streets last year, Ashland was chosen instead. Here is the proposed alignment, with the BRT corridor in yellow and potential future extension in black. (It's a beautifully straight line, designed to function not just with Chicago's radial rail network but also with its grid-shaped network of frequent bus lines.)
Today, the street is composed of four travel lanes, parking lanes, and a median alternating with a turn lane. It's interesting to read the press materials for this project, because they heavily emphasize the importance of the repurposed right-of-way and related improvements, rather than focusing on the character the vehicles. They also frequently highlight the suitability of the "70' curb-to-curb right-of-way". From the Ashland BRT Project Factsheet:
- Dedicated center bus lane in each direction to keep buses out of general traffic during boardings
- Limited stops: every 1/2 mile and at CTA 'L' stations
- Transit Signal Priority intersections and longer green lights to keep traffic moving
The redesigned street will sport a dedicated busway with median stations, one travel lane in each direction. As the urbanists will like, it removes a general purpose travel lane but retails the majority of on-street parking spaces. The initial Western-Ashland study considered alternatives that places the BRT right-of-way against the curb, as well as removing travel lanes or parking lanes. Ashland Avenue will also continue to be served by local bus service.
This is clearly open BRT, meaning the buses could enter and exit the busway at many points. Ashland Avenue BRT buses, for example, are likely to want to run further along Ashland than the facility currently goes, reducing the need for multiple transfers. An open design allows for other bus lines whose routes take them onto the busway to realize the benefits of the reserved right-of-way where it exists. In this case, open BRT means that buses will need doors on both sides, so that they can open on the left at busway stations and on the right at ordinary curb stops beyond the busway's end.
This looks like a great project. It's position in a high-frequency grid means that it will be useful for trips extending far beyond the busway itself. It makes the street itself a nicer place. And it seems precision engineered to improve travel time, and thus access, for a wide swath of Chicago, making transit an even more logical choice for an even larger spectrum of riders.
You can also view an interview with the project's lead planners, here. | <urn:uuid:78fdfee7-45a2-4e6d-a07f-ca7f92a71864> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.humantransit.org/chicago/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952166 | 639 | 1.828125 | 2 |
Insight Guide: Caribbean Cruises
APA Publications GmbH & Co
Publisher: APA Publications GmbH & Co
Series: Insight Travel Guides
Format: Paperback, 400pp 229 x 161 mm, 844 grams
Insight Guide Caribbean Cruises is your comprehensive guide book to cruising the Caribbean, with full-color photos throughout combining with the lively narrative.
The inspirational "Best of Caribbean Cruising" section outlines top attractions and activities not to be missed, while features by local writers cover not just the cruising angle but the cultural one too. Get to grips with the world of cruising: from choosing the right cruise for you and planning onboard activities vs shore excursions, to glimpses behind the scenes, cruiseship cuisine and pampering, and even tips on how to make your Caribbean cruising as environmentally friendly as possible. Covers the history and culture of this region in more detail than any other Caribbean cruises book on the market - the cultural information on the Caribbean people and the region's history, along with colorful features on subjects such as Carnival, Architecture and the Underwater World, give you the full picture of cruising in the Caribbean.
Twenty-nine Places chapters then visit Florida, Mexico and Central America before heading for the Caribbean, with the cruise lines' private islands also included.
A Main Attractions panel helps you get the most from each chapter, while plentiful full-color maps show you the way around, with dotted sights highlighting areas of interest. Finally, the Travel Tips cover all your practical needs, with a wealth of information to take you from Planning the Trip to Life on Board - including on-shore transportation and listings for where to eat, and even where to stay should you wish to extend your trip. | <urn:uuid:3468f720-10b1-46f2-8fdf-61ea6f717f2f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mapsworldwide.com/sku_38824.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.901757 | 355 | 1.554688 | 2 |
Mother Nature's Child
This exciting new film is now available. Director Camilla Rockwell was inspired by Richard Louv's book Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder and decided to make a film on how children adapt to being out in nature. Richard Louv expresses his thoughts about the film, “In poetic words and images, and focused passion, ‘Mother Nature’s Child’ captures the essence of the challenge we face: the generational disconnect from the natural world and the great benefits that will come to our children, and ourselves, by giving the gift of nature.”
To read more about the film, please click on the website below. | <urn:uuid:ae6e5d45-c497-49e7-ba31-55252a6d92b9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.e3washington.org/showcase/item.html?id=72 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00057-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935991 | 143 | 1.570313 | 2 |
NC State University has been awarded a $1.3 million grant to guide a Raleigh postsecondary education partnership as part of a three-year project funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The Partners for Postsecondary Success initiative is part of the Gates Foundation’s effort to double the number of young adults 16 to 26 who earn a college degree or postsecondary credential by 2025.
The Raleigh Colleges and Community Collaborative will use the grant over the next two years in targeted efforts to increase the number of low-income youth who complete degrees, specialized training and certificates that enable them to succeed in the workforce. NC State is the lead agency for the partnership, which includes Meredith College, Peace College, Shaw University, St. Augustine College, Wake Technical Community College, the Wake County Public School System, the City of Raleigh, Wake County Human Services, United Way of the Greater Triangle and the Capital Area Workforce Development Board, along with other local partners.
The Raleigh Collaborative will reach out to students through three specific programs. This summer, students at two Wake County high schools are taking part in a Raleigh Future Scholars pilot project to learn about educational options after graduation. All six colleges in the partnership will reach out to low-income students with campus Raleigh Fellows programs that provide mentoring, work-based learning opportunities such as internships, and assistance with resume and job interview preparation. The third project is opening Raleigh College Centers in partnership with the city to offer walk-in advice on completing a GED, applying to college, securing financial aid and finding opportunities for on-the-job training.
“Through the Raleigh Collaborative, we want to make a long-term change in the way we come together to support young people as they move from high school through college or specialized training and into jobs with a living wage,” said NC State’s Dr. Jose Picart, who will lead the project as executive director. “To build an even stronger partnership, we will work closely with the Collaborative Partnership for Excellence in Youth Development, a John Rex Endowment initiative to advance positive youth development in Wake County for underserved school-age youth 5 to 18 years old.” The Gates Foundation grant requires the Raleigh Collaborative to raise $240,000 in matching funds.
The Raleigh Collaborative’s goal is to reach 750 young adults from low-income families during the 21-month grant implementation period and 4,000 students over the next decade. An estimated 15,000 to 20,000 young people in the area would qualify for the programs.
MDC, a Chapel Hill-based nonprofit dedicated to improving educational and economic opportunities in communities across the nation, received a grant from the Gates Foundation to lead the initiative and will continue to provide coaching and technical support.
“This is not about trying to get everyone a four-year degree but rather to acknowledge that a high school diploma is no longer sufficient to earn access to jobs in many of the fastest growing occupations,” said Bonnie Gordon, MDC senior program director and project director of Partners for Postsecondary Success. “These partnerships will serve as credible, enduring communitywide sources of information, inspiration, and action to help students earn an array of postsecondary credentials required for the workforce of the future.” | <urn:uuid:d7b54fb8-4c50-412a-9603-04beb5da5093> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://bulletin.ncsu.edu/2011/07/nc-state-wins-gates-foundation-education-grant/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94588 | 670 | 1.554688 | 2 |
Newsroom > DHHS News Release
Lincoln— With the March Madness basketball playoffs set to start March 19, this time of year can be especially difficult for Nebraskans who struggle with problem gambling. The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services’ Division of Behavioral Health is urging Nebraskans to learn the warning signs of gambling addiction this March in recognition of Problem Gambling Awareness Month.
“March Madness is now one of the biggest gambling events of the year,” said Scot Adams, director of the Division of Behavioral Health. “For most people, gambling is something they can do for fun. But for 55,000 Nebraskans and their families, gambling is a serious problem.”
“Filling out brackets and betting on sports may seem harmless, but can lead to problem gambling,” said Maya Chilese, program director of the Gamblers Assistance Program in the Division of Behavioral Health. For Nebraskans who do choose to play, Chilese said that it’s important to know what’s legal, and stick to limits on time and money spent. “When people spend more time gambling, play to relieve stress, lie about gambling, or borrow from others to play, they’re engaging in problem gambling,” she said.
Problem gambling will be classified as a behavioral addiction, in the soon-to-be-released Diagnostic Statistical Manual, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) from the American Psychiatric Association. Treatment services may include crisis intervention, individual counseling, group therapy and family counseling. Help is often available at no to low cost for gamblers and their families.
“Treatment for problem gambling is available,” Chilese said. “And it works.”
Nebraskans who are struggling can seek help through the Gamblers Assistance Program’s Problem Gambling Helpline, 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537), available 24/7. More information, including links to local treatment providers and responsible gambling tips, is available at PlayItSafe.ne.gov
The Division of Behavioral Health in the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services administers the Gamblers Assistance Program. GAP provides funding for the helpline, treatment services, prevention and outreach services and counselor training. The program is paid for, in part, by funding from the State Lottery and the Heath Care Cash Fund. | <urn:uuid:a8671a0a-230b-4b9b-9857-1f5ff4ecf98d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Newsroom_Newsreleases_2013_March_Gambling.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00052-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.921944 | 509 | 2.21875 | 2 |
By Kevin Finnegan
Belt skivers remove a conveyor belt’s cover to prepare a belt for countersunk fasteners. A skiver is specially designed to help ensure quick, safe, and accurate cover removal at various depths. It eliminates imprecise and potentially dangerous cuts that can result from hand-knife skiving. It is also a cleaner and faster alternative to a router, since the skiver removes the top cover as one continuous strip, and does so in minutes. This makes skivers an invaluable tool for the belt-repair process.
Mechanical conveyor-belt splicing, which usually includes hinged- or solid-plate fasteners (clips) attached to the belt with bolts or rivets, is widely used in heavy-duty operations because of its relatively low cost and ease and speed of installation. However, abrasiveness and density can vary wildly, increasing the potential for premature splice wear and failure.
There are many reasons why it is important to skive a belt prior to fastener installation. In most cases, skiving will save both time and money throughout the production process, and it does not weaken a conveyor belt. All of the strength is found in the carcass; the cover is in place simply to protect it. When someone skives a belt, he or she replaces this protective rubber with the belt fasteners that will protect the belt and keep it moving to maximize production. The user does not want to remove all of the cover—he or she should leave 1⁄16 in. in place to provide protection from the elements: water, sun, etc.
The major benefits of skiving a belt include:
Achieving a lower profile. Since skiving a belt removes the belt’s top layer, it leaves room for the fasteners to lie evenly with or below the rest of the belt surface. This reduces the chance of the fasteners catching themselves on any belt components or on the conveyor structure itself.
Longer splice life. A properly skived belt will last much longer because you are achieving a lower profile, preventing excess wear and tear on the fasteners.
Compatibility with cleaners. When a belt is skived, cleaners and other conveyor components are able to work on a relatively smooth surface in which the belt fasteners and cleaners work effectively together. Not only does this create a compatible surface for cleaners, it also increases cleaner-blade and fastener life. Manufacturers that produce both fasteners and cleaners are often in the advantageous position to advise on the interfacing between fasteners and cleaners.
Better wear of fasteners when used with skirting. Similarly, a skived belt also reduces the wear and tear to which the skirting and fasteners are subjected, resulting in prolonged operation and reduced maintenance. By placing the top of the fasteners beneath the lower edge of the skirt rubber, the user eliminates excessive wear on either item.
Stronger splices. When a belt is skived, it removes the top rubber layer from the belt, placing the top and bottom plates of each fastener closer together, ensuring that the teeth are properly engaged into the carcass. This results in improved strength of the belt splice.
For all of the above reasons, skiving is highly recommended when splicing a belt. However, there are some reasons why skiving might not be chosen, including:
Top cover is worn. When the top cover is very thin or worn, skiving is not recommended.
Fastener size. Belt thickness is but one of several factors used to determine fastener size. In cases where the wrong fastener size is used, skiving the belt would adversely affect the fasteners.
Time pressure. Sometimes in a time crunch, proper skiving of a belt is overlooked in an attempt to minimize downtime. Generally speaking, this is counter-productive. Although this does save time initially, in the long run it will result in additional downtime.
Choosing the Right Tool
Traditional skiving tools typically employ a wide cutting head drawn across the belt by a manual winch and guided by a lightweight aluminum track. A stirrup-shaped blade, mounted in the cutting head, adjusts in 2-mm increments to a maximum depth of 14 mm. Adjustment allows the blade to remove the desired amount of belt-top cover cleanly, smoothly, and uniformly in one pass. This leaves a flat-bottom trough with rounded lower corners to prevent the adjacent belt-cover material from tearing along the bottom edge.
With some skivers, the cutting head also features a cutoff blade that adjusts vertically for belts up to 35-mm thick. A second pass of the head with this blade extended makes a clean, square, and straight cut along the bottom of the skived area, establishing a finished belt end by trimming the trough for the selected fastener size.
Newer, compact belt skivers eliminate the guide track and winch, as well as the need to nail down the belt, while enabling fast, easy removal of conveyor-belt cover material. Employing an integral ratchet-driven roller design, these hand-operated tools carve a flat-bottomed trough as deep as 10 mm in a single pass. The multiple-pass capability of these skivers allows for deeper skiving in rubber and synthetic belts up to 32-mm thick. A range of user-selected widths accommodates varying belt-fastener sizes.
Operation and Care
Operation begins with simple manual adjustments for desired skive depth and width. With the skiver properly positioned and secured on the belt end, users ratchet the tool across the width of the belt with one hand while guiding the tool with the other. Two pairs of rollers—each featuring a serrated upper and smooth lower roller—lamp the belt as the serrated rollers grip the top cover and drive the skiver, pulling a special steel blade through the belting. The skived belt cover comes off in one continuous strip. Easy hand-screw adjustment of roller tension allows optimum operation, preventing water and dirt from affecting the drive. The resulting flat-bottomed trough features a rounded inside corner to prevent the belt cover from splitting.
For maximum ongoing performance, skivers should be cleaned after each use and kept in a clean, dry area. Although the tools are rugged and durable, care should be taken to avoid dropping or tossing them. Both the top and bottom edges of the blades should be examined, making sure they are sharp and undamaged. Some skiver designs enable the blade to be sharpened while it is attached to the tool.
Properly selected and used, skivers represent a sound investment. They provide precise and uniform cuts and eliminate the problems and injury potential associated with hand-knife use. In terms of both safety and conveyor productivity, skivers are tools that pay for themselves many times over.
Kevin Finnegan is a mechanical fastener application specialist with Flexco (Downers Grove, IL). For more information, visit www.flexco.com. | <urn:uuid:ec2432b3-fa1d-4fb0-8b16-9bf2376a9d01> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.powderbulksolids.com/article/things-you-should-know-splicing-your-belt?qt-top_articles=0 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00074-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.928675 | 1,437 | 2.453125 | 2 |
University of Colorado at Boulder students won first place this week in a national competition for nanosatellite design, earning a rare opportunity to launch their winning satellite within the next two years.
CU-Boulder was one of 11 schools participating in the University Nanosatellite Program's Flight Competition Review Jan. 19-20 in Albuquerque, N.M. The competition was sponsored by the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research.
"I cannot tell you how impressed I was with the professionalism and quality of work completed by our students," said Scott Palo of CU-Boulder's aerospace engineering sciences department, who was one of the faculty advisers. "It was truly amazing. The students were terrific ambassadors for CU and the results of this competition continue to enhance our reputation as the place for space."
The winning satellite, called the Drag and Atmospheric Neutral Density Explorer or DANDE, is an 18-inch spherical satellite designed to measure variations in the upper atmosphere that create drag on orbiting satellites. It was designed and built over the last two years by an interdisciplinary team of aerospace, mechanical, and electrical engineers. Aerospace engineering Professor Jeffrey Forbes and Chris Koehler of the Colorado Space Grant Consortium also served as advisers.
Doctoral student Marcin Pilinski, who served as project manager, said 20 students, or about half the CU-Boulder team, participated in the competition's final review. "We were very proud of everyone, from the youngest undergraduate to the most experienced," he said.
Each team was required to make a 15-minute presentation summarizing its project in front of all the other schools, and then to go through four judging rounds in which they demonstrated their satellite, incorporating documentation and other support materials, to a total of 25 judges.
The judges met to discuss the projects at the end of the second day before the announcement of winners was made. Second place went to Washington University in St. Louis and Michigan Tech took third.
"The two biggest factors in our winning first place, according to the judges, were our documentation and our workmanship," said student Bruce Davis.
"This is not just a win for CU, but for the entire state of Colorado," he added, noting that the team had support from the aerospace industry as well as the Governor's Economic Development Office in developing its project.
The CU-Boulder students will deliver their final satellite to the Air Force by the end of this year. The satellite is expected to be launched by the Air Force as a secondary payload by 2011. | <urn:uuid:3913be16-204f-4617-9e6f-2296c82b8b66> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.colorado.edu/news/releases/2009/01/22/cu-boulder-students-win-first-place-national-nanosatellite-competition?qt-main=2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00065-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978019 | 513 | 2.34375 | 2 |
Today in The Republican, Barbara Bernard wrote on the value of generosity, a topic close to my heart. She offers several examples of what her father-in-law referred to as "bread being cast on water and coming back roast beef sandwiches."
We all can use more kindness and generosity. Showing it to others is a reward in itself. Doing something kind for someone makes you immediately feel better. However, there are often more tangible rewards as well, often when one least expects it. I know that this has proven true in my own life and Bernard offers several examples of this from her own.
Ever pay someone a compliment, smile, hold a door, visit someone in a nursing home, help care for the baby of an exhausted mother, change a flat tire or try to make a difference for someone you knew could use it?
Did you totally forget what you had done only to have something very wonderful happen to you as a result of your kindness, maybe years later?
Chances are you never expected more than maybe a “thank you,” but that thank you come along with words of how you made a major difference in someone’s life.
That’s what my father-in-law meant by “bread cast on water always comes back roast-beef sandwiches.” We always get more than we give.
You can read the full article here: http://www.masslive.com/living/index.ssf/2012/10/barbara_bernard_bread_cast_on_water_always_comes_back_roast_beef_sandwiches.html
Do something kind for someone today. You'll be glad that you did. | <urn:uuid:f2da68ff-418e-4027-8ed6-10a84fbcb25b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://spiritualwomanthoughts.blogspot.com/2012/10/generosity-and-roast-beef-sandwiches.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97475 | 353 | 2.1875 | 2 |
Lehanga Choli is one of the ethnic outfits for women in India, along with Saree and Salwar Kameez. Like the Saree, the origin of Lehanga Choli is purely Indian. While Saree was and still is prevalent in the eastern and southern parts of India, Lehanga Choli claimed its dominance in the northern and western part of India. Traditionally, Lehanga Choli used to be the ethnic everyday wear for women hailing from the Western region of India, especially Rajasthan and Gujarat. The mention of Lehanga Choli conjures up images of beautiful Rajput women in vibrant and dazzling Lehanga Cholis. While the women from royal families were clad in gorgeous and elaborate Lehanga Cholis, the commoner women were spotted in colorful but simple and minimally embellished Lehanga Cholis for practical reasons such as ease of movement while doing daily chores and, of course, they couldn't afford such gorgeous Lehanga Cholis. It's only for special events or festive occasions that they would get themselves beautifully embellished Lehanga Cholis. Apart from Western India, Lehanga was also the ethnic everyday wear outfit for women belonging to Northern India, especially Uttar Pradesh. While the Lehanga Cholis of Western India were more elaborate, vibrant and gorgeous, those from North were comparatively simple and were paired with long Cholis. Rather than a clothing item used for everyday wear, the Indian Lehanga Choli is now viewed as a Designer outfit meant for special events such as Weddings, Engagements, Reception, Mehndi, Sangeet, Festivals, Traditional Occasions and other social dos. Therefore, noways when you refer to a Lehenga choli, it either connotes to a wedding lehenga choli or lehenga cholis that planned for a festive occasion. Brides of today plan in advance for their bridal lehenga choli or go for an exquisite designer lehenga choli for their D-day. Lehanga Choli is also known as Chaniya Choli, Sharara, Lehnga Choli, Lancha Choli, Ghagra, Ghaghra Choli, etc. Cbazaar boasts of an exhaustive collection of Lehanga Cholis that are ideal for every occasion such as Weddings, Reception, Mehndi, Sangeet or festive occasions. | <urn:uuid:ba62eb31-03d6-4360-aa70-86562f84ec52> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cbazaar.com/lehenga/lehanga-choli/kb.html | 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 | 0.955949 | 488 | 2.265625 | 2 |
Yale Convocation Celebrates 75th Anniversary of Psi Chi, Ninth International Congress of Psychology
The President’s Room of Yale University is an elegant rotunda lined with stately portraits of many past presidents since Yale was founded in 1701. Under their collective gaze, 75 people convened September 3, 2004 to celebrate “75 Years of Excellence” – a historic convocation saluting two landmark events: the Ninth International Congress of Psychology hosted by Yale on September 1-7, 1929, and the founding of Psi Chi, the national honor society for psychology, on September 4, 1929.
Dean of Yale College Peter Salovey welcomed participants, and Harold Takooshian, Fordham University, joined Salovey to moderate and introduce 10 speakers who noted the three-fold significance of this convocation: for international psychology, for Psi Chi and Psi Beta, the honor society for community and junior colleges, and for Yale.
The 1929 International Congress has been described as “the most impressive gathering of psychologists in the history of the field,” with 826 participants from 21 nations, including such notables as Ivan Pavlov (Russia), Francis Galton (England), Jean Piaget (Switzerland), and Kurt Lewin (Germany).
The Psi Chi honor society, born during the 1929 Congress, is now a unique organization on several points: It is the world’s largest psychology organization with 467,000 life members, the largest honor society with chapters at 1,010 campuses, and the founder of a partner society Psi Beta in 1981 to offer recognition to the growing number of students enrolled in two-year institutions. Psi Chi was among the first affiliate groups of the American Psychological Society, formed in 1988, with thousands of Psi Chi members active in APS. Many APS Presidents have publicly credited Psi Chi with shaping their early careers, echoing APS Past President James L. McGaugh, who said, “Psi Chi played a major role in encouraging me to pursue a career in psychology when I was an undergraduate.”
Yale University was the natural venue for these two watershed events, since the Yale faculty have long emphasized their mission of teaching alongside research excellence, and current psychology faculty emphasize superlative undergraduate teaching as well as research.
The House Two Ruths Built
Two keynote speakers shared their rich historical insights. John Hogan, St. John’s University, spoke as the official historian of Psi Chi, Psi Beta, and the APA Division of International Psychology. With his trademark wit, Hogan detailed how graduate students Edwin Newman and “Bud” Lewis were not deterred by Harvard professor E. G. Boring’s early opposition to “yet another psychology group,” and how Boring soon came to admire the society they formed with charter signatories from 22 schools in 1929. Hogan said his history of Psi Chi wouldn’t be complete without describing Ruth Cousins, its legendary executive officer who served for 33 years from 1958 to 1991). As Edwin Newman said, “Psi Chi is not so much what we founded as it is what Ruth made it.”
The second keynote speaker was Daniel Bockert, the director of publications for Psi Chi from 1989 to 2003, and the society’s unofficial historian. Bockert focused on Psi Chi’s precarious first five years and the oft-overlooked role of “the other Ruth,” Ruth Guilford, whose selfless devotion enabled Psi Chi to flourish rather than wither from 1930 to 1935. As Yankee Stadium is known as “the house that Ruth built,” Bockert described Psi Chi as “the house the two Ruths built.”
Yale University was represented by Salovey; department chair of psychology at Yale and APS Fellow and Charter Member Kelly Brownell; Psi Chi faculty advisor Laurie Santos; five student officers of the highly active Yale chapter of Psi Chi; and professors John Bargh, Linda Bartoshuk, William McGuire, Jerome Singer, and Edward Zigler. Bargh, Bartoshuk and McGuire are APS Fellow and Charter Members, and Bartoshuk also served on the APS Board of Directors.
International psychology speakers included APS Fellow and Charter Member and APA Past President Florence L. Denmark and Richard Velayo, Pace University, as well as Robert W. Rieber, City University of New York. Psi Chi was represented by its dynamic Eastern Vice President Vincent Prohaska, Lehman College. Prohaska reported that Psi Chi is now the number-one sponsor of student research, with awards surpassing $120,000 per annum, and the able five-person staff and eleven-person Council who head Psi Chi today are committed to expanding this sum by recycling revenues from the 22,000 members who join each year. Prohaska presented Yale with an embossed volume of the oral history of Psi Chi, co-edited by APS Fellow and Charter Member Stephen F. Davis and Michael Wertheimer.
Psi Beta was represented by past president Ann E. Garrett Robinson, Gateway Community College. Robinson described the tight bond linking Psi Chi and Psi Beta, which for years were headed by Cousins and her daughter Carol Tracy. On behalf of John W. DeStefano, Jr., the mayor of New Haven, Connecticut, Robinson presented Yale with a parchment proclaiming September 3 as “Psi Chi Day in the City of New Haven.”
The same electricity that charged the air in the 1929 Congress seemed apparent to participants at the 2004 convocation.
More information is available at www.psichi.org, www.psibeta.org, www.internationalpsychology.org, and www.yale.edu. Those interested obtaining a 90-minute videotape of the convocation can contact Harold Takooshian at email@example.com.
Leave a comment below and continue the conversation. | <urn:uuid:22ce945c-5376-4855-b980-f9466b7e8649> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/uncategorized/psign-of-the-times.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952442 | 1,246 | 1.796875 | 2 |
Download MP3 (Right-click or option-click the link.)
A guy says to his friend, "Guess how many coins I have in my pocket."
The friend says, "If I guess right, will you give me one of them?"
The first guy says, "If you guess right, I'll give you both of them."
This joke came from Jokes for the ESL/EFL Classroom on The Internet TESL Journal's website (iteslj.org).
If you have some free time, try Spelling Quiz #3 | <urn:uuid:449572aa-3ab2-469f-9bed-a83d606bb1db> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.manythings.org/jokes/9979.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00023-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958985 | 119 | 2.125 | 2 |
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is going on in Sudan?
In the last two years, the Government of Sudan and its militias have engaged in a campaign to purge the Western States of Darfur of the “Zurgha” groups, the ethnic communities considered “black”. Campaigns have taken the form of aerial bombings, dawn raids on villages, poisoning of wells and driving people into the desert. Reports estimate that between 70,000 and 330,000 men women and children have been killed; Two million have been internally displaced, and tens of thousands of women have been raped and mutilated. Pulitzer Prize winning author Samantha Power reported on these tragedies first hand.
To sustain its genocidal program, the government-sponsored organizers train militias, airlift supplies, move forces around, and acquire helicopter gun ships – all significant expenses that require substantial financing. This financing has come primarily in the form of oil revenue and trading with various international companies. In 1998, the US imposed sanctions on Sudan and prohibited any direct involvement on the part of US companies.
Nevertheless, American funds still find their way into Sudan through various international companies that trade with the regime and source their funds in the US. PetroChina is one of those companies, and is one of Khartoum’s principal revenue generators.
In the last quarter (September to December of 2004), despite a prominent October report in The Harvard Crimson detailing PetroChina’s involvement in Sudan and subsequent calls for divestment, Harvard actually doubled its investment in PetroChina, despite the continuing genocide and the escalation of public awareness.
We take pride in our University and its history and future as a global leader in intellectual, social, and humanitarian achievement. As current students, we also recognize the superior education and opportunities afforded to us by Harvard. As future alumni, we remain committed to ensuring these gifts for future generations of students and to supporting the moral and academic leadership of the University with our hearts, our minds, and our financial resources.
Our investments in PetroChina not only give implicit approval to their relationship to the Sudanese government. That relationship helps maintain the government’s financial viability, and therefore, its campaign to eliminate an entire ethnic group of non-Arab Africans. Publicly divesting sends a message to PetroChina and the world that there is a price to pay for complicity in genocide. Moreover, the divestment of arguably the world’s most prestigious educational institution and America’s oldest corporation would lend an important voice to the growing chorus of dissent that is ringing out against the international community’s inaction in the face of the atrocity of Genocide.
As reported by Agence France Presse on October 25, 2004, PetroChina is now in the process of officially acquiring all of the southern Sudan assets of its parent company, the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), one of the largest oil companies operating in Sudan. Furthermore, alleged financial “firewalls” between PetroChina and CNPC’s oil operations in Sudan have proved to be nothing more than a shell game, as PetroChina has absorbed over $15 billion of CNPC’s debts incurred partially by their operations in Sudan. (For the full story on the relationship between PetroChina and Sudan, please read this Human Rights Watch report.)
The purpose of the Senior Gift is to unite the senior class to give something back to Harvard. The Senior Gift is an important way for seniors to show their appreciation and support for the university, and it is a great way to get the whole class working together on a common goal before we graduate. It also gets us into the habit of giving, which is crucial for Harvard’s continued success.
Although the Senior Gift is a fundraising activity, it is far more important as a symbol than as an actual financial contribution to Harvard. The average total Senior Gift raised since 1991 is $38,878. Last year, $34,944 was raised. While $38,878 is a lot of money to your average college student, it is less than a year’s tuition. Harvard scholarship aid amounts to about $80 million per year. Even if the entire Senior Gift went to financial aid (which is not the case), it would only amount to 0.05% of the total aid available. Furthermore, the Senior Gift committee measures success based on the percent participation, not on the amount raised. For instance, the House competitions are done by participation.
Since the senior gift is symbolic, it ought to be treated as a symbol. In this case, Senior Gift provides a great way to make a statement to the University that the senior class disapproves of the University’s holdings in PetroChina. There are few other opportunities for the whole class to unite and send such a strong message.
It’s not that we hate Harvard or think it is an evil institution. We also don’t want to undermine the Senior Gift campaign or the people working on it. Instead, we want to use the Senior Gift not only to show our financial support for Harvard, but also to send it a message. We want to take advantage of this chance to make a statement to tell Harvard that we cannot, in good conscience, encourage unconditional donations to the university until it divests from companies that contribute to the genocide in Sudan. Donating money should denote a secure satisfaction with the practices of the university. At this specific moment in time, with Harvard not only refusing to divest, but also doubling the investment in question, we are not convinced that the university has its priorities in the right place.
One of the most important things that Harvard must stand for is justice and moral responsibility. Education is meaningless if it is divorced from responsible citizenship. We are required to take courses in Moral Reasoning classes so that we can think about moral issues in an intelligent and reasoned way. If Harvard chooses to pursue immoral ways of earning money, we have a responsibility to urge Harvard's investment team to divest.
Harvard's first-rate educational programs and research activities depend in large part on the strength of the outstanding reputation that the University has cultivated over nearly 400 years.
Our community of faculty, students, and staff strives for excellence in all areas, and seeks to apply our scholarly endeavors to the benefit of humanity in the nation, and at large. To the extent that Harvard's material involvement -- however direct or indirect -- contributes to or sustains the genocide in Sudan, it is a blemish upon the entire University character, and an impediment to its good works.
Divesting would free us of a significant distraction, free us of this moral liability, and reaffirm the University’s uncompromising commitment to and regard for human life.
Moreover, if the university responds to this call for divestment from the student body, it will clearly and unambiguously demonstrate that Harvard is willing to listen to the concerns of its undergraduate students and respond to global crises in a timely and responsible fashion.
As Crimson columnist Samuel Simon argues: “The Senior Gift produces roughly $30,000 a year, roughly 0.05% of the Harvard College Fund that the Gift goes into. That’s nowhere near enough money to make any real difference in the amount of financial aid we receive. What those who make this argument understand is that student giving has an influence on alumni giving…But even if fundraising falls, Harvard students won’t automatically receive less financial aid. Harvard would have to decide whether or not to cut financial aid programs as a response to the drop in fundraising, and it alone would bear the responsibility for that decision. Furthermore, Harvard has no incentive to cut financial aid—which keeps the University competitive among its peer institutions—first. We have no reason to think Harvard wouldn’t find some source of money to make up for a lull in donations.”
Yes, strong precedent exists for divestment from countries that violate human rights. During the 1970s and 80s Harvard divested millions of dollars from corporations that operated in apartheid South Africa. Furthermore, Yale President Richard Levin had called for the divestment of Yale’s endowment from Sudan as early as 2002. In addition to the divestment movement at Harvard and numerous other university campuses, six states – including Massachusetts – have introduced bills in their state legislatures to divest public pension funds from companies that conduct business with the Sudanese government.
Harvard’s divestment from South Africa hastened the downfall of the apartheid regime by increasing economic and political pressure against the racist system. Divestment from Sudan can accomplish similar results and help ensure freedom and security for people now targeted for genocide.
Contributions to Senior Gift Plus (SGP) will be held in an escrow account at the Harvard Square branch of Bank of America. The account requires a double signature for any release of funds and is managed by Dan Weissman (Chief Financial Officer of SGP). Seniors can choose to designate their donation either to the Unrestricted Fund or to Financial Aid. If Harvard divests from its PetroChina holdings before October 25, 2005 (exactly one year from the date of The Crimson's report on Harvard’s investment in PetroChina) the money in the account would be turned over to the Harvard College Fund as designated by seniors. If Harvard does not divest by that date, the money in the account would be donated as a gift to the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at the Kennedy School. The Carr Center for Human Rights Policy is actively involved in the application of research to the solution of public policy problems. It leads public policy debate and trains human rights leaders--partnering with governments, corporations, and the military--to achieve solutions to humanitarian crises. This way, we are still giving to Harvard, but giving to the part that lives up to everything we hope the entire university could be.
For more information on the Carr Center please visit their website at www.ksg.harvard.edu/cchrp/index.shtml.
Senior Gift Plus is a small business registered with the City of Cambridge. The website will remain intact, as will the executive committee. We are currently seeking faculty members to oversee our efforts and, as you can see from our executive committee list, we have enlisted underclass students to help us administer the program.
1. Immediately divest all holdings in PetroChina
Corporation members James R. Houghton (firstname.lastname@example.org), Conrad K. Harper and Robert D. Reischauer, who comprise the Corporation Committee on Shareholder Responsibility (CCSR). | <urn:uuid:f37d871c-2927-4063-bfbe-75e2cbd635e0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.hcs.harvard.edu/~h4sudan/faq.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95028 | 2,157 | 2.171875 | 2 |
The focus of cleanup work to contain a spill of red diesel fuel from the Iowa Events Center complex has narrowed to two sandbars in downtown Des Moines.
Early efforts centered on installing absorbent booms across the river Oct. 18, the day of the spill’s discovery. Haz-Mat Response out of Omaha and Kansas City installed two booms near the Southeast 14th Street and U.S. Highway 65 bridges to catch any fuel drifting downstream. The booms at U.S. Highway 65 were removed Tuesday.
Although they recovered some fuel at the Southeast 14th Street Bridge, much of the fuel may have stopped at two sandbars in downtown Des Moines. Instead of floating on down river, the fuel particles collected on the sandbar north and east of the Grand Avenue Bridge.
Any fuel not caught there travelled further downstream with much of it ending up on a sandbar south of the Martin Luther King Jr. bridge crossing.
Haz-Mat Response placed booms around both sandbars. They are working at each site using river water to blast the fuel out of the sand so they can recover it. Sunny days on Tuesday and Wednesday and turbulence in the water from the low head dams will also help break down the fuel.
The DNR will meet with Haz-Mat Response Thursday to review progress and determine if further cleanup is needed.
An estimated 2,500 gallons of diesel fuel flowed down a roof drain from a standby generator located on the roof of Hy-Vee Hall. The fuel was discovered in the river about 6:30 a.m. Oct. 18 after it flowed into a storm drain that led to the river. Cleanup of the drains is complete.
For more information contact Ted Petersen at 515-725-0274 or Ted.Petersen@dnr.iowa.gov | <urn:uuid:f9764ee0-4b6b-479c-ba51-87634c9b6555> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.iowadnr.gov/DesktopModules/AdvancedArticles/ArticleDetail.aspx?ItemId=1047&alias=www.iowadnr.gov&ModuleId=2822&TabId=464&PortalId=3 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944705 | 372 | 1.539063 | 2 |
Statute in Full:
QUESTION 3: Law Proposed by Initiative Petition
Do you approve of a law summarized below, on which no vote was taken by the Senate or the House of Representatives before May 6, 2008?
As required by law, summaries are written by the State Attorney General, and the statements describing the effect of a "yes" or "no" vote are written jointly by the State Attorney General and the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
This proposed law would prohibit any dog racing or racing meeting in Massachusetts where any form of betting or wagering on the speed or ability of dogs occurs. The State Racing Commission would be prohibited from accepting or approving any application or request for racing dates for dog racing. Any person violating the proposed law could be required to pay a civil penalty of not less than $20,000 to the Commission. The penalty would be used for the Commission's administrative purposes, subject to appropriation by the state Legislature. All existing parts of the chapter of the state's General Laws concerning dog and horse racing meetings would be interpreted as if they did not refer to dogs. These changes would take effect January 1, 2010. The proposed law states that if any of its parts were declared invalid, the other parts would stay in effect.
WHAT YOUR VOTE WILL DO
A YES VOTE would prohibit dog races on which betting or wagering occurs, effective January 1, 2010.
A NO VOTE would make no change in the laws governing dog racing.
As provided by law, the 150-word arguments are written by proponents and opponents of each question, and reflect their opinions. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts does not endorse these arguments, and does not certify the truth or accuracy of any statement made in these arguments. The names of the individuals and organizations who wrote each argument, and any written comments by others about each argument, are on file in the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
IN FAVOR: Dog racing is cruel and inhumane. Would you treat your dog this way?
Thousands of Massachusetts greyhounds endure lives of confinement, kept for 20 or more hours each day in cages barely large enough to stand up or turn around in.
According to state records more than 800 Massachusetts racing greyhounds have been injured since 2002, including dogs who suffered broken legs, paralysis and even death from cardiac arrest.
According to the Massachusetts State Racing Commission greyhounds have recently died from a mysterious illness and tested positive for cocaine, an illegal stimulant.
To learn more and see photographs taken by the racetracks, visit www.ProtectDogs.org.
Dogs are important in our lives and deserve protection.
Please join the MSPCA, The Humane Society of the United States, the Springfield Republican, every major animal shelter, dozens of lawmakers and other community leaders.
Vote "Yes" for the dogs on Question 3.
Carter J. Luke, President
Massachusetts Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
P.O. Box 442117
Somerville, MA 02144
AGAINST: Parimutuel dog racing has taken place in Massachusetts for over 70 years, now only at Wonderland dog track in Revere, and Raynham/Taunton in Raynham. The greyhounds are owned by caring dog owners, not tracks. There is no mistreatment of the dogs as claimed by animal activists. The State Racing Commission fully regulates the industry, has veterinarians on duty at each track, and maintains numerous programs for the welfare of the dogs during their racing careers, and for adoption when their careers are over. About 1,000 people will lose badly needed jobs if the proposal is enacted. The Commonwealth, Revere and Raynham will lose badly needed revenue. From 2000 to 2007, these tracks paid over $40 million to the Commonwealth in commissions and fees, as well as other taxes related to their racing activities. Finally enactment will likely subject the Commonwealth to suits by the tracks for taking their property.
George L. Carney, Jr.
Massasoit Greyhound Association, Inc.
Raynham, MA 02767
Full Text of Question 3
Be it enacted by the people and their authority:
Declaration of purpose. The citizens of Massachusetts find that commercial dog racing is cruel and inhumane, and as recommended by the Humane Society of the United States, the Animal Rescue League of Boston, GREY2K USA, and the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, declare that it should be prohibited in the commonwealth.
Chapter 128A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after Section 14D the following section: -
Section 14E. Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter or any general or special law to the contrary, no dog racing or racing meeting where any form of betting or wagering on the speed or ability of dogs occurs shall be conducted or permitted in this commonwealth and the commission is hereby prohibited from accepting or approving any application or request for racing dates for dog racing.
Any person violating any provision of this section relative to dog racing shall be subject to a civil penalty of not less than twenty thousand dollars which shall be payable to the commission and used for administrative purposes of the commission subject to appropriation.
All other provisions of this Chapter shall be construed as if they contain no references to dogs, dog racing or dog races.
Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the effective date of this section shall be January 1, 2010.
The several provisions of this Act are independent and severable and the invalidity, if any, of any part or feature thereof shall not affect or render the remainder of the Act invalid or inoperative. | <urn:uuid:8d2245a9-e059-42c4-bc88-fa9c0503003d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://animallaw.info/statutes/stusma2008question3.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938293 | 1,174 | 1.578125 | 2 |
SharePoint User's Toolbox
There are many requirements for a successful SharePoint deployment but the SharePoint community clearly agrees that user adoption and training go hand in hand and are easily ranked in the top 10 of success factors. We offer a variety of resources for your user community, something we like to call the SharePoint User's Toolbox. These tools are designed to help all your business users get up and running on SharePoint.
Training they need, when they need it
By providing users a variety of resources we can accommodate different learning styles, office hours, and budgets. The SharePoint User's Toolbox can include any combination of the below:
Video tutorials are 3-12 minute screencasts of tasks performed on your SharePoint sites. We use popular tools such as GoToMeeting to record web demonstrations on features and tasks that your users need to know. Tutorials can be grouped by type of user (e.g., content owner) and subject matter for quick findability. Some screencast examples include:
- Introduction to YOUR site: This 4 minute getting started screencast walks users through site navigation, key content locations and basic SharePoint concepts.
- Managing Tasks: This 2 minute screencast demonstrates how to add and update tasks, plus setting up alerts to receive email notifications when tasks are assigned to you.
- Create a project site: This 6 minutes screencast demonstrates how to create a project site using our custom project site template. Details include site naming conventions and the why and how of using unique permissions.
How To Instructions
The most popular format for SharePoint How To Instructions is the out of the box SharePoint Wiki. These are great for quick instruction such as tagging documents, but are also useful for more detailed information such as the site security model. Our strategy is to develop a format and structure that your company can grow as new questions arise and your site features expand.
Brownbag demos can be in person or delivered in a webinar format for remote users. Sessions are usually held during the lunch hour to encourage a more relaxed, interactive format. There are usually 1-2 topics per session with lots of Q&A. These tend to focus on a particular set of features or a business process and can oftentimes stimulate great discussions and ideas from participants. AND we can record these sessions for addition to your screencast library.
Of course we also offer custom training for your site owners, content owners, and business users. | <urn:uuid:fb243f4e-4838-4cd0-93ca-bfbe216ca5a7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nextassoc.com/SitePages/SharePoint%20User's%20Toolbox.aspx | 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 | 0.911798 | 498 | 1.585938 | 2 |
Urban Borštnik (2007) Parallel Computer Simulations on Clusters of Personal Computers. PhD thesis.
Parallel computer programs are used to speed up the calculation of computationally-demanding scientific problems such as molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Parallel MD methods distribute calculations to the processors of a parallel computer but the efficiency of parallel computation decreases due to interprocessor communication. Calculating the interactions among all atoms of the simulated system is the most computationally demanding part of an MD simulation. Parallel methods differ in their distribution of these calculations among the processors, while the distribution dictates the method's communication requirements. I have developed a parallel method for MD simulation, the distributed-diagonal force decomposition method. Compared to other methods its communication requirements are lower and it features dynamic load balancing, which increase the parallel efficiency. I have designed a cluster of personal computers featuring a topology based on the new method. Its lower communication time in comparison to standard topologies enables an even greater parallel efficiency.
Actions (login required) | <urn:uuid:0fd304e8-1678-4bbc-ab2e-601daf4aa9b1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://eprints.fri.uni-lj.si/710/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.90081 | 207 | 1.632813 | 2 |
Teaching the Facebook generation
Illustration: Rocco Fazzari
For teachers, privacy is crucial. It helps them keep some distance from their students, which is vital in earning respect and keeping control.
But today's teachers are finding it harder to keep their distance. While just spotting a teacher at the shops used to be the fodder of school-yard gossip, now, thanks to social media, teachers have to be extremely careful about their online footprints - their names will be Googled and their Facebook profile will be searched.
For each new arm of social media that opens up, so do new dilemmas for teachers, students and parents. Should teachers keep a Facebook page? Should they befriend their students? And if the answer is no, how can the positive aspects of social media be incorporated in the classroom?
Most teachers and schools have had to wise up quickly to cope with the rapid and massive uptake of Facebook and mobile technology in the past 10 years. The NSW Department of Education's code of conduct says teachers must not invite students into their personal social-network site if it contains personal information or inappropriate content.
Teachers know the overwhelming majority of their students will use Facebook and so they must understand and use the privacy settings on the social-networking site to protect themselves.
Most Australian students, too, are banned from using social networking at school, with the Department of Education blocking access to Facebook, Twitter and MySpace on its network during school hours.
A 2009 report, Web 2.0 Site Blocking in Schools, funded by the federal Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, found 86 per cent of schools in Australia block Facebook, 57 per cent block YouTube and 14 per cent block Wikipedia.
Some educators say the social-media bans in schools are overkill and privacy fears have overshadowed the positive educational opportunities social media can offer students. They argue the best way for students and teachers not to fall victim to technology is to use it and understand so they can control it.
They also argue that while the ban has stopped students from wasting time, it has also blocked access to a proliferation of quality education tools on such sites.
The ban also fails, they say, to take into account the role social networking has had in real-world events - most recently the civil uprising in Egypt - and dismisses some of the rich and meaningful ways students use it, including to display grief and to rally for causes.
There is evidence that some teachers and schools are fighting the bans and pushing for them to be lifted. The report found that some teachers were circumventing blocking and filters by bringing files on a USB stick or setting blocked-site URLs as homework out of frustration at the inability to access quality educational resources these sites offer. The report concluded that Web 2.0 provided rich educational opportunities and significantly helped students boost their internet literacy.
It is known, too, that students also access social-networking sites and post to them during class time via mobile phones or by circumventing the network blocks.
The reason why bans are so widespread is that the debate about social networking and education tends to focus on incidents of misuse: teachers caught venting about students on private blogs or Facebook pages, students organising a Facebook hate page directed at their teacher or when inappropriate contact, or comments, pass between a teacher and student. These are serious incidents that require careful management.
The headmaster of The King's School at Parramatta, Dr Tim Hawkes, sees social networking as a life skill and says bans can only fail students. ''Ineffective policy is to ban use; prohibition has never worked,'' he says. ''We want to ensure that each student's electronic footprint is one they are proud of. We do not want to become a society where inappropriate social relations become endemic.
''We have an education program across the years but as part of an intensive program for year 10 students we look at sexual intimacy, social networking, their online identity and what they are proud of and not so proud of.
''Part of preparing students for life is training them about how to use social networking, a policy which inhibits or restricts social-networking sites may work in the short term but will not help with equipping a student with the skills for life.''
The King's School was an early adopter of an open network, removing filters and bans on social-networking sites in 2006. The director of information and communications technology at King's, Michael Eggenhuizen, says the school wants to ''help guide students towards an understanding of appropriate use but to also to teach in a positive light what such sites have to offer''.
''We only block the obviously inappropriate - such as pornography - but everything else is open,'' he says. ''We have had to deal with some issues over the past four years but, on the whole, the students understand how good these technologies can be and use them accordingly.''
The director of social-networking consulting company Small World, Kathy Phelan, conducted research groups with Sydney teachers last year to help tailor a social-networking training curriculum. Phelan says privacy and errors, such as sending friend requests to everyone, were recurring concerns for teachers.
''The teachers were very aware and considered around the professional boundaries of Facebook, although I wouldn't say they were fearful,'' she says. ''Facebook is a highly beneficial tool for teachers, especially for professional development.''
This was partly because it gave teachers a real insight into their students - almost all of whom use Facebook. ''It doesn't matter how impoverished a young person may be, they will have access to social networks daily, they find ways to get online through public libraries, internet cafes, at their friend's house or on their mobile,'' Phelan says. ''The privacy settings on Facebook are complex and people often need help to navigate these. Many young people don't have privacy settings and this is a problem. It also forms part of a teacher's duty-of-care role to be aware of this risk to their students.''
Common advice for teachers is to be familiar with privacy settings on social-networking sites, perhaps maintain a private and professional account (although this is not permitted on Facebook) and to set a search-engine alert for their own name, so adverse mentions can be detected early and dealt with.
An associate lecturer at Griffith University, Brady Robards, says the way schools manage their own networks will have to change. ''[Social networking] is a very powerful tool to integrate; it is how people relate to each other,'' Robards says.
''The way I manage privacy, on Facebook especially, is to accept friend requests by students but I have two levels of privacy and add students to my restricted one. This has to be an advanced approach, requiring instruction to manage. People are not supposed to have two profiles on Facebook, as it is built on transparency, but they can have multiple levels of privacy.''
Robards concedes it is a bit different at the university level.
Some of the ways Facebook is being used as an education tool are as a hub for teachers' professional development, notices of learning opportunities and collaboration with other teachers; to Livestream guests or students from around the world; to contact an expert in a field of study; to keep up to date with research as it is posted; to communicate information with parents; real-time parent-teacher conferences; and to facilitate lessons should attendance at school be disrupted by weather conditions.
Along with the relaxing of social-networking access at some schools, attitudes toward iPod and mobile-phone use in classrooms have also shifted and educators are finding creative ways to incorporate such devices into the classroom.
The Horizon Report: 2011 Edition by the New Media Consortium says studies show that by 2015, 80 per cent of people accessing the internet will be doing so from mobile devices.
Resistance to the use of mobile devices in the classroom continues to impede their adoption in many schools but a growing number of institutions are finding ways to take advantage of a technology that nearly all students, faculty and staff carry.
The report says mobile devices allow simple tools to be integrated easily into classroom activities with no need for involvement of IT or support staff. Tools such as Poll Everywhere turn mobiles into personal response systems, enabling teachers to quiz students and assess their understanding before, during and after a lesson. All that is needed is the ability to send an SMS.
The report is pitched at higher education but is relevant across other education sectors.
So can, or should, a teacher be Facebook friends with a student?
Educators continue to grapple with this - and increasingly disagree. Lawyer David Rubin wrote in US publication The School Administrator in November 2010: ''A better alternative is for teachers to create separate Facebook pages specifically devoted to school-related business. Students can become 'fans' without friending the teacher.''
The general manager of cyber safety at the Alannah and Madeline Foundation, Jackie van Vugt, says: ''Teachers and students can both be compromised if they see photos or comments that are crossing the boundaries of socially acceptable or illegal behaviour on others' profile pages. It throws up all sorts of dilemmas … There is the issue of loss of reputation but it also opens the door to potential manipulation of one another.
''There are other online spaces for teachers and students to communicate, collaborate and exchange ideas that are more appropriate - that uphold the separation between the professional and the private realms.''
For teachers in NSW government schools, the answer is still a definite ''no''. It is also a no at The King's School.
An American teacher and the author of Teaching Generation Text, Lisa Nielsen, details feedback from students on the issue in a post on her blog, The Innovative Educator. She argues students feel that sometimes it is hard for them to approach a teacher face-to-face, so sharing a disappointment on Facebook can be easier. Students say they are also touched by encouraging words from a teacher on their Facebook page and that teachers can seem more approachable online.
In October last year, a new website focusing on cyber safety and social networking was launched by the NSW Education Department for secondary students. A series of eight lessons covers different aspects of online interactions, including a mock-up site called Tracebook where students learn about privacy settings. | <urn:uuid:f9bd99cf-95ce-49e5-b390-4ba42e0780b7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/teaching-the-facebook-generation-20110227-1ba19.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00067-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9653 | 2,102 | 2.75 | 3 |
Excerpt from an essay in “Le Monde Diplomatique” (you need a password) on postelections South Africa by Achille Mbembe, Johannesburg-based professor of social science and history–and public intellectual (Mbembe also made a star-turn in Jihan Al-Tahri’s excellent documentary “Behind the Rainbow“:
The recent elections highlighted three long-running trends that look like making a major impact on the future of South Africa. The ANC has been deserted by progressive white liberal voters who had overcome racial prejudices and voted with the black majority since 1994. Also, the small regional parties are in disarray and the electorate has polarised around two relatively distinct groups with racial connotations: the black majority, whose constituency is the poor, and a coalition of minorities drawn from relatively well-off white, mixed-race and Indian voters. In addition, there is the republic’s creeping partition. Another phase of internal and external migration is under way.
The white population is on the move, producing further imbalance between coastal areas (the whites’ “new world”) and the interior (the “black lands”). In retreat from cities engulfed by a tide of poor blacks (some from nearby countries), two-stage white emigration is taking place. A move towards the coast and, in particular, to Western Cape Province, precedes departure for Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or Canada.
The arrival of white voters on the coast plus a political compact with black people living there allowed the Democratic Alliance (DA) – comprised of what’s left of former white liberal and racist parties – to win the Western Cape at the general elections, making it the only part of the country where the ANC does not enjoy a majority.
But, far from turning the province into an experiment in post-racial democracy, a proving-ground for political change, every indication is that the DA, under its leader Helen Zille, is intent on creating the continent’s last white colony. This isn’t so much a question of stripping blacks of their political rights, but of trying to install, behind ragbag liberalism and a veil of technological expertise, a version of the same colonial reformism that the apartheid regime proved unable to sustain because it was so hardened by prejudice. | <urn:uuid:76702dd4-e6f7-446f-9e60-156f2e2b9278> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://theleoafricanus.com/2009/06/16/white-flight-2/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00029-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940882 | 482 | 2.421875 | 2 |
Thursday, 8 March 2001
Looking at the Link between Sleep Disorders and ADD / ADHD in Children
Researchers at the Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick are testing children with attention, learning and behavioural problems for sleeping disorders.
Specialist Paediatrician, Dr Arthur Teng together with Clinical Psychologist, Dr Grant Betts are looking at how sleep disorders may fragment sleep, and cause symptoms during the day not unlike those seen in children with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD).
Dr Teng and Dr Betts hope to establish how a child's behavioural and learning difficulties might be improved once sleep disorders are treated.
'It's important that a child's sleeping habits are not overlooked when diagnosing and treating a child for behavioural, learning and attentional problems', Dr Teng said.
'Problems such as sleep apnoea, where there is snoring and pauses in breathing overnight, can have a very big impact on a child's behaviour, learning ability and attention during the day', Dr Teng noted.
The Sleep Clinic at the Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick is testing 50 children as part of the study, using sleep studies and psychometric assessments (ie: memory and attention tests). These tests, 18 of which have been carried out, are executed both before and after treatment.
'ADD and ADHD are very real problems in some children, and are increasingly diagnosed in children and treated with controversy', Dr Betts said.
'We want to be sure that co-existing medical illnesses, notably sleep disorders that can be readily treated, are also accounted for', Dr Betts added.
For Further Information Contact:
Danielle Huck, Public Affairs Tel: 9382 3578 - Mob:0411 730 842
Back to Media Release Listing » | <urn:uuid:235fe8aa-7adb-4688-80f5-e950ea5ed2bb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sch.edu.au/news/media_releases/?doc=22 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940761 | 373 | 2.484375 | 2 |
“Performance” under Copyright Act requires “contemporaneous perceptibility”.
U.S. v. ASCAP, — F.3d —, No. 09-539 (2d Cir. September 28, 2010).
Yahoo and RealNetworks commenced a proceeding to determine the rate of a “blanket license” they would pay to ASCAP to perform musical works over the internet (e.g., through streaming services). (As an aside, such actions are brought in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York pursuant to an antitrust consent order entered way back in the 1940′s.)
ASCAP wanted as big a piece of the pie as possible and argued that it should be paid royalties for songs that are downloaded. Remember, ASCAP only collects fees for the public performance (not the distribution or copying) of musical works. So it asked the court to find that each time a user downloads a file, that should be treated as a performance, and thus ASCAP should be entitled to payment.
The district court disagreed that a download is a performance as defined by the Copyright Act. ASCAP sought review with the Second Circuit. On appeal the court affirmed, agreeing that a download is not a performance.
The analysis is straightforward: The Copyright Act grants copyright owners the right, among other things, to perform the copyrighted work publicly. Under the Copyright Act, to “‘perform’ a work means to recite, render, play, dance, or act it, either directly or by means of any device or process.” Since a download plainly is neither a “dance” nor an “act,” the court had to determine whether a download of a musical work fell within the meaning of the terms “recite,” “render,” or “play.”
The court looked to dictionary definitions of the terms “recite,” “render” and “play” to observe that all three actions entail contemporaneous perceptibility. It found that music is neither recited, rendered, nor played when a recording (electronic or otherwise) is simply delivered to a potential listener.
In more detail, the court said that:
[music downloads] are simply transfers of electronic files containing digital copies from an on-line server to a local hard drive. The downloaded songs are not performed in any perceptible manner during the transfers; the user must take some further action to play the songs after they are downloaded. Because the electronic download itself involves no recitation, rendering, or playing of the musical work encoded in the digital transmission, we hold that such a download is not a performance of that work, as defined by [the Copyright Act].
So ASCAP’s piece of the pie was not as big as it wanted. | <urn:uuid:8a789970-f11d-4421-8a42-994752fd659c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.internetcases.com/2010/09/29/copyright-cases-internet-ascap-performance-lawyer-attorney-downloading-a-song-is-not-a-performance-under-the-copyright-act/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00074-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949822 | 593 | 1.976563 | 2 |
As per the recent studies on Social media marketing methods, around 83 percent of marketers and promoters call social media as a vital tool for business promotion. Today’s marketers are seen getting lured to different social media sites like Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, blogs, etc. for their business marketing.
As more and more businesses are incorporating social media strategies for their marketing purposes, hence a need to stress on creating your specific social media strategy has become important. Without having a winning strategy, you are more likely to fall down in your efforts of social media marketing. Creating your own social media strategy could be a time consuming business as it entails comprehensive research, investigative plans and ideas. The below is the list of steps, which you need to consider while chalking out your winning social media strategy.
Define your goal
The basic step is to define your goal. Do you have a goal to create brand awareness, build a buzz, make your own email database, boost your conversions, generate leads, increase the web traffic, and generate more inbound links or anything else? So, whatever is your goal, you are supposed to clearly define it and then jump to chalk out a strategy to achieve this objective.
Carry out the market analysis
You are supposed to know your target market property and then move ahead to make a strategy to reach out your targeted audience. For this you need to research a lot about things like trends, requirements, nature and social activities pertaining to your target market. If you have a well established email database then with the help of some effective tools you can search out your target audience. The tools include Twitter’s follower tool, Facebook Friend Finder, Rapleaf, and Flowtown.
Lay out a proper Foundation
The next step is to lay out a foundation for your marketing campaign. This encompasses the kind of message you desire to showcase about your business, which can attract your target audience. Decide the kind of design you are interested in executing, the color supplementing your logo as per your company’s brand, etc. Also, you need to determine your copywriting maximizing keyword exposure for your company.
Check the networks
Among the different social networking platforms, you need to wisely decide the one which is competent to give maximum amount of ROI for your marketing goal. There are many sites beyond Twitter and Facebook, which you could consider your business promotion. If you hail from music industry, think of considering platforms like Reverbnation and Plannermix. Also, decide the number of social networks in which you want to remain active for your business promotion.
Decide your content
Content is an important step while chalking out the social media marketing strategy. Check which content could be more attractive for your target audience. Decide upon the various available options including personal text content, videos, pictures, blogs, podcasts, trivia, questions, etc. Also, you need to decide upon the stages in which you are going to use any particular content. You can build an editorial calendar for this to make this task simple.
Ways of integration
This step is about deciding the ways to integrate the social media with your current marketing strategy. It is imperative to exploit all the major media outlets at the optimum level for better results. This could include putting social media links on your site, emails, newsletters, ads, etc.
The campaign management
Effectively managing your marketing campaigns plays an important role in getting success. You need to decide on things like, who is going to manage your campaign, who will be doing the posts, who will do the blogging, etc. Secondly, whether you will have one person doing everything or will network with a team for these jobs? Also, you need to decide upon the bookmarking sites for your campaign. Lastly, you need to decide the ways you are going to measure the stats – will it be manual or via any tool like Hootsuite. These are few vital questions, which you need to answer while managing your campaign.
Work out the cost
Though using a number of social media strategies comes for free, however, you need to allocate a budget for professionals accomplishing these things for you. Also, decide between the two options whether you are looking out to hire an in-house team for these tasks or simply want to outsource them. Secondly, you need to define the time frame for which you want results for your social media marketing strategy. So, depending upon these factors, your cost would be calculated.
These are some of the important steps, which you need to consider while devising a winning social media strategy for your business. You are supposed to give all due attention to above discussed steps in order to reap the benefits from your social media marketing strategy.
Know The Guest Author
Alyssa is a journalist and blogger. She is a contributor to several sites such as Natures One. | <urn:uuid:d1149faf-4cb9-4d46-8ebb-44737afaaafa> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dkspeaks.com/steps-to-a-winning-social-media-strategy/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940273 | 988 | 1.546875 | 2 |
The tens of thousands of toys, stuffed animals and other gifts sent to Newtown from all over the country are heartwarming gestures by good citizens trying to salve the wounds of shattered families and a grieving community.
But there’s a better way to express sorrow for the Dec. 14 killings at Sandy Hook Elementary School: Donate to your local United Way, Red Cross, Boys and Girls Club or other reputable charity, in memory of the victims. Families in need can surely use the help.
Stuffed animals and toys have arrived in Newtown by the truckload; space ran out at Town Hall, and the gifts now fill two warehouses. Cartons of school supplies have been sent, as well as flowers, fruit baskets, blankets, candles, clothing and more.
The outpouring of love and concern shown by these gifts is gratifying. But town officials say the sheer volume is overwhelming. Through the local newspaper, the Newtown Bee, they have asked well-wishers to stop sending such items but instead distribute them in their own communities “with Newtown’s deepest gratitude and in memory of those we lost on Dec. 14,” Associate Editor John Voket wrote in an open letter.
For those who still want to give, money is best. But beware of scam artists posing as charities. Donations may safely be made to the Sandy Hook School Support Fund, c/o Newtown Savings Bank, 39 Main St., Newtown CT 06470; online gifts may be made at https://newtown.uwwesternct.org.
Or find your local United Way chapter at http://apps.unitedway.org/myuw/. United Way spreads its resources to agencies that not only help the poor but also focus on how kids can be successful and help the community in other ways. It’s a compassionate way to remember the women and children lost at Sandy Hook Elementary School. | <urn:uuid:667284f9-ae6f-46af-9f42-69cea6e49bed> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://pix11.com/2012/12/28/in-lieu-of-stuffed-animals-better-ways-to-donate-in-memory-of-sandy-hook-victims/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00045-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943272 | 388 | 1.796875 | 2 |
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Watch this promo video from Southern Adventist University's Evangelism Resource Center:
An adventure that will change your life. . .really?
I am deeply troubled by this approach, especially when it is directed at Adventist youth. As psychologists note, during the teens and twenties, people undergo significant existential anxiety and all too often it seems that marketers from pop culture to pop religion promise instant changes if you just join their team.
Now watch this from some financial services marketing company:
Both promos echo similar themes including the promise of a changed life, low entry requirements, and a detailing of resources. Note too, how both marketing efforts show their link to a larger institution. There are plenty of differences as well, but I found it especially interesting that the evangelistic, not the financial video, ended with numbers. Literally, an accounting of souls per country. That the validation to potential preachers and funders: quick saved results.
This Adventist sales force approach to faith is unbalanced. Like the promises of late night commercials for weight loss or financial success, the ERC promises transformation and deemphasizes effort or learning. Note the girl who says: its take you from "worldly things and studies" to Godly things.
Is this really the Adventist message -- a dichotomy between studying and religion? No "experience" necessary. Here's a DVD that holds the Truth.
There is no other discipline (the closest is politics) which welcomes the ignorant into its upper ranks so warmly. Can you imagine the nursing student handing a laryngoscope over to a theology major for a life-changing week of orotracheal intubation in Africa? Life-changing indeed! But ERC invites nursing students to preach The Meaning of Life and the Truth About God to someone without concern for culture, expertise, or longterm effect.
What does this say about how they value the human experience with God? Frankly, this is a lowering of Adventist standards, a symptom of cheapening grace in which Christ is primarily a sacrifice, a name for community entry. We're in the process of doing exactly what the Jews did, turning a lifestyle for community health and justice (and wider witness) into a process for private expiation and solipsistic salvation.
Granted that ERC is merely a cog in the larger machine of the Folkenbergian mission. But however well-meaning the machine is, we are turning church growth into a lowest common denominator process -- both the givers and the receivers. (Can you play a DVD? Read a Finley sermon?) I find this is unethical because the "evangelists" break one of the deepest assumptions between people in a highly subjective theological context, namely that the witnesses are not reading from someone else's script. If our leadership thinks of us as no better than Circuit City salespeople who memorize the facts from the sheet, they turn the truth into a trick, and create the false impression that faith is just something trans-acted.
Let me be clear here: I'm all for interdisciplinary experiences, and for everyone creatively mixing their faith with their occupations or aesthetic interests. The issue is not sharing the good news. The problem lies in the misleading message that the Truth about God and humanity can fit onto a DVD and be delivered without context, study, or the honorable work of actual theologizing. This type of evangelism teaches Adventist young people to plagerise their faith, don't study it, just present it and you'll be fine. That is a lie.
How do I know? Because I have done this, with the Quiet Hour before. Of the young Adventists with me that "preached" in the Philippines in 1997, less than half care about the church anymore. Of course I have no idea about the 70 some folks baptized. I remember visiting a women's ramshackle house -- on stilts over water -- and hearing the numbers-obsessed bible worker assure her that she would have a golden helicopter in heaven.
This attempt to run Adventism like a pyramid scheme -- turning members into marketers -- has got to stop. I'm tired of washed up administrators manipulating my generation into doing their work. It is short term thinking stemming from their fear of creative thinking and the kind of theologizing that can turn Adventism into a community witness.
I can still picture that pew -- during an Andrews University field school of evangelism -- half full of mentally retarded folks who would be added to the reported numbers each night.
Let's get out of this insane numbers game; stop treating members as a sales force; and never promise to change someone's life if they just watch the screen.
Until then that day comes, when enough of the faithful brave change, we'll just keep throwing our money and amazing facts at the world and blessedly hope that they will come buy our Tupperware. | <urn:uuid:78ec5eb2-4576-4c5d-9dbd-2362cf06c0ef> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://spectrummagazine.org/blog/2008/01/10/evangelism-corrupts-adventism/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00070-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946181 | 1,019 | 1.554688 | 2 |
What the Calif. Supreme Court said
May 27th, 2009
The California Supreme Court’s decision yesterday centered not on a single question, but a few. Of the challenges to Prop. 8, the most salient was the procedural question of whether the effect of Prop. 8 was “big enough” to constitute a revision of the equal protection clause. I discuss the three issues the court considered as well as some related questions.
QUESTION 1: The judges were asked to decide whether Prop. 8 modified equal protection substantively enough to constitute a revision. Basically, the state’s Supreme Court found that NO, Prop. 8 did not constitute a fundamental revision of equal protection, which requires passage by the legislature and a public referendum, and therefore could stand as an amendment.
Instead, the measure carves out a narrow and limited exception to these state constitutional rights, reserving the official designation of the term “marriage” for the union of opposite-sex couples as a matter of state constitutional law, but leaving undisturbed all of the other extremely significant substantive aspects of a same-sex couple’s state constitutional right to establish an officially recognized and protected family relationship and the guarantee of equal protection of the laws.
The court is pointing out here that the only thing at stake here is the term “marriage.” Gays and lesbians retain all the rights granted by marriage in the state as articulated in In Re Marriage Cases, the decision which overturned the statutory ban on gay marriage last May. The court’s previous decision also elevated protections for gays and lesbians to the level offered to blacks and women; these protections, too, remain intact.
The passage of Prop. 8 has, according to the justices, “minimal effect on the governmental plan or framework of California that existed prior to the amendment” and therefore cannot be considered a revision to the state constitution. The judges relied heavily on this criteria — effect on governmental framework — in deciding that Prop. 8 was not a revision. They also considered the “qualitative” effect of Prop. 8 — how it affected the nature and credibility of the constitution — but fell back on the “qualitative” question of its concrete effects in deciding the matter.
Can rights be taken away by a simple majority vote?
The short answer is, yes. There have been many instances in which the California Supreme Court allowed a fundamental right to be altered in some way because of an amendment. For instance, after the court found in 1972 that the death penalty constituted “cruel and unusual punishment,” voters reinstated it by using a ballot measure. One point the justices brought up was that there have also been many instances in which a right was extended by amendment — why then, they reason, could it not be curtailed?
As many commentators have pointed out, the amendment process in California is liberal as compared to other states, which is part of the reason why hundreds of amendments to the state constitution (as opposed to 27 for the U.S. Constitution) have been enacted. More importantly, the justices pointed out, the California Constitution has no provision in it preventing an amendment that revises fundamental rights. Massachusetts, on the other hand, does; you can’t revise the state constitution’s Bill of Rights. It would also be another thing if we were talking about the U.S. Constitution.
It’s important to keep in mind that the constitutional structure of California government in part constrains what the judges can rule in favor of; unlike other state constitutions, California’s does little to stand in the way of majority rule. Even gay legal advocates thought this was a long shot.
Is this like “separate but equal”?
Yes and no. Many BTB readers have commented on how this decision is reminiscent of the “separate but equal” decision that allowed segregation to continue. I think it’s important to note that the right in question here is not really equivalent in scale to segregation. We are not talking about separate public accommodations — we’re talking about the right to a label, which, while culturally and politically significant, does not approach the rights in question in Plessy v. Ferguson. I am not saying I think the decision is just or fair, only that comparing it to “separate but equal” strikes me as a bit hyperbolic.
A larger question is whether we should be concentrating our efforts on the symbolic “civil unions” vs. “marriage” distinction when millions of gays and lesbians can still be legally fired for being gay, cannot adopt children, and have no rights comparable to those offered by marriage or civil unions in places like California.
QUESTION 2: The second argument the justices considered was whether Prop. 8 violated the “separation of powers” by allowing the electorate to decide on a matter already settled by the courts. The justices rejected this argument outright, saying that the California Constitution “explicitly recognizes the right of the people to amend their state Constitution.”
This argument was even more of a long shot than the first. It was basically saying that the electorate “usurped” the power of the judiciary.
QUESTION 3: The final question the judges considered was not proposed by Lambda Legal, which brought the case to the court, but by the state’s Attorney General. He argued that certain rights enshrined in the state constitution are “inalienable” and “not subject to ‘abrogation.’” Again, the justices fell back on the fact that the state constitution does not explicitly designate certain rights as such, as opposed to other constitutions that do.
The court’s decision is of course a personal regret, but I think the moral question of whether this is, in a sense, “right” is different from the legal question of whether Prop. 8 could be overturned. It is telling that the justices voted 6-1 in favor of upholding Prop. 8, though for the dissenting opinion one can look to the decision here (it’s at the end). | <urn:uuid:e79c913d-2cd5-4b57-8fda-d67ec23141cc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2009/05/27/11630 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9571 | 1,271 | 1.695313 | 2 |
The Cebora company was founded in Bologna, Italy by Emiliano Generali in 1954 and was originally named CEB (Bolognese Electromechanic Constructions).
The first production lines from Cebora were battery chargers and coated electrode welding machines. In 1958, an industrial castors division, ORA began producing castors and wheels for the industrial, home and office furnishing sectors.
The two divisions were merged in 1963 giving rise to the present day company Cebora. Later a sheet metal fabrication plant was added to the group thus giving Cebora the ability to fabricate it’s own metal cases and cabinets for it’s welding machines and battery chargers.
Cebora’s expansion continued throughout the 1960’s and the 1970’s. In the early 1980’s a new manufacturing plant was built on a 50,000 square metre site in Cadriando di Gransarola in Bologna. Presently, both the production and administrative functions are carried out at the site. The sheet metal fabrication plant has recently been equipped with the latest metal forming and painting processes to meet the demands of production.
In 1995 a new building was added to the Cadriano plant, bringing it’s total area to 52,000 square metres.
The two divisions: Welding and Industrial Castors, have a full organisational and operational independence. The Cebora group employs 200 people with an annual sales turnover in excess of 40 million Euros of which 70% of production is exported. All Cebora equipment is manufactured in Bologna, Italy in the European Union.
Over the years Cebora has invested heavily in research and development working alongside the University of Bologna to produce technology to meet high demands of the many new metals and alloys now produced. These new materials used in modern production are lighter and stronger but require new welding parameters and technologies.
In the MIG welding processes synergic, pulse double pulse and programmable equipment in many cases has become the norm in a wide variety of applications including the rapidly changing area of automotive production and the ever growing vehicle repair market.
Cebora has also invested heavily into the high quality plasma cutting market. A collaboration between the group for Industrial applications of Plasma’s of the University of Bologna and Cebora S.p.A has led to the development of world leading product with excellent high cut quality using various gases.
The manufacturing technology allows for quick replacement of the torch head and consumables suited to different materials, gases and thickness. Cebora has five patent applications that have already been submitted in regard to these developments.
This product coupled with a CNC cutting system provides cutting at speed with high cut quality that is required to reduce downtime and eliminate dressing and cleaning processes in today’s competitive marketplace.
Robotics is now a real consideration for those repetition jobs, where high number output is required. Over recent years Robotic cells have come to play an important part as new technology has made such units so affordable. Cebora have developed a range of ultra reliable welding equipment easily interfaced to work alongside all leading robot manufacturers offering consistent first class welds which is such an important factor for high production needs.
To view the Cebora Product Range please click the links below:- | <urn:uuid:d6c19f55-468a-4433-ae84-4917ac497a15> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.trade-equip.co.uk/blog/?p=579 | 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 | 0.943911 | 684 | 1.679688 | 2 |
Tilden, Samuel J(ones) (b New Lebanon, Columbia Co, 9 Feb 1814; d Yonkers, 4 Aug 1886). Governor and presidential candidate.
Tilden graduated from the law school of the University of the City of New York (now New York University) in 1841, became a successful corporate lawyer specializing in railroad finance, and acquired a considerable fortune. He served a term in the state assembly in 1846 and was the same year a delegate to the state constitutional convention.
A Free Soil Democrat in the late 1840s, Tilden returned to the Democratic Party in the 1850s. He gave lukewarm support to the Civil War and spoke against perceived Republican abuses of power. As New York State Democratic chairman from 1866 to 1874, Tilden managed Horatio Seymour’s unsuccessful 1868 run for the presidency.He then moved into the spotlight when he belatedly joined the forces battling the Tweed Ring, becoming a member of the Committee of Seventy in 1871, a group that helped gather and publicize the evidence that brought down William M. “Boss” Tweed. In 1874 Tilden rode a wave of positive publicity to the governor’s mansion, where he further enhanced his reputation by successfully attacking New York State’s corrupt Canal Ring, a bipartisan group of politicians who profited from the repair of the state canal system.
Tilden’s attacks on corruption earned him a national reputation and made him the logical choice to oppose a Republican Party tainted by the two scandal-ridden terms of Ulysses S. Grant. He campaigned on the platform of “Tilden and Reform,” advocating limited government, states’ rights, and an end to Republican Reconstruction. In the general election, Tilden received a majority of the popular vote (4.2 million, 51%), but there were conflicting returns on electoral votes from Florida, Louisiana, and South Carolina, where white terror had prevented African Americans from voting, and there was a contest over one Oregon elector.
Congress created a 15-person electoral commission to resolve these issues. After several months of turmoil the commission on 2 Mar 1877, by a party-line vote, awarded Tilden’s Republican opponent Rutherford B. Hayes all the disputed electoral votes, giving Hayes the presidency by one electoral vote, 185 to 184.
Tilden remained the logical Democratic candidate for the presidency in 1880 but declined to run, in part because of ill health.He moved from his long-time residence in Gramercy Park in New York City and retired to a new estate in Yonkers. At his death, more than half of his $5 million estate helped establish a free public library in New York City. In 1895 this trust was joined with the Astor and Lenox Libraries to form the New York Public Library.
Flick, Alexander. Samuel Jones Tilden: A Study in Political
Sagacity (New York: Dodd,Mead, 1939)
Mushkat, Jerome. The Reconstruction of the New York Democracy, 1861–1874 (Rutherford, NJ: Fairleigh Dickinson Univ Press, 1981)
Polakoff, Keith. The Politics of Inertia: The Election of 1876 and the End of Reconstruction (Baton Rouge: Louisiana State Univ Press, 1973)
Peter Eisenstadt, ed., The Encyclopedia of New York State
(Syracuse: Syracuse University Press, 2005), [p. 1558].
© Syracuse University Press. Reproduced with permission from the publisher. | <urn:uuid:c88268e7-8723-4e99-87f1-8afe37879535> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://hallofgovernors.ny.gov/SamuelTilden | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943574 | 736 | 2.140625 | 2 |
DALLAS (AP) — For two decades, Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson has been an outspoken voice for Democrats in her signature bright blazer and multicolored scarf.
Now the first black woman to represent North Texas in Congress faces serious opposition in the May 29 primary election, and the effort to unseat her is just one of several challenges against some of the longest-serving black members of Congress.
"I will always be ever more grateful for the trails that she has blazed," said Eva Jones, owner of a barbeque restaurant who was chairwoman of Johnson's first House campaign in 1992. But "there has come a time where we need new leadership, like in any business, like with anything."
Longtime black incumbents in Dallas, Detroit and New York City are being challenged by a younger generation of black office-seekers who aren't waiting for retirements by the old guard, including nationally known figures whose activism dates to the civil rights movement.
In Michigan, several people are challenging 82-year-old Rep. John Conyers, the oldest black member of the House.
One of his rivals, Michigan state Sen. Bert Johnson, said people who have voted for the congressman for decades in his Detroit district recognize that "perhaps we're not trying to integrate lunch counters so much" as work to prevent foreclosures in struggling neighborhoods."
"Those people know that there is a nexus between their experience and the youthful vigor and zeal that I bring to the table," said Johnson, who at 38 was born eight years after Conyers took office in 1965 following his work with civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks.
Eddie Bernice Johnson's two challengers are careful not to criticize her directly, but say they hear increasing doubts from voters in south Dallas, where neighborhoods have struggled long before the recession.
"North Texas has seen a lot of economic growth. Unfortunately, this district and our community hasn't really shared in that economic development," said Taj Clayton, one of the congresswoman's opponents.
Johnson, 76, grew up in Waco and moved to Dallas after college and took a job as a VA nurse. She decided to get into politics after a trip to buy a new hat at a shopping mall.
"I learned in just a very stark shock that I could not try the hat on," she told the Dallas Morning News in 1987. "I never experienced that in Waco. We could try on clothes. I found that black women (in Dallas) could not try on shoes. People tried them on for you, or they would measure your foot and guess your size."
She didn't buy the hat. Instead, she organized a boycott and took her first step into politics. More than a decade later, local leaders encouraged her to run for Texas state representative, and she won.
In 1986, she was elected to the state Senate. Six years later, she ran for the U.S. House from a district she helped draw as a state senator.
She's won 100 percent of the vote in every primary since. Johnson, who declined to be interviewed for this report, has won federal funding for new mass transit and other local projects. She's also fought against a Republican-backed voter ID law that she says would disenfranchise minority voters.
Supporters said the congresswoman's experience is needed in her district.
"This election is too important ... to hand everything to a novice that's going to help shape the policies for (President Barack Obama's) second term," said David Henderson Jr., a pastor and president of the Baptist Ministers Conference of Dallas. "We need someone with her stature, with her status."
One of Johnson's challengers, Texas state Rep. Barbara Mallory Caraway, worked for Johnson when she was a state senator before Johnson fired her. Caraway, 56, is married to a Dallas city councilman and is well-known for defeating incumbents in two previous races. She spends much of every day walking the district to talk to voters.
"Twenty years is a long time to be in one elected office. Now's the time. It's time for new leadership," Caraway said.
Clayton, 35, the second of Eddie Bernice Johnson's challengers, is a Harvard-educated lawyer and son of local glass factory workers. His campaign staff includes a former national field director for Obama's 2008 campaign.
Redistricting has expanded the district into majority Latino areas where voters are less familiar with all three candidates. The primary is also being held later than expected, on the day after Memorial Day, which could affect turnout.
Johnson has not debated her opponents and has held relatively few campaign events. She dismissed both in a radio interview last month.
"If you want to know my honest opinion, I don't think anybody who's running against me is ready to come to this job," Johnson said.
She has a coveted endorsement from Obama, who rarely intervenes in Democratic primaries. Johnson's campaign says she remains focused on the district by holding weekend events and working hard in Washington during the week.
"The way she has always approached it is, 'I'll run on my record, so the best thing I can do is continue to extend my record,'" spokesman Eddie Reeves said.
Johnson is a former chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, an influential group that once counted Obama as a member. She's one of the oldest members of the CBC, which has at least two other members in tough re-election fights — Conyers and New York Rep. Charles Rangel, 81, who has been a political mainstay in Harlem since 1971.
Rangel, convicted on House ethics charges in 2010, faces two black Democrats in his bid for a 22nd term — local district leader Joyce Johnson and former Democratic National Committee official Clyde Williams, as well as Latino state Sen. Adriano Espaillat. Latinos make up more than half the population in Rangel's newly redrawn district. The primary is June 26.
Another longtime New York congressman, Edolphus Towns, declined to seek a 16th term. Towns, 77, would have faced a tough primary fight against two black Democrats, and new areas were added to his Brooklyn district after redistricting.
"People are challenging at every level, and I think it's not the worst thing in the world," said former Virginia Gov. Doug Wilder, the nation's first elected black governor. "Seniority is good to the extent that it produces, and in the absence of that, the question then becomes, what have you done for me today?" | <urn:uuid:796f9adc-155a-4bf1-b951-9569c982b618> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/may/14/new-generation-challenges-some-blacks-in/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.983257 | 1,348 | 1.8125 | 2 |
Basking shark spotted in the Pocasset River
BOURNE, Mass. (WHDH) -- A man was coming in from a sail Wednesday when he said he spotted a basking shark in the Pocasset River.
“I’ve never seen a fish this big in here or near here,” said Rich Hill said.
A 12 to 14 foot basking shark flailed near shore in the Pocasset River. Basking sharks are considered to be harmless animals.
“We could see him coming in between the jetties just like the Jaws things where he comes in through,” Hill said.
At the time, Hill didn’t know what kind of shark it was.
“As you see it flopping around, it’s a very powerful animal,” Hill said.
The basking shark was hung up in shallow water.
“It was really just awesome. In the true sense of that word. Bears on Cape Cod? Big sharks in Pocasset River? It’s really bizarre,” Hill said.
The last time a basking shark was spotted so close to shore was two summers ago when one beached itself in Plymouth. | <urn:uuid:0047d648-3091-4b3b-9d75-0d91ad71d97e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/capeandislands/12007803106837/basking-shark-spotted-in-the-pocasset-river/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954886 | 258 | 1.679688 | 2 |
Zoology major, Chemistry minor
Sometimes a lifetime of training and preparation plays out in a few crucial moments.
Dr. Daniel A. Ruge graduated with a degree in zoology from North Central College, a liberal arts college in Naperville, Illinois. He went on to become a world-renowned neurosurgeon and an expert on spinal cord injuries.
It was Dr. Ruge, one of the only civilians in U.S. history to serve as White House physician, whose protocols for care of President Ronald Reagan after he was shot in 1981 were credited with saving the President’s life and contributing to his quick recovery. | <urn:uuid:a62fb6b7-ca6e-4a6e-b3c3-0bceb41c57e0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://northcentralcollege.edu/feature/daniel-ruge | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00037-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977723 | 131 | 1.648438 | 2 |
By Matt Grubs, NMiF Producer
UPDATED: 8:59 a.m.
Democrats in both houses of the New Mexico Legislature announced today that they believe they have brokered an agreement to solve liability issues with manned space flight originating at New Mexico’s Spaceport America. Leadership in the House and Senate met repeatedly since the summer with representatives from the New Mexico Trial Lawyers Association and the spaceport’s main tenant, Virgin Galactic.
Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez, D-Belen, said the legislation compares favorably to laws in Colorado and Florida in that it limits liability for “suppliers or manufacturers of components, services or vehicles to the space flight.”
The liability limit would be one million dollars and insurance would be required to claim protection afforded by the act. The proposed law applies only to lawsuits by passengers of space tourism operations at the Upham, New Mexico facility. The measure suggests extending the effective date of the act from 2018 to 2021.
“This is the way it should be up here, where we work on things,” said Speaker of the House Ken Martinez, D-Grants. “Sometimes if you really care about an issue, you’ll work on it over the course of several years.”
Governor Susana Martinez, who has pushed for a solution – including during her State of the State address – did not immediately comment on the proposed fix. Wednesday morning, the governor’s office released a brief statement, saying “Protecting the $209 million taxpayer investment in the Spaceport by passing a bill preventing lawsuit abuse is one of Governor Martinez’s top priorities for this session. The Governor met with leaders from Virgin Galactic Tuesday and is hopeful that the final legislation that passes will lead to the company’s commitment to stay in New Mexico, and that it will lead to making New Mexico capable of attracting other space industry business.”
During her opening day speech to lawmakers, the governor urged them to “protect our investment in Spaceport and pass lawsuit abuse reform this session.” It’s unclear if a specific fix to the spaceport issue is broad enough for the governor to deem it “lawsuit abuse reform”.
The bill is expected to be introduced on Wednesday.
Senate President Pro Tem Mary Kay Papen, D-Las Cruces, said the bill means Southern New Mexico has more than just a shiny new building to point to when asked why residents of some counties there have been paying additional gross receipts tax for the facility.
The complete press announcement is below, courtesy of the Senate Democrats. | <urn:uuid:f0604252-743a-4f9b-a4f5-3906760e2762> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.newmexicoinfocus.org/inFocus/c/national | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957935 | 539 | 1.515625 | 2 |
Well, the talk at Cornell last week went very well. Thanks to everyone who came. If you want to hear me wax rhapsodic about parasite manipulations (and explain how scientists study their evolution), you’re in luck. Cornell has put the video of the talk online. The image is pretty small on the screen, so I decided to post the slide show on my web site here. I suggest opening two screens and advancing the slides as the talk progresses.
At first the sound is a little scratchy on the video and the light balance takes a while to get properly adjusted. But don’t give up–it evens out. You may also hear a baby gurgling from time to time.
Near the end, when I talk about cuckoo birds as parasites, I refer to their host in one of the pictures as a cowbird. I should have said a reed warbler.
And if you are curious to find out more, check out my book, Parasite Rex.
Update: Apparently the video doesn’t work for some readers. I am at a loss. | <urn:uuid:54140055-eda6-4b72-a7c4-026db680fd9a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2006/11/14/possessed-parasite-video-and-powerpoint/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00053-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96817 | 229 | 1.804688 | 2 |
It didn't take a chiropractor to convince Christy Taylor that sitting all day is bad for her health. She could feel it in every creak of her neck and cramp in her shoulders.
"I used to get headaches, and I think it was caused by my neck and back pain," she says. "I just was scrunched over."
If office accommodations don't allow for standing, experts recommend reducing recreational hours spent sitting. Start by carrying a stopwatch to log the minutes spent sitting to watch television, use the computer, eat or drive. Track the time for three or four days to get the average time spent sitting daily. Then figure out a way to replace a half-hour of sitting time with a half-hour of movement.
When sitting is unavoidable, punctuate every half-hour with two minutes of active movement: Walk around the living room or office. Better yet, go outside for a stroll, and think of it as taking a stand against the sitting disease.
But Taylor did doubt her chiropractor's advice to adjust her office workstation so she could stand up or sit down. Such a simple solution couldn't make that much difference, thought Taylor, development services administrator for the city of Medford's Building Safety Department.
"I wasn't a believer at first, but I am now."
Since raising her desk late last year to accommodate standing up, Taylor says she no longer needs chiropractic adjustments and feels like her workday is more productive. As numerous city employees on the second floor of the city's Lausmann Annex favor such ergonomic retrofits, cubicles are becoming spots for standing, not sitting.
"It just feels good," says Debbie Strigle administrative-support technician for the city's planning department. "Sitting all day doesn't work."
A chiropractic patient for 25 years, Strigle, along with many other members of the country's sedentary sector, suffers from the so-called "sitting disease," which experts say causes not only chronic pain but is a factor in the soaring rates of obesity and diabetes in the United States. By standing instead of sitting for two and a half hours every day, desk-bound employees would burn up to 350 additional calories per day, reduce their health care costs and perform better at their jobs, according to Mayo Clinic endocrinologist James Levine.
It's no secret that sitting for hours at a time — whether on a couch or in front of a computer — results in stiffness. That sensation arises from muscle fibers and connective tissues contracting during periods of inactivity. When it adapts to a sedentary lifestyle, the body produces less of its natural lubricating substances, so tissues become dry, shortened, inflexible and much more likely to tear, according to a recent article in Adventure Sports Weekly. Lack of movement also reduces blood supply to the bones, making them more brittle and fragile.
"The human body's not made to sit," says Jared Hill, ergonomic consultant for Asante Work Health in Medford.
Lower-back pain is among cubicle dwellers' most common complaints, says Hill, because sitting flattens out the spine's natural S-curve and puts 10 times the compression forces on vertebrae than standing. Circulation is hampered in legs pressed against the edge of a seat, he adds.
Sitting's silent assault on health led Levine to coin the hot new phrase "sitting is the new smoking." The physician and other researchers are conducting several experiments around the world that entail workplace interventions. In Minneapolis, the desks of 30 employees for a maker of environment-friendly cleaning supplies were replaced with adjustable "work-fit" stations. Developed by Ergotron of St. Paul, Minn., they give employees the option to sit or stand while working on their computers.
Although rarely seen in the Rogue Valley, the concept has been around for years, says Hill, citing Jackson County's 9-1-1 and public-safety dispatching center as the "perfect example." The center had stand-up workstations before moving to a new Central Point building in November 2009. In the updated facility, entire consoles — not just chairs — raise and lower with the push of a button.
"We work 10-hour shifts, sometimes 12, and the ability to stand and do your work helps them quite a bit," says Margie Moulin, director of Emergency Communications of Southern Oregon. "You're tethered to your console here."
Federal grants paid to outfit 16 consoles, each with seven monitors on the upper table and three keyboards on the lower. Foot pedals can cue operators' microphones while their hands are engaged typing, says Moulin.
"It helps you stay alert because you can be up and down," she says. "You need to be available every second to answer that radio."
The demands on emergency dispatchers don't really compare with other types of cubicle work, says Moulin, noting that desks for ECSO's dozen administrators are not outfitted for standing up. Although the configuration would be ideal for 9-to-5 employees, there is no plan to improve those workstations, culled from the center's former location, because ECSO has other budget priorities, she says.
"I would certainly do more work standing because it's certainly healthier."
Companies that build office furniture are paying attention and making their products more affordable, says Hill. But while the trend remains "reactionary," workers like Taylor "piecemeal" their workstations by attaching monitors to walls and propping their keyboards on raised planks of plywood, he says.
"We're at the frontiers of really seeing that transition." | <urn:uuid:31116482-7c75-454b-bfc7-4cc6dc0c246b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120319/OREGONHEALTHYLIVING/203190304/-1/OREGONHEALTHYLIVING02 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00029-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96663 | 1,168 | 2.140625 | 2 |
This is a subreddit for news related to the global BDS movement and the academic and cultural boycott of Israel.
Official BDS Movement website
Omar Barghouti - BDS - The Global Struggle For Palestinian Rights
Sherry Wolf - Israel's Apartheid State
Palestinian Civil Society Calls for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel Until it Complies with International Law and Universal Principles of Human Rights July 9, 2005
- In light of Israel’s persistent violations of international law; and
Given that, since 1948, hundreds of UN resolutions have condemned Israel’s colonial and discriminatory policies as illegal and called for immediate, adequate and effective remedies; and
- Given that all forms of international intervention and peace-making have until now failed to convince or force Israel to comply with humanitarian law, to respect fundamental human rights and to end its occupation and oppression of the people of Palestine; and
- In view of the fact that people of conscience in the international community have historically shouldered the moral responsibility to fight injustice, as exemplified in the struggle to abolish apartheid in South Africa through diverse forms of boycott, divestment and sanctions; and
- Inspired by the struggle of South Africans against apartheid and in the spirit of international solidarity, moral consistency and resistance to injustice and oppression;
- We, representatives of Palestinian civil society, call upon international civil society organizations and people of conscience all over the world to impose broad boycotts and implement divestment initiatives against Israel similar to those applied to South Africa in the apartheid era. We appeal to you to pressure your respective states to impose embargoes and sanctions against Israel. We also invite conscientious Israelis to support this Call, for the sake of justice and genuine peace.
- These non-violent punitive measures should be maintained until Israel meets its obligation to recognize the Palestinian people’s inalienable right to self-determination and fully complies with the precepts of international law by:
- 1. Ending its occupation and colonization of all Arab lands and dismantling the Wall
- 2. Recognizing the fundamental rights of the Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel to full equality; and
- 3. Respecting, protecting and promoting the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties as stipulated in UN resolution 194.
We have a zero tolerance policy for trolls | <urn:uuid:46ae4adc-71b3-4767-af08-c00a703591ca> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://en.reddit.com/r/BDS | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00066-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.908555 | 470 | 1.914063 | 2 |
How Should UK Universities Respond to EU Cookie Legislation?
Posted by Brian Kelly (UK Web Focus) on 26 May 2011
Confusions Over Cookie Legislation
The EU’s Privacy and Communications Directive comes into force at midnight tonight (26 May 2011). This requires user’s consent before using cookies – the text files which are used for various purposes including storing browsing information.
The UK Government’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) have provided guidelines on how Web site providers can implement such legislation. However, as pointed out by the JISC Legal service, differences in interpretation of the legislation by Ministers, the Internet Advertising Bureau and the ICO have led to uncertainties as to what needs to be done. The JISC Legal post concludes by highlighting such uncertainties:
This does leave website operators with a tricky decision:
- make changes to their websites now in order to implement a belt-and-braces, but clumsy, can-we-use-cookies explicit permission each time a user visits;
- wait until the government’s guidance on interpretation emerges, and take a view then as to whether to implement an explicit each-visit permission question; or
- hope that browser suppliers make the necessary changes soon enough such that website operators need do nothing.
Perhaps we should be looking to the ICO to see how it has implemented the legal requirements on its Web site. As can be seen from the following image the ICO’s Web site has introduced a new text area at the top of every page which requires users to click on the accept box.
I think it is clear that this is a very flawed solution. Not only is it very ugly, but it also appears to force users to accept cookies (not the message “You must tick the ‘I accept cookies from this site’ box to accept” was displayed after clicking on the Continue box without selecting the option to confirm acceptance of cookies.
The Guardian has pointed out significant flaws in the legislation on its Technology blog:
One problem sites are wrestling with if the ICO insists on enforcement is a catch-22 where if people choose not to accept cookies, then sites will have to keep asking them if they want to accept cookies – because they will not be able to set a cookie indicating their preference.
What, then, is to be done?
A Year’s Grace
The good news is that the ICO has recognised the complexities in implementing this legislation. As described on the BBC Web site:
UK websites are being given one year to comply with EU cookie laws, the Information Commissioner’s Office has said.
The UK government also sought to reassure the industry that there would be “no overnight changes”.
This provides the UK higher education sector with an opportunity to develop and implement appropriate and implementable solutions. We are seeing the Government providing indications that is looking to see “business-friendly solutions” being developed. Ed Vaizey, the Communications Minister, has suggested that the EU directive is ”a good example of a well-meaning regulation that will be very difficult to make work in practice“. Perhaps this is an example of Government policies being in alignment with those working in higher education who wish to continue to make use of Web technologies to deliver a wide range of services.
How should the sector proceed? I feel it would be a mistake for Universities to work on their own in attempting to implement individual solutions based on institutional interpretations of the EU directive and trying to second-guess what may be deemed to be acceptable practices.
I am in agreement with those who suggest that the opt-in/opt-out requirement should be provided by the Web browser rather than on every individual Web site. It should be noted that Microsoft’s IE 9 and the latest version of Mozilla’s Firefox offer settings to protect users from services which collect browser data. In addition Google is working at integrating so-called ‘Do Not Track‘ technologies into their Chrome browser.
In addition to such developments to Web browsers it may be appropriate to explore the potential of machine-readable privacy policies such as W3C’s P3P standard which I discussed in a previous post. Although this standard has seen little usage since it was first published in 2002 the EU legislation might provide the motivating force which can encourage greater take-up.
At UKOLN’s IWMW 2011 event, which will be held at the University of Reading on 26-27 July, Dave Raggett will be giving a plenary talk on Online Privacy in which he will describe his EU-funded Privacy Dashboard work. The event might also provide an opportunity for those working in Web-management who have a good understanding of the implications of privacy policies on the services they provide to agree on a sector-wide approach which can be deployed in a year’s time.
There is a slot which is currently vacant at the event of the event. There is therefore an opportunity for a small group of University Web managers using the next two months to develop a proposal on how the sector might implement the cookie legislation in a year’s time.
Some thoughts on what could be addressed:
- Why cookies are needed and what concerns they raise. A briefing paper explaining these issues to policy-makers and end users. The briefing should have a Creative Commons licence which can help to demonstrate the efficiency savings being made across the sector by avoiding duplication of such work.
- What privacy policies should cover and possibly provision of privacy templates.
- Policies on preferred browsers and education on use of privacy preferences.
- Potential of use of machine-readable policies such as P3P.
I welcome your comments and feedback. | <urn:uuid:03c63a82-5095-4441-8af3-323eec360cc1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ukwebfocus.wordpress.com/2011/05/26/how-should-uk-universities-respond-to-eu-cookie-legislation/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939904 | 1,165 | 2.109375 | 2 |
Although it contains its moments of doom and gloom about the potential effects of climate change, the excellent documentary "Carbon Nation" is an inspiring look at the many recent advances in clean energy and green technologies.
Director Peter Byck covers an impressively wide range of ground within his film's compact running time as he introduces us to a stirring cross-section of pioneers, researchers and innovators committed to helping the world reduce its carbon footprint.
Byck hopscotches across America and beyond interviewing such notables as Richard Branson, former CIA Director R. James Woolsey, Earth Day founder Denis Hayes and charismatic environmental advocate Van Jones, among many others, who weigh in on the issues, problems and solutions surrounding the climate change phenomenon.
The world's largest wind farm, a refrigerator recycling plant and a green initiative project for low-income neighborhoods are just a few of the many ecology boosters — and job creators — that get a big-screen close-up here.
That Byck's script (written with Eric Driscoll, Matt Weinhold and Karen Weigert) and journalist-TV host Bill Kurtis' narration remain positive, proactive and gingerly apolitical should help widen the film's viewership tent. As New York Times columnist Thomas L. Friedman so aptly puts it here, "Green is the new red, white and blue."
"Carbon Nation." No MPAA rating. Running time: 1 hour, 22 minutes. At Laemmle's Sunset 5, West Hollywood. | <urn:uuid:9fdb8d9d-ab8f-4837-af3c-74fa42537abc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://articles.latimes.com/2011/feb/17/entertainment/la-et-carbon-nation-review-story | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00050-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.918919 | 305 | 1.632813 | 2 |
The Fraunhofer Institute has developed a cost-effective colour-changing intelligent sensor film that can be integrated into meat or fish packaging to indicate if the food has spoiled.
The technology is much less expensive than alternatives such as electronic sensors and cost effective enough to allow broad take up, it claimed.
Experts from the Germany-based institute said the sensor film responds to biogenic amines produced by foods. These are molecules emitted principally by meat and fish when they decay and are responsible for the unpleasant smell given off by rotting foods, explained scientists from the body.
If amines are released into the air within the packaging, the indicator dye on the sensor film reacts with them and changes colour from yellow to blue.
“Once a certain concentration range is reached, the colour change is clearly visible and assumes the task of warning the consumer,” said Dr Anna Hezinger, from the institute’s Modular Solid State Technologies EMFT in Munich.
The technology can be used not just to shown when food is inedible - but can also serve as a warning to consumers who are sensitive to or intolerant of the presence of amines. The project has been sponsored by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research.
The Fraunhofer said drivers for embarking on the research included the difficulties in assessing food quality from its appearance alone combined with uncertainties surrounding ‘best before’ dates.
“Scandals involving the sale of rotten meat have added to the uncertainty, and the customer [sic] may be shortening the shelf life through improper storage,” said the Fraunhofer, which added the sensor would help remove that uncertainty.
Cost effective and safe
“Unlike the expiration date, the information on the sensor film is not based on an estimate but on an actual control of the food itself,” Hezinger said.
A further advantage of the system is that it is “very inexpensive” – which will help its take up on a broad scale, said the body. Alternative solutions, such as electronic sensors, “would lead to a steep increase in the price of packaged meat”, claimed the Fraunhofer.
The sensor is still in development and doesn't have full EU/FDA food contact approval status, although the institute has embarked uponmigration studies, said Hezinger, adding they were searching for industrial partners for a pre-commercial development.
“Food safety is ensured by a barrier layer between the sensor film and the product itself. This barrier is only permeable to gaseous amines. The indicator chemicals cannot pass through,” added Hezinger. | <urn:uuid:ca8b2e0c-0658-4680-a6f3-f3c2d63deba3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.foodproductiondaily.com/Quality-Safety/Intelligent-film-changes-colour-to-indicate-spoiled-food-Fraunhofer | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00029-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959187 | 545 | 2.8125 | 3 |
A Seattle television station got three drivers high on marijuana to test how much the drug impacted their driving abilities.
KIRO-TV did the segment to test whether police officers noticed a difference in how stoned drivers reacted on the road. The station also questioned whether Washington’s newly minted limit of 5 nanograms of THC was appropriate.
The station had mixed results from the volunteers, who ranged from an occasional smoker to a heavy user.
The heavy user, who showed up above the legal limit, didn’t initially have any problems navigating the course. It wasn’t until she had 1.4 grams of marijuana that she started to struggle driving, according to the television station.
The station reported she was 11 times the legal limit of THC.
After nearly a gram of “blueberry-train wreck” marijuana, the occasional smoker and weekend user struggled to drive the course. One driver nearly hit a cameraman and another driver forgot how to navigate the course.
The police officer monitoring the volunteers said all three drivers likely would have ended up in jail. The officer, however, didn’t immediately flag the stoned drivers as being impaired.
Bob Calkins, a Washington State Patrol spokesman, told The Oregonian in December that officers wouldn’t act differently to the new limit. He said drivers would only be pulled over if they appeared to be under the influence.
“We don’t just pull people over and draw blood,” Calkins told The Oregonian. “If you’re driving OK, we’re not going pull you over. But driving impaired is still driving impaired.” | <urn:uuid:e0338a9c-77c7-45c4-bbd5-595076fc2cf9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.sfgate.com/topdown/2013/02/19/seattle-tv-station-puts-stoned-drivers-to-the-test/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00035-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972136 | 344 | 1.539063 | 2 |
We strongly recommend that our XFree86 4.2.1 binaries be installed
Xinstall.sh script that we provide.
It is also important that the previous full release
(4.2.0) is installed before installing this update release.
Make sure that you use the 4.2.1 version of the
script to install this update. Older versions may not be able to do it
There are a lot of
steps in the manual installation process, and those steps can vary
according to the platform and hardware setup.
You must login as the super user (root) to run the installer script. Place all of the downloaded files into a single directory (choose a temporary location with enough space). Use the cd command to change to that directory and then run the installer script as follows:
Answer the prompts as they come up. If you are missing something that is required, the installer may tell you to install it before trying again. If the problem is that you did not download all of mandatory files aforementioned, then the installer will tell you which ones are missing and ask you to download them before proceeding.
The installer asks some questions that may not have obvious answers. The information here should help you answer them. In most cases, apart from the first question, the default answers should be OK.
If you run the installer from within an X session (the installer checks
$DISPLAY is set), you will be warned that doing so is not
a good idea. Unless you have a good reason for knowing that this won't
be a problem, you should exit your X session, including stopping xdm or
equivalent if it is running, before continuing. If you ignore this
warning and run into problems, well, you were warned!
will be warned that proceeding
with this installation will overwrite it. Only those things that are
part of our standard distribution will be overwritten. Other X
applications that you may have installed will not be removed. Some
configuration files may be overwritten though, but the installer should
prompt you before doing so. As the opening greeting says, it is
strongly recommended that you backup any existing installation
before proceeding. If you want your old applications to still be there
after you've installed, don't do the "backup" by simply renaming
/usr/X11R6 directory. It is better to make a copy of
it, and then install over the top of the original one. If you run into
problems and want to revert to the old installation, you can then
delete the overwritten one and copy the saved version back.
During the first part of the installation over an existing version, the script may remove some old files or directories that would get in the way of the new installation. It will list which files/directories have been removed. If none are listed, then none were removed.
The next step is to configure the X server. That is covered in detail
in an as-yet unwritten document :-(. In the meantime, there are three
ways to create a basic X server configuration file for XFree86 4.2.1.
One is to run the
xf86config utility. Another is to run the
xf86cfg utility. The third option is to use the new
-configure X server option:
Note that if you are running Darwin/Mac OS X, there is no step 3 :-). You should skip this step, as configuration is not required or possible. The X server configuration file is not used on Darwin/Mac OS X.
The X server config file (
XF86Config) format has changed
compared to 3.3.x. Also, its default location is now
Finally, there is now only one X server for driving video hardware,
and it is called "
XFree86". Once you're satisfied with the
operation of the new X server, you can safely remove the old
XF98_* X server binaries from
After the X server configuration is done, it may be advisable to reboot, especially if you run xdm (or equivalent) or the font server (xfs). | <urn:uuid:473dc4e7-d1a2-4426-b276-74453bf72976> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.xfree86.org/4.2.1/Install3.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.909531 | 867 | 1.585938 | 2 |
CEO produced the Strategic Transmission and Renewables (STAR) Report in late 2010. CEO is continuing to enhance that STAR modeling in pursuit of a Balanced Energy Portfolio model.CA key part of the STAR project was the production of a 38-page detailed modeling of Colorado’s electricity sector out to the year 2050. Assumptions for load growth, fuel prices, cost and operating characteristics of new generation, renewable energy penetration levels and environmental compliance used in the modeling are conservative, transparent and defensible. The results indicate a variety of pathways for state electricity sector policymakers to consider.
The driving research question modeled was how Colorado can meet the Colorado Climate Action Plan (CAP) goal of an 80% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2050 from a 2005 base. As the model results indicate, it can be achieved: furthermore, doing so will yield multiple benefits. Colorado’s population of 5 million is expected to grow to 9 million by 2050. A growing population coupled with a return to average historic levels of economic growth results in an imperative that new electric power infrastructure be planned and developed. The modeling results in the need for five key actions to secure Colorado’s strategic electric power sector: more energy efficiency, more utility-scale renewable energy, more high-voltage transmission, less coal-fired generation, and more natural gas-fired generation.
First and foremost, the modeling reveals how essential it is, from economic and environmental perspectives, to moderate the load growth (assumed to grow at 1.7 per cent per year to 2050).
The model selected utility-scale renewable energy as the preferred supply-side resource on the basis of its ability to reduce air pollution, reduce water consumption, and on the basis of being the least cost long-run resource, in large part because renewable energy does not incur fuel costs. However, there are operational limits on the penetration of variable renewable resources, and the model constrained the selection of renewable energy to conform to those operational limitations.
It is well-understood that substantial new high-voltage transmission infrastructure is a linchpin issue that needs to be addressed to enable Colorado to deliver the renewable energy to the markets. Transmission is an enabler that achieves a variety of economic objectives over a very long time period with comparatively minimal operation and maintenance expenses. As has been proven in Texas and elsewhere, the return on investment is fast, and transmission represents less than 10% of the customer’s electric bill.
The model analyzed Colorado’s coal-fired generation fleet, and determined that if the CAP goals are to be met, coal units should be retired when they reach the age of 45. Should the units not be retired and replaced at age 45, Colorado’s electricity sector will experience increasing operation and maintenance costs, and public health will be compromised.
Of critical importance, the state must expand deployment of efficient natural gas-fired generation. The nation’s natural gas supply has been expanded considerably in recent years, and price forecasts provide a greater confidence in price stability compared to the price volatility experienced over the past three decades. Gas-fired generation is particularly beneficial due to its unique ability to integrate variable renewable resources, while serving as a baseload resource.
The model assumed that by 2017 research and development activities will result in commercially available natural gas advanced combined cycle plants with 90% carbon capture and sequestration. These plants were assumed to have a lower capacity cost and lower operating cost than new conventional coal-fired generating stations without carbon capture and sequestration. | <urn:uuid:fe1b7825-0aac-4918-be4e-b44fd89fda5d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/GovEnergyOffice/CBON/1251614154870 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00066-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.927347 | 711 | 1.882813 | 2 |
By Aldo Panessidi
For those of you loyal readers who have been following and reading my blogs.... you no doubt noticed my propensity to provide you with industry and market statistics and information.
Keeping with this tradition, I came across a study - IT in the Toilet conducted by 11 Mark "View Infographic"... according to this report, we shouldn't be surprised if we hear a toilet flush in the background while on the phone with friends or colleagues; as a whopping 3 out 4 in America use their cell phones while in the bathroom.
Approximately the same number of men and women have used the phone in the bathroom, according to a survey of 1,000 Americans... although men seem more tethered to IT in the toilet: 30 percent of men versus 20 percent of women agreed with the statement, "I don't go to the bathroom without my mobile phone."
Since only 14% of respondents reportedly cleanse their phones after a toilet session... I would highly recommend protecting both their devices and ultimately themselves with iSkin protective accessories' revolutionary Microban technology. Built-in to products during the manufacturing process, Microban antimicrobial product protection inhibits the growth of microbes such as bacteria, mold and mildew that can cause stains , embarrassing odors and deterioration of both cell phones and other mobile devices.
Check out the following video for in-depth information on Microban iSkin protective cases and skins.
More than half the surveyed users (63 percent) said they have answered a phone call in the bathroom, and almost half (41 percent) reported initiating a phone call. That's not all, however: What goes on behind the walls of the stalls is anything a mobile phone is capable of. Sixty-seven percent said they have read a text, and 39 percent have surfed the Web. Men work more from the bathroom—20 percent said they have participated in work-related calls, versus 13 percent of their female colleagues.
As expected, Gen Y respondents are the pacesetters in the "mobile everywhere" movement, with 91 percent using their phone in the bathroom. Still, older generations are not far behind. Eighty percent of Gen X reported using the phone in the bathroom, as did 65 percent of Baby Boomers and 47 percent of the Silent Generation.
While online, they are doing more than just surfing; 16 percent of Gen Y report they have made an online purchase while in the bathroom. The study indicates that 87% of Droid users (Motorola Droid RAZR, Samsung Galaxy S 2, HTC Amaze, LG Optimus 2X) and 84% of Blackberry users (Bold 9900 Touch, Bold 9790 , Curve 9370) followed by 77% of iPhone users are particularly likely to browse and buy in the bathroom – 22 percent have made a purchase, versus 10 percent of Americans with mobile phones overall.
"The writing is on the stall," said 11mark principal Nicole Burdette. "This study confirms what we all know: that the last private place is no longer private." | <urn:uuid:fd74617b-9bb2-497c-b2a9-0b512cce6cec> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.puremobile.com/insiderblog/2012/01/page/nokia-lumia-900-announced-at-ces | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00058-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947158 | 617 | 1.914063 | 2 |
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in Fruit & veg
Hi all, I hope you can help!
In late 2010 we moved into our current property, which has a large fig tree in the bottom of the garden. Whilst it is an attractive plant, it currently stands at approximately 15ft tall, and probably 10ft spread, and is blocking a lot of light to the rest of the garden. From reading up on fig plants, I can see that they are very vigourous growers, and so should be cut back hard each season to maintain their shape/size (most figs are bushes rather than trees?) The previous owner was not a keen gardener and I suspect has not pruned the tree for many years!
Given this, my question is really whether a fig tree could withstand an extremely hard prune (i.e. virtually back to a stump), so that we can bring it back under control? Whilst last season was a little tough on most fruit/veggies, we got no viable figs from the plant last year (too small), so currently it is serving no real purpose (other than looking nice)!
Your thoughts would be much appreciated! | <urn:uuid:38f3528b-aedd-4594-957e-d33b0dfd374b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.gardenersworld.com/forum/fruit-andamp-veg/overgrown-fig-tree/1552.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966466 | 239 | 2.03125 | 2 |
Criteria for dog donors:
Once your dog is approved as a donor, she/he will be scheduled to donate a minimum of six times a year at a local veterinary clinic or other designated location. Occasionally, you may be called for emergency donations with the understanding that any donations beyond 6 times a year are voluntary. Your dog can safely donate as frequently as once a month, assuming good nutrition and iron supplementation are regularly provided.
The procedure takes 10 to 30 minutes and is not painful to your pet. The most common side effect may be mild bruising at the site of collection. Upon completion, you can take your dog home, however, strenuous exercise should be avoided for 1 to 2 days.
Interested in your dog becoming a donor? Fill out our online form or call us today at 719-380-1900
Free blood screening and priority statusAs a donor, your pet will receive a free blood screening for blood type, and multiple organ abnormalities and blood-borne diseases. If any abnormalities are noted, those issues will need to be handled through your veterinarian. Your dog also receives priority status for blood in case a transfusion is needed because of injury or disease.
Donor dog tagsThe donor dog tags with your pet’s blood type and a unique ID number can help in emergencies. If your dog is hurt and needs a transfusion, no time will be wasted in determining the correct blood type. If your dog is lost, the ID number can provide a way to track your dog faster and easier.
$75-$150 reimbursement for preventive careYou’ll receive a reimbursement for annual preventive veterinary care up to $150, depending on blood type and number of donations. After your dog donates 6 units of blood, we’ll send your veterinarian a check or, if you prefer, we’ll make a contribution to the animal-related organization of your choice.
Making a differencePerhaps the most important benefit of having your dog become a blood donor is knowing you’re making a difference in the nationwide community of pet lovers. | <urn:uuid:4b8cae0e-5b91-41af-b61f-7750b4ad2349> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.hemosolutions.com/pages/donors.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00052-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.909696 | 419 | 1.6875 | 2 |
Battery performance deficit disorder
Batteries fail—as certainly as death and taxes. Rechargeable batteries at least offer the possibility of repeating the cycle, so are in this sense more like recurrent taxes than death. But alas, the story cannot repeat indefinitely. One cheerful thought after the other, yes? But wait, there’s more… Add to their inevitable demise an overall lackluster performance in battery storage technology, and we have ourselves the makings of a blog post on the failure of batteries to live up to their promises.
To set the stage, the specific energy of gasoline—measured in kWh per kg, for instance—is about 400 times higher than that of a lead-acid battery, and about 200 times better than the Lithium-ion battery in the Chevrolet Volt. We should not expect batteries to rival the energy density delivered by our beloved fossil fuels—ever.
A recent article in APS News reported on an emerging view that batteries are failing to live up to our dreams in the electric car realm:
Despite their many potential advantages, all-electric vehicles will not replace the standard American family car in the foreseeable future. This was the perhaps reluctant consensus at a recent symposium focused on battery research.
I was somewhat stunned to see this article. I am accustomed to seeing articles emphasizing the possible—albeit often improbable, in my mind. Also appearing in the article is a quote from Paul Alivisatos, an accomplished physicist, summarizing the need for further research:
“It remains true today, as in the past, that we need a fundamental understanding of the physics of how energy-conversion processes take place, at a much deeper level, in order to achieve a truly sustainable energy future.”
Rephrasing: the physics we currently understand is not sufficient to deliver the kind of battery we need to make the future work without fossil fuels. Red flags go up for me when it is our understanding of physics rather than practical engineering challenges standing in the way—as serious as the latter can be. Physics limitations instantly present a much taller order to overcome.
I’m sure everyone has tales of how batteries have let them down—ranging from the merely annoying to life-threatening situations. I find that I am more often disappointed than pleasantly surprised when it comes to batteries. Here are some examples:
- I frequently go for months without driving my truck. The battery is often dead when I try to start it. Lead-acid batteries only get worse if left in a discharged state, so it’s a runaway process. Fortunately, I live on a hill and can often roll-start my way back onto the road.
- The rechargeable NiMh batteries I use for small electronics devices are rated for 1000 charge cycles. I’ll bet I only get about 15–20 cycles before noticing a serious degradation in performance.
- The first set of lead-acid batteries I used with my home-built solar photovoltaic system only lasted two years before showing substantially reduced capacity. A newer set is still in good shape after 2.5 years, but the drop in performance can be pretty fast, I have found.
- Lead-acid batteries for cars tend to last 5–6 years, often failing with little warning, in many cases resulting in being stranded.
- New laptop batteries seldom fail to delight their owners in how much longer the charge lasts compared to the previous generation batteries. But give it a few years and it is not uncommon to be operating at half the original capacity.
- Batteries left in a device for a long time can develop corrosive crud around the terminals, often in hard-to-clean places.
A counter-example is the occasional amazement I experience when alkaline batteries in a device that has not been utilized in years crackle to life after all that time—if the batteries haven’t gooped themselves up, that is.
The chief measure of a battery, in my mind, is how much energy it can store. But it makes sense to adjust this concept to the size or mass of a battery. Obviously, a more massive and voluminous battery can pack in more energy. So for a given mass (we’ll take a kilogram), we want to know how much energy a battery can store, called specific energy.
At low power demand (sipping rather than gulping), lead-acid batteries tend to hold about 30–40 Wh per kilogram (one Watt-hour is equivalent to 3600 J, or 0.001 kWh of energy). Ni-MH batteries score 45–60 Wh/kg, and Lithium-ion gets about 120–180 Wh/kg. Part of the reason for Li-ion’s better performance is that lithium itself is lightweight; by volume lead-acid has about 40% the capacity of Li-ion. Gasoline, at 36.6 kWh/gal, has a specific energy of 13,800 Wh/kg. Off the charts!
As power demand increases, the battery flags, and will not offer as much total energy. Obviously, the battery discharges faster under heavier power demand, but the effect is exacerbated by less actual energy available. This is best shown on a Ragone plot, in which specific energy is plotted against specific power.
Note that the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) exceeds both specific energy and power goals for vehicles (the mass must include engine weight, rather than the fuel by itself). Fuel cells provide decent specific energy, but typically insufficient power (per kilogram). Capacitors, including super-capacitors, discharge super-fast with lots of power, but have very low specific energy.
As useful as this plot is, it does not convey the whole story. While it looks like Li-ion meets the the goal for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, this does not necessarily remain true if demanding 5,000 deep charge cycles, a ten-year lifetime, a moderately inexpensive product, etc.
The U.S. Department of Energy teamed up with the automotive and battery industries to define benchmark performance targets for batteries that would result in electric vehicles being competitive with ICE vehicles on a mass-produced basis. The resulting coalition was called USABC/FreedomCAR, and their various target requirements are available here, with a useful summary presentation also available. Below is a subset of the target parameters pulled from these sources, and I have also thrown in the Chevrolet Volt for a side-by-side comparison to current capabilities.
|Characteristic||Hybrid Goal||Plug-in Hybrid Goal||Chevy Volt (PHEV)||Electric Vehicle Goal|
|Range on Battery (mi/km)||1.0/1.6||40/65||38/61||300/580 (?)|
|Available Energy (kWh)||0.3||11.6||10.5||40|
|Specific Energy (kWh/kg)||0.007||0.097||0.053||0.2|
|Energy Density (kWh/L)||0.009||0.14||0.105||0.3|
|Specific Discharge Power (kW/kg)||0.625||0.32||0.56||0.4|
|Power density (kW/L)||0.78||0.47||1.1||0.4|
|Cycle Life (cycles)||3,000||5,000 (deep)||2,000||1,000 (deep)|
|Calendar Life (years)||15||10||8||10|
|Production Price (USD)||$500||$3,400||$8,000?||$4,000|
|Operating Temp. Range (°C)||−30 to 52||−30 to 52||−25 to 50||−40 to 85|
The 300 mile (580 km) range for the pure electric vehicle (EV) comes from the presentation rather than the official USABC source, and does not look right to me based on the 40 kWh battery size. Electric cars typically need 30 kWh of storage for each 100 miles of driving (about what the Volt, Leaf, and Tesla achieve, based almost entirely on air resistance—not battery technology). So I would expect the 40 kWh battery pack associated with the EV goal to deliver half as much range as what’s in the table.
Some of the figures for the Volt deserve explanation, since many cannot be directly looked up, and require inference and calculation. Firstly, the 2013 model battery pack has a capacity of 16 kWh, but only 10.5 kWh are made available so-as to avoid potentially damaging deep discharges. Meanwhile, I have no choice but to use the entire battery pack mass and volume (197 kg; 100 L) in conjunction with the partial 10.5 kWh charge in calculating energy densities, because available energy density is what’s important. For lifetime and cycle computations, I use the 100,000 mile, 8-year guarantee on the battery, together with the estimated 37 miles per gallon (MPG) on gas alone and 98 MPG for combined gas/electric. This implies an expectation that about 62,000 of the 100,000 miles will be driven under battery power. If recharges typically happen after 30 of the 38 miles are spent (corresponding to 80% of available capacity), this translates to about 2,000 deep cycles. Perhaps this is pessimistic in the sense that most guarantees correspond to a minimum expected performance. But offsetting this is the fact that the USABC targets are specified for end-of-life performance, whereas I use the beginning-of-life numbers for the Volt. General Motors estimates a 10–30% degradation at the end of 8 years (100,000 miles).
A comparison between actual performance and target performance can be cleverly displayed graphically in a “spider chart,” as illustrated below for the plug-in hybrid performance as of May 2011 (I first saw such diagrams in a presentation by Venkat Srinivasan, in 2008).
We can make our own spider diagram for the Volt, based on the numbers in the table. Please excuse the sub-optimal placement of labels, etc.
Besides looking like some sort of cool fighter jet in a dive, the diagram highlights performance deficits on several fronts. It is not terribly hard to get lots of current out of a battery, translating to more-than-adequate power performance. But all other measures fall short of the goals by varying degrees. The APS article intones that we should not hold our collective breaths to see a march of progress in lithium-ion technology at a level that would satisfy this (still hungry) spider. In practice, improving one aspect of performance tends to decrease another somewhere else (see the piece by Srinivasan for more on this principle). So it’s not a simple matter of advancing on all fronts independently and incrementally.
Full Cost of Electric Drive
Let’s say you pay $0.10 per kWh for electricity delivered to your home. Charging the Volt battery with 10.5 kWh at 90% efficiency to replace the drain from 38 miles of driving will cost $1.17. If using gasoline alone, the same car uses about a gallon of gas to go the same distance. Let’s put the cost of that gallon at $4.00. Electric looks pretty good, at these rates!
Now figure in the estimated price of the Volt battery at $8,000 (a disputed number, but GM has not revealed the actual cost). If we get 62,000 miles of electric drive out of the battery, we will spend $1950 on electricity for charging, plus $8000 for the battery. That’s $9,950. The same distance on gasoline would cost $6500. Not an order-of-magnitude difference, but still gasoline currently wins.
If the price of gasoline goes up (it will; but so will electricity), and the cost of the battery goes down (it should), the two may cross. But there are other added costs to the Volt (or hybrids in general) besides just the battery. After all, hybrids can’t jettison the ICE, and require an electric drive train to boot. Even the fact that the space occupied by the battery forces bucket seats in the back of the Volt is a “cost” that must be paid.
Batteries are, of course, useful for purposes other than transportation. While transportation hardship may be the most pressing problem in the decades following peak petroleum production, solar and wind resources cannot scale to be very large without a viable storage solution.
I worked out in an earlier post how large a lead-acid battery would have to be to support the entire U.S. energy demand in the presence of solar/wind intermittency. It turned out that our estimates for recoverable lead in the world do not satisfy the need. Lithium and Nickel are even more constrained. It is possible that some other approach like sodium-sulfer or zinc-air can step in. But these are already relatively well-known options and have not blazed a wide path into storage over the past few decades.
Don’t get me wrong: even though I dwell on the shortcomings of batteries in this post, I still hold a net positive view. When it’s dark at my house, my refrigerator, television, computers, and internet goodies are all powered by stored sunlight in lead-acid batteries. My laptop battery gets me through many a bus ride and an occasional airplane ride. Batteries really do work, and provide value. Moreover, electric cars are more than a notion or fantasy: they are actually on the road getting people where they want to go. Despite their lackluster performance next to fossil fuel storage, batteries still beat the pants off of mechanical or gravitational storage.
And even though I might appear to be picking on the Chevy Volt by highlighting its deficiencies, I actually rather like the design point (electric vs. gasoline range hits the sweet spot, in my view). In fact, I was half way to buying one. By half way, I mean that if the price were cut in half, I would surely have one now.
The real point is that batteries fall pathetically short of our customary fossil fuel energy storage medium. When we wake up to a declining global availability of petroleum, we won’t just switch over to electric cars. We may not be able to collectively afford such a transition, given the huge up-front costs in both money and energy. Where will the prosperity come from? If oil shortages drive recession in the usual fashion, expensive options may be off the table. | <urn:uuid:2bf88a86-908f-482f-bbb4-642d660814f7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.resilience.org/stories/2012-08-22/battery-performance-deficit-disorder | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.927942 | 3,047 | 2.828125 | 3 |
I recognize the patronizing voice in American reporting about countries struggling to find their way out of chaos or recently overturned dictatorships.
It rings of the arrogance that too often accompanied our foreign aid, when it wasn’t politically incorrect to refer to used cans of cooking oil as “appropriate technology” for Third World women fetching water.
Similarly, too many journalists also slip into post-colonial, post-Soviet language when they refer to imminent “free and fair” elections or “new democracies” of Eastern Europe.
At its worst, smarmy superiority taints so many U.S. news stories about elections in struggling non-Western countries. If this reporting didn’t affect our national decisions, policies, action and inaction, I’d dismiss it as simply distasteful. Instead, it’s offensive and destructive.
At its heart, paternalistic clichés reflect our expectation of “one man, one vote, one time” in too many countries emerging from post-colonial dictatorships. It screams, “They’re not like us. What more could we expect of those people?” After the revolutions, new dictatorships emerge, whether secular or clerical, civilian or military.
Arrogance makes itself heard in familiar formulaic language that passes for insight when some military revolts or a head of state wins 99 percent of the vote. Skip to the next story when you encounter “In an apparent … ” or “Arguably.” Apparent to the reporter? Who’s arguing?
But back to elections. Sometimes, reporters’ pessimism is justified. We’ve seen what passes for elected parliamentary government reveal itself as a facade for authoritarian or kleptocratic rule.
But we don’t know that in advance. If reporters’ foresight is that keen, why didn’t we anticipate the collapse of the USSR, Enron, Lehman Brothers, the Icelandic economy, Royal Bank of Scotland or the newspaper business?
In Africa and Asia, the what-ifs, the caveats and the guesswork often smack of failed colonialism, patronizing coverage of Westernized Oriental Gentlemen who didn’t get it when they studied or trained in England, France or the United States. They embraced the forms but not the substance of older democracies: open debate, trustworthy elections with universal suffrage and peaceful change.
In Eastern Europe, we forget democratic attempts in the past two centuries and write them off as hopeless peasants addicted to autocratic rule regardless of politics.
And as we’ve learned, elections and parliaments don’t assure democracy. Iran has both. We’ve even fantasized about “moderate” or “liberal” Iranian candidates facing “fundamentalist” clerics.
We treat electoral attempts by countries such as Egypt with condescension, even as we anticipate that nation’s first “free and fair” ballots. That mantra ignores an important, basic journalistic ethic: report what is, not what you wish. How does any reporter know when an election will be “free and fair?”
If the runoff for Egyptian president proves to be fair and free, that’s the story. Until then, it’s opinion posing as expertise.
Crystal ball journalism cracked in 1994 during the first nonracial election in post-Apartheid South Africa. Too much reporting involved too much conventional wisdom before South Africans of every ethnicity and color lined up — peacefully and seemingly to the horizon — to choose Nelson Mandela as their first nonwhite president. By contemporary standards, it was free and fair and it improved on the old “one man, one vote” by embracing female voters equally. Mandela handed over to Thabo Mbeki, who handed over to Jacob Zuma. Meanwhile, opposition parties faded, formed, merged; no failed candidates went to the gibbet.
Has there been corruption under South African black majority rule? Yes. Nepotism? Yes. Odious racial preferments? Yes. Dubious political financing? Yes. Pandering to blocs of voters? Yes. So?
Are similar accusations common during elections in older democracies? Yes.
In the country where I lived and worked, the former British protectorate of Northern Rhodesia, each president of independent Zambia has yielded to the victor in subsequent elections. The country’s an economic mess but I’m talking politics here, not the predictable disaster that comes to any country’s vital private industry when it’s nationalized.
North Africa will, if it’s lucky, follow a similar political path at the other end of the continent: fragmented parliamentary results, new elections, shifting alliances, and elected governments that at least initially suit voters.
But hyperventilating over the role(s) of Islamic politicians and parties lining the Mediterranean’s south shore doesn’t dignify American journalism.
Labeling someone “Islamic” is a society where few are not Muslims reflects cultural anxiety and national fear that successive American presidents have nurtured. It tells me as much as calling George W. Bush and Bill Clinton “Christians.”
But watch/listen/read to what’s being written now about Egypt. We’ll probably see a runoff between an “Islamist” and a creature of the Mubarak years who probably differs as much in his faith as W and his dad do.
Even in the past year, we’ve had little
reporting on how successive Cairo regimes suppressed the Muslim
Brotherhood core values that sustained and allowed the Brotherhood to
survive and prosper.
• Andrew Beajon at nonpartisan Poynter.org reports on two new surveys that suggest where American journalism is going. The first, by DigiCareers, said “more than half of media professionals polled immediately leave a website after encountering a paywall. One-quarter said they were unlikely to return to the site.” Beaujon added that “in a Pew survey done two years ago, 15 percent of respondents said they would continue to use their favorite news website if there was a pay wall, while 82 percent said they’d get news somewhere else ... Taken together, though, the results align with news organizations’ goal to monetize their most loyal readers, which is typically about 15 percent of the audience.” Good luck. Paywalls block me from the Enquirer’s archive and Rupert Murdoch’s Wall Street Journal, London Times and London Sunday Times and sharply limit my access to London’s Financial Times. I don’t pay ... yet. | <urn:uuid:597800da-9639-4a90-a7b1-6ff2938fd0df> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.citybeat.com/cincinnati/article-25528-paternalistic_clich%C3%A9s_mar_non_western_coverage.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942863 | 1,391 | 2.125 | 2 |
Hiroshima: Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, featuring the exhibits about atomic bombing of the city by the United States, registered its 60 millionth visitor since its inception in August 1955.
Koichiro Maeda, director of the museum, said, "It's a large number equivalent to nearly half the population of Japan. We feel its significance".
The museum in Naka Ward in Hiroshima City said its visitor count has exceeded one million persons per year since fiscal 1979, with foreign visitors topping 100,000 annually since fiscal 2002.
The 60 millionth visitor was Ryo Kitamura, 33, a company employee from Higashi Ward, Fukuoka City, who was accompanied by his wife and daughter.
The family received a museum catalogue from director Maeda.
Kitamura said, "I am surprised and happy. This was my first visit in well over a decade when I visited on a junior high school excursion. I wanted to show it to my child."
The museum is planning to refurbish its facilities, starting with the East Building in fiscal 2013.
First Published: Monday, September 06, 2010, 11:11 | <urn:uuid:0d2e7769-8cf3-4bcf-beb9-43f68060d06e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://zeenews.india.com/news/world/hiroshima-a-bomb-museum-draws-60-millionth-visitor_653231.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00071-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974016 | 232 | 2.046875 | 2 |
Love Activities for the ESL Classroom that will Melt Your Students' Hearts
When February rolls around a young man’s fancy turns to love, at least, his girlfriend hopes he starts to think about Valentine’s Day.
There are many things traditionally associated with Valentine’s Day. Besides the hearts, candy and flowers, Valentine’s Day is a time to think about love and relationships, even for those who are not romantic the rest of the year. These activities will give your class a chance to talk about love in context and let them use their sense of humor while they do.
Try These Love Activities in Your ESL Classroom
Love is a journey that can start in some of the strangest places. Some people meet their significant others at bars, through mutual friends, on the back of a roller coasters and just about any other place you can think of. Regardless of where two soon-to-be lovers meet, there is always a first date. With that in mind, why not use Valentine’s Day as an excuse for some first date role-playing in your ESL classroom. Of course, each of your students will act differently on a first date, but everyone can have fun when the date happens in front of the rest of the class! You may want to start the activity by brainstorming a list of conversation topics that would be appropriate for a first date to help get your students in the mood, and then let the magic happen.
If you want to take the fun up a notch, simulate The Dating Game in your classroom. Have one person sit on one side of a partition. This person will be the one who is choosing the other with whom he or she will go on a date. On the other side of the partition, have three potential date partners. You may want to give these students certain personalities to role-play (e.g. nervous person, adventurous person, self-inflated person, etc.). The first person should list several questions he or she would like to ask the potential date partners. Then, she asks them one at a time and has the three people on the other side of the partition give answers. When time is up (usually around ten minutes of question and answer), she chooses the person with whom she will go out without ever having seen him.
How Do I Love Thee?
In English, the word ‘love’ is used in many ways. We use it to explain how we feel about people – romantically, in friendships, as relatives. We also use it to describe items that we like, such as food or games. Using an English only dictionary, have your students look up the word ‘love’ and read each of the definitions listed there. In small groups, have your students take one definition at a time and talk about the exact meaning of love in that definition. Then you can ask each group to list some people or items that a person may love in that specific way. You can also ask the groups to write some example sentences for each definition of love. As an extension activity, you may want to ask each student to write about someone or something that he or she loves in one of those ways. In a paragraph, your students should explain how they love that person or thing and how that love is different from the other types of love.
Love and a Song
Love songs are popular all over the world, and everyone has their favorites. It seems that no matter what a performer’s style of music is, he always has some type of love song in the mix. There are some musical groups, though, that are most popular all over the world. One of the world’s most well known musical group is the Beatles. Their songs have been popular for decades, and your students have probably heard some or most of their most popular tunes. Give your students a test of their musical knowledge as well as their language skills by creating a cloze activity with lyrics from some of the Beatles most famous love songs. You can copy the lyrics to your favorite songs, like “All You Need is Love,” “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” “When I’m Sixty-Four,” “Can’t Buy Me Love” or any other songs that appeal to you and your students. To prepare the exercise, cut and paste the lyrics to a song into another document and replace every fifth word with a blank and see how many blanks your students can fill in without listening to the song. Then, play the song and let them check their answers and fill in the ones that they missed. This type of exercise tests general grammatical knowledge, but using song lyrics will also test understanding of rhyme and rhythm.
Roses are Red
One of the most common love poems starts with “Roses are red, Violets are blue…” These lines have appeared on homemade greeting cards for as long as many people can remember. Give your students a chance to finish this classic love poem on a Valentine for someone they know. Tell your students that they can finish the poem any way they like as long as the meter and rhyme are completed correctly. Of the two lines that they will write, the first should contain four syllables and does not need to rhyme with any of the other lines. The second line that they write should also have four syllables, but it should rhyme with the second line. Have your students create an illustration to go with their short poem and post them around the room. The class will enjoy seeing how many different ways the simple poem can be finished!
One of the most pleasurable emotions in life is love, and Valentine’s Day is an opportunity to celebrate it.
With these activities on love, your students can learn more about the word and more about how people can love one another, no candy or flowers required!
Susan likes to enjoy every day to its fullest whether she is freelance writing, teaching homeschoolers, or developing her special talent of instigation. When she is not imagining sand castles or catching others off balance, she cooks, sings, reads and takes walks in the sunshine. She earned an M.A. from the University of Delaware in Linguistics and an M.A. from Trinity School for Ministry in Youth Ministry. She currently lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with her wonderful husband and her three cheepy cockatiels.
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Thanks for the ideas.I think that children love to talk about love! Ask them if they know where their parents met, and if they do not, perhaps they can be persuaded to interview their parents and find out about their first date etc. Also, completing the traditional 'Roses are red' verse is a simple but fun activity.
The activities are boring and not applicable to the kids in the school classroom - middle school age. And what I mean it's not something that would help to engage them so that they show some interest, or help to captivate their attention. With adults it may bring in some variety, but still - nothing extraordinary or nothing that would spark the interest.
Please register to leave comments. Registration is free and takes only a minute! | <urn:uuid:533fc511-ad84-475d-92e1-c5ecd79d29ea> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://busyteacher.org/9451-love-activities-esl-classroom-melt-students-hearts.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00069-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963721 | 1,578 | 2.984375 | 3 |
Salt trade was a very efficient trade. Many people learned about salt this way. North-Africans transported salt around the continent using camels. This was called the Trans-Sahara Trade. This is one of the many ways of trading.
Soon enough, people learned that transporting salt was not as profitable as selling or trading salted goods. Salted cod was very popular at the time because it would not spoil for a very long time. People in Europe made a lot of money through the trade of salted cod. Other items that were traded were eel, herring, and other foods.
Some people decided to trade salted cheese and vegetables. These salted vegetables are now called pickles. Cheese was very salty at the time because they were rubbed with salt. | <urn:uuid:b4e8485c-38f3-47ba-8367-601d981e3630> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://library.thinkquest.org/06aug/00404/Trade.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00023-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.994448 | 159 | 3.421875 | 3 |
I had a very international childhood – lived in Venezuela and Rome and London, and visited lots of other places in Europe (Paris, Athens, Venice, Barcelona). The cause was my dad working for a multinational; the result was that I learned and forgot three languages before I was thirteen.
OK, maybe 2.5 languages would be a better count; I never thought I was very fluent in spoken French, though I could read it well enough (in the late 1960s, when the available English renditions of the Asterix comics were pretty bad, I translated them myself for fun). I was a crib bilingual in Spanish, though, and my Italian became passable.
This had some interesting though minor effects on my later life. One is that, like many crib bilinguals, I am much better at hearing and correctly reproducing phonological features outside the inventory of my native language than most monolinguals. (There’s recent research showing that crib bilinguals organize the language-processing circuitry in their brains slightly differently.)
When I traveled in Asia I found this gave me a useful knack. Chinese and others who deal with Westerners often take Western nicknames to, er, make themselves pronounceable; I, noticing this, developed the habit of asking them for their real name and then pronouncing it back at them. This invariably produced delighted smiles.
(Note: This doesn’t work in Japan, Japanese phonology is too simple. You need to go somewhere that pronouncing the language is actually difficult for English-speakers.)
OK, so, crib bilingual, spoke three languages besides English, good ear (like Frodo) for foreign sounds. Here’s the funny part. I thought I was bad at languages.
The handful of polyglots in the audience are now laughing at me, I know. As well they should; I didn’t begin to get a clue until I tested out of my French-language requirement at college. Um, that was six years after studying it and not having used it at all.
But I didn’t really clue in until I started doing my second round of traveling as Famous Internet Guy in the late 1990s. And noticed that when I was with a group of monolinguals, I was pretty much always the one who clued in on street signs and bits of the local language the fastest.
I think it really hit home when I visited Warsaw for a Linux conference. Polish is not closely related to any language I’d ever spoken, yet…after a day on the ground I was starting to get bits of it. And the other visitors – weren’t. Indeed, they behaved as though it never occurred to them that they could, as though the language barrier was impermeable without concentrated and effortful study.
Yes, go ahead, chuckle at my naivete. But it was a bit of a wrench when I realized that they were the normal ones. It’s my ability to absorb languages through my skin that is unusual in an adult. (Children, of course, do it routinely.)
The point of this rant is actually the question that preoccupied me for a bit once I thought through my observations and did a little research, enough to realize how very mistaken I had been. How in the hell did I develop the belief that I was bad at languages?
Because what I found out, of course, is that this is the history and behavior of somebody who is really good at languages – a natural polyglot. Crib bilinguals tend to be like this more than others, but it’s a tendency rather than a rule.
This, too, made a (minor) difference in my life. By the time I visited Taiwan a couple years into the new century I was confident enough to set myself the goal of learning to hear and reproduce the tones in Mandarin Chinese during the few days I’d be there. And I succeeded, though that’s not really the point I’m driving at here.
No. The point is, I did eventually figure out why I thought I was bad at languages for so long. It was because I was bad at language classes. Found them boring, didn’t get good grades at them, got shut of them as soon as I could, and felt greatly relieved when I tested high enough to fulfill the foreign-language requirement at Penn.
So my conclusion is this: the foreign-language instruction methods in our schools suck horribly. I mean, really horribly. I think it must constitute something near a worst-case definition of suck when you take a crib bilingual with a good ear and a strong knack in one end and spit him out the other with a belief that he’s bad at languages so fixed that it lasts nearly thirty years.
What makes this funnier, in a way, is that I cultivated an interest in linguistics over those three decades and still thought I was bad at languages…
I don’t really know what can be done about this. But I started reading The Polyglot Project recently, motivated by a conjecture that I’d find I’m more like those people – the sort who eat languages like bonbons – than like most monolinguals. And indeed it seems that I am, but that’s not my point either.
My point is more like this: Jesus H. Christ and his bastard brother Harry on a pogo stick, why isn’t the educational establishment listening to these people? What in the hell are we doing numbing childrens’ brains to insensibility with the 413th repetition of a textbook drill about la plume de ma tante when it is utterly clear that immersion and motivation through native-speaker materials is both more effective and more fun?
I know, I know…our educational system is very broken in general, I shouldn’t be surprised at yet another symptom. I managed it, though; thus, this rant. The best I can hope is that it might set somebody to thinking. | <urn:uuid:1903efc5-d9c2-4f3c-b557-7b48e886b87d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://esr.ibiblio.org/?p=3985 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976663 | 1,248 | 1.5 | 2 |
|Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary|
21:1-9 David, in distress, fled to the tabernacle of God. It is great comfort in a day of trouble, that we have a God to go to, to whom we may open our cases, and from whom we may ask and expect direction. David told Ahimelech a gross untruth. What shall we say to this? The Scripture does not conceal it, and we dare not justify it; it was ill done, and proved of bad consequence; for it occasioned the death of the priests of the Lord. David thought upon it afterward with regret. David had great faith and courage, yet both failed him; he fell thus foully through fear and cowardice, and owing to the weakness of his faith. Had he trusted God aright, he would not have used such a sorry, sinful shift for his own preservation. It is written, not for us to do the like, no, not in the greatest straits, but for our warning. David asked of Ahimelech bread and a sword. Ahimelech supposed they might eat the shew-bread. The Son of David taught from it, that mercy is to be preferred to sacrifice; that ritual observances must give way to moral duties. Doeg set his foot as far within the tabernacle as David did. We little know with what hearts people come to the house of God, nor what use they will make of pretended devotion. If many come in simplicity of heart to serve their God, others come to observe their teachers and to prove accusers. Only God and the event can distinguish between a David and a Doeg, when both are in the tabernacle.
Verses 3, 4. - What is under thine hand? This does not mean that Ahimelech was himself carrying the shewbread out of the tabernacle, but simply, "What hast thou? The sense of the whole verse is, "Now, therefore, what hast thou at hand? Give me five loaves, or whatever there may be." Ahimelech answers, "There is no common bread at hand." I have no ordinary food; there is only hallowed bread, that is, the shewbread, which, after remaining in Jehovah's presence from sabbath to sabbath, was then to be eaten by the priests in the holy place (Leviticus 24:8, 9). As Ahimelech could not venture to refuse David's request, he asks if his attendants are at least ceremonially clean, as in that case the urgency of the king's business might excuse the breach of the letter of the commandment. Our Lord in Matthew 12:3 cites this as a case in which the inward spirit of the law was kept, and the violation of its literal precept thereby justified.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
Now therefore what is under thine hand?.... Meaning, what food had he in his house?
give me five loaves of bread in mine hand; to take with him, for him and his servants in such a place:
or what there is present; or to be found (g) in the tabernacle; if not five loaves, two, or three, or four, or what food soever he had by him.
(g) "quicquid inveneris", V. L, "inventum", Montanus; "quicquid inventum fuerit", Tigurine version.
1 Samuel 21:3 Parallel Commentaries
1 Samuel 21:3 NIV
1 Samuel 21:3 NLT
1 Samuel 21:3 ESV
1 Samuel 21:3 NASB
1 Samuel 21:3 KJV
Bible Hub: Online Parallel Bible | <urn:uuid:7a147548-8dde-4645-946c-ba1fcc894b18> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/21-3.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965864 | 788 | 2.375 | 2 |
What impact would repealing the estate tax have on the distribution of wealth? On the face of it, there should be no doubt that wealth would become more concentrated. Fewer than 2 percent of estates pay any tax at all; and as of 1997, half of the total taxes paid came from estates valued at more than $5 million.
Nonetheless, some conservatives say that the estate tax is a failure because it has not spread wealth more equally. "Wealth is probably more unequally distributed in the United States than in countries with no estate tax," Bruce Bartlett of the libertarian National Center for Policy Analysis wrote last fall in The Public Interest. His conclusion: Since the estate tax is ineffective, we should get rid of it.
The distribution of wealth is less equitable in the United States than in the four countries without an estate tax that Bartlett mentions: Canada, Israel, Australia, and New Zealand. In 1998 the richest 20 percent of Americans owned almost 85 percent of all household wealth (compared to about 70 percent in Canada). Yet it is still possible that the estate tax has moderated the trend toward greater concentration of wealth in the United States.
During the 1990s, as the stock market soared, U.S. stockholders saw the value of their assets increase. Of the wealth generated in the 1990s from the near tripling of the (inflation-adjusted) Standard & Poor's 500, 33 percent accrued to the wealthiest 1 percent of households, while 52 percent of Americans owned no stocks at all. A majority of the middle class has all of its savings tied up in a family home; at the furthest extreme, nearly a fifth of all households in 1998 had no accumulated wealth or were in debt.
This explosion of wealth at the top came at a point when Congress had already weakened the redistributive bite of the estate tax. During the mid-1990s, legislators began slashing the tax rate for the top bracket from 77 percent--a level that had been in place for more than 30 years--to the current rate of 55 percent (a surtax raises the rate to 60 percent for estates over the $10-million mark). In addition, the exclusion, or cutoff below which the tax does not apply, has risen from $259,000 in the late 1970s to nearly $700,000 today, in constant 1990 dollars.
What if, instead of eroding, the estate tax had remained as progressive as it was in the mid-1970s? It is impossible to go back in time and tinker with the tax code, but using a simulation model, I have been able to recreate some hypothetical scenarios to explore the effectiveness of the estate tax in shaping the distribution of wealth.
Suppose, if all other factors were constant, the tax cutoff had stayed at $250,000 in 1980 and had been adjusted upward only for inflation. In this alternative history, the richest 1 percent of households would have held just 30 percent of the wealth in 1983 and 32 percent in 1998, rather than 35 percent of the wealth in 1983 and 38 percent in 1998. The share of wealth held by the middle class (those households between the 20th and 60th percentiles in the distribution) would have increased nearly 10 percent. Even in this hypothetical world, there would have been considerable inequality in wealth ownership: Families in the bottom fifth would have accumulated almost no wealth. Yet wealth would have been spread far more equally than it is today.
In another alternative scenario, I tested what would have happened if the estate tax had become even less progressive and the cutoff were increased $200,000 each year, starting in 1980. In 1980, for example, the true cutoff was $170,000, and I experimentally increased it to $370,000. The result: an increase in holdings by the richest. In 1983 the top 1 percent would have owned 37 percent of the nation's total wealth; and by 1998 their share would have grown to 43 percent. Perhaps more striking, however, is the increase in the wealth of the top 20 percent, who would have owned 88 percent of all wealth in 1983 and more than 90 percent by 1998.
Back in the real world, President Bush and the House of Representatives have called for eliminating the estate tax by 2008. Some observers speculate that because of opposition to repeal in the Senate, the president may settle for an increase in the current exemption, perhaps to $5 million. As the simulations of much more modest changes in policy indicate, even this compromise would have dramatic, long-term consequences for American society by concentrating wealth at the top.
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(If there's one thing we know about comment trolls, it's that they're lazy) | <urn:uuid:50a517c3-b9a3-40f1-8659-233ee049d821> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://prospect.org/article/estate-tax-robin-hood | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.979552 | 958 | 2.546875 | 3 |
The effect of returning grass clippings on turfgrass growth and quality has not been thoroughly examined. The objective of this research was to determine the effects of returning grass clippings in combination with varying N rates on growth, N utilization, and quality of turfgrass managed as a residential lawn. Two field experiments using a cool-season turfgrass mixture were arranged as a 2 x 4 factorial in a randomized complete block design with three replicates. Treatments included two clipping management practices (returned or removed) and four N rates (equivalent to 0, 98, 196, and 392 kg N ha(-1)). Soils at the two sites were a Paxton fine sandy loam (coarse-loamy, mixed, active, mesic Oxyaquic Dystrudepts) and a variant of a Hinckley gravelly sandy loam (sandy-skeletal, mixed, mesic Typic Udorthents). Returning clippings was found to increase clipping dry matter yields (DMYs) from 30 to 72%, total N uptake (NUP) from 48 to 60%, N recovery by 62%, and N use efficiency (NUE) from 52 to 71%. Returning grass clippings did not decrease turfgrass quality, and improved it in some plots. We found that N fertilization rates could be reduced 50% or more without decreasing turfgrass quality when clippings were returned. Overall, returning grass clippings was found to improve growth and quality of turfgrass while reducing N fertilization needs.
Kopp, Kelly and Guillard, Karl, "Clipping Management and Nitrogen Fertilization of Turfgrass: Growth, Nitrogen Utilization, and Quality" (2002). Plant Science Articles. Paper 1. | <urn:uuid:dfdea2f4-6188-41e1-b578-909c1eb4c319> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://digitalcommons.uconn.edu/plsc_articles/1/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.93468 | 363 | 2.40625 | 2 |
- About Us
Book shows evolution that joins human and environmental sciences
Feb. 4, 2013
Hot-button issues such as climate change, wildlife conservation and restoring decimated rainforests are renowned scientific playgrounds.
The biological/ecological scientists for years have been in the front row – agronomists, biologists, hydrologist, climatologists, ecologists have weighed in with heavy equipment and heavy data from GPS and satellite imaging.
Emilio Moran, co-editor of a new book “Human-Environmental Interactions,” makes the case that people --
their motivations and indeed, how they feel – are indispensable data when it comes to saving the planet and addressing environmental problems.
“For many years people have tended to work separately across many different interests,” Moran said. “Today they all agree we need to work together and integrate the mechanisms and methods of social and natural sciences in order to address environmental problems.”
Moran, Visiting Hannah Professor of geography at Michigan State University, is a world-renowned social scientist who has made his academic mark by resolutely marching into other disciplines. Trained as a social anthropologist, he has worked for 30 years in the Brazilian Amazon, exploring the humid tropic’s potential for intensive agriculture – a question that has led him academically into soils, agricultural production, deforestation, reforestation and how humans make decisions.
Now Moran is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and what then was an academic incongruity today has become cutting edge contemporary scientific pursuit valued by many scientists. The book, which he co-edited with Eduardo Brondizio of Indiana University, joins junior and senior scientists to explore what role humans play in addressing health challenges, managing forests and animal species across the world, and how they make good and bad decisions of environmental significance.
A decade ago, science began taking apart the earth’s components -- oceans, terrestrial ecosystems, atmosphere, hydrological systems -- and studying each one and how they connected to, and influenced, the other parts of the Earth’s systems.
That opened doors to major advances, such as improved climate prediction. It also highlighted the impact humans were having on these systems.
Burning fossil fuels are changing the atmosphere. Fishing fleets have depleted the stock of many species. Agricultural activities have led to massive deforestation. Eco-tourism, such as that generated by nature reserves in China that protect giant pandas, can lead to degradation of the very habitat meant to be protected.
“It’s now time to bring all these scientific findings, and scientists, together to find out not just how people have created environmental problems but how they are solving these problems,” Moran said.
Moran is mentoring a third generation of scientists. Mixing social and natural sciences, in his youth an oddity at best – at worst heresy to some -- is becoming not only an acceptable path to a PhD, but a future direction of training students to solve complex environmental problems.
In his recent appointment at MSU, he is aligning with centers dedicated to a holistic approach to environmental studies. In the Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability, he will work with Jianguo “Jack” Liu, a human-environment scientist and sustainability scholar who has turned international attention to such discoveries as how divorce (with its resulting increase in the number of households) can hurt the environment, and how ecotourism, if not properly managed, can harm habitat.He also is using his years of work in Brazil to help reveal which land is better returned to forest, and which areas should remain in food or wood production based on their long-term value for either.
And always at the core is understanding people. He’s now talked to generations of those who make their living off the Amazonian land. Some have succeeded and many have failed, and he said he has been amazed by the stories of courage.
“No environmental science is truly complete until we understand, and have data on, how the people live, how their lives are changing what moves them to make choices, and then how to figure out, together, how to integrate that understanding with the findings from the natural sciences. It is from this intersection that we can find the possibility of change in business as usual.” | <urn:uuid:b052c20f-0e05-4ff1-ae89-ad2700307645> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://csis.msu.edu/news/Human-Environment-book | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00068-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963837 | 894 | 2.75 | 3 |
Wednesday was National Pledge Day and according to AT&T, it's about spreading the word to the public.
"To keep this campaign going, to keep the issue in front of the public...To make it as unacceptable as drinking and driving," said Ruth Gaudard, AT&T area manager for external affairs.
AT&T started the "It Can Wait" movement a couple of years ago and the message is simple but strong.
"The life you save could be your own or it could be someone else's but there is no text worth dying for," said Gaudard.
In Michigan, texting while driving has been illegal since July 1, 2010. Lt. Kyle Bowman from Michigan State Police says troopers are on the lookout.
"Our desire and our belief is that people are going to voluntarily comply with the motor vehicle code. When that's not the case, we will take enforcement action when we become aware of it," said Lt. Bowman.
He says though the message is out there, acccidents are still happening. In 2011 alone, Michigan State Police recorded over 4000 crashes caused by distracted driving. More than 800 of those involves a cell phone.
"I've had troopers and I've also stopped people who are using their cell phone and aren't paying attention to the road but don't even realize how distracted they are, the fact that they've weaved out of a lane or made an improper turn," said Lt. Bowman.
Law enforcement will continue to monitor what drivers are doing and AT&T is encouraging everyone to take the pledge -- to never text and drive. | <urn:uuid:35c7e076-1133-4685-85e5-5becfb487e23> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wilx.com/home/headlines/National-Pledge-Day-to-Stop-Texting-and-Driving-170445006.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00067-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.982182 | 327 | 2.265625 | 2 |
TV Writing Seminar - Part 1
Welcome to the Stephen J. Cannell writing seminar. Stephen's goal here was to share with writers the knowledge, craft points, and, yes, tricks that he learned during his thirty-five years of writing Television, Movies and Novels. Enjoy!
Part One - The Discipline of Writing, Part Two - The Number One Rule, Part Three - Choosing Your Story, Part Four - More Rules for Starting Your Story, Part Five - Designing the Characters, Part Six - What is the Three Act Structure?, Part Seven - Conflict, Part Eight - Other Things to Think About...
Before we start, it is important to know that there are rules for good story and screenplay writing that should not be broken. That does not mean they can't be broken. The problem usually comes when you break a rule and you are unaware you are breaking
If you know the rules and choose to break one for a set of specific reasons -- and you are alert to the problems caused by breaking the rule -- then go ahead and give yourself permission to break it.
Example: When I was writing the pilot of Tenspeed and Brown Shoe, I realized, while designing the story, that I was not going to be able to bring my two heroes together until more than halfway through the script. I was writing a "buddy" comedy, so this would appear to be a major structural flaw. (Download Tenspeed and Brown Shoe script)
On the other hand, I felt that in order to maximize the comedy in the relationship, a full examination of each character was necessary before throwing them both in the barrel together. I knew before I started writing the teleplay that I had designed this "flaw" into the script. But I had a solution that I thought would work. It was incumbent on me to make sure that I entertained the hell out of my audience with each of my character's antics before bringing them together.
I reasoned that if I could do this, maybe I could have it both ways. I wrote the script, which turned out to be one of my best (Writers Guild Award for best TV Drama, Long Form, 1981). In fact, it was this broken rule that made the script so enjoyable. There is nothing wrong with breaking the rules as long as you understand why you are doing it. Don't break them out of ignorance.
That being said, let's get to it. | <urn:uuid:546f9f3f-87dd-4f71-876b-6faf468a0b83> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cannell.com/writing.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00046-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97763 | 496 | 1.914063 | 2 |
A far cry from an activist on the issue, I rarely speak of my disability. But I am compelled to do so after a recent experience on the number 39 bus. I have taken this bus walking, on crutches, on a knee walker, and in a wheelchair, and I have often been in awe of the disregard for others that people routinely exhibit.
Last week, entirely dependent on crutches, I stood on the bus for 25 minutes. All the while, seemingly able-bodied individuals sat in the four priority seats and surrounding seats without batting an eyelid. Perhaps I was invisible to them. It wouldn’t have been the first time I felt that way; nor will it be the last.
Boston is a great city, and there are some phenomenally compassionate people here. So, what gives? I don’t have the answer, but I know that we all need to do better. Being tolerant does not just mean giving up your seat if you are able. It means clearing a path so that people who need help can get to where they need to go. That way, we can all get on with our lives.
I was trying to get to Harvard Medical School so that I can finish up my last few months of study, become a physician, and work to improve the health and livelihoods of my future patients, as my physicians have repeatedly done for me. Wherever it is that you are going, I implore you to try to bring a little more empathy and compassion along for the ride. | <urn:uuid:38c9e4c2-7cf1-4c63-8671-e24e326fdfee> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/letters/2013/02/19/disabled-and-invisible-bus/zq8xz0cqkkuPsYQPSD6ySK/story.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.98046 | 314 | 1.507813 | 2 |
The Atkins Diet, introduced nearly forty years ago, has been credited for beginning the now popular low-carb revolution. Though buzz about low-carb diets had quieted over the past several years, the Atkins Diet remains a popular way for people to lose weight by eating fewer high carbohydrate foods and more high fiber vegetables.
Newer to the scene is the South Beach Diet, which is less prohibitive than the Atkins Diet and restricts saturated fats, which have been associated with health problems such as heart disease and high cholesterol.
For the purposes of this comparison I am using Dr. Atkin’s New Diet Revolution, the last book actually written by Dr. Robert Atkins before his death and The South Beach Diet Supercharged: Faster Weight Loss and Better Health For Life.
Both of these books are available online and in stores for less than $20.00. Both the Atkins Diet and South Beach Diet have websites that offer free tools to help dieters count carbohydrates, set goals and encourage other members of the diet community. Both diets offer various packaged foods you can buy at the grocery store that help users stay on track which can increase the cost of the diet for individuals. | <urn:uuid:95b65c88-0298-4b5e-9cb8-3f38082bb1f4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dietsinreview.com/diet_column/tag/dr-atkins/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955109 | 236 | 1.8125 | 2 |
Raising money wasn’t always a glamorous business for Alvin Ailey. The late African American choreographer changed modern dance when he founded his troupe in 1958, but the company nearly folded several times in its 55-year history. Now the company is among the most financially solvent troupes in the country, bolstered by corporate sponsors and three major galas: one at Manhattan’s City Center, one at Harlem’s Apollo Theater and, since 1999, one at the Kennedy Center.
Organizers say Tuesday’s event will raise $700,000 for the company, a percentage of which will provide scholarships for a dozen D.C. area youth to attend the Ailey School in New York. The money also underwrites the company’s annual six-day run at the Kennedy Center — which this year runs Tuesday through Sunday and allows the dancers to offer free master classes while they are in town.
“It’s a party with a purpose,” said Chinyere Hubbard, a communications executive. “That’s a cliche, but it really is true. There isn’t another event in D.C. quite like it.”
Hubbard and her husband will be attending for the fifth straight year. They go not only because they are longtime supporters of the company but because in February in Washington, the Ailey gala is the place to be.
“It really is the event that kicks off the social season, especially for African Americans,” she said. “There’s an important fundraising goal and a very special performance.”
This year, the troupe comes with two Washington natives, Ghrai DeVore and Jermaine Terry, who received Ailey School scholarships thanks to gala funding. Of the company’s 29 remaining dancers, four — including soon-to-retire matriarch Renee Robinson — are from the District, Maryland or Virginia and have received some sort of scholarship from the company. Add leggy star Alicia Graf Mack, who grew up in Columbia, and it’s a performance that’s a homecoming for many Ailey dancers.
“There are such strong support roots for Ailey in D.C., it is the perfect place for a fundraising gala,” said Linda-Denise Fisher-Harrell, a former Ailey dancer who has powerful memories of performing at the Kennedy Center during her 13-year tenure. Washington is the only city that Ailey has toured to annually for the past 20 years.
From 1968 through 2005, the Washington Performing Arts Society presented the company 35 times, with the Kennedy Center taking over in 2006. Douglas Wheeler, a former WPAS president, said it wasn’t easy in those early years to attract black audiences to Ailey performances, and it wasn’t until the National Endowment for Arts began funding residencies that WPAS was able to send company members to places such as Howard University. Those residencies, Wheeler said, allowed WPAS to cultivate African American fans in the District. | <urn:uuid:101e6712-9724-48d6-af19-daf48731257c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/theater_dance/alvin-ailey-gala-is-a-party-with-a-purpose/2013/02/04/07b5032e-6cb7-11e2-ada0-5ca5fa7ebe79_story.html?wprss=rss_entertainment | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95721 | 641 | 1.570313 | 2 |
Nancy Calderón is dedicated to community and research.
Nancy E. Calderón grew up an only child in a low-income, single-parent, Spanish-speaking, migrant household in the Imperial Valley. During her lifetime, she has endured serious financial and academic hardships, but continues to demonstrate outstanding academic performance and dedication to community.
This week she was honored with a William Randolph Hearst/CSU Trustee's Award for Outstanding Achievement.
The award is given each year to those students who demonstrate superior academic performance, personal accomplishments, community service and financial need. Each of these outstanding students receives a $3,000 scholarship.
The first in her family to attend college, Calderón is majoring in psychology and political science with a Spanish minor at San Diego State.
Highly involved in student organizations, Calderón has helped facilitate several events hosted by the Educational Opportunity Program, has served as the president of the SDSU chapter of the Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science, and has conducted research as a McNair Scholar and a Minority Access to Research Careers Scholar. Her main research interests are in developmental psychopathology.
Upon graduation, Calderón will pursue a Ph.D. in clinical psychology to become a university professor researching the etiology of child mental health disorders and the implementation and effectiveness of preventive intervention programs for 'at-risk' children and youth. | <urn:uuid:83d4ac3e-87a4-4be7-a2bc-4342cf928689> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://newscenter.sdsu.edu/sdsu_newscenter/news.aspx?font-size=80&s=71598 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956077 | 287 | 1.796875 | 2 |
(NEW YORK – C-FAM) Last week, lawmakers in the Dominican Republic gave their final approval to a pro-life constitutional change despite fierce criticism and pressure from UN agencies and abortion advocates to defeat the measure. The Dominican Republic’s National Assembly easily ratified a revision of Article 30 in a vote of 128 in favor with 32 opposed. The article now states that “the right to life is inviolable from conception until death.”
While the measure was widely supported by Dominican parliamentarians, it met with staunch opposition from international abortion proponents and even UN agencies, which are officially neutral on abortion. Last April, when the right-to-life provision was first debated, two UN officials interjected themselves into the debate. Nils Kastberg, UNICEF’s regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean, called on Dominican legislators to consider liberalizing abortion so women would not be forced into “unsafe procedures.” Kastberg also suggested that lawmakers would be “hypocrites” unconcerned with the nation’s higher-than-average teen birth rate.
United Nations Program for Human Development coordinator Miguel Ceara Hatton criticized the article stating the constitutional revision encourages the incidence of clandestine abortions and maternal deaths and disregards a woman’s right to life. Hatton also took aim at the Catholic Church stating that it had “influenced in everything” and that, “for following a dogma [the Church] has become a source and a motor for social exclusion in the Dominican Republic. The dogma is placed ahead of the needs of the population, health, housing and better living conditions. ”
Contrary to the positions these UN officials took, the United Nations website maintains that “the legal status of abortion is the sovereign right of each nation” and that the organization “does not provide support for abortion or abortion related activities anywhere in the world.”
Non-governmental organizations have also condemned the constitutional change. Amnesty International (AI) has been at the center of an ongoing campaign against the Dominican right-to-life provision. In a report released earlier this year, AI claimed that the Dominican Republic’s constitutional and legal reforms “could lead to violations of women’s human rights” and that laws penalizing abortion would lead to increased maternal mortality. Before the final vote last week, AI called on the Congress of the Dominican Republic to reject the right to life from “conception until death” part of Article 30.
The constitutional reform in the Dominican Republic echoes similar changes enacted at the state level in Mexico, where 12 states have recently adopted constitutional amendments declaring that life begins at conception. These follow the criminalization of abortion under all circumstances by Nicaragua in 2006, and El Salvador in 1998.
As they had in the Nicaragua case, abortion advocates rallied against the abortion ban in Mexico by arguing that prohibiting abortions would lead to a greater increase in maternal mortality since women would arguably have to turn to “unsafe abortions.” Critics, however, have pointed out that there is no substantiated evidence for this claim and preliminary evidence from Nicaraguan government statistics even shows a decline in maternal deaths since restricting abortion in 2006.
When formally adopted, the Dominican Republic will join other Latin American nations whose constitutions explicitly protect unborn life, including Chile, Paraguay, and Guatemala. | <urn:uuid:cfd962c1-57a2-43ae-8a97-9cc5340353bb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://catholicexchange.com/dominican-republic-passes-complete-abortion-ban/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950844 | 691 | 1.882813 | 2 |
Brady Huggett concludes in this article that,
“… perhaps the biggest strike against Taiwan is a lack of translational research. There is no collective mindset that envisions products from research. And if biotech is to drive the future economies of countries around the globe, there has to be nationwide efforts to turn academic research and publicly-funded lab work into something that can benefit patients and be sold. We’ve talked about it before on this blog – getting that mindset into the universities and researchers is hard to do. I’m not quite sure how to do it, but it’s proving a lot harder than convincing the government to throw a few millions at a biotech park.”
I would also add that Taiwanese law (the Fundamental Science and Technology Act) also does not help. As we documented in the BIO 2011 Special 301 Submission, Article 9 of this Act prohibits Taiwanese academic institutions from licensing to non-domestic companies without government permission which often takes two to three years to receive and is frequently refused.
The U.S. counterpart (the Bayh Dole Act) makes no domicile distinction but requires instead the licensee to substantially manufacture in the United States products that will be sold in the United States. Foreign and U.S. companies have equal opportunity to obtain licenses from university research.
This seems to be a crucial barrier in the translation (or lack thereof) of Taiwanese discoveries. | <urn:uuid:d031b549-e39d-4c28-941c-e331e6f2fc2e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.biotech-now.org/public-policy/patently-biotech/2011/07/taiwans-translation-research-or-lack-thereof | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960531 | 291 | 2.078125 | 2 |