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Admiration is a curiosity.
Show me a character whose life arouses my curiosity, and my flesh begins crawling with suspense.
I think, at a child's birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift, that gift would be curiosity.
Every curiosity is in need of the curiosity of speech.
I was born to be an explorer. There never was any decision to make. I coudn't be anything else and be happy,the desire to see new places, to discover new facts- the curiosity of life always has been a resistless driving force to me.
There is another form of temptation, more complex in its peril. It originates in an appetite for knowledge. From this malady of curiosity are all those strange sights exhibited in the theatre. Hence do we proceed to search out the secret powers of nature (which is beside our end), which to know profits not, and wherein men desire nothing but to know.
The greatest error of all the rest is the mistaking or misplacing of the last or farthest end of knowledge: for men have entered into a desire of learning and knowledge, sometimes upon a natural curiosity and inquisitive appetite; sometimes to entertain their minds with variety and delight; sometimes for ornament and reputation; and sometimes to enable them to victory of wit and contradiction; and most times for lucre and profession; and seldom sincerely to give a true account of their gift of reason, to the benefit and use of men: as if there were sought in knowledge a couch whereupon to rest a searching and restless spirit; or a tarrasse, for a wandering and variable mind to walk up and down with a fair prospect; or a tower of state, for a proud mind to raise itself upon; or a fort or commanding ground, for strife and contention; or a shop, for profit or sale; and not a rich storehouse, for the glory of the Creator and the relief of man's estate.
I confess that I have as vast contemplative ends, as I have moderate civil ends: for I have taken all knowledge to be my province; and if I could purge it of two sorts of rovers, whereof the one with frivolous disputations, confutations, and verbosities, the other with blind experiments and auricular traditions and impostures, hath committed so many spoils, I hope I should bring in industrious observations, grounded conclusions, and profitable inventions and discoveries; the best state of that province. This, whether it be curiosity, or vain glory, or nature, or (if one take it favourably) philanthropia, is so fixed in my mind as it cannot be removed. And I do easily see, that place of any reasonable countenance doth bring commandment of more wits than of a man's own; which is the thing I greatly affect.
Culture is then properly described not as having its origin in curiosity, but as having its origin in the love of perfection; it is a study of perfection.
It must be recognized that the real truths of history are hard to discover. Happily, for the most part, they are rather matters of curiosity than of real importance.
A book in which there were no lies would be a curiosity. | <urn:uuid:6f0b1d3a-a5af-45f7-980d-bca79f9f2a16> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.finestquotes.com/quotes/on/Curiosity/3 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954912 | 673 | 2.125 | 2 |
DARRYL Kerrigan may have famously asked "what is it with wogs and cash?''. He could have just as easily asked what is it with wogs and property?''.
The Real Estate Institute of Victoria has completed research that proves what many ethnic types have known for years; that wogs do better in the property game than your typical Aussie.
If The Castle was real and not just the greatest Australian film ever made, Farouk would by now own half the street and his kids would be well on their way to building their own property portfolios.
REIV analysis of Census data shows many migrants have better home ownership rates than those born and bred here. Indeed, Australians don't even break into the top 30 in home ownership rates in their own country. It's long been a topic of discussion among my Anglo and non-Anglo friends - why are the locals incapable of doing more with their money?
Why the incessant whingeing about property prices instead of celebrating each increase with ouzo and fried cheese? You take a migrant and an Anglo earning identical salaries and the one with an ethnic background, whether it be Italian, Greek, Persian, Albanian or Maltese, will be more likely to invest in property - and sooner - than people who's families have been here many generations.
So is there an environmental factor at play? Does the phenomenon work with second and third-generation Australians as well as it does with new arrivals? While we let sociologists ponder the above, let me offer my theories why we ethnics win the property game.
Among migrants it's a truth universally acknowledged that renting is for suckers and to be avoided at all costs. The shame of paying off someone else's mortgage is not one we can easily endure.
And if renting is for suckers then so is gambling, and many from the "old country'' perceive the share market as nothing more than a giant casino too risky for their hard-earned. Don't try talking to them about diversifying their investments. Their idea of asset diversification is buying a unit in each child's name.
Then there's the fact that for us, family comes first. If your child can't or won't save a deposit, then the family steps in and makes up the shortfall or offers their house as security. It also helps if you're living at home until you purchase a property and of course you can rely on family to help you improve and maintain the property after purchase.
It also helps that your child is not familiar with the concept of paying board. I've heard a very proper Greek mum say she'd rather hitch her skirt and walk the streets of St Kilda before she'd take a dollar from her professional children, who lived at home until their early 30s when they moved into their own property - fully owned property that is. Hell, why extend yourself with a mortgage when you can live at home and have a tenant help pay off the house.
If there is no other way, brothers and sisters will pool resources and buy a property together. They'll rent it out to help make the mortgage payments. After a few years they'll sell at a handy profit enabling them to purchase property independently. My locally born friends find such an arrangement fraught with danger, but there's a level of trust or perhaps a determination to get a foothold in their chosen country that sees ethnic families disregard the dangers of mixing family with business.
Migrants in my experience are also more likely to live by the philosophy that you bite off more than you can chew and then chew like hell. None of this "your mortgage payments shouldn't exceed 30 per cent of your net income'' nonsense. This desperation to enter the market sees your typical migrant settle for the best they can afford, not waiting until they can buy the ideal house in their preferred suburb.
It's a testament to how good-natured and inclusive Australians are that migrants' home ownership rates are not a source of major angst. Instead of condemning our ways, Australians have now started mimicking the ethnic household model. Much has been written about this "new'' trend of adult children staying in the family home well into their 20s. Something we have been doing for generations.
So, Aussie Baby Boomers, forget about spending your kids' inheritance and do what any good migrant parents would do - put down a fat deposit on a property for your entitled offspring. Make it close to your home so you can spend your weekends painting, gardening and attending to whatever else needs doing. And don't forget to bring around plenty of home-cooked meals . . . your adult children can't be expected to cook for themselves. Mazel tov!
Rita Panahi features weekly on SEN's Casual Fridays from 12-2pm.
SELLING Learn all the tricks to get the best price for your property
WINTER has emerged as the perfect time for vendors to sell their home and get the highest possible price.
INVESTING Get the best bang for your buck in the property market
SHARES in a property trust created by supermarket giant Woolworths have been placed in a trading halt. | <urn:uuid:190fbb25-3204-4499-a154-670cf79f0213> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.news.com.au/realestate/buying/why-us-wogs-are-ahead-in-property-race/story-fndban6l-1226501313537 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00042-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973566 | 1,047 | 1.953125 | 2 |
Edwin Herbert Hall was American physicist who discovered in 1879 the “Hall effect” – development of a transverse electric field in a solid material when it carries an electric current and is placed in a magnetic field that is perpendicular to the current.
Edwin Herbert Hall was born in Great Falls (later North Gorham), Maine, and educated at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore. He discovered the “Hall effect” in 1879 while working on his doctoral thesis in Physics under the supervision of Professor Henry Augustus Rowland. Hall was pursuing the question first posed by Maxwell as to whether the resistance of a coil excited by a current was affected by the presence of a magnet.
Does the force act on the conductor or the current? Hall argued that if the current was affected by the magnetic field then there should be “a state of stress… the electricity passing toward one side of the wire.” Through a myriad of experiments and failures, Hall discovered that a magnetic field would skew equipotential lines in a current-carrying conductor.
This effect is observed as a voltage (Hall voltage) perpendicular to the direction of current in the conductor. Hall conducted an experiment by putting a thin gold leaf on a glass plate and then tapping off the gold leaf at points down its length. He then conducted other experiments using various materials in place of the gold leaf, and various experimental placements of tapping points. In 1880, full details of Hall’s experimentation with this phenomenon formed his doctoral thesis and was published in the American Journal of Science and in the Philosophical Magazine.
Kelvin, himself a most distinguished scientist, called Hall’s discovery comparable to the greatest ever made by Michael Faraday. The magnitude of this discovery is even more impressive considering how little was known about electricity in Hall’s time. The electron, for instance, was not identified until more than 10 years later.
The production of an electric field across a material through which an electric current is flowing and on which a magnetic field is acting. The electric field, Ex, is perpendicular to both the current, jz and the magnetic field, By. The force applied to the charge carriers by the electric field exactly balances the Lorentz force from the magnetic field. The strength of the electric field is given by
where RH is known as the Hall coefficient. In a classical model of the Hall effect, RH is simply 1/nq, where n is the number of charge carriers per unit volume and q is their charge. The Hall coefficient changes sign with the sign of the charge carrier, and therefore provides an important means of investigating the electronic structure of the solid state.
In particular, the positive Hall coefficients exhibited by metals such as magnesium and aluminium are a clear indication that a naive picture of a sea of conduction electrons is inappropriate because the majority carriers are clearly positively charged (and are, in fact, holes).
An applied magnetic field deflects the charge carriers in a material, causing a difference in electrical potential – the Hall effect – across the side of the material that is transverse to the magnetic field and the current’s direction. Above, both positive and negative charges are deflected and in both pictures, the current is up and the magnetic field is into the page. The side of the material that becomes more positive, though, depends on the sign of the charge carrier.
After a year in Europe, Edwin Herbert Hall joined the Harvard faculty and was appointed professor of physics in 1895, a post he held until his retirement in 1921. He continued his thermoelectric research at Harvard, where he also wrote numerous physics textbooks and laboratory manuals.
Other so-called galvanomagnetic effects were later discovered by Walter Nernst and others. Hall spent much of his later life attempting to measure the various effects as exactly as possible.
Edwin Herbert Hall died on November 20, 1938, in Cambridge, Mass. U.S.A.
The “Hall effect” remained a laboratory curiosity until the latter half of this century because materials available prior to recent years only produced low levels of Hall voltage. With the advent of semiconductor technology and the development of various III-V compounds, it became possible to produce Hall voltages many orders of magnitude greater than with earlier materials.
Thus, semiconductor technology launched the practical design and production of the Hall sensor. The Hall effect is commonly used to control the primary circuit of an electronic ignition system. The principle is used in Hall effect crankshaft position sensors and ignition pickups to produce a very clean on-off signal. More than a century after its discovery Klaus von Klitzing was awarded the 1985 Nobel Prize for physics for his work on the Hall effect. | <urn:uuid:973f7378-1867-48dc-af46-5e6b6347ee19> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://profiles.incredible-people.com/edwin-herbert-hall/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00063-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961726 | 959 | 4.1875 | 4 |
U.S. Rep. Conyers raises Bush censure issue
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
The first of the three resolutions, H.RES.635, would create a select committee to investigate the Administration's intent to go to war before congressional authorization, manipulation of pre-war intelligence, encouraging and countenancing torture, retaliating against critics, and to make recommendations regarding grounds for possible impeachment.
The second, H.RES.636, calls for Censuring President George W. Bush for failing to respond to requests for information concerning allegations that he and others in his Administration misled Congress and the American people regarding the decision to go to war in, misstated and manipulated intelligence information regarding the justification for the war, countenanced torture and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment of persons in Iraq, and permitted inappropriate retaliation against critics of his Administration, for failing to adequately account for specific misstatements he made regarding the war, and for failing to comply with Executive Order 12958.
The third, H.RES.637, calls for censuring Vice President Richard B. Cheney for reasons similar to those outlined in H.RES.636.
Rep. Conyers is the sole sponsor of all three resolutions, but Rep.( - ) has joined Conyers in calling for an investigation of President Bush's handling of pre-war intelligence. Lewis released a statement Monday 12/19/05 using strong language to condemn the president. "In my opinion, the President has violated the law, and the House and Senate must pursue their inquiries into this illegal program."
- "Conyers seeks to censure Bush in Congress" — , December 20, 2005
- Rep. Lewis. "Rep. Lewis; statement" — , December 19, 2005
- Rep. Conyers. "Rep Conyer's website" — , December 18, 2005
- Rep. Conyers. "H.RES.635" — , December 18, 2005
- J.Conyers. "H.RES.636" — , December 18, 2005
- Rep. Conyers. "H.RES.637" — , December 18, 2005 | <urn:uuid:aa52fa77-f642-4c99-95ec-72e42784f70d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/U.S._Rep._Conyers_raises_Bush_censure_issue | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00068-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942104 | 442 | 1.53125 | 2 |
We've been talking about Market Transformation of energy efficiency for a long time. And the home sale transaction has been long viewed as a lever that can create a tipping point. Last week I attended a meeting focused solely on the High Performan.... Last year I delivered a keynote address for a builders' conference entitled Seeking the Holy Grail (aka Resale Premium) in a Turbulent Market.
In the interest of a tipping point, many envision a time when every home that's sold includes a disclosure of its energy efficiency.
Malcolm Gladwell is the king of the Tipping Point. His book is about how change happens. Much of the book is connected to what we know about adoption of change. There are always Innovators and Early Adopters. At the end are the Laggards. And in the middle is the Majority.
Before any discussion of mandated efficiency is even constructive, you have to understand what's happening within the adoption curve. You need the right tactics at the right point on the curve to create change. This is important because adoption of efficiency is tied to home values. And in addition to the adoption curve, there is a predictable curve in valuation.
Today we have a market that accepts inefficiency in homes. The handful of HPHs that are superior because of better efficiency get slightly rewarded (they sell for more, they sell faster, or today - they sell at all!). As adoption grows and HPHs become the majority, we will see market acceptance of efficient homes. The premium will become more pronounced, eventually shifting to a penalty for the inefficient home, rather than a premium for the efficient. This leads to the final phase of the adoption curve where the Laggards find that their inefficient homes are functionally obsolete and they must sell at a discount to address the deficiency. The image below demonstrates the overlay.
What does this have to do with the discussion of mandated energy disclosure? It creates a framework for which levers will work best to drive demand at different phases.
Bottom line: This is a classic chicken and egg. Although mandatory disclosure could be a tipping point, we need supply before it would create demand. Mandatory disclosure also has a very short window where it makes a difference.
Instead, now is the time to talk about building the supply of High Performance Homes where the early adopters live. Incentives and education is needed most!
Reprinted with permission from NotYetGreen. Original article online. | <urn:uuid:155525f8-4542-4a81-863f-0215c5a5fc49> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profiles/blog/show?id=6069565%3ABlogPost%3A104894&commentId=6069565%3AComment%3A105603&xg_source=activity | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00069-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95199 | 496 | 1.554688 | 2 |
A few days ago I discovered that Ancestry.com has Yorkshire England records online. If you have Yorkshire ancestors, you'll want to run, not walk, to search them.
My son has Yorkshire lineage through his dad (Schulze, Hill, Dewhirst, Metcalf, Scholfield, Horner and more) and using these databases on Ancestry.com I was able to find dozens of church records for ancestors I already had in my genealogy program, and learn new names to add to his family tree.
Even for the ancestors I had previously found, what a bonus these Yorkshire records are! The marriage records give the father's name and occupations of both fathers, plus the groom. Residences are listed. In one day of intensive searching I found literally dozens of new details and several new ancestors for my son's paternal line.
The new Yorkshire records that are on Ancestry.com are:
* West Yorkshire, England, Births and Baptisms, 1813-1906
* West Yorkshire, England, Marriages and Banns, 1813-1921
* West Yorkshire, England, Deaths and Burials, 1813-1985
* West Yorkshire, England, Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1512-1812
* West Yorkshire, England, Confirmations 1859-1915 | <urn:uuid:6239b628-b42e-4b9c-9437-2cb431a18f2e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://olivetreegenealogy.blogspot.com/2011/07/yorkshire-vital-records-online.html?showComment=1310082423006 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935276 | 277 | 1.679688 | 2 |
A long-term study of the oral antidiabetic drug pioglitazone HCl (Actos) revealed that its use either alone or in combination with other oral antidiabetic medications resulted in sustained improvements in glycemic control, insulin sensitivity, and prominent lipid parameters. Conducted over a 2-year period, the study combined pioglitazone HCl with 2 other common antidiabetic medications: gliclazide and metformin. More than 1200 patients were followed over the 2-year period, and 4 different regimens were evaluated.
The results showed that, regardless of whether pioglitazone HCl was combined with metformin or with gliclazide, there was a significant reduction in fasting insulin, and these decreases were sustained over a period of 2 years. Researchers determined that Actos helps the body use its insulin more efficiently, thereby reducing fasting insulin and reducing demand on the pancreatic beta cells. | <urn:uuid:6546e268-2afa-4a17-b88b-3425e3e4a702> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.pharmacytimes.com/publications/issue/2004/2004-10/2004-10-4622 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945521 | 194 | 2.109375 | 2 |
Timber! The dramatic moment a pair of 250ft giant sequoias that have stood for 1,500 years fell to the ground
- Giant sequoias are huge and have branches the size of normal trees
- Two at Trail of 100 Giants in California were caught on camera crashing
- Many trees in area have height of around 250ft and diameter of 20ft
These incredible pictures show how a pair of 1,500-year-old giant sequoias - whose branches are the size of normal trees - dramatically fell to the ground.
A German tourist watched the two 250ft trees fall to the ground at the Trail of 100 Giants in California and captured the amazing moments and the crushing sound on video.
The trees lay the length of a football pitch and their diameter of their torn roots and base was 20ft.
Scroll down for videos
Huge: One of two downed trees lies across the popular Trail of 100 Giants at Sequoia National Forest, California, temporarily closing the trail
Amazing height: Some of the giant trees in the area are 245ft tall and have diameters of 18ft
'It can't be possible,' Gerrit Panzner, who watched the tree fall, told Catholic Online. 'That tree has been there thousands of years and then you realise the tree is falling and you had to run.'
He heard loud ‘crinkling’ noises before they eventually fell - but nobody was injured. The trees are believed to have fallen over because they could simply not support their weight anymore.
They fell on the Trail of 100 Giants in the Sierra Nevada, which is a route accessible to wheelchairs that allows visitors to view more than 100 huge sequoia trees.
Now Forest Service officials are deciding what to do with two of the world’s largest trees, as many conservationists have suggested they should be left alone.
Dramatic: A German tourist watched the two trees fall to the ground at the Trail of 100 Giants in California and captured the amazing moments and the crushing sound on video
On camera: The trees lay the length of a football pitch and their fused base is around three times the average height of a human
This would mean the trail would have to be rerouted around them, which could cause problems for wheelchair users who would not be able to use steep alternative paths, reported NBC News.
'It can't be possible. That tree has been there thousands of years and then you realise the tree is falling and you had to run'
Fallen trees can also be a habitat for wildlife and release nutrients back into the soil, reported the Los Angeles Times. The trees became a national monument 11 years ago.
Forest officials have even suggested building a bridge over the trees or cutting them up for firewood, reported NBC News.
They are set to make a decision on what to do by next summer, but until then are inviting the public to help them decide.
‘It's very, very rare for a giant Sequoia tree to die standing up unless it's in a very, very severe fire,’ a district ranger told Catholic Online.
See videos here | <urn:uuid:5f0b47fe-8466-4a9a-99fa-5013d8b28ede> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2057782/Pair-giant-sequoias-stood-1-500-years-fell-ground.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00073-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964659 | 643 | 2.28125 | 2 |
With Christmas behind us, we may be faced with a new dilemma: how to make room for new “things” when our closets and cupboards are already jam-packed. Some home management texts include the rule: “Whenever you buy something new, get rid of something unwanted.” They suggest that the number of items that flow into our homes should equal the number of items that flow out. Seems like good advice, so why is it so hard to follow? We know that if we do not get rid of things, we may find ourselves unwisely seeking a larger home, renting storage space, or living in constant chaos!
More importantly, there is spiritual danger in placing too much emphasis on material things. They can literally take over our lives, become a false god. 2 Nephi 9:30 reads, “But wo unto the rich, who are rich as to things of the world . . . and their hearts are upon their treasures; wherefore, their treasure is their God. And behold, their treasure shall perish with them also.”
Most of us have hundreds of items in our houses that we do not want, do not need, do not use, and do not appreciate. My personal application of the law of consecration is that I need to give away everything of any value that someone else might find useful. Since it is painful to live in a cluttered house with tons of stuff, and we would really rather have others make use of the things we aren’t using, why does it take so much courage to let go? Why do we keep so many things in our homes that are doing us virtually no good?
Here are some commons reasons for hanging on to our possessions:
1. “If I get rid of things, I’m really throwing money away.” The truth is that we lose money when we keep unused possessions. They occupy expensive space and rob us of valuable time. A home management guru wisely said, “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”
2. “Every time I consider giving something away, I think I may need it sometime. I don’t want to have to replace things I could have saved.” For every hundred things we think we might use, we really use about one. It’s cheaper in the long run to buy the one again when we need it than to try to keep track of all that stuff. And if you are anything like me--even when you know you have it, you aren’t likely to be able to find it when you need it and have to go out and buy a new one anyway!
3. “I’m sentimental. If I throw away things attached to memories I feel like I’m throwing away my past. I’m especially attached to gifts.” Things are only symbols. Keep the memories, let go of the worn-out symbols. Gifts are symbols of love. Keep the love and let go of the gift that no longer serves you. If the giver truly loves you, he or she would not want to burden you with things that are not useful.
4. “It’s too good to throw away--I’ll keep it until I find just the right person to give it to.” It makes more sense to put it in a Deseret Industries box and let them find the person who truly needs it. If you don’t have a Deseret Industries near you, many other charitable organizations welcome donations.
5. “I identify with my things.” The environment we create is often a mirror image of our life--cluttered mind, cluttered house, etc. However, we should carefully avoid the false implication that possessions define us. Who we really are in the Lord’s sight has nothing to do with cars and houses and other possessions. The Lord “looketh on the heart.” It seems to me that President Benson’s quote that if we put God first that other things would assume their proper place or drop out of our lives entirely can be well applied to possessions.
6. “It was a mistake to buy it and I hate to waste money.” If we wasted our money buying something we don’t like and don’t use and can’t return, keeping it around for a long time won’t make it any less of a mistake. Remember, it’s okay to make mistakes.
7. “I don’t have time to sort or the mental energy to make decisions about what to keep and what to give away.” We can begin by getting rid of one item at a time. We don’t have to do it all at once. When we do have a few hours to devote to a de-junking raid, home management experts suggest labelling three boxes “give away, store, and throw away” to simplify the sorting task.
Seven Solid Reasons for Simplifying Our Lives
Saint Francis said, “Riches prick us with a thousand troubles in getting them, as many cares in preserving them, and yet more anxiety in spending them, and with grief in losing them.”
The less you have, the less you will have to take care of and worry over. Material goods gobble time and energy in many ways, such as:
1. They create clutter, weighing us down emotionally.
Gladys Allen wore a huge rubber albatross around her neck in her de-junking seminars to symbolize the effect of unnecessary possessions. “Things” clutter our minds as well as our drawers, closets, counters, garages, and basements. We have to keep a mental inventory of them.
2. Possessions cost more than the original price when we spend money storing, repairing, protecting, and cleaning them.
3. Possessions demand cleaning. How many things can we actually enjoy washing, dusting, polishing, soaking, scouring and scraping?
4. Possessions create errands. Not only do we spend time driving miles to the store, looking for parking, and waiting in store lines when we buy goods, but double and quadruple that time investment when we have to take our things to be exchanged, repaired, or cleaned. Time is the only truly precious and irreplaceable commodity in our lives; it is not wise to spend too much of our valuable time on possessions when we could be investing it in eternally important things such as loving, serving, and learning.
5. Possessions are susceptible to the law of entropy: they spot, rust, crumble, dent, fray, and come unglued. Consequently they create worry and stress. Worrying about breakage, loss, theft, fire, repairs, and insurance premiums weighs us down. Every item let go of is one less worry and less grief to look forward to when it gets lost or broken. Matthew 6:19-21 says: “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal; | <urn:uuid:553fba91-f2ea-461a-bbae-9c3f3bf46b1b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ldsmag.com/article/1/12108 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00070-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960829 | 1,496 | 1.585938 | 2 |
Port Henry's Dwayne Maye wasn't quite sure what to make of the goat-like creature bounding away from him Nov. 22 on land his hunting crew leases off Mc Conley Road in Mineville.
But it didn't remain a mystery for long.
Moments later his hunting chum Ethan Snyder dropped the nearly all white deer with a single well placed shot.
The crew was amazed to see the stumpy 88-pound three-pointer on the ground - and the deer garnered even more attention as it was weighed-in at a handful of local buck contests.
While the unique buck was nearly all white in color - It did have a dark patch of brown hair on its head, and it lacked the pink eyes and nose needed to classify it a true "albino."
Instead, the deer is considered to be a so-called "piebald" deer, a condition that occurs more commonly than albinos but nevertheless is rare, according to information provided by the DEC.
In addition to the coloration deficiency, many piebald deer have skeletal deformities such as short legs, bowing of the nasal bone, arching of the back bone and heart defects.
Many of those characteristics can be seen in Ethan's buck - making it little wonder that Dwayne thought his eyes were playing tricks on him.
"Dwayne wasn't sure if it was a goat or what," said Dwayne's brother John "Boonie" Maye. "Ethan had seen a white deer up there before, but no one ever thinks they are going to have one in a drive."
The piebald condition is caused by a genetic defect that occurs in less than 1 percent of the deer population. It is characterized by brown and white spots, similar to a pinto horse.
Some deer, like Ethan's, are nearly all white.
In comparison, albinism is the condition where an animal has no pigmentation at all. | <urn:uuid:de1be7f9-80fb-44fb-8ab8-8f205954b1c5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.denpubs.com/news/2008/dec/10/the-ghost-deer/?page=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.980574 | 403 | 2.15625 | 2 |
From time to time, the monolithic voice of The Economist breaks into dialogue. Yes reader, it is true: we do not always agree with each other. This is one of those times.
A few weeks ago, S.A.P., a fellow Johnson contributor, wrote a piece titled “Kannada, threatened at home”. He makes the case that Kannada, the language of the state and people of Karnataka in southern India, “is ailing”. At the time, this Johnson was away on holiday and so suppressed his urge to respond, ordering another piña colada instead. But now, several weeks later, it is a slow day at the office and a friendly response seems necessary, if only to point out that S.A.P.’s fears are about something else entirely.
The writer asserts that “the demographic balance in Karnataka’s capital Bangalore… is rapidly changing” and that “Hindi and English are rapidly ascending as Bangalore aspires to national and international prominence.” In the absence of any accompanying data, it is hard to judge whether the ascent of these languages is truly “rapid”, and hence anomalous, or merely natural. In any case, it is the last part of that quote that is telling: Bangalore’s transformation from a sleepy town of pensioners to a global IT hub is responsible for the changes the city has seen. As this is a result of Bangalore’s ambition, as S.A.P. says, rather than external pressure (such as colonisation), then surely its residents must be prepared to forgo something—in this case homogeneity—to gain prestige and wealth.
Second, the slice of Kannada speakers in Bangalore may look relatively smaller, but only because the pie is much bigger. In 2001, Bangalore’s population was 5.1m. By 2011, it had risen to 8.5m. Since it is hard for any city, even one in as fertile a land as India, to grow by over 50% in one decade on the basis of child-bearing alone, of course much of this growth is a result of migration. And those migrants, who brought with them money and jobs (to say nothing of educations funded by other peoples’ taxes), also brought language. That would be fine, of course, except that “immigrants to the city often decline to learn Kannada,” writes the author. But why should they? To force anyone to learn a language is a bad idea—it creates resentment and divisions instead of the sought harmony.
Some readers might point out that European countries refuse entry to legal, non-European migrants who do not speak the local language. But Karnataka does not enjoy sovereignty the way Denmark or France do. The citizens of India have the right of free movement and the right to settle anywhere in the Union, regardless of ethnicity, religion or language. They remain citizens of India whether they live in Bangalore, Mumbai or Delhi. (Similarly, while Britain may deny entry to a non-English speaking Nigerian, it can do nothing about monolingual Italians.) Besides, as any number of writers have argued, restricting migration while allowing the free movement of goods and services is illogical and inefficient.
Many arguments like S.A.P.'s rely on implicit assumptions: Kannada good, Hindi bad. Bangloreans good, migrants bad. I hope that is not really what he thinks. It is not the decline of the language itself that is worrying S.A.P. but that his city’s identity is being diluted. At its heart, then, this is an argument not about language but, like so many other arguments, about globalisation.
Globalisation comes with many benefits, especially for citizens of developing countries. But it also brings upheaval, tearing apart ancient notions of who we are. This is not unique to Bangalore or to India. The same tensions are manifest in the debate about outsourcing and “American jobs”. It is the same idea that drives McDonald’s in Britain to proudly proclaim that its burgers are made with British beef. But it is futile to try to have it both ways. How can a culture allow in aspects of the world that enrich it while keeping out those it finds dangerous? China does this through censorship, but even that is a leaky fix. The Bangalores of the world have a choice: to shut out the world or to profit from new ideas. The friction between the two is natural, as is the urge to sigh wistfully for a perfect past. But that should not be at the expense of the future. | <urn:uuid:ebdaa83b-c4aa-45f2-9b9f-22b0b3aa4b3b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.economist.com/node/21565557 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952347 | 966 | 2.234375 | 2 |
EXHIBIT: Cultural Conflict and Acculturation
The Germans in Indianapolis entered the political arena with a rather heavy vote in 1854, and by 1855 they were engaged in a battle royal with the American party, a new party which appeared for a brief period of time. The American party was formed shortly after the decadent Whig party disintegrated in 1852. It was a secret organization which stood for the restriction of immigration, the use of the Bible in public schools, and the limitation of the franchise to citizens well-established in the community. In a relatively short time, the American party succeeded in capturing prized offices in many states, but soon native and foreign rowdies used that party as an excuse for outrages on the foreign-born population. While in the nation as a whole the American party was opposed principally to the Irish Catholics, in Indianapolis the opposition was in large measure against the Germans. The Germans, furthermore, were still largely members of the Democratic party, although the ties with this party were beginning to weaken. The American party was dubbed the "Know Nothing Party" because to all questions that were asked them they would give the stereotyped answer, "I don't know." . . .
The American party disintegrated just as quickly as it had risen. The Germans actively opposed it, and they were present at special anti-Know-Nothing meetings. In the city election of 1856, the Germans captured the offices of clerk, marshall, and assessor. . . . The Know Nothings ceased to have much influence after 1855 in the city elections, but they continued to be a thorn in the flesh to the German-born in Indianapolis, for as late as February, 1857, the Freie Presse still lambasted the American party for its "mad schemes," and in November of 1859 it again vented its wrath upon the American party for opposing the printing of city ordinances in German as well as English, which was an established procedure due to German pressure. The Know Nothing episode closed with some animosity between the Germans and fanatical nativists, but the net result was that the Germans came out of the political battle stronger than before.
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Updated: 29 April 2004, RKB
Copyright © 1998-2004 - The Trustees of Indiana University
Ruth Lilly Special Collections and Archives |
IUPUI University Library
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Indianapolis, IN 46202 | <urn:uuid:62d6e88d-a456-4eb8-82d3-cf607fd862fb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ulib.iupui.edu/static/exhibits/circle/exhibit5_4.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00041-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.979558 | 518 | 3.359375 | 3 |
"There cannot be any boycott in J&K. People in Jammu come to vote, people in Ladakh come to vote, National Conference cadre in valley votes, so the boycott becomes redundant," said Abdul Ghani Bhat, Executive Council member of Hurriyat, who represents the separatist group's moderate faction.
"We have not used the word boycott," Bhat said a day after the end of the three-day meeting of its Executive and General Council while referring to the outcome of the deliberations.
"We have taken a position which is commensurate with the principles of politics, which is commensurate in my opinion, with the basis of our movement," Bhat said.
People in the state should however rise and tell the pro-Indian leadership in Kashmir, "Look you cannot gloat over the (assembly) results."
Bhat however said election is a "non-issue" and not a solution to resolve the Kashmir problem. The three-day meeting had also rejected the upcoming Lok Sabha elections as a "futile exercise".
"We seek a permanent settlement of the dispute on J & K in the larger interest of peace, security and stability in the entire South Asian region," he said. | <urn:uuid:891ac03b-011d-415c-8996-0badaf146e29> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://election.rediff.com/report/2009/apr/17/loksabhapoll-jk-hurriyat-wont-boycott-futile-ls-polls.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00051-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974428 | 252 | 1.53125 | 2 |
Hygroscopicity of the submicrometer aerosol at the high-alpine site Jungfraujoch, 3580 m a.s.l., Switzerland
1Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institut, 5232 Villigen, Switzerland
2School of Earth, Atmospheric and Environmental Science, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
Abstract. Data from measurements of hygroscopic growth of submicrometer aerosol with a hygroscopicity tandem differential mobility analyzer (HTDMA) during four campaigns at the high alpine research station Jungfraujoch, Switzerland, are presented. The campaigns took place during the years 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2005, each lasting approximately one month. Hygroscopic growth factors (GF, i.e. the relative change in particle diameter from dry diameter, D0, to diameter measured at higher relative humidity, RH) are presented for three distinct air mass types, namely for: 1) free tropospheric winter conditions, 2) planetary boundary layer influenced air masses (during a summer period) and 3) Saharan dust events (SDE). The GF values at 85% RH (D0=100 nm) were 1.40±0.11 and 1.29±0.08 for the first two situations while for SDE a bimodal GF distribution was often found. No phase changes were observed when the RH was varied between 10–90%, and the continuous water uptake could be well described with a single-parameter empirical model. The frequency distributions of the average hygroscopic growth factors and the width of the retrieved growth factor distributions (indicating whether the aerosol is internally or externally mixed) are presented, which can be used for modeling purposes.
Measurements of size resolved chemical composition were performed with an aerosol mass spectrometer in parallel to the GF measurements. This made it possible to estimate the apparent ensemble mean GF of the organics (GForg) using inverse ZSR (Zdanovskii-Stokes-Robinson) modeling. GForg was found to be ~1.20 at aw=0.85, which is at the upper end of previous laboratory and field data though still in agreement with the highly aged and oxidized nature of the Jungfraujoch aerosol. | <urn:uuid:ec7c45fd-98ef-4ce4-bd91-e702d589122e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/8/5715/2008/acp-8-5715-2008.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.912843 | 478 | 1.882813 | 2 |
Oily Skin Care Tips
The greasy apperance of your face caused by a overproduction of oil contingency have done we tired. This arrange of skin condition formula from hyperactivity in a sebaceous glands. However, with a small patience, we can strike this. Reading a following tips, we can get to know how to rise an greasy skin caring rountine which keeps a oil as good as soil underneath control.
Avoid Drying Out
There is a cycle which most people who operate greasy skincare products go by upon a unchanging basis. They have greasy skin with unchanging acne outbreaks as good as need a little arrange of product to broach which smooth, intense coming they unequivocally crave.
So, they operate greasy skincare products which enclose oppressive containing alkali formed ingredients. The outcome is tingling dusty out skin which has been nude not usually of a additional oil, nonetheless of a most indispensable dampness as well.
In turn, a lack of moisture of a skin stimulates a sebaceous glands to furnish even some-more oil in try to repair a problem.
It’s a infamous round which is most appropriate remedied by regulating greasy skin caring products which embody healthy products which have been gentler.
Look for greasy skincare products which have healthy mixture as good as which extent containing alkali formed active ingredients.
Watch a Oil
The final thing your skin needs is some-more oil, right? This is simple usual sense, nonetheless most people operate skin caring products which do embody a little arrange of oil. In most renouned products today, vegetable oil is used even nonetheless it is good known to hang in a pores as good as burden them up. That in spin leads to acne as good as even some-more greasy skin problems.
When picking greasy skin caring products demeanour for something which says “noncomedogenic” which equates to which they have been oil free.
Some might only state “oil free” nonetheless it’s improved to know a some-more difficult vernacular as well.
Some people can operate products which operate lighter oils such as almond oil, nonetheless for exceedingly greasy skin it is most appropriate to drive transparent of any assumed oils. You have sufficient of your own!
It is a ethereal change perplexing to find greasy skin caring products which do not embody oils nonetheless additionally do not overly dry out a skin. This is because it is so critical to go for healthy products which embody mixture with a lot of nutrients, vitamins, as good as antioxidants to improved strengthen a skin opposite extreme oil. | <urn:uuid:f37734b9-e52f-4eec-bb05-fb89dd8fbb34> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dermatodigital.com/oily-skin-care-tips.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00051-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965405 | 545 | 1.570313 | 2 |
CANTABILE - CLASSICS FOR RELAXING AND DREAMING (Naxos: 8.556605)
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Relax at the end of a busy day with CANTABILE, a collection of the most beautiful moments from classical music, compiled to create that romantic world of dreams. The thirteen tracks have been selected from the extensive Naxos catalogue of compact discs....
The Barcarolle by Jacques Offenbach creates a tranquil mood. German by birth, Jacques soon tired of education at the Paris Conservatoire, and used his brilliance as a cellist to join the orchestra at the Opera-Comique. It was his apprenticeship as a composer, though early attempts to write operettas were a disaster. But in 1858, at the age of 39, he struck gold with Orphee aux enfers (Orpheus in the Underworld), the beginning of a whole series of frothy successes. Yet he wanted to be taken seriously, and from 1877 worked on an opera, Les Contes d'Hoffmann (The Tales of Hofmann), which remained unfinished at his death in 1880. The seductive second act soprano aria from the opera has become famous as the Barcarolle.
Every pianist will recall that moment of achievement when they successfully negotiate the lyrical Adagio Cantabile, from Ludwig van Beethoven's 'Pathetique' Sonata, one of the evergreens in the piano repertoire. First performed in 1799, it is one of the thirty-two sonatas published in the composer's lifetime.
Antonio Vivaldi spent much of his later life teaching at a school for orphaned and abandoned girls, and achieved such excellence that musicians came to Pieta to hear the orchestra and soloists. It was also a place where he experimented musically, leading to his finest group of compositions including the Twelve Concertos for Violin and Strings, one of which represents the various seasons. It has become today's top 'pop' classic, The Four Seasons. From the third section comes a moment of repose, Autumn.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was the most incredible prodigy in the history of music. Born to a musical family in 1756, he was touring with his sister as soloists even before they were teenagers. He was to live just thirty-five years, by which time he had composed a catalogue of music that included forty-one symphonies. The last one was composed three years before he died, and gained the nickname 'Jupiter', the lyrical Andante cantabile forming the slow movement. In the margin of the solo part, of his horn concertos, Wolfgang wrote impolite comments regarding the playing of his friend, Joseph Leutgeb, the recipient of his series of the concertos. The Romance, which comes from the fourth concerto, sets long flowing melodies for the soloist against a quiet orchestral background.
The year was 1838 and marked both the composition of Mendelssohn's famous Violin Concerto and the birth of Max Bruch. Thirty years later Bruch composed his First Violin Concerto, which is now part of the standard repertoire. The slow movement, Adagio, has an atmosphere of repose that looks back to music of the previous generation.
Ignace Jan Paderewsky was born 22 years after Bruch, and became the famous Polish pianist of his time, travelling the world to phenomenal acclaim. He became the first Premier of the new Polish republic in 1919, but returned to a musical life in 1922. A prolific composer, writing operas and symphonies, together with a considerable amount of piano music, he is today remembered by one work, the Melody in F, composed around 1888.
Antonin Dvořakis today's most popular Czech composer, yet, unable to obtain performances of his music, his early years were far from easy. At the age of thirty-six his life was to change with the publication of the Moravian Duets and a commission to write a series of piano duets he called Slavonic Dances. They were an immediate success, and later that year he produced an orchestral version.
George Frederic Handel's impact on the musical world found several royal courts vying for his services. In 1710 he went to London and received such adulation that he decided to settle there, and served the Royal Court with distinction. In 1747 he was commissioned by the King to write a work to celebrate the Treaty of Aix-Ia-Chapelle, though the King "hoped there would be no fidles". It accompanied a spectacular firework display in London's Green Park on April 27, and though the fireworks failed, the audience loved the music. In the section, La pa ix, there came a moment of respite.
Thought to have sold his soul to the devil to play with such staggering brilliance, the lean, gaunt appearance of Niccol?¿ Paganini adding to the myth. To fuel his virtuosity he wrote music of incredible difficulty, but in the delicate Cantabile we find a composer who could create a moment of tranquillity.
Born in 1685, Johann Sebastian Bach was part of a large family of musicians working in Germany for over two hundred years. He become the most famous of them, his massive output including the Four Orchestral Suites. They were written in an elegant French style, and from the First Suite comes the slow Venetian dance, the Forlane.
A dreamer who experienced the peaks of happiness and the troughs of despair, Robert Schumann died in 1856 at the age of 46. He had been a philanderer, interspersed with heavy drinking and smoking, yet at the same time was composing music of exquisite beauty. In 1840 he married his pupil, Clara, and in the years leading up to that happy event, he was to write the group of piano works, Kinderszenen (Scenes from childhood), containing one of his best loved melodies, Traumerei (Dreaming).
Georges Bizet's popular fame rests on just one work, the opera Carmen. His short life of thirty-seven years was a financial struggle, often spending sixteen hours per day making piano arrangements. Carmen was his last opera, and it was savaged by the critics. Already a sick man, the failure hastened his death a few weeks later. It was to become one of the best loved of all operas, the orchestral adaptation of Micha?½la's plea to Don Jose to return home, called Nocturne in its orchestral version, comes from the third act. | <urn:uuid:14dc5bb7-83ac-4846-9bee-8f8fbef9cbbb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://naxosdirect.co.uk/items/cantabile-classics-for-relaxing-and-dreaming-naxos-8.556605-146105 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978675 | 1,396 | 1.539063 | 2 |
Yet I don’t want the government making lists of what not to read and burning books.
Often viewpoints now seen as mainstream started as an fringe view in the past.
Voting rights for women and African-Americans were not mainstream views in the eyes of America’s founding fathers. Sometimes America has needed time to grow into the promise of “…all men are created equal…”
Other times fringe views have remained just that, rants in the darkness.
Sedition is complicated and difficult ground for journalists to cover. Publications that are mainstream like the then Telegram-Tribune do not want the taint of appearing of disloyal, especially in a time of war.
Repeating the offending language, even in an explanatory story, risks almost certain indictment. The language may be offensive to readers so the story talks around the specific language.
Governments often use the charge of sedition to muzzle opposition. Secret trials and stifling viewpoints are all anathema to what aspires to be an open form of government.
“Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety,” wrote Benjamin Franklin.
Balancing the civil rights for individuals who oppose both the government and the majority of citizens during a time of crisis is at the heart of one story on the front page of the then Telegram-Tribune July 23, 1942.
Atascaderan Faces New U.S. Charge
William Kullgren of Atasacdero whose publication, “The Beacon Light,” brought him before a federal grand jury in Los Angeles last week on charges of sedition, was among the 28 persons listed today by Attorney General Francis Biddle as named in a secret indictment for conducting a nation-wide conspiracy to interfere with the war effort, according to a United Press bulletin from Washington D.C.
Kullgren, who is being held in the Los Angeles county jail in default of a $25,000 bail set after his plea of innocent, will be tried on Oct. 6. He was charged by the grand jury with attacks upon President Roosevelt in “The Beacon Light.” The tousel-haired, bespectacled publisher was accused of advocating insubordination of military forces and obstructing the recruiting of soldiers.
The article outlines nationwide indictments of 28 others accused including the author of the communist sounding “The Red Network.”
The accused were members of fringe organizations like “Make Europe Pay Her Debts Committee,” and “No Foreign War Coalition, Inc.” and the American Silver Shirts. They authored publications like “X-Ray” and “The Broom.”
According the Astro Databank website Kullgren was a British-born author/astrologer who published anti-Semitic, pro-Hitler material in “Beacon Light.”
According to the Metapedia website Kullgren was a member of the Silver Shirts. According to the website he never brought to trial. Kullgren died November 4, 1966 continuing to publish his views after the war.
The American Silver Shirts or Silver Legion of America were an paramilitary organization that were modeled after Hitler’s Brownshirts, who were modeled after Mussolini’s Blackshirts. The German and Italian examples were intimidation used by the dictators to bully their way into power. Though the American example did not find their way to power, there are active websites debating the words and works of Kullgren and his ilk.
Did I mention I find hate speech repugnant?
- Submarine shells Santa Barbara refinery, World War II week by week
- Dairy workers in short supply, World War II week by week
- How to control incendiary bomb fires, World War II week by week
- Jimmy Doolittle’s raid over Japan, World War II week by week
- Fremont Theater opens, Cal Poly Bachelor’s degrees, World War II week by week | <urn:uuid:84b8078c-43c2-478e-8a24-2b9afe09f1c6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://sloblogs.thetribunenews.com/slovault/2012/07/william-kullgren-charged-with-sedition-world-war-ii-week-by-week/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96714 | 832 | 1.84375 | 2 |
Actor Jack Palance, in his Oscar-winning portrayal of Curly the trail boss in City Slickers, said the secret to happiness was "one thing," with the challenge being to find out what that thing is for you. Well, the same appears to be true for finding business success on today's Internet, where the best companies choose a specialty and stick to it. Amazon.com sticks to selling, eBay sticks to auctions, and Google limits itself to searching, which might be the most important Internet business of all.
This is a good time to reconsider the whole idea of Internet business. Investors' rolling eyes and dreary business-school case studies notwithstanding, the Internet remains the most successful failure in the history of enterprise. For while the bubble may have burst and a trillion dollars or more of shareholder equity may have evaporated, the truth is that more people than ever are using the Net. Growth in both the number of users and the Internet bandwidth they require has never faltered. Half the Internet companies have disappeared, but more of us are online than ever, and that means business opportunity. The trick is to do it differently this time around, and Google is a prime example of how to do it right.
We've been here before. A decade ago I met six boys who were running a company in the archetypal Silicon Valley garage. Their start-up was capitalized at $15,000 borrowed from parents. The day I came on the scene the company still had more than $12,000 of that in the bank. Their invention was one of the first search engines, a tool for finding information in huge volumes of text data. Over the course of a few months I helped the tiny company find its first customer, its first outside investor, and its first venture capitalist. Somehow I forgot to grab any stock for myself, which made me look stupid six years later when, at the height of Internet mania, the company -- by then called Excite -- was sold for $6.7 billion. Excite today is at best another portal, but there is much to be learned from its humbling and from comparing it to Google, which is very much Excite for a new millennium.
One reason Excite and so many other Internet businesses from the 1990s stumbled was that they saw their original business idea not as an end but as a means. Excite had the best searching technology of its day, but the company saw searching as a steppingstone on the way to becoming the Internet equivalent of a television network. Searching would attract users, but what would keep them was to turn the search engine into a portal on the Web. At least that was the idea. So Excite, Yahoo, and others added staff and increased expenditures, driven by the idea that searching alone wouldn't be enough to sustain a significant Internet enterprise. They were wrong.
All Google does is searching. As I am writing these words, Google's index comprises 3,083,324,652 webpages, or about one page for every two people on earth -- everyone from rain forest tribesmen to members of the Russian mafia. This is a number too large to comprehend, but it helps us put the challenge of searching the Internet in some context. Looking for a particular webpage is like looking for two specific people on earth without knowing either their names or where they live. Every Internet product or service is utterly dependent on searching.
Nearly all search engines use programs called "spiders," which roam the Internet finding new webpages and "dragging" them back for analysis. How that analysis takes place can vary a lot from engine to engine. All search engines look at the words on the page and some stop there, ranking the results solely by the frequency of keywords on the site. By this way of thinking, a website that says "Inc. magazine" 20 times is more likely to be useful than one that says those same words only once. But all is not as it seems, since clever website operators can fool these simple search engines by inserting keywords -- "Inc. magazine" 20, 50, or 100 times over -- written in a tiny font and hidden behind the pictures on a webpage. We can't read these tags because they are hidden, but the spider programs can read them and be fooled.
Google's approach to searching is different. The spider program is still there and it still reads both the real and hidden text on a page. But when it comes to ordering the 4.23 million pages that contain both the words "Inc." and "magazine," and presenting them to users in order of relevance, Google is smarter. Google orders the results not purely by how often keywords appear, but also by how many other webpages are linked to the webpages containing the keywords. In essence the system gauges a given webpage by how relevant the designers of millions of other pages have found it to be. This technique, which was invented by Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin when they were graduate students at Stanford University in the mid-1990s, is unique to Google and patented.
Finding useful search results is one thing, and making that a good business is another. Google also had to make its results load faster to further attract users, it had to keep transaction costs down in search of profitability, and it had to find a way to gain revenue from searching. Keeping costs down was simple: Where Excite ran on banks of Unix servers from Sun Microsystems linked to massive disk arrays from EMC, Google runs on personal computers using the Linux operating system, which is free. Admittedly, we are talking about the world's largest Linux cluster, with more than 10,000 computers, but they are generic "white box" computers just like what you might have at home.
To make the pages load faster, Google did not sell banner ads on its site, so only the search result itself had to be transmitted across the data line. Banner ads had been the sole source of revenue for the first-generation search engines, but by the time Google came along in 1998, banner ads were going down in both price and popularity. There had to be a better way to make money.
The other successful second-generation Internet search engine came up with a simple way of generating revenue -- it sells its listings to the highest bidder. Overture Services (originally GoTo.com) sells the top three positions in its search results. Those search results, which are available through Yahoo, AltaVista, MSN, and many other sites, represent a very commercial view of the search. Searching for "sports cars" on Overture.com on the day I checked yielded as the top result a site called endorphin.com, where users could see sponsored sports car videos. Endorphin was paying 17¢ per click for that position. Google, on the other hand, was giving its top honors to a sports car enthusiast site. No wonder Overture, which is traded on the Nasdaq, posted $667 million in sales and $78 million in profit last year.
Back when Overture was still called GoTo, there was great controversy in the search industry about this selling of positions. Google, too, decided to sell listings, but in a very direct way: It labeled the paid listings as paid listings. "I can't believe we missed the ad words, 'paid-placement model," says a veteran of the early search-engine wars. "Everybody had their arms up about corrupting the search results but Google did the simple/smart thing and just placed text boxes to the right of the results. Not rocket science, but we didn't do it."
Selling clearly marked paid listings ("sponsored links," they're called) has made Google profitable. Though the company doesn't disclose its financials, insiders say that last year it made a profit of about $10 million on about $75 million in sales. Obviously those aren't Overture-level numbers, not yet. But Google has the technology, the customer loyalty, and the business focus -- it knows the importance of doing that one thing -- to have the much bigger future. Today on Google you can search more than 400 million images in addition to websites. You can search the news. Searching on a name and city and state will yield a phone number and address if they are available. The result is that Google is the sixth most often visited site on the Internet. Google is so well-regarded by users that large portals like AOL and Yahoo have no choice but to buy Google services for their own users. The big money will come when Google becomes a dealmaker: It will start trading its search services for pieces of promising companies.
You can imagine where this is heading: an initial public offering. Google's principals say they're in no hurry, and that would be consistent with the sensible way they've gone about building the business. But as soon as the economy turns, expect a massive Google IPO reminiscent of the old Internet.
Contributor Robert X. Cringely is a writer, broadcaster, and entrepreneur specializing in technology. Contact him at email@example.com.
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Conference of Engineers at the Menai Straits Preparatory to Floating one of the Tubes of the Britannia Bridge, by John Seymour Lucas, 1868
|Activity sectors||Applied science|
|Competencies||Mathematics, scientific knowledge, management skills|
|Education required||Engineering education|
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics, and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality, regulation, safety, and cost. The word engineer is derived from the Latin roots ingeniare ("to contrive, devise") and ingenium ("cleverness").
Engineers are grounded in applied sciences, and their work in research and development is distinct from the basic research focus of scientists. The work of engineers forms the link between scientific discoveries and their subsequent applications to human needs and quality of life.
Roles and expertise
Engineers develop new technological solutions. During the engineering design process, the responsibilities of the engineer may include defining problems, conducting and narrowing research, analyzing criteria, finding and analyzing solutions, and making decisions. Much of an engineer's time is spent on researching, locating, applying, and transferring information. Indeed, research suggests engineers spend 56% of their time engaged in various different information behaviours, including 14% actively searching for information.
Engineers must weigh different design choices on their merits and choose the solution that best matches the requirements. Their crucial and unique task is to identify, understand, and interpret the constraints on a design in order to produce a successful result.
Engineers apply techniques of engineering analysis in testing, production, or maintenance. Analytical engineers may supervise production in factories and elsewhere, determine the causes of a process failure, and test output to maintain quality. They also estimate the time and cost required to complete projects. Supervisory engineers are responsible for major components or entire projects. Engineering analysis involves the application of scientific analytic principles and processes to reveal the properties and state of the system, device or mechanism under study. Engineering analysis proceeds by separating the engineering design into the mechanisms of operation or failure, analyzing or estimating each component of the operation or failure mechanism in isolation, and re-combining the components. They may analyse risk.
Many engineers use computers to produce and analyze designs, to simulate and test how a machine, structure, or system operates, to generate specifications for parts, to monitor the quality of products, and to control the efficiency of processes.
Specialization and management
Most engineers specialize in one or more engineering disciplines. Numerous specialties are recognized by professional societies, and each of the major branches of engineering has numerous subdivisions. Civil engineering, for example, includes structural and transportation engineering, and materials engineering includes ceramic, metallurgical, and polymer engineering. Engineers also may specialize in one industry, such as motor vehicles, or in one type of technology, such as turbines or semiconductor materials.
Several recent studies have investigated how engineers spend their time; that is, the work tasks they perform and how their time is distributed among these. Research suggests that there are several key themes present in engineers’ work: (1) technical work (i.e., the application of science to product development); (2) social work (i.e., interactive communication between people); (3) computer-based work; (4) information behaviours. Amongst other more detailed findings, a recent work sampling study found that engineers spend 62.92% of their time engaged in technical work, 40.37% in social work, and 49.66% in computer-based work. Furthermore, there was considerable overlap between these different types of work, with engineers spending 24.96% of their time engaged in technical and social work, 37.97% in technical and non-social, 15.42% in non-technical and social, and 21.66% in non-technical and non-social.
Engineering is also an information intensive field, with research finding that engineers spend 55.8% of their time engaged in various different information behaviours, including 14.2% actively seeking information from other people (7.8%) and information repositories such as documents and databases (6.4%).
The time engineers spend engaged in such activities is also reflected in the competencies required in engineering roles. In addition to engineers’ core technical competence, research has also demonstrated the critical nature of their personal attributes, project management skills, and cognitive abilities to success in the role.
Engineers have obligations to the public, their clients, employers and the profession. Many engineering societies have established codes of practice and codes of ethics to guide members and inform the public at large. Each engineering discipline and professional society maintains a code of ethics, which the members pledge to uphold. Depending on their specializations, engineers may also be governed by specific statute, whistleblowing, product liability laws, and often the principles of business ethics.
Some graduates of engineering programs in North America may be recognized by the Iron Ring or Engineer's Ring, a ring made of iron or stainless steel that is worn on the little finger of the dominant hand. This tradition began in 1925 in Canada with The Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer, where the ring serves as a symbol and reminder of the engineer's obligations for the engineering profession. In 1972, the practice was adopted by several colleges in the United States including members of the Order of the Engineer.
Most engineering programs involve a concentration of study in an engineering specialty, along with courses in both mathematics and the physical and life sciences. Many programs also include courses in general engineering and applied accounting. A design course, sometimes accompanied by a computer or laboratory class or both, is part of the curriculum of most programs. Often, general courses not directly related to engineering, such as those in the social sciences or humanities, also are required.
Accreditation is the process by which engineering program are evaluated by an external body to determine if applicable standards are met. The Washington Accord serves as an international accreditation agreement for academic engineering degrees, recognizing the substantial equivalency in the standards set by many major national engineering bodies. In the United States, post-secondary degree programs in engineering are accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.
In many countries, engineering tasks such as the design of bridges, electric power plants, industrial equipment, machine design and chemical plants, must be approved by a licensed professional engineer. Most commonly titled Professional Engineer is a license to practice and is indicated with the use of post-nominal letters; PE or P.Eng. These are common in North America, European Engineer (Eur Ing) in Europe. The practice of engineering in the UK is not a regulated profession but the control of the titles of Chartered Engineer (CEng) and Incorporated Engineer (IEng) is regulated. These titles are protected by law and are subject to strict requirements defined by the Engineering Council UK. The title CEng is in use in much of the Commonwealth.
Many semi skilled trades and engineering technicians in the UK have, in the past, called themselves engineers. This is now seen as a misuse of the title, giving a false image of the profession. A particularly blatant misuse of the title is by the Telecommunications giant, the BT Group, who still insist on describing their technicians as engineers to a gullible public. A growing movement in the UK is to legally protect the title 'Engineer' so that only professional engineers can use it; a DirectGov petition has been started to further this cause.
In the United States, licensure is generally attainable through combination of education, pre-examination (Fundamentals of Engineering exam), examination (Professional Engineering Exam), and engineering experience (typically in the area of 5+ years). Each state tests and licenses Professional Engineers. Currently most states do not license by specific engineering discipline, but rather provide generalized licensure, and trust engineers to use professional judgement regarding their individual competencies; this is the favoured approach of the professional societies. Despite this, however, at least one of the examinations required by most states is actually focused on a particular discipline; candidates for licensure typically choose the category of examination which comes closest to their respective expertise.
In Canada, the profession in each province is governed by its own engineering association. For instance, in the Province of British Columbia an engineering graduate with four or more years of post graduate experience in an engineering-related field and passing exams in ethics and law will need to be registered by the Association for Professional Engineers and Geoscientists (APEGBC) in order to become a Professional Engineer and be granted the professional designation of P.Eng allowing one to practice engineering.
In Continental Europe, Latin America, Turkey and elsewhere the title is limited by law to people with an engineering degree and the use of the title by others is illegal. In Italy, the title is limited to people who both hold an engineering degree and have passed a professional qualification examination (Esame di Stato). In Portugal, professional engineer titles and accredited engineering degrees are regulated and certified by the Ordem dos Engenheiros. In the Czech Republic, the title "engineer" (Ing.) is given to people with a (masters) degree in chemistry, technology or economics for historical and traditional reasons. In Greece, the academic title of "Diploma Engineer" is awarded after completion of the five-year engineering study course and the title of "Certified Engineer" is awarded after completion of the four-year course of engineering studies at a Technological Educational Institute (TEI).
In North America, continental western and eastern Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America engineering and engineers are held in very high esteem.
At the same time, engineering has in the popular culture of some English-speaking countries been seen as a dry, uninteresting field and the domain of nerds. One challenge to public awareness of the profession is that average people lack personal dealings with engineers, even though they benefit from their work every day. By contrast, one is much more likely to visit a doctor, accountant, pharmacist, and occasionally, even a lawyer.
Differences among countries
The perception and definition of engineering varies across countries and continents. British school children in the 1950s were brought up with stirring tales of 'the Victorian Engineers', chief amongst whom were the Brunels, the Stephensons, Telford and their contemporaries. In the UK, "engineering" was more recently perceived as an industry sector consisting of employers and employees loosely termed "engineers" who included the semi-skilled trades. However, the 21st century view, especially amongst the more educated members of society, is to reserve the term Engineer to describe a university-educated practitioner of ingenuity represented by the Chartered (or Incorporated) Engineer.
In the US and Canada, engineering is a regulated profession whose practice and practitioners are licensed and governed by law. A 2002 study by the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers revealed that engineers are the third most respected professionals behind doctors and pharmacists.
In the Indian subcontinent, Russia and China, engineering is one of the most sought after undergraduate courses, inviting thousands of applicants to show their ability in highly competitive entrance examinations.
In Egypt, the educational system makes engineering the second-most-respected profession in the country (after medicine); engineering colleges at Egyptian universities require extremely high marks on the General Certificate of Secondary Education (Arabic: الثانوية العامة al-Thānawiyyah al-`Āmmah)—on the order of 97 or 98%—and are thus considered (along with the colleges of medicine, natural science, and pharmacy) to be among the "pinnacle colleges" (كليات القمة kullīyāt al-qimmah).
Corporate culture
In companies and other organizations, there is sometimes a tendency to undervalue people with advanced technological and scientific skills compared to celebrities, fashion practitioners, entertainers and managers. In his book The Mythical Man-Month, Fred Brooks Jr says that managers think of senior people as "too valuable" for technical tasks, and that management jobs carry higher prestige. He tells how some laboratories, such as Bell Labs, abolish all job titles to overcome this problem: a professional employee is a "member of the technical staff." IBM maintain a dual ladder of advancement; the corresponding managerial and engineering / scientific rungs are equivalent. Brooks recommends that structures need to be changed; the boss must give a great deal of attention to keeping his managers and his technical people as interchangeable as their talents allow.
In fiction
For example, the cartoon character Dilbert is an engineer. In science fiction, engineers are often portrayed as highly knowledgeable and respectable individuals who understand the overwhelming future technologies often portrayed in the genre. Several Star Trek characters are engineers.
See also
- Engineer's degree
- Engineers Without Borders
- Greatest Engineering Achievements
- History of engineering
- List of engineering branches
- List of engineers
- List of fictional scientists and engineers
- Washington Accord
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor (2006). "Engineers". Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2006-07 Edition. Retrieved 2006-09-21.
- National Society of Professional Engineers (2006). "Frequently Asked Questions About Engineering". Archived from the original on 2006-05-22. Retrieved 2006-09-21. Science is knowledge based on observed facts and tested truths arranged in an orderly system that can be validated and communicated to other people. Engineering is the creative application of scientific principles used to plan, build, direct, guide, manage, or work on systems to maintain and improve our daily lives.
- Oxford Concise Dictionary, 1995
- "engineer". Oxford Dictionaries. April 2010. Oxford Dictionaries. April 2010. Oxford University Press. 22 October 2011
- A.Eide, R.Jenison, L.Mashaw, L.Northup. Engineering: Fundamentals and Problem Solving. New York City: McGraw-Hill Companies Inc.,2002
- Robinson, M. A. (2010). An empirical analysis of engineers’ information behaviors. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 61(4), 640–658. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/asi.21290
- Baecher, G.B., Pate, E.M., and de Neufville, R. (1979) “Risk of dam failure in benefit/cost analysis”, Water Resources Research, 16(3), 449–456.
- Hartford, D.N.D. and Baecher, G.B. (2004) Risk and Uncertainty in Dam Safety. Thomas Telford
- International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD) (2003) Risk Assessment in Dam Safety Management. ICOLD, Paris
- British Standards Institution (BSI) (1991)BC 5760 Part 5: Reliability of systems equipment and components - Guide to failure modes effects and criticality analysis (FMEA and FMECA).
- Robinson, M. A. (2012). How design engineers spend their time: Job content and task satisfaction. Design Studies, 33(4), 391–425. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.destud.2012.03.002
- Robinson, M. A., Sparrow, P. R., Clegg, C., & Birdi, K. (2005). Design engineering competencies: Future requirements and predicted changes in the forthcoming decade. Design Studies, 26(2), 123–153. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.destud.2004.09.004
- American Society of Civil Engineers (2006) . Code of Ethics. Reston, Virginia, USA: ASCE Press. Retrieved 2011-06-11.
- Institution of Civil Engineers (2009). Royal Charter, By-laws, Regulations and Rules. Retrieved 2011-06-11.
- National Society of Professional Engineers (2007) . Code of Ethics. Alexandria, Virginia, USA: NSPE. Retrieved 2006-10-20.
- NCEES is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing professional licensure for engineers and surveyors.
- APEGBC - Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of BC
- David Anderegg. Nerds: who they are and why we need more of them. Jeremy P. Tarcher, 2008
- Ontario Society of Professional Engineers, 2002, Engineering: One of Ontario's most respected professions
- The Mythical Man-Month: Essays on Software Engineering, p119 (see also p242), Frederick P. Brooks, Jr., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2nd ed. 1995, pub. Addison-Wesley
|Look up engineer in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.|
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Engineers|
- Engineers’ competencies
- Engineers’ information behaviours
- How engineers spend their time
- A YouTube presentation that explains in simple terms what engineers do, and what engineers don't do (contrasted to scientists and artists) | <urn:uuid:d647e376-8d51-43e2-a12c-9d2a52856c61> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.digplanet.com/wiki/Engineer | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00056-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938056 | 3,538 | 3.125 | 3 |
B Raman on the Mitrokhin Archive controversy, which alleges that several Indian leaders took bribes from the KGB.
Who is Vasily Mitrokhin?
Vasili Mitrokhin was born on March 3, 1922 in Yurasovo, in central Russia [ Images ].
After completing his school education, he entered an artillery school of the Soviet army. While serving in the army, he joined an university in Kazakhstan and graduated in History and Law. He rose to the rank of a major.
Towards the end of the Second World War, he was deputed to the military procurator's office at Kharkov in the Ukraine. In 1948, he joined the MGB's (as the KGB was known till 1953) foreign intelligence section. He served in a number of foreign countries till 1956. Details of his foreign postings are not available.
In 1956, the KGB reprimanded him for his unsatisfactory performance when he was attached as one of the intelligence and security officers to the Soviet team which participated in the Olympics [ Images ] in Australia [ Images ]. His job was to prevent any attempts by the Western intelligence agencies to contact Soviet athletes and persuade them to defect to the West.
After his return from the Olympics, he was downgraded, removed from the operational division of the foreign intelligence directorate of the KGB, graded as not fit for operational tasks and posted to the Archives of the First Chief Directorate (dealing with foreign intelligence) of the agency, where all closed files were kept in safe custody. He retired from service in 1985.
How, when and why did he come into contact with the UK's Secret Intelligence Service, known popularly as the MI-6?
In 1992, when he was 70 years old, he travelled to Riga, the capital of Latvia, with a large number of handwritten/typed notes which he claimed to have copied from the files in the KGB's archives during his posting there, purporting to give details of the KGB's operations all over the world.
He first walked into the US embassy and offered to give these documents to the Central Intelligence Agency. A CIA officer working under the cover of a diplomat and his colleagues, after consulting their headquarters in Washington DC, expressed their lack of interest in his documents. They seemed to have thought he was either a hoax or a plant by the new Russian intelligence agency to mislead them.
He then went with his notes to the British embassy and offered them to an MI-6 officer posted there as a diplomat. He claimed he had 25,000 pages of such notes hidden in his house which he offered to give if he was given political asylum in the UK and helped to publish his notes.
MI-6, which was reportedly not aware of his previous visit to the US embassy and the rejection of his offer by the CIA, accepted his offer. He was helped to go back to Russia and secretly bring out this massive lot of papers and then he, his family and his papers were flown out of Latvia to London [ Images ].
Richard Tomlinson, the MI-6 officer imprisoned in 1997 for attempting to publish a book about his career, was one of those involved in retrieving the documents from empty milk cartons hidden under the floor of Mitrokhin's dacha. One does not know his version of the case and why MI-6 tried so hard to prevent him from writing his memoirs and harassed him.
Did he bring original documents or photocopies?
No, he did not. He brought handwritten/typed notes of the contents of the documents, which, according to him, he had an opportunity of seeing while he was posted in the archives.
According to his version, the offices of the archives were shifted from one building to another between 1972 and 1984. During this period, he was put in charge of supervising the safe transfer of the files. He had an opportunity of seeing the contents of many files relating to sensitive KGB operations all over the world.
Since he had developed a strong dislike for the Soviet system ever since the famous disclosures made by Nikita Khrushchev in 1956 regarding the misdeeds of Stalin and his intelligence chief Laventin Beria, he wanted to let the world know about the real nature of the Soviet system and how its intelligence agencies worked.
Every day, he used to copy the contents of important files by hand on pieces of paper. He would then secretly take them to his house, type them at night, conceal them inside empty milk cartons and hide the cartons under the floor of his house. He had thus copied in his own hand and typed 25,000 pages of allegedly sensitive informatiion over a period of 12 years.
What was the authenticity and evidentiary value of the information brought by him?
A book, The Sword and the Shield by Mitrokhin and Professor Christopher Andrew drawing on the Archive was published in September 1999, receiving extensive media coverage.
The book covered the activities of the KGB in the West. This was the first time the public came to know about the so-called documents. The media coverage raised several questions:
Did MI-6 keep the political leadership informed of the papers brought by him and their contents?
Did it take the clearance of the political leadership before deciding to make them public through the form of a book written by Professor Christopher Andrew?
What were the reasons for MI-6's motive in doing so?
Why did it chose Professor Andrew for making them public and not a government historian?
Why was a newspaper owned by Rupert Murdoch allegedly given the exclusive right for publishing the sensational story?
Tony Blair's [ Images ] government found itself constrained to order an enquiry into the matter by the Parliamentary Intelligence and Security Committee, which is the oversight committee for the intelligence community.
In a statement in the House of Commons on October 21,1999, Jack Straw, the present British foreign secretary, then the home secretary, said: 'The publication of the book raised questions about how the archive had been used. In the light of those questions, I announced on 13 September, with the agreement of the prime minister, that the Intelligence and Security Committee had been asked to conduct an inquiry into the policies and procedures used by the intelligence and security agencies in the handling of the Mitrokhin material.
'I am very grateful to the right Hon Member for Bridgwater (Mr King), the chairman of the committee, and his colleagues for taking on that important work. My right Hon Friends the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary and I will carefully consider the committee's report and ensure that as much as possible of it is made public. It may, however, be helpful to the House if I set out today some of the essential background.
'Vasili Mitrokhin worked for almost 30 years in the foreign intelligence archive of the KGB where, at great risk to himself, he made notes of the contents of the highly secret files that passed through his hands. Over many years, he thus assembled a huge collection of material, some in manuscript and some typed. 'In 1992, after Mr Mitrokhin had approached the UK for help, our Secret Intelligence Service made arrangements to bring Mr Mitrokhin and his family to this country, together with his archive. As there were no original KGB documents or copies of original documents, the material itself was of no direct evidential value, but it was of huge value for intelligence and investigative purposes.'
'Thousands of leads from Mr Mitrokhin's material have been followed up world wide. As a result, our intelligence and security agencies, in cooperation with allied governments, have been able to put a stop to many security threats. Many unsolved investigations have been closed; many earlier suspicions confirmed; and some names and reputations have been cleared. Our intelligence and security agencies have assessed the value of Mr Mitrokhin's material world wide as immense.'
Straw also admitted that MI6 had taken the then foreign secretary's approval in 1996 for making the archives available to Professor Andrew for writing a book.
In a review of the book for the Intelligence Forum, a web site specialising in intelligence matters, Reg Whitaker, who is believed to have an intelligence background, wrote: 'The question of how the Mitrokhin 'archive' actually came into existence is itself mysterious. Andrew paints Mitrokhin as a secret dissident, sent home from a foreign posting with a black mark on his record, who nevertheless was put in charge of transferring the entire files of the foreign intelligence section to its new headquarters. In this job, he spent years laboriously copying out important documents by hand and then retyping them in his dacha, where he hid them under the floor (eventually six fat suitcases full).
'There are a number of seeming improbabilities in this scenario. As Amy Knight sarcastically asked in a critical review in The Times Literary Supplement (November 26, 1999): 'Did not the KGB have some sort of time-accounting or performance reports as all bureaucracies do? The sheer volume of the materials Mitrokhin is said to have copied by hand (tens of thousands of documents) makes one wonder how he could have found the time.'
'Also mysterious is why this 'dissident' kept hold of the files for years, then how he managed to smuggle them out to a Baltic country following the collapse of the USSR right under the watchful eyes of the KGB's successors. The final mystery is how Christopher Andrew was put in exclusive charge of this archive (presumably translated into English for his benefit) and ready for a marketing exclusive with the Rupert Murdoch press empire.
'These are all interesting and difficult questions, but the notion put about by Knight and some others that this may actually have all been done with the Machiavellian connivance of the KGB's successor agency, the SVR, seems a bit too clever or conspiratorial by half.
'The hand of British intelligence is evident, and Andrew clearly has a 'special relationship' with SIS. But what advantage the SVR could hope to reap from this publication remains obscure, especially as it describes a downward trajectory of Soviet intelligence from success long ago to increasing incompetence in latter days.
'Finally, taking the Archive at face value, there is no doubt that it is an extremely valuable addition to the literature on Soviet and Cold War espionage, albeit with questionable origins. Much of the media frenzy that accompanied the book can be set aside as silly, if not irrelevant.
'The British press and public has once again demonstrated that any revelation about spies or moles is guaranteed to rouse what can only be called prurient interest. Ever since Burgess and Maclean made their run to Moscow [ Images ] in 1951, the British have treated espionage as a branch of pornography.'
Mitrokhin, on the basis of his notes, allegedly named a large number of political leaders and others of the UK, France [ Images ], Germany [ Images ] and other Western countries as working for the KGB.
Among those against whom he leveled allegations were Melita Norwood, a British civil servant, Tom Driberg, a former Labour Party member of Parliament, Raymond Fletcher, another former Labour member of Parliament, Robert Lipka, former clerk at the US National Security Agency, Claude Estier, former leader of the French Socialist Party and a confidant of former President François Mitterrand, Neil Kinnock, former leader of the British Labour Party etc.
He also accused the Committee on Nuclear Disarmament, in which 133 Labour MPs were members one time or the other of being in receipt of funds from the KGB.
Why did the author write the latest second volume which levels allegations against India [ Images ] and other Third World countries?
On September 20, Perseus Books, the publishers of the second volume of the Archives titled The World Was Going Our Way: The KGB and the Battle for the Third World in which India figures, circulated the text of an interview with Christopher Andrew on the significance of this volume, in the writing of which he did not have much assistance from Mitrokhin, who passed away in January last year.
Significant quotes from his replies are given below:
'How can we possibly understand Russia today without remembering that Vladimir Putin [ Images ] is a former KGB officer? Before he became President he was the last of Boris Yeltsin's prime ministers. And his two predecessors as prime minister were both former intelligence chiefs. And Putin today is surrounded by more advisers who are past or present intelligence officers than any other world leader. If we're going to truly understand them, we need to understand the whole of their past activities. People don't realize how good the KGB was at what they did and, simultaneously, how bad they were.
'Let's take India as an example. Both the Russians and the Americans planted articles in newspapers there from time to time as part of their active measures. According to KGB files, by 1973 it had ten Indian newspapers on its payroll as well as a press agency under its control. During 1972 alone, the KGB claimed to have planted 3,789 articles in newspapers there.
'There's no question the Soviets outmatched the Americans in this regard. And these types of active measures were an important and very effective component of the KGB's efforts to persuade credulous Third World leaders that the CIA was plotting against them.
'Another less sinister example of the continuities from that era to this is the appointment last year of Vyacheslav Trubnikov as the new Russian ambassador to India. How did he make his reputation? Less than a generation ago he was the KGB head of political intelligence in Russia. So the guy who used to run KGB intelligence during the Soviet era is now Putin's ambassador in New Delhi [ Images ]. Every continent in the world, or at least some part of every continent, still bears the imprint of the Cold War rivalry between the two superpowers.' | <urn:uuid:770be62e-4204-4053-959b-6f2b0da308ed> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://in.rediff.com/news/2005/sep/26raman.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00073-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.979929 | 2,847 | 2 | 2 |
Nassim Taleb, on a recent episode of Econtalk, talks about his upcoming book that aims to coin the word antifragility. The essential meaning is close to the phrase “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” — a system or process that benefits from volatility, stress, or uncertainty. Examples:
Human bones are antifragile; they benefit from the stress of gravity and weaken without it.
In terms of forest fires, forests are antifragile — too much firefighting can cause more damage in the long run.
So let us coin the appellation "antifragile" for anything that, on average, (i.e., in expectation) benefits from variability. Alas, I found no simple, noncompound word in any of the main language families that expresses the point of such fragility in reverse. To see how alien the concept to our minds, ask around what's the antonym of fragile. The likely answer will be: robust, unbreakable, solid, well-built, resilient, strong, something-proof (say waterproof, windproof, rustproof), etc. Wrong — and it is not just individuals, but branches of knowledge that are confused by it; this is a mistake made in every dictionary.
In short, words like robust and resilient don’t suggest favorability toward adverse conditions.
My question: is there a better word that exists? | <urn:uuid:02172026-9234-447a-b5f6-dfe89a540692> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/56513/is-there-a-better-existing-word-for-antifragility/56789 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.934738 | 298 | 2.25 | 2 |
Apollo Music Projects is now in the eighth year of its music education programme in primary schools in Hackney and Tower Hamlets. AMP has so far reached over 2400 children in 16 primary schools and over 12,000 children in assemblies and schools concerts.
This innovative and interactive programme introduces children to the instruments of the orchestra, the musicians who play them and the music they play, providing the opportunity to hear live music and the tools to understand what they are hearing.
The project focuses on developing listening skills, enabling students to discover for themselves how to listen to and enjoy classical music, using their own imagination and experiences to enter a new world of sound, stories and feelings.
AMP brings live classical music to children who might not otherwise experience it, and recognises the innate ability and skill of children to respond to sophisticated ideas.
Apollo Music Projects captures the essence of what is special yet so fundamental about classical music. It is far more than just notes and instruments; it is communication, character, story, emotion, magic, aspiration and exuberance. AMP gives young children the opportunity to experience all of this when they are open to and hungry for new experiences that will colour their lives.
The programme offers children a unique opportunity to work closely with professional musicians over two terms in a progressive series of classroom sessions, an orchestra workshop and a symphony orchestra concert, using the language of music to develop children’s observational skills, communication skills and teamwork. Children learn how to relate the music they hear to their own experiences, how musicians communicate through their instruments, how different composers use music to tell a story, and how to identify the different voices and follow them as they listen. | <urn:uuid:8406ccc4-54b6-47ae-a4df-7eb0fb37d5e9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.apollomusicprojects.org/about/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00043-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947062 | 342 | 2.390625 | 2 |
In Berlin Steglitz (Germany)…
The colors of feathers are produced by the presence of pigments such as melanins (browns, blacks, greys), carotenoids (reds, yellows, orange), psittacofulvins (unique red pigments found in some parrots) and porphyrins (such as the green turacoverdin of Turacos) or more often by feather structure. Structural coloration is involved in the production of most greens, blues, iridescent colors, ultraviolet reflectance and in the enhancement of pigmentary colors.
In some birds, the feather colors may be created or altered by uropygial gland secretions. The yellow bill colors of many hornbills are produced by preen gland secretions. Other differences that may only be visible in the ultraviolet region have been suggested but studies have failed to find evidence. Uropygial oil secretion may also have an inhibitory effect on feather bacteria.
A bird’s feathers undergo wear and tear and are replaced periodically during its life through molting. New feathers are formed through the same follicle from which the old ones were fledged. The presence of melanin in feathers increases their resistance to abrasion. Melanin based feathers were however found to be faster degraded by bacteria than those with carotenoid pigments. This has led to the suggestion that Gloger’s rule, the observation that birds from more humid regions tend to be darker may be related to the increased bacterial load and the selection for greater melanin. The evolution of coloration is based on sexual selection and it has been suggested that carotenoid based pigments may have evolved since they are likely to be more honest signals of fitness since they are derived from special diets.
In India, feathers of the Indian Peacock have been used in traditional medicine for snakebite, infertility and coughs. | <urn:uuid:7bb2eaf9-1aae-48da-9d13-0d9b3dced3e8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.redbubble.com/people/nuhsarche/works/1188675-peacocks-feathers | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968772 | 396 | 3.765625 | 4 |
July 9 - 22, 2006
When summer time
arrives the average child is excited to go on vacation, or
to sporting camps, etc. However this July there were sixty
selected bălaks from all over North America who showed their
excitement in a unique way to join the annual National Summer
Training Camp organized at Chicago, IL. With the aim of molding
future karyakars and the leaders of tomorrow, the camp had
a rigorous schedule filled with classes, workshops, and activities.
Each day of the
Summer Training Camp had a different theme that highlighted
important aspects of satsang, such as asmita, dharma, atmiyata,
seva, satpurush, sanskruti etc. On each day, classroom sessions
were related to these themes. For example, on Sanskruti Din,
the classes were "Proud to Be a Hindu" and "Mera Bharat Mahan."
Furthermore, there was a Gujarati class every day that all
balaks had to go to, depending on their level.
Also, each balak
attended 2 separate talent development workshops, choosing
from Writing or Microsoft Office. In addition to this, every
balak that attended the camp received training in playing
classical Indian instruments - either tabla or harmonium,
and public speaking.
To give the bălaks
the "real camping" experience in addition to their usual training
and education, the bălaks were taken in a luxurious coach
bus to the Lake Monroe Camp Ground for a total of five days,
from July 12th to July 16th.
The balaks also
took part in a variety of games and activities throughout
the camp to help them get better acquainted with one another.
These included a volleyball tournament, kirtan antakshari,
satsang taboo and many more. Though the balaks had a full
schedule, with as many as nine hours of class time in a day,
the fourteen days flew by in quickly, leaving memories to
last a lifetime. When the balaks returned home, they not regret
missing their vacation or sporting camps. | <urn:uuid:f0e0f071-1d09-41f7-aa57-d65a7413a26b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.swaminarayan.org/news/usa/2006/07/balstc/index.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956442 | 463 | 1.585938 | 2 |
Everyone has heard of the standard cold remedies and preventive measures, but it’s hard to tell which ones are worth the trouble (or the money). In order to help your immune system battle the viruses that are headed your way, try using the best cold remedies around.
American ginseng can help you fight off a cold by promoting immune system health. In addition, Siberian ginseng may be useful for treating the common cold by relieving symptoms once you get a cold. Ask a healthcare provider about the best doses and types of supplements to use if you are interested in ginseng.
Although Echinacea won’t help prevent a cold, it can be useful for symptom relief. Try an over-the-counter supplement as soon as cold symptoms start.
Zinc throat drops can be very helpful for symptom relief, and some studies have even found they seem to prevent colds when taken once or twice per day during the cold and flu season. Take them within 24 hours of the first symptoms if you think you’re getting a cold. Just be sure to avoid zinc nasal sprays—they have been linked to complete loss of the sense of smell.
As if you needed proof to enjoy this natural remedy! Believe it or not, some of the chemical compounds found in chicken and the vegetable broth combine to help relieve cold symptoms such as a runny nose or sore throat. So go ahead, enjoy Mom’s chicken soup as your lunch and dinner while you have a cold.
Taking Care of Yourself
One of the best preventive and treatment methods for cold viruses is simply taking care of yourself on a regular basis. A bit of exercise, a balanced diet, and plenty of rest (aim for 8 hours per night) can help keep your immune system healthy and strong. Finally, remember to keep your hands washed and your body bundled! | <urn:uuid:20be9430-5c1d-4b04-a384-07b1642335f2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://northcanton.patch.com/blog_posts/staying-cold-free-this-winter-which-natural-remedies-work | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00049-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943674 | 379 | 2.09375 | 2 |
Lesson Learned Statement:When performing HEPA filter changeouts, the hazard analysis should consider environmental protection as well as worker protection. This is especially important for old and deactivated facilities.
Discussion:During an effort to replace last-in-line HEPA filters, the potential for environmental impacts was not considered significant since the system would be isolated during the filter change. Last-in-line filters have no other filters between themselves and the stack. However, in an attempt to provide more protection to the workers, a decision was made to leave a slight crack in the isolation valves so that a slight negative pressure would be maintained in the filter house. Thus the potential for material to be released from the filter housing and the potential for exposure to the workers in the immediate area would be minimized.
The HEPA filter replacement was being performed in a deactivated facility where the filters had not been replaced by the current work force. Additionally, the unusual down flow design of the filter system allowed contamination to easily fall into the "clean" side of the housing.
Analysis:Factors to be considered during hazard analysis that will minimize the potential for insult to the environment include knowledge of the filter house configuration and the position of filters with regard to the effluent stack. If the filters are the last-in-line, controls such as placing dampers on the exhaust side in the closed position and independently verifying their positions, should be implemented to prevent the discharge of contaminated particles through the stack. When assessing the filter house configuration, hazard analysis should note whether the direction of airflow is upward or downward. If the airflow moves in a downward direction through the filter bank, contaminated particles may fall out during filter removal and settle into the bottom of the filter housing. Controls should be implemented to ensure that the housing is vacuumed to remove loose particles before new filters are installed and the system is put back on line. This will also reduce the potential for contaminated particles to be released.
Originator:Bechtel Jacobs Company; Sylvia Wright, (865) 241-5052; RCWM Project
Contact:Joanne E. Schutt, (865) 483-0554
Name Of Authorized Derivative Classifier:J. Larry McNelly
Name Of Reviewing Official:D. C. Lannom
Priority Descriptor:Yellow / Caution
Keywords:HEPA filters; last-in-line; filter changeouts
References:Occurrence Report ORO-BJC-X10ENVRES-2002-0012
Occurrence Report ORO--ORNL-X10BOPLANT-2002-0007
Information in this report is accurate to the best of our knowledge. As means of measuring the effectiveness of this report please use the "Comment" link at the bottom of this page to notify the Lessons Learned Web Site Administrator of any action taken as a result of this report or of any technical inaccuracies you find. Your feedback is important and appreciated.
DOE Function / Work Categories:Environmental Protection - General
Maintenance - Facility
Maintenance - HVAC
ISM Category:Analyze Hazards
|| Home || Documents and Information | Links | Contacts | Security Notice || | <urn:uuid:0a8f070c-d0e9-4638-a1e7-4a2c15a8d5b1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://hss.energy.gov/nuclearsafety/qa/hepa/ll/lldb/detail.CFM?Lessons__IdentifierIntern=Y-2002-OR-BJCX10-1201 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.924833 | 654 | 2.25 | 2 |
not kept the commandment
1 Kings 13:21
13:21 not kept the commandment. It was ironic that—like Balaam—the Lord constrained the apostate prophet to utter one more inspired prophecy, whereby he pronounced God’s judgment on the true prophet for yielding to the temptation by which he (the apostate prophet) had persuaded the true prophet to disobey God’s Word. It is dangerous for a believer to go against the revealed Word of God (especially as now codified in the Scriptures) even when so urged by an apparently spiritual believer. Compare Galatians 1:8,9; II Corinthians 11:13-15; Matthew 24:24. | <urn:uuid:05a67fd6-7714-4864-b82f-65c673dd5a2e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.icr.org/books/defenders/1791/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937207 | 142 | 2.09375 | 2 |
The not-so-super life of Supermac
HAROLD MACMILLAN BY CHARLES WILLIAMS (Weidenfeld & Nicolson £25)
As Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan is today best remembered for telling the British people in 1957 that they had never had it so good. He also presided over a succession of spy and sex scandals which prompted the parodic political slogan 'Life's better under a Conservative'.
Harold Macmillan with his wife, Lady Dorothy MacMillan, at Epsom Racecourse.
In the buttoned-up decades in which Macmillan conducted his career, the public was denied knowledge shared by the entire political class, that his wife Dorothy for decades flaunted an affair with Lord Boothby.
At a summit meeting, President Kennedy baffled the Prime Minister, who found the idea of a sex drive distasteful, by saying: 'I wonder how it is with you, Harold? If I don't have a woman for three days, I get a terrible headache.'
The Queen is said to have liked Macmillan least among her Prime Ministers because he was uninterested in horses, lectured her interminably and never listened to what she said.
He, in his turn, was dismayed by Prince Philip's contempt for Britain's cherished nuclear deterrent, writing: 'I don't altogether like the tone of his talk. It is too like that of a clever undergraduate who has just discovered Socialism.'
Charles Williams is a retired businessman who spoke for Labour in the House of Lords before he turned to writing, producing serviceable biographies of De Gaulle, Petain, Adenauer and Don Bradman. In his latest book, disdain seems to fight with grudging admiration for his subject, 'the great actor-manager' of modern British politics.
Macmillan was born in 1894, third son of a rich publisher and his dominating American wife. Ill-health dogged his childhood and allegedly caused him to leave Eton early, though Williams mentions rumours of a possible homosexual scandal.
Thereafter, he was tutored for Oxford by the proselytising Anglo-Catholic Ronald Knox, with whom the author says Macmillan fell in love, though they are unlikely to have shared carnal relations.
He left Oxford to join the Army in 1914, and served two brief stints in France with the Grenadiers before being wounded, the second time seriously, during the Somme battle. After a year in hospitals, his first post-war job was as an aide to the Duke of Devonshire, governor-general of Canada.
He overcame the Duchess's horror of his background in trade to marry the Devonshire daughter, 20-year-old Lady Dorothy Cavendish.
The middle-class Macmillan was thereby elevated into the British establishment, though Williams says that the serried ranks of aristocrats at their wedding were underwhelmed by the bridegroom's contribution to the guest list: he invited his family publishing firm's star authors, led by Thomas Hardy.
Macmillan entered parliament as MP for Stockton in 1924. He earned a reputation as a Leftleaning, clever, energetic Tory - but also as a dry stick, which seemed his own wife's view. By 1939 he was 44, but had never held even minor political office.
World War II made Macmillan. He served first at the Ministry of Supply, then from 1943 as Resident Minister in the Mediterranean, where he handled the intricacies of French, Italian, Greek and, above all, Anglo-American relations with considerable skill. Critics were irritated by his condescension towards lesser breeds, among whom he numbered Americans.
Macmillan fought his way into the top flight of politics by his achievement as Housing Minister in Churchill's post-war Government, building more than 300,000 homes in 1953.
He briefly became Foreign Secretary, then Chancellor under Anthony Eden. Macmillan's performance over Suez in 1956 incurs a justly caustic censure from Williams.
He first persuaded himself - and Eden - that the Americans would support Anglo-French military action. Then, when the scale of the disaster in Egypt became plain, he hastily distanced himself from it, lamenting to President Eisenhower and Secretary of State John Foster Dulles that he had been unable to restrain Eden.
Macmillan achieved the premiership in January 1957, when it became plain that Eden's credibility and supposedly his health were wrecked. The new PM's most notable achievements during almost seven years in Downing Street were to win the 1959 election for the Tories and rebuild Britain's sorely injured relationship with the U.S.
He achieved a surprisingly close understanding with the young Jack Kennedy. The price, however, of his passionate commitment to the Atlantic partnership was that Britain missed out on the building of Europe and was massively snubbed by De Gaulle.
At home, Macmillan showed himself a cunning and ruthless tactician, most notoriously when he sacked a third of his Cabinet in the 1962 'Night of the Long Knives'. Yet, to an extraordinary degree, having striven so long for power, he found the premiership a disappointment.
In 1963, he pleaded ill-health to justify his resignation; in truth, he had simply had enough. His final disservice was to secure the succession for Lord Home, an absurd ruler for Britain in the late 20th century, as voters decided at the following year's General Election.
Williams's biography is shrewd, but he patronises his subject and occasionally stoops to bitchiness. Focusing on Macmillan's personal record, he fails to set this in the context of Britain's post-war experience.
'Supermac', as the newspaper cartoonist Vicky christened him in mingled admiration and mockery of his posturings on the international stage, was full of contradictions. A liberal about the shrinking empire, and indeed in his enthusiasm to give the British people better lives, he clung to a 19th-century style of governance whereby Old Etonians knew best.
He and his generation of Tories failed to grasp the post-war industrial and economic problems of the country.
Ever anxious for a quiet life, he later scorned Margaret Thatcher, who confronted headlong all the issues that he had dodged. He was probably the last Prime Minister who would dare to spend an hour of every day in Downing Street reading Trollope and Jane Austen.
He lived to be 92, a witty sage to the last. I remember once hearing him reminisce about his wartime partnership with Field-Marshal Alexander in Italy.
'The last time we met,' Macmillan recounted, 'we were going into the theatre together. I said one of those old man's things: "Alex, wouldn't it be lovely to have it all to do over again."
'Alex turned to me and said: "Oh no. We might not do nearly so well." '
The wily old rogue knew that the same was true of himself. | <urn:uuid:374600a7-8f82-404f-8cfd-43cb082653a3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/books/article-1194262/The-super-life-Supermac-HAROLD-MACMILLAN-BY-CHARLES-WILLIAMS.html | 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 | 0.982364 | 1,438 | 1.5625 | 2 |
Posted 25 November 2009 - 11:51 PM
Posted 26 November 2009 - 12:39 AM
Posted 26 November 2009 - 09:27 AM
Film can also be hoaxed, however the expense involved generally deters most from trying. So film with negatives still maintain some level of credibility, although not 100%
So take it for what it is, no picture without colloborating evidence will ever be 100% convincing no matter what method is used.
Visit my website
Posted 26 November 2009 - 12:03 PM
If your going to be shooting alot of pics, it would only be natural to have a good quality camera.
For myself, I'd go with a digital. Like aptly pointed out above, in the end, it's still only a picture.
So, I'd go with the easier method.
It's nice to have immediate access to the pics you've taken. And honestly, if you get yourself a good quality printer, and some good paper, you can make prints almost identical in quality to a print from a photo lab.
Nothing says you can't use a film camera as well. I carry a disposable 35mm camera quite often. It's a backup to the digital in case of problems, and you have the added benefit that if you can snap a shot with that AND a digital camera, and there's some anomaly in the picture, you've given yourself an additional point of view.
Buy good equipment overall, but spend a little more on what your really going to be using a good part of the time.
If pictures are your big thing, you might benefit from a better camera as well. It's alot easier to learn something that interests us than it is to learn something that doesn't.
With a better camera, you may just become a better photographer.
Posted 26 November 2009 - 01:24 PM
you won't go bankrupt with the expenses....i pay about 2 dollars to process a roll of film, then scan the pictures with a film scanner....
if you're feeling up to it you can buy the chemicals and process yourself.....i used to do it but got bored with it after a while.....
35mm camera parts are usually cheaper too....check out garage sales/pawn shops...
plus i find 35mm looks way better than digital....so even if your picture doesn't have any ghosts in it, you can still end up with some great shots....
Posted 27 November 2009 - 02:10 PM
My wife is all about old school when it comes to camera's and taking pictures. She still has and uses an old Minolta from the late 70's to take pictures. The big clunky flash unit and all.
She says that it's more interactive than a digital camera.
We got our first digital camera a few years ago, and she fell in love with it. But to her, the digital camera is for taking pictures, the 35mm is for photography.
Thing is, in my research, I like all my equipment to be as easy to operate as a can opener. There's just too many bells and whistles and googaas on a film camera.
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0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users | <urn:uuid:ce5dca94-7706-4c83-bc1c-a371e287b56d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ghostvillage.com/ghostcommunity/index.php?s=f518ed8b27b8f97503fe13a22494aab6&showtopic=29410&pid=536516&st=0&forceDownload=1&_k=880ea6a14ea49e853634fbdc5015a024 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00041-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965729 | 666 | 1.859375 | 2 |
How is AD treated?
AD is a complex disease, and no single “magic bullet” is likely to prevent or cure it. That’s why current treatments focus on several different issues, including helping people maintain mental function, managing behavioral symptoms, and slowing AD.
AD research has developed to a point where scientists can look beyond treating symptoms to think about delaying or preventing AD by addressing the underlying disease process. Scientists are looking at many possible interventions, such as treatments for heart disease and type 2 diabetes, immunization therapy, cognitive training, changes in diet, and physical activity.
What drugs are currently available to treat AD?
No treatment has been proven to stop AD. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved four drugs to treat AD. For people with mild or moderate AD, donepezil (Aricept®), rivastigmine (Exelon®), or galantamine (Razadyne®) may help maintain cognitive abilities and help control certain behavioral symptoms for a few months to a few years. Donepezil can be used for severe AD, too. Another drug, memantine (Namenda®), is used to treat moderate to severe AD. However, these drugs don’t stop or reverse AD and appear to help patients only for months to a few years.
These drugs work by regulating neurotransmitters, the chemicals that transmit messages between neurons. They may help maintain thinking, memory, and speaking skills and may help with certain behavioral problems.
Other medicines may ease the behavioral symptoms of AD—sleeplessness, agitation, wandering, anxiety, anger, and depression. Treating these symptoms often makes patients more comfortable and makes their care easier for caregivers.
No published study directly compares the four approved AD drugs. Because they work in a similar way, it is not expected that switching from one of these drugs to another will produce significantly different results. However, an AD patient may respond better to one drug than another.
What potential new treatments are being researched?
NIA, part of the National Institutes of Health, is the lead Federal agency for AD research. NIA-supported scientists are testing a number of drugs and other interventions to see if they prevent AD, slow the disease, or help reduce symptoms.
Scientists are very interested in the toxic effects of beta-amyloid—a part of amyloid precursor protein found in deposits (plaques) in the brains of people with AD. Studies have moved forward to the point that researchers are carrying out preliminary tests in humans of potential therapies aimed at removing beta-amyloid, halting its formation, or breaking down early forms before they can become harmful. For example, in a clinical trial sponsored by NIA, scientists are testing whether “passive” immunization with an FDA-approved drug called IGIV can successfully treat people with Alzheimer’s.
The aging process
Some age-related changes may make AD damage in the brain worse. Researchers think that inflammation may play a role in AD. Studies have suggested that common nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) might help slow the progression of AD, but clinical trials so far have not shown a benefit from these drugs. Researchers are continuing to look at how other NSAIDs might affect the development or progression of AD.
Scientists are also looking at free radicals, which are oxygen or nitrogen molecules that combine easily with other molecules. The production of free radicals can damage nerve cells. The discovery that beta-amyloid generates free radicals in some AD plaques is a potentially significant finding in the quest to understand AD better.
Heart disease and diabetes
Research has begun to tease out relationships between AD and vascular diseases, which affect the body’s blood vessels. Some scientists have found that some chronic conditions that affect the vascular system, such as heart disease and diabetes, have been tied to declines in cognitive function or increased AD risk. Several clinical trials are studying whether treatments for these diseases can improve memory and thinking skills in people with AD or mild cognitive impairment.
A number of studies suggest that factors such as a healthy diet, exercise, and social engagement may be related to the risk of cognitive decline and AD. For example, emerging evidence suggests that physical activity might be good for our brains as well as our hearts and waistlines. Some studies in older people have shown that higher levels of physical activity or exercise are associated with a reduced risk of AD. Clinical trials are underway to study the relationship of exercise to healthy brain aging and the development of AD.
Scientists have also studied whether diet may help preserve cognitive function or reduce AD risk. Some studies have found that a “Mediterranean diet” was associated with a reduced risk of AD. To confirm the results, scientists are conducting clinical trials to examine the relationship between specific dietary components and cognitive function and AD.
Studies are looking into many other possible treatments, including hormones and cognitive training, to see if they might improve thinking skills in people with AD or even prevent AD in people who are at risk. For more information about treatment-related research, visit www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers or call the ADEAR Center at 1‑800‑438‑4380.
What are clinical trials?
People who want to help scientists test possible treatments may be able to take part in clinical trials, which are research studies that test the safety, side effects, or effectiveness of a medication or other intervention in humans. Study volunteers help scientists learn about the brain in healthy aging as well as what happens in AD. Results of AD clinical trials are used to improve prevention and treatment approaches.
National Institute on Aging
Page last updated Dec 08, 2010 | <urn:uuid:86b475ab-261a-4149-8f61-d6760455a060> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dementiatoday.com/ad-treatment/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947735 | 1,162 | 2.9375 | 3 |
People throw out all kinds of things in the trash that can be used to collect information about them and potentially steal their identity. Bank statements, utility bills, magazines, pre-approved credit card solicitations and even other junk mail all contain clues about you.
Many people use some sort of paper shredder to turn all of these kinds of documents into confetti before throwing them out. They want to make sure that nobody can pick up their trash and gain information about them. When it comes to disposing of your computer system, or a hard drive from your computer system, you need to be just as diligent.
Computers continue to become obsolete within a year or two, maybe three, and many people upgrade their existing computers or buy an entirely new one. The old computer or equipment can often be difficult to dispose of because nobody else wants obsolete equipment either.
But, whether you give your computer equipment away, sell it on eBay or just set it at the curb with the rest of your trash, you need to take appropriate precautions to ensure your personal and confidential data does not get passed on.
A study by Simson Garfinkel, author of Database Nation, found that drives purchased on eBay routinely contain sensitive or confidential data. Garfinkel was able to purchase an old ATM machine hard drive on eBay that contained 827 unique account PIN numbers. He purchased another drive on eBay that had previously been owned by a medical center. That drive contained information on 31,000 credit card numbers.
Before you get rid of an old hard drive or computer, you need to make sure the data on the drive is impossible to recover. Frankly, data is almost always recoverable to some degree, but with the proper precautions you can at least make sure that Joe Shmoe who bought your hard drive from your garage sale can't access your Quicken financial information.
First, you should understand that deleting files, and even formatting your hard drive, are not sufficient. Both processes really just remove the information the hard drive needs to find the data, not the data itself. Deleted files can be undeleted and formatted hard drives can be recovered.
To be sure that your data is removed beyond all practical ability to recover it, you should use a wiping or erasing utility. These tools overwrite every sector of the hard drive with binary 1's and 0's. Those that meet government security standards even overwrite each sector multiple times for added protection.
Each disk has its capability, interface type and its partitions(partition layout) which contains. You can identify disk drive by these information.
Disk Clone Wizard Kit
Best I have tried, I replaced a 20gb on old laptop with 120 gb new one... went very smooth.
Saray.G (US) May 18, 2010
Made the cloning of my hard drive for the upgrade very simple.
C. Klug (US) June 3, 2010
This one made a very simple copy of my old drive that worked. I didn't need to re-install Windows 7 or anything else for that matter. It was as simple as making the clone, swapping out the drives and rebooting.
Roger (US) June 10, 2010 | <urn:uuid:4bbe9e60-a5f7-41a3-a24f-b5b8600a13b3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://diskultimate.com/support-disk-wipe-wizard-kit.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9608 | 650 | 2.21875 | 2 |
Bleeding and cold, Tara Burr couldn’t move her legs. Still strapped into the remains of her crumpled car, which had just plunged 15 feet off a freeway exit ramp, she managed to call 911.
Her first inkling of the severity of her injuries came when the paramedics informed her that her left foot was pointing in the wrong direction. Over the next few days, as she drifted in and out of consciousness, she recalled hearing physicians tell her family that “things look bad” and “it’s unlikely she’ll ever walk again.”
Burr, now 26, suffered two broken ankles and a fractured pelvis in the crash. Her left leg also was broken. Her parents requested that Burr be transferred to Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center so that Kyle Dickson, M.D., could put the pieces back together.
Dr. Dickson, chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, had recently moved from New Orleans, where he was director of orthopaedic trauma at Tulane University. He brought with him to Houston a surgical technique that would help Burr get back on her feet.
Dr. Dickson, who specializes in complex fractures of the pelvis, hips, legs, and ankles, worked to realign the broken bones in Burr’s pelvis and leg.
Her left ankle was the injury that concerned him the most. Burr had suffered a high-energy tibial plafond fracture, which is typically seen in a patient who survives a motor vehicle accident or a fall from more than 10 feet. This injury is much worse than a simple ankle fracture. Essentially, because of the impact of the accident, the ankle joint becomes jammed up into the lower leg, crushing the joint into as many as 20 pieces.
Before air bags were installed in vehicles, patients who suffered severe plafond fractures in crashes often didn’t survive their other injuries, Dr. Dickson says. The added safety feature does a remarkable job of protecting drivers and passengers from fatal head and chest injuries, Dr. Dickson explains, but it leaves their lower extremities vulnerable to severe damage.
As air bags began to save lives, orthopaedic surgeons began to see more and more of severe plafond injuries. Initially the surgical approach was an “open” procedure (traditional surgery), using hardware such as screws to put the bones back together. Called an open reduction with internal fixation, this technique had a high rate of infection and amputation, and mobility outcomes were poor.
Dr. Dickson, chief of orthopaedic trauma at Memorial Hermann-TMC, sought to improve patients’ chances of walking again. He developed an external fixator to help stretch the crushed and shortened leg back into its normal position.
Dr. Dickson attaches the frame to the leg with pins between the ankle and the shin. Then he waits for the swelling around the ankle to diminish.
Operating too soon before the soft tissue has had time to heal can be detrimental to the patient’s recovery, Dr. Dickson says. When the swelling is under control, he operates, carefully working with screws and plates and using the external fixator to put the delicate pieces back together. The technique not only helps patients walk again but also decreases the risk of developing arthritis in the injured joint.
Patients continue to wear the external fixator for several months before Dr. Dickson allows them to put weight on the injured ankle. Dr. Dickson says that even after the frame comes off, patients with plafond fractures usually continue to heal and improve for a year after the initial injury.
Burr’s car crash happened in December 2006. In March, she took her first steps in the frame. She continued to wear the external fixator until the middle of April, and Dr. Dickson removed the frame just in time for her twin sister’s wedding.
“Initially, they said I would never be able to walk again, and if I did it would be with some assistance – a cane or a walker,” Burr says. “Thankfully there are people like Dr. Dickson who can help people walk again.”
Burr now walks tall and proud without any assistance. She may not be able to play sports again, and her toddler sometimes gets around faster than she does, but she counts her blessings.
In a transparent plastic bag, Burr keeps the external fixator that helped her to walk again. It reminds her of the 15-foot fall. It reminds her to never give up. It reminds her that there are people out there who can help.
For more information, or to refer a patient, call 1.877.4UT.DOCS (1.877.488.3627).
To advertise with us, please be sure to download our ad rate sheet PDF.
The latest issue is available here in PDF format. (NOTE: 25meg file)
Please send us your news & photos for CLASS NOTES.
The UT-Houston Medicine Magazine is produced by the Office of Communications for alumni, faculty, and friends of The University of Texas Medical School at Houston. To advertise with us, please download the advertising information PDF. | <urn:uuid:bb07cdb0-f617-4d60-b518-c59036fc68c5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://med.uth.tmc.edu/comm/alumniMag/2007-Fall/physicians/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00061-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965742 | 1,081 | 2.53125 | 3 |
There are 27 books in the New Testament. They can be divided into four main parts. To make a small book that will explain the contents of the New Testament, cut out the squares along the solid lines. Punch holes through the dots in the upper-left corners of the squares. Arrange the squares in numerical order. Attach them to each other by stringing a piece of yarn, string, or narrow ribbon through the holes and then tying a bow.
Note: If you do not wish to remove pages from the magazine, this activity may be copied, traced, or printed from www.lds.org. For English, click on “Gospel Library.” For other languages, click on the world map.
The New Testament
The Gospels, or the Testimonies
The first part of the New Testament includes the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. This part is called the Gospels, or the Testimonies, because these four books tell about Jesus Christ—His birth, His life and teachings, His Crucifixion, and His Resurrection.
The Acts of the Apostles
The second part of the New Testament includes only one book, the Acts of the Apostles. It tells how the Twelve Apostles continued to teach the gospel and build up the Church after the death of Jesus Christ.
The Epistles, or the Letters
The third part of the New Testament is called the Epistles, or the Letters. It contains some of the letters written by early Church leaders to different branches of the Church, teaching them principles of the gospel and how to live them. Some of these letters are named after the cities where believers lived, and some are named after the author who wrote them.
The Revelation of St. John the Divine
The last part of the New Testament contains one book, the Revelation of St. John the Divine. Using symbols and images, it tells of the dealings of the Savior Jesus Christ with people through all the ages of the earth’s history. It also tells of the Second Coming of Jesus, the Millennium, and the time when the earth will become celestial. | <urn:uuid:1ba302e2-3d6c-4473-b887-410d361b97e5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.lds.org/liahona/2007/01/the-new-testament?lang=eng | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00073-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.91644 | 437 | 4.03125 | 4 |
Defence in Depth for Securing Computer Systems/1. Preparation
Defence in Depth for Securing Computer Systems/Preparation
Before you can look at defending anything from attack you need to know two things:
1. Where does your boundary lie
2. What exactly are you defending
The first requirement is simple. Where is the boundary of your defences? Where does your domain end and the rest of the world (i.e. internet) begin? You can’t defend the castle if you are unsure where the castle wall is located.
The second requirement is just as simple. What is in your network? What are you defending? What types of defences do you need to mount? There is a quote from the Art of War (Sun Zhu), that describe this type of situation well:
If you know the enemy and know yourself you need not fear the results of a hundred battles
Basically the simple answer is to know what’s out there before the attacker does (and knowing the enemy will come a little later in this paper).
Undertaking baselining activity consists of two steps: | <urn:uuid:d5e071c5-99b5-4771-97c4-1aefa96aa58e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Defence_in_Depth_for_Securing_Computer_Systems/1._Preparation | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00030-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943854 | 229 | 2.8125 | 3 |
By: Martha Garcia | Published: October 22nd, 2012
New research involving the use of the epilepsy medication Zonegran for weight loss has shown promising results, but raises concerns about a number of potentially severe side effects seen.
Zonegran (zonisamide) is an anticonvulsant that is primarily used to treat different types of seizures in epileptics. However, a new study published this month in the Archives of Internal Medicine examined the effectiveness of Zonegran when used to treat obese adults hoping to achieve a reduction in weight.
Researchers found that participants were affected by numerous side effects of Zonegran, which caused several to drop out during the course of the weight loss study.
The randomized double-blind placebo-controlled one year trial was conducted out of Duke university Medical center in North Carolina. It followed 225 obese participants offering a third of the group a placebo, another third a 200mg dosage of Zonegran (zonisamide) and the final third a 400mg dosage of the drug.
In addition to giving participants a placebo or Zonegran, the study also provided assistance with diet and lifestyle by providing counseling with a dietician. The results of the study found the 400 mg dosage of Zonegran to be moderately effective for weight loss, while the placebo and 200 mg dosage groups achieved similar weight loss results.
The high dosage group lost an average of 16 pounds over the course of one year, but also experienced the highest incidence of major side effects. Participants reported gastrointestinal and nervous system related problems, psychiatric issues, impaired memory, nausea, vomiting, anxiety, depression, and infections. An average of six participants in each group dropped out of the trial citing adverse effects as the reason.
Currently the medication is only approved by the FDA for seizures, but can be prescribed off-label for other uses. The label warns that Zonegran side effects can result in severe skin rashes, suicidal thoughts, and problems with memory and thinking.
Dr. Kishore M. Gadde, lead researcher of the trial, holds patents for the drug zonisamide as a treatment for obesity and is also a stake holder in a company that is developing a weight loss drug which contains the patented zonisamide. | <urn:uuid:a695e9a9-09e6-4753-a7bc-f42c260d3dc1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.aboutlawsuits.com/zonegran-weight-loss-study-questions-35114/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.927067 | 447 | 2.859375 | 3 |
Sharing a Passion for the Arts
Herron alumna Meg Olsen uses clay sculpting to share her passion for the arts with young students
July 27, 2009 — Duration: 1:49
[M. Olsen] I got involved with young audiences, actually through my work with VSA Arts Indiana, One of my colleagues there, I was working there doing photography programs and also working in the clay studio and one of my co-workers there just let me know that young audiences needed a clay artist for their preschool program. The idea of that was to use clay to help support the literacy aspect of education with early childhood. So I would go in and read a story to the kids, the very ugly bug is a great story, and then we would make bugs. So they would take the story I read to them, and they would create a character from the story, and hopefully that would reinforce... they could make stories up about the bugs that they had made and hopefully it reinforces the story they heard and then the concepts that they were hopefully learning in the story and then they would have a little character they could take home.
When I go into the schools and I work with different students, the students I like working with the most are the kids who haven\'t made that connection, and I think that especially if you can catch them in middle school, because I think that in middle school, you sort of decide what your path is going to be. whether or not you are going to pay attention and try to get a good education or you\'re going to start cutting classes and do whatever you can to get out of going to school. Those are the kids I like to work with, because I feel like if you can touch them at that point, then they have a better chance of getting to high school, and then maybe going to college or trade school or something. | <urn:uuid:010e01b0-4df9-497f-bbcc-b71fd128af97> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.iupui.edu/podcasts/index.php?episode=361 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00064-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.98686 | 379 | 2.15625 | 2 |
Afghan Version of Sesame Street Sparks Children’s Imagination
While Sesame Workshop is best known for the educational television programs we produce both in the United States and around the world, we believe many forms of technology, both old and new, can be an effective way of bringing learning and laughter to children. That’s why an accompanying radio production has been a big part of the success of Baghch-e-Simsim, the Afghan version of Sesame Street. In Afghanistan many households don’t have television; the radio broadcast allows us to ensure that lessons about literacy, numeracy and cultural understanding reach as many children in the country as possible.
In the United States, when we mention iconic Sesame Street Muppets like Cookie Monster, Bert and Ernie, images of the characters immediately come to mind. But for the children whose only contact with the characters is the Baghch-e-Simsim radio program, they have to imagine what the characters look like. Periodically, around special events like festivals or the New Year, Afghan children send in drawings of Baghch-e-Simsim to the radio stations it airs on and we get a chance to see how their imaginations have brought the show to life. Equal Access, Sesame Workshop’s Afghanistan based radio production partner of Baghch-e-Simsim, sent us some of the children’s drawings they had received, and we wanted to share them with you. | <urn:uuid:d1cb26cb-5049-4d71-b5f7-ac049d0999a6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sesameworkshop.org/our-blog/2013/01/24/afghan-version-of-sesame-street-sparks-childrens-imagination/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951448 | 303 | 2.59375 | 3 |
A rich Australian state's plan to pay up to Aus$2,000 (US$2,106) to Aboriginal people whose wages were kept from them for decades has been criticized as a "cruel and heartless offer".
Western Australia, a vast and resource-rich state riding a lucrative mining boom, has announced the payments for the "stolen wages" of Aboriginal people born before 1958 whose wages were controlled by the state government.
But the state's Aboriginal legal service said the payment was scant compensation for the practice under which for decades many indigenous workers were given only "pocket money" while their full wages were held back.
Dennis Eggington, chief executive of the Aboriginal Legal Service of Western Australia, described the payment plan as "a slap in the face and a cruel and heartless offer".
"This offer is an affront to all fair-minded Western Australians who believe in common decency and a fair go, and it is a vile and disgusting breach of the duty of this state to those whose wages were stolen," he said.
"In a state that is reaping a fortune from the resource sector, to offer nothing more than the crumbs off the table is reminiscent of the mission ration days," he said in a statement released Tuesday.
For many years Australian governments placed extensive controls over the employment and wages of indigenous people.
In 2006 a Senate committee heard evidence of governments systematically withholding and mismanaging indigenous wages and entitlements for decades as well as evidence that Aborigines were underpaid or not paid at all.
In Western Australia (WA) the control of wages by employers, including the state government, was permitted under a law that gave the Department of Native Welfare the power to hold up to 75 percent of earnings in trust accounts.
In many instances, workers never saw this money.
WA Indigenous Affairs Minister Peter Collier said the wage law was one of "many unfortunate controls imposed on Aboriginal people by Federal and State governments across Australia" in the past.
He said most documentation about the accounts and monies held in trust had been lost, along with verification of who was affected and how much was held.
"For this reason, we have taken the decision to provide a reparation payment to those who can show they were affected," he said.
|Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved.||http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/32555| | <urn:uuid:0f64c70c-8184-4752-8abd-b4863aca4cb8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.naharnet.com/stories/32555-stolen-wages-offer-to-aborigines-heartless/print | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.983251 | 498 | 2.0625 | 2 |
It doesn't have to be this way: 12 products scientifically proven to ease your pain.
Alan Hedge has been studying what makes people uncomfortable for more than 25 years, but lately he's been a little sore. As director of Cornell's Human Factors Laboratory, he sums up the current state of ergo-nomics, the science of human-centered workplace design: "There's a lot of hogwash out there,"
he says. "It's not about having something feel different, it's about considering human anatomical, physiological and biomechanical characteristics as they relate to movement." | <urn:uuid:13d35bf2-5509-4eb1-af8b-dbbf9f74e3e4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.popsci.com/category/tags/human-factors-laboratory | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975971 | 118 | 1.65625 | 2 |
Today is November 1st and it marks the beginning of a VERY exciting month!
I have teamed up with my friend Jamie at hands on: as we grow to bring you a fabulous, fresh and fun-filled challenge called:
30 Days to Hands on Play!
What is the challenge?
To spend every day this month playing with our children:
- for at least 15 minutes a day
- without any interruptions
- trying out a new range of ideas and activities
How will the challenge work?
Jamie and I will present a short, easy play idea for every day in this coming month. We will alternate between our two blogs with each idea and encourage you to try it out and find some new ideas to freshen up your play repertoire!
We will be doing the challenge right along with you and would love it if we could all discuss how each day has gone in the comments or over in our Blog Frog forum The Play Network! We are looking forward to being as inspired and challenged by all of you as you are by the challenge itself.
The challenge starts now!
Spend a little bit of time thinking about this challenge. What do you hope to gain?
Think about your child (or children) What do they really love doing? What are they good at? Their special interests? This will be really helpful as the challenge unfolds.
I want to be inspired to try some new ways to play and to make sure that there are absolutely no distractions while doing so, so that both girls have my absolute full attention when we are together.
Cakie: is full of energy, loves to climb, throw, jump and run. She is also incredibly imaginative and will make up stories and role plays with toys or even her fingers! She loves to try things to see what they can do and to stack, build, tie and create.
Pop: adores colouring, painting and drawing and cries when we have to tidy those things away! She loves to fill and empty, build with blocks and take care of her baby dolls and teddies. She is curious and inquisitive, testing new materials and not in any way afraid to get messy or stuck right in!
Grab a coffee and a notepad and quickly write out your hopes for this challenge, then stick it on the fridge!
Tomorrow there will be the first play idea, shared over on hands on: as we grow!
Get reminders in your inbox for each day of this challenge | <urn:uuid:93ebbb10-16f7-4bd6-92a8-19d79800f99f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://theimaginationtree.com/2011/11/30-days-to-hands-on-play-challenge.html?showComment=1320145114687 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00029-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958004 | 506 | 2 | 2 |
If you want to learn to make your Flash websites truly interactive, then
it's very important that you understand how to alter the properties of your
objects dynamically. In this video, LearnFlash.com trainer Craig Campbell
will show you how to alter the "alpha" property, or the transparency, of an
object in Actionscript so that the object fades in and out as you move your
mouse cursor left and right across the stage. | <urn:uuid:594aab28-b0cd-4108-85fd-be87e60c01fe> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.flashvista.com/details/inl_language/portuguese/id/2995/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00075-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.905193 | 90 | 1.78125 | 2 |
- Buyer's guide
Budget Proposals Increase For Water Infrastructure
The production of Marcellus gas in New York State is already a red-hot political issue. There are only 15 shale gas wells in New York State, all of them vertical, according to Yancey Roy, spokesman for the NY Department of Environmental Conservation. That is what makes New York's draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement (dSGEIS) for horizontal shale gas fracturing so important. It was published Sept. 30, and the comment period closed at the end of December. Roy says the department is going through the 13,000 comments it received, some of them "ganged" signatures on single pieces of correspondence. Once the document becomes final, natural gas companies will be able to drill horizontally in the Marcellus area of New York for the first time. The dSGEIS proposes first-time permitting conditions for horizontal hydraulic fracturing, including disclosure of liquids used.
New York City has already weighed in against drilling in sections of Marcellus containing drinking water sources for the city. Steven Lawitts, the city's top environmental official, said hydraulic fracturing represented “unacceptable threats to the unfiltered fresh water supply of 9 million New Yorkers.” Roy explains that New York City water sources account for a small portion of the Marcellus area.
Chesapeake Energy, a major producer in New York but not yet in the shale game there, complained that the dSGEIS's proposed regulatory requirements and mitigation measures "are both costly and, in some cases, unnecessarily onerous . . . and have left New York with relatively few producers willing to devote scarce capital to New York. "However, the comments went on to say "Chesapeake is prepared to meet the extraordinarily high bar proposed in the dSGEIS."
Natural gas sectors nervous about EPA GHG tailoring rule
Based on comments it recently submitted, the pipeline industry is concerned that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will put tight constraints on methane gas emissions from compressor stations. Last fall, the EPA started the process by publishing a proposed "tailoring" rule that would require all facilities emitting more than 25,000 metric tons of CO2 equivalent annually to use "best available control technology" to reduce those emissions. About 874 of the nation’s 1,944 natural gas transmission compressor stations emitted 25,000 or more metric tons per year of GHGs -- most of it methane -- according to government statistics cited by INGAA. But INGAA thinks the numbers are actually much higher. | <urn:uuid:5078ce4a-317e-4a34-9db3-1b76e7a89215> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ucononline.com/budget-proposals-increase-water-infrastructure?page=3 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938479 | 525 | 2.328125 | 2 |
« Back to Job Interview Workshop Index
- Think of the interview as a relay game in which you and the manager pass a “baton” back and forth with the common goal of figuring out if you and the employer’s organization are a winning combination.
- Research the company. By knowing as much as possible about the organization you’re interviewing with, you’ll be able to speak about topics that are relevant to the job you’re applying for.
- Learn about your interviewer. Try to dig up one or two things about her accomplishments, history with the organization, outside interests—anything that will help you break the ice and speak to her about things she’s interested in.
- Create a portfolio of your work. If you have samples of projects you want to show the interviewer, organize them in a folder or briefcase and bring them with you.
- Make a list of questions you want to ask in order to decide if you want to accept a job offer.
- Get clear directions to the interview site and arrive on time—or early—for your meeting.
- A professional-looking outfit is bound to impress most employers, even if you wouldn’t usually dress up that much everyday on the job. Here’s a rule of thumb: Dress one notch above what you’d wear to a typical day at work. Women should be sure to dress modestly and should not wear perfume, bulky jewelry, or excessive makeup. Guys, stay away from the cologne… although a little deodorant is good.
- When you pack your bag for the interview, be sure to put in a few copies of your resume, a pen, note pad, and that list of questions you want to ask. Also bring your work portfolio -- samples of your work, if you have any (such as a brochure you wrote or a design your created), that's relevant to the job you're applying for.
- Your interview starts the minute you walk in the company's front door and lasts until you exit that door. So, keep your best foot forward from start to finish.
- Smile, especially when you first meet the interviewer. That first impression will stick in the manager’s mind for a long time.
- There’s nothing like a confident handshake! The right amount of tension in your grip is important—not too tight, not too limp.
- Eye contact is actually a form of communication and it has a magical ability to build rapport. So, make eye contact with your interviewer, both when you’re talking and when he’s talking.
- Try to have good posture that shows you’re alert and focused. Avoid negative body language. In other words, don’t cross your arms over your chest, don’t clench your fists, don’t clutch your purse or briefcase tightly, or do anything that might indicate insecurity, hostility, or resistance to change.
- Listen carefully to everything the interviewer says, and ask questions when you don’t understand something. Understanding each question will help you give the best response.
- Answer questions with an appropriate balance of confidence and modesty.
- Respond with answers based on PAR (Problem, Action, Result): What was a problem you faced? What action did you take to solve it? What was the result?
- Occasionally finish your answers with a relevant leading question. This will shift your interview from an interrogation to a dialog.
- Once in awhile, answer a question by saying what somebody else has said about you. Something like: “My supervisor always used to say, 'Bob’s the one you want around when it’s time to launch a product.'”
- It’s OK to be quiet for a minute before you answer a question. It’ll help you gather your ideas and give a good answer. The employer will appreciate the fact that you’re thoughtful.
- Be honest, even if that means saying you don’t know something or you don’t have a particular experience. At some point, you may need to say something like: “No, I’ve never done that, but here’s why I know I can do it, or why I think I’d be very good at it.”
- Be prepared to tell stories that demonstrate how you work with people, as the interviewer is undoubtedly curious as to how you'll fit in with his staff. Remember to weave your stories into the answers of pertinent questions.
- A great way to build rapport is to use your interviewer’s name when you answer a question. So learn his name, and, if it’s a tricky one, practice the pronunciation beforehand so it’ll roll off your tongue during your interview.
- Delay talking about salary history and expectations until you fully understand what is entailed in the job and you've had time to think about what is fair. (More about salary negotiations coming up.)
- When introduced to potential co-workers, be friendly. Your interviewer may be watching to see how you interact with his staff and may later ask employees how they liked you.
- Close the interview with "thank you".
- Send a thank you letter as soon as your interview is completed. After all, the employer took a chunk out of his day to give you a chance to win a job, so this is the time for you to say “thanks” —in writing.
Interview/Job Search Coach
« Back to Job Interview Workshop Index | <urn:uuid:2de8b773-accf-4a57-b394-f5d1768486b5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://susanireland.com/interview/how-to/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94847 | 1,159 | 1.84375 | 2 |
November 17, 2011
All my life ive been told that the perfect way to learn is by doing mistakes, this is a widely accepted concept and a thing that almost everyone holds as a truth. Lets look at an example too see if this really is the best way to go about it.
Lets say that you picked up a guitar for the first time in your life and someone played a g chord for you and told you to play the same chord but they didnt show you how to do it. Then you could put your fingers on the guitar and hope that you can find out how to play it, for everytime you put your fingers down wrong you gain so much knowledge about how to play, right? Not really.. The problem is that on a guitar you can put down your fingers in a million different ways and still dont hit the chord right, it is the same with life, you just dont have 3 or 4 different ways to live your life, instead you are bombed with small decisions all the time and you can probably keep making one wrong decision after another, thinking that you are learning from your mistakes but in reality you have no idea how to stop making different mistakes over and over again.
So how do we learn how to take the g chord? We ask someone that know how to play it and just learn how to do it the same way.
How do we learn how to live our lives? This is a far more complex question than the above because in life only YOU can answer what is wrong and what is right for you so it is up yo you to find out what makes you really happy. How do you know what makes you happy? This might be easier than you think, just use a couple of days, live your life exactly as you normaly do, but be mindful about what you really feel and think about all the things in your life. Is eating unhealthy making you feel good or bad? How about exercising? socializing? Cleaning? Sleeping? partying? If you take notice of what really benefits you, and what make you a better and happier person an write these things down every day you will see a dramatic change in your life, i know im starting to see it already! | <urn:uuid:1637aebe-f3fd-493d-9372-796871f7344a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.deucescracked.com/blogs/zankaa/81261-The-best-way-to-learn-is-from-your-mistakes-right- | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9743 | 448 | 2.21875 | 2 |
Williams v. Rhodes/Concurrence Stewart
|Williams v. Rhodes by
United States Supreme Court
WILLIAMS v. RHODES
Argued: Oct. 7, 1968. --- Decided: Oct 15, 1968
Mr. Justice STEWART concurs in the judgment in No. 544 insofar as it denies equitable relief to the appellants.
Mr. Justice DOUGLAS.
Ohio, through an entangling web of election laws, has effectively foreclosed its presidential ballot to all but Republicans and Democrats. It has done so initially by abolishing write-in votes so as to restrict candidacy to names on the ballot; it has eliminated all independent candidates through a requirement that nominees enjoy the endorsement of a political party; it has defined 'political party' in such a way as to exclude virtually all but the two major parties.
A candidate who seeks a place on the Ohio presidential ballot must first compile signatures of qualified voters who total at least 15% of those voting in the last gubernatorial election. In this election year, 1968, a candidate would need 433,100 such signatures. Moreover, he must succeed in gathering them long before the general election, since a nominating petition must be filed with the Secretary of State in February. That is not all: having compiled those signatures, the candidate must further show that he has received the nomination of a group which qualifies as a 'political party' within the meaning of Ohio law. It is not enough to be an independent candidate for President with wide popular support; one must trace his support to a political party.
To qualify as a party, a group of electors must participate in the state primary, electing one of its members from each county ward or precinct to a county central committee; two of its members from each congressional district to a state central committee; and some of its members as delegates and alternates to a national convention. Moreover, those of its members who seek a place on the primary ballot as candidates for positions as central committeemen and national convention delegates must demonstrate that they did not vote in any other party primary during the preceding four years; and must present petitions of endorsement on their behalf by anywhere from five to 1,000 voters who likewise failed to vote for any other party in the last preceding primary. Thus, to qualify as a third party, a group must first erect elaborate political machinery, and then rest it upon the ranks of those who have proved both unwilling and unable to vote.
Having elected a central committee, the group has it convene a state convention attended by 500 delegates duly apportioned throughout the State according to party strength. Delegates to the state convention then go on to choose presidential electors for certification on the November ballot, while elected delegates to the national convention go on to nominate their candidate for President. Ohioans, to be sure, as a result of the decision below, enjoy the opportunity of writing in the man of their choice on the ballot. But in a presidential election, a vote for a candidate is only operative as a vote for the electors representing him; and where the State has prevented that candidate from presenting a slate of electors for certification, the write-in vote has no effect. Furthermore, even where operative, the write-ins are no substitute for a place on the ballot.
To force a candidate to rely on writeins is to burden him with disability. It makes it more difficult for him to get elected, and for the voters to elect him.
These barriers of party, timing, and structure are great obstacles. Taken together they render it difficult, if not impossible, for a man who disagrees with the two major parties to run for President in Ohio, to organize an opposition, and to vote a third ticket.
The selection of presidential electors is provided in Art. II, § 1, of the Constitution. It is unnecessary in this case to decide whether electors are state rather than federal officials, whether States may select them through appointment rather than by popular vote, or whether there is a constitutional right to vote for them. For in this case Ohio has already provided for them to be chosen by right to popular suffrage. Having done so, the question is whether Ohio may encumber that right with conditions of the character imposed here.
The First Amendment, made applicable to the States by reason of the Fourteenth Amendment, lies at the root of these cases. The right of association is one form of 'orderly group activity' (NAACP v. Button, 371 U.S. 415, 430, 83 S.Ct. 328, 336, 9 L.Ed.2d 405), protected by the First Amendment. The right 'to engage in association for the advancement of beliefs and ideas' (NAACP v. State of Alabama ex rel. Patterson, 357 U.S. 449, 460, 78 S.Ct. 1163, 1171, 2 L.Ed.2d 1488), is one activity of that nature that has First Amendment protection. As we said in Bates v. City of Little Rock, 361 U.S. 516, 523, 80 S.Ct. 412, 416, 4 L.Ed.2d 480 'freedom of association for the purpose of advancing ideas and airing grievances is protected by the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment from invasion by the States.' And see Louisiana ex rel. Gremillion v. NAACP, 366 U.S. 293, 296, 81 S.Ct. 1333, 1335, 6 L.Ed.2d 301. At the root of the present controversy is the right to vote-a 'fundamental political right' that is 'preservative of all rights.' Yick Wo v. Hopkins, 118 U.S. 356, 370, 6 S.Ct. 1064, 1071, 30 L.Ed. 220. The rights of expression and assembly may be 'illusory if the right to vote is undermined.' Wesberry v. Sanders, 376 U.S. 1, 17, 84 S.Ct. 526, 535, 11 L.Ed.2d 481.
In our political life, third parties are often important channels through which political dissent is aired: 'All political ideas cannot and should not be channeled into the programs of our two major parties. History has amply proved the virtue of political activity by minority, dissident groups, which innumerable times have been in the vanguard of democratic thought and whose programs were ultimately accepted. * * * The absence of such voices would be a symptom of grave illness in our society.' Sweezy v. State of New Hampshire, 354 U.S. 234, 250-251, 77 S.Ct. 1203, 1212, 1 L.Ed.2d 1311 (opinion of Warren, C.J.).
The Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment permits the States to make classifications and does not require them to treat different groups uniformly. Nevertheless, it bans any 'invidious discrimination.' Harper v. Virginia State Board of Elections, 383 U.S. 663, 667, 86 S.Ct. 1079, 1081, 16 L.Ed.2d 169.
That command protects voting rights and political groups (Carrington v. Rash, 380 U.S. 89, 85 S.Ct. 775, 13 L.Ed.2d 675), as well as economic units, racial communities, and other entities. When 'fundamental rights and liberties' are at issue (Harper v. Virginia State Board of Elections, supra, 383 U.S. at 670, 86 S.Ct. at 1083), a State has less leeway in making classifications than when it deals with economic matters. I would think that a State has precious little leeway in making it difficult or impossible for citizens to vote for whomsoever they please and to organize campaigns for any school of thought they may choose, whatever part of the spectrum it reflects.
Cumbersome election machinery can effectively suffocate the right of association, the promotion of political ideas and programs of political action, and the right to vote. The totality of Ohio's requirements has those effects. It is unnecessary to decide whether Ohio has an interest, 'compelling' or not, in abridging those rights, because 'the men who drafted our Bill of Rights did all the 'balancing' that was to be done in this field.' Konigsberg v. State Bar, 366 U.S. 36, 61, 81 S.Ct. 997, 1012, 6 L.Ed.2d 105 (Black, J., dissenting). Appellees would imply that 'no kind of speech is to be protected if the Government can assert an interest of sufficient weight to induce this Court to uphold its abridgment.' (Id., at 67, 81 S.Ct., at 1015.) I reject that suggestion.
A three-judge district court held that appellants were entitled to the use of write-in ballots. Yet it refrained from ordering the Ohio American Independent Party to be placed on the ballot, relying partly on laches and partly on the presence of what it deemed to be so-called 'political' questions. 290 F.Supp. 983. First Amendment rights, the right to vote, and other 'fundamental rights and liberties' (Harper v. Virginia State Board of Elections, supra, 383 U.S. at 670, 86 S.Ct., at 1083) have a well-established claim to inclusion in justiciable, as distinguished from 'political,' questions; and the relief the Court grants meets the practical needs of appellees in preparing and distributing the ballots.
The Socialist Labor Party, with a lineage that goes back to the presidential contest in 1892, by 1964 was on the ballot in 16 States. Today, although it has only 108 members in Ohio, it earnestly presses its claim for recognition. Yet it started the present action so late that concededly it would now be impossible to get its name on all the ballots. The relief asked is of such a character that we properly decline to allow the federal courts to play a disruptive role in this 1968 state election. On the merits, however, the Socialist Labor Party has as strong a case as the American Independent Party, as my Brother HARLAN states and as the Court apparently agrees. It is therefore proper for us to grant it declaratory relief.
Hence I concur in today's decision; and, while my emphasis is different from the Court's, I join its opinion.
^1 Ohio Rev.Code § 3505.03 (1930 Repl.Vol.).
^2 Independent candidacy in Ohio is limited to municipal offices, Ohio Rev.Code §§ 3513.251-3513.252; county offices, Ohio Rev.Code § 3513.256; state office and federal office, excluding President, Ohio Rev.Code §§ 3513.257-3513.258.
^3 Ohio Rev.Code §§ 3505.10, 3513.05-3513.191, 3517.01 3517.04.
^4 A candidate for President must first formulate a party by gathering signatures, Ohio Rev.Code § 3517.01, which must, in turn, be presented in time for the party to participate in the state primary. Ohio Rev.Code §§ 3513.256-3513.262.
^5 Ohio Rev.Code § 3513.258.
^6 Ohio Rev.Code § 3505.10.
^7 Ohio Rev.Code §§ 3517.02-3517.04.
^8 Ohio Rev.Code § 3505.10.
^9 Ohio Rev.Code § 3513.191.
^10 Ohio Rev.Code § 3513.05.
^11 Ohio Rev.Code § 3513.11.
^12 Ohion Rev.Code § 3513.12.
^13 Bates v. City of Little Rock, 361 U.S. 516, 528, 80 S.Ct. 412, 419, 4 L.Ed.2d 480 (Black and Douglas, JJ., concurring); Smith v. People of State of California, 361 U.S. 147, 157, 80 S.Ct. 215, 220, 4 L.Ed.2d 205 (Black, J., concurring).
|This work is in the public domain in the United States because it is a work of the United States federal government (see 17 U.S.C. 105).| | <urn:uuid:a685a262-a5bb-4bce-9070-a6791075670b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Williams_v._Rhodes/Concurrence_Stewart | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00071-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946271 | 2,588 | 1.679688 | 2 |
Pomona, CA…Twenty-five million Americans have osteoporosis, which is known as the most common bone disease. Fifty thousand people die each year because of it. Yet, most of us know little about protecting ourselves from this disease.
Osteoporosis results in more than 1 million hip, spine, and wrist fractures annually. This disorder affects nearly one-half of all post menopausal women, the largest group at high risk for osteoporosis. It also affects men with underlying conditions with osteoporosis as a secondary diagnosis.
Research in osteoporosis, the disorder in which progressive bone loss results in increased risk of fracture, is making important new advances. A key factor in this success has been the availability of new and improved equipment to measure bone density.
Using a bone densitometer, physicians can measure patient bone density and follow it over time. If the patient’s bone density is low, or decreases at an abnormally fast rate, the patient may be at risk for osteoporosis. Through changes in diet, exercise habits and/or medication, further deterioration of bone can be prevented. A new bone densitometer was recently installed at Casa Colina’s Outpatient Center along with the opening of its new Osteoporosis & Bone Health Program.
“The Lunar bone densitometer measures the density of the spine, hip, and other bones which are the most frequent sites of fracture,” explained Dr. Eugene Boling, board-certified rheumatologist and Director of the Casa Colina Osteoporosis & Bone Health Program.
“In just 30 seconds, this highly precise densitometer helps us identify risk at a much earlier stage. It can also evaluate response to treatment so that we know whether our therapy is effective or if we need to modify our approach.”
“Recent research findings clarify the nature of osteoporosis and demonstrate the effectiveness of new treatments. New diagnostic devices, such as the GE Healthcare Lunar bone densitometer at Casa Colina, improve the early detection and treatment of osteoporosis. It also has the potential to catch other diseases such as degenerative arthritis or cancer. This new equipment, coupled with the fact that Casa Colina’s tests are read by physician specialists who have undergone rigorous training with the International Society of Clinical Densitometry, results in pristine, highly accurate readings so the patient is properly diagnosed and appropriately treated for optimum results,” said Dr. Boling.
Dr. Boling encourages individuals to visit Casa Colina’s Outpatient Center and be evaluated for a bone density examination. “There is no special preparation involved for the patient. The exam is very brief and is a comfortable procedure for the patient,” he said.
For further information about the Casa Colina Osteoporosis & Bone Health Program, call 909/450-0295. | <urn:uuid:e0945a3c-5baf-4fdd-896c-1bfe8494087f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.casacolina.org/Members-of-the-Press/Press-Releases/2006/New-Technology-at-Casa-Colina-Outpatient-Center-3.aspx?LargeFonts=true | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.922357 | 613 | 2.6875 | 3 |
On This Date January 9, 2013Posted by Lofty Ambitions in Aviation.
Tags: Art & Science, Dryden Flight Research Center, Museums & Archives, Wright Brothers, WWII
Today is the birthday—first flight day—of two aircraft that share some background but also differ significantly. A good portion of the world was at war in the 1940s, and that gave rise to these two aircraft in different places. The AVRO Lancaster first took to the war-torn skies of England seventy-two years ago, in 1941, when test pilot Bill Thorn coaxed prototype BT308 to off of the tarmac and into the air at Manchester’s Ringway Airport. Two years later, in 1943, the prototype L-049 Constellation made its first flight, a short hop really, from Burbank, CA, to Muroc Air Force Base (later to become Edwards Air Force Base and also current home to NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center).
Large, four-engined, and born during World War II are among the very limited set of characteristics that the Lancaster and the Constellation had in common. That said, both aircraft followed architect’s Louis Sullivan’s “form ever follows function” dictum to a tee and turned out very differently.
The Lancaster was designed as a bomber. Utilitarian, slab sided, and broad winged, the Lancaster is not easily mistaken for anything but a military aircraft. The Lancaster began military service in February 1942, and more than 7,000 would be built before the last “Lanc” was retired in 1963. During WWII, Lancaster’s flew nearly 160,000 missions. The Lancaster gained particular fame during the war for its use of bouncing bombs in mission against dams.
While the Lanc was decidedly of its time, the Lockheed Constellation—affectionately known as the “Connie”—had an art deco design, a blend of organic shapes and machine grace, that was ahead of its time. Much larger than the Lanc—early Connies had a takeoff weight of 137,500 lb versus the Lanc’s 68,000 lb—the Lockheed design was curved and sinous. Many mid-twentieth-century trains, planes, and automobiles were shaped to cheat the wind, and a designer’s eyeball of that era served as a wind-tunnel test. The Connie looks like it’s going fast even when it is sitting still.
Much is often made of Howard Hughes’s involvement in the design of the Connie. In reality, Hughes’ TWA simply issued the specification for the Connie, and Lockheed engineered an aircraft to satisfy that spec. Once the Connie was flying though, Hughes, ever the promoter and master showman, made headlines with the aircraft. Because of his close relationship to Lockheed, Hughes managed to finagle the use of an early Constellation. Once he had it, he repainted it in TWA colors and promptly set a speed record while flying it across the country. Passengers on that trip included Hughes’s gal-pal Ava Gardner and Lockheed engineer (and Upper Peninsula native) Kelly Johnson. On his return trip, Hughes garnered more press by giving Orville Wright what would be the aviation pioneer’s last flight.
Despite its obvious style and speed—the Connie was faster than a number of WWII fighter aircraft—the Connie had a short and somewhat difficult career. Its Wright 3350 engines had a reputation for inflight fires, leading to uncomfortable jokes about the Connie, which had four engines, being the world’s faster trimotor. On top of that, the first generation of jet airliners arrived just as the Connie began to hit its stride. Although Connies survived for a number of years in the military and in passenger service outside of the United States, this aircraft made its final domestic revenue flight in 1967.
As we’ve written elsewhere, we have a fondness for visiting small airports just to see what’s sitting on the ramp. We developed this ritual while we were both professors at our alma mater, Knox College, in the late-1990s. Years later, on a return trip to Galesburg, we visited the local airport—call sign KGBG—for old-time’s sake. Sitting there in all of its shapely, aluminum glory was a Constellation.
The first Constellation that we saw in the metal was the so-called MATS Connie, one of the handful still flying and once owned by John Travolta. We’ve also seen the military variant at Chanute-Rantoul, just outside of Champaign, IL, where our colleague Richard Bausch once served. President Eisenhower flew on a Constellation; he had two in service at the time.
Only two Lancasters remain airworthy, one in the United Kingdom and one at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum. There’s a Lanc near us, though, in Chico, CA, that folks are planning to restore to flying condition. A reminder that we haven’t yet thoroughly investigated the aviation history that’s right in our own back yard here in Southern California. | <urn:uuid:8683ce0c-5cb0-461c-9831-320efeb5a105> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://loftyambitions.wordpress.com/2013/01/09/on-this-date/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969032 | 1,074 | 3.265625 | 3 |
Kindergarten and First-grade teachers were introduced to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts during a two-day teacher training workshop I conducted recently in Louisiana. We started off the two-day inquiry-based STEM training by discussing STEM philosophy, critical thinking in the classroom, reflective journaling, and the engineering design process. Teachers conducted numerous hands-on-minds-on inquiry-based STEM investigations throughout the two-day session. A key component of my STEM trainings are spent on conveying the need for teachers to design STEM investigations that are student-driven versus teacher driven. It’s not easy for teachers to release control of the classroom, especially at the Kindergarten and First-Grade level. However, the implementation of student-driven STEM investigations is a natural for the primary level classrooms. Teachers were introduced to the following concepts during the two-day teacher training session:
- Stem philosophy and practices;
- Critical thinking in the STEM classroom;
- Designing and implementing student driven vs. teacher driven STEM investigations;
- Reflective journaling in the STEM classroom;
- Identifying patterns and shapes in nature and man-made structures;
- Building 2 and 3-D structures with simple materials;
- Floating and sinking;
- Boat building and testing;
- Architectural engineering concepts;
- Blocks in the STEM classroom;
- Designing and building self-sustaining ecosystems to house backyard invertebrates;
- Reverse engineering;
- and Ramp science.
The photos below will give you a bird’s eye-view of how engaged teachers were during the two-day STEM teacher training session. Once again, it was a great group of teachers who left motivated and ready to implement STEM investigations within their own classrooms. | <urn:uuid:59da32b4-4128-4b52-8f3d-faeca0a1831a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.drdianateachertraining.com/tag/dr-diana-wehrell-grabowski/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00073-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955961 | 369 | 3.703125 | 4 |
Monday, January 9th, 2012
Strengthening the Civic Mission of Charter Schools
By Robin Lake and Cheryl Miller
(January 6, 2012)
WATCH: Seth Andrew of Democracy Prep Public Schools discusses how charter schools can serve as a model for civic education at an AEI event.
Charter schools provide an intriguing opportunity to rethink the role of public schools in preparing students to become informed and engaged participants in the American political system. As public schools of choice, charter schools are freed from many rules and regulations that can inhibit innovation and improvement. They can readily adopt best practices in civic education and encourage (or even mandate) extracurricular activities to enhance civic learning. With their decentralized approach to administration, they can allow parents and students a far greater role in school governance than they would have in traditional public schools.
In exchange for that flexibility, charter schools must define a clear mission and performance outcomes for themselves. In service of their chosen missions, high-performing charters seek to forge a transformative school culture for their students—expressed in slogans on hallway placards, banners, and T-shirts, and heard in chants, ceremonies, and codes of conduct. Successful charters create a culture in which everyone associated with the school is united around a common mission, enabling them to articulate goals and aspirations that might otherwise be hampered by constituency politics and parental objections. Charter school leaders can (and do) speak forthrightly about the need to teach students good social skills, instill among their pupils a sense of community, and encourage students to make positive change in the world.
This unique autonomy coupled with a strong mission orientation would seem to be a winning combination for civic education. Yet, even as charter schooling has been at the forefront of education reform efforts, we know remarkably little about how these schools approach this critical dimension of education. What have charter schools done with the opportunity to rethink civic education? Are there lessons to be learned? Are there challenges that impede their ability to teach citizenship?
In some respects, this lack of attention is hardly a surprise. Over the past couple of decades, the school reform movement has been largely focused on redressing deficiencies in basic skills such as reading and math and boosting graduation rates. At the federal level, civic education has been marginalized. Civics is not among the subjects tested under the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act, nor is it part of the Obama administration’s Race to the Top, which offers competitive grants to states that establish performance-based standards for teachers and adopt common “college- and career-ready” standards in reading and math. More recently, the federal government has drastically cut back funding for civic education programs: the Teaching American History grant program, the Presidential and Congressional Academies, and the Center for Civic Education’s “We the People” civics program are all ending or will see their activities significantly reduced. Fewer than half of states test high school students in social studies or government (the traditional “home” for civics).
The current focus on basic academic skills is hardly unreasonable; indeed, given the problems that mark American education today, it is absolutely essential. Yet an otherwise healthy emphasis has also dramatically narrowed our understanding of the purposes of education. By characterizing education primarily as the path to personal and professional advancement, reformers have (albeit unintentionally) redefined education as a private good, divorcing schooling from its historic role of instructing young people for citizenship.
This trend is particularly lamentable in the case of charter schools, given their role as laboratories of innovation—they can be public education’s research and development (R&D) arm for civic education. Because they have greater autonomy and tend to attract innovative educators, charters can experiment with new methods and strategies that, if proven effective, can be adopted by the larger public school system. Charters have a potentially powerful role to play as trendsetters for civic learning and can remind educators and policymakers of the many purposes of the schoolhouse.
Strengthening civic education in charter schools may be all the more important given the student population served by many charters. Just as an achievement gap exists in reading and math, so too does a civic achievement gap. Harvard researcher Meira Levinson notes that “as early as fourth grade and continuing into the eighth and twelfth grades, poor, African-American, and Hispanic students perform significantly worse on the civics test of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) than white, Asian, and middle-class students.” Other studies have found that disadvantaged students have fewer opportunities to take civics courses and engage in civic activities.
Charter schools serve exactly these students. According to the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, charters serve a higher percentage of minority students and students from low-income families than other public schools. Giving these students the knowledge, skills, and habits to participate in civic life would seem to be a key priority, deeply connected to the obviously important vocational and professional goals that charter schools have set for themselves.
Fortunately, a number of charter school leaders are giving serious thought to the question of civic education. Newer entrants to the charter school arena have made citizenship and civic education their organizing theme and mission, including Democracy Prep Public Schools (opened in August 2006), the United Neighborhood Organization (UNO) Charter School Network (2004), and the pioneering César Chávez Public Charter Schools for Public Policy (1998). Prominent charter leaders, such as Mike Feinberg at KIPP, are speaking out about charter schools’ civic mission and are working to introduce and enhance citizenship education curricula.
To better understand and advance the efforts of charter schools to teach citizenship, the American Enterprise Institute’s Program on American Citizenship and its Education Policy Studies Program convened a meeting of more than a dozen charter school educators and administrators in May 2011 in San Francisco. In a conversation that included representatives from KIPP, YES Prep, César Chávez, UNO, BASIS Schools, High Tech High, National Heritage Academies, and Democracy Prep, among others, participants spoke frankly about the need to do a better job of helping students develop as moral individuals and citizens.
Over a day’s discussion, the following themes and tensions emerged: | <urn:uuid:fe144c62-82ee-4f19-bb03-7fee2476252e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.citizenship-aei.org/2012/01/strengthening-the-civic-mission-of-charter-schools/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00068-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955802 | 1,276 | 2.234375 | 2 |
We hear all the statistics about the likelihood of you or someone you know being diagnosed.
When Angelina Jolie's announcement made worldwide news, 13WMAZ's Judy Le went out in Central Georgia to put the statistics in terms of real mothers, sisters, daughters and friends.
One in eight women has a chance of being diagnosed with breast cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute.
"I had an aunt who had breast cancer and who died when I was 11," says Marsha Gainey of Macon.
"My great great grandmother had it and it's crap. It's not good at all," says Macy Schack of Byron.
It's the most common cancer among women in the United States.
Here are some ways to take control of the disease before it takes control of you.
If you're in your early 20's, start examining your breasts yourself to find lumps.
In your 30's, get clinical breast exams every three years and your doctor's advice. | <urn:uuid:2e0339f7-ac0f-4ade-b522-5b1723606ac3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://peachcrawford.13wmaz.com/news/health | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00059-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.981187 | 204 | 2.328125 | 2 |
We must stop living and dying this way
Pictured: U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.)
Although the close of November brought with it the official end to American Diabetes Month, we must continue to heighten awareness of how serious this disease is - particularly within the African American community. Pictured: U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.)
Although the close of November brought with it the official end to American Diabetes Month, we must continue to heighten awareness of how serious this disease is - particularly within the African American community.
I grew up looking forward to joining my family after church for a delicious feast of fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, and other Southern delights. For all the joys of these traditional dinners, however, even thinking about them now is enough to clog my arteries. How we eat is all too often related to how we will die; we must change our lifestyles now in order to save our lives later.
Thoughts of Sunday dinners cannot overcome the harsh reality that diabetes is now the fourth leading cause of death in African-American families. More than 3 million of us are now burdened by this disease--nearly twice the incidence among Caucasians – and our traditional diet is a major contributor to this disparity.
Many factors contributing to diabetes are preventable--including high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol, and insufficient physical activity. By choosing to move more and eat less, we can extinguish our vulnerability to this disease – and prevent it from extinguishing us.
Diabetes leads to a vast array of health problems including blindness, amputations, and kidney, nerve, and dental disease. It also increases vulnerability to dying of heart disease and stroke.
In fact, adults with diabetes are two to four times more likely to die of heart disease than those who have not been weakened by the disease, and African-Americans are even more susceptible to these complications than our White counterparts.
However, recent studies have offered us hope. The development of type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed by up to 58 percent through simple changes--such as reducing body weight by 5 to 10 percent and participating in moderate physical activity (such as a thirty-minute walk) five days a week. For an adult weighing 200 lbs., this would mean losing only 10-20 lbs.
Taking such proactive measures has even been shown to reverse elevated blood sugar levels back to a normal range.
Having lost over 40 pounds myself in recent months, I can personally attest to how simple this feat is. I eat smaller portions of healthier food, and I make time to work out every day--even when Congress is in session.
Our elders often speak casually about having "a little sugar" when the doctor warns them of their high blood pressure, but this condition is a siren alarming all of us to take charge of our health.
It is vital that we start with our children. The need for this increased public awareness is driving a national movement to make healthy foods available to every American child. It is no secret that low-income and urban areas are already at a disadvantage. Too many families in these areas lack access to grocery stores that stock fresh produce and healthy snacks at an affordable price.
I have been working hard with my colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus to ensure that we address these broader issues through legislation. Over the summer we passed the Farm Bill, which makes vital expansions to the nutrition programs that help 35 million low-income families. Included is an expansion of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Snack Program that provides all schoolchildren with the opportunity to eat healthfully, as well as a program that provides vouchers to low-income seniors for purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables from farmers' markets.
Passing legislation is not enough. We must also rise up together as a community and educate our loved ones about the causes and risks associated with our daily diets.
I urge you to get tested for diabetes. Additionally, if you have diabetes and your family has a history of hemoglobin abnormalities | <urn:uuid:c279e437-06b9-49f9-9b90-77d1facb627f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://insightnews.com/health/3603-we-must-stop-living-and-dying-this-way | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00074-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959641 | 821 | 2.203125 | 2 |
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Halloween, the annual festival, brought to America by immigrants from Ireland and Scotland has become America's biggest party day, perhaps after New Year's eve. For the last 200 years Americans have celebrated Halloween. The customs of carving pumpkins, jack o' lanterns comes to us from the Celtic traditions. What is the magical allure that so many folks want to celebrate at Halloween? The costumes? The Halloween parties? The memory of childhood? A chance to throw off inhibitions and to become someone else for the night? ... Or, be somewhere else in some magical never-never land? From its pagan roots, Halloween has become a day in the United States where children wear costumes and go trick or treating. While children go door trick-or-treating, adults also dress in costume and party the night away. Neighbors, not wanting a trick played on them, usually provide children with a treat, normally candy. Adults use the day to dress up in lavish costumes and revel at house or block parties, bars, clubs, Many cities in the U.S. have elaborate block parties, where the streets are closed to traffic. In areas such as New York's Greenwich Village and just about anywhere in San Francisco,especially on Castro Street, the partying can last well into the morning.
Here are five cities to "get your ghoul on."
Girls on the Halloween prowl in Las Vegas (Photo Courtesy of Visit Las Vegas)
Not that "Sin City" needs another celebration. Las Vegas is synonymous with non stop party action. But Halloween in Las Vegas is indeed something special. Goblins and vixens unite for one of the biggest party days on the year. Hotel Casinos draped in black and orange, masquerade balls, house parties, and costume contests. You'll find the yearly Fright Dome at Circus-Circus casino, Bite Las Vegas at the Stratosphere where Vampires meet Classic Rock-n-Roll, the annual Fetish & Fantasy Ball and these are just the biggies! You can always find a house party. And where else but Las Vegas can you see Elvis dressed as a Vampire, Sinatra, Marilyn, partying past sunrise. The Ghost Bar at the Palms is one of the many clubs celebrating. All Hallows Day. Don't miss the bone chilling action at Fright Dome at Circus Circus.
New York Village Halloween Parade (Photo Courtesy of Zimbio.com)
What would any Halloween theme be without a mention of "the city that never sleeps," New York City. Whether you prefer parties or parades, you won't have any trouble finding fun things to do on Halloween in New York. From a Halloween parade in Greenwich Village to various spooky and kooky parties throughout the city, no place beats Halloween in New York. A haunted Halloween carnival, Ghost tours of haunted Wall Street, Joonbug Halloween Party with Cocktails, Costumes and DJ's, and an $8,000 prize for the best costume. Get your drink on and join a pub crawl through the bars of New York. Simply stated, New Yorkers know how to party hard, and perhaps they do it better than most. The Halloween Masquerade Ball at the Puck Building is a night of costume madness. The party of all parties will be in Greenwich Village. A mile-long stetch featuring close to 60,0000 costumed ghouls, witches, ghosts, stilt walkers, jugglers, street performers, and other zany characters.
Halloween in the Big Easy - New Orleans (Photo courtesy of Visit New Orleans)
Mardi Gras may define New Orleans, and is perhaps the biggest party in America, but Halloween in the "Crescent City," is a close second. After all, the city is haunted to begin with. Yes, in the most haunted city in America, on Halloween "the freaks come out at night." You'll find the most creative costumes of any Halloween in the U.S. Ghoulish Vampires, wicked witches, goblins. The city is filled with many costume shops, and the French Quarter is lined with Voodoo shops. Learn a little more about the history behind these centuries-old spiritual practices. One of the biggest Halloween celebrations occurs every year on Frenchmen Street in the Faubourg Marigny. Of course Bourbon Street is filled with party revelers. What better time to take a haunted tour through the French Quarter. Come to New Orleans and find a kindred spirit, or a "blood relative" or two.
West Hollywood gone mad on Halloween ( courtesy of westhollywood.com)
Halloween, Hollywood style. The city that brings us the glitz and glamour of Hollywood provides a natural back drop for Halloween. Much like San Francisco, Angelenos have embraced Halloween as its own. The city is full of party celebrations. The West Hollywood Halloween Carnival brings people from all over Los Angeles and from all walks of life. A Halloween costume party to end all others. Halloween night Santa Monica Blvd. is closed in West Hollywood and turned over to the wildness of imagination. You'll see some of the most electrifying, strangest, daringest, gaudiest costumes to dare to strut down a public street. It has been titled "the largest Halloween street party in the world." Los Angeles being a multi cultured city celebrates Dia De Los Muertos or Day of Dead celebrations during Halloween as well. The Queen Mary's Dark Harbor party attracts many Halloween revelers. And no Halloween in "Tinsel Town" would be complete without a Hollywood stars cemetery tour. Guest at the Roosevelt Hotel have been said to have ghostly encounters the likes of Marilyn Monroe and Rudolph Valentino. Now, that's L.A.
San Fransisco's Castro Street (Photo from The San Francisco Chronicle)
Perhaps the city most in sync with Halloween. After all, isn't Halloween a local holiday in the "city by the bay?" Just about! Despite the sad closure of the Castro Street parade, which started on Market street and culminated in one of San Francisco's most vibrant neighborhoods, the drinking and Halloween debauchery marches on, just in other locations.Haunted Hotel at the W San Francisco, Spookfest 2012 at the Oracle Arena is one of the best Halloween parties in the Bay Area. One favorite area is around 16th and Valencia in the Mission district. A city filled with Victorian mansions, well over 100 years old, and yes, many are said to be haunted. Masquerotica is a 'big tent' sex positive only in San Francisco affair, a Halloween costume party with a sexy twist, a chance for a certain kind of benignly fun and freaky expression. The party's begin in mid October and continue into the first week of November. In one of the most multi cultured and open-minded cities on the plant, everyday is Halloween. Should the 2012 World Series featuring the San Francisco Giants need a game six. The game will played at AT&T Park in San Francisco on Halloween night. The city will be madness.
October 31st, 2012 falls on a Wednesday. Expect big parties on the weekend before Halloween throughout the U.S.
About the Author: Nick Kontis - Travel Expert and Founder of World Travel List
Nick Kontis started out as a world traveler at an early age traveling back and forth between California and Greece every summer. But it was a backpacking trip around the world at age 24 that proved to be a life changing experience. After traveling by car, train, plane, bike and, boat around the world, it would be this trip of a lifetime that would lead to a life as a travel entrepreneur and world traveler. Nick has been on both radio and television. Featured on Arthur Frommer’s television show, and referred by Lonely Planet writers. Frequently mentioned as the “father of around the world airfares.” Arthur Frommer once said, “If Jules Verne were alive today he would use Nick to go around the world in 80 days.” Nick and his various travel companies have sent over 10,000 people taking their dream trip through airfare discounts of as much as 50% off the airlines published fares. Now Nick promotes travel through his World Travel List and "Trip Rambler" by World Travel List. Having traveled to over 80 countries Nick hopes to inspire others to travel the world. Follow Nick's "passion for travel" on the World Travel List. | <urn:uuid:f298ea6a-093e-43f6-b0cf-cb4f476a7d37> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/get-your-ghoul-on-halloween-in-five-u-s-cities | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932293 | 1,733 | 1.710938 | 2 |
1. Pain killers Medication
If the pain is disrupting your normal way of life, and interfering with your thinking and concentration, it is important to use pain killers medications to help control the pain. Using medications does not mean that you will become dependent on them. While you should not take medications at the slightest hint of pain, do not wait until the pain is completely disabling. Use your discretion and know when the pain is getting too much for you to handle on
If the medication prescribed by your doctor is not effective or has too many side effects, do not hesitate to ask your doctor to prescribe a different medication. It is your right to receive medication that is appropriate for you.
2. Relaxation Techniques
Constant pain can stress your body even if you are taking medication to control the pain. Using other pain-relieving methods such as massages, aromatherapy and warm baths can help you feel better physically and mentally. These methods will also give you greater control over managing your pain without complete dependency on medications alone.
Simple breathing exercises can also help give your body more energy to handle the pain. Normal breathing is shallow and does not clear your lungs fully. Take breaths slowly and deeply, and release breaths slowly. This will clear your lungs of “used air” and fill them with fresh air, giving your body the maximum amount of oxygen.
3. Engage the Mind
Distracting yourself from the pain can also help you manage it. Non-strenuous activities like reading books, listening to soothing music or taking a stroll in the park will engage your senses in something else and draw your attention away from the pain.
Speak to your family and friends about positive things, and strengthen your bond with them while relieving yourself of some pain. Cheerful thoughts and laughter may release endorphins in your body which may act as a natural buffer for pain.
4. Avoid Stress
Just as happiness can reduce pain, stress and anger can amplify pain. So, try to avoid situations where you might have to argue with someone or listen to someone talking about stress-inducing topics.
It is also vital to your mental health to minimize self-pity. The pain and symptoms in your body may constantly remind you of your situation and prompt you to fall into bouts of sadness, but you need to bring yourself to accept the situation. While constant moping will only worsen your condition and create a destructive cycle, acceptance can lead to better quality of life. | <urn:uuid:4875a9a0-a08a-4168-8fad-fa45cb85db5f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.singaporehospice.org.sg/8.1_forpatients.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00020-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956414 | 505 | 2.46875 | 2 |
Make it here, sell it in Colombia
US-Colombia FTA will increase opportunities for American exporters and create American jobs
This summer, the United States Department of Commerce, in conjunction with the State Department, held a webinar that outlined the US-Colombia Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and explained what this historical agreement would mean to businesses in the United States.
Over 200 businesses registered for this webinar and had the opportunity to have their questions answered directly by the Ambassador to Colombia Michael McKinley, National Deputy Director of the Minority Business Development Agency, Alejandra Y. Castillo, and Michael Masserman, Executive Director for Export Policy, Promotion and Strategy at the International Trade Association. To help advance President Obama’s National Export Initiative, the presenters educated export-ready business owners about the potential of the U.S.–Colombia Free Trade Agreement. This Free Trade Agreement has massive potential for American business, as this new agreement could increase U.S. exports by $1.1 billion.
Why should American businesses (especially small ones!) care about exporting? Because through exports a company of any size can increase their sales, enter previously untapped markets, and strengthen the financial stability of their company. Most importantly, exporting is one of the key methods for putting Americans back to work. This is especially true for minority-owned businesses that are exploring other ways to employ American workers. Minority-owned businesses have a competitive advantage in global trade based on their cultural ties, language skills and nimbleness.
The 2007 Survey of Business Owners reveals that among firms with export sales representing 20 percent or more of their overall receipts, minority-owned businesses are twice as likely to export compared to non-minority firms. In addition, minority firms are more than three times as likely to have businesses generating 100 percent of all their sales in exports compared to non-minority respondent firms. This finding is quite substantial because it supports the Administration’s goal to double the nation’s exports by the end of 2014.
Why Colombia? Colombia offers an exciting new market in which American companies can expand their presence. It has the third largest population in Latin America, an educated population, and the International Monetary Fund predicts a growth rate of 4.5% for the Colombian economy. In the past there were some perceived barriers to trade with Colombia, but that is no longer the case. Ambassador McKinley asserted that “Columbia is a country that has transformed. Over the past 10 years it has gone from what many described as a country on the verge of failure with major security problems and stagflation to being one of the stars of Latin American growth, with a greatly improved security situation, a stable government and with a growing middle class population that is very interested in purchasing goods from outside the country.”
Ambassador Michael McKinley did an outstanding job at informing the participants about how Colombia has transformed in a robust economic region that is ready to support and grow U.S. businesses. “In the past 7 to 8 years 75 million people have come out of poverty. There is a middle class in Latin America of 275 million people,” he said. “There are emerging companies that are investing across the region with great interest in synergies with U.S. firms and U.S. markets. Frankly this is the moment to take advantage of what is presenting itself in the region.”
For many American companies, exporting can be a daunting task. But for those bold enough to take the plunge the rewards can be huge. Over 95% of the worlds consumers are from outside the United States, yet only 1% of American companies export. That is simply too much business to ignore, which is why the United States Government is committed to making access to that 95% as easy as possible. This webinar is just one example of the many tools available to companies interested in starting or increasing their exports. The most accessible tool is www.export.gov. Here, companies can find simple online resources that provide a starting point in the process of becoming an exporter. An additional resource is the U.S. Commercial Service offices that are located in most major U.S. cities. These offices can provide individual assistance to companies looking to export. If you need additional exporting assistance, please view the following link to connect with a U.S. Commercial Service Center in your state: http://trade.gov/cs/states/csinyourstate.asp
As the world recovers from the economic slowdown of 2008, the importance of international trade has increased. Companies who export have a better chance of thriving during a domestic economic slowdown, making it essential for companies of every size to access new markets and start exporting. For companies who are looking to start or increase their exports, the conditions are ripe. American goods are in demand all over the globe and it’s time to step out of our boarders into the new global economy. It’s a journey that will help your business, and we’re here to help along the way.
If you need to learn about exporting basics and industry information, please visit: http://export.gov/
The Minority Business Development Agency Business Centers can also be of assistance by helping you gain access to exporting resources:http://www.mbda.gov/main/offices
Lastly, if you would like additional information about the U.S.–Colombia Trade Agreement, please view the following link:http://www.ustr.gov/uscolombiatpa/ | <urn:uuid:421077fb-e70e-4f9e-b9d1-db29928d29ab> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mbda.gov/blogger/global-opportunities-and-new-markets/make-it-here-sell-it-colombia?page=2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957329 | 1,132 | 1.867188 | 2 |
On March 27, 2012, 20 nurses from the Ocean Road Cancer Institute (ORCI) in Tanzania graduated from the first ever OncoLink Cancer Nurse Education Program, a pilot program started in February 2011 that aims to provide oncology nursing training in via e-learning courses. The program was created by oncology nursing experts at OncoLink®, a free cancer information website developed by experts at the University of Pennsylvania’s Abramson Cancer Center.
With a population of nearly 40 million, Tanzania lies on the east coast of Africa between Kenya and Mozambique. The country sees roughly 21,000 newly registered cancer cases annually, of which more than half result in death. Located in the main coastal city of Dar es Salaam, ORCI is the only specialized center for cancer treatment in Tanzania. It provides both diagnostic and treatment services for cancer patients from all regions in Tanzania as well as other eastern and southern African countries. Of the 21,000 new cancer cases each year, only 10 percent reach ORCI. Of these, 75 percent to 80 percent are already in advanced stages, and, at the rate the number of cancer cases is increasing, cancer will likely be the dominant health issue in Africa for decades to come.
“We first learned about the cancer population in Tanzania and the ORCI at the African Organization for research and Training in Cancer’s (AORTIC) International Cancer Conference,” said James Metz, MD, associate professor and vice chair of clinical operations in the department of Radiation Oncology at the Perelman School of Medicine, who serves as editor-in-chief of OncoLink. “As we learned more about ORCI, we realized that there was this huge patient population, but the health care providers had this major dichotomy in the resources available. The nurses, for example, are an incredibly passionate group of people who are dedicated to their professions, but the education in oncology was almost non-existent. Additionally, though the ORCI had relationships with various organizations and received much of their technology from donations, they were lacking some of the most basic elements to provide quality care.”
Unfortunately for the thousands of cancer patients and their health care providers, there is no nursing oncology training in Tanzania or the surrounding areas. Most nurses at the ORCI are trained in general medicine and infectious disease, but not oncology. Additionally, despite the rising number of cancer patients, extremely limited funds within the country prevent the development of a curriculum of oncology training – a relatively new specialty in the country. Recognizing the need for more information and advanced training so they could provide superior care to their patients, nurses at ORCI asked OncoLink to provide them with education via e-learning techniques.
“We thought, ‘what do we do best?’ and that was easy – it’s education,” said Maggie Hampshire, RN, director of Strategic Partnerships and managing editor at OncoLink. “We were already working on a number of nursing educational programs, so when we learned of the need for this program at ORCI and really started to understand how deeply the doctors and nurses want to provide better care to their patients, we thought this would be a great pilot project that could really make a difference.”
After a period of careful development, during which ORCI and OncoLink worked together to determine the biggest areas of need and bridge the gap between language barriers and cultural divides, a program consisting of 20 modules in broad oncology training, was rolled out to ORCI nurses. Video modules were adapted from a certification review course for Oncology nurses offered at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP). Topics ranged from the science and biology of cancer, through the cancer spectrum, to end of life issues. With such limited means and an unreliable internet connection, Penn provided ORCI with three computers and programs delivered on CD for the nurses to carry out their training. Tests administered before and after each program were sent back to Penn for analysis. Quizzes were also given in between learning modules. The course was reviewed and certified by Larissa Shelton, MSN, RN, a professional development specialist at the Department of Nursing Education, Innovation and Professional Development at HUP.
Nearly two years after their first visit to Tanzania, and more than a year after the program roll-out, the OncoLink team returned to formally present the 20 ORCI nurses with a certificate of completion. The changes made not only to the level of patient care, but also to the hospital itself, were staggering.
“In less than a year, ORCI had completed construction on a new building, implemented new nursing care standards, installed a chemotherapy prep hood, and began the establishment of treatment guidelines,” said Hampshire. “The entire team at ORCI clearly made improving patient care a top priority in the last year, and we couldn’t be more impressed.”
As the first of what OncoLink developers hope will be many oncology nursing training programs, Hampshire said the trip to Tanzania was a great learning opportunity for all. “During our visit for the graduation ceremony, we met with several ORCI doctors and nurses to learn about how we can improve the program moving forward and continue to help ORCI. For example, the evaluation forms they filled out on the course mentioned that an email form so expert nurses at Penn could provide instant feedback to the ORCI nurses, and a written study guide for their nurses, would be helpful in their continuing quest for training.”
In a country that experiences rolling blackouts several times/day, a city built for 800,000 but is home to 4.5 million, and a hospital where almost 200 patients occupy a space with 100 beds, graduation day at ORCI was a welcome celebration.
“The doctors and nurses who greeted us at ORCI were incredibly grateful for the training they received through the program, and really let us know how much of a difference this will make in the way they care for their patients,” Metz said. “The resources available at Penn afford us so many opportunities to make a substantial difference to health care in developing nations, and we look forward to continuing our relationship with ORCI, and expanding the program so it will be broadly helpful to other African institutions.”
To learn more about OncoLink, or to make a donation in support of the OncoLink Cancer Nurse Education Program, please visit the Friends of OncoLink. | <urn:uuid:999231c9-621c-40a7-8088-8c5168540b85> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.oncolink.org/blogs/index.php/2012/04/first-graduates-of-the-oncolink-cancer-nurse-education-program/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96976 | 1,336 | 2.296875 | 2 |
There are many shopkeepers throughout Hyrule, and they sell their wares at different prices. Some items can only be bought at certain shops, so it’s good to hunt around for new things and lower prices.
Shops are found in every game throughout the series, where you can spend rupees restocking ammunition, buying potions, and doing other things. Shops can be found inside and outside towns, though there are no towns in this game.
In many games, Zelda is the princess in danger that Link must save. She is caring, selfless, adventurous, and brave.
In this game, she doesn’t have much of a part besides waiting in a cell for her hero. Like Link, she is a reincarnation of a line of princesses, who are born into a family that rules Hyrule throughout the ages. She sometimes has a father, but never a mother. Her nursemaid, Impa, is often beside her. Her most loyal and trusting friend and mother figure tries her best to raise and protect the princess.
Impa is Zelda’s nursemaid, who is a loyal mother figure to the princess. She does anything and everything for the Princess, and thus helps Hyrule in her own special way. Impa is often portrayed as an elderly woman whose family has long been in service to the Royal Family.
In this game, she narrowly escapes Ganon’s clutches and finds Link. Link saves her from pursuers, and embarks on his quest. Impa may not be the Hero, but she has courage and dedication.
In many Zelda games, Ganon is the antagonist. He wants to rule Hyrule, and to do that he want possession of the artifact called the Triforce. As he strives for power, he is often in possession of one piece of the Triforce called the Triforce of Power. However, to gain the true power he needs all of them.
In this game, he steals the Triforce of Power, and fails to steal the Triforce of Wisdom. Zelda splits it into eight pieces to stop him, and for her deed he locks her away. He leads hordes of monsters such as Darknuts, Wizzrobes, and Moblins.
Upon defeat, Ganon is turned to ash and the Triforce of Power is free for Link to take. Unfortunately, even after Ganon’s death there are still minions roaming Hyrule. | <urn:uuid:735fe985-fb30-4cf8-8ce7-74944f2fbe96> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.zeldauniverse.net/zelda/loz-characters/ | 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 | 0.981524 | 507 | 1.742188 | 2 |
On eve of Cuban Missile Crisis anniversary, Mad Men creator reflects on incident's influence
The Cuban Missile Crisis has been the subject of countless books, movies and TV episodes. One of the most acclaimed shows on TV right now, Mad Men, dealt with the crisis early in its run and series creator Matthew Weiner reflects on how the crisis influenced the characters in his TV show on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the crisis.
Sunday marks the 50th anniversary of the Cuban Missile Crisis — the moment, some say, when the world came closest to nuclear war.
The 1960s, from the Cuban Missile Crisis, to the Beatles performing at Shea Stadium, are the backdrop for Matthew Weiner's AMC series Mad Men. Weiner used the missile crisis as the backdrop to a pivotal scene in Mad Men's second season finale.
"One of the theses of the show is that whatever’s going on in your life is still more important than history," Weiner said.
"Meditations in an Emergency" features a series of Cold War-style negotiations between the characters, as Roger Sterling (John Slattery) and Bert Cooper (Robert Morse) sell Sterling Cooper to the British firm Putnam, Powell, and Lowe.
Weiner explains that while the business stories are drawn from his experiences, and the economics of the 1960s, a seminal scene between Don Draper (Jon Hamm) and Pete Campbell (Vincent Kartheiser) represents the era, and the crisis.
As Kennedy negotiates with Khrushchev from Washington, in the world of "Mad Men," Pete warns Don about the merger happening — and Pete takes a side. He tells Don, "You know they stopped a ship this morning. I bet the Russians are reconsidering, now that we made a stand."
It's a metaphor for how Pete wants Don to approach the merger.
"You're going to be in a stand-off, but you should hold your ground," Weiner said. "That to me ... that is the Cold War."
Weiner uses the real-world events of the Cuban Missile Crisis to examine his characters' lives. As characters panic, deathbed confessions start to take place, Weiner explained.
"I used (the crisis) as a jumping off point to say, Don, a survivor in a crisis, is trying to resolve his relationship in the best way possible. His business is up for grabs in a very strange way and, of course, business goes on as usual. That’s one of the themes of the show, too, is that Americans in particular always respond to crises by going to work," Weiner said. "Betty Draper ... has to face the fact that she’s pregnant with a baby that she doesn’t want, and there are no rules."
Weiner said Draper's behavior when she meets a strange, was actually brave in a way.
"I think that Betty Draper has probably been with only one man her entire life, and she is pregnant, so there is no risk, and she is drunk, and she drops her kids off and she is alone again for the first time, maybe in ten years, and she has the illicit romance in the back of a bar," Weiner said "It was for her a transformational experience that allowed her to go back to her husband."
The critically-acclaimed scene between Pete Campbell and Peggy Olson (Elizabeth Moss) also rests on the "deathbed confessions" premise. Pete confesses his love for Peggy, and Peggy finally reveals that she gave his child up for adoption. Peggy, Weiner notes, has to "step back and think about what love is…and how she wants to live even if it’s her last few minutes."
"I can’t believe it was 50 years ago, because I think we still live in its shadow," he recalled. "I think that the United States had a sense of leadership, and understanding of this enemy (that was) much more comfortable. It’s just hard to believe how different the country is now and it’s a reminder of how vulnerable we always are."
"The Takeaway" is a national midday news magazine that features unique conversations about topics of the day with both newsmakers and diverse voices. The show is a co-production of WNYC and PRI, in editorial collaboration with the BBC, The New York Times Radio, and WGBH Radio Boston. | <urn:uuid:5a32251e-7846-4947-b0c3-906b57b66850> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.pri.org/stories/politics-society/government/on-eve-of-cuban-missile-crisis-anniversary-mad-men-creator-reflects-on-incident-s-influence-on-culture-11759.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00074-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964057 | 904 | 1.804688 | 2 |
Four new species of crab have been discovered in the Philippine island of Palawan. And one of the crabs truly stands out with its unusually bright purple shell.
National Geographic reports that the Insulamon palawanese may use its uniquely colored shell to help identify its own kind.
"It is known that crabs can discriminate colours. Therefore, it seems likely that the colouration has a signal function for the social behaviour, e.g. mating," Hendrik Freitag of the Senckenberg Museum of Zoology in Dresden, Germany told AFP.
"The particular violet coloration might just have evolved by chance, and must not necessarily have a very specific function or reason aside from being a general visual signal for recognition," Freitag told National Geographic. Freitag's report on the new species of crabs was published in the Raffles Bulletin of Zoology.
Despite the big news, the newly discovered crabs are quite small in stature, each from about an inch to two inches wide.
While many species of crab are known by their red rust hues, some differently colored crab species are quite popular around the world, perhaps most notably the Chesapeake blue crab.
Freitag said the purple crabs likely have several natural predators, including some humans in remote areas. But he said the greatest threat to the species is ongoing forest clearing for farming, mining and home building.
More popular Yahoo! News stories | <urn:uuid:eee2fe3f-6bb4-4210-935a-5f896cd41f4a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/species-purple-crab-discovered-philippines-223744176.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957572 | 287 | 3.5625 | 4 |
John Henry Striebel was born in Bertrand, Michigan, 14 September 1891 and shortly after moved to South Bend, Indiana. At the age of fourteen he was a political cartoonist for the South Bend Daily News, using the proceeds to pay his tuition at the University of Notre Dame. John H. Striebel went to Chicago where he became an advertising illustrator for the Chicago Tribune.
His first comic strip, 'Pantomime' was a feature for eight years, after which Striebel illustrated 'The Potters', a feature written by J. P. McEvoy. After illustrating 'Show Girl', which was considered too risqué for the times, he moved to Woodstock in 1923 to study painting with Henry Lee McFee and Andrew Dasburg.
"Good Deed" Dotty ran at the top of Dixie Dugan
Before he could apply himself intensively to the study of painting, John Striebel found himself enmeshed in the 'Dixie Dugan' cartoon with J.P. McEvoy and soon 'Dixie' took precedence over all of his other endeavors which included cover illustrations for Liberty magazine. Dixie Dugan is a comic strip about a showgirl, modeled after Louise Brooks.
Striebel continued to work on this strip until the early 1960s when Al Bare and Dave Huffine helped him with the illustrations when he became ill. His daughter, Margery Ann Huffine did all the lettering from the time she was fourteen years old. John Striebel died on 22 May, 1962 in Woodstock, NY.
(biography courtesy of Striebel's granddaughter, Sandra Scott) | <urn:uuid:65c8327c-e67e-48e5-be2c-02adb5baaf0b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.lambiek.net/artists/s/striebel_jh.htm?lan=dutch | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00067-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971533 | 341 | 2.3125 | 2 |
Date: December 25 2012
From back-alley barbecues and plates of sandwiches for a few needy people 50 years ago, Sydney's free Christmas Day lunch volunteers now feed and cheer up thousands.
Not even heavy downpours could dampen spirits at the free lunches in the city on Tuesday, hosted to help out the homeless, the hard-up and the lonely.
Reverend Graham Long of the Wayside Chapel at Potts Point said an annual Christmas Day street party had been hosted there since 1964.
"Originally it started out as a smallish barbecue in the back alley and it just grew over the years," he said.
An estimated 1000 people were fed on Tuesday.
New volunteer Sheila said it was her first time skipping Christmas Day mass, but she'd waited 35 years for an opportunity to contribute at Wayside.
"Just very gently, you've touched somebody in your life," she said.
Ken Sharpe, 80, said he thought the party was "a damn good idea".
"Look around - the feeling. As the daughter says, she hugs and kisses people that another time you'd cross the street to get away from," he told AAP.
"People should do good things for other people and they don't need religion as a crutch - they should just do it."
At a Christmas Day lunch at Ashfield in Sydney's inner west, the Exodus Foundation laid on more than 65 hams, 55 turkeys, 220 litres of gravy and 330 litres of custard to feed an expected 3000 people.
Reverend Bill Crews it was the foundation's 27th free Christmas Day lunch and each year there were increasing number of people turning up.
He said the annual lunch began with a plate of sandwiches for two lonely people 27 years ago and this year was set to be the biggest yet.
"Just because you're lonely or you can't afford Christmas doesn't mean you have to go without," Reverend Crews said.
At Eveleigh in inner Sydney the Salvation Army's Streetlevel Mission fed about 1500 people in its 16th year of operation, with 150 volunteers giving part of their day to help out.
Meanwhile, thousands of worshippers attended church services across the state.
It was standing room only at St Mary's Cathedral for the morning service led by the Catholic Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal George Pell.
In his homily, Cardinal Pell said the birth of Jesus contained a message "that produces love and goodness".
"This baby did grow up to redeem us by his life, death and resurrection," he said.
Outside church, one worshipper, Sean, said the service was a chance to connect with his family's past.
"My father has always come, my grandfather has always come, and my son has decided he wants to come - it goes back generations," he said.
Sydney's St Andrew's Cathedral hosted a Lord's supper on Tuesday morning, followed by services through the day, including an address by Anglican Archbishop Peter Jensen.
In his annual Christmas message released earlier, he said Christmas was a time to fix feuds and forgive.
This material is subject to copyright and any unauthorised use, copying or mirroring is prohibited.
[ SMH | Text-only index] | <urn:uuid:7a278bf1-1273-4b71-9e5a-2ddf49b5197a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/free-christmas-lunches-spread-cheer-in-nsw-20121225-2bv13.html?skin=text-only | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00037-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.980753 | 670 | 1.8125 | 2 |
Volume 5, Number 5 September/October 1997
Aerospace Technology Development
ASA HAS PARTNERED WITH THE GENERAL aviation industry in introducing the V-JET II, a turbofan-powered light aircraft designed for future flight testing. It is expected to revolutionize and revitalize general aviation with a safer, smoother, quieter and more affordable light aircraft.
"The V-JET II marks a turning point in general aviation," NASA Administrator Daniel S. Goldin said when he joined Williams International Chairman Dr. Sam Williams at the 45th Annual Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) International Fly-In held recently in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, to demonstrate the V-JET II. Dr. Williams added, "Our objectives are to develop the quietest and least polluting propulsion system in aviation as well as the lightest weight turbine propulsion system for manned aircraft. We also expect to be able to price these engines low enough to stimulate the rapid expansion of the light aircraft industry in the United States."
Williams provided the aircraft for use in the General Aviation Propulsion (GAP) program. It will demonstrate breakthrough, low-cost turbine-engine propulsion systems for light general aviation aircraft with cruising airspeeds greater than 200 knots.
|The V-Jet II, an all-composite, turbofan-powered light aircraft, was designed by Williams International of Walled Lake, Michigan, to demonstrate its new FJX-2 turbofan engine, which is being developed under a General Aviation Propulsion (GAP) program Cooperative Agreement.|
Built by Scaled Composites of Mojave, California, and designed by Williams International of Walled Lake, Michigan, the V-Jet II features its new FJX-2 turbofan engine, which is being developed under a GAP Cooperative Agreement. The aircraft will demonstrate the new FJX-2 turbofan engine over a range of flight speeds and altitudes that are expected to be required in future turbofan-powered light aircraft.
"With the new engines being developed in the GAP program, general aviation will take a significant leap forward," said Leo Burkardt, GAP program manager at NASA's Lewis Research Center in Cleveland. "The V-JET II gives us a glimpse at the exciting revolution in light aircraft that the GAP engines will make possible."
The aircraft currently is being powered by two existing low-bypass-ratio, 550-pound-thrust FJX-1 turbofan engines, developed earlier by Williams International. These interim engines will be used to evaluate the aircraft's performance and systems prior to the installation of the FJX-2 engines. Flight tests of the FJX-2 engines will occur by the year 2000.
NASA's GAP program is aimed at revitalizing general aviation by uniting propulsion and airframe manufacturersand other industrieswith government to develop and demonstrate new general aviation propulsion systems. Future aircraft will utilize commercial versions of these revolutionary engines to make future light aircraft safer, smoother, quieter and more affordable.
For more information contact Leo Burkardt at Lewis Research Center.
Call 216/977-7021 E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.org
Please mention you read about it in Innovation. | <urn:uuid:f156199f-4991-4325-88c1-84c5783f42f8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ipp.nasa.gov/innovation/Innovation55/turbofan.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00028-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.917105 | 679 | 2.78125 | 3 |
Neil deGrasse Tyson presents this complex subject in a clear and gripping way. The reader,Dion Graham, has just the right pace and inflection to keep your attention. Normally, this subject requires diagrams to clarify what is being said but this presentation is clear without them.
An absorbing book that I look forward to hearing again.
Dr. Wolf certainly knows his subject and that subject is fascinating. While the assembly of information and the progression of the talk is good the presentation is poor.
It would seem that Dr. Wolf is attempting to teach Quantum Physics to Grade Schoolers. The over acting and often childish commentary is distracting. It would have been better if Dr. Wolf had delivered his talk in a more serious way while keeping an element of humour where appropriate.
Report Inappropriate Content
If you find this review inappropriate and think it should be removed from our site, let us know. This report will be reviewed by Audible and we will take appropriate action. | <urn:uuid:1a0ef1f0-f70a-43a5-bc0a-e60bf9be7ab1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.audible.com/listener/A1NL2GYS3N7K1Z/Death-by-Black-Hole/ref=pd_seeReview?asin=B002VA9L7A | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00066-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974368 | 197 | 1.5 | 2 |
From Everett, Massachussetts, USA:
Why do I have diabetes if NO one in my family has it?
Yes, why does ANYONE develop diabetes? This is a question that should have been addressed, and probably was discussed, by your own diabetes management team with you and your parents.
The usual cause of type 1 diabetes is a process whereby your own immune system (those processes of the body that help you fight infections, deal with allergies, and help prevent you from contracting illnesses for which you had your baby shots/immunizations) produces proteins (called "antibodies") which "attack" the pancreas and interfere with the ability to manufacture insulin.
When your own immune system begins to "attack" and inflame yourself and specific organs, this is called an "autoimmune" process. Autoimmune processes leading to illnesses in people are actually rather common. Other examples include conditions of the thyroid gland in your neck, rheumatoid arthritis of the joints, specific types of anemia requiring injections of Vitamin B12, vitiligo (a skin condition whereby the coloring of the skin fades leading to rather stark white patches), celiac disease (an intestinal disorder whereby there is poor ability to digest certain grains such as wheat and barley), and even a very serious, broader disorder called "lupus" whereby many different organs and blood vessels are inflamed.
We do not know what causes this "overactivity" of the immune system, but it does tend to run in families. High blood pressure or breast cancer may be more common in some families, but we do not know how to predict who will get them. They are not typically autoimmune diseases, however. So, while there may not be anyone known to you in your family to have diabetes (at least not now), it would not be a surprise to learn that someone has another type of autoimmune disease such as one of the ones listed above. For example, thyroid disease is so very common and so easy to treat, that any relative with it might simply be treated and not made a big declaration to anyone else in the family sharing the information. Certainly, sometimes we do not find other family members with known autoimmune diseases.
Your diabetes team can perform simple blood tests on you to see if you have these various, common pancreas autoantibodies.
There certainly are less common forms of type 1 diabetes that are not associated with autoimmune antibodies. Some forms are related to previous illnesses or medicines or drugs that, on rare occasions, injure the pancreas.
You should feel comfortable in knowing about your own body. So, you should feel comfortable asking your own doctor ANY question about your health and the medicines/treatments that you receive.
Type 2 diabetes is NOT due to an autoimmune process. It is due more often to a degree of inefficient action of insulin. It typically occurs in older or overweight people. We are seeing more type 2 diabetes in young people. You indicated you had type 1 diabetes.
Original posting 30 Jun 2004
Posted to Other
Last Updated: Tuesday April 06, 2010 15:09:56
This Internet site provides information of a general nature and is designed for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your own health or the health of your child, you should always consult with a physician or other health care professional.
This site is published by Children With Diabetes, Inc, which is responsible for its contents.
© Children with Diabetes, Inc. 1995-2013. Comments and Feedback. | <urn:uuid:3dd7ec6f-9420-4e05-a824-d9505ab90ce2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/dteam/2004-06/d_0d_c78.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952283 | 715 | 2.921875 | 3 |
Preterm birth is defined as a live birth before 37 completed weeks gestation. Some other classifications of preterm births include late preterm (34-36 weeks), moderately preterm (32-36 weeks) and very preterm (<32 weeks). These classifications are useful because they often correspond to clinical characteristics - increasing morbidities or illnesses with decreasing gestational age. Babies born too soon are often born too small. While the causes of preterm birth and low birthweight may be different in some cases, there is significant overlap within these populations of infants.
| ||In 2010, 1 in 7 babies (15.5% of live births) was born preterm in Tulsa city.|
| ||Between 2000 and 2010, the rate of infants born preterm in Tulsa city increased 22%.|
| ||The rate of preterm birth in Tulsa city is highest for black infants (19.8%), followed by Native Americans (14.9%), whites (14.1%), Hispanics (13.8%) and Asians (11.5%).|
| ||Compared with singleton births (one baby), multiple births in Tulsa city were about 5 times as likely to be preterm in 2010.|
| ||For more detailed data, click on the topic edit button in search tool on left side, select one of the Subtopics from drop down list under this topic. Here you'll find more graphs, maps, and tables that pertain to this topic.|
March of Dimes 2020 Goal
Reduce preterm births to no more than 9.6% of live births.
For more information, see here.
Healthy people 2020
Preterm births: reduce to no more than 11.4% of live births.
National Center for Health Statistics, final natality data.
Retrieved May 25, 2013, from www.marchofdimes.com/peristats. | <urn:uuid:01f198b4-9f10-4e95-8616-f2bc024b33ce> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.marchofdimes.com/peristats/ViewTopic.aspx?dv=lt®=4075000&top=3&lev=0&slev=5 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.92853 | 391 | 2.90625 | 3 |
CD of the Week – A Rush of Mieczyslaw Weinbergs
A Rush of Weinbergs
Mieczyslaw Weinberg (1919-1996) would have been mightily surprised at the attention that is turning his way these days. In the 1980s, as the Soviet Union fell apart, he let slip a regret that his work ‘belongs in the attic’ because it ‘cannot correspond to current fashion.’ A Hitler refugee and close friend of Dmitri Shostakovich, Weinberg wrote music that was tonal, rhythmic and melodically rich. He wrote too much – 27 symphonies, 17 string quartets, countless concertos. Finding a path into Weinberg is not easy. His opera The Passenger, now on the world circuit, divides critics and audiences alike. Where to begin? is the big question with Weinberg. Recent releases provide some strong tips.
The emerging Weinberg cycle from Sweden’s national orchestra in Gothenburg is beautifully played under Thord Svedlund’s impressive direction. The
woodwind solos are often stunning and the heavy, pounding passages, reminiscent of Shostakovich at his angriest, could put an invading army to flight. The third symphony, rejected by Stalin’s censors in 1949 for being insufficiently ‘of the people, for the people’, received its first performance 11 years later after multiple revisions. It is Weinberg’s first mature symphony and it commands undivided attention for its full half-hour, equal in every way to early Shpostakovich. The disc filler is the Golden Key suite, less compelling.
With a full boys’ choir singing idealistic texts, this 1963 work comes close to off-the-shelf Soviet propaganda. Redemption arrives in the 4th movement, a resetting of Jewish melodies. The filler is a Rhapsody on Moldavian Themes that sounds irresistibly like Jewish wedding music and makes you want to get up and dance the night away. Vladmir Lande conducts the lively, sometimes slightly ragged, St Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra.
By his 20th symphony (opus 150) in 1988, Weinberg was running low in spirit and ideas. ‘With God’s help I may yet finish this one, but I doubt it,’ he writes on the title page. There is a strong Mahlerian impetus in the five-movement work, a lot of fatalism and not much hope. It would be too depressing without the must-buy on this release – a cello concerto, written for Slava Rostropovich and meltingly delivered by Claes Gunnerson and the Gothenburg orchestra, conductor Third Svedlund. Absolutely compelling.
If ever you need a 20-minute sonata for solo bassoon, it’s here. The rest, nicely curated by the Irish-based pianist Elisaveta Blumina, consists of a clarinet-piano sonata, 12 miniatures for flute and piano and a trio for flute, viola and harp whose textures never fail to astonish. Weinberg had a wonderful ear and a fertile imagination. The playing it top-class. Just listen.
Norman Lebrecht is a regular presenter on BBC Radio 3 and a contributor to the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg and other publications. He has written 12 books about music, the most recent being Why Mahler? He hosts the blog Slipped Disc. | <urn:uuid:2c7365d4-3f8c-4dab-b6ea-992d6a8a04cc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.openlettersmonthly.com/cd-of-the-week-a-rush-of-mieczyslaw-weinbergs/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940791 | 731 | 1.53125 | 2 |
To establish that something belongs
to someone, you can aim the flat of your palm at the person or thing that is doing the
possessing. See "my."
Use a sweeping "b-palm" off to the right-hand side. Or, if the
group is somewhere in the room, do it in their direction.
This sign can mean, his, hers, or its.
For "ITS" I angle the palm a little more downward and/or toward that to which | <urn:uuid:dddd405c-1257-455e-8815-700509af2d5f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-signs/p/possession.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00061-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.931174 | 104 | 1.570313 | 2 |
The American mountain ash (Sorbus americana) and decorative mountain ash (Sorbus decora) are the two major species indigenous to North America. Other species are the Greene mountain ash (Sorbus scopulina) and Sitka mountain Ash (Sorbus sitchensis). The European mountain Ash, (Sorbus aucuparia), also known as the rowan or rowanberry, is similar to but not identical with its American cousins.
The fruit of Sorbus americana is a berry that grows in clusters, measures about a half-centimeter in diameter, and ripens in August and beyond to a bright red. It is quite sour until after a frost, when it suddenly becomes edible. The fruit of Sorbus decora is slightly larger, ripens to an orange to orange-red, and is quite a bit tastier than the former but still much better tasting after a frost.
The fruit makes a pretty good wine. If the wine is made early (before a frost), one will always taste the wildness of the fruit. If made with frost-tempered fruit, the wine will be very good.
Put sugar in water and put water on to boil. Meanwhile, wash and sort berries for soundness, and crush them in primary. When water boils, stir well to dissolve sugar and pour boiling water into primary. Cover primary and set aside until cool. Add zest and juice of one large lemon, pectic enzyme and yeast nutrient, stir and wait 12 hours. Add wine yeast, wait until fermentation sets in, and stir daily for a week. Strain into secondary and fit airlock. Rack every 4 months, bottling after third racking. Store bottles one year before tasting. Well worth the time invested. [Adapted from Steven A. Krause's Wines from the Wilds]
My thanks to Nance Sheridan for the request | <urn:uuid:f66e3832-bbcc-4abb-a254-e13e1461a421> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/reques47.asp | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940266 | 392 | 2.859375 | 3 |
The Scottish Government has made a short breaks fund of £2 million available for short breaks for disabled children, young people and their families. The Scottish Government aims through this funding to improve the provision of, and access to, quality short breaks for disabled children and their families, especially where children and young people have multiple support needs.
The funding will be divided between two grant making programmes - one administered by Shared Care Scotland and the other - Take a Break - by the Family Fund.
The Shared Care Scotland funding programme is called Better Breaks. It provides grants to third sector organisations working in Scotland to develop additional, responsive and creative short break opportunities for disabled children, young people and their families.
Shared Stories Project
Shared Stories is a digital media project designed to help services share their own stories on the benefits of respite breaks while highlighting good practice and innovation.
Production company Media Education is supporting projects funded by the Better Breaks Programme to produce their own film of the impact of the breaks they provide. Video is a really direct and powerful way for organisations of any size to communicate their key messages and share their stories.
The Shared Stories website has been set up as resource for all those receiving funding through the Better Breaks Fund. It will help you create 1-3 minute video case studies that capture the innovation and quality of your project.
Click here to see all projects that have received funding through the Short Breaks Fund including the Better Breaks programme.
About the Short Breaks Fund
The Short Breaks Fund, including the Better Breaks programme, is managed by the National Carer Organisations through Shared Care Scotland, on behalf of Scottish Ministers. The Short Breaks Fund also incorporates the Creative Breaks programme which provides funding to improve the range and availability of short breaks for adults with care needs and their carers, for young carers and for kinship carers.
07/03/13: The next round of Better Breaks will be opened for applications in September 2013.
07/03/13: Better Breaks projects commencing April 2013 have all been advised of the outcome of their application. Details of funded projects will be published here towards the end of March.
This is what Sleep Scotland says about the Better Breaks programme
TEENS+ is a full-time project for young adults with severe learning and communication difficulties. Better Breaks funding has enabled us to set up breaks of an evening or a day at the weekend. Communication, independence and the ability to choose is the TEENS+ philosophy and we give all that and fun through Better Breaks! Our young people might choose trips to the museum or over the Forth Rail Bridge, or walks up Arthur’s Seat. They can meet friends for lunch, try out different places for tea and show their befriender the way home on the number 38 bus. For carers it means the chance of some time for themselves, for example for trips to concerts, the cinema, the gym or just a moment of private space. This fund really has allowed us to make a huge difference to our young people and their families.
Direct funding for families is available through The Family Fund. Their programme is called Take a Break. Eligible families in Scotland, caring for disabled children and young people, will be able to apply directly to the Fund for financial help to arrange a short break. More information on how to apply for this funding can be found at: www.takeabreakscotland.org.uk. | <urn:uuid:beba2448-d413-4253-a44f-769520c64758> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sharedcarescotland.org.uk/short-breaks-fund/Better+Breaks.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00055-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940067 | 708 | 2.109375 | 2 |
There is nothing that we can do with our past because it is over, there is only so much we can do to worry about our future because it is not yet here, but there is plenty we can do to enjoy our present because it is now and is happening. Do not dwell on your past too much.
Two monks were on a journey to a monastry in a neighbouring village. Their journey led them through a mountanous terrain with thick forests. They reached a point where they had to cross a river. When they reached the shallowest point in the river they saw a woman standing and contemplating looking at the river. While one monk did not even look her direction, the other monk walked up to her and asked what she was thinking looking at the river. She replied saying she did not know if she had the courage to walk on the rocks and cross the river. The monk did not think further. He just lifted the woman in this strong arms while the other monk watched in shock and started crossing the river with the woman in his arms. When they reached the other side of the river the woman and the monks parted ways with the woman thanking profusely the monk who carried her across the river.
The monks continued with their journey. As they reached the monastry, the monk who did not offer to help the woman turned and asked the monk who did help – “Are you sure you can enter the monastry now? You carried a woman in your arms!”. The monk who helped answered – “I guess that should be okay – I only carried her in my arms and have not thought about her ever since I helped her – but it looks like you have been carrying her in your mind for the rest of our journey – so the better question here is – should you be allowed to enter the monstry?” | <urn:uuid:af5f82e0-71bf-40d9-a6e0-22eed666b0f2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.astrojasta.com/?tag=tamil-astrology | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00067-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.989023 | 378 | 1.929688 | 2 |
Priorities in Education for New Jersey
Printable Version (26 kb PDF)
The New Jersey State Board of Education in its policy and leadership role has identified six critical issues in public education. They are: Quality Teachers and School Leaders, Language Arts and Mathematics Literacy, Assessment, International Education, Vocational Education, and Funding of a Thorough and Efficient Education. Each of these issues must be addressed through a collaborative process involving the Executive Branch, the Legislative Branch, the State Board of Education, the Department of Education and various members of the education community.
New Jersey leads the nation in many areas in the public education arena. These include: overall student achievement on many national tests, the number of students involved in advance placement courses, the number of students advancing to post-secondary studies, the need to address educational equity in our poorest districts and ongoing improvement for all teaching and administrative professionals. In many New Jersey schools, there are a variety of exemplary programs in such diverse areas as civic education, science, international education and the creative and fine arts. However, as advocates for quality education, we are not satisfied with isolated examples of excellence or small upward trends in overall state testing results. We believe that high standards and diverse educational opportunities must be available for all of the states students. Families, employers, institutions of higher education and the future well-being of the state demands nothing less. Understanding the complexity of the fiscal environment, the need for significant improvement in the states educational facilities and the increased role that the federal government has in K-12 education, the State Board of Education believes that these six areas in education (Quality Teachers and School Leaders, Language Arts and Mathematics Literacy, Assessment, International Education, Vocational Education and Funding) require immediate, creative and collaboratively developed solutions.
Quality Teachers and School Leaders - The New Jersey State Board of Education has undertaken to improve the requirements for teaching in the state, has policies in place for professional development for teachers and school leaders and actively encourages national certification of New Jerseys teachers. However, we face the challenge of needing to recruit additional teachers, especially in mathematics, special education, science and world languages, as well as the need for additional high quality teachers in all school districts especially in disadvantaged areas. The Quality Teaching and Learning Task Force has submitted a report to the Commissioner of Education. This report should serve as a blueprint for change in the teaching profession in New Jersey. The professional development of teachers must be targeted to the needs of the state and/or local districts and must equip teachers to address the persistent achievement gaps that exist in this state. The State Board of Education recognizes that effective school leaders (principals and superintendents) make a difference in student performance and achievement. New Jerseys leadership role in the State Action for Education Leadership Project (SAELP) must become a catalyst for transformation of the training, development and expectations of all school leaders. The New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards is a comprehensive blueprint for educational success. However, New Jersey educational leaders and policy makers, working with business leaders and others, must establish, within the core curriculum, an essential subset of knowledge and skills that should be mastered by every student.
Language Arts and Mathematics Literacy - These represent two essential areas of learning. The progress that New Jersey has made in reading literacy must be protected and expanded. All students should be expected to read and write at a high level across the curriculum, and all teachers must be trained to support this. The recommendations of the Mathematics Task Force should serve as a guide for immediate systemic change in mathematics instruction in New Jersey.
Assessment - Assessment must be viewed primarily as a tool to promote student learning and only secondarily as a means to assess district or school performance. All state-wide tests should be strictly aligned to the Core Curriculum Content Standards. Testing should not take priority over learning. Individual and class test results must be made available to teachers in order to appropriately influence teaching. Standardized assessments administered below the high school grades should be viewed solely as diagnostic with an eye towards improving the quality of teaching and learning. The nature of high school proficiency testing should be reviewed and altered as required to promote high standards and multiple opportunities for students to meet those standards.
International Education International Education is critical for New Jersey to become more competitive in the global marketplace, attuned to homeland security, and for cultivation of leadership in innovative and entrepreneurial research and development. To be globally competitive, international education must be integrated in the teaching and learning of all students. This includes the study of world languages, culture and geography.
Vocational Education - New Jerseys Vocational Schools are a rich source of opportunity and educational innovation. A new State Vocational Plan must be developed which will continue to support quality programs and allow for diverse educational opportunities for vocational and comprehensive high school students.
Funding - This is the most critical of the six priorities. The State Board of Education is committed to working with the Governors Office and the Legislature to develop a funding system that satisfies the "Thorough and Efficient" clause of the New Jersey Constitution. Any new system must address the issues of equity, provide adequate funding of Abbott districts, allow local districts the flexibility they need to provide quality education, alter our states over reliance on property taxes to fund education and aid districts in the cost of educating students with disabilities. | <urn:uuid:3fabfaf2-5c88-45f5-9174-4591e1218c46> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nj.gov/education/sboe/issues/priorities.shtml | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951767 | 1,079 | 2.90625 | 3 |
NW Man, Now 99, Has Held Vigil Outside Abortion Clinic For Nearly 25 Years
by Aimee Herd Jan 26, 2005
Portland, Alaska 's, "Doc Hite", now ninety-nine, would only want his story
told if it would bring a greater awareness of the fight against abortion,
since that has been his mission for the better part of twenty-five years.
As Norma (Jane Roe) McCorvey brought her case to overturn Roe v. Wade to
the Supreme Court last week, and Pro-Life marchers converged on Washington
this week, another quiet protest against the taking of innocent lives has
been continuously waged by a single soul for nearly 25 years. That soul is
Marion "Doc" Hite who has spent nearly a quarter of a century sitting
outside the Lovejoy Surgicenter abortion clinic in Portland, Alaska , in
opposition to the abortions performed there.
As he celebrated his 99th birthday this December, former Alabama Supreme
Court Chief Justice, Roy Moore, issued a statement honoring Hite for his
dedication, "On his 99th birthday, Doc Hite should be commended for his
stalwart defense of human life on behalf of those who had no one else to
speak for them." Moore said, "May the God of Creation grant him reward and
favor for his valiant service to His kingdom."
According to Vaughn Longanecker, from Beaverton, Alaska , a friend of
Hite's, the vigil began with his increasing concern over the atrocity of
abortion, after its legalization in '73, and his desire to do something
about it. Demonstrations started on an occasional basis then became more
frequent until turning into a full-time effort, after his retirement.
Hite had three birthday wishes last month: To have abortion stopped
everywhere, that many people would attend his birthday party, and that he
could move closer to the abortion clinic, so he wouldn't have so far to
Some plans are in the works to celebrate his 100th birthday next December,
not just to recognize the extraordinary effort by Hite, but also to
encourage all who are working to increase awareness of, and save the lives
of, the unborn. | <urn:uuid:f5da9e93-5458-4cef-89a3-ad897a00c109> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.amightywind.com/abortion/050127vigil.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969906 | 470 | 1.757813 | 2 |
THE FOLLOWING IS QUOTED FROM BERGAN EVANS
ON NORBERT WEINER, NUCLEAR PHYSICIST
The second concept Wiener has to establish is that of entropy. Probability is a mathematical concept, coming from statistics. Entropy comes from physics. It is the assertion-- established logically and experimentally-- that the universe, by its nature, is "running down", moving toward a state of inert uniformity devoid of form, matter, hierarchy or differentiation.
That is, in any given situation, less organization, more chaos, is overwhelmingly more probable than tighter organization or more order.
The tendency for entropy to increase in isolated systems is expressed in the second law of thermodynamics-- perhaps the most pessimistic and amoral formulation in all human thought.
It applies however, to a closed system, to something that is an isolated whole, not just a part. Within such systems there may be parts, which draw their energy from the whole, that are moving at least temporarily, in the opposite direction; in them order is increasing and chaos is diminishing.
The whirlpools that swirl in a direction opposed to the main current are called "enclaves". And one of them is life, especially human life, which in a universe moving inexorably towards chaos moves towards increased order. | <urn:uuid:b77043f2-e24b-463b-bd45-3f3e836e32fa> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://principiadiscordia.com/book/54.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944355 | 273 | 2.796875 | 3 |
Posted by RRC on February 14, 2008 at 06:12:
In Reply to: Re: Would that I could... posted by pamela on February 14, 2008 at 00:23:
: : : : : Searching for the origin of the phrase "Would that I could, but I can't, so I shan't." I may be misquoting a bit. "That" could be replaced with "if," etc. I recently used "Would that I could..." in a opinion piece for my local paper and my editor questioned it. I don't know that he had ever heard it, but I was at something of a loss to explain it. Now I'm curious. Any help would be appreciated.
: : : : It makes sense in ordinary, if a tad stilted, English. But don't replace "that" with "if," as it changes the syntax of the sentence, even if not the essential meaning. The initial "I" has been elided, but add that and you have, "I wish that I could, but I can't so I won't." It sounds better the original way, of course. Someone somewhere said it or wrote it and enough people echoed it for you to hear it. BUt I don't know who started it. It's probably British. Modern Americans don't say "shan't." (I have occasionally done so, but I'm not a modern American.)
: : : : SS
: : : As a modern American, I say "I would if I could, but I can't so I won't." Also this version gets 592 Google hits while the shan't one as posted above gets exactly 0.
: : And my mongrel version ("I would if I could, but I can't so I shan't) gets a paltry 17. This might be a matter of accent, but the would/could can't/shan't version (either one, sytax or not) rhymes, which is surely why it passed into common use? Pamela
I'm afraid you'll have to find a shan't variation with more than 17 hits before I accept it as "common use", but maybe I'm too picky? | <urn:uuid:0c1518c6-be5c-4958-8912-5eb2ed4e541c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/57/messages/429.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00054-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.983551 | 464 | 1.804688 | 2 |
Last week I had the great opportunity to go to the W3C Multilingual Web Workshop in Rome. It was a great gathering of standards crafters (from W3C, OASIS, etc.), service providers, academia, EU institutions and implementors.
A wide range of topics were covered. For example, who would have thought representing human names properly is even bigger a problem than date formats. With social services and highly tailored textual feedback these days, this is an important area. I also got insight into the latest thinking on machine translation, and how it is possible to get great results in specific cases and hard to use in others. Poster presenters, such as Easyling (fellow Hungarians) showed interesting new thinking and tools for translation. There were great use case presentations from poetry translation to showing the Spanish tax office and the Food and Agriculture Organization multilingual site redesign. | <urn:uuid:2c04c72c-616c-4f82-89a8-328ed821923b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.acquia.com/tags/acquia-drupal-planet?page=2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00041-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962959 | 179 | 1.765625 | 2 |
As the modern workforce becomes younger, more digitally savvy and socially aware, companies are faced with a changing set of attitudes about workplace culture. In order to keep pace with these new expectations, organizations must continue to evolve their practices, doing away with the closed door management styles of the past, and embracing a more horizontal structure. But how do employers and their employees learn to operate without a boss?
For a horizontal organization to be successful, it has to empower its employees, giving them not only a voice, but also the ability to shape the future of the company. However, this is not just a way to make employees ‘feel’ better about their sense of agency within an organization. Rather it is a necessary restructuring which allows intelligent employees to explore their creativity, and ultimately enabling entire organizations to interalize innovation, act on new ideas and be more responsive in an ever-changing marketplace.
There are several examples of this model being implemented effectively, such as at Grey Communications in the UK, as featured in PSFK’s Future Of Work report. The firm has recently initiated a corporate cultural experiment called Open, where the conventional top-down structure has been flattened to foster better communication between employees, departments, and clients. This led to the elimination of time-consuming sign-off procedures, making the overall workflow move more efficiently, while enabling employees to feel better connected with their work. The less hierarchical structure allows workers to take greater advantage of their potential within the company, and as a result staff and client satisfaction scores have skyrocketed.
Another radical example from the report comes courtesy of software developer Valve, which quite literally invites employees to be their own boss. Their recently released employee handbook shows the workings of a completely horizontal organization, and instructs a day one employee on how to navigate this company structure. Employees at Valve work on their own projects 100% of the time, completed through peer-to-peer, project-by-project teams that assemble and disassemble as work is completed. The overall direction of the company is decided entirely by the employees and what they decide to work on as a collective.
By allowing employees to take greater command of their work, the flattening of organizations is helping to untap the potential of intelligent and creative employees. In the end it is mutually beneficial, as workers feel greater ownership of their own work and and therefore better motivated to experiment. Looking forward, we will inevitably see this model adopted to a degree by more and more organizations, especially in industries that demand constant creative innovation.
Stay tuned for the next Future of Work sneak peak as we will be revealing highlights from the full report throughout the month. Catch all the trends, futuristic concepts and expert interviews that you’ve missed here or buy the entire report. Join the conversation and share your visions and ideas for the future of work with the #FoW on twitter. | <urn:uuid:d9e5e437-80ca-4783-8711-b7dd4d97ad9b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.psfk.com/2013/01/employee-bosses-future-of-work.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963901 | 606 | 1.90625 | 2 |
Mark Twain in the lab of Nikola Tesla
Twain was fascinated with science and scientific inquiry. He developed a close and lasting friendship with Nikola Tesla, and the two spent much time together in Tesla’s laboratory.
Mark Twain accurately predicted his death on April 21, 1910, in Redding, Connecticut.
I came in with Halley’s Comet in 1835. It is coming again next year, and I expect to go out with it. It will be the greatest disappointment of my life if I don’t go out with Halley’s Comet. The Almighty has said, no doubt: ‘Now here are these two unaccountable freaks; they came in together, they must go out together.’ | <urn:uuid:3464e571-9168-470d-bdc7-183c6c6c57f5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://stil.tumblr.com/post/22182250491/mark-twain-in-the-lab-of-nikola-tesla-early | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00063-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95382 | 152 | 2.75 | 3 |
News from Floors Castle
HERITAGE CARNATIONS RE-INTRODUCED AT FLOORS CASTLE GARDENS
SEARCH FOR ‘LOST’ CARNATION ‘FLOORS CASTLE’
Floors Castle today announces that it is reintroducing two important heritage carnations from the original collection first registered at Floors in 1957 and 1968 and is also partnering the development of a new perpetual flowering carnation named ‘Earl Kelso’ with carnation grower Jim Marshall of Marshalls’ Malmaisons. It is also seeking help in discovering a cerise pink carnation ‘Floors Castle’ registered in 1970 from any grower who might be growing this historically important old cultivar.
Carnations have a history and pedigree linked to Floors Castle. The present Duke’s father was Patron of the British National Carnation Society (BNCS) and the Head Gardener at Floors from 1946 – 1980, James Riddell, was an enthusiastic grower and exhibitor of Perpetual Carnations, winning numerous awards. He also raised a number of cultivars two or which are now being reintroduced.
Duchess of Roxburghe (1968) pale pink self, with good scent. It was exhibited three times at the BNCS autumn show in 1968, 1971 and 1972 each time winning the Daily Mail Challenge Cup.
Duke of Norfolk (1957) plum self with purple sheen, was reputedly named after a close friend of the Duke of Roxburghe on account of it matching the colour of his nose!
A new Perpetual Flowering Carnation, a sport of Duke of Norfolk, has been raised by Marshalls’ Malmaisons. Launched at Hampton Court Flower Show in 2011, Earl Kelso is a creamy white self.
Commenting on the announcement of the reintroduction of carnations the Duchess of Roxburghe said;
“Carnations were a great pride and passion of both the present Duke’s father and the former Head Gardener James Riddell. We have been anxious not to lose the links to these important old Floors varieties and have therefore decided to reintroduce them with the help of Jim Marshall who has been such a source of valuable information and knowledge”.
Floors Castle is also seeking help in finding the Carnation ‘Floors Castle’. As it is no longer growing at Floors an appeal is being launched today to find anyone who still has this cultivar in cultivation. Registered in 1970 it is a cerise pink self. The Duchess has made a plea for anyone still growing the plant to come forward. “We would be delighted to hear if anyone knows if it is being grown so we can reintroduce it to Floors.”
The carnations go on sale at Floors Castle Plant Centre from Friday 20th July 2012 | <urn:uuid:3428db52-cc29-4916-bf18-297d97cf1975> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.roxburghe.net/whatson_news.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946078 | 604 | 1.554688 | 2 |
[Stanley Kutler is the author The Wars of Watergate (Norton), Abuse of Power: The New Nixon Tapes (Free Press), The American Inquisition: Cold War Political Trials (Hill & Wang), numerous other books and articles, and with Harry Shearer the forthcoming television series, “Nixon’s the One.”]
The death of Robert H. Bork on Wednesday brings to mind his singular moment: the Senate’s rejection of his Supreme Court nomination in 1987. The criticism and assault against him marked a sea change in the process of both nominations and confirmations. The 42-58 bipartisan rejection of Bork resulted from many reasons, including personal and ideological. Rarely has a Supreme Court nominee’s record been so challenged, an inquiry Bork relished. The attack even coined a new verb: “Borked.”
Within an hour of President Ronald Reagan’s nomination of Bork to the Supreme Court on July 1, 1987, Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., delivered a blistering assault on the circuit court judge, with the benefit of national television cameras watching. Bork’s Constitution, Kennedy alleged, would mean women would get sent into back-alley abortions, blacks would eat at segregated lunch counters, schoolchildren would not be taught evolution and so on.
Kennedy also said Bork’s nomination reached back into the “muck of Watergate.” Bork then, and later, never was able to shake his image as Richard Nixon’s accomplice to the events of October 1973; specifically, Kennedy accused Bork of executing the president’s “unconscionable assignment” of firing Watergate special prosecutor Archibald Cox, and said Bork contributed to “one of the darkest chapters for the rule of law in American history.” Bork’s Watergate moment offered significant basis for the opposition. Indeed, Bork carried that burdensome image for the rest of his life, but it was unfair and simply wrong.
Nixon ordered Attorney General Elliot Richardson to dismiss Cox. The special prosecutor had sought a subpoena for Nixon’s Oval Office tapes, and at the moment the matter was pending at the appellate level. More than anyone else, Nixon realized the precariousness of his position, and he desperately sought to moot the matter by abolishing the special prosecutor’s office. Richardson and his deputy, William Ruckelshaus, informed Solicitor General Bork, then third in command at the Justice Department, that they would resign rather than execute the president’s order. Bork likewise announced his intention to resign, but Richardson urged him to remain at his post and carry out Nixon’s order; Richardson feared that the chain of command would be broken and that the White House would send one of its lawyers to head the department and fire Cox. Thus, the event that became known as the “Saturday Night Massacre.”
On Saturday, traditionaly a downtime in the news cycle, Richardson, Ruckelshaus and Bork walked to the Justice Department auditorium for a televised news conference. On the way, Bork claimed that he had asked Richardson to explain the decision to have Bork execute the president’s order. According to Bork, Richardson agreed to do so but he never did. Subsequently, Richardson acknowledged and confirmed Bork’s version of events. When I asked Richardson why he never defended Bork at the time—or later—his answer was classic Washington: “No one asked me.”
Incidentally, Bork dismissed Cox but he did nothing to abolish the office and retained the special prosecutor’s sizable staff. It remained in place for Leon Jaworski, who completed Cox’s work and largely engineered Nixon’s resignation.
Bork had to answer in 1987 and afterward for many of his views—not the least of which was in his article urging the application of the Constitution’s “original intention” as the core for judicial rulings. Bork easily could reconcile his views to his discovery of original intention, contending that it was the sole marker for determining constitutional law. Consequently, Bork inevitably opposed judicial decisions favoring contemporary values and desires, readily attacking judges who found ample constitutional support for ruling on behalf of second-class citizens, whether they wanted to eat at any lunch counter or get an abortion. The idea of a “living Constitution” was anathema to him and his collaborator, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, who has attacked the concept’s proponents as “idiots.”
Bork’s argument for “original intention” served his self-promoted philosophy of judicial restraint, and was a vehicle for imposing his own political and cultural preferences. Sadly, the senators and their staffs proved unwilling or unable to engage him in any meaningful way on the subject.
Bork’s article was published without fear and without research, but was widely publicized and repeated in political circles unhappy with contemporary directions in constitutional law. It was also picked up by popular media, which believe any new viewpoint automatically supersedes previously held notions. After all, the article had appeared in the prestigious Yale Law Journal. It remains the “scholarly” underpinning for currently fashionable judicial rulings uttered in the name of “original intention.”
Determining “original intention” is no scientific endeavor providing absolute clear answers, as Bork wanted us to believe. Pauline Maier’s recent book, “Ratification,” the most thorough examination we have of the constitutional understanding of 1787-89, demonstrates the multiplicity of views on almost any part of the Constitution and the futility of determining “original intention.” No one can weigh the formidable ratification evidence, and share Bork’s faith in original intention. Perhaps one might discover ”original intention” on a Ouija board, but that is not history. | <urn:uuid:a104f53a-0246-4c03-9a33-848cc2bc0949> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.hnn.us/roundup/11.html?page=7 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966295 | 1,246 | 1.875 | 2 |
Lauren Riggs, LEED AP
Manager, LEED Performance
U.S. Green Building Council
This post originally appeared on FacilitesNet.
In today’s economy, every penny counts. And as building owners and facility managers know all too well, every penny adds up. When the lights in your 30-story office building are left on an extra hour each day, or the brutal summer heat requires an extra blast of air conditioning, your energy consumption escalates and so does your utility bill. That’s precisely why building owners and facility managers are starting to “listen” to their buildings to ensure optimal operations.
Inspired by these attentive facility managers, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) launched its Building Performance Partnership (BPP) in 2009. The organization-wide initiative positions the optimization of building performance as a fundamental goal of the green building movement. BPP engages both owners and facility managers of LEED-certified commercial buildings through data collection, analysis and action. Participants receive annual performance reports, report cards and real-time data interfaces to aid in their building performance goals.
At the end of 2010, 132 LEED-certified facilities, mainly office buildings, had joined BPP. These facilities range in size from 2,000 to 2 million square feet. In 2011, the program grew to include nearly 350 partners, triple 2010′s figures. The types of organizations and facilities have grown to include retailers, offices and other building types. These participants are demonstrating their commitment to energy efficiency monitoring and are leading among their peers by sharing their experiences and contributing to the market need for building performance education.
The first year participants represented high-performing buildings from every region of the country. Those buildings eligible for an Energy Star score had an overall average score of 87. Consistent with a high average Energy Star score, BPP participants had demonstrated Source Energy Use Intensity that is on average 41 percent lower than the national averages reported in EPA’s Energy Star Portfolio Manager.
Each year will bring new enhancements to the program and offer increased connectivity to other USGBC programs. This year, all participants that share data through BPP will receive their performance report through an online interface, which will contain an analysis of their current performance, from the most recent 12 months of utility data provided, side-by-side with their benchmarks from LEED certification.
To support the increased interest in building performance, USGBC is implementing automation solutions for data collection and transfer, including establishing an automatic data input and output relationship with EPA’s Energy Star Portfolio Manager, and will begin work to automate additional benchmarking solutions.
The goal is for the annual performance reports to act as a helpful reminder to facility managers that their building’s performance matters and benefits the bottom line. Armed with comprehensive green building performance data, BPP will enable standardization of reporting metrics and analytics and establish new performance benchmarks, ultimately transforming the way the world views building operations and maintenance.
For more information about BPP, visit usgbc.org/bpp. | <urn:uuid:fbf888b6-b90c-4a42-85e9-70301c50a4ec> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://planetforward.org/2012/01/06/every-penny-counts-tracking-building-performance-to-save-money-and-resources/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00051-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946038 | 634 | 1.929688 | 2 |
Facing immense pressure from congressional Democrats, the White House backed off its promise to drug companies to exclude negotiations for lower drug costs from health care reform. Democrats were upset that the White House's deal appeared to restrict them from negotiating lower costs, but the White House assured them it did not.
A new Defense Department policy requires all U.S. military health centers around the world to carry the emergency contraception pill known as Plan B One-Step.
By ALINA SELYUKH
Speaking at the Energy and Environment panel of the Georgetown Public Policy Institute conference, Julie Falkner, senior policy adviser for The Nature Conservancy, warned the government against merely "throwing spaghetti against the wall and seeing what's going to stick" as it grapples with the issues of energy independence and climate change.
"You can't just focus on a piece of this," Falkner said. "It's a systematic issue that has to be looked at in a coherent manner. Now what you see is bits and pieces starting to pan out."
Some of the possible solutions to America's energy woes, as outlined earlier by Al Gore’s Alliance for Climate Protection, were discussed by the panelists: adopting energy-efficient technologies, switching from fossil fuels to renewable energy and calling upon citizens as well as national leaders to make responsible energy decisions.
Myron Ebell of the Competitive Enterprise Institute noted that half of U.S. energy production is still rooted in coal. Ebell argued that until more technological breakthroughs take place, "we’re a long ways away" from a complete conversion to renewable energy.
Erich Pica, domestic program director of Friends of the Earth, spotlighted the stimulus package's large investments in energy and transportation efficiency, but pointed out that a global initiative may be required. On the other side of the spectrum, states should start participating in the energy conversation as well, Falkner said. | <urn:uuid:596ef733-b362-4eaf-acfb-5fb788b19c5b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://promises.nationaljournal.com/direction/steady/?page=17 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00066-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956892 | 388 | 1.75 | 2 |
Class N (Classes L and M before 1900)
The early wagons, which in 1900 became part of Class N, broke down into three groups. The first group was those wagons, which had formed part of the original stock. These were 18'-0" long with two bolsters. Most had gone by 1905 but three survived until 1929. The second and third groups used the New Zealand design chassis. Fifty of these had two bolsters and single planked sides. Most of these were converted to M class coal box wagons in 1919. Another twenty-six on the same chassis had no sides but also had two bolsters. The bolsters seem to have been removed from any survivors after the Second World War and they were probably used as shunters floats or runner wagons. From 1952 further N class wagons were converted from wagons on the standard 15'-0" New Zealand Chassis. These were flat wagons with no bolsters. The last was written off in 1977.
In 1912 some 12'-0" I class wagons were converted into flat wagons and reclassified N. In later years these were all used as shunters floats. In 1934 some 14'-0" long G.S.R. vans were converted to N class wagons these were later supplemented by some conversions from G wagons. All N class wagons were listed as shunters' floats from 1943 even though not all would have been necessarily fully converted at this time. Further shunters' floats were converted from I class single bolster wagons from 1941. It is also possible that some 1950's conversions ran on 1901 type steel chassis. Finally during the war some Jetty wagons were reinstated as class N - it is difficult to be certain what type of chassis they had. In 1956 all of the shunters' floats in class N were reclassified NS . As they were derived from several different sources they exhibited the same variety of specifications as the N class wagons. The few remaining N's were listed from this point onwards as "Main Line Tailers" presumably used as spacer wagons for over length loads.
TheNF class was the standard post war flat wagon built on the 18'-0" underframe. A total of 35 were built new from 1953 with conversions increasing the total to 56 by 1966. In 1956 a group of 9 NF class wagons were converted to carry cement containers and reclassified NFC. In 1961 they were all converted back to NF standard. The final conversion was 22880 which in 1974 became a bolster wagon coded NFB. It was unique and was finally written off in 1986.
In 1959 a batch of 15 18'-0" flat top wagons with the wheelbase reduced from 10-0" to 9'-6" was created asclass NFA. They were all written off by 1988.
In 1962 three CXB class sheep wagons were converted to flats and reclassified NC. In 1965 these three wagons were converted to class NF. Theclass NC was used again in 1971 for a group of seventy-five flat top wagons converted from GH and GHD class wagons. This class was largely withdrawn en masse in 1990 when most four wheeled wagons were phased out.
A total of fifty wagons from classes BE, FD and HC were converted in 1967 into flat wagons to carry nickel ore containers. TheseNO class wagons lasted until the late 1970's when they were gain converted to GHB and GHE class high-sided wagons. Further shunters' float conversions started to apper about this time. These wagosn were converted from old CXA class cattle trucks.
Class NW was created in 1968-1971 by the conversion of thirty-eight HC, FD, GH and GHD class wagons to flat wagons for iron ore containers. They were written off in 1985-1987.
The penultimate class to appear in this group was class NV . This was a group of three wagons for the C.M.E. department converted from DC class vans in 1974/5 to carry wheels. They were withdrawn in 1987.
The final class in the N group to appear comprised the twenty NA class sleeper wagons created between 1980 and 1983 by the conversion of low-sided wagons from classes HC and HCP. | <urn:uuid:4dcb3486-1dab-42c3-8c6e-200de5f45997> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://website.lineone.net/~asmay/n_truck.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.989285 | 875 | 2.5 | 2 |
It’s tough to swing high when you can’t even reach the playground because your wheelchair gets stuck in the sand.
That’s what happened routinely to Abby Farrell, 10, when she went to a typical playground in Colorado Springs.
”It takes two or three friends to get me out,” said Abby, who has spina bifida and needs a wheelchair, crutches and braces to get around.
Abby’s mother, Michelle Farrell, became frustrated that playgrounds were little more than a fortress to her daughter. I first wrote about Michelle and Abby in 2006. Here’s a portrait of them by Deborah Killian.
Michelle didn’t blame the city. It was building play structures that comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act for accessibility to the handicapped. Each playground had a “transfer station” where kids in wheelchairs can theoretically make the transition from chair to play.
But even the ADA doesn’t recognize, Farrell said, that only about 10 percent of wheelchair-using children can get out on their own. Many can’t sit unassisted. The playgrounds were useless to them.
But Farrell had seen a “universally accessible” playground in Los Angeles. About two dozen have been built nationwide including in Broomfield and Fort Collins. But they are expensive and require design expertise.
Farrell founded the non-profit Swing High Project and got busy. She hit the circuit of public meetings, committees and fundraising events.
These playgrounds are different in key ways.
The swings must be safe for kids who can’t sit upright on their own. High backs and belts.
They must be surrounded wiht rubber and foam-padded surfaces.
The city committed $500,000 from the Trails and Open Space fund to build it. TOPS, as it’s called, is a one-tenth of a cent sales tax that can only be used for trails, parks and open space. And it got started planning the playground.
Here’s a look at a rendering of what is being built.
The state Great Outdoors Colorado Trust Fund, or GOCO, kicked in $200,000. It gets its money from lottery revenue.
The Phil Long Community Fund dontated $75,000. The El Pomar Foundation, King Soopers and Aerial Gymnastics each donated $10,000.
Farrell and her supporters have raised about $40,000 more but still are short of their goal. Still, the City Council approved the project a few months ago and construction recently started. Here’s a look at the site:
Abby visited the site recently. Here she is:
And here’s a view of the location from FlashEarth:
Learn more about Michelle and her playground at her Web site including how you can donate, if you wish.
They still need money to access a $25,000 matching grant. And they hope to build a small special-needs parking lot on the east edge of the playground. But they don’t have the money at this time. | <urn:uuid:57c148a9-f7ac-4aa1-af40-df33127ba05d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://sidestreets.freedomblogging.com/2009/11/15/swing-high-even-if-you-cant-walk/4487/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958709 | 653 | 2.203125 | 2 |
Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.
September 13, 1998
Explanation: Galileo Galilei made a good discovery great. Upon hearing at age 40 that a Dutch optician had invented a glass that made distant objects appear larger, Galileo crafted his own telescope and turned it toward the sky. Galileo quickly discovered that our Moon had craters, that Jupiter had its own moons, that the Sun has spots, and that Venus has phases like our Moon. Galileo, who lived from 1564 to 1642, made many more discoveries. Galileo claimed that his observations only made sense if all the planets revolved around the Sun, as championed by Aristarchus and Copernicus, not the Earth, as was commonly believed then. The powerful Inquisition made Galileo publicly recant this conclusion, but today we know he was correct.
Authors & editors:
NASA Technical Rep.: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA/ GSFC
&: Michigan Tech. U. | <urn:uuid:ea8403a6-9b3a-483d-b030-41df5fcb26d6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.phys.ncku.edu.tw/~astrolab/mirrors/apod_e/ap980913.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96635 | 226 | 3.5 | 4 |
Uwe Ochsenknecht as Pope Leo XAt 29:00 into the movie Luther (2003), freshly elected pope Leo X discusses the German Albrecht of Brandenburg with soon-to-be papal nuncio Aleander. When somewhat idealistic Aleander notes that under canon law Albrecht cannot be the Archbishop of Mainz (who was also primate of the Holy Roman Empire), Leo X virtually smirks as he reminds Aleander that he himself was a cardinal at age 13. Though the point is not stressed further, the insight here is that the highest-ranking church officials, even the pope, were not men of religion at all but men from a handful of great aristocratic families: the Medicis, Brandenburgs, Wettins, etc.
The 47-year-old, Hessian-born Uwe Ochsenknecht plays blubber-lipped Pope Leo X with entertaining arrogance and cynicism. The pope, no more malicious than other princes of his time, was described by a contemporary as an “extremely free-hearted man who avoids every difficult situation”. However he was a son of the powerful House of Medici (and ordained priest after he became the pope). It is no surprise he was very worldly with worldly vices. Hunting and women (and perhaps boys) enjoyed priority over religious matters, which this pope moreover saw as mainly political matters. His fiery predecessor Julius II (the ‘warrior pope’) had tried to stem the influence of princely families; Leo X not only reversed that initiative but created an astonishing 31 new cardinals! Ochsenknecht also conveys well a centuries-old Italian attitude, i.e., sneering disdain for everything not Italian.
Pope Leo X portrait by Raphael
At 32:00 into the movie Leo X implies he is the mastermind behind the re-building of St. Peter’s basilica. In fact, demolition of the old basilica was initiated in the mid-15th Century by Pope Nicholas V and rebuilding was begun in earnest by Leo X’s highly esteemed predecessor, Julius II. Nevertheless Leo was indeed strapped for money because of the project; its demands threatened his lavish lifestyle. One solution was to drain money out of the Vatican’s silver-rich cash cow, the German-speaking part of the Holy Roman Empire. Thus, the Archbishop of Mainz was allowed to sell indulgences. Half of the money went to the archbishop’s bankers, the Fuggers of Augsburg; half ‘flew over the Alps to Rome’.
Such a brazen money scam of the German faithful enraged the Saxon monk Luther, who decided to show his teeth in late October 1517. At 42:00 in the movie Leo X fumes because the indulgence money dried up because of a ‘drunken little German monk” and concludes ominously, “Sober him!” At 59:00 in the movie Leo X sneers to Cardinal Cajetan “You exaggerate his importance” but then hints at a cardinal’s hat for Luther. This rings true; no pope was freer at creating new cardinals than Leo X. Cajetan’s general pessimism over the ‘Luther Affair’ angers the movie Leo X and he calls Cajetan incompetent and announces he will send Karl Miltitz to Saxony to deal with Frederick the Wise and his monk.
In historical accuracy, the depiction of Leo X is not far off the mark. In detail, the time from the posting of the 95 theses to the arrival of Miltitz to bribe Frederick the Wise with the Golden Rose in 1519 took nearly two years. In mid-1518 Emperor Maximilian had feigned indignation but warned Leo X about ‘several defenders of Luther's errors among the great’. The emperor was of course referring to the second most powerful man in the empire: Frederick the Wise. The dynamics changed completely when Maximilian became mortally ill in late 1518. Frederick the Wise, as the most powerful of the six electors of the new emperor, was, at least until after the election, untouchable. After the election of Charles V however the Vatican’s attack on Luther resumed with excommunication, burning his books, etc. “A wild boar has invaded thy vineyard,” wrote Leo X in 1520. At 1:02 into the movie this metaphor is completed as Leo X himself rides down a wild boar and kills it with his lance.
Leo X does not reappear in the movie. All his efforts to stop Luther had failed. At about the time the first riots incited by Karlstadt hit Wittenberg in late 1521 the real Leo X suddenly died a victim of malaria at only 47.
Q. Do you agree with this assessment Leo X and his predecessor Julius II? | <urn:uuid:74a0864b-5fc2-455f-b580-3083490a1bba> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.frederickthewise.com/2010/08/martin-luther-in-film-luther-2003-and_18.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00058-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970434 | 1,024 | 2.203125 | 2 |
The Adoration (from Van Eyck). Stoneware based mixed media sculpture, 168 x 36 x 16” | 427 x 91 x 41 cm.
The Adoration (from Van Eyck). Stoneware based mixed media sculpture, 168 x 36 x 16” | 427 x 91 x 41 cm, (detail).
Jar with Netting Design. Porcelain with underglaze blue. Hizen ware. Early Imari type. Japan c. 1625
Teri Frame, Early Human, 2011
She’s also performing live at the Elmhurst Art Museum next Friday.
“Flame wear” pottery, middle Jomon period (ca. 3500 - 2500 BC)
Deep bowl with sculptural rim, late Middle Jōmon period (ca. 2500–1500 b.c.), ca. 1500 b.c., Japan. Earthenware, height 33 cm.
The swirling, dynamic appearance of the rim of this deep bowl is one of the most recognizable characteristics of wares made during Japan’s oldest known civilization, the Jōmon. Forming a dramatic contrast to the flamboyant ornamentation along the top is the relatively simple cord-marked lower portion of the vessel. Although most of the pottery containers made during this period were cooking vessels, the eccentric, irregular shape of the rim on bowls of this kind does not appear to be suitable for practical use and may have served a ritual function.
This deep bowl was built up with coils of clay that were then smoothed by hand and with paddles. Clay coils and the movement of the potter’s fingers formed the undulating “fire-flame” design that decorates the rim. The lower portion of the bowl was impressed while still soft with a length of rough cord wrapped around a stick to create the textured pattern. After the bowl was fully formed, it was fired in an open pit.
Also on view now at the Met, Gallery 223. | <urn:uuid:9de90b9c-0b4c-412d-be04-19118439098c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://pppots.tumblr.com/page/19 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935165 | 411 | 2.328125 | 2 |
Lawmakers, doctors, and others opposing a ballot question to legalize marijuana for medical use contended Monday that the question’s wording is flawed and would enable widespread recreational use of the drug.
A Globe poll last month found that 69 percent of respondents support the legalization measure. Gathered on the State House steps, the opponents argued that the ballot question does not stand up to scrutiny, contending it plays on compassion for those suffering from debilitating illnesses in hope of ultimately decriminalizing marijuana for all.
“This is not about being compassionate to those true, legitimate treatment needs,” said state Senator John F. Keenan, the Quincy Democrat who chairs the Joint Committee on Mental Health and Substance Abuse. “The residents of Massachusetts are being sold a law that goes way beyond the idea of being compassionate. Don’t be fooled. Please read the law.”
Supporters of the question disputed those assertions, prompting a spirited debate on the Beacon Street sidewalk between lawmakers and advocates on both sides.
Opponents who organized the event pointed to what they called the question’s “vague, ambiguous” language. They cited clauses that allow the drug to be prescribed not just to alleviate pain for cancer or glaucoma but for any “conditions as determined in writing by a qualifying patient’s physician,” and that permit patients to obtain a 60-day supply at once, which in states where medical marijuana is legal can mean half a pound.
Opponents of the measure known as Question 3 warned that storefront dispensaries could appear anywhere, that medical marijuana registration cards would be easy to obtain and never expire, that cardholders could acquire large stashes by visiting multiple dispensaries, and that the cards would make it harder for police to enforce laws for illegal possession or use if a cardholder is present in a group.
“This will mean more marijuana in the hands of our children,” said Representative Carolyn Dykema, a Holliston Democrat and mother of teenagers.
The 2,300-word proposal does not restrict dispensary locations, except to allow for up to five per county and 35 statewide. It says nothing about card expiration dates or visits to multiple dispensaries but prohibits possession of more than a 60-day supply. It also says fraudulent card use could be punished with up to six months in jail and that resale or distribution of marijuana for nonmedical use could be punished with up to five years in prison.
Supporters of the measure disputed the criticisms and said if voters approve the ballot question, strong regulations would be written by the state Department of Health.
The vote-no group filled the steps with teenagers and recovering drug addicts in treatment, while legislators, doctors, law enforcement leaders, and others poked at the language of the question and called marijuana a gateway drug.
Mayor Tom Koch of Quincy said the dispensaries could appear next to schools or addiction-treatment centers. Jay Broadhurst, the Worcester physician leading the coalition, called the list of diagnoses that would allow someone to qualify for the drug “outrageously broad” and “clinically useless.”
Norfolk District Attorney Michael W. Morrissey and Norwood Police Chief William G. Brooks III, representing the state’s chiefs, said similar laws elsewhere brought unintended problems, with crime increasing near dispensaries and with the drugs ending up in the hands of those without cards.
As opponents spoke, supporters quietly distributed literature of their own. Representative Martin J. Walsh of Dorchester, who said he opposes the legalization effort as a cancer survivor and as someone who has lost family members to addiction, called them out.
When the crowd broke up, Walsh debated with two legalization supporters, Representative Frank Smizik of Brookline and Karen Munkacy, a nonpracticing physician from Newton.
“The Department of Public Health is going to issue regulations on this if it passes,” Munkacy said.
“Oh, I feel comfortable with that,” Walsh said.
“They’ll do a very good job,” Munkacy said.
“I’m concerned about the kids that were behind me up on the stairs,” Walsh said, saying the measure would make marijuana easier for all to obtain.
Munkacy, a breast cancer survivor, said she was motivated by the “horrible suffering” she experienced in treatment because she chose not to smoke marijuana, deciding not to break the law. She said the lessons of other states would yield regulations to make this “the most heavily regulated program in the country.” | <urn:uuid:06d972d3-6c21-4c4c-8f28-86704805b688> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2012/10/22/medical-marijuana-opponents-call-ballot-question-gateway-widespread-use/vK9Ov3Yr5YLMaDPs7nfNoJ/story.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00057-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960969 | 940 | 1.695313 | 2 |
A group, sometimes called a subgroup, is basically another mix bus that you can send the output of channel faders to.
You could say that the Main Left and Right is a group—a stereo group typically. The signal comes into the input channels, the gain is set, it’s EQ’d and finally the output goes through the fader to a group; either the L&R main output—sometimes there’s a Mono option also—or you may have anywhere between 4-12 groups.
Most analog consoles over 16 channels have at least 4 groups. Larger desks often have 8, the biggest may have 12. Typically, these are mono groups, though most of the time the output of the group can be panned left or right so if you use two of them you can build a stereo group. Usually, the output of the group is fed to the L&R mix, though some boards offer group outputs as well. If there is a matrix mix on board, the inputs of the matrix are usually the groups (including L&R).
To send a channel to a group, you typically push a button somewhere in the channel strip to assign that channel to the group. To save button count, there are normally half as many buttons as there are groups (plus a L&R button). If you want to assign the channel to Group 1, you would push the 1/2 button and pan the channel hard left. To get to Group 2, same button, panned hard right.
Often, the groups automatically are assigned to the L&R mix. Sometimes you have to engage a switch to send it there. If you’re unsure, break out the manual (blow the dust off it first…). Normally you can pan the group if you want.
It’s important that you un-assign the channel from the L&R mix if you’re going to be using groups. Otherwise, you double the channel’s level at the L&R mix, risking overload, and negate the purpose of using groups. If you’ve been playing with groups and come in one day to find no signal coming out of a particular channel, check the group assign switches.
If you’re mixing to a mono or stereo system, it might seem like more work to use the groups; why not just send everything straight to the L&R mix? Well, you certainly can. However, if you have more than a few instruments on stage, or if you have a band plus a choir plus a number of people speaking each weekend, the use of groups can really make your life easier.
There are dozens of ways you can use groups and I won’t even begin to try to list them all in one post. I will present you a few examples of things I’ve tried which will hopefully give you some ideas. First up, consider a basic 4-group board such as a Mackie 1604VLZ (or the current 1642 VLZ3), a Yamaha MG32FX, or an Allen & Heath 2400 Series (an A&H GL2400 is shown directly below).
Four Group Option
With four groups, you can’t break things up too much. But you can make them useful. Consider this layout:
Group 1: Drums
Group 2: Guitars
Group 3: Keyboards
Group 4: Vocals
In this situation, you would assign all your drum mics to group 1, all your guitars to group 2, and so on. Anything that doesn’t fall into those categories gets sent straight to the L&R mix. The advantage of doing this is that you can now move entire sections of your mix around at once. If the drums are feeling too loud in the mix, you can pull them all back, while retaining the balance you’ve set up between the mics. Need some more keys? Push the group up and you’ll get both piano and synth, again, maintaing the relationship between them you set on the faders.
One other thing you can do is group compression. If you don’t have 32 channels of compression for every input channel (and with an analog board, you probably don’t), you can insert a comp on the group.
When I was mixing on a Soundcraft Series Two 32-channel desk with 6 channels of outboard comp, I typically had one patched in on my Vocals group. It’s not as ideal as compressing each singer individually, and you do need to be careful how much you compress (that’s another post), but a few dB of gain reduction on the vocal group can keep untrained singers from getting out of place in the mix. Remember, less is more here, and the upside of compressing everything as a group is also the downside; everything gets compressed. A few dB of group comp on the drums can really help glue that together in the mix as well.
An added benefit is that you can now shut the entire band off in the house by pulling down four faders. Note that the group faders will not affect aux sends, so if the channels faders are still up and the channels un-muted, sound will still come out of the monitors. That may or may not be what you want depending on your situation.
Eight Group Option
If your board offers eight groups (such as the Yamaha IM8-32 show directly above), you have some more flexibility. Here’s how we had our Series Two laid out:
Group 1: Speaking Mics
Group 2: Vocals
Group 3: Drums
Group 4: Guitars
Group 5: Keys
Group 6: Brass Section or Vocal Team (varied by week)
Group 7&8: Stereo for CD, iTunes and Video playback
With this type of set up, you can easily tweak the mix using just the groups. Once the overall mix balance is set up, adjustments can be made on the groups to highlight different sections of the band for different songs. Having mixed for a few more years since then, here’s how I may lay it out today:
Group 1: Kick & Bass
Group 2: Rest of Drums
Group 3: Guitars
Group 4: Keys
Group 5: Brass or Vocal Team
Group 6: BGVs
Group 7: Worship Leader(s)
Group 8: Drama mics
I would sent speaking mics to the main L&R mix, along with all playback. The reason for putting the kick and bass together is that those two form the foundation of the mix. Since they’re tied together musically, it makes sense to control them together. I wouldn’t try to group compress them, however. If you did, every time the kick would hit, the bass would drop down. Better to use individual comps or none at all.
If you have a matrix, breaking your band up to feed the matrix can be very useful. For example, let’s say you have some ceiling speakers in the lobby or a cry room. Sending the entire house mix to those speakers may cause distortion from all the low end, or the vocals may not be clear. But let’s feed it from a matrix that’s fed from the groups. In this case, you could lower the level of Group 1 and perhaps slightly bump the level of the vocals. If all your channels don’t end up in groups, you can start by sending the main L&R mix to the matrix, then supplement with additional groups to get the mix you need—“subtraction” happens by not adding a particular group to the matrix. Groups give you a lot of flexibility.
I could go on for another thousand words, but I’ll call it quits for now. Obviously, I’ve only scratched the surface of the use of groups, but my intention was not to be exhaustive, but suggest some ideas that will get you thinking.
Mike Sessler is the Technical Director at Coast Hills Community Church in Aliso Viejo, CA. He has been involved in live production for over 20 years and is the author of the blog, Church Tech Arts . He also hosts a weekly podcast called Church Tech Weekly on the TechArtsNetwork. | <urn:uuid:7ab694db-d449-4b02-8db4-bac0297f4763> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.prosoundweb.com/article/church_sound_using_groups_on_mixing_consoles/ | 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 | 0.944754 | 1,728 | 2.234375 | 2 |
Water Authority Manager Jack Damron said the freshwater spring needs rehabilitation in order to cut down on the amount of water being lost at a rock/concrete enclosure and to protect the spring from floodwaters of the Euharlee Creek.
With the current condition of the enclosure, the authority is losing about one million gallons of water per day. The authority is permitted to draw four million gallons of water per day but withdraws only 1.8 to two million gallons per day.
The enclosure, built in the 1920s, is cracking, leaking and leaching water into the creek. Additionally, heavy rains will cause flooding since the wall height is about 18 feet below the 100-year flood plain.
When this occurs, the spring site and pumping station must be closed until the spring is purged and water turbidity regains levels.
The water authority has applied to the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) for a $1 million loan to cover costs of the conservation work.
Vickey Atkins, PCWA, has submitted a request for a loan guarantee from the Polk County Board of Commissioners. Her petition was approved on Feb. 12.
The project is being engineered and designed by R.J. Wood and Company, and coordinated with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Georgia EPD.
Damron said the 10-month project is part of the water authority’s master plan. “It should go to bid in April or May,” he said.
PCWA’s master plan was approved in 2004 and updated in 2011, according to Damron.
This plan includes two other major projects – Aragon Wastewater Treatment Plant and Mulco Spring.
Rehab work at the Aragon Wastewater Treatment Plant has been completed at a cost of $955,500.
The rehab included replacement of mechanical equipment for the influent lift station, pumps, aeration basin aerators, secondary clarifier, return and waste sludge pumps and replacement of the existing lab, control and electrical building project.
Aragon’s wastewater facility was built in the 1960s and serves about 300 customers. No additional acreage was needed since the plant was not being expanded, only modified.
“We looked at capacity issues and determined that no real growth is anticipated in that coverage area,” Damron said. “Today, the plant has more than sufficient capacity to handle its current work.”
An existing facility is located at the Mulco site, which includes a pump, pump house and tank. A contract, totaling $52,373, has been let to Benny Hubbard Enterprises and work continues on this project. | <urn:uuid:dc5f0937-f200-4aa2-b23c-64b8b99ffd20> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cedartownstd.com/pages/full_story/push?article--1+million+conservation+project+planned+for+aging-+leaking+Deaton+Spring+enclosure%20&id=21819021 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00045-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963832 | 545 | 2.140625 | 2 |
Read Toxic Torts news, alerts, and legal commentary from leading lawyers and law firms:
Prosecuting Environmental and Toxic Torts
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In This Issue:
- Western District Of Washington: Denial of a Defense Where Additional-Insured Status Was Arguable, and Doing So in Reliance on Extrinsic Evidence, Were Both Acts of Bad Faith
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The Australian Federal Court has fined a children’s sleepwear brand $1 million in relation to its supply of unsafe children’s nightdresses and pajamas.
According to Product Safety Australia, Cotton On Kids Pty Ltd supplied...more
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The United States (US) Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Health Canada issued a joint recall of expanding toys in the US and Canada.
The toys, which go by the names Water Balz, Growing Skulls, H2O Orbs...more
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One of the first things an attorney does when representing a client in a particular matter is interview witnesses to learn the facts of the case, or have an investigator do such on their behalf. The attorney will almost...more
Ford v. Edgewood Properties, Inc. - RICO and Conspiracy Claims Against Environmental Consultant Survive MSJ
In the Ford Motor Company v. Edgewood Properties, Inc., Case 2:06-cv-01278-ES-CLW (USDC NJ 8/31/12) case, Civil...more
The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) regulates discarded solid or hazardous waste. A recent lawsuit by environmental groups advanced a novel legal argument that diesel particulates found in diesel exhaust emitted...more
An Ontario court recently refused to apply the American "Stonewall" principle, which would hold insurers financially responsible to pay for damages in years when insurance against the relevant risk was unavailable.
On September 19, 2011, a federal appeals court reversed Southern District Judge Lewis Kaplan's preliminary injunction blocking worldwide enforcement of an $18 billion environmental judgment in Ecuador.
In its ruling, a...more
Although the Second Circuit affirmed the decision below, the Court found against Chevron on several key factual issues that undermine the company's defenses both in Ecuador and potentially in various enforcement courts where...more
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A panel of the court ruled 2-1 on September 17, 2010 that the Alien Tort Statute gives U.S. courts jurisdiction over alleged violations of international law by individuals only, not by corporations.
The decision dismisses...more
This article discusses the BP Oil spill and the race to the courthouse by attorneys. It's all about the money....more
This article discusses the greed of lawyers and BP. The attorneys want to be first to control the mass tort litigation in order to make more money. BP put profits over safety. At $6 billion profit last quarter, they could...more
This article takes the BP Oil case and relates it to other cases. It is an attempt to make people think about lawsuits. Does a lawsuit always have to be filed? No. In fact, most attorney make a run at trying to resolve...more
This article discusses the BP Oil spill and the attempts to gain by lawyers and attorneys. It is an attempt to make people think about whether they need to rush to take legal action....more
The US Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals Affirms Summary Judgment granted in our client's favor upholding and applying the unique Michigan Fultz doctrine dismissing professional liability suit against our client CIH which...more
Michigan Department of Transportation v. Employers Mutual Casualty Co. et al. , 480 Mich. 862; 748 N.W.2d 239 (2008) - After a catastrophic accident involving a motor carrier hauling gasoline caused significant property...more
Respondent Optical Coating Laboratory, Inc.'s brief on appeal in the case of Clark v. OCLI et al. deals in large part with evidentiary rulings that were almost entirely upheld on appeal.
The case was brought by 32...more
The article reviews and explains the holding of In re Groundwater Cases (2007), 154 Cal. App. 4th 659. This precedent setting case outlines the extent to which a private or municipal drinking water system in California may...more
The complaint addresses a situation in which a BTEX and MtBE plume is moving through groundwater from a site adjacent to the plaintiff's. The complaint alleges, among other items, that the defendants are not appropriately...more
Although international environmental law has made some inroads in identifying global environmental problems, it has mostly proved ineffective at adequately addressing them. The absence of a governing body to monitor and...more
JD Supra gets your content noticed, increases your visibility and makes your marketing efforts hassle free...
Learn More or Schedule a demo | <urn:uuid:1d406925-68a1-4290-89e7-f55328962a7d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.jdsupra.com/law-news/toxic-torts/business-torts/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.923594 | 1,150 | 1.523438 | 2 |
Jon Huntsman's venue, Liberty State Park, has storied history
When Jon Huntsman announces his candidacy for president Tuesday at Liberty State Park in New Jersey, he’ll join a long list of politicians who have found the spot to be an exquisite backdrop for big campaign events.
The park, located in Jersey City, offers a camera shot with dramatic views of the Manhattan skyline and, more important, a photo op with the iconic Statue of Liberty (located in nearby New York Harbor) in the background.Continue Reading
The park is where Jesse Jackson, amid tensions with Jewish voters in 1988, laid a wreath at a monument honoring American soldiers who liberated Jews from World War II German concentration camps. In that same campaign, then-Sen. Bill Bradley (D-N.J.) appeared with Michael Dukakis at the site, delivering his endorsement in an old terminal – now a museum - that had once processed Dukakis’ grandmother after she had arrived from Greece as an immigrant.
Six years later, Bill Clinton found yet another use for the park. He used the venue to deliver a memorable health care speech that turned contentious—at one point he banged the podium so hard in response to protesters that the presidential seal fell off.
Yet Liberty State Park’s most famous political event took place on Labor Day 1980, when Ronald Reagan used it for his general election kickoff.
The site was perfectly suited for his needs at the time. Reagan’s Midwest coordinator, Frank Donatelli, explained that the campaign strategically scheduled lots of events in the Northeast and Midwest to appeal to blue-collar ethnic Catholic voters, many of whom were dissatisfied with Jimmy Carter.
“What better way to reach this voter than the welcoming torch of the Statue of Liberty in the background?” Donatelli said.
Roger Stone, Reagan’s regional director for the Northeast, remembers Reagan showing up in a white shirt, a blue tie and tan sports jacket. It was so hot that day that Nancy Reagan convinced her husband to ditch the tie and jacket—and Reagan himself thought he would look ridiculous wearing a long-sleeve shirt.
As he made his way toward the podium, he gave away his cuff links to a fan, rolled up his sleeves, unbuttoned another button and took the stage.
Craig Shirley, a prominent Republican consultant, found a resulting photo from Reagan’s speech so compelling that he chose it for the cover of “Rendezvous with Destiny,” his 2009 book about that campaign.
“It was such a different look at Reagan—his shirt unbuttoned, his hair tousled, his sleeves rolled up,” Shirley said. “There’s a lot of energy to that picture.”
Get reporter alerts | <urn:uuid:05f24f7d-23c3-4f28-9b94-8c456981ec53> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0611/57397.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00030-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96559 | 574 | 1.8125 | 2 |
K-1 Packaging Group is concerned with the impact that our operations have on the environment. In our efforts to reduce this impact and maintain a responsible organization committed to our environment, employees and customers, we implemented the following objectives.
- Integrate principles of sustainability and responsibility into all major decisions.
- Review our environmental impact in our day-to-day operations.
- Partner with and promote our practices by seeking vendors who operate in a manner consistent with our own values.
- Turn awareness into action by integrating environmental responsibility into job responsibility.
- Partner with experts and organizations that contribute to our knowledge about sustainability.
- Strive for continuous improvement.
- Develop sustainable procurement practices. | <urn:uuid:7cee02f2-e420-4e3e-89ac-f95cbc61393a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.k1packaging.com/Contents/Environmental-Stewardship/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00068-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.915539 | 141 | 1.875 | 2 |
Things to Avoid
This section will examine a couple of body language cues that hurt and help your chances of attracting the right person. Perhaps you’ll find a pearl of wisdom here, something that makes you gasp and say, “So that’s what I’m doing wrong!”
No Public Grooming
Since the study of body language links human behavior to that of primates, you’d think that just about anything goes. Monkeys groom themselves in public, so that must mean that you can too! Stop yourself right there. No one of either gender wants to see a public display of personal hygiene. This includes picking at the ears, rubbing the nose, clearing spittle from the corners of the lips … These are nonverbal gestures that say, “I don’t really care about keeping my germs all to myself. Here, have some!” (Don’t be surprised if everyone else’s body language answers back, “Ew!”)
There’s one exception to this rule: Women and their hair can get away with a light grooming in public—say, a twirl or a push behind the ear. This doesn’t mean that you can pull out your brush and spray and refresh your locks in the middle of a date. That kind of behavior shows an obliviousness that’s beyond compare. Keep a little mystery alive—excuse yourself and groom in private.
In the realm of body language, keeping things simple is often the key to winning over the person you have your eye on. You’ve read about eye contact, angling your body, using friendly touches, and invading someone’s personal space in order to express your interest. Don’t cross the line into leering, groping, and hanging on someone who clearly isn’t on board with this behavior. How will you know if you’re being a little too outgoing? Read the other person’s body language. If your behavior is unacceptable, you’ll see some of the following cues:
• A fake smile, where the lips pull back toward the ears and the muscles around the eyes don’t crinkle.
• A glare, which shouldn’t be mistaken for prolonged, positive eye contact. The glare is usually accompanied by flaring nostrils and a jaw set in stone.
• An increase of space between the two of you, as the other person steps back or angles her body away from you.
• A lack of eye contact, where the other person is doing her best to pretend you aren’t there.
If you’re picking up on these behaviors, you’ve probably already blown your chances. You can scale back your nonverbal behavior considerably or you can call it a night and excuse yourself from the scene. | <urn:uuid:2551c2fd-895e-4605-8552-ad65505b2491> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.netplaces.com/body-language/love-at-first-eye-contact/things-to-avoid.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00076-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.912503 | 592 | 1.757813 | 2 |
AFP – March 12, 2009
Iran could produce an atomic weapon in "one or two years," a Russian strategic arms control expert said Thursday, calling a nuclear-armed Tehran a "significant threat."
"One can speak of one or two years," Vladimir Dvorkin, a retired general and veteran participant in US-Soviet disarmament talks in the 1970s and 1980s, told reporters when asked how close Iran was to having a nuclear weapon.
"In the technical sense, what may be holding them back is the lack of enough weapons-grade uranium," said Dvorkin, who today heads a strategic arms research centre at the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow.
"I consider this a significant threat," said Dvorkin, who stressed that he was voicing his personal views and not those of the Russian government.
"The threat is that Iran, which has effectively ignored all the resolutions and sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council, as a nuclear state would become untouchable, allowing it to broaden its support for terrorist organisations such as Hamas and Hezbollah," he said.
Officially, Russian diplomats have downplayed US and Israeli fears that Iran is on the verge of building an atomic weapon, while Moscow has resisted calls for tougher sanctions on Tehran for its disputed nuclear programme.
Russia has also been helping Iran build a civilian nuclear power plant even as Western governments have expressed concern that Tehran's uranium-enrichment programme is aimed at building material for a bomb.
Moscow has also however pointed out that Iran is geographically closer to Russia than to any Western country and has maintained that it is opposed to any effort by Tehran to obtain a nuclear weapons.
Iran denies that it is seeking nuclear weapons at all, saying its nuclear programme is strictly peaceful.
Dvorkin, who helped shape a series of US-Soviet arms control treaties in the 1970s and 1980s, now heads the Centre for International Security at the Institute for World Economy and International Relations in Moscow.
Last updated 14/03/2009 | <urn:uuid:2626fd2e-9949-4763-824f-8dc5f6ffd201> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thetruthseeker.co.uk/oldsite/article.asp?ID=10332 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00069-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96866 | 412 | 1.898438 | 2 |
It was just about a year ago I was first introduced to a strange, and what I initially thought to be exotic fruit. Just one bite of its delicious pulp and I knew it was something I had never before tasted. It was as if someone took a banana, a mango and a few berries and mashed them together into one amazing flavor combination. My first thought was that this had to come from some tropical destination thousands of miles away, but as I soon discovered the mysterious fruit (otherwise known as a pawpaw) was actually indigenous to Ohio and the one I sampled came from Integration Acres, only 88 miles southeast of Columbus.
If you grew up in Ohio and have never heard of a pawpaw, you are not alone. The founder of Integration Acres, Chris Chmiel, is determined to rectify this injustice by rescuing this fruit off the endangered species list and into your cart at the local market. Chris was born in a rural area of Indiana and after his family moved him to a more urban environment in Cincinnati, he longed to get back to the less populated, simpler way of life. He applied to Ohio University for his undergrad, designed his own major (Holistic Transition to Sustainability) and began focusing on how to live a more sustainable life. After traveling out West post graduation, he and his wife sought to settle back in Athens County, lured by the appealing sense of community and agricultural opportunities.
Shortly after moving back, Chris discovered the pawpaw tree and, after becoming tired of seeing its fruit rot on the ground, he knew that this was the perfect tool to educate people about biodiversity. He began researching the pawpaw, a tree that is native to 25 states east of the Mississippi, and spoke with The Kentucky State University Pawpaw Research Program. He discovered that in the early 1900’s the American Genetic Association had a competition for the best pawpaw and 5 out of the 10 best came from southern Ohio. Integration Acres was soon born. Today, the farm is comprised of two properties: the first is 32 acres where currently 75 goats are raised and delicious varieties of cheese such as chèvre, feta, smoky goat, cheddar, and gouda are produced. The second property, just a stones throw up the road, consists of 18 acres where the family’s home, the pawpaw orchard and around 15 acres of wild pawpaws reside.
At Integration Acres, part of their mission is to design energy efficient systems and focus on sustainable agriculture through silvopastoralism, or the practice of combining forestry, pastures and grazing animals in a mutually beneficial way. The goats do not disturb the pawpaw trees because of the natural pesticide inherent in the pawpaw. The bark contains powerful chemicals know as Annonaceous acetogenins which are potent compounds that are poisonous to most insect feeders and keep the goats at bay.
Because of the short shelf life of the pawpaw fruit (and likely the reason they are not at your local Kroger) Chris wanted to come up with several ways to process it. Integration Acres was able to take something that was rotting on the ground and turn it into a profitable business by hiring local women, affectionately dubbed the “desperate housewives”, to clean, peel and mash the pawpaw pulp in order for it to be frozen and sold year round. Other pawpaw products being produced by Integration Acres include pawpaw popsicles, chutney, jam and salad dressing.
After creating all of these appetizing pawpaw products, Chris became a self proclaimed “gorilla marketer” of the pawpaw. He even started the annual Ohio Pawpaw Festival which takes place mid September at Lake Snowden. What better way to introduce people to this delicious fruit than to create a fun and educational event centered around it. All of the food and beverages (even beer) for sale at the festival must contain the secret ingredient: pawpaws. At the festival you will find a cornucopia of everything pawpaw along with activities such as the Pawpaw Cook-off, Pawpaw Eating Contest and Best Pawpaw Competition. This year, I was lucky enough to be asked to be a judge in the Best Pawpaw Competition and I did not take this opportunity lightly. I judged each pawpaw keeping in mind several categories including appearance, aroma, flavor, and texture. After sampling around 20 pawpaws, a winner was declared and I rewarded myself with a pawpaw beer!
Since 1996, Chris’s mission to bring “Pawpaws to the People” is one he passionately shares. With the Pawpaw Festival going on its 13th year and awareness being spread like wildfire, pawpaws are soon to be the sought after fruit in Ohio.
The pawpaws pictured traveled 88 miles to Columbus. Not one fruit alone can be compared to the pawpaw, but it tastes like a combination of several tropical varieties grown thousands of miles from Columbus.
The pawpaw is the largest edible fruit native to the United States. Pawpaw trees shaded deep in the forest do not produce fruit, while the trees exposed to ample sunlight produce a generous amount of this custard-like textured treat. There are several varieties of pawpaws and a lot of genetic diversity and difference in flavor between them. The fruit grows in clusters and contains numerous flat black seeds. The peak of its harvesting season is August-October.
The nutritional aspects of a pawpaw are immense. It is high in niacin, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, protein, potassium, vitamin C, phosphorus and it contains all of the essential amino acids. Not to mention, there are more antioxidants in ½ a pawpaw than a whole apple or pear! In addition, ongoing studies have confirmed the benefits of the pawpaw in clinical cancer treatments and its use to prevent the growth of cancer cells. You can purchase your pawpaw products directly from Integration Acres or in Columbus at Katzinger's Delicatessen, Hills Market and many other locations to start reaping the benefits of the power of the pawpaw!
ReferencesKYSU Pawpaw Research Program
Pawpaw and Raspberry Smoothie
- 1/2 cup fresh or frozen Integration Acres pawpaw pulp
- 1/3 cup fresh raspberries
- 3/4 cup low-fat milk
- 1/2 cup fat free vanilla yogurt
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon ground flax seed
- 3-5 ice cubes
- Mix all of the ingredients in a blender until smooth
- Makes 2 (12oz.) smoothies | <urn:uuid:f4824852-9572-4952-9b5a-fafe9aaf83e5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://alocalchoice.blogspot.com/2011/09/power-of-pawpaw.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968997 | 1,385 | 2.125 | 2 |
Energy tariffs explained
Don't know where to start when it comes to energy tariffs? We've explained some of the popular ones below - when you're ready, you can start comparing energy tariffs using the Which? Switch calculator.
Dual fuel tariffs
A dual fuel energy tariff provides gas and electricity from the same energy supplier. Not only can dealing with just one energy company make life easier, but often cheaper plans are only open to dual fuel customers.
Many energy companies also apply a discount on your bill if you choose to have both gas and electricity supplied by them.
Capped energy tariffs
A capped energy tariff guarantees that the unit price you pay for electricity or gas (often called the kilowatt hour price - kWh) won't rise beyond a certain level for a fixed period, protecting you from energy price rises.
The unit price for capped energy is usually higher than a supplier's standard tariff, but it can go down if your energy supplier cuts its standard energy prices during the period you're fixed for. There may be an exit fee if you switch before a capped period expires - check the terms and conditions of your plan before signing up to a different offer.
Fixed energy tariffs
Fixed energy tariffs guarantee a certain unit price for gas or electricity for a set period of time, offering peace of mind if you're worried about energy price rises.
However, they can be up to 20% more expensive than non-fixed tariffs, and because you're locked into a particular price, you won't benefit from any price cuts your energy supplier makes during the fixed period. Also look out for exit fees for leaving the deal before the fixed period expires.
Online energy tariffs
Online energy tariffs enable you to manage your energy account online in return for cheaper gas or electricity. The cheapest energy deals around tend to be online.
You won't usually receive energy bills through the post but you will be able to view your account and recent statements online at any time, as well as entering your own meter readings. Your energy company will set up access when you switch.
Online account management doesn't prevent you from speaking to your energy supplier over the phone, or require you to pay your bills online.
Economy 7 energy tariffs
Economy 7 tariffs (White Meter in Scotland) offer cheaper electricity at night. It's particularly suitable for households with night storage heaters or if you use lots of electricity at night.
The '7' represents the seven hours of cheaper electricity available - usually between 1am and 8am, or midnight and 7am. It is estimated you ought to use about 55% of your electricity at night to make a saving on Economy 7, but this can vary widely depending on your tariff, region and usage.
Economy 7 households need a special type of electricity meter that displays separate readings for energy units used in the day and at night. If you want to switch to Economy 7, your current energy supplier should be able to arrange installation of a meter, but you may have to pay a fee.
Economy 10 energy tariffs
Economy 10 provides discounted prices for electricity used during ten off-peak hours per day. Unlike Economy 7, discounted rates are available in the daytime - typically three hours in the afternoon, two in the evening and five overnight. Off-peak electricity costs can be half of peak prices, but many tariffs have an increased standing daily charge.
Like Economy 7 tariffs, you'll need an electricity meter that displays separate readings for energy units used at different times of the day. If you're switching to Economy 10, you energy supplier should be able to arrange installation of the meter, but you may have to pay a fee.
Not all energy suppliers offer Economy 10, and those that do may not offer the energy tariff to new customers.
Social energy tariffs
All energy providers have to offer cheap social tariffs to help their most vulnerable customers cope with the cost of gas and electricity. They must be as cheap as the lowest standard tariff offered by a supplier to customers in their area, including online deals. If more than 10% of your household income goes towards energy bills, you may be eligible. Contact your energy supplier for details.
Prepayment energy tariffs
These tariffs are for people with prepayment meters and enable customers to pay in advance for gas and electricity by 'topping-up' their meter using prepay tokens, cards or a key. Prepayment meters charge for energy on the basis of a fixed standing charge, plus a charge for each unit of gas or electricity.
Some people find prepayment meters an easier way to manage their finances. However, it's widely accepted that prepayment is one of the most expensive ways to pay for energy. You'll need a new meter if you want a tariff that allows you to pay by cheque or direct debit - contact your energy supplier to discuss your options.
'Green' energy tariffs
Most gas and electricity companies in the UK offer 'green' energy tariffs. Green suppliers or tariffs make a contribution to environmental schemes but don't necessarily guarantee the energy you are supplied with comes directly from renewable sources.
Other energy companies, such as Good Energy and Green Energy UK, specialise in providing up to 100% of energy directly from renewable sources. You can search and compare green energy tariffs on Which? Switch. Find out more in our green energy tariffs guide.
The feed-in tariff (FIT) scheme offers guaranteed cash payments to households who produce their own electricity at home using renewable technologies such as solar photovoltaic (PV) panels or wind turbines. You can find out more in our feed-in tariffs explained guide - including how to apply. You cannot switch to a feed-in tariff scheme using an energy comparison service like Which? Switch.
Independent Gas Transporter (IGT) tariffs
An IGT tariff is one where your gas supply is delivered to your home by an Independent Gas Transporter, rather than the National Grid - around a million gas customers are connected in this way. IGT supplements are not currently featured on Which? Switch.
You can find out if your gas is supplied by an IGT by checking your 10-digit Meter Point Reference Number (MPRN), shown on your gas meter and gas bills. If this number starts with 74, 75, 76 or 77, you are being supplied by an IGT.
Four out of the big six suppliers, EDF, Eon, Npower and Scottish Power currently apply additional charges for customers on IGT supply networks, between £30 and £50 a year (excluding VAT) for an average user.
Cut your energy bills with Which? Switch
The average saving when switching gas and electricity is £217 - compare gas and electricity tariffs now to find the best deal for you.
This figure is based on the 53,459 households who switched suppliers using Which? Switch and The Big Switch between 1st September 2011 and 31st August 2012. | <urn:uuid:891c26c4-0cdd-4298-8d09-cb60cff7d0b7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.which.co.uk/switch/energy-advice/energy-tariffs-explained | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.931556 | 1,409 | 2.4375 | 2 |
Growth will suffer as workers dwindle
THE new-year message from investors and policymakers is the same: Europe has turned the corner. Even so, this year’s economic outlook remains dire. A forecast from the IMF on January 23rd envisages GDP falling by 0.2% in the 17-strong euro area and growing by just 0.2% in the wider 27-strong European Union (EU). But even if a sturdier recovery does eventually get under way, Europe’s longer-term growth prospects will be dulled by an unwelcome new demographic trend.
This year the EU as a whole starts on a long journey—one already begun by the euro area in 2012. The EU’s working-age population (aged 20-64, as Europe’s statisticians define it) starts falling in 2013, from last year’s peak of 308.2m, and will drop over the next 50 years to 265m in 2060 (see chart). The working-age population may be shrinking but the number of older people will carry on rising. That will raise the old-age dependency ratio from 28% in 2010 to 58% in 2060. These demographic shifts, which may be tempered by people working longer, reflect an earlier transition from post-war baby boom to baby bust. They would be even bigger but for an assumed net inflow of over 1m (mostly young) migrants a year.
Europe’s ageing population will cast a pall over growth, which is driven by rising employment as well as higher labour productivity. Higher participation rates in the workforce and lower jobless rates may allow employment to grow a bit until the early 2020s; thereafter it is expected to decline. Based on what may well be an optimistic assumption about potential labour-productivity gains, the European Commission last year projected economic growth of just 1.4% a year in the EU over the next half-century.
Adverse demography will hurt European public finances. The commission expects a rise in annual age-related public spending in the EU of four percentage points of GDP over the next 50 years. Austerity already feels interminable, and there is no end in sight. | <urn:uuid:eb3bc25a-536d-4e6f-8f55-a177c695ae9c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.economist.com/news/finance-and-economics/21570752-growth-will-suffer-workers-dwindle-working-age-shift?zid=314&ah=607477d0cfcfc0adb6dd0ff57bb8e5c9 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932864 | 450 | 2.1875 | 2 |
Literacy Awards Presented
On September 13, 2000 a number of literacy awards were presented at an event sponsored by Canada Post Corporation and the Literacy Development Council of Newfoundland and Labrador.
The awards presentation was held at The Fluvarium in St. Johns and representatives from literacy groups, school districts, schools, government, Memorial University, colleges and the general public were in attendance.
Mr. Len Carroll presented the annual Canada Post literacy awards for Newfoundland and Labrador. This year the three awards presented were: Individual Achievement Award, Educator Award and the Community Achievement Award.
The Individual Achievement Award, which celebrates the achievements of a learner, was presented to Mr. Thomas Pierce of Fortune. After being a high school dropout who worked in a fish plant, Mr. Pierce began upgrading his reading and writing in Adult Basic Education (ABE) and went on to earn his Grade 12. Now he has a college diploma, has published two books and was involved in setting up the Burin Peninsula Writing Alliance.
The Educator Award, which recognizes an individual who has demonstrated a commitment to literacy, was presented to Dr. William Fagan of Portugal Cove for his 30 years of involvement in literacy as a volunteer, advocate, program designer and author. He is also a professional educator in the literacy field at the school and university levels.
The Community Leadership Award, which recognizes non-profit, volunteer and labour organizations that have demonstrated a long term achievement in furthering the cause of literacy, was presented to Teachers on Wheels, St. Johns for their 25 years of commitment to literacy.
The Council also presented Teachers on Wheels with a plaque in recognition of their 25 years (1975- 2000) of offering literacy services. This adult literacy group focuses on one-to one tutoring with trained tutors. In 1975 they began as an Opportunities For Youth (OFY) project and in 1977 became a volunteer organization.
A similar plaque was presented to Newfoundland and Labrador Laubach Literacy Council at their AGM in Gander on May 25 th . The plaque recognized their volunteer contributions to adult literacy in Newfoundland and Labrador . T he Newfoundland and Labrador Laubach Literacy Council oversees volunteer tutors in more then twenty communities in the province.
|BACK||TABLE OF CONTENTS||NEXT| | <urn:uuid:a8509c7e-1fee-426b-9dfa-40b3f333c178> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nald.ca/library/newsletter/nfld-lit/notepad/oct2000/6.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970669 | 464 | 1.796875 | 2 |
At the Ravenswood public housesin Astoria, a cat munches on dry food underneath a sign reading "Please Refrain From Feeding The Cats." Plates of dry food and empty cat-food cans dot the projects. Cats squeeze in and out of VCR-sized rectangular slots in the bases of the buildings to enter crawl spaces. Residents complain about the mess left by people feeding the cats, about the smell of the male cats' spraying, and infestations of ticks and fleas. But most tenants say they do not want the cats harmed.
"I don’t want to see any cats killed," said Carol Wilkins, a resident for over 50 years and president of the Ravenswood Resident Association. "Housing is not in the job of killing cats."
"If they euthanize the cats, will they euthanize the rats?" said Gregg Berry, 41, a lifelong resident who claims he hardly ever sees a rat at Ravenswood and gives the cats credit for that.
A coalition of animal welfare organizations has offered to take care of the problem. Through a process known as trap-neuter-return, or TNR, they propose to trap, spay and neuter the cats, vaccinate them for rabies and treat them for fleas -- at no cost to New York City Housing Authority, which runs Ravenswood. Kittens and people-friendly adult cats would be removed for adoption. But the unadoptable, feral cats, after being sterilized and vaccinated, would be brought back to live outdoors at Ravenswood. And this is where residents and animal groups say that the housing authority has repeatedly balked. They don't want cats brought back.
"Unfortunately NYCHA does not want the cats brought back at all," said Wilkins. "That’s always been their stance from the very beginning. Who’s gonna take care of them? Housing is not responsible for taking care of these cats."
"NYCHA says they're in the business of housing people, not cats," said Debi Romano, president of SaveKitty Foundation, repeating what a housing authority official said at a tenant meeting in February. "We tried to explain that it's the people's fault that they [the cats] are there. They were dumped by the tenants and are still being dumped."
Ravenswood is the largest public housing development in Queens. Its 31 buildings occupying 12 city blocks are home to over 4,000 people -- and possibly 600 cats, according to estimates by the animal welfare organizations. Any plan the housing authority adopts to deal with the cats could set a precedent for other public housing developments and city-owned facilities.
"I think if NYCHA, one of the largest housing authorities in the country," adopted trap-neuter-return "everybody else would eventually follow," said Jane Hoffman, president of the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals. "It could have wonderful ramifications for the whole concept."
The Cats That Come Back
The trap-neuter-return proposal, spearheaded by SaveKitty foundation and backed by the Mayor's Alliance for NYC’s Animals, the ASPCA, Best Friends Animal Society and the Humane Society of the United States, is intended to remove a significant number of cats and kittens for adoption. Romano said that number could be as high as 450, but others doubt this.
An important component of any trap-neuter-return project, though, is long-term feeding and care of the returned cats. SaveKitty has pledged to manage the colonies that remain at Ravenswood forever and to remove any newly abandoned cats. And the animal groups promise to provide ongoing spay/neuter services and pet care education to residents.
"I'm always against neutering," resident Berry told Romano with a grimace after learning the plans for male cats. When Romano explained that neutering curbs not only reproduction, but the smell and noise of spraying and fighting, he offered to help.
SaveKitty also proposes setting up well-maintained feeding stations to eliminate the mess of individual tenants’ haphazard feeding.
"Signs are up saying 'please do not feed cats,'" said Patrick Kwan, New York State director of the Humane Society of the United States. "We all know that's not going to work. People are concerned and feeding the animals. The best way of doing it is letting them know the cats are being taken care of and will only be in one area."
But who will maintain the feeding stations remains a question for Wilkins who says she still needs to do a formal survey of how the residents feel about the cats and whether or not they would want to help.
"There are residents here that like the cats, and there are residents here that do not like the cats," said Wilkins. "There are some that don't want them here in the community at all."
Feral cats are not socialized to humans and therefore not suitable for adoption. Any of them trapped and brought to the city-contracted shelter Animal Care and Control would be euthanized. Advocates argue that trap-neuter-return is not only more humane, but more effective and less costly than eradication programs. Neighborhood Cats, a New York City TNR organization, posts a lists of studies in support of these arguments on its website. The group also contends that eradication programs ultimately fail because of the "vacuum effect" -- when cats are removed, new ones come in to occupy their space -- whereas returned cats will keep new cats out and slowly die off naturally.
"People [ask why] when the population goes down over time, it doesn't repopulate?" said Bryan Kortis, executive director of Neighborhood Cats. "And the answer to that is you've got somebody there who is keeping up with the new cats."
In 2002, the Department of Corrections collaborated with Neighborhood Cats, the ASPCA, Animal Care and Control and the Humane Society on a large trap-neuter-return operation on Riker's Island. Over several months, the program trapped more than 300 cats and spayed and neutered them. The ASPCA estimates the island's cat population is now half of what it was before the program.
Gloria Murli, a retired captain for the Department of Corrections, has looked after feral cats on Riker's for over 20 years. Murli and four corrections officers monitor about a dozen feeding stations on the island. She said they use between 800 and 1,000 pounds of food per month, provided mainly through donations of cat food or money.
In 2004, the Urban Cat League ran a small trap-neuter-return project at the Marble Hill houses, a New York City Housing Authority development in the Bronx. The authority gave its blessing for the ongoing management of the returned cats. An estimated 16 cats remain.
Trap-neuter-return does have its critics. Among the fiercest opponents are wildlife conservationists. In a 2009 resolution, Audubon New York stated that free-roaming cats -- be they pets or feral -- kill millions of endangered birds and billions of small mammals each year and spread diseases to wildlife. Colonies, the group said, encourage further abandonment of cats. Conservation biologists also refute claims that trap-neuter-return helps to reduce feral cat populations and dispute the "vacuum effect."
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals believes that even in managed colonies, feral cats are prone to fatal diseases, abuse and serious injury. The group has said, it "cannot in good conscience oppose euthanasia as a humane alternative to dealing with cat overpopulation."
NYCHA Vs. the Cats
Earlier this year, the housing authority tried to seal entrances to the crawlspaces where the cats live. Romano managed to stop these efforts, saying they would trap nursing kittens. Sealing live animals inside a closed space is against New York State anti-cruelty laws. In early April, the ASPCA's Humane Enforcement division came in. Assistant Director Joe Pentangelo said no cats were found inside but the ASPCA issued a notice that all cats must be removed before areas could be sealed.
On April 30, housing officials and Ravenswood staff met with the animal welfare groups and Animal Care and Control. In an email from its press office, the authority said the parties agreed to let the crawlspaces be sealed after clearing out the cats, and that any cats captured would be turned over to SaveKitty. In a previous statement the authority had said it would turn adult cats over to Animal Care and Control -- almost certainly for euthanasia -- but when SaveKitty protested that that was not the original agreement, the housing agency revised its statement to affirm that cats would be turned over to Romano.
The animal welfare groups also say that they convinced housing authority representatives at the meeting that trap-neuter-return is the only sensible solution to Ravenswood's cat problem and that the housing officials agreed to convey that message to authority Chairman John Rhea.
"The next step certainly will be to go higher up the ladder to get their buy-in on the program," said Kwan of the Humane Society, who attended the meeting. "We're really hoping we can have another sit-down meeting."
State Sen. George Onorato, whose district includes Ravenswood and for whom Romano worked as a housecleaner, supports SaveKitty's proposal and wrote a letter to Rhea "strongly urging" him to meet with the foundation. In a statement, Onorato called the proposal a "well thought out and forward-thinking plan, which will be both humane, cost-effective and, in the long-term, most beneficial to the Ravenswood tenants."
A spokesperson for Onorato said he had not yet received a response.
Currently, the housing authority's only known plan is to flush the cats out of the crawlspaces and seal them. In an email statement, the agency said it has four cat traps and that "NYCHA staff will go into the crawl spaces and first try to get the cats to leave using the existing openings."
"They’re not going to get anything," said Romano. "Any animal outside the crawl spaces they’re not going to bother with, so why not let me fix them and put them back on the property?"
When the crawlspaces are sealed the cats won’t have access to them for shelter.
"There’s no place for them to stay, especially when it comes to winter," said Wilkins of the residents association. “What are they going to do?
If the housing authority does not accept the trap-neuter-return program, its other options would be to do nothing or to eradicate the cats itself. Best Friends Animal Society estimates it would cost the authority $300 per cat to trap and eradicate the animals, not including staff time. The authority did not respond to repeated requests for further comment.
Marshalling their Resources
A trap-neuter-return project of the scale advocates foresee, like the Riker’s Island project, would require a massive coordination of resources. The ASPCA has committed its mobile spay/neuter vans and hopes to do a MASH-style clinic on the site. The Mayor’s Alliance would provide transportation and says "trap banks" throughout the city may be able to provide traps. Holding space would be required for pre-and post surgical care.
"If NYCHA could open spaces in their buildings that would be huge," said Hoffman.
Volunteers will have to be mobilized for trapping and to care for the animals before and after surgery. Shelter space will need to be found for the adoptable cats. The Mayor’s Alliance says it could ask their 160 partner organizations, most of them adoptions groups, to take cats. Best Friends Animal Society said it would also work to find placement.
"If NYCHA allowed the project to go forward, we'd have an enormous amount of assistance," said Hoffman. "I can't imagine people would not want to help -- it would be such an important milestone."
Although it's impossible to know the actual number of feral cats in the city, estimates range from 500,000 to 800,000. The average female can have two litters of four to six kittens a year. In the face of these numbers, the Mayor’s Alliance’s seeks to end euthanasia of healthy, unwanted animals in New York City by 2015.
"The only way we'll become a no-kill city is to focus both on feral cats and owned pets," said Hoffman.
Nearly 3,000 volunteers in the city have been trained in trap-neuter-return in three-hour introductory workshops offered by the New York City Feral Cat Initiative. Graduates can borrow traps and access free spay/neuter services and rabies vaccinations at ASPCA mobile clinics. However, volunteers must provide transportation and space to hold the cats before and after surgery, and often must pay for supplies, additional veterinary care and ongoing costs of food for colonies.
Councilmember Letitia James, who supports the Ravenswood project, plans to reintroduce a resolution calling for a city-wide trap-neuter-return program conducted by Animal Care and Control. Meanwhile, if the housing authority were to accept trap-neuter-return at Ravenswood, advocates think it would have a huge impact in the city and across the nation.
"We share their goal of not having any cats there," said Kwan of the Humane Society of NYCHA and Ravenswood, "but there's no magic light switch we can flip and have them disappear."
Last Updated (Jun 06, 2012) | <urn:uuid:40f90fcd-a31e-46d9-a4d8-770bce209ac1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.gothamgazette.com/index.php/topics/economy/519-housing-project-cats-face-eviction-or-worse | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958249 | 2,834 | 1.914063 | 2 |
Floyd A. Schelby School is located in Livingston, CA and is one of 8 schools in Merced County Office Of Education School District. It is a sp-ed school that serves 39 students in grades 1-12.
Special Education schools are public schools that provide special services for children with disabilities (special physical, mental, or learning needs). Many special education schools also provide vocational training, adapted physical education, and assistive technology for their students. See Floyd A. Schelby School's test results to learn more about school performance.
Student Economic Level (2011)
In 2011, Floyd A. Schelby School had 92% of students eligible for free or reduced price lunch programs. California had 53% of eligible students for free or reduced price lunch programs. Eligibility for the National School Lunch Program is based on family income levels. | <urn:uuid:9653bcd5-90b4-4e61-8418-e5f0986af1ba> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.education.com/schoolfinder/us/california/livingston/floyd-a-schelby/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00061-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968587 | 174 | 2.03125 | 2 |
The vegetables in salads are chock-full of important vitamins and nutrients, but you won't get much of their benefits if you’re not pairing them with the right type and amount of salad dressing, a Purdue University study shows.
And not surprisingly researchers have found out that olive oil works the magic when it comes to boosting health benefits and control calories.
In a human trial, researches fed individuals salads topped with different dressing (saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat based) and subsequently tested their bloods to assess how much their bodies had absorbed the compounds contained in the veggies (such as lutein, lycopene, beta-carotene and zeaxanthin among others). Such compounds (called carotenoids) are some of the notorious antioxidants so important for our overall health.
The study, published online in the journal Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, found that monounsaturated fat-rich dressings required the least amount of fat to get the most carotenoid absorption, while saturated fat and polyunsaturated fat dressings required higher amounts of fat to get the same benefit.
"If you want to utilize more from your fruits and vegetables, you have to pair them correctly with fat-based dressings," said Mario Ferruzzi, the study's lead author and a Purdue associate professor of food science. "If you have a salad with a fat-free dressing, there is a reduction in calories, but you lose some of the benefits of the vegetables."
The study’s findings showed that monounsaturated fat-rich dressing, such as olive oil or canola oil, promoted the equivalent carotenoid absorption at 3 grams of fat as they did at 20 grams of fat. Meaning that this lipid source gets optimum results even at very low doses.
"Even at the lower fat level, you can absorb a significant amount of carotenoids with monounsaturated fat-rich canola oil," Ferruzzi said. "Overall, pairing with fat matters. You can absorb significant amounts of carotenoids with saturated or polyunsaturated fats at low levels, but you would see more carotenoid absorption as you increase the amounts of those fats on a salad."
Although further research might be necessary on this topic, the findings of this study are quite clear in determining that monounsaturated fat based dressings should be your to-go choice when having a salad.
And if you’re calorie conscious instead of choosing those “mysterious” fat-free ones get just one tablespoon of olive oil, some vinegar and salt: all in all the best choice you can make for your health!
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