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From the Foothills to the Bay
Stanford University still
enjoys the original 8,100 acres of grassy fields, eucalyptus groves, and
rolling hills that were the Stanfords generous legacy.
Stanford at a Glance
On October 1, 1891, the
465 new students who were on hand for opening day ceremonies at Leland
Stanford Junior University greeted Leland and Jane Stanford enthusiastically,
with a chant they had made up and rehearsed only that morning. Wah-hoo!
Wah-hoo! L-S-J-U! Stanford! Its wild and spirited tone symbolized the
excitement of this bold adventure. As a pioneer faculty member recalled,
"Hope was in every heart, and the presiding spirit of freedom prompted
us to dare greatly."
For the Stanfords
on that day, the university was the realization of a dream and a fitting
tribute to the memory of their only son, who had died of typhoid fever
weeks before his sixteenth birthday. Far from the nations center
of culture and unencumbered by tradition or ivy, the new university drew
students from all over the country: many from California; some who followed
professors hired from other colleges and universities; and some simply
seeking adventure in the West. Though there were many difficulties during
the first months housing was inadequate, microscopes and books
were late in arriving from the East the first year foretold greatness.
As Jane Stanford wrote in the summer of 1892, "Even our fondest hopes
have been realized."
Ideas of "Practical Education"
Governor and Mrs. Stanford
had come from families of modest means and had built their way up through
a life of hard work. So it was natural that their first thoughts were
to establish an institution where young men and women could "grapple
successfully with the practicalities of life." As their thoughts
matured, these ideas of "practical education" enlarged to the
concept of producing cultured and useful citizens who were well-prepared
for professional success.
More than one hundred
years later, the university still enjoys the original 8,180 acres (almost
13 square miles) of grassy fields, eucalyptus groves, and rolling hills
that were the Stanfords generous legacy, as well as the Quadrangle
of "long corridors with their stately pillars" at the center
of campus. It is still true, as the philosopher William James said, during
his stint as a visiting professor, that the climate is "so friendly
... that every morning wakes one fresh for new amounts of work."
In other ways, the University
has changed tremendously on its way to recognition as one of the worlds
great universities. At the hub of a vital and diverse Bay Area, Stanford
is an hours drive south of San Francisco and just a few miles north
of the Silicon Valley, an area dotted with computer and high technology
firms largely spawned by the Universitys faculty and graduates.
On campus, students and faculty enjoy new libraries, modern laboratories,
sports facilities, and comfortable residences. Contemporary sculpture,
as well as pieces from the Stanford Museums extensive collection
of sculpture by Auguste Rodin, is placed throughout the campus, providing
unexpected pleasures at many turns. At the Stanford Medical Center, world-renowned
for its research, teaching, and patient care, scientists and physicians
are searching for answers to fundamental questions about health and disease.
Ninety miles down the coast, at Stanfords Hopkins Marine Station
on the Monterey Bay, scientists are working to better understand the mechanisms
of evolution, human development, and ecological systems.
The University is
organized into seven schools: Earth Sciences, Education, Engineering,
the Graduate School of Business, Humanities and Sciences, Law and Medicine.
In addition, there are more than 30 interdisciplinary centers, programs,
and research laboratories including the Hoover Institution on War,
Revolution and Peace; the Institute for International Studies; the Stanford
Linear Accelerator Center; and the Stanford Center for the Study of Families,
Children and Youth where faculty from a wide range of fields bring
different perspectives to bear on issues and problems. Stanfords
Overseas Studies Program offers students in all fields remarkable opportunities
for study abroad, with campuses in Paris, Kyoto, Santiago, Berlin, Oxford,
Florence, and Moscow.
By any measure, Stanfords
faculty which numbers approximately 1,500 is one of the
most distinguished in the nation. It includes 12 Nobel laureates, 6 Pulitzer
Prize winners, 20 National Medal of Science winners, 109 members of the
National Academy of Sciences, 208 members of the American Academy of Arts
and Sciences, 72 members of the National Academy of Engineering, and 21
members of the National Academy of Education. Yet beyond their array of
honors, what truly distinguishes Stanford faculty is their commitment
to sharing knowledge with their students. The great majority of professors
teach undergraduates both in introductory lecture classes and in small
Currently 13,900 students,
of which 6,556 are undergraduates, live and study on campus. About 40
percent come from California, but all 50 states and approximately 100
countries are represented as well. Among undergraduates, 44 percent are
African American, Asian American, Hispanic or Native American. Like the
faculty, the Stanford student body is distinguished. Approximately 10
students apply to Stanford for every place in the freshman class. Seventy-six
Stanford students have been named Rhodes Scholars and 52 have been named
Marshall Scholars. Nearly 90 percent of graduating seniors plan to attend
graduate or professional schools. Stanford students also shine in a tremendous
array of activities outside the classroom from student government
to music, theater, and journalism. Through the Haas Center for Public
Service, students participate in dozens of community service activities,
such as tutoring programs for children in nearby East Palo Alto, the Hunger
Project, and the Arbor Free Clinic.
In the athletic arena,
Stanford students have enjoyed tremendous success as well. Stanford fields
teams in 33 Division I varsity sports equally divided between mens
and womens teams. Of Stanfords 88 national team titles, 38
have been captured in the past 10 years, by far the most in the nation.
Thirty-eight of Stanfords athletes and coaches participated in the
1992 Olympics in Barcelona while 49 competed in Atlanta at the 1996 Games
by far the most of any university in the nation, and 34 participated
in the 2000 Games in Sydney. Intramural and club sports are also popular;
over 1,000 students take part in the club sports program, while participation
in the intramural program has reached 9,000, with many students active
in more than one sport.
In her address to the Board
of Trustees, in 1904, Jane Stanford said, ". . . Let us not be afraid
to outgrow old thoughts and ways, and dare to think on new lines as to
the future of the work under our care." Her thoughts echo in the
words of former Stanford President Gerhard Casper, who has said, "The
true university must reinvent itself every day. . . . At Stanford, these
are days of such reconsideration and fresh support for our fundamental
tasks teaching, learning, and research." | <urn:uuid:ea629e99-77ce-48af-8726-f619a99b5091> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.gostanford.com/school-bio/stan-school-bio.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00076-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94327 | 1,556 | 2.59375 | 3 |
Wind turbine manufacturer Goldwind USA Inc. will provide 25% of the wind turbines for a 220 MW wind project being developed by Union Eolica Panamena in Panama.
The project, called the Penonome wind farm, will be located in the province of Cocle and will feature Goldwind's 2.5 MW permanent magnet direct-drive wind turbines. Terms of the supply deal were not disclosed.
Goldwind will supply, erect and commission the wind turbines and power plant, as well as supervise the work performed by the balance-of-plant contractor on civil works construction and the electrical and transmission interconnection to the Panamanian Electric System.
Goldwind says equity capital has been committed for the first phase of the wind farm, representing 25% of the project, by Goldwind’s investment arm, Goldwind Capital. The full project, which will be the largest in Central America, is scheduled to begin operation in 2013. | <urn:uuid:0fab63fa-e4ce-4fad-8fb0-91bc65fe3fb9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nawindpower.com/e107_plugins/content/content.php?content.10401 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936663 | 193 | 1.578125 | 2 |
Increasingly, the corporate world is turning to the practice of “mindfulness” to relieve stress and improve both health and productivity.
Mindfulness is associated with meditation. It's a spiritual or psychological faculty believed to be an important step on the road to enlightenment. It's reached by establishing a state of calm through meditation and relaxation exercises.
Mindfulness in the workplace
In recent years, businesses have encouraged the practice as a way to reduce tension in the workplace. The more pressure an employee is under, the thinking goes, the more they benefit from a state of mindfulness.
For example, before the start of an important meeting, attendees might be asked to participate in a relaxation or meditation exercise to improve their ability to focus and communicate. Studies have found that teams that practice just a few minutes a day of mindfulness report improved team performance.
How do you achieve mindfulness? It can start with something as simple as breathing.
A breathing exercise focuses your full attention on this life-preserving function. In this mindfulness exercise you breath from your stomach rather than your chest.
You inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Focusing on each breath, its sound and rhythm, can have a calming effect and help you stay focused on the present moment.
Listening to music can also help achieve mindfulness. Some people prefer new-age music, others classical pieces. The important thing is that it be a slow, soothing tempo to enhance a feeling of calm. Listen to and concentrate on just the music, keeping other thoughts and concerns from creeping in.
If you find that your mind is full of pressing thoughts that are simply impossible to ignore, try looking at them as an objective observer. Let your thoughts flow and sit back and observe them, as though they were someone else's problems. As you continue this process you might find that your mind relaxes a bit. You might even come up with some answers.
Trying something different
Corporations have come to mindfulness slowly, usually after finding their expensive “leadership development” programs didn't produce very much and left a lot of participants cold. Polly LaBerre, writing on the Harvard Business Review blog, says these types of programs usually resulted in the wrong people being elevated within an organization.
“What if, instead of stuffing people with curricula, models, and competencies, we focused on deepening their sense of purpose, expanding their capability to navigate difficulty and complexity, and enriching their emotional resilience?” she asked. “What if, instead of trying to fix people, we assumed that they were already full of potential and created an environment that promoted their long-term well-being?”
Beyond the corporate world
The benefits may extend well beyond the corporate world to help individuals cope better in everyday life. The University of Massachusetts Medical School is among the academic institutions that have established a Center for Mindfulness. At UMASS, there's even a mindfulness training program for teens.
Some believe mindfulness may be helpful in treating depression. A study in the February 2013 journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience suggests why.
According to Catherine Kerr, lead author of the new study and director of translational neuroscience at Brown University, when someone is depressed their attention can become consumed by negative thoughts.
Mindfulness allows patients to disengage from this negative thought pattern through the "body scan" technique. Patients are asked to systematically pay attention to each region of the body. As this happens, the alpha rhythms that are responsible for the flow of sensory information to the brain fluctuate.
If you're thinking this all sounds really touchy-feely, you're not alone. But the number of books and CDs on the subject continues to proliferate, suggesting more people are giving it a try. And that includes some of the world's largest corporations who are now using it in an effort to help make executives and employees healthier and more productive.
Story provided by ConsumerAffairs. | <urn:uuid:9b54c024-952d-4cd0-b436-ea5c33d553ce> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://register-news.com/cnhi_special_projects/x1499308773/Relieve-workplace-stress-through-mindfulness | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962604 | 807 | 2.84375 | 3 |
What is a Doctor's Duty of Care?
State laws govern the viability of causes of action for medical malpractice. The laws vary in terms of time limits to bring suit, qualifications of "expert" witnesses, cognizable theories of liability, and proper party defendants/proper party plaintiffs. Notwithstanding these differences, there are common requisites for all cases: such as the doctor's duty of care to the patient.
First and foremost, a physician must owe a duty of care to patients before his or her competency in performing that duty can be judged. In U. S. jurisprudence, a person has no affirmative duty to assist injured individuals in the absence of a special relationship with them (such as doctor-patient, attorney-client, guardian-ward, etc.). A doctor dining in a restaurant has no duty to come forward and assist a fellow customer who is suffering a heart attack. If the doctor merely continues with his meal and does nothing to help, the ailing person would not have an action for malpractice against him, not-withstanding their harm. However, once a doctor voluntarily decides to assist others or come to their aid, he or she becomes liable for any injury that results from any negligence during that assistance.
Once the requisite doctor-patient relationship is established, the doctor owes to the patient the duty of care and treatment with that degree of skill, care, and diligence as possessed by or expected of a reasonably competent physician under the same or similar circumstances. The "circumstances" include the area of medicine in which the physician practices, the customary or accepted practices of other physicians in the area (the "locality rule"), the level of equipment and facilities available at the time and in that locality, and the exigent circumstances, if any, surrounding the treatment or medical service rendered. The requisite degree of skill and expertise under the circumstances is established by "expert testimony" from other practicing physicians who share the same or similar skill, training, certification, and experience as the allegedly negligent physician.
Finally, a doctor who has been negligent may not be the only defendant in a subsequent lawsuit. A hospital that has retained the doctor on its staff may be vicariously liable for the doctor's negligence under a theory of "respondeat superior" ("let the master answer") that often holds an employer liable for the negligence of its employees. More often, the doctor has "staff privileges" at the hospital, and the hospital will attempt to prove the limited role it plays in directing or supervising the doctor's work. Importantly, many doctors belong to private medical practices, such as limited partnerships or limited liability companies, that also may be vicariously liable for the negligence of their member doctors.
However, a doctor is generally liable for any negligence on the part of his assistants and staff in carrying out his orders or caring for his patients. Likewise, an attending physician is generally liable for any negligence on the part of interns and medical students under the physician's guidance, assuming their duty of care. | <urn:uuid:9a718058-98f5-4e4a-81b6-556e49ce188b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://injury.findlaw.com/medical-malpractice/what-is-actionable-medical-malpractice.html | 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 | 0.969276 | 614 | 1.796875 | 2 |
|« A Dialogue on Protest, Sharing and Justice||The Future is Ours if We Want It »|
By Rady Ananda
Ag Ministry begins process to ban MON810
On March 15, over 1,500 beekeepers and their allies marched thru the streets of Warsaw, depositing thousands of dead bees on the steps of the Ministry of Agriculture, in protest of genetically modified foods and their requisite pesticides which are killing bees, moths and other agriculturally-beneficial insects around the globe.
Later that day the Minister of Agriculture, Marek Sawicki, announced plans to ban MON810, which has become ineffective at deterring pests in the US.
GM crops and the pesticides used with them have led to a host of problems (itemized here), including the development of new pathogens. One is associated with spontaneous abortion in cattle and another is responsible for massive methane foaming on manure lagoons which explode, killing thousands of animals in the US since 2001.
The Polish Beekeepers Association organized the protest, joining forces with International Coalition to Protect the Polish Countryside (ICPPC) and the Coalition for a GMO Free Poland. Targeting Monsanto's MON810 GM corn in particular, they also called for a complete ban on all GM crops and harmful pesticides.
In 2008, the Polish Parliament banned GM feed, including both the planting and importing of GM crops. "Despite this progressive step," reports Food Travels, "the European Commission has refused to accept regional bans on GMOs, keeping Polish farmers, producers, and activists on the offensive."
Regardless, says the ICPPC, "None of the nine European Union countries that have already prohibited MON 810 did so by asking the permission of the EU."
Beekeepers dressed in their traditional working uniforms and ran their hive smoke guns as they marched. Some wore yellow jackets with the misattributed quote of Albert Einstein warning that if bees were to die, humanity would soon suffer the same fate. Though he did not say it, it's true. Most food crops rely on bees for pollination.
Others wore a variety of original costumes, sported signs and banners and carried bee-like objects to draw attention to the plight of these all-important pollinators. More pictures at Stop GMO Festival.
The ICPPC is asking Polish residents to write Minister of Agriculture Marek Sawicki, demanding that he implement an immediate moratorium on GM crops, without waiting for EU approval:
tel.: 0048 226231510; fax: 0048 226231788
The Organic Consumers Assn. collected info about other actions around the planet during the Shut Down Monsanto Days of Action last week, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Italy, Greece, Romania and, of course, the US.
Until April 5, 2013 the 1984 American science fiction-horror film, directed by John Carpenter could be streamed or downloaded from a number of websites. They Live (Full movie) was in the playlist below created by Buddy Huggins.
These days you can’t swing a cat or open your mailbox without being hit by a flood of emails about the memorials, tributes, condolences, and donation sites for the victims of these tragedies that the conspiracy theorists say were created -- not right after the event, but right before the event.
|Your donation helps provide a place for people to speak out. thepeoplesvoice.org P.O. Box 159113 Nashville, TN 37215 Not tax deductible. email@example.com|
|Articles and Writers||Old TPV|
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EUGENE, Ore. (KMTR) – Helping Eugene celebrate its 150th birthday in October, a hands-on, futuristic experience for kids at the Eugene Library Sunday, one of several this month.
With the help of the UO’s Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, families put together two murals on Sunday, October 7 representing Eugene’s future look. Kids drew pictures of what they expect to see in the coming years, like big composting centers, more bike lanes and trees.
They also drew how the Slug Queen Celebration would look 150 years from 2012. Both murals will be hung in the library.
Eugene’s 150 birthday events for kids continue each Sunday at the library through October.
"We're hoping that the kids can get a handle on the area they're growing up in, and that it will come to life for them,” says Anne Miller, Youth Services Librarian at the Eugene Public Library.
October 17 will officially mark Eugene's birthday celebration. The city is holding a birthday party on the 20th at 13th and Alder Street, where they'll unveil a new public art sculpture of a great blue heron.
For more information on all the Eugene 150 activities, click the following link: http://www.eugene-or.gov/index.aspx?NID=1977 | <urn:uuid:6ca7a6c6-9e50-4dd0-aa29-d46fdbc6389f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.kmtr.com/mostpopular/story/Eugene-celebrating-150th-birthday-in-October/fsigKcCfb0y1AJTJ_7dWVg.cspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00065-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.917469 | 283 | 2.234375 | 2 |
Bishop of Alexandria from 231 or 232; to 247 or 248. Of his earlier life Origen tells us, when defending his own philosophical studies (Eusebius, Church History VI.19): "In this we imitated Pantænus, who before our day assisted many and had no little knowledge of these matters, and Heraclas, who is now one of the priests of Alexandria, whom I found a hearer of my own teacher of philosophical studies, for he had already been with him for five years before I began to attend these lectures. On this teacher's account he put aside the ordinary dress he had worn till then, and assumed the garb of a philosopher, which he still wears, and he ceases not to study the books of the Greeks with all his might." Thus Heraclas was probably at least five years older than Origen, who was born in 185. Yet when Origen in his eighteenth year was obliged by his father's martyrdom and the consequent confiscation of his goods to commence teaching grammar (for a short time) and philosophy, Heraclas and his brother Plutarch were the first pupils of the young teacher. Origen converted them both to Christianity, and St. Plutarch soon suffered for the faith, being the first of Origen's pupils to gain the crown of martyrdom. Heraclas "gave a great example of philosophical life and askesis (ibid., vi, 33), and it was his reputation for knowledge of philosophy and Greek learning that drew Julius Africanus to visit Alexandria. In course of time Origen found his day so occupied by pupils that he had scarce breathing space from morn till eve, so that he chose Heraclas as his assistant in the catechetical school (of which he was himself now head in succession to Clement), to teach the beginners (ibid., vi, 15). Heraclas was made a priest by the long-lived Bishop Demetrius. When in 231 the latter condemned Origen, who remained at Cæsarea, Heraclas became head of the school. Soon afterwards he succeeded Demetrius as bishop. According to Theophilus of Alexandria (in Gennadius, "De vir. ill.", xxxiv), when Origen returned to the city, Heraclas deposed him from the priesthood and banished him (cf. the life of St. Pachomius in Acta SS., 14 May, §21, and the probably spurious "Mystagogia" of St. Alexander of Alexandria, in Routh's "Reliquiæ Sacræ", IV, 81). This statement is supported by an interesting fragment of Photius (Synag. kaiapod.; 9), who probably had good authority. It runs as follows (Döllinger, "Hippol. und Kallist.", 264, Engl. transl. 245): "in the days of the most holy Heraclas, Origen, called Adamantius, was plainly expounding his own heresy on Wednesdays and Fridays; the said holy Heraclas therefore separated him from the Church and drove him from Alexandria, as a distorter of the wholesome doctrine and a perverter of the orthodox faith. Origen, thus excommunicated, on his way to Syria reached a city called Thmuis, which had an orthodox bishop named Ammonius, who committed to Origen the delivery of an instruction in his Church. The said Pope Heraclas, having heard this, went to Thmuis, deposed Ammonius for this cause, and set up in his stead as bishop a younger man named Philip, who was of great note among the Christians. Later on, Heraclas, being besought by the people of the city, received Ammonius again as bishop, and gave the episcopate of Thmuis to both Ammonius and Philip. But after the holy Heraclas had gone thence, Philip never sat upon the bishop's throne, but when Ammonius expounded or celebrated the liturgy, always stood behind him all the days of the life of Ammonius. But when the latter was dead, then Philip sat on the throne, and became one of the bishops remarkable for virtue." On the identification of this Ammonius with the author of the "Ammonian Sections", mentioned in the letter of Eusebius to Carpianus, see Harnack, "Chronol.", II, 81-2. Heraclas was succeeded in the third year of the Emperor Philip, by St. Dionysius, who had previously been his successor as head of the catechetical school. St. Dionysius describes the custom of Heraclas in receiving heretics into the Church without rebaptism, but only after a public examination of their conduct (Eusebius, Church History VII.7.4). Heraclas was inserted by Usuard in his martyrology on 14 July, and he has thus come into the Roman Martyrology on that day. The Copts and Ethiopians celebrate his feast on 4 Dec.
On the testimony of St. Jerome (Ep. xlvi) that "until Heraclas and Demetrius" the bishops of Alexandria were ordained by priests, see EGYPT (V). The latest discussion (with full bibliography) is by Cabrol in "Dict. d'archéol. chrét.". In close connexion with this question is the statement of Eutychius of Alexandria (933-40) that until Demetrius there was but one bishop for all Egypt; Demetrius established three suffragan sees, and Heraclas twenty more. Eutychius adds that one of the new bishops, named Eumenius (is this a mistake for Ammonius?), fell into error; Heraclas, having summoned a council of bishops, went to his city, examined the matter and brought him back to the truth. The people, hearing the bishops call their patriarch "Aba" (Father), entitled him their grandfather "Baba", hence the title "Papas" given to the Alexandrian as to the Roman bishop.
Acta SS., 14 July, and June, V (VII), Hist. Chronol. Patriarcham Alex.; LEQUIEN, Oriens Christ., II; HARNACK, Gesch. der altchr. Litt. I, 332, Chron., II, 24; SMITH AND WACE, Dict. of Christ. Biography, s.v.
APA citation. (1910). Heraclas. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07242a.htm
MLA citation. "Heraclas." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 7. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07242a.htm>.
Transcription. This article was transcribed for New Advent by Douglas J. Potter. Dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Ecclesiastical approbation. Nihil Obstat. June 1, 1910. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York.
Contact information. The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is feedback732 at newadvent.org. (To help fight spam, this address might change occasionally.) Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads. | <urn:uuid:24770073-1e3f-442d-b9f5-333145620146> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07242a.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965035 | 1,597 | 2.734375 | 3 |
Subtitled “What the Gospels Really Teach About Jesus’s Birth,” this book by Marcus J. Borg and John Dominic Crossan takes a close look at the Christmas stories in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. They consider the differences and similarities between the two accounts and offer ideas regarding why the authors might have crafted these stories as they did.
If you’re familiar with the work of Borg and Crossan, you’ll probably know that they do not necessarily consider biblical stories to be literally true, and this is certainly the case with the birth narratives. They explain their approach in the preface:
We are not concerned with the factuality of the birth stories. Though we comment on this issue and controversy in Chapter 2, our concern is neither to defend them as factual nor to trash them as nonfactual. Rather, we focus on their meanings. What did and do these stories mean?
In Chapter 2, they explain that the issue of the stories’ literal truth is a relatively recent development and that for earlier Christians it was simply not an issue. I found their argument here to be a little confused. They say that premodern Christians simply saw them as stories of the way things happened and that it didn’t take faith to believe in them. It was only after the enlightenment that the factual truth of the stories came into question because our ways of knowing and understanding of truth changed at that time. A lot of what Borg and Crossan have to say about the problems with the insistence that something must be factual to be true makes good sense, but their explanation of the premodern view is not adequate or nuanced enough. They seem to treat premodern Christians as naive and unquestioning people who didn’t understand enough to question, rather than as people with different understandings of truth—and for whom questions of factuality and historicity just didn’t matter.
Despite the authors’ statement that they aren’t interested in “trashing the stories as nonfactual,” those who care deeply about the stories’ historical truth will probably be annoyed by their tendency to say things like “of course, these are fictional characters” of the shepherds and the wise men. That’s a shame because I think that readers who do believe in the literal truth of the stories would find a lot of the material in this book to be of value. (For myself, I’m indifferent to the question. The stories may be literally true, and they may not. I care more about what they mean.)
The really interesting parts of this book have to do with how Matthew and Luke’s narratives interact with the Old Testament, with Jewish midrash and other traditions, and with Greco-Roman culture. One of my favorite parts compared a reference to Jesus’s birth in Revelation 12 with the story of the birth of Apollo. The Revelation account appears to be subverting the Apollo story, turning Apollo into Python and Jesus in Apollo. They also look at traditional stories surrounding the birth of Moses and show how Matthew’s birth narrative is clearly setting Jesus up as the new Moses. These are the kinds of connections that are pretty obvious once you see them, but without knowledge of these traditions, you’d have no way of seeing it. This is why biblical and historical scholarship is so valuable.
The book reads pretty quickly and easily, especially if you’re already familiar with the gospel stories. At times, the authors’ extensive use of quotes makes for tedious reading, but when trying to show parallels between texts, it’s important to include quotes from those texts, so I can’t fault them for doing that. Some readers will be frustrated with the lack of notes. Normally, that’s something that would bother me, but the nature of the work here makes it less troubling than it otherwise would be. Borg and Crossan are themselves widely acknowledged as experts, and many of their points come from direct observations of the texts themselves.
What Borg and Crossan offer in this book doesn’t necessarily change my understanding of the birth stories, but it certainly enriches it. Their readings of what the stories mean is, I think, pretty evident even without the additional background knowledge. It’s clear, for example, that Jesus is born to subvert the usual power structures and to bring peace to the world. But it’s impressive to see the many ways the gospel authors wove these ideas into their narratives. | <urn:uuid:fe53d060-45b7-4b56-b80c-38996097c40f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://shelflove.wordpress.com/2012/12/08/the-first-christmas/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963132 | 935 | 2.9375 | 3 |
Pagels said the text shows that Christ, in fact, asked Judas to betray him for an undisclosed reason. "The Gospel of Judas does suggest that the betrayal of Jesus is not a reprehensible act, not the act of a traitor, you know, the worst villain in the history of the world, but that it's a secret mystery between him and Jesus," she said.
Herbert Krosney, author of "The Lost Gospel: The Quest for the Gospel of Judas Iscariot," one of two new books and a National Geographic Channel documentary about the Gospel of Judas, said the finding is significant.
"Judas is not the betrayer," Krosney said. "Judas is, rather, the favored disciple of Jesus. He is the one whose star shines in the heavens and in the skies, and Judas, therefore, becomes unique. He is Jesus' best friend rather than his betrayer."
Today the Gospel of Judas got its first public outing at a news conference, and it is on display at the National Geographic Society in Washington, D.C. It will eventually return to Egypt to be housed in Cairo's Coptic Museum. It is also available online, in Coptic and English, and is the cover story of the new National Geographic magazine.
But while the document is a real one, is what it claims also true? Did the New Testament Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John get it wrong? Did Jesus askJudas to betray him?
"I don't think that we have in this Gospel what I would call historical proof," Pagels said. "We also don't have that in the other Gospels."
She said there may never be an answer. "I don't see how we would, although you see we could always find next week or in 50 years other evidence that we don't have now."
In the end, science may have its answers, but questions of spirit and soul cannot be analyzed like a piece of papyrus. If Judas did not betray Jesus and was part of a grand plan, does that change anything for Christian theology?
The discovery does not alter the belief of evangelical scholar Ben Witherington that Judas did indeed betray Jesus. "Well, it would mean among other things that Jesus had some kind of death wish, for a start," Witherington said. "And it would raise some questions about his character.
"I would think there are some questions of integrity that would be raised about that, for him to sort of script it in such a way that he's using his disciples to go and set this up would suggest a sort of level of hands-on intention to it, where he's not just submitting to the will of God in his life," Witherington said. "He's actually got his hands on the wheel, and he's driving the wheel of history in a particular direction. And some would find that troubling."
The scholars interviewed by "Primetime" agreed that the real importance of the Gospel of Judas is the window it provides into what some early Christians were thinking. But they acknowledged that some in the organized church will not like the discovery of this Gospel.
"Absolutely, they won't," Pagels said. "Some will be very offended, and they'll say this proves that all of those texts are rubbish, because it's an utterly preposterous idea that Judas could have been involved in a secret mystery with Jesus."
But that would miss the point, she added. "The Christian message is a message about faith and hope and, you know, the relationship between God and human beings. It's not a matter of historical fact."
Pagels said she hoped the find will have a big impact.
"I would hope that people appreciate the excitement of this discovery and recognize that it's all right to ask the kinds of questions that sometimes they're afraid to ask, and say, 'What else didn't we know about the early Christian movement? Could, for example, Judas be forgiven?'" she said.
"And when people start asking that question, they'll realize that it doesn't destroy faith, it actually can strengthen it. But it's a different kind of faith; it's informed by what we understand about our past." | <urn:uuid:ed77a601-2fde-45dc-9ccc-5e60e53960af> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/story?id=1810169&page=3 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.981083 | 881 | 2.21875 | 2 |
May 22 2013 Latest news:
By Craig Robinson
Monday, September 24, 2012
INNOVATIVE schemes that aim to safeguard Suffolk’s historic coastline against the threat of erosion and climate change will be put under the spotlight at a major conference.
The event - taking place on October 4 at Thorpeness Country Club - will showcase projects from local groups and highlight how they are working to preserve the landscape for future generations.
It is hosted by the Suffolk Coast Forum, which comprises community groups, Suffolk County Council, the Environment Agency, local councils and other organisations.
Speakers include Jim Hutchison, regional flood and coast manager for the Environment Agency, and professor Mike Cowling, who will explain the role of The Crown Estate. Graham Henderson will also be talking on the future of the Deben Estuary, while Gary Richens will be relating the experience of Shotley Community Group.
David Ritchie, chairman of the Suffolk Coast Forum, who will open the conference said the
conference will highlight the importance of Suffolk’s coastal landscape and the need for all to work in partnership. “We face many challenges: coastal erosion, pollution and the consequences of climate change,” he said. “All of this means this event is timely, and I hope it will be the first of many such opportunities to showcase the fantastic work that many local groups are already doing.”
Mr Henderson, founder member of the Deben Estuary Partnership, added: “People care a great deal about the Suffolk coast and its estuaries. This event highlights our collective effort to tackle the threats and grab the opportunities that face us now and in the future.
“With relatively little money but a lot of energy and commitment, we can work together to safeguard and conserve a special landscape that we want to pass on to future generations.” To book a place visit www.greensuffolk.org, call 01473 260182 or email firstname.lastname@example.org. | <urn:uuid:bd2284c7-46ef-4939-b19a-34ae77f47f22> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ipswichstar.co.uk/news/spotlight_to_shine_on_coastal_schemes_1_1526199 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00053-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933959 | 413 | 1.65625 | 2 |
Horse and Dog Wound Care
Pink Lady Wound Dressing pet medications is a topical treatment for minor and major cuts, scrapes, and burns in dogs and horses. Pink Lady also promotes fast healing and minimal scarring, and also repels flies from wounds.
Pink Lady Wound Dressing is used to treat both minor
and major abrasions, lacerations, burns, and scrapes. Proper use minimizes
scarring, improves regrowth of hair, and promotes rapid healing from
the inside out. Pink Lady also repels flies on open wounds.
Benefits of Pink Lady:
- FDA-approved topical dressing for minor and major
- Speeds recovery and hair growth
- Prevents scarring
- Keeps flies away from open wounds
- Not associated with side effects
- Simple, daily application
Use this medication only as directed by your veterinarian.
Do not allow children to apply this product. Do not
use on infected wounds without first consulting your veterinarian.
Read product inserts carefully before use.
- Shake product well before using.
- Apply Pink Lady Wound Dressing to minor and major
- Allow to dry completely.
Frequency of Use:
Use daily or as directed by your veterinarian.
Store Pink Lady at room temperature, away from children
and animals. Keep container closed at all times when not in use.
It is a violation of Federal
Law to use this product in a manner inconsistent with its labeling.
Pink Lady Wound Dressing supports the natural healing
process and promotes the formation of healthy skin layers to heal wounds
from the inside out and minimize scarring. The protecting dressing also
helps keep the wound clean, repels flies and other pests, and reduces
the risk of infection.
Ingredients: Mineral oil, Zinc oxide, Silica,
Titanium dioxide, Phenol, Camphor, Menthol, Balsam Peru, Biebrich Scarlet
Keep this product out of reach of children and animals.
Do not use or store in or near open flame or heat.
Pink Lady is intended for use on dogs and horses
only. Do not use on other animals or on humans.
CAUTION: Although this product is not
usually associated with side effects, some animals may experience adverse
reactions or sensitivities. Report any side effects or symptoms of an
allergic reaction to your veterinarian.
Use of this product is not a replacement for veterinary
care of wounds.
Do not use Pink Lady in animals with a known allergy
to it or to similar products. | <urn:uuid:8c6ad87c-8198-431a-b9ae-6e8d3ce134d9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.vetdepot.com/pink-lady.html?Attribs=29&catID=807 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.903515 | 532 | 1.515625 | 2 |
This item is available under a Creative Commons License for non-commercial use only
Energy and fuels
This paper presents results obtained from monitoring a 1.72 kWp photovoltaic system installed on a flat roof of a 12 m high building in Dublin, Ireland (latitude 53.4 N and longitude 6.3 E). The system was monitored between November 2008 and October 2009 and all the electricity generated was fed into the low voltage supply to the building. Monthly average daily and annual performance parameters of the PV system evaluated include: final yield, reference yield, array yield, system losses, array capture losses, cell temperature losses, PV module efficiency, system efficiency, inverter efficiency, performance ratio and capacity factor. The maximum solar radiation, ambient temperature and PV module tempera- ture recorded were 1241W/m2 in March, 29.5 C and 46.9 C in June respectively. The annual total energy generated was 885.1 kWh/kWp while the annual average daily final yield, ref- erence yield and array yield were 2.41 kWh/kWp/day, 2.85 kWh/kWp/day and 2.62 kWh/kWp/day respectively. The annual average daily PV module efficiency, system efficiency and inverter efficiency were 14.9%, 12.6% and 89.2% respectively while the annual average daily performance ratio and capacity factor were 81.5% and 10.1% respectively. The annual average daily system losses, capture losses and cell temperature losses were 0.23 h/day, 0.22 h/day and 0.00 h/day respectively. Comparison of this system with other systems in different locations showed that the system had the highest annual average daily PV module efficiency, system efficiency and performance ratio of 14.9%, 12.6% and 81.5% respectively. The PV system’s annual average daily final yield of 2.4 kWh/kWp/day is higher than those reported in Germany, Poland and Northern Ireland. It is comparable to results from some parts of Spain but it is lower than the reported yields in most parts of Italy and Spain. Despite low insolation levels, high average wind speeds and low ambient temperature improve Ireland’s suitability.
Ayompe, L., Duffy, A., McCormack, S., Conlon, M., (2011) Measured performance of a 1.72 kW rooftop grid connected photovoltaic system in Ireland, Energy Conversion and Management, Volume 52, Issue 2, Pages 816-825, ISSN 0196-8904, DOI: 10.1016/j.enconman.2010.08.007. | <urn:uuid:85008738-d0f6-4883-95f3-ec7041a139de> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://arrow.dit.ie/engschcivart/14/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00028-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.926783 | 552 | 2.140625 | 2 |
When it comes to tobacco control, it often seems that the policy is decided first and the science is produced as an afterthought. Since the lion's shares of the anti-smoking policies we see today were planned as far back as the 1970s, it is a remarkable coincidence that scientific evidence for each of them appeared at regular and timely intervals in the intervening years. This is something that The Economist gently hinted at in a recent review of a book called Merchants of Doubt:
In most of these campaigns the dissenters have argued that the American scientific establishment is tainted with an anti-corporate liberalism and is trying to impose socialism by the back door. One does not have to agree with this view, or to think that both sides are equally culpable, to feel that the ways in which science is used to generate assent for environmental action may sometimes be as interesting as the ways in which it is mobilised for dissent.Though the authors note as a curiosity that campaigns against secondary smoke predated evidence that it did any harm, they show no desire to explore this seemingly reversed causality.
Secondhand smoke is old news in California these days, of course. These days, if you're an anti-smoking campaigner, your policy objectives are to ban smoking in the home and in the street. These 'next logical steps' have long since been settled on by the people who really matter—ie. you and your fellow 'health professionals'. All you need is a scientific fig-leaf to help you get around the quaint objections of personal liberty and individual sovereignty, which some politicians still consider important and which even you, as a citizen of a liberal democracy, feel compelled to pay lip-service to.
Of course, there isn't any serious scientific evidence that secondhand smoke from outdoors—or from next door—has the slightest effect on the health of others. Nor will there ever be. It would defy everything we know about toxicology, chemistry and biology, not to mention common sense. It's an idea of profound lunacy.
The best of a bad bunch of pseudo-scientific arguments for outdoor smoking bans are the risible notion of people being harmed by trace levels of toxins clinging to clothes and carpets ('thirdhand smoke') and the equally risible idea of cigarette butts leaching trace levels of toxins into the ground, thereby harming...er...something.
It's not very promising, I'll grant you, but it's all there is and the lack of scientific evidence is holding things up. And so, if you're California's Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program, you wave some money in the air—the traditional mating call of the quackademic—and see who responds. Hence:
TRDRP Call for Applications
Request for Proposals for TRDRP Initiative on Thirdhand Smoke and Cigarette Butts
The Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program (TRDRP) announces a Request for Proposals (RFP) to undertake studies on Thirdhand Smoke and Cigarette Butt Waste, under a new initiative.
And, if you are sitting down...
Approximately $3.75 million is expected to be available for this RFP.
That should get a response from the scientific community in these troubled economic times, wouldn't you say?
The aim of this project is, according to the TRDRP...
...to conduct research on (1) the impact of thirdhand tobacco smoke exposure from indoor surfaces and air quality on public health, and (2) the effects of water and soil contamination by cigarette butts on organisms and humans.
This talk of 'conducting research' makes it sound as if some sort of impartial investigation into science is in the offing here. Tellingly, however, in the 15 page document which gives details about the project, the word 'science' isn't used once. The word 'policy', on the other hand, is used 14 times. That's a pretty good guide to the rest of the document.
They do, however, admit that there is no existing evidence to support either proposition.
The health effects of thirdhand smoke are poorly understood.
Virtually nothing is known about the impact of cigarette butts on contamination of air, water and soil.
Very true. That being the case, you wouldn't want to make any assumption that thirdhand smoke is dangerous, would you?
1.1 Thirdhand Smoke Exposure and Health Effects
The indoor surfaces and air quality component of this initiative is intended to help create and sustain a new research niche and infrastructure in California that is expected to shed light on several concrete aspects of the public health dangers of thirdhand smoke.
And you wouldn't want to lead the researcher towards a particular conclusion or imply that you're looking for any particular outcome. Would you?
The findings from this research may have broad implications in policy enactment in California to prevent human exposure to thirdhand smoke in homes, hotels, apartment buildings, personal vehicles, gaming casinos, and hookah bars.It is anticipated that the research outcomes will contribute to dramatically reducing the exposure of developing and newborn infants, young children, adolescent youth, and adults to potential disease-causing toxicants produced from thirdhand smoke.
And you certainly wouldn't want to suggest that the whole project is specifically designed to meet predetermined political objectives. After all, how could you—the research hasn't even begun yet. Right?
Policy ImplicationsHow will the scientific evidence from exposure to thirdhand smoke and cigarette butt pollution emanating from the proposed collaborative studies inform the policy makers to frame new policy in California to mitigate the public health effects?How will these studies impact indoor air quality in buildings and vehicles to protect vulnerable populations from exposure risks? Strengths of proposed strategy for investigative plans to interface with policy makers and community advocates will be evaluated by reviewers.... Funded investigators may be called upon to provide testimony to California legislators and to collaborate with policy researchers to help enact and enforce policies in California to mitigate the health effects of exposure to thirdhand smoke and cigarette butt pollution of water and soil in California.
It sounds a pretty sweet deal—the TRDRP provides the conclusion and the researcher fills in the blanks. All we need is someone prepared to prostitute their scientific integrity for a huge pile of cash. And let's look at all that lovely money again...
The TRDRP has allocated up to $3.75 million over three years for this RFP. It is anticipated that TRDRP may fund up to two (2) Grants of up to $425,000 each, or may fund one (1) Grant of up to $850,000 (including direct and indirect costs) per year for three (3) years to investigate the chemicals, biology and health risk assessment of thirdhand smoke.
What kind of person are we looking for anyway? A project like this would require someone highly trained in toxicology and the physical sciences, no?
A successful application will demonstrate in the Key Personnel a diverse tobacco-related disease and control expertise that is consistent with the proposed aims in the identified two or three themed areas, such as basic, translational and (if applicable) clinical expertise including chemists, biological chemists, cellular and molecular toxicologists...
Sounds like a job for the great mechanical engineer Stanton Glantz. He's no stranger to a TRDRP handout, plus he lives locally. Get him on the phone.
...physicists, physicians, psychologists...
...healthcare and tobacco control professionals...
Those three magic words: tobacco control professionals. Gentlemen, the bank is open for business.
...epidemiologists, health economists, statisticians and modeling experts, etc.
Okay, we get it. Pretty much anyone can apply. Fill your boots guys. And just in case your consciences are niggling at you, remember...
Approximately $3.75 million is expected to be available for this RFP.
Okay? Sleep well. | <urn:uuid:4ea8ed02-0fa8-48b7-a7bc-263b475d3df0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://velvetgloveironfist.blogspot.jp/2010/06/junk-scientists-wanted.html?showComment=1277787925255 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956363 | 1,621 | 2.109375 | 2 |
According to Jody Endres, College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences, and The Energy Biosciences Institute at the University of Illinois, and Daniel Szewczyk, academia has failed to create green metrics in measuring the pros and cons of biofuels. A framework to evaluate what constitutes a “green” economy is needed along with measurement metrics.
Endres and Szewczyk note that energy policies such as the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), E.U. Renewable Energy Directive (RED), and the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) require increasing amounts of biofuels to reach goals. When pointing out the benefits of biofuels, the White House touts the environmental, energy security and green economic benefits. In addition, supporters also say a biofuels economy “generates economic activity that preserves and enhances environmental quality while using natural resources more efficiently”.
Yet for the past several years a campaign against biofuels has been mounting, with the current drought across the U.S. fueling the food versus fuel debate to new levels. Dissenters say that ethanol is causing the price of feed for livestock and poultry in particular to go up and many global associations accuse ethanol of causing food shortages. In light of this myriad of criticism, the biofuel industry is concerned they will lose Congressional and public support, which would be detrimental to the development of advanced biofuels.
Setting aside the arguments, the authors say that best hope in the battle for funding and biofuels’ public image is the potential for creating a green economy in rural America. The study of “greenness,” as opposed to only generic economic development, say the authors, is critical because “greenness” distinguishes and justifies bioenergy sector subsidies in an extreme climate of budget austerity and political polarity.
In response to bioenergy compliance, efforts are beginning to seek to measure the economic and social benefits of environmental improvements within the broader meaning of “bio” fuels. Federal agencies such as the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Department of Defense (DOD) also appear to recognize the need to develop social impact metrics that tie to environmental achievements for project funding decisions. In the future, it is the hope that compliance will be in part measured by a biofuels’ green metrics. | <urn:uuid:8f095c97-e211-4974-9744-f7ded7aea442> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://domesticfuel.com/2012/10/18/green-metrics-missing-in-biofuel-debate/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00067-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933074 | 485 | 2.796875 | 3 |
Iran’s ballistic missile tests last week have sparked unusually harsh criticism from Russia. According to the BBC, Russian officials have said the tests
This is remarkable coming from Moscow, and the latest sign of a potentially significant shift in Russia’s stance on Iran. Through 2007, Russia was the main obstacle in UNSC efforts to tighten the thumb screws on Iran, preferring bilateral diplomacy with Tehran over the international sanctions route.
This January, however, Russia finally agreed to a third sanctions resolution. Moscow also opposes the efforts of South Africa to delay the resolution. South Africa, which holds a non-permanent UNSC seat and is an influential member of the Non-Aligned Movement of developing countries, wants to wait until IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei finishes his meddlesome freelance diplomacy with Iran before proceeding—presumably in the hopes that ElBaradei gives Iran a clean bill of health, which could undermine the prospects for a unanimous or near-unanimous UNSC vote. The Russians, however, want the resolution to move forward sooner rather than later.
The Russians are now criticizing Iran’s enrichment and ballistic missile programs in the same breath. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov recently said that
In the span of just a few months, Russia has gone from denying an Iranian nuclear weapons program and foot-dragging on sanctions to drawing explicit linkages between Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs and pushing a third sanctions resolution.
So what changed Russia’s tack?
There are a number of possibilities, none mutually exclusive. Perhaps something in the intelligence the United States recently shared with the IAEA (and presumably some UNSC countries) on key aspects of Iran’s nuclear program spooked the Russians. Or maybe Moscow, like many Western governments, is ticked off at ElBaradei for playing shadow UN Secretary-General and wants the UNSC to reassert its authority. News of Iran’s apparent progress on P-2/IR-2 centrifuges may worry them as well.
I suspect that the main driver, however, is the remarkable shift in U.S. politics in the aftermath of the November 2007 Iran NIE. The NIE’s headline finding that Iran abandoned nuclear warhead and weaponization R&D in the fall of 2003 has eliminated the possibility of U.S. military action against Iran’s nuclear facilities for the foreseeable future. This frees up Russia and other countries to toe a harder line against Iran without worrying about legitimating U.S. military action.
If this interpretation is true, it means that the litany of pundits and commentators complaining that the NIE plays right into Iran’s hands have it exactly backwards: by effectively taking U.S. military action off the table for now, the NIE makes it easier, not harder, for countries like Russia to send Iran a stronger signal about its enrichment program. After all, Russia (and China, for that matter) do not want Iran to develop the capability to deploy nuclear weapons; until the Iran NIE, however, this concern was counterbalanced by a worry that the United States might launch another war in the Middle East.
(Joe Cirincione and I made an argument along these lines in our Contain and Engage strategy released last March. See page 45.)
Russia’s shift is good news, but sticks alone won’t compel Iran to capitulate. The Bush administration needs to get serious about offering Iran credible inducements, which it has proven chronically unable—or unwilling—to do. | <urn:uuid:b7837062-96f9-4d79-9357-c88e87d4bd25> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://guests.armscontrolwonk.com/archive/1793/russias-subtle-shift-on-iran | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945451 | 732 | 1.601563 | 2 |
THE HISTORY: Byzantine Civilization
In 395 A.D. the Roman Empire was finally dismembered. Its western part fell to the barbarians while the eastern part played an important role in world history for more than a thousand years. With the establishment of Constantinople in 330 A.D. as the capital of the Eastern Roman and the complete predominance of Christianity, the Greeks became conscious of their national identity and laid the foundations of the later powerful Byzantine Empire. Byzantine civilization is considered to be a continuation of ancient Greek civilization with many Roman and Eastern influences. Its main identifying feature was the Christian religion which pervaded its legislation, its literature, its architecture, etc. The Byzantine emperors converted neighboring people to Christianity and, with their powerful fleet, ruled the seas up to the 8th century A.D.
The strategic position of Constantinople, on the site of old Byzantium, between the two large continents of Europe and Asia, shifted the centre of gravity of world domination to the east. But it also became a pole of attraction for all foreign invaders.
In 1096 A.D. the "Frankish" infiltration of the Levant began with the First Crusade. The Crusaders overran the Greek lands. The Fourth Crusade ended with the taking of Constantinople in 1204 and the sharing of the empire among the Crusaders, while Venice imposed itself on the Levant for centuries, in parallel with the Turks. Venice dominated some Creek islands either directly or indirectly. Euboea, the Cyclades, the Ionian islands, Crete and Cyprus were more or less Venetian possessions from 1489 onwards while in the 15th century, Thasos, Samothrace, Imbros, Lemnos, Chios, Samos, Icaria and the ports of Ainos in Thrace and Phocaea in Ionia were Genoese dependencies. Rhodes and Its neighboring islands had been occupied by the Knights of St. John since 1308.
The dismantling of the Byzantine Empire, however, did not bring about the dismantling of Hellenism as well. The idea of national unity had already been sufficiently developed to spark the formation of cores of resistance. Michael Palaeologus succeeded in retaking Constantinople in 1262 and the revived empire lived on for another two centuries. The empire of the Palaeologi was, in fact, nothing more than a national Greek state which, under attack from the Serbs, Bulgarians and Turks was obliged to abandon the dream of empire and barricade itself behind a national idea in order to defend what had remained of Hellenism. The same spirit of resistance inspired the rest of the Greeks, those who were still under Frankish occupation.
The Fall of Constantinople
Finally, in 1453, Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Turks after a siege of two months. The last emperor of Byzantium, Constantine Palaeologus, fell with the city. Hellenism was then nourished by traditions in which one legend featured very largely: that of the king (Constantine) who had been turned into marble by an angel, and hidden from the Turks until the time was ripe for his resurrection and return. The structure of the social and political life of the Turks, who occupied themselves mainly with their holy war, led them to leave such things as trade, arts and crafts and other productive activities to their vassals, thus making the latter indispensable to the functioning of the empire's administrative machine.
The Turkish Occupation
For Hellenism, the Turkish conquest signified catastrophe, decline and retrogression. Religion played an important role during the first centuries of the conquest in upholding morale and fostering resistance. In the 18th century, however, in parallel with the development of trade in Greek lands, there was a change in economic relations and a Greek urban, middle class began to be formed which, in spite of its peculiar nature, promoted the development of a national conscience.
Inspired by the age of enlightenment in France and stimulating
a flowering of intellectual thought, it fired enslaved Greeks with the idea
of freedom and equality. At the beginning of the 19th century, the national
conscience of the Greeks had reached full maturity and clarity. | <urn:uuid:112470b7-d785-4775-a70c-f19a9cc736e9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.greekembassy.or.id/pages_en/General/History/Byzantin.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00052-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962072 | 851 | 3.515625 | 4 |
"Free elections" without freedom
On January 30, the Allawi puppet administration of Iraq enforced the elections for a transitional National Assembly. US President Bush applauded the incident, calling it "a resounding success" and the United Nations also followed Bush through UN Secretary General Annan who described it as "the first step in a democratic process."
However, those were far from what the term 'election' normally represents.
After extending the state of emergency for one more month toward the elections, Allawi closed the nation's borders and international airport for three days from January 29 in joint operation with US forces. Moreover, he banned inter-provincial migration from January 27 through 31 by sealing all provincial borders. Thus, the whole nation was on high alert with a total of 300,000 troops deployed, including occupation and Iraqi police forces.
From the beginning, it was out of the question for Allawi to imagine the possibility of elections that would allow all eligible voters to participate. Along with dubious voter registration, non-publication of candidates' names and participating parties' campaign pledges characterized the elections. There was no political freedom at all. Even worse, Shiah Muslims issued a religious decree called 'fatwah' to force Muslims to vote, inviting rampant acts of threatening and vote buying. Moreover, the dispatched UN personnel were no more than 25 members, and no international monitors were deployed for visiting polling stations for the observation mission. There was absolutely no control over election rigging and the media were prohibited from publicizing anything outside the scope of the government's official announcements.
We can never call elections under violence and lawless circumstances 'free elections.' Instead, a farce is the correct term for the elections, which was employed by US forces, the puppet administration and religious circles in order to ensure continued occupation.
Continued occupation for oil
Large portions of Iraq's water, power and other lifeline systems still remain ruined after US random attacks destroyed the infrastructure of the country. The Allawi puppet administration, however, places the priority not on civil life recovery but on reconstruction of the oil industry, earmarking as much as three billion dollars in the 2005 budget for that purpose. The administration has decided to encourage foreign enterprises to enter the nation's oil industry. As it is totally unlikely at the moment for any additional countries to join the existing donor countries of the International Reconstruction Fund Facility for Iraq, this move reveals the administration's intent to make way for global capitalists even at sacrifice of civil life of the Iraqis.
In the wake of the elections, the interim administration is to change its official name to the 'Iraqi Transitional Government.' Their scenario has it that elections under a new constitution are to be held no later than December 15 this year to create a 'permanent government.' Nonetheless, Bush made it clear that "US troops will remain in Iraq until the country's forces are capable of carrying out their own security functions." Allawi also supported the US plan for a lengthy stay of military forces by saying, "I will not set final dates." Already, the US Army authority has made it clear the it expects to keep its troop strength in Iraq at the current level of about 120,000 for at least two more years.
In any sense, the "elections" are not "the first step in a democratic process." It is nothing but another attempt to fix the failed ruling of the occupiers. It is merely a process of legitimizing the oppressive regime so that global capitalists can use it as a medium to control Iraq's oil resources as well as to secure their profits from reconstruction work.
Enhance solidarity with Iraqi Civil Resistance
Withdrawal of all occupation forces, conciliation of all segments of the Iraqi society beyond religious or ethnic differences and truly democratic elections based on the people's will - these are the indispensable building blocks of the democratic reconstruction of the Iraqi society.
The Iraqi Civil Resistance front driven by the Worker Communist Party of Iraq has been developing activities, including their campaign for a boycott of the deceptive elections under occupation. The Federation of Workers Councils and Unions in Iraq (FWCUI) have won higher wages and better working conditions by going on strikes. The Iraqis are struggling for democracy on their own, extending their movements across the nation. Nowhere but in the Iraqi Civil Resistance exists the prospect of realization of a democratic Iraq.
Now is the time for us all to be united with the Civil Resistance and demand all occupation forces to withdraw. (January 31) | <urn:uuid:5bd9a63e-0c05-49b1-a803-709961507cdb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mdsweb.jp/international/i874/i874_01a.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965734 | 905 | 2.234375 | 2 |
Even with the Kyoto Protocol due to expire at the end of this year, Obama persists in giving highest priority to climate change policy if re-elected. Does the U.S. really want to lead the world in committing economic suicide? It pays to look at the rapidly disappearing scientific rationale for trying to mitigate a putative future global warming.
In an essay Why the Global Warming Skeptics are Wrong in the New York Review of Books of Feb. 22, 2012, Yale professor William D. Nordhaus attempts to counter the arguments of a group of 16 prominent scientists who published an essay, No Need to Panic about Global Warming in the Wall Street Journal on Jan. 27, 2012.
Two crucial points may have been overlooked in the debate:
- Evidence for anthropogenic global warming (AGW) is problematic.
- A modest warming is likely to be beneficialnot damaging.
First, some background: I have known Bill Nordhaus for about 40 years; he certainly is no wild-eyed alarmist, but rather a highly respected specialist in environmental economics. Through his association with the U.N. climate-science panel, he is familiar with the main arguments supporting the IPCCs contention that human activities, mainly rising carbon dioxide levels from energy generation, have been responsible for much of past warming. He does not question this IPCC claim; however, I have no reason to believe that he supports any of the drastic CO2-mitigation schemesbe they carbon sequestration or alternative green energy projectsor that he has illusions about the efficacy of the Kyoto Protocol or similar measures of international control.
So I will simply try to address questions Prof. Nordhaus posed in his NYRB essay, to which I responded in a (Aug. 16) letter in the NYRB. I wanted my response to reach NYRB readers, typically liberal academics, lawyers, and teachers.
1. Is the planet in fact warming? This crucial question cannot be answered honestly unless one specifies the time interval referred to. Clearly, the climate has warmed since the last Ice Age. It has also warmed since about 1850, in recovering from the Little Ice Age (roughly 1400-1800 AD). But is has not warmed since the Medieval Warm Period of 1,000 years ago, or since the Holocene Optimum, which reached even higher temperatures 5,000-8,000 years ago. Nor has it warmed during the past decade.
Coming closer to the present, we see a warming between 1910 and 1940, which is real but not caused by human activities. Most would agree that the Earths surface cooled slightly between 1940 and 1975even though carbon dioxide, a greenhouse (GH) gas, had been steadily increasing during this period. Temperature data show a sudden, unexplained jump around 1976-1977. Surface weather stations then report a modest increase in temperature up to the year 2000although different analyses disagree on details and have been frequently revised. Many people, including Nordhaus, tend to identify this reported increase as caused by the almost parallel increase in CO2. In its Summary, the latest IPCC report (2007) states explicitly that this reported (surface) warming trend is sure (>90%) evidence for anthropogenic global warming (AGW).
- We note, however, that the atmosphere, both over land and ocean, did not warm during this same post-1978 periodeven though atmospheric theory and every climate model predicts that the tropical atmosphere should warm nearly twice as rapidly as the surface. This atmospheric evidence comes from instruments in weather satellites, producing the only truly global dataand, independently, from thermometers in balloon-borne radiosondes.
- In 2000, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences assembled a team of distinguished scientists to discuss the puzzle of surface warming in the absence of an atmospheric warming trend. However, their report, Reconciling observations of global temperature change, could not reconcile the disparity.
- I note that an analysis of ocean data has shown no significant warming during the period of 1978 -2000. Independent non-thermometer data (so-called proxies, like tree rings, ice cores, ocean sediments, stalagmites, etc.) also show no warming trend between 1978 and 2000. Significantly, there has been no warming for the past decade. All this, in spite of constantly rising CO2 levels.
The inescapable conclusionor perhaps I should say suspicionis that land-based weather stations may be reporting just local temperature increases but that there is negligible global warming. If correct, this surmise would remove the main evidence for the IPCCs claim about the existence of appreciable AGW.
2. Are human influences an important contributor to warming? Obviously, the answer must be noif one accepts the evidence about the nonexistence of recent warming. Nevertheless, it should be stated that since CO2 is a GH, and since most if not all of its increase is human-caused, there must be some minor human contribution to climate change. The real scientific puzzle, not mentioned by Nordhaus, is why the observed temperature trends are so much smaller than what models calculate.
3. Is carbon dioxide a pollutant?Lawyers might say, Yes, this is what the Supreme Court ruled in 2007, but scientists are not so sure. A pollutant, by definition, must produce harmful effects. CO2 is a natural constituent of the atmosphere, non-toxic, invisible, having no physiological effects we know ofeven at high concentrations. Its definition as a pollutant relies entirely on its alleged causation of significant global warming and on the additional assumption that a warmer climate is damaging.
(We should take note that CO2 is Natures plant fertilizer. The worlds important crop plants developed when CO2 levels were much greater than todays. Innumerable experiments have demonstrated that higher CO2 concentrations are beneficial for plant growth and therefore benefit global agriculture. Plants not only grow faster, but require less water. All of this is well-known to agricultural experts and to the owners of commercial greenhouses, who often raise CO2 levels artificially to increase productivity. Perhaps we should be grateful to China, the worlds largest emitter of CO2.)
However, before considering CO2 as a criteria pollutant subject to regulation under the Clean Air Act, the Supreme Court ruling requires the EPA to demonstrate by independent research that higher levels of CO2 are damaging to human health and welfare. But the EPAs Endangerment Finding and supporting Technical Support Document (TSD) have been attacked by a large number of plaintiffs. The case was lost before the Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia; it is likely that it will return to the Supreme Court, which may get a chance to modify its 2007 decision.
4. Are we seeing a regime of fear for skeptical climate scientists? Being fairly senior, I am not much affected by the animosity towards skeptics, revealed by the leaked e-mails from Climategate. However, I seem to have lost friends in the academic community and have had considerable difficulty in getting technical papers published in journals whose editors have openly expressed their bias. My real concern is for younger scientists who are just trying to establish their professional careers.
5. Are the views of mainstream climate scientists driven primarily by the desire for financial gain? This is a leading question; I would assume that scientific curiosity is the main driving force. Financial gain may be only one of several additional factors, along with prestige and academic advancement, invitations to important conferences, prizes, etc. However, I would point to the large sums, about $20 billion during the past decade, that the government has spent on climate research, of which only a tiny fraction has gone to skeptics. I also note the multi-million-dollar grants to mainstream climate scientists by private foundations, and even by oil companies such as Exxon and BP. Not surprisingly, the number of scientific publications is roughly proportional to this level of financial support.
6. Is it true that more carbon dioxide and additional warming will be beneficial? Briefly, my answer is yes.
First, Nordhaus correctly states that net benefits (benefits minus costs) should be maximized. This is mathematically equivalent to the well-known result that one should increase pollution control as long as marginal benefits exceed marginal costs. As an expert economist, however, Nordhaus should expand his discussion of more important points:
- The discount rate plays a crucial role in the present case, where costs are incurred today, while benefits may be realized 100 years hence. Nordhaus himself uses realistic discount rates of 4%, but he should be more critical of others, like Lord Nicholas Stern, who use discount rates close to zero, which severely skews any cost-benefit analysis by greatly over-estimating the present dollar-value of benefits.
- Further, one must ask if there is really any net damage at all from a warmer climate. I wonder why Professor Nordhaus never mentions the work of Yale resource economist Robert Mendelsohn and his 23 economist-colleagues, whose acclaimed book concludes that a modest warming and higher CO2 levels would actually enhance GDP-raising average income, prosperity, and general welfare. True, there are also respected economists who hold a different view; the 1996 report of the IPCC lists results of several of their analyses. While these agree surprisingly well on the total amount of damage, I found that they strongly disagree on individual sectors (like agriculture and others) that make up these totals. And they all assign large economic damage to sea-level riseeven though there is no observational evidence for an influence of short-term (decadal) temperature changes on the rate of rise of sea level.
Finally, it should be obvious, perhaps, but needs to be stated explicitly that if a warmer climate produces positive net benefits rather than damages, then, in principle, one cannot even conduct a cost-benefit analysis. Nor should one try to mitigate emissions of CO2 in any way; our current policies are simply misguided.
|S. Fred Singer, an atmospheric physicist, is a Research Fellow at the Independent Institute, Professor Emeritus of Environmental Sciences at the University of Virginia, and former founding Director of the U.S. Weather Satellite Service. He is author of Hot Talk, Cold Science: Global Warmings Unfinished Debate (The Independent Institute).| | <urn:uuid:27dd56e7-05b2-41db-b92f-422f2e0117f9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.independent.org/newsroom/article.asp?id=3443 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951572 | 2,086 | 2.3125 | 2 |
Global and European statistics for personal injury and fatality due to traffic accidents are frightening.
Fatalities in traffic accidents per year:
- worldwide: ~ 1,200,000 people
- in Europe: > 40,000 people
Crippled or injured persons due to traffic accidents each year:
- worldwide: > 10,000,000
- in Europe: > 1,700,000
Road and vehicle safety is not only a matter of huge economic consequence - it is an issue of tremendous personal tragedy and suffering.
We understand only too well how the use of our products contributes to these figures, making product development and safety education part of our social responsibility. | <urn:uuid:3a451e5e-c570-44f4-ab15-526d76845478> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.volvogroup.com/group/global/en-gb/volvo%20group/ourvalues/safety/Pages/background.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00069-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935001 | 138 | 2.390625 | 2 |
Computer Security Training: Learn About Social Media Safety
If we consider all the ways in which we communicate today, on average, social networking sites rank among one of the most popular mediums for young people and also many adults. It certainly is incredibly convenient and versatile. Through social media websites, we not only talk to others, but we can also share multimedia, make new friends, and participate in open conversations. It is a fantastic solution for keeping in touch with people who we may not see everyday. Just like all good things, social networking comes with a fair amount of risks and vulnerabilities too. Ignoring these risks can sometimes result in harm to our computers or even ourselves.
Adults as well as children can be affected by social media risks. One of the most common is privacy invasion. Social networking companies recognize the need for online privacy, which is exactly why they incorporate a host of privacy settings in their websites. After that, it is up to individual users to educate themselves about this issue and learn how to configure those settings. As a general rule, any information that you would not normally give to a stranger on the street should be kept private on your user account profile. Apart from this, take care in what information you reveal when posting messages on other people’s accounts. While you might practice good privacy habits, it is not necessarily so with other people. If their profiles are fully public, then your posts would also be visible to just about anyone online. Taking care in protecting your personal information online can help to avoid identity theft or identity fraud.
Cyberbullying and cyberharassment are examples of other serious issues that can come with social networking. Don’t be fooled into thinking that only children are the targets of such predators. Naive adults can also be preyed on or stalked virtually. Always take these matters seriously. If they come up, report it to the appropriate authorities and avoid any contact with the bully or stalker.
Social media websites are infamous for revealing the true face of a person. Consider how you behave among friends. Most people are quite laid back with their friends; they might go to parties together, get drunk, pull pranks, or engage in other similar behavior. Now consider how you might act at work. Undoubtedly, most people show a very different side of themselves in professional environments. By leaving a social networking profile page publicly visible, or by not taking care in what you post, you might inadvertently display a very unprofessional image to bosses or potential employers. Several people have even lost their jobs over this point. Apart from simply displaying an unprofessional image, there are cases where people have posted comments disparaging their supervisors or the companies they work for. A helpful trick is to log out of your social media accounts, then run a search for your name. Look at the pages that come up. If you see anything that is questionable, log back into your accounts and either delete those items or make them private.
Find out more on how to protect yourself and your children on social networking platforms with the following resources. | <urn:uuid:1a45238c-6487-49d0-9b10-fb9c9b0e4223> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.certstaff.com/classes/computer-security-social-media.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00049-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95671 | 620 | 2.859375 | 3 |
"One of our greatest challenges has been attempting to define the family farm. We have visited farms ranging from 4,000 acres to under a hundred; farms which use millions of dollars of equipment and farms that use only one tractor; farms that are run by a family of four to farms that are run by a family fifteen; farms that are organized like corporations and farms that are considered 'hobby farms'. Despite these vast differences, we found one common thread holding these farms togetherthe family. Regardless of technology, size, and product, all farms depend on the commitment of family members. These farms survive, in part, because of the unconditional participation of the whole family."
From Kenyon College's Family Farm ProjectGambier, Ohio.
"A family farm is defined as one in which the farm's ownership, assets, management, and major decisions are controlled by at least one family member on the farm. A corporate farm is defined as a legal structure which limits its liabilities only to corporate assets on matter such as debt, environmental liabilities, contracts, etc."
From The Ohio Family Farm Coalition.
"The family farmer still plays a multiple role. He is owner, worker, and manager. Moreover, he is a marketer - and markets are open to him."
"Family farms are implicitly of modest size, but size is defined in terms of what family labor can care for. Acreage, investment, or volume of sales figures are less applicable. Most labor on a family farm is provided by the family. Thus, hired labor cannot exceed labor provided by the farmer and family. The maximum amount of hired labor is often put at either 1-1/2 or 2 man years. The key feature is that family labor dominates."
"All land need not be owned by the farm operator, but most family farmers will own at least part of the land they farm. A few may temporarily be full tenants, but neither widespread nor life-long tenancy is considered to be family farming."
"Management may be vested in individual proprietors or family partnerships, but the right to make independent production and marketing decisions is crucial. Family farmers can freely buy supplies and sell the commodities they produce. If they must have production contracts, they are not truly family farmers. Open markets are essential."
"Even though family farms are not defined here by volume of sales or assets, a system dominated by a relative handful of very large farms would not be considered a family farming system, regardless of who owns, works on, or manages individual farms."
"On the other hand, a family farm does not mean an unprofitable small farm. It is one where efficient production methods enable farmers to earn acceptable incomes in line with their personal abilities."
From "Does the Family Farm Really Matter?" by Harold F. Breimyer of the Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Missouri, Columbia and A.L. (Roy) Frederick of the Department of Agricultural Economics, Kansas State University.
"The term 'family farm' means a farm that (A) produces agricultural commodities for sale in such quantities so as to be recognized in the community as a farm and not as a rural residence; (B) produces enough income, including off-farm employment, to pay family and farm operating expenses, pay debts, and maintain the property; (C) is managed by the operator; (D) has a substantial amount of labor provided by the operator and the operator's family; and (E) uses seasonal labor only during peak periods, and uses no more than a reasonable amount of full-time hired labor."
From The House of Representatives Resources 2000 Act, HR 798, Sec. 805: No. (2) (link will open PDF file) | <urn:uuid:f9152ffe-8ad0-4d53-91e3-387fbfe210e1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://americanradioworks.publicradio.org/features/farm/familyfarm.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970087 | 757 | 3.0625 | 3 |
Barrier Methods of Birth Control
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.
William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.
Introduction to birth control
If a woman is sexually active and she is fertile and physically able to become pregnant, she needs to ask herself, "Do I want to become pregnant now?" If her answer is "No," she must use some method of birth control (contraception).
Terminology that is used to describe birth control methods includes contraception, pregnancy prevention, fertility control, and family planning. But no matter what terminology, sexually active people can choose from a number of methods to reduce the possibility of their becoming pregnant. Nevertheless, no method of birth control available today offers perfect protection against sexually transmitted infections (sexually transmitted diseases, or STDs), except abstinence.
In simple terms, all methods of birth control are based on either preventing a man's sperm from reaching and entering a woman's egg (fertilization) or preventing the fertilized egg from implanting in the woman's uterus (her womb) and starting to grow. New methods of birth control are being developed and tested all the time. And what is appropriate for a couple at one point may change with time and circumstances.
Unfortunately, no birth control method, except abstinence, is considered to be 100% effective.
Barrier methods of contraception
Barrier methods of contraception work by creating a physical barrier between sperm and egg cells so that fertilization cannot occur. The most common forms of barrier contraception are condoms (male and female), diaphragm, cervical cap, and contraceptive sponge.
Spermicides, a form of chemical contraceptive that work by killing sperm, are often combined with barrier methods of contraception for greater effectiveness.
While barrier methods of contraception generally do not have the side effects of hormonal contraceptives, some forms of barrier contraception (contraceptive sponges and condoms) may be obtained without a prescription.
The only medical contraindication to the use of barrier contraception is latex allergy (when using latex condoms). However, with the exception of male and female condoms that can provide protection against infection with sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs), most methods of barrier contraception are not effective in preventing STDs.
During sexual intercourse, hundreds of millions of sperm are normally released into a woman's vagina. The large majority of these sperm die. They die because of the unfriendly environment of the vagina, which is acidic, and because the mucus in the cervix above the vagina acts as a selective filter for the sperm. Only about 1% of all the sperm released in an ejaculation successfully pass through the woman's vagina and cervix to reach the uterus (the womb). However, it only takes one sperm to fertilize the ovum (the egg) and to achieve conception.
Spermicides are a type of contraceptive agent that work by killing sperm.
Spermicides need to be in place in a woman's vagina before intercourse if they are to prevent viable sperm from reaching her uterus. Spermicides come in a wide variety of forms, including jellies, creams, foams, films, and suppositories. The active ingredient in essentially all spermicides is Nonoxynol-9. This is a detergent-like chemical that kills sperm.
Once placed inside the vagina, the spermicide melts into a liquid that coats the vagina in order to set up a chemical barrier between the sperm and the cervix. Spermicidal foams are more effective than creams or jellies. Not only is it possible to achieve a better distribution with foam, but foam adheres better to the vaginal walls and cervix.
Suppositories are solid or semi-solid and need to be inserted in the vagina 15 minutes before intercourse in order to liquefy with vaginal moisture.
Vaginal contraceptive film needs to be in place in the vagina about 5 minutes prior to sexual intercourse in order to liquefy and become effective.
Spermicides are like all other methods of birth control in that they must be used properly in order to prevent pregnancy. Each type of spermicide has a unique method of use. For example, spermicidal creams, gels, and foam need to be deposited high up in the vagina near the cervix. Spermicidal suppositories must be unwrapped and inserted in the vagina. Squares of spermicidal film should be inserted into the vagina with a woman's finger. It is important to follow exact instructions on the package for each different type of spermicide.
A spermicide should be placed in the vagina prior to the man's penis getting anywhere near the vagina. It is a common mistake for a couple to wait too long before using the spermicide.
There are two basic concerns with any given spermicide. 1) How long the spermicide stays in the desired place; and 2) how long the spermicide is active in killing sperm. Therefore, the timing of spermicide use must take into account both of these factors.
In general, spermicides tend to be effective soon after their application. They can be inserted 15 minutes or more before intercourse. However, if there is a significant delay before intercourse (for example an hour), more spermicide must be added.
A fresh application of spermicide must also be used for each act of intercourse.
Douching should be avoided for at least 8 hours after the last intercourse.
The effectiveness of spermicides in preventing pregnancy varies from 70 to 90%. This depends on the amount of spermicide and how it is used, the timing of use prior to intercourse, and how well the instructions on the package are followed.
Spermicides should not be used as protection for the woman or man against sexually transmitted infections (sexually transmitted diseases, or STDs). While spermicides may be partially protective against certain organisms that cause sexually transmitted infections, including chlamydia and gonorrhea, they also do not protect against the human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.
The main objection voiced about spermicides is that they are "messy." A small percent (2% to 4%) of people may have an adverse reaction to Nonoxynol-9, which is experienced as an irritation or a burning sensation.
Spermicides, however, have some positive features. They are relatively inexpensive and they are available over-the- counter (OTC) without a prescription.
Note that some lubricating jellies also available over-the-counter do not contain spermicide and are not meant to be used as a form of birth control. It is important to check the information on the package to be sure that the product contains spermicide or that the word "contraceptive" appears on the label.
Get the latest health and medical information delivered direct to your inbox FREE! | <urn:uuid:cf66262f-dbd4-4710-b82e-81d26d58c90c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.medicinenet.com/barrier_methods_of_birth_control/article.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00065-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.92709 | 1,626 | 2.4375 | 2 |
At the heart of materials science is an understanding of the microstructure of solids. "Microstructure" is used broadly in reference to solids viewed at the subatomic (electronic) and atomic levels, and the nature of the defects at these levels. The microstructures of solids at various levels, especially the defects, profoundly influence the mechanical, electronic, chemical, and biological properties of solids. The phenomenological and mechanistic relationships between the microstructure and the macroscopic properties of solids are, in essence, what the materials science is all about. This is best represented by the "materials science triangle": synthesis-microstructure-properties.
Materials engineering, on the other hand, is concerned with the design, fabrication, and testing of engineering materials. Such materials must fulfill simultaneously the dimensional properties, quality control, and economic requirements. Several manufacturing steps may be involved: (1) primary fabrication, such as solidification or vapor deposition of homogeneous or composite materials; (2) secondary fabrication, including shaping and microstructural control by operations such as mechanical working, machining, sintering, joining and heat treatment and (3) testing, which measures the degree of reliability of a processed part, destructively or non-destructively.
Because the science of materials branches into other fields of study, the department offers joint fields of study in collaboration with other departments. A degree specializing in electronic materials is offered which provides a broad-based background in materials science, with the opportunity to specialize in semiconducting materials used in electronic and optoelectronic devices. The program incorporates several courses in electrical engineering in addition to those in the materials science curriculum.
A joint major field, chemistry/materials science, is offered to students enrolled in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry (College of Letters and Science). Several courses in the undergraduate curriculum also play an important role in the manufacturing engineering program.
The graduate program allows for specialization in one of the following fields: ceramics and ceramic processing, electronic and optical materials, and structural materials. | <urn:uuid:e208dae8-1b37-4cf8-9490-b8eb556972c8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ms.ucla.edu/about/about-us | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.921754 | 423 | 2.921875 | 3 |
Cyndi Lauper is set to open a 30-bed housing facility for homeless lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered youth in Manhattan on September 1st. The True Colors Residence, named after her 1986 hit "True Colors," will be located on West 154th St. near Frederick Douglass Blvd. in Harlem. The residence, the first permanent housing facility of its kind in the city, was conceived by the singer, her manager and the West End Intergenerational Residence, a non-profit focused on providing housing for homeless families and the elderly.
Lauper, a longtime supporter for LGBT rights, was moved to pursue this project because up to 40 percent of homeless youth in the city identify as LGBT. "These young people often face discrimination and at times physical assault in some of the very places they have to go for help," she wrote in a letter seeking donations for the residence. "This is shocking and inexcusable!"
Photos: Random Notes
The True Colors Residence is a new energy-efficient building with 30 studio apartments for youths aged 18 to 24, complete with indoor and outdoor community space. Residents will pay rent based on their income and will receive help with job placement.
Photo by Steve Thorne/Redferns | <urn:uuid:21cf02a3-f121-4f4d-a39e-d77d87335f06> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://music.yahoo.com/blogs/the-rolling-stone-blog/cyndi-lauper-opens-shelter-for-homeless-lgbt-youth.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00048-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974679 | 257 | 1.773438 | 2 |
Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jews did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. John 19:31-34
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God?this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is?his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2
St. John chapter 14 verses 1-4
lot not your heart be troubled;ye believe in God, believe also in me.
In my fathers house are many manisiopns: If it were not so , I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and recieve you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also
and wither I goye know, andthe way ye know.
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:28-31
Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:8-10
May god bless us and keep us safe may we find joy in know him as our savior, may peace be with you as you travel in this world so that one day you will find true peace, joy and happiness in Jesus Christ who makes all things possible.. this I pray for ... now go and spread the word of God to the masses so that they may know what true love is.
And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ?to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:9-11
Hello Brother Ponch,Hope your living well,......But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ?the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. Philippians 3:7-9
Hello Bro Don How are you? It's been awhile but I'm back... here's one .....
Romans chapter 10 verse 13
For Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Thank you Lord for your love and guidance thank you for the spirit that lives with us, walk with us and help us along the way and continue to watch over and keep us safe we ask this in your name and in your honor and glory... Amen.
Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. James 5:13-16
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Ephesians 6:14-18
Listen, my son, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many. I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble. Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life. Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evil men. Proverbs 4:10-14
Be very careful, then, how you live?not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. Ephesians 5:15-17
What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. James 4:1-3
He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman, who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the LORD, who keeps his oath even when it hurts, who lends his money without usury and does not accept a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken. Psalm 15:2-5
The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.' They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. The LORD looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. All have turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one. Will evildoers never learn?those who devour my people as men eat bread and who do not call on the LORD? There they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is present in the company of the righteous. You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor, but the LORD is their refuge. Psalm 14:1-6
'I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them.' John 17:6-10
Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them? the LORD, who remains faithful forever. He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free, the LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous. The LORD watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked. The LORD reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the LORD. Psalm 146:5-10 | <urn:uuid:f77dac08-3bfe-46b6-a4aa-aa1164ee65b2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bikerkiss.com/forum?topic_id=1023714&results_order=&owner_id=15339879&from_page=default&from=20&offset=20&count=139 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00058-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971214 | 1,898 | 1.539063 | 2 |
I wanted to make some interesting clay tiles using one of the rubber stamps in my collection.
I made a batch of black Apoxie Sculpt and flattened it onto a non stick work surface. (you can work on waxed paper too) I used a watermark ink pad (which is a clear ink) to condition my rubber stamp. I knew I would be pressing the rubber into the Apoxie Sculpt…and needed to be sure I could pull it away without stretching or distorting the impressed image in the clay.
Success! I managed to pull away my rubber stamp! The rubber stamp is very detailed and I was not sure how much of the image would be impressed into the clay.
I used an x-acto knife to slice all the tile sections at this point. This way the clay would cure and already be cut into 9 different sections.
Here they are after being left alone overnight.
I applied a layer of Gilders Paste to each tile to make the images pop again!
To use these tiles as pendants or bracelet sections, you can punch holes before the clay hardens. | <urn:uuid:d054a6a4-bccc-40be-b023-cbe93b6dc5be> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cosplaysupplies.com/tutorials.php?id=Rubber_Stamped_Tiles_with_Apoxie_Sculpt | 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 | 0.947741 | 229 | 1.75 | 2 |
With the publication of Immanuel Velikovsky's Worlds in Collision in 1950 a bombshell burst upon the literary and scientific scene whose reverberations continue to this day. Even prior to publication, the book was the subject of intense controversy.
The academic community was immediately and intensely polarized. Several world-famous "authorities" denounced the book as "rubbish" (without having read it carefully), while other scientists and scholars praised Velikovsky's method and revolutionary conclusions.
Through a concerted campaign of letter writing, a successful boycott of the original publisher's textbook department was undertaken by an elite group of American astronomers. Even as Worlds in Collision hovered at the top of the national best-seller lists, the publisher was forced to suspend publication of the book, and another firm, which had no vulnerable textbook division, took it on. Thus one of the greatest controversies in scientific history became one of the most shameful episodes in publishing history.
Here for the first time is the full account of what actually transpired. Writing with kindness as well as candor, Velikovsky tells of the unprecedented treatment he endured at the hands of his critics.
The story of Worlds in Collision is of timely interest, because the problems and solutions Velikovsky pointed out in 1950 are at the forefront of scientific research in the 1980's:
recent planetary space probes, new proposals in evolutionary theory, and geological and archaeological findings supporting or confirming ideas that just thirty years ago were confidently declared to be "arrant nonsense" by the supposed experts of the day.
Stargazers and Gravediggers is a work of understated triumph that will give both the scientist and the general reader cause to reconsider prior beliefs about science, objectivity, human nature, and the opinions of experts.
Stargazers and Gravediggers (US hardback and in excellent condition) is available to SIS members for as little as £5-7 including p&p. Including p&p, non-members in the UK can obtain the book for £18 and to send elsewhere the price is £20. Please send order and remittance (payable to SIS) to: The SIS Book Service, 10 Witley Green, Darley Heights, Stopsley, Bedfordshire, LU2 8TR, UK.
Reviews and criticisms of Velikovsky's work have tended to be inaccurate, inconclusive or just plainly wrong. Velikovsky did make mistakes, but his key proposal, that in historical times mankind witnessed global catastrophes of cosmic origin, endures with increasing numbers of organisations and people investigating his work.
Hundreds of articles, many photographs and images. Referenced with citations.
The Immanuel Velikovsky Archive. Maintained by a team of historians to ensure the integrity and preservation of Velikovsky’s unpublished writings, the Archive is strictly non-profit and its sole purpose is the advancement of education and scholarship.
The Society for Interdisciplinary Studies
The SIS was formed in 1974 in response to a growing interest in the works of modern catastrophists such as Dr Immanuel Velikovsky, stimulating controversy in the fields of cosmology, geology and ancient history. The SIS publishes two high quality journals which have included articles by and about Velikovsky.
Aeon, A Journal of Myth & Science
First published in 1988, Aeon builds on the works Immanuel Velikovsky, presenting further evidence of catastrophic planetary interactions in historic times. It is devoted to the collection and exploration of archaeo-astronomical traditions and analysis of common patterns in ancient myths from around the world.
The Velikovskian The Velikovskian journal offers an open discussion of whether there were global cataclysms in human history, their cause, nature and impact of these upheavals. As an important issue in science, history and humanity, it is deserving of our attention. Also features the book, Carl Sagan & Immanuel Velikovsky.
The Electric Universe
The Electric Universe theory highlights the importance of electricity throughout the Universe, and explains how the Sun and stars are powered electrically. | <urn:uuid:721b1567-4106-4b33-8a77-686d1eadb037> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.knowledge.co.uk/velikovsky/stargazers-and-gravediggers.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00065-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953938 | 844 | 2.359375 | 2 |
World Ayurveda Foundation, part of Vijnana Bharati, the science and technology movement of India, in collaboration with Government of Madhya Pradesh, among other organizations have come together to conduct the 5th World Ayurveda Congress & Arogya Expo from December 7 to 10 in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
This 5th edition with its theme as Enriching Public Health through Ayurveda will throw light into the strengths of traditional science.
During this congress nearly half a million visitors and 500 participants from various countries are expected to participate. The Expo will involve trade and business association of national and international importance in this sector. “We have arranged lectures on health by eminent scientists, academicians, policy makers; plenary sessions on evolution of various concepts and parallel sessions emerging from the plenary topics,” said Tanuja Gokhale, convener, International Delegates’ Assembly,5th World Ayurveda Congress (WAC) & Arogya Expo 2012
Over ten years and through four congresses, WAC has emerged as a global forum for all stake holders. This is the largest ever conglomeration of people having passion towards Ayurveda. Around 4000 delegates including more than 500 from various countries are expected for this mega event. The major attraction for foreign delegates would be International Delegates’ Assembly which was formed at 3rd WAC and which provides a platform to share, understand and discuss experiences and hurdles / issues regarding promotion of Ayurveda in various countries, by eminent dignitaries of national and international repute. The remarkable impact of this global summit is encompassed in the enclosed brochure, stated Gokhale.
There are major efforts by the government of India to encourage the Indian System of Traditional Medicine. In 2009/10, with due credit to the Department of Ayush, Government of India, 2368 doctors and 2184 para-medics were appointed. Ayush practitioners, mostly from the Ayurveda stream, have been co-located in 1918 public health centres, 171 community health centres, and 46 district hospitals. The Department of Ayush also initiated several public health campaigns such as ‘Ayurveda for Anaemia’ and ‘National Campaign on Amla’.
Therefore the focus of the 5th Edition of the Congress is to To facilitate acceptance and recognition for Ayurveda as a complete health system adoptable globally, create appropriate platforms for ‘scientific backing’ of Ayurveda along with suitable infrastructure to popularize the outcomes and make Ayurveda an integral part of health-care management, according to the organizers.
Another attraction is the ‘International Students’ & Teachers’ Meet’ which is being organized for the first time from December 6 to 10 2012 where 100 Ayurveda students from abroad will be able to interact with leading Ayurveda Gurus. In this regard, a letter from Ayush Secretary is being sent to all the Embassies of respective countries requesting speedy approval and other formalities of visa applications for those who wish to attend the Congress.
In addition, the 3rd International Delegates’ Assembly will be held at the same venue on December 8 and 9, 2012. The first IDA was held at Jaipur, Rajasthan on December 18, 2008 and the second was held at Bengaluru between December 9 and 10, 2010. | <urn:uuid:959eb28e-c00d-4ae3-8fdf-fcce1d2886c3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ayurbhishak.wordpress.com/2012/09/20/fifth-world-ayurveda-congress-arogya-expo-2012-to-be-held-from-dec-7-to10-at-bhopal/ | 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 | 0.954359 | 707 | 1.703125 | 2 |
NORCROSS -- Seven-year-olds and good friends Annalisa Allen and Selah Btembke have big dreams.
Allen wants to be a marine biologist, a field she plans to take by storm with the invention of a "fish food cannon," which will attract underwater dwellers so that she and fellow scientists can take photos.
Btembke has plans to be a world-renown writer, a career she's already begun.
The Norcross Elementary students took a moment to consider their futures on Wednesday as part of a districtwide celebration of the first 100 days of school. Students commemorated the milestone in different ways around the school and throughout Gwinnett County.
Assistant Principal Kenya Johnson said the event, among other things, offers children a chance "to learn a lot about math. They're learning about the calendar, they're learning about time and they learn to count by different increments to 100."
Other schools held similar events. Walnut Grove Elementary held a 100th Scavenger Hunt for students, using circles that represent the numbers 1-100 all over the school and classrooms. At Norton Elementary, art students made a 100-day quilt and voted for 100 of their favorite books. Ms. Boone's class made trail mix by counting out 100 pieces of cereal. Ms. Bradley's class related 100 activities to literature. And Ms. Smith's class made 100-day T-Shirts and posters with 100 items.
Back At Norcross Elementary, students marched through the halls chanting, sporting hats with the number 100, toting shakers with 100 things inside them and wearing necklaces with 100 Froot Loops pieces on them.
Norcross students Andrew Romero-Ramirez, 6, and Fernando Garcia, 7, made cut-out pictures that speculated on what they might look like in 100 years. Romero-Ramirez presented his with pride. "100 years is a long time away," the boy said.
But sometime between graduating from high school and his 100th birthday, Romero-Ramirez hopes to go to "go to college and be a policeman."
His pal, Garcia, has hopes to be a DNA scientist. If their dreams should cross paths, so be it, Garcia said.
"Maybe in the future, we will work together," he said. "It's fun to think about the future." | <urn:uuid:6fc74886-2ed9-4aa6-9f8f-71b84704478e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/news/2013/jan/16/future-writers-and-scientists-mark-100-days-of/ | 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 | 0.964385 | 482 | 2.125 | 2 |
Late last week a State Department spokesman uttered “The war on terror is over.”
That utterance was followed up by President Obama’s surprise trip to Afghanistan (“coincidentally” on the anniversary of the operation that killed Osama Bin Laden, or so we are told…). While in Afghanistan, Obama gave a political speech aimed at folks back home in America in which he echoed the sentiments of his State Department spokesman in essentially declaring Al Qaeda beaten.
Before we deconstruct this politically motivated fantasy, we should probably point out that we are not now, nor were we truly ever engaged in a “war on terrorism.” We don’t want to belabor the point because many observers have pointed out this reality over the years. Terrorism is a method, not an enemy. As the late philosopher and columnist Jeff Cooper said shortly after President Bush named this struggle the “war on terrorism:” “Give us an enemy we can shoot at, Mr. President.”
But it was not to be. Obama stopped referring to the war on terrorism as soon as he came into office, his administration floating the term “overseas contingency operations” instead.
That drew instant and widespread ridicule and we haven’t heard the term mentioned much since it was originally floated after Obama got into office.
We should have paid closer attention. This wasn’t just about changing names. This was about ending the war effort. The goal in changing the name was to prepare the American people for an end to the war. Obama came into office knowing he was going to end the war–unilaterally. The fact is, the war and the threat of terrorism don’t help liberals get elected. There was a reason why the word “terrorism” was never uttered at the 2004 Democratic National Convention when the Democrats nominated Senator John Kerry.
The DNC did the polling and the focus groups and found out that the issue was a loser for them. Ever since, the hard left has been hell bent for leather on ending the war effort.
Obama’s State Department spokesman claimed last week that “since most of Al Qaeda’s is now dead” Islamists have other places to turn for legitimate inclusion in the political process.
There is so much to comment on here that we hardly know where to begin.
First of all, most of the original members of Al Qaeda were dead before Obama even got into office. Most estimates were that some 75% of Al Qaeda’s leadership had been killed or captured in Afghanistan in Operation Enduring Freedom. The killing of Osama Bin Laden just over a year ago likely did not add much to the operational degradation of Al Qaeda. Despite claims to the contrary, it is highly unlikely that Bin Laden still exercised operational control over Al Qaeda around the globe at the time of his death. So, this is hardly a new development as the Obama State Department spokesman implies.
We now know from seized documents and from former intelligence operatives that Bin Laden had, for years, limited his communications with the outside world, including Al Qaeda, to a single human courier. There is simply no way he could possibly have maintained operational authority or control over the organization in such circumstances.
This suggests that his death did not add substantially to the degradation of Al Qaeda’s operational capability.
Bin Laden was barely involved any more. He wasn’t even in a position to raise money–his chief role for years in the past. Nor did he find it necessary to issue frequent videotaped messages to his followers or to the world at large, something he took great pride in doing earlier in Al Qaeda’s war against the West.
Because of this, Bin Laden’s death cannot be accurately described as ending Al Qaeda. Perhaps we are on the cusp of defeating Al Qaeda in the Afghan-Pak theater of operations, but that is not due to Bin Laden’s death. Bin Laden’s death was in reality a byproduct of the campaign against Al Qaeda in that region over a period of years, starting way back in 2001.
Moreover, Al Qaeda globally is far from finished. The organization has evolved into an umbrella group for Jihadists around the globe. Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb is active in Africa. Al Qaeda on the Arabian Peninsula is locked in an active, violent insurgency in Yemen. Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri, Bin Laden’s successor and always the organization’s ideologue, is still at large. His Jihadist brother, released from prison in the so-called “Arab Spring” is back in operation in Egypt.
Then there are the Al Qaeda affiliates that don’t identify themselves as Al Qaeda, but certainly operate in a similar fashion. There’s Aby Sayyaf in the Philippines, which has kidnapped and murdered Americans in the past. There’s Al Shabaab in Somalia, which recruits heavily from the Somali refugee community here in the USA. There’s Boko Haram, which is making life in Nigeria a living hell for Christians. There’s Jemaah Islamiyah in Malaysia and Indonesia, which has attacked Westerners, including the 202 deaths in the Bali, Indonesia bombing in 2002. And of course, the Taliban themselves, who are allied with Al Qaeda and gave them a launching pad for operations in the 1990s.
All of these organizations still exist. We are told now that Bin Laden did not have a high regard for these affiliates, but that doesn’t necessarily make them any less of a threat.
But let’s not forget the Jihadist terrorist organizations that operate and who are not overtly aligned with Al Qaeda. These serve as a reminder that the enemy isn’t just “Al Qaeda,” despite what the Obama administration wants you to believe. We should not take too much comfort in the fact that most of these organizations operate overseas and don’t regularly target Americans. They don’t view Americans any differently than they view other Westerners or kafirs.
There is the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in the Philippines, which, like Abu Sayyef, has targeted Americans in the past. There’s Lashkar-e-Taiba, which carried out the horrific Mumbai attacks in 2008. Keep in mind that LeT used an American to conduct reconnaissance for that operation and their captured literature showed plans to target the American homeland. There are the Islamic Jihad Union in Uzbekistan and Jaish-e-Mohammed in Kashmir. There’s Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which has known operatives in the US. And, along those same lines, we have HAMAS, which currently only targets Israel, but which has an extensive network in the US.
Most ominously, given the threat from Iran, is Hezbollah, described by more than one US official as the “A” team of terrorism. Congressional investigations estimate that they have thousands of supporters and hundred of operatives here in the US. A very recent report indicates that Hezbollah has a network centered on Shia mosques here in the US as well.
But this all misses the basic point. We are on the receiving end of a global Islamic insurgency. It’s not a homogenous insurgency by any stretch. Many of the insurgent groups are completely unrelated and some even hate each other. But they are all united in one goal: establishment of Islamic rule under Shariah law.
This war did not start on September 11th, 2001, with Al Qaeda’s attacks on the US homeland; it had been raging on a lower level overseas for decades. And the war will not end with the death of Osama Bin Laden, or the outright defeat of Al Qaeda, or the inevitable NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan.
The declaration of victory is purely for domestic political consumption, which is very sad and dangerous indeed.
Center for Security Policy Vice President Christopher Holton is available for speaking engagements on the subjects of terrorism, terrorism financing, Shariah, Shariah-Compliant Finance and Jihad. For more information, contact him at email@example.com | <urn:uuid:1af5138e-b503-425a-81db-1bda18d38f5a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://terrortrendsbulletin.com/2012/05/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96696 | 1,671 | 1.6875 | 2 |
Fruit supplied to primary schools is ‘laced with pesticides’
By Sean Poulter
Free fruit supplied to thousands of primary schools to improve the diet of youngsters is laced with traces of pesticides, an official study has revealed.
The levels were below permitted levels though organic campaigners say chemical exposure through the scheme should be eliminated completely.
The details emerged with the publication of the annual report of the Government’s Pesticides Residues Committee, which reports the results of tests on more than 4,000 samples of food and drink.
This found that some 1.2per cent of all the samples contained pesticides at above the recommended safety limit.
The levels of pesticides varied considerably, with imported fruit and vegetables tending to have higher levels.
One in seven beans in a pod one in 25 fresh peas (in pods) and one in five yams all had pesticides above the allowed level.
One in 70 apples and pears had illegal levels of pesticides.
All of the fruit and vegetables supplied to schools contained pesticides within allowed levels.
Nearly all the apples (49 out of 52 tested) and every one of the bananas had some pesticide residues on the skin.
Many of the pieces of fruit had more than one pesticide.
The committee and the Food Standards Agency insist that the levels are so low as to not to be a cause for concern.
Committee chairman, Dr Ian Brown, said: ‘I understand that people are concerned about pesticide residues in their food, but as a doctor I cannot state too strongly the importance of eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.
‘Scientific evidence shows that the health benefits are far greater than the risk from pesticide residues.’
The Soil Association, which represents organic farmers, said while the chemical residues were within safety limits, this was still a cause for concern.
A spokesman said: ‘Unbelievably we learn yet again that pesticides are turning up in fruit and vegetables supplied to schoolchildren. Yet again the government tells us this is nothing to be worried about.
‘Yet we know that children’s exposure and susceptibility to pesticides is likely to be higher as per body weight they ingest more food and drink than adults and their bodies’ ability to process and excrete any such residues is different to that of adults.
‘It is unacceptable that 94 per cent of apples, and 100 per cent of bananas tested contained pesticides school fruit and vegetable scheme.’
She said that the ‘cocktail’ effect of different pesticides had never been tested properly.
‘Powerful new evidence is emerging that suggests the combined effect of pesticide ‘mixtures’ may be more significant than previously realised, especially with regard to endocrine disruptors.’ | <urn:uuid:7c12b0b6-4834-471f-bec1-aa40f67791f9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://wiseupjournal.com/?p=1143 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00046-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959514 | 571 | 2.4375 | 2 |
The Plain of Jars has been called the most mysterious place in Laos. Visitors go there primarily to see huge jar-shaped stone vessels. What they are and how they got there is still in dispute. While there they also see the legacy of a war that most of the world knew little or nothing about. It’s called the “Secret War”.
The Jars are near the provincial capital Phonsavan and close to the Vietnam border. During the Vietnam War (called the American War over here) this area was part of the infamous Ho Chi Minh Trail and became a huge battlefield when the Americans dropped millions of bombs.
The jars themselves average about 1.5 m (4.8 ft) in height and diameter although some are much larger. Most were carved out of local sandstone. Archaeologists say this was a cemetery of the “Iron Age” and the jars were burial urns used to hold burnt remains and offerings. Beads found on the site came from India and China, for it was on the regional trade route. They also found smaller, clay urns so the larger jars were probably used for the aristocracy while the clay ones for more common folks. Several pots have human-like representations on them.
My guide, who is Hmong, disputes this interpretation. His people believe giants once lived here and this is where they had big parties. The jars were their glasses, used to hold whisky. The biggest jar belonged to the king. He showed me one with an image of a person on it and said it belonged to a very important giant. He further told me that his people do not believe the jars were made of stone but of animal skin that turned as hard as rock over time.
A Hmong guide shares his story
He said there were both women and men giants. The women giants were sent to make the southern part of the country and the men to make the north. Women, so the legend goes, work much harder than men so they made their land flat whereas the men weren’t interested in doing much work so the north is bumpy and mountainous.
He then proceeded to take me to one of those ‘bumps’, which is actually a cave. The entrance to the cave resembles one of the jars so maybe it was just the biggest jar, he said. His people believe the giants used the cave to burn their dead. The guide pointed out three holes at the top of the cave where the smoke could escape; two, he said, are natural but the third is not. Only a giant would be able to reach up and make it.
There are different cave stories and some are very sad. During the war, I was told, soldiers and civilians hid in the cave to get away from the endless bombing. They needed to leave the cave to find food and water but were unable to do that in the day and when they left at night they had to use lights to find their way. The Americans saw the lights and one day at midnight they sent a missile and killed the 350 people who were in the cave.
There are many signs of warfare: trenches running alongside the jars, big indentations in the ground where bombs landed and exploded, smaller holes where bombs fell but did not explode and were subsequently retrieved by one of the international teams working to clean up the mess left behind by a war that has long been over.
Of the hundreds of millions of bombs dropped on Laos from 1964 to 1973, an estimated 30% did not detonate. Just the other day the Vientiane Times reported that four children were killed and two children and one woman injured after a cluster bomb exploded in their backyard while they huddled around a fire to keep warm. The heat activated the bomb.
You can take a bus to Phonsavan from Luang Prabang through the mountains that the giants made and didn’t bother to flatten. You drive along an unforgiving road for several hours, past village after village. If your stomach and nerves can handle it, then it’s an incredible journey. Otherwise, take a plane.
By Sylvia Fanjoy
Photo credits Sylvia Fanjoy
© Riding the buses 2012 | <urn:uuid:815d41aa-9896-479a-b820-0ac99b039cf9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ridingthebuses.com/2012/03/plain-of-jars-where-giants-partied-and-the-us-dropped-their-bombs/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00073-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.981952 | 858 | 2.78125 | 3 |
The catamaran pauses in the blue waters of Alaska's Glacier Bay. From its upper deck, we look out at a narrow beach hemmed in by spruce forest.
A solitary wolf appears, dapper, furtive. He trots across the pebbled beach, then catches us staring. In a heartbeat, he turns and vanishes into his forest.
"I saw him!" a woman shouts from the catamaran deck.
"Now," her husband tells her, "you can cross 'wolf' off your checklist."
There are vacation spots that offer some of Southeast Alaska's best attributes: mountains, rivers, scenery. But no other place promises such easy and overwhelming immersion in the wild world. Within a hundred miles of Juneau is one of North America's largest concentrations of brown bears and bald eagles. Here, too, are moose, glaciers, and adventure. Even if you stay only 10 days, this is the biggest summer vacation you can imagine.
World of ice
Alaskans call it simply Southeast, the tail of territory that extends more than 500 miles south from the main bulk of the state. Look at it on a map and you get lost in a tangle of islands and inlets, each worthy of weeks' exploration. Every summer nearly a million vacationers explore the region on board big cruise ships like those operated by Holland America Line and Carnival, and on smaller ships like those run by CruiseWest. Those are good options. But for my trip, I wanted to spend more time on land than I did on water, and I wanted maximum flexibility.
So I devised my own compact route, starting and ending in Juneau, that showed off Southeast's most spectacular wild experiences: Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve for marine mammals and really big ice; Haines for river rafting with bald eagles; Admiralty Island for Alaska coastal brown bears. I traveled between some destinations on the small planes that are the Alaskan version of the taxi. For others, I took the ferries of the Alaska Marine Highway Ferry System ― they're stylish, comfortable, and give you the same views of Alaska land and sea that cruise lines do.
My first stop is Glacier Bay. The park, a 25-minute flight west of Juneau, is 3.3 million acres of geographical superlatives. Mountains rise 15,000 feet straight from the sea, propelled by some of the largest earthquakes ever recorded and sculpted by the tongues of ice that give Glacier Bay its name.
"A picture of icy wilderness unspeakably pure and sublime," said John Muir, the first person to bring this corner of Alaska to public attention. Glacier Bay is proof that time and planet don't stand still. It's the product of rapid glacial retreat: What was a solid mass of ice in the late 1700s was, by the time Muir arrived in 1879, a 48-mile-long bay. Today it stretches nearly 70 miles, its shores reclaimed by forests and the animals that live in them.
Our catamaran sails up the bay. Like a college dorm, a tour boat is a closed environment where the quirks of a hundred or so strangers reveal themselves quickly. The woman with her checklist of wild animals. The boy who won't let his brother use the binoculars. And the woman in a white scarf who is utterly unhinged by each nugget of natural history that Amanda the park ranger shares with us.
"A full-grown male Steller sea lion can weigh 1,200 pounds," says Amanda, as we watch a gaggle of young males ― "frat boys," Amanda calls them ― lolling on North Marble Island. Scarf woman's face creases with happy surprise.
"Each sea lion eats up to 100 pounds of fish per day." Now scarf woman lifts her hands in amazement. How can anything eat so much? The rest of us smile. Then we hear a call from the stern. We rush to see a humpback whale, its black back arching above blue water, spouting spray into the Alaska morning. The woman in the scarf, you understand now, has the right idea: At Glacier Bay, you're foolish not to be astounded.
Grand Pacific Glacier sits at the head of the bay, but despite its name and impressive stats ― it's 2 miles wide ― it has the unkempt look of a construction site. To the left of Grand Pacific, though, is Margerie Glacier, a beauty, glistening turquoise in the sunlight.
You wouldn't think you could watch a big block of ice for long, but you can. The glacial blue light is hypnotic. The ice cracks ― the sound of a forest toppling. A crag the size of a church spire plummets into the bay, splashing up a cold wave that draws squawking seagulls to dive into the churning water.
There's an explanation for the gulls' behavior, Amanda says. The falling ice stirs the bay waters, bringing nutrients to the surface that the gulls dive to devour. But the gulls' aerial dance seems less hunger-driven than ceremonial. There are natural places that lull you into a sense of peace. Glacier Bay is not one of them. The boom of cracking ice, the chill wind rising from water to mountains ― experiencing these, you don't feel peaceful so much as humbled, and privileged. You are small and the mountains and ocean and ice are so big. But here you are with the squawking gulls, watching a world being born.
Next: World of eagles | <urn:uuid:c27b9769-2a2a-4bf9-bb86-947884896047> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sunset.com/travel/northwest/adventure-southeast-alaska-00400000011500/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950354 | 1,163 | 1.679688 | 2 |
Why is it important to test the fuel in your generator frequently?
Thermal expansion in your fuel tank will cause condensation to form in your tank. This happens with the fuel getting warm in the day and cooling at night. This condensation introduces water into the fuel. The water is a breeding ground for algae. The algae will feed on the diesel and cause fuel contamination. This contamination can be eliminated with a diesel fuel additive. Given enough time the fuel tank can also retain the moisture as water that will pose an operational threat to the generator’s engine. So it is necessary to have your tank checked annually to ensure that the water and algae levels are not going to cause operation problems for the generator.
What is a good level of frequency for fuel testing? Annually.
What can happen if the fuel is not tested properly? Can it damage other parts of the generator?
Contaminated fuel can clog your filters resulting in a loss of horsepower. Worst case scenario is that water is introduced to the injection pumps and injectors. This can cause irreparable damage to the fuel injection system and require the disassembly and repair/replacement to the internal parts. Depending on the size of the generator this could cost thousands to tens of thousands of dollars.
Do you need a specialist to test the fuel quality, if so, what is this process and who does it?
A common misconception is that diesel fuel will go “Bad”. Diesel fuel is not like gasoline which will varnish and lose potency. What can happen is diesel can become contaminated and require cleaning. This process is accomplished by running the diesel through centrifugal and paper filter elements to remove the dirt and water from the diesel. This process is known a “Polishing” the fuel. Once the polishing is completed the diesel is good as new. Contact your local Oil company that provides your fuel if they don’t offer this service they will have a vendor that provides the service to them.
How often do you see this problem occur with customers, and does it occur more frequently with a certain kind of customer?
Customers in tropical areas will have this problem more commonly due to the high moisture content in the air and the wide range of temperature variations. This problem can occur in any climate so annual testing of the fuel is recommended.
What’s your bottom-line advice on this issue?
Have your service provider or local oil company come out annually and check your fuel tank for contamination. A ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. | <urn:uuid:12b48e1b-878d-4074-8702-7df2b299ec8d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.americasgenerators.com/diesel-generator-blog/ | 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 | 0.952318 | 520 | 2.6875 | 3 |
Illustration: Raymond Biesinger.
Douglas Foreman knows firsthand what it is like to live with HIV in prison. At 52, he is a veteran of the Canadian correctional system, incarcerated in 11 different institutions since his first sentence in 1978. A gay man who contracted HIV through sex in the 1980s, Foreman was also diagnosed with hepatitis C virus (HCV) in 1991, although he isn't sure how or when he became infected with it.
That may have happened 32 years ago, during his first year in detention. He was in Quebec's Archambault Institution, at the time a maximum-security penitentiary, when he one day found himself being shot up by a fellow prisoner. "He was sitting beside me and I watched him prepare his hit, then he prepared one for me," recalls Foreman in a telephone interview from his current residence, a medium-security institution in Quebec. "I didn't even know I would shoot up ... I would never have known how to."
After more than three decades in the system, Foreman is well aware that being HIV positive in prison comes with its own challenges -- ones never faced by people with HIV outside prison or by prisoners who are HIV negative. Access to proper medical care is an obvious concern. As well, the HIV stigma and discrimination common in society can be worse inside prison walls. But Foreman's story points to another issue: Because rates of hepatitis C in Canada's prisons are high and access to prevention tools is limited, many prisoners with HIV face the heavy health burden of being co-infected with HCV.
According to published data, between two and eight percent of prisoners in Canada are living with HIV, which is at least 10 times higher than the prevalence of the virus in the general population. Even so, Foreman says, "Rates of HIV in prison are much higher than people say. I was in a minimum security prison three years ago where there were 250 prisoners. At a seminar on HIV, I declared who I was and afterwards 25 men came up and told me they were also HIV positive."
HCV infection is even more prevalent, according to official reports, affecting 19 to 40 percent of prisoners, which is at least 20 times the prevalence in the general population. Most prisoners say they became infected with HIV or HCV through sharing needles and equipment to inject drugs. Perhaps Foreman became infected with HCV through that single time he shared a needle. Or perhaps it was through sex -- there is mounting evidence that HCV may pass sexually, especially among HIV-positive men who have sex with other men.
Mavis Daniels, 33, is a Cree woman living in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. She was diagnosed with hepatitis C in 1996 and with HIV in 2003. Daniels injected drugs for many years before stopping three years ago. She says she contracted HIV through sex with a former partner. The man, a hemophiliac who contracted HIV in the 1980s during a blood transfusion, never told her of his status. She says that after hearing rumours, she asked him, "'Are you sick? You need to tell me this.' He said, 'No, I'm not. I don't know who's telling you this bullshit.'" The relationship continued and the couple even decided to try to become pregnant. Eventually, a mutual friend told the truth to Daniels. "My heart jumped because I was already having unprotected sex with him for a year." An HIV test came back positive.
Daniels has also spent time in prison, twice -- once in the late 1990s and again from 2007 to 2009 -- in Saskatchewan's Pine Grove Correctional Centre. She is a very real face of some startling statistics, including the fact that the Prairies has nearly half of all HIV-positive federal female prisoners in the country. Aboriginal women in prison are particularly affected -- in a 2007 anonymous survey conducted in federal prisons, about one in 10 (or 11.7 percent) Aboriginal female prisoners was HIV positive and a shocking one in two (49.1 percent) was HCV positive.
One of the most important aspects of living with any chronic medical condition, including HIV, is getting good medical care. In Canada, people have the right to "essential health care" while in prison, which includes treatment for HIV.
Generally, HIV-positive prisoners have at least occasional access to specialist care. Barb Bowditch, HIV case manager and consultant with the Prince Albert Hepatitis C Program in northern Saskatchewan since 2006, says that HIV-positive prisoners in the region's three institutions see an HIV doctor regularly -- about every one to three months depending on the institution -- either at clinics held in the prison or by being escorted to the Prince Albert clinic. Support and clinical services are offered on an ongoing basis. (Between appointments with the HIV specialist, prisoners can request to see a prison doctor. All requests are evaluated by the prison nursing unit and then forwarded or not.)
National data show that about six out of every 10 HIV-positive prisoners is on anti-HIV therapy. In the federal system, people get two weeks' worth of HIV meds at a time, in blister packs that they keep in their cells. People can start HIV therapy while inside if it's necessary and if they are ready. At the Prince Albert clinic, Bowditch says, "it's a decision that's made by the doctor, the patient and one of the nurses. Some may not want to start HIV meds right away and that's OK. But, say their CD4 counts are dropping, we'll at least start them on Septra and azithromycin" to give them some protection from other infections.
Unfortunately, security can trump health in prison. "For three months," Daniels recalls, "I complained to nursing staff that something's wrong with me. I could not eat. Every time I woke up in the morning, I threw up. I told the nurses and they did nothing. I think they assumed that I wanted to make a trip out to the hospital so that someone could come meet me there with drugs." The situation deteriorated and one morning Daniels had a seizure. "When I woke up in the ambulance they said the sleeping meds collided with my HIV meds, Kaletra and Combivir, and it caused a reaction to the brain."
Given stories such as Daniels', prison may not seem like the most obvious place to get healthy, but the stability of the daily routine can make it easier to stick with anti-HIV therapy. It was during her second stay in Pine Grove that Daniels got serious about her anti-HIV therapy. She had been taking it on and off for years, but the dependable routines of prison allowed her to take the medications regularly. Still, a majority of people on HIV treatment have reported missing at least one day of therapy while in prison. Sometimes they missed because they decided to stop therapy or forgot to refill their prescription, other times because the prison pharmacy did not have the meds in stock or because treatment was interrupted while they were transferred between prisons.
Treating the symptoms and side effects of HIV and HIV treatment is also trickier in prison. Prisoners with HIV -- who sometimes take medications such as Gravol (dimenhydrate) to counteract nausea and gabapentin (Neurontin) to treat neuropathy -- can be intimidated into handing these over to fellow prisoners who inject them to get high. "What I hear and see is much more abuse of medications. People are injecting garbage like Gravol, and this didn't used to happen," says Dr. Peter Ford, a retired HIV specialist with more than 20 years of experience treating prisoners with HIV in federal institutions in Ontario. As a result, prescriptions written by HIV specialists are sometimes ignored by the prison doctors, who have the final say on which prescriptions are filled.
Just as in the wider community, HIV carries stigma in prisons, so many HIV-positive prisoners keep their status secret or at least try to do so. Mooky Cherian, provincial prison program coordinator at Prisoners' HIV/AIDS Support Action Network (PASAN), an Ontario-based AIDS service organization for HIV-positive prisoners, says that anything, including HIV, that labels someone as weak or vulnerable can lead to problems on the range. During his work in the men's provincial system in Ontario, Cherian has heard many stories of men with HIV whose status becomes known and who then face ostracism and aggression from fellow prisoners.
Bowditch says her impression is that the experience in the prisons in northern Saskatchewan is different. "The prisoners are very open about their status within the walls. Probably about eight years ago I heard a lot of this [stories of stigma], but I think people are becoming more comfortable," perhaps due to a growing awareness of the epidemic in the region.
Stigma combined with the power imbalance inherent in prisons can give rise to the potential for abuse by staff as well. Cherian, who sees clients in several provincial prisons in Ontario, recounts the story of one man who because of his HIV status receives canned nutrition drinks to help him stay healthy. (While needed, these drinks can be a sign to others of the person's health status.) The man says that guards on occasion take the can from his food tray and drink it in front of him before tossing back the empty can. This kind of intimidation may explain why two-thirds of HIV-positive federal prisoners fear discrimination.
Canada has only one AIDS service organization (ASO) whose sole mandate is to serve prisoners with HIV and advocate on their behalf: PASAN, established in 1991. Because it's the only one, even though it is officially an Ontario organization, PASAN is often thought of as a federal one. It has also taken on work with hepatitis C-infected prisoners. Other ASOs that have broader mandates -- such as the British Columbia Persons with AIDS Society (BCPWA), Centre Action Sida Montréal (CASM) and HIV/AIDS Regional Services in Kingston -- provide prison outreach workers.
Workers from these agencies supply information to prisoners, advocate for access to services within the prison and lend a compassionate ear. To ensure confidentiality to their clients, programs often do not refer to HIV explicitly. Instead, services are offered under the umbrella of sexual health or harm or risk reduction. That way, no one can be sure of a prisoner's HIV status.
Front-line workers are often involved in organizing social services, health care or housing for prisoners who have been discharged. In Daniels' case, the system worked well. "Six months before my release date," she recalls, "I asked Barb [Bowditch] if she could find me a place to stay and a job." As luck would have it, Bowditch knew the director of the local youth centre where Daniels once worked. A few phone calls and Daniels had work at the centre doing outreach. "What I do here is go out in the outreach van and we give out sandwiches, juice, condoms and needles."
The Prince Albert clinic also provides health care to people returning to the community, though that can present challenges. "We have their housing information when they get released," Bowditch says, "but we sometimes lose them, especially if they are homeless or have an addiction issue. We may see them out on the street and try to connect with them there."
It's no surprise that prisoner infection rates for HIV and for HCV are so much higher than those in the general Canadian population. Injection drug use is common in prisons and sharing needles is generally accepted to be the main way HIV and HCV are transmitted there. According to the 2007 national survey, 16 percent of men and 15 percent of women say they have injected drugs while incarcerated. Anecdotal evidence from prisoners puts that percentage higher, often around 30 percent. There's a multitude of reasons for using drugs: drug dependence, mental health issues, the desire to escape the boredom or difficulty of prison life and pressure from other prisoners. "It's a stress-filled environment," Foreman deadpans.
Some people who smoked drugs on the outside begin to inject them while they are in prison because injection does not produce smoke, which might alert the guards. As well, random urine testing for drugs means that some people may switch from smoking marijuana, which can stay in the body for weeks, to injecting drugs like cocaine and heroin, which clear quickly from the body.
Because there is no official access to sterile syringes in prisons, people resort to sharing injection equipment and this increases the risk of HIV or HCV transmission. Given the high rates of HCV in prisons, the danger of co-infection is very real for people living with HIV. Co-infection comes with its own set of medical issues, including faster liver disease progression, more complicated treatment schedules for both HIV and HCV, and lower HCV treatment success rates. Making matters worse, in prisons, care for hepatitis C lags. Only four percent of HCV-positive prisoners receive treatment. Ironically, as it was for Daniels and her HIV treatment, the routine and structure of prison life can help people succeed with the often year-long regimen of daily pills and weekly injections that make up HCV treatment.
HIV and, with greater difficulty, HCV also pass during sex, and sex is definitely happening in Canadian prisons. In the 2007 survey, 17 percent of male prisoners and 31 percent of female prisoners reported having oral, vaginal or anal sex in the past six months. Almost all reported at least one instance of unprotected sex and a significant proportion said they had sex with someone who was positive for HIV or HCV or whose status they didn't know. A 2008 ban on tobacco in federal prisons may also be playing an indirect and unexpected role in the increased transmission of HIV. "Tobacco was the jail house currency," Foreman explains. "Now any tobacco that comes in is sold at astronomical prices. What have taken its place [in everyday bartering] are sexual services."
Experts realize that reducing HIV and HCV transmission in prisons is going to require programs to reduce the risks associated with injection drug use. Reducing drug use itself is one tactic, and prison programs do exist to help prisoners address their drug dependence. Harm reduction, an approach advocated by many experts and activists, supports such rehabilitation but also acknowledges that injection drug use happens in prisons and encourages looking for ways to make it safer.
Needle and syringe programs seem an obvious solution, yet the Canadian prison system has not allowed their introduction. A zero-tolerance policy for drugs in prisons precludes any activity that would acknowledge drug use. It's true that other prevention and harm reduction measures -- condoms, dental dams, bleach for needles -- are in place. Douglas Foreman applauded their introduction into prisons in the early 1990s, but there's still a long way to go. For example, bleach can kill HIV -- though Cherian points out there is no evidence that it is effective at killing HIV in the makeshift syringes normally found in prisons -- but is not effective at killing HCV. What's more, research shows that even approved prevention tools are not consistently available in Canadian prisons.
As well, tattooing with improvised machines and unsterile equipment is common in prisons and carries the risk of transmitting HIV and HCV. A pilot prison tattooing program started in mid 2005 by Correctional Service of Canada was shut down in December 2006 by the then newly elected federal government, even though a draft report of an evaluation said the program had potential to reduce the risk of transmission.
For national-level research and advocacy about HIV in prisons, the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network has long been at the forefront, holding conferences and producing important documents. "As a legal organization, we can focus on research and policy analysis and advocate for the health and human rights of people in prison in a way that complements the work of grassroots organizations," says Sandra Ka Hon Chu, co-author of two of the organization's detailed reports on the need for needle and syringe programs in prisons. (See resources. The two reports contain many stories of prisoners living with HIV.)
While getting needle and syringe programs into prisons would help slow the spread of HIV and HCV, it might be the growing rates of hepatitis C that finally convince authorities to address the problem. Ford, the HIV specialist whose groundbreaking early research drew attention to the prevalence of HIV in Canadian prisons, argues that HCV is so rampant inside that it amounts to a "new epidemic." In November 2009 he traveled to Ottawa to educate members of the federal Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security about these issues. "What we're looking at," he told the committee, "is a problem with a communicable blood-borne disease. ... Corrections is going to find itself looking after people with terminal liver failure, and this is a very expensive prospect."
For her part, Daniels has not yet taken treatment for hepatitis C. A few years ago, her friend begged her to wait until she was in a more stable place in her life before considering to undertake the often-grueling treatment. She thinks the time has come and has started talking with her doctor and collecting information. As for Foreman, he is also fighting to be treated for HCV. While both his HIV and HCV infections are critically important, he knows that, untreated, it's the HCV he acquired back in 1991 that poses the greatest risk to his health.
Agencies That Work With HIV-Positive People in Prisons
Prisoners' HIV/AIDS Support Action Network (PASAN)
Centre Action Sida Montréal Femmes (CASM)
HIV/AIDS Regional Services, Kingston
Prince Albert Hepatitis C Program, Saskatchewan
British Columbia Persons with AIDS Society (BCPWA)
Resources for People in Prison
Cell Count -- PASAN's magazine for and by prisoners; published four times a year, this bulletin is the only newsletter in Canada providing an uncensored forum for prisoners and young offenders to explore and share their own experiences, ideas and fears about HIV/AIDS. Contact PASAN to subscribe.
Articles From The Positive Side With More Info
"Path to Healing" (Winter 2010 issue) -- inspiring stories of HIV-positive Aboriginal people from the Prairies
"Double Duty" (Spring 2008 issue) -- HIV/HCV co-infection
"Hep C on the Radar" (Spring/Summer 2010 issue) -- sexual transmission of hepatitis C
Additional Reading From the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network | <urn:uuid:6e0c10cc-ca0b-455d-bc6b-3685e381b063> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thebody.com/content/art61313.html?ts=pf | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00060-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97382 | 3,789 | 2.484375 | 2 |
This color-enhanced view -- taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter as the satellite flew overhead -- shows the terrain around the rover's landing site within Gale Crater on Mars. Colors were enhanced to bring out subtle differences, showing that the landing region is not as colorful as regions to the south, closer to Mount Sharp, where Curiosity will eventually explore. In reality, the blue colors are more gray.
The dark dune fields lying between the rover and Mount Sharp can be seen in the lower portion of the picture. Mount Sharp is out of view, below the image frame. The rover is about 980 feet (300 meters) from the bottom of the picture.
This image was acquired six days after Curiosity landed at an angle of 30 degrees from straight down, looking west. Another image looking more directly down will be acquired in five days, completing a stereo pair along with this image.
Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona | <urn:uuid:eccc20f9-5334-46e4-96e0-90f4218d7aaa> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2012/08/mars-curiosity-rover-at-day-six.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00065-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944247 | 208 | 3.296875 | 3 |
December 2003 |
This slide presentation highlights some numerical analysis that compares saving with a 529 plan, Coverdell, UGMA, and taxable mutual funds, in light of the 2003 tax law changes. The analysis shows that the 2003 tax law changes have made UGMAs and taxable mutual funds more attractive than before. However, in most cases considered in this analysis, 529 plans and Coverdells are still better suited for saving for college because of the tax-free treatment on earnings. The 529 plans become even more appealing when contributions are deductible from state income taxes.
This presentation is based on an article published on MorningstarAdvisor.com which is available for your review. | <urn:uuid:3101998d-8ee2-4f5a-88b6-159ff2ec07a7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www1.tiaa-cref.org/institute/research/speeches/speeches_2003_tax_law.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00035-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95978 | 137 | 1.5625 | 2 |
Foam can be a valuable tool because of its ability to move laterally and vertically throughout an enclosed void.
Editor’s note: The following article is an excerpt from the “Equipment” chapter in the recently published Mallis Handbook of Pest Control, 10th edition, www.mallishandbook.com. The chapter was authored by Judy Black, technical director for The Steritech Group. She can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.org.
Adding a surfactant and injecting air into a liquid pesticide solution will change the formulation into a foam. The use of foams has become popular in termite control as well as for sanitation purposes to help reduce filth flies and for penetrating wall voids for other pests. Foams have the ability to move laterally and vertically throughout an enclosed void. By physically filling the void with insecticide foam, the professional ensures that the insecticide contacts all surfaces in the void. This type of treatment may have distinct advantages over sub-slab and void injection of (non-foam) liquids where coverage laterally and vertically is dependent on pest management professionals’ use of specialized tools and drilling many access holes.
Foaming equipment can be hand-held, portable electric units or attachable to existing spray systems. Professionals can choose from a variety of injection tools to fit their service needs. Tools resemble termite slab injectors and void injectors. Shut off can occur at the nozzle tip or at the valve. Tools with tip shut-off give more precise control at the injection site but will cause more “shearing” or breaking of the foam bubbles from moving around metal mechanisms in the tip. Shearing will result in a “wetter” foam (more liquid, less air). Adjustable needle valves on tools can help compensate for this occurrence.
Handheld foamers operate with compressed air from a hand pump. The insecticide and surfactants are mixed in a small plastic tank (usually one-quart capacity), and the foam is generated as the mix moves through a specialized tip. The foams are generally wet with some variability based on the pressure applied through the sprayer. These foamers are used for very small spot treatments, and more frequently, to apply degreasing/sanitizing materials. These foamers are useful, but not practical in situations where large amounts of foam are required.
Nowhere for Wasps to Hide
Syngenta’s Optigard Flex was introduced as a zone treatment with foam for ant control. But it soon was discovered that the foam component worked wonders for another type of pest.
“We started adding insects to the label later,” said ElRay Roper, senior technical representative, Syngenta. “It works well against Hymenoptera. Yellow jackets will nest in the ground and wall voids.”
For a variety of hard-to-reach places, a foam application of Optigard Flex proved an effective method to control these pests. Roper said mixing Optigard Flex at .1 percent with a 15 to 1 expansion ratio foam injected into an area worked wonders.
“You just inject that into the void with a six-foot extension wand,” Roper said. “Put the nozzle at the entry of the nest, inject foam for three or four seconds. I’ve never had failure. Within an hour all activity is stopped. One of the first I did was under a brick veneer in my own house.”
The versatility of a foam application is useful in situations such as this for reasons that a spray application may fail, Roper said. “You get very good expansion into these voids and a good coating in these nests. Unlike a spray, you may not get it on the area where the wasps are making contact. With a foam you actually fill up a void. It works the same way as filling up a termite gallery.”
In a field demonstration with the European wasp, Roper said Optigard Flex worked well. “Oft times when you have a home, the people who put up the siding and aluminum work got it tight and did a good job. Certain homes had poor workmanship, with wasps nesting in soffits. Optigard foam, took them out every time.”
The foam application of Optigard took out wasps nesting in a metal hand rail, in a children’s swing set, in a basketball standard — the wasps couldn’t hide. “PMPs probably have thousands of other examples where these insects nest,” Roper said. “Foam works really well in these types of applications.”
Spot foamers are used to treat small areas, such as isolated sub-slab voids and bath traps, against organic debris build up in commercial facilities and often for termite retreatments. A typical rig consists of a spray tank with a 1- to 5-gallon capacity, an electric compressor to deliver air pressure, an application hose and treatment tools. Most are mounted on wheeled carts. The Pestifoamer (Richway Industries), VersaFoamer 4000 (B&G), and B&G Wood Treatment System are examples of spot foamers (see Figure 1, right). Units able to apply both foams and liquids using a dual-line system offer versatility to switch formulations without changing equipment. These units are electrically powered and most are now pre-calibrated. Adjusting a needle valve in the application tool will change the foam density.
In-line foaming equipment is used for high-volume applications, such as whole sub-slab injection or treating large volumes of hollow voids (e.g., block construction). In-line foamers may be “piggybacked” on existing rigs where a selectable control valve or injector determines foam or liquid treatments. Another type of in-line foamer requires tank mixing of the foaming agent. Choosing between foam and liquid applications is done on a metering system on a separate cart. Some carts are portable and can be brought into basements. A third system uses multiple hose lines to allow for liquid treatments or foam to be produced at the treatment tool.
Canned foaming products have fairly recently appeared on the market. These products have multiple target pests and are designed for void applications.
The author is technical director for The Steritech Group and a PCT contributing writer. She can be reached at email@example.com.
Mallis Handbook of Pest Control
The tenth edition of the Mallis Handbook of Pest Control — an industry standard in education for more than 65 years, is the leading reference source in the structural pest control industry. It is a scientific guide and practical aid for the biology, behavior and control of structural pests. The 24-chapter publication provides pest control operators with the information needed to deliver effective, environmentally conscious pest management services in today’s competitive business climate.
The publication includes 24 chapters written by 27 of today’s leading entomologists, consultants, pest management professionals and researchers.
For more information or to order visit www.mallishandbook.com or call the PCT Bookstore at 800/456-0707. | <urn:uuid:6445a24e-43e6-4360-bc74-7cade14bd36f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.pctonline.com/Author.aspx?AuthorID=6056 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00020-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.93678 | 1,516 | 3.09375 | 3 |
by Christopher Sykes
Harper & Row, 456 pp., $8.95
There are few greater agonies in the world than that of divided loyalty. Especially is this true for most men when they reach the point of decision to follow a course of conduct which may lead to the destruction of their fatherland in order to assure the preservation of its soul and its ultimate rehabilitation as a member of world society.
This was the choice and the decision which confronted the members of the Resistance Movement in Germany in the Thirties and Forties, and it is the study of this conflict which forms the basis of Christopher Sykes’s biography of Adam von Trott zu Solz. Mr. Sykes has written with infinite fairness, and great understanding and compassion. His book is one of the best to appear so far on the German Resistance Movement. It is remarkable both for sympathy and for honest judgment. It is, moreover, beautifully written.
The resolution of an individual or a group of individuals to resist tyranny and oppression by their own fellow-citizens presupposes a searching reappraisal of the meaning and interpretation of the term patriotism, which the dictionary defines as “love for, and loyalty to, one’s country.”
Those who banded themselves in Germany against Hitler had at the very outset to make clear to themselves how far their actions would cut across their traditional concepts of patriotism, how far they would go in the evolution of a new patriotic concept, and how far they were themselves prepared to be called traitors in the course of so doing. Some arrived at this clarity of thought at an early date, some at a much later period; some never achieved it and only jumped belatedly upon the band-wagon of Resistance at a moment when “treason was no crime” and might indeed serve to erase the stain which earlier Nazi associations had placed upon their records.
The number of those in Germany who saw clearly from the outset was pitifully small. When Hitler came to power in 1933 he had the support, either open or tacit, of the majority of Germans, a fact which certain schools of contemporary German historians are at pains to deny but cannot disprove. The parties of the Left were in opposition from the first. The Communists in absentia and the Social-Democrats by their active vote opposed the passage of the Enabling Act through the Reichstag, but apart from the Nazis the rest of the political parties, together with the Army and the Civil Service, representing “all that was best” in Germany, in varying degrees of hope or belief entertained the thought that Hitler must be given his chance, that he was ultimately expendable and disposable, and that in the meantime he might do something for Germany. They consoled themselves for the many aspects of the Nazi regime of which they disapproved with the age-old aphorism of political “realism” which acts as a cover for moral cowardice, that “one cannot make an omelette without breaking eggs.”
It was against the general condonation, this … | <urn:uuid:ff5e4dc3-49f1-4b45-82e8-b1b272a8aea8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/1969/sep/11/the-man-who-did-not-kill-hitler/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.979235 | 630 | 2.546875 | 3 |
Washington, D.C. – A new national polling report released today by the American Federation for Children, the nation’s voice for school choice, demonstrates strong support for school choice among the public, the latest indication of the strong momentum for expanding parental options across the nation.
The report—What Public Opinion Says about School Choice: An Analysis of Attitudes toward Educational Options in America—cites 15 different polls in recent years that demonstrate strong support for school choice, specifically voucher programs and scholarship tax credit programs.
Among the findings:
An overwhelming majority—85 percent of likely voters and 91 percent of Latinos—in five key states—Arizona, Florida, New Mexico, New Jersey, and Nevada—think voucher or scholarship tax credit programs should be available in some form, according to a May 2012 poll commissioned by the American Federation for Children and the Hispanic Council for Reform and Educational Options (HCREO);
When asked whether they would support or oppose a proposal allowing students to attend private schools with tuition paid in part by the government, supporters outnumbered opponents by 20 points in a recent national poll from Education Next, a national education reform journal.
States that have recently enacted or expanded publicly-funded private school choice programs also demonstrate strong support for school choice. In Indiana, where a statewide voucher program was enacted last year, 66 percent of respondents favored school vouchers. One month before the April 2012 statewide expansion of Louisiana’s Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence Program, nearly two-thirds of voters favored the voucher program, which then only existed in New Orleans.
And in Pennsylvania, where lawmakers recently expanded its existing scholarship tax credit program and created a new program for students in failing school districts, a majority of voters said they were more likely to vote for legislators who support school choice.
“More Americans support publicly-funded private school choice programs than ever before because these programs are transforming the lives of children most in need,” said Kevin P. Chavous, senior advisor to the American Federation for Children. “There is great momentum for school choice because Democratic and Republican policymakers around the country are recognizing what parents already know—that all options should be on the table to give kids, who are trapped in perpetually underperforming schools, an immediate path to a quality education.”
There are 32 publicly-funded private school choice programs across the country in 16 states and the District of Columbia. More than 210,000 children received scholarships through these programs during in the 2011-12 school year, a number that is expected to rise dramatically in the 2012-13 school year.
To download a copy of the new polling report, click here.
Category: Education Espresso | <urn:uuid:5d139aff-98b5-4bc3-82b1-df87580c6fb4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://caffeinatedthoughts.com/2012/09/new-poll-school-choice-has-strong-public-support/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00046-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944108 | 542 | 1.90625 | 2 |
.- The Christian Science Monitor published an article last week which cast doubt on the recent alleged discovery of Noah's Ark by a Turkish – Chinese expedition, quoting one critic who warned that the team may be victims of an elaborate “hoax.”
In a press conference in Hong Kong on April 25, members of Noah's Ark Ministries International (NAMI) claimed that they discovered a wooden structure in the Turkish mountains, whose fragments allegedly date back 4,800 years. According to the Bible, after the earth was flooded and the waters receded, Noah's ark ran aground on a mountain, which many believe to be Mt. Ararat – the highest point in the region.
On April 28, however, the Christian Science Monitor (CSM) reported that Dr. Randall Price, a former member of the NAMI expedition, said that the recent discovery may not withstand closer observation.
“If the world wants to think this is a wonderful discovery, that’s fine,” Dr. Price said. “My problem is that, in the end, proper analysis may show this to be a hoax and negatively reflect how gullible Christians can be.”
Dr. Price, who currently heads the Center for Judaic Studies at Liberty University, said that he was an archeologist on the team in 2008 when the initial discovery was made. He told the Christian Science Monitor that he had “difficulties with a number of issues related to the evidence at hand” yet refrained from elaborating.
In leaked email from Dr. Price, CSM discovered that he had reason to believe that a group of local Kurdish men hauled the wood to the discovery site, staging a hoax for the NAMI team.
According to the doctor, the Kurdish workers “planted large wood beams taken from an old structure in the Black Sea area (where the photos were originally taken) at the Mt. Ararat site ...”
“During the summer of 2009 more wood was planted inside a cave at the site,” wrote the former team member in his email. “The Chinese team went in the late summer of 2009 (I was there at the time and knew about the hoax) and was shown the cave with the wood and made their film. As I said, I have the photos of the inside of the so-called Ark (that show cobwebs in the corners of rafters – something just not possible in these conditions)...”
Dr. Price, who confirmed that he wrote the email, has himself been a longtime searcher of Noah's Ark and had gone several expeditions to Mt. Ararat.
CSM reported last week that he was not the only one who withdrew from the NAMI team.
Current president for Dallas’ Institute for Creation Research, Dr. John D. Morris, has been a consultant for the team since 2005 but said that he declined to be at the NAMI press conference on April 25.
“I’m a scientist. I need to have good evidence,” he told CSM. “As of right now, there is not.” Although he doubts that Kurdish workers would have been able haul the wood to the site, he said the evidence remains inconclusive. | <urn:uuid:5ddb29a5-51e6-407d-865d-cd8612fe6ce3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/noahs_ark_discovery_could_be_hoax_critic_says/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.980133 | 671 | 2.5625 | 3 |
I want to develop some program that front-end is MS-Access and back-end database is MySQL. The way that I choose to make a connection between MS-Access and MySQL is by MyODBC 3.51 with set it on System DSN and now I complete develop this program.
Now I think about security that on DSN config is full with Username and Password to connect MySQL database. That mean every body can be access to this MySQL Database with no security.
However I try to find the solution for this case and found that when remove the password in DSN data source password box after I link it to MS-Access already it can be use by MS-Access with no error or password required again and nobody can connect to this DSN data source again cause it no password filled. But I don't sure that this way is OK or not for security. | <urn:uuid:fd03ada8-982a-449c-9d9a-00cf21c0df45> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sitepoint.com/forums/showthread.php?172739-ODBC-Security&p=1245162 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.930285 | 178 | 1.53125 | 2 |
Vasu Menon of OCBC Bank explains the need for greater diversification as a way to deal with the uncertainty and volatility which are now part of financial markets today.
Date: Oct 2011
And unless politicians in the US and Europe can address some of the deep-rooted structural problems, he said there will be a lot more turbulence going forward.
For investors, Menon said irrationality can be their biggest enemy. Yet being in cash is not the best thing to do, he added.
While there is a good reason for investors to be cautious, they need to recognise the fact that the market is not expensive at this point in time, especially the equity market, he explained. So investors should drip-feed into the markets and stagger their purchases over the next 12 to 18 months, not try to time the markets.
How to diversify
If an investor has, for example, US$180,000 to invest in the markets, Menon said he would recommend they spread this over the next 18 months or so, for instance at the rate of US$10,000 a month.
He said he thinks equities are still the way to go, and even through the economy is still suffering, equity markets are cheap, so for anyone with appetite for risk, an allocation of 60% to 70% in equities makes sense, especially for those with a longer time horizon, he explained.
Menon added that investors shouldn’t ignore the bond market, especially for a diversified portfolio. From a starting point of asset allocation, investors should have at least 10% to 20% of their money invested in bonds, he said.
He said there are good opportunities in Asian bond markets, despite a recent pull-back because of the outflow of capital from this region due to risk aversion. But he said he thinks Asian fundamentals are good.
Investors should also be looking at commodities for the medium term, he added, regardless of recent downturns.
Prioritising equities and bonds
For Asian investors, Menon said they should look first at local opportunities in equities and bonds, given that the region is likely to outperform the rest of the world in terms of economic growth.
The 1997 Asian Financial Crisis was a blessing in disguise, he explained, given that it helped governments, companies and individuals get in better shape and more prepared. Now, valuations in Asia are inexpensive, and domestic companies are starting to embrace corporate governance and pay out better dividends, yet the region is under-represented in global portfolios, said Menon.
As a result, he said he thinks global investors will increasingly see the potential of Asia over the next five years. More money will then be allocated to these markets. Also, given that there is less liquidity, a greater asset allocation to Asia will result in the markets heading higher.
In terms of bond markets, while Asia is not as developed as the G7 bond markets, Menon said governments are putting effort into broadening their capital markets, especially the bond markets, because they see this as a way to raise revenue.
Cash as an option
In the short term, while Menon said it makes sense for investors to hold a disproportionate amount in cash, returns are very low.
Plus, equity valuations are not expensive, and even if they get cheaper, especially with the sentiment of the market, investors should take a longer-term view given current buying opportunities.
According to Menon, volatility is going to be a fixture of markets going forward, with the world entering a “new normal”. Growth won’t return to the heydays of 2005 to 2007, he added.
Menon said investors therefore have to manage their expectations in this new environment, meaning they have to be more realistic, and not think they can make 30% to 40% returns on an annual basis over the long term. | <urn:uuid:8148173b-f8f8-459a-bbd4-48e326746140> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.hubbis.com/articles.php?aid=1318556733§ion= | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00044-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95668 | 795 | 1.742188 | 2 |
Duluth, MN (NNCNOW.com) - The 100 page study lists hundreds of coal power plants that the Union of Concerned Scientists says have outlived their life span and can't compete with new, renewable energy sources.
The 353 coal-fired plants represent six percent of total U.S. electricity used in 2009, according to the study.
The study includes nine plants in Wisconsin and six in Minnesota, including Minnesota Power's Laskin Energy Center near Hoyt Lakes.
Click here to view the full study.
Laskin Energy Center went online back in the early 1950s and produces 116 megawatts of energy. Minnesota Power officials say they're keeping up with EPA regulations but also understand the need to reduce the reliance on coal.
"As we look at Laskin Energy Center, and what is the best path forward, we need to balance that decision; we need to balance environmental impact, with also, affordability for our customers and reliability," said Amy Rutledge, manager of cooperate communications at Minnesota Power.
Laskin Energy Center came under scrutiny by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission this summer in the face of a changing energy sector.
Minnesota Power is currently looking at options in its own study which is expected to be released early next year.
Environmentalists say ultimately it's important to have a balance of clean and affordable energy but that the environment must be protected as part of the process.
"The fact is if you burn that carbon rich, that nutrient rich of fuel, you're going to have particulates enter the atmosphere," said Ian Kimmer, a member of the environmental group "Friends of the Boundary Waters."
The Federal study echoes the concerns of the group. Kimmer says he understands that the push to start using renewable energy, from retrofitting coal plants to relaying more on wind and hydro power, will result in higher costs for the consumer, but that cost, he says, has to be considered from several angles.
"Will it be paying more to deal with dirty energy, generation and make that clean, or will it be to pay more to diversify energy generation that provides security and cleaner generation."
The new study also points at 288 coal plants that are already slated for closure by the owners in favor of cleaner burning fuel. | <urn:uuid:3c118598-f09c-486a-bf6e-c7bf4068fbcc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.northlandsnewscenter.com/news/green/Study-Questions-Efficiency-Economic-Benefit-of-Coal-Plants-179206841.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961227 | 466 | 2.546875 | 3 |
The Halls of the People of Cotabato City
Cotabato City was and is still one of the most important political cities in the country, historically holding several edifices that handle such vast and wild land. The Stone Fortress itself was a palace-fortress—made to become a political center of Central Mindanao. I have already made an article about the Old Provincial Capitol of the “Empire” Province of Cotabato located beside PC Hill—and a lot doesn’t know that it even exist!
It was a lightning rush tour—seemingly opposing my “local integration” with just sightseeing. Kulang sa time. It’s a good thing I was accompanied by locals Chris and Jam along the way in this city that is still alien to me.
The Grand Old Cotabato City Hall
Truly, a landmark on its own right, the old Cotabato City Hall is Moro civic architecture at its magnificence. Already more than half a century old, its ornate carvings and steep roof with resemblance of the Maranao torogan and okir carvings has made it one of the most unique government or civic structures that were built in the country. Landmark in other words.
This two-storey edifice has three facades with three pointing pediments, each with its own okir.
The city hall is found in the heart of the city, just in front of the plaza.
When I went there in 2005, it was still the city government’s seat of power. However in 2009, after the People’s Palace has been completed, the city government’s operation moved to a much spacious building, inspired by the old city hall’s architecture itself.
Today, it is the headquarters of the Philippine Marines based in the city…therefore, this landmark with these barakos on it, is kind of intimidating to take pictures at. I held myself back then, unlike at PC Hill, since these are the Marines. So I just took photos from afar, sadly—from the city plaza.
The jewel is a bit deteriorating; some of the areas surrounding the old city hall seems to be inappropriate. I heard that the backside of it was made as a commercial area. The surrounding area is a bit disorganized and the plaza in front of it should be landscaped and maintained properly. Hopefully, the plan of the city government to make it as a museum in the near future will come into fruitition. Indeed, the old city hall of Cotabato is a jewel of the past, silently witnessing how the city rose up from the riverside of Rio Grande, to be one of the most urban cities in the Philippines at that time, to different people with different ethnicity living harmoniously, to its decline due to the rebellions in Mindanao, and to its hope to see a brighter day for the Cotabateños.
It is an architectural and historical marvel of Mindanao worth keeping.
The People’s Palace
This grand show of power, half-Moro, half-Neo Classical inspired whitewashed palace, was recently opened in 2009. The new city hall of Cotabato or fondly known as “People’s Palace” is the new seat of power of the local government. It has about 9,000 square meter office area and it seems to embrace everyone who enters the hall because of its outstretching wings.
The new city hall was inspired from the old city hall itself, although in my opinion, less intricate. The pointed roof and some lesser details of the okir still manifests, yet the columns in its façade has given it its hybrid neo-Classical look, which is reminiscent to most government edifices built during the American colonial era. I just wished that the architect has made it a bit bolder with its design; it could have been equally intricate and astounding as the old one. My vote for beauty still is with the old city hall—however it doesn’t mean that I don’t like this new city hall.
And instead of using the cliche “city hall,” it emphasizes its name “People’s Palace,” referring that this structure is for the people and by the people, and not a palace of any datu or royalty.
Sad to say, I have a very short stay here…mere four hours! Not enough to explore the city, in my opinion. It was just plain sightseeing. Hay! Anyway, I know there would be a next time.
I won’t be talking about that latest fiasco in Cotabato regarding water hyacinths, dredging, the mayor, the governor, the local politics, the rebels, Noynoy and his seemingly “un-inspirational” quote that ruffled some feathers in the political scene of Cotabato and the Philippines, as a result of the recent flooding that has affected thousands of lives.
For now, lets help the people of Cotabato recover from one of the worst floods in its history. You can donate through Philippine National Red Cross (click here for details) or any other organization that facilitates distribution of relief goods.
By that time I’ll be back, I shall see the resolute spirit that Cotabateños are known for. Strong yet still accommodating.
View The City Halls of Cotabato City in a larger map | <urn:uuid:8abec444-a2e2-43b5-afb7-bcbf21fe47af> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://habagatcentral.com/2011/06/26/the-halls-of-the-people-of-cotabato-city/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97054 | 1,140 | 1.875 | 2 |
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. Muscular pain or tenderness, especially when diffuse and nonspecific.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. In pathology, a morbid state of a muscle, characterizeā by pain and tenderness. Its pathology is obscure. Also called myodynia and muscular rheumatism
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. (Med.) Pain in the muscles; muscular rheumatism or neuralgia.
- n. pain in a muscle or group of muscles
- From New Latin my- (“muscle”) + -algia (“pain”) (Wiktionary)
“There will be pain in the muscles of the buttocks, called myalgia; and pain at the end of the spine, called coccygodynia.”
“Following an episode of Lyme disease that is treated appropriately, some persons have a variety of subjective complaints such as myalgia, arthralgia, or fatigue.”
“Though initially reluctant to seek medical attention, he finally made an appointment with a National Health specialist, and two weeks later, he was seen and diagnosed with a form of myalgia (Google it, I did).”
“This protocol at high methosarb and myalgia methoserpidine and postmortem methotrexate cohort.”
“Oral oseltamivir an increasing lithane are in lithium and myalgia consumed.”
“Statin therapy induces ultrastructural damage in skeletal muscle in patients without myalgia.”
“Two years ago my mom was diagnosed with auto immune hepititis, fiber myalgia and the doctors told her that there was no going back, she was going to continually get worse.”
“Dr. Robert L. Wortmann, from the University of Oklahoma Medical School, provides some anecdotal evidence for its value in statin associated myalgia/myopathy syndrome.”
“Early symptoms are often non-specific, and usually include fever, headache and myalgia after an incubation period of 3-9 days..”
“For example, myalgia means muscle pain because my means muscle; never used metaphorically, such as “That insurance company is a real algia in the neck.””
These user-created lists contain the word ‘myalgia’.
A collection of words found in English that are either purely Greek or have Greek etymology.
Please add with caution and certainty. Will be regularly updated by me.
"Luciferous Logolepsy is a collection of over 9,000 obscure English words. Though the definition of an 'English' word might seem to be straightforward, it is not. There exist so many adopted, deriv...
of or relating to muscles
Looking for tweets for myalgia. | <urn:uuid:c46427d8-afcb-4b83-864f-89f218a5dd8b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wordnik.com/words/myalgia | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.914703 | 611 | 2.984375 | 3 |
Reports about the loss of life and devastation in Japan are overwhelming — and yet most experts seem to consider Japan as the best prepared for earthquakes among all countries in the world.
I’ve been covering Northwest earthquake science for more than 25 years. When I heard that the Japanese quake was around magnitude 9 and sending a tsunami across the ocean toward the U.S. West Coast, I thought about an earthquake that occurred off the Washington Coast more than 300 years ago.
That earthquake sent a wall of water across the ocean, washing up on the shores of Japan. Because of that tsunami, researchers have been able to calculate the time of that quake to about 9 p.m. on Jan. 26, 1700.
I wrote a story for Saturday’s Kitsap Sun making some general comparisons between Friday’s earthquake in Japan and the last great Cascadia earthquake of 1700.
In broad-brush terms, “the two earthquakes are very similar,” John Vidale, director of the Pacific Northwest Seismograph Network, told me. “As a first guess, what might happen here is what happened there.”
For Saturday’s piece, written for a general audience, I decided to avoid some of the technical details about the two earthquakes, so allow me to offer some additional information here: | <urn:uuid:d32376b6-de70-46df-ac1e-1b1e4902e4b9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://pugetsoundblogs.com/waterways/tag/seismology/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961522 | 271 | 3.328125 | 3 |
Geographical Index > United States > Texas > Rusk County > Report # 7546|
Submitted on Friday, December 12, 2003.
Driver and child see a bigfoot on side of the road.
(Show Printer-friendly Version)
COUNTY: Rusk County
NEAREST TOWN: Kilgore
OBSERVED: One night in mid-October of 1999, around 9:45 at night, my daughter and I were coming home from Kilgore. I had my high beams on. Up ahead I noticed something on the right side of the road, and I continued watch it as we got closer, and slowed down a little, because I was afraid it might be a dog or something and run out in front of us. As I got closer, I noticed that it wasn't a dog, but some thing much bigger, and appeared to be crouched over beside the road. It turned toward us and stood up. There is a steep drop right off the shoulder of the road, and the thing just took about 2 steps and disappeared into the woods. I had started to tell my daughter to look, but cut myself short when the thing stood up and looked toward the car. I was just dumbstruck, I had never seen anything like it!!!! I just drove us home as fast as I could. My 8 year old was asking me all the way, "What was it mommy?" and all I could say was "I don't know...". My husband could tell something was wrong when we got home, because he told me I was as white as a sheet. The hair was still standing up all on my arms! I decided to make this report after my oldest daughter came home last January, very upset and talking about a "monkey-man" that had run in front of her car. I asked her to tell me where it had happened, and it was not a half mile from where I had seen the "thing". Both of these locations are within 3 miles of our home.
ALSO NOTICED: It was huge. It had very black long hair on it, and very broad shoulders, kind of hunched over. The hair on it was so black that my head lights reflected off of it, giving it a silvery bluish color. I couldn't distinguish any facial features, but I could see it had a round and flat face, not like a bear or any other animal that has a snout. It was very wide at the shoulders with long arms, and its head just seemed to sit upon its shoulders, with no neck.
OTHER WITNESSES: My daughter.
OTHER STORIES: Yes, my daughter saw something very similar to what I saw, and it occurred close to the same area. My husband says there have been many wrecks in the area over the last 40 years, and a fatality accident had happened at almost the same spot less than a week before I saw the thing.
TIME AND CONDITIONS: 9:45 pm.
ENVIRONMENT: Near the Rabbit Creek bottoms, wooded area.
Follow-up investigation report:
I contacted the witness by phone. The witness corroborated everything that she filled in on the form. The daughter of the witness overheard the witness talking about the incident and came forward with her own story from the same area that basically matched. The daughter was afraid to say anything before due to concerns about ridicule.
The area is south of Kilgore. The closest water source is Rabbit Creek which runs parallel to the road. The witness definitely saw a large bipedal creature covered with hair. The daughter saw what she said was a "monkey man". The interesting thing is that the husband related that there were a number of motor vehicle accidents in that area. There were no odors detected or noises. The witness does report that she had heard strange noises at night that she could not identify. I directed her to our website to link to some of the recordings for comparison. Since that time, the subject has come up in conversations with the neighbors. Most report some knowledge of stories pertaining to sightings in the area.
One interesting thing that has been noted from these conversations is that many point to the fact that the sightings seem to be seasonal from October-December as if there is a migration occurring for the winter months. The witness said that there was not much of an area around where the sighting took place to seek any evidence as most is private property. This might be worth looking at if any members happen to be driving through the area maybe while the conference is going on in Jefferson. It also might be worth checking out within the first few weeks after the first cold front to check the migration hypothesis. I will probably make contact with the witness again around that time. I think this file should be kept in an active state and followed up on further.
ęCopyright 1999-2003 Texas Bigfoot Research Center | <urn:uuid:b874396a-7c23-4fce-83dc-c7133709eca9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bfro.net/GDB/show_report.asp?id=7546 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00072-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.988674 | 1,008 | 1.9375 | 2 |
“I have created nothing really beautiful, really lasting, but if I can inspire one of these youngsters to develop the talent I know they possess, then my monument will be in their work.”—T. R. Poston, “Augusta Savage,” Metropolitan Magazine, Jan. 1935, n.p.
Augusta Savage is an African American woman who worked as a sculpture artist during the Harlem Renaissance. She began by digging in the clay and mud on the farm she grew up on in Green Cove Springs, Florida. She would sit in the mud and create animals from the clay. She would leave them dry all over. Her father, who thought they were a waste of time, would smash them. August didn’t let that stop her. She moved to New York and made a name for herself. Students learned about Augusta Savage and her story through the book In Her Hands.
Side note: Please don’t buy books from places like Amazon. Amazon contributes money to the education ‘reform’ movement nationwide. Example: Chicago. Please support your LOCAL bookstore! Indie bookstores are local. In Madison, try Room of One’s Own or Rainbow Bookstore. Here is a website to help you find your local bookstore: http://www.indiebound.org/
Huegel second and third graders created their own animals inspired by Augusta Savage’s work.
Part of being a student teacher is to slowly take over all of the responsibilities of the cooperating classroom teacher including planning lessons, teaching all of the classes in their schedule, and in this case, the blog!
The first lesson that I taught at Huegel Elementary was inspired by the artwork of American Pop Artist, Jim Dine.
One of the challenges that many art teachers face is not having their own room in which to teach. Instead, they may have their own storage space and will travel from classroom to classroom teaching “art from a cart” or, in the case at Huegel, they may share a room with other academic disciplines and teachers. The main challenge that exists in the shared room at Huegel is that there is no sink in the room. I am extremely fortunate that I am able to experience this type of teaching situation while still student teaching as it allows me the help and guidance of a cooperating teacher, while planning and teaching the lessons in a non-traditional art room. Along with many art teachers who teach off a cart and/or in a shared art room, I was determined to not let that hinder the student’s art experience!
With a few adaptations, such as buckets of water for cleaning and clothesline for drying prints, the students were able to create amazing artworks that incorporated printmaking and mixed media.
As a class, we started off having a discussion about the artwork of Pop Artist Jim Dine, specifically his artwork depicting hearts. We discussed the symbolism, color, pattern, expression, and abstraction in his artwork.
After being inspired by Jim Dine’s “Heartwork”, the students began making their own heart shaped block using styrofoam plates and pencils. Instead of ink, we used black and white tempera paint to make a variety of different heart prints on a variety of colored construction paper. The following week the students cut out their heart prints and included them into their own Jim Dine inspired artwork which included oil pastel and watercolor resist painting.
The results were absolutely stunning!
Our wonderful jazz and Romare Bearden experience required me to be at Randall on a day I am normally at Huegel so it was a sub day for Huegel.
Arcimboldo was an Italian painter and he is best known for his portraits made up of fruit and other miscellaneous images. Huegel students have done some work with identity this year so I wanted to build on the portraits they had done to do a silly one. Students cut images from magazines to create a self portrait.
Each of my three classes at Huegel are very different from each other and have very different needs. But, as someone who is only there three hours a week, it is hard to differentiate my lessons to meet all of those needs. This is why I liked this lesson so much, all the same materials but meeting different needs and learning around one subject in many different ways.
Let’s start with what each of these three lessons has in common: snowmen, perspective, oil pastels, sharpie and watercolor with salt.
The first group of snowmen is from a second grade class who is able to listen and learn without much behavior difficulty. This class learned about perspective by learning about the horizon line, foreground and background.
The second group has some difficulty with paying attention for longer periods of time so short lesson on perspective is what was needed. This group drew snowmen from the perspective of laying on the ground.
Both Huegel second and third graders as well as Randall fourth graders created these beautiful stained glass windows inspired by nature just like Frank Lloyd Wright. We started with observational drawings of items from nature and then abstracted them into geometric shapes to create our symmetrical windows using line symmetry.
I saw this lesson many places around the web but I first saw it at the art ed blog Splish Splash Splatter. Huegel third graders were learning about line symmetry in math class. Rotational symmetry comes up next and the second graders were just getting a head of the curve. I always hope that when I teach a concept earlier than their classroom teachers teach it, that when they see it in the classroom it makes more sense to them. We are all a team to support our students’ success! (Sometimes the art teachers are a forgotten part of that team).
Anyway, this was a lesson where every kid felt successful AND a lesson where their math concepts were being reinforced. I call that a win-win!
Some students choose to create one mandala and glue that on their background paper. Some students finished early and decided to create a second, larger mandala to attach to the back of their first smaller mandala with a brad. Their mandalas are now moveable art, they spin!
These Mandalas were done by the younger class of kindergarten through fourth graders. This class has been passionate and focused on their art. They take great pride in their work! The other class of older kids, is very different. It’s like pulling teeth to get some of them to work! Why come to a summer school art class if you don’t want to be there? I don’t get it. But I very much enjoy the passion from the younger kids. At what point does most of the population lose that passion and excitement for creating? It’s a very sad moment.
From 8-10am, my art class has students going into 4th, 5th and 6th grades. from 10am-12pm, I have students going into 1st, 2nd and 3rd grades. This mix of ages has been interesting. Along with that, sometimes I have both classes do the same project and other times different projects.
For clay, I had the older class pick their project and gave them skills to work off of. For the younger class, I had them all make rattles.
Sadly, the rest of the clay projects were not finished.
I don’t think our district has ever canceled school because of heat before! But it has truly been unbearable in the classroom and the students have been experiencing many heat related headaches and stomachaches. It is between 95 and 100 degrees in our classrooms! No, we don’t have air conditioning. So I am happy that our school board decided to cancel school for the rest of the week. But, that also means that we missed out on the last two days of class. I get a new group for the second three weeks of summer school starting Monday. So, now I have a group of unpainted clay projects from the older group. I wish I would have pushed them to finish them last week!
Anyway, the younger group only has 3 students who didn’t paint theirs. The rest are finished. | <urn:uuid:edbd0f05-4dd3-4934-b020-d588dbb77eaa> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://okeefesbackyard.wordpress.com/category/23/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00070-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977954 | 1,687 | 3.125 | 3 |
The Triassic furnishes an invaluable opportunity to study the ability of various forms of Life to rebound after a devastating event: in this case, the Permian Extinction. The Triassic is the first period in the new Mesozoic Era and so we see in all flora and fauna a mix of the old, the new, and the transition between the two. The Paleozoic life forms didn’t die precisely at the Permo-Triassic boundary. They continued to live on, adapting, diversifying, becoming new versions of the old forms as they faced new challenges in the Triassic. Eventually the old Paleozoic forms succumbed while the newer and modified versions thrived – a story repeated over and over again in the history of Life on Earth.
In general the animals of the Triassic (both marine and terrestrial) were smaller than those of the Permian as oxygen levels continued to fall. In such low oxygen conditions it is thought that the fauna were forced to quickly innovate to produce new physical adaptations capable of coping with low oxygen, high carbon dioxide and extremes of heat and aridity.1 Peter Ward from the University of Washington states the following:
But it is on land that the most sweeping changes in terms of body plan replacements – and body plan experimentation – took place. Never before and never since has the world seen such a diverse group of different anatomies on land...From mammal-like reptiles to lizards, earliest mammals to true dinosaurs, the Triassic was a huge experiment in animal design.2
Dr. Ward goes on to say that that these Triassic terrestrial body plans were as diverse as the marine body plans that occurred during the Cambrian Explosion.3 That’s quite a statement! If you look at the world today, there seems to be an endless variety of creatures. Just think. All this variety that we see is minor when compared to the variety that existed in the Triassic.
As in the Late Permian, the animals of the Early Triassic had a slow gait and reptile waddle. Both the low-oxygen conditions and their body structure continued to prevent them from moving rapidly or effortlessly. By the Middle Triassic a revolution in locomotion took place as one special group of animals, the dinosaurs, outpaced their competitors becoming bipedal predators poised for supremacy.
There is one benefit to surviving a mass extinction: the available space is incredible and the rents are low. Because the Permian Extinction had eliminated species in many different environmental niches, there were plenty of available habitats free of competitors. Many of the species in the Early Triassic (such as Lystrosaurus) quickly took over regions, rapidly multiplying and diversifying, populating the landscape and filling a variety of ecological roles. As circumstances improved, however, these same species found it difficult to tolerate the changing conditions or compete against other fauna that were beginning to thrive. The animal species that made it through the Permian Extinction, and seemed at first to flourish in the Early Triassic, were similar to the “weedy opportunists” in the plant kingdom: thriving in disturbed circumstances but giving way when competition increased.
The availability of habitat, low competition and a harsh environment were all factors that made the Triassic a perfect petri dish for a grand experiment to create completely new body plans, new genera and new species. By the Middle Triassic, the old Paleozoic predecessors were mostly gone and new body plans emerged in the form of mammals and dinosaurs.
The Permian Mass Extinction eliminated most of the ammonite genera with only a few exceptions: the Prolecanitida and the Ceratites. It is amazing that these two groups were able to endure (albeit in small numbers) the Permian Mass Extinction and the extremely difficult conditions in the post-extinction world of the Early Triassic; but not only did they survive, the Ceratites thrived. What's more, a new order of ammonites appeared in the Early Triassic: the Phylloceratida.
During the Early Triassic there were freqent mass extinctions as conditions cycled through good and bad episodes. These extinction weren't on the scale of the major mass extinctions, but many of the ocean's inhabitants were profoundly affected. These difficulties took their eventual toll on the Prolecanitida and this order disappears by the end of the Early Triassic.
The Ceratida also have a unique story. These hardy survivors made it through the worst mass extinction at the end of the Permian period, endured terrible conditions throughout the Early Triassic, but finally succumbed to the extinction that occurred at the end of the Triassic. Such stories begs innumerable questions which have yet to be answered.
1. Ward, Out of Thin Air, p. 159ff.
2. Ibid., p. 160.
3. Ibid., p. 161. | <urn:uuid:29097da9-62b8-4ada-a5b3-9abef2124b74> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://eonsepochsetc.com/Mesozoic/Triassic/Tri_Animals/triassic_fauna_overview.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00052-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959092 | 1,012 | 4.03125 | 4 |
In my column this week, I argue that the political failure of the Iraq War made Obamacare possible by sweeping Democrats into power with a filibuster-proof majority and a liberal president committed to passing a national health care law.
Over at the Washington Monthly, Ed Kilgore takes issue with my argument from the left. To start, he disputes my notion that in 2004 Democrats still had the memory of the failure of 1994 Clinton health care push in their minds and that liberal activists become more emboldened about the prospects of passing universal health care after Democrats took over Congress in 2006. I don’t really see this as some sort of right-wing perspective. In October 2004, the New York Times editorialized of the Bush and Kerry health care proposals: “Both tinker at the edges of the current system rather than seeking a broad, nation-shaking change. Sadly, the fervor for sweeping reform died a decade ago with the disastrous demise of the Clinton health plan.” Liberal activist groups and figures such as Andy Stern of the SEIU made sure the leading 2008 Democratic presidential candidates introduced ambitious health care plans, which included public options. Though they did not attain a public option, I’ve argued that the existence of it shifted the debate, distracted the opposition and gave more moderate Democrats something to oppose so that they could vote for final legislation that didn’t include it. In 2009, during the heat of the health care debate, even Ezra Klein observed that the policy goal post had moved substantially in favor of the liberal position since Howard Dean released his 2004 presidential campaign’s health care proposal.
Kilgore notes that Democrats had been pushing universal health care since the days of Harry Truman and argues that Republican obstruction is what made the 60-vote threshold in the Senate necessary. But neither of these arguments undercuts my point. The reality is that the nation’s bicameral system (I’d argue by design) makes sweeping changes difficult to enact. The largest expansions of the federal government — the creation of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid — came during periods following massive Democratic election victories. If Democrats only had 55 or even 58 Senate seats in 2009, they would not have overcome Republican opposition to pass a bill as ambitious as the health care law. Whether one thinks it’s fair or not, the reality is that they needed 60 votes. And I don’t see how they would have gotten to 60 without the backlash from the Iraq War.
At the Washington Post, Jonathan Bernstein uses the debate as a jumping off point to make a broader observation about the nature of democracy. | <urn:uuid:5197f146-bca9-402d-a10f-4ff5b97d46c7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://washingtonexaminer.com/obamcare-and-iraq/article/2525129 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963527 | 531 | 1.609375 | 2 |
Program Office: Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA)
CFDA Number: 84.161A
Program Type: Formula Grants
Also Known As: CAP
The purpose of this program is to advise and inform clients, client applicants, and other individuals with disabilities of all the available services and benefits under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and of the services and benefits available to them under Title I of the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA). In addition, grantees may assist and advocate for clients and client applicants in relation to projects, programs, and services provided under the Rehabilitation Act. In providing assistance and advocacy under Title I of the Rehabilitation Act, a CAP agency may provide assistance and advocacy with respect to services that are directly related to employment for the client or client applicant.
Agencies designated by the governor to provide CAP services help clients or client applicants pursue concerns they have with programs funded under the Rehabilitation Act. The governor may designate
a public or private entity to operate the CAP. | <urn:uuid:7fdc1b06-f5d3-4110-859b-e25dec16db3b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www2.ed.gov/programs/rsacap/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00066-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939217 | 207 | 1.546875 | 2 |
Richard J. Evans
- The Annales School: An Intellectual History by André Burguière, translated by Jane Marie Todd
Cornell, 309 pp, £24.95, ISBN 0 8014 4665 1
As a graduate student in the 1970s, looking around for new approaches to history that would enable me to do something different from my teachers’ generation, I spent a lot of time with my fellow students discussing the relative attractions of British Marxist historians like Eric Hobsbawm, Christopher Hill and E.P. Thompson, German neo-Weberians such as Hans-Ulrich Wehler and Jürgen Kocka, American students of social inequality like Stephan Thernstrom, advocates of a social-anthropological approach such as Keith Thomas, partisans of a politically committed history of everyday life like Raphael Samuel and the History Workshop, and more besides. The world of history seemed then to be not just expanding but exploding, into areas undreamed of by the political and diplomatic historians on whose work we had been brought up.
Among the most exciting of the new approaches was that of the school of French historians associated with the journal Annales: Economies, sociétés, civilisations. What made their work exciting was, first of all, the sense they conveyed that nothing was off-limits for the historian, no aspect of life too obscure: everything, from birth, death and disease to time, space and distance, from fear, hatred and anxiety to faith, fanaticism and delusion, was open to historical investigation. Then there was the way they ranged across huge stretches of time, crossing conventional barriers of epochs and periods, looking at an enormous variety of aspects of societies in the past. Some, Fernand Braudel among them, took vast geographical areas as their subject, and showed how key structures of human existence transcended the conventional boundaries of the state; others took one province or town and linked together in a complex but convincing causal web, underpinned by painstaking statistical research, the history of its economic, demographic, social and (often rather sketchily) political structures. Like others of my generation, I became fascinated by all this, and ended up doing my own version of a regional study, linking what the Annales historians called structure and conjoncture in a book on cholera in Hamburg in 1892. The city was the only one in Western or Central Europe to fall victim to an epidemic in that year, the causes and consequences of which I traced in the economic, demographic, social and political history of the city across the 19th century.
A quarter of a century or more later, writing about Annales and its history has become a minor scholarly industry. We now know a great deal about where it came from, what it has done and how it developed. The private correspondence of its founding fathers has been published, conferences have been held about them, introductory surveys to their work and that of their successors have been written, dissertations and monographs have poured off the academic presses. Is there anything new to say? In The Annales School: An Intellectual History, André Burguière, the long-serving administrative secretary of the journal, surveys the history of Annales once more. As an insider who knew many of the protagonists from the 1960s on, he has a distinct advantage over many of his competitors. But seeing the journal’s development from the inside has disadvantages too. True to his allegiance to Annales principles, he tells the reader sternly: ‘Do not expect to find in this book a history of events.’ This alone makes the book extremely difficult for anyone unfamiliar with the basic history of the journal and the historians associated with it. More seriously, Burguière is unable to stand outside the history he is analysing and break free from the many myths with which it has become encrusted.
These begin with the journal’s foundation in 1929. Edited by Marc Bloch and Lucien Febvre, both professors at the University of Strasbourg, it was entitled Annales d’histoire économique et sociale, and from the beginning proclaimed its ambition to play a leading role in the field of economic and social history in France. Bloch and Febvre advocated a broadening of the historian’s vision to encompass not only standard topics of economic history such as trade and currency, agrarian society, transport and technology, but also values, sensibilities and feelings. Their aim was to create a new style of thought, as they announced in 1937, that would present new research, publish lengthy critical analyses of other people’s work and, crucially, gather a group of much younger collaborators dedicated to what soon became known as the ‘spirit of the Annales’. | <urn:uuid:adac81fc-1a2e-4a10-a8db-c90f8993ea36> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.lrb.co.uk/v31/n23/richard-j-evans/cite-ourselves | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958706 | 975 | 1.898438 | 2 |
donkeyArticle Free Pass
donkey (Equus asinus), also called burro, domestic ass belonging to the horse family, Equidae, and descended from the African wild ass (Equus africanus; see ass). It is known to have been used as a beast of burden since 4000 bce. The average donkey stands 101.6 cm (40 inches) at the shoulder, but different breeds vary greatly. The Sicilian donkey reaches only about 61 cm (24 inches), while the large ass of Majorca stands at about 157.5 cm (62 inches), and the American ass has been measured to 167.6 cm (66 inches). In colour the donkey ranges from white to gray or black and usually has a dark stripe from mane to tail and a crosswise stripe on the shoulders. The mane is short and upright and the tail, with long hairs only at the end, is more cowlike than horselike. The very long ears are dark at the base and tip. Although slower than horses, donkeys are surefooted and can carry heavy loads over rough terrain. The mule is a hybrid, the offspring of the mating of a male (jackass, or jack) donkey and a female horse. In some parts of the world where horses cannot easily survive or where extreme poverty prevents locals from owning horses, donkeys are the main beasts of burden and source of transportation.
Although the names donkey and burro are interchangeable, the term burro is widely used in the southwestern United States to describe small donkeys, burro being the word for donkey in the Spanish language. Feral donkeys, found in various parts of the world, are descendants of escaped or abandoned domestic animals. In the western United States, many authorities consider that the large population of feral burros is driving the desert bighorn sheep to extinction by competing for the limited resources of its very arid habitat. On tropical islands where plants evolved in the absence of large mammalian herbivores, feral donkeys pose a real threat of extinction for native plants. Efforts to remove donkeys from habitats where they are not native has generated a great deal of controversy, pitting animal rights groups against biologists and other conservation groups who see donkeys as an alien species and a threat to biodiversity conservation.
What made you want to look up "donkey"? Please share what surprised you most... | <urn:uuid:9361bbc8-868e-46bd-aae3-0ededd869b23> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/169141/donkey | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00057-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935465 | 483 | 3.578125 | 4 |
Holy cow, I wrote a book!
Part of the challenge of programming
(and for some people, the reason why programming is fun in the first place)
is looking at the building
blocks provided to you and deciding how to assemble them to build
if everything you wanted a program to do already existed ready-made,
be called programming any more.
It would be called shopping.
Is there an API or a quick way to find out which window the mouse is in?
"The LEGO Group
does not make a piece for every possible object.
Sometimes you just have to take two LEGO blocks and click them together.
Here are some interesting blocks:
Thanks for your reply.
But WindowFromPoint gives me the window of the object
at the location of the cursor.
But I'm looking for the top level window containing the cursor.
Fine, then use
a different block.
I wonder how it is these people manage to write programs at all.
I get the impression they write code by
asking a million tiny questions and cutting and pasting together
all the replies.
No wait, pasting together the replies counts as snapping blocks
Maybe they just ask for completed programs. | <urn:uuid:9bdfe285-3e91-48ce-9313-29267660a8e1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blogs.msdn.com/b/oldnewthing/archive/2009/08/04/9856634.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.92382 | 251 | 1.601563 | 2 |
SAN DIEGO (AP) -- The Marine Corps confirms that one of its scout sniper teams in Afghanistan posed for a photograph in front of a flag with logo resembling that of the notorious Nazi SS.
Lt. Col. Stewart Upton says in a statement Thursday that use of the SS symbol is not acceptable and that the Marine Corps has addressed the issue. Upton, however, did not specify what action was taken.
Upton says the Marines in the photograph circulating on an Internet blog are no longer with the unit they were assigned to at the time. The picture was taken in September 2010 in Sangin province, Afghanistan.
The Military Religious Freedom Foundation in Washington says it is outraged by the photograph and wants a full investigation. | <urn:uuid:50fbe380-ec5d-44da-9416-a47a61db1dbf> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.times-gazette.com/ap%20general%20news/2012/02/09/marines-posed-with-nazi-ss-symbol-in-afghanistan | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972368 | 146 | 1.65625 | 2 |
A major in journalism and promotional communication at Cleveland State University will introduce you to the powerful world of contemporary communications. It will enhance your critical appreciation of the role media play in society. The major will also provide you with state-of-the-art training in reporting, editing and promotional campaign planning. There are three sequences: journalism, public relations and advertising.
Students who specialize in journalism can gain skills needed to become a reporter, or an editor or technical writer for a newspaper, magazine, broadcast station, or online component of a medium.
Training in public relations can open doors to jobs in public relations firms and companies that use promotional strategies to cultivate a public image.
Students who choose advertising for their specialization can expect to work in advertising agencies, focusing on marketing research or creative advertising development. All three sequences will introduce students to the social, philosophical and ethical issues that face communicators working in journalism and promotional media.
This is a highly marketable major. Reporters and editors continue to be in demand. Technical writing and software publishing are among the fastest growing industries in the United States. Employment in the information super sector, which includes newspapers and books, is expected to increase by over 18 percent in the next decade. Experts predict that there will be a 19 percent increase in advertising and public relations jobs in the next 10 years. Our graduates have been hired at newspapers and broadcast stations in Cleveland and in top-notch advertising and public relations firms.
Visit the department of Journalism & Promotional Communication's webpage for more information
|Producing||Basic reading, writing and editing skills|
|Attention to detail||Interpersonal skills|
|Strong work ethic||Perserverance|
|Strong computer skills||Comparing interpretations|
|Summarizing ideas||Creative writing|
|Developing hypotheses||Clarifying ideas|
|Thinking independently||Influencing and persuading|
|Presenting alternative view points||Ability to work under pressure| | <urn:uuid:e181907a-0b37-4a22-bafa-7661366b2ef3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.csuohio.edu/offices/career/choices/majors/journalism_promo_com.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.923241 | 399 | 1.859375 | 2 |
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Apple offered a quiet update note to its two main base station models today with a big boost in speed and coverage: The company put in a note on the data page (see "Even faster performance") and mentioned in passing to media who were briefed that its AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule base stations would see a boost of up to 50 percent in data throughput and an increase in range of up to 25 percent over the immediately preceding models.
How? 3x3. Engadget found the FCC documents that supports that statement before the announcement today, although the writer didn't explain what this means.
In the MIMO (multiple in, multiple out) antenna system that's used in 802.11n, designers have lots of choices in how to build in range and resiliency, and those choices have increased as silicon and antennas have become cheaper.
Most consumer 802.11n access points use a 2x2 MIMO array, which is two receiving and two transmitting antennas. Each antenna pair is typically handled by a separate radio chain. Each radio chain can transmit unique data for higher data rates, or the same data as other radio chains to increase redundancy, and thus provide better reception at lower rates.
These radio chains use spatial multiplexing, which allows a kind of "body english" in which varying power fed through antennas steers a beam so that it travels a unique path through space, using reflection of objects as one of the characteristics that forms the beam. Multiple receiving antennas decode these individual chains and reassemble data into what was sent in the first place.
In 802.11n, each spatial stream in the highest-rate mode can act like a separate full-speed connection. Since roughly 75 Mbps is the raw rate for 20 MHz channels and 150 Mbps for "wide" 40 MHz channels, a two-stream device maxes out at 300 Mbps of raw throughput.
Nearly all 802.11n base stations sold to date use 2x2 arrays coupled with two spatial streams; some also offer 2x3 arrays for redundancy with just two streams. However, chipmakers have been planning for some time on getting 3x3 arrays with three spatial streams into the market with a raw 450 Mbps rate. Apple may be the first consumer access point maker to bite, although there are definitely other 450 Mbps APs on the market. (See next paragraph for update.)
[Update! An informed commenter--see below--notes that there's only a single AP that does three streams. So Apple isn't slipping in higher bandwidth here, just better signal diversity and performance.]
The additional transmit and receive antennas improve how far signals can travel to a client, and how sensitively an access point can pick up distant transmissions. This accounts for Apple's statement on improved range. It also provides improved bandwidth further from the base station; the data rate doesn't drop off nearly as fast as with 2x2. The "up to 50 percent" figure relates to a range of distances, not close up to the base station.
The Wi-Fi Alliance just approved a testing regime for devices with three spatial streams, and all the major Wi-Fi chipmakers were involved in that testing. Our informed commenter says it'll be until late 2010 before we see a large number of 3-stream devices; other opinions?
The WiMax developer and licensed spectrum holder NextWave will acquire metro-scale Wi-Fi gear maker Go Networks: Go's equipment uses MIMO to fill more space at lower cost, the company has said. NextWave, a successor firm to the 1990s cell operator and Supreme Court case victor over spectrum auctions, has a portfolio of WiMax hardware and a set of licenses they purchased in the recent advanced wireless services auction. NextWave also acquired some German WiMax licenses last month.
NextWave is obviously assembling a set of technologies that they can roll out in test markets that they have spectrum in, and will be well positioned to test the effectiveness of MIMO-based Wi-Fi as a complement and supplement to WiMax in urban areas.
The Go Networks' deal is valued at $13.3m with a separate assumption of $7.5m in debt. Go would also receive $25.7m in stock for meeting milestones 18 months after the deal closes.
I'm trying to make sense of Ruckus's rural strategy for its IPTV products: The company uses multiple-antenna technology combined with proprietary streaming algorithms to provide voice, video, and data (802.11b/g compatible) across a home. The rural angle is intriguing, because rural telephone companies want to bring newer services (and higher per-customer revenue for the same wired infrastructure), but they can't afford to rewire homes to handle the network for multimedia and VoIP traversing a house.
Enter Ruckus. They say that because their system can carry streaming video and deliver other services, they're the perfect complement for rural telcos. The telco still does a truck roll, but Ruckus claims its MediaFlex system of gateways and adapters takes under an hour to install, and future additions can avoid a truck roll.
An hour is a pretty nice bar to set to keep costs low, and compares favorably to other home installs. A DirecTV installation at my house required two installers and about an hour to mount a satellite antenna, set up the receiver, and train us on the system. Obviously, the satellite industry considers an hour a profitable installation when factoring in lifetime customer value.
By contrast, in a DSL textbook I read nearly a decade ago, new telco services weren't considered profitable by large phone companies until they reached the point when only five percent required truck rolls. It took DSL and cable years to reach the point where most installs involve just sending a modem out. This has changed completely again with triple-play services, as Ruckus notes.
The latest press release from Ruckus notes 16 more rural telcos in addition to several they'd already signed.
Did MIMO run over Eileen McCluskey's bike as a kid? I'm slightly baffled by the treatment of MIMO technology in this otherwise reasonable set of consumer advice about Wi-Fi in the Boston Globe yesterday. It's possible the single source cited in the article poisoned her information well.
"These Multi Input, Multi Output gadgets achieve excellent signal quality and range by hogging the wireless spectrum up to 219 yards away. If you live in the city or suburbs, your MIMO router will knock out your wireless-enabled neighbors' connections." Huh?
Here's my letter to the editor just sent off to the Globe:
"Less Is More" (Apr. 9, 2005) contains a glaring error regarding multiple antenna wireless networking. The reporter says that MIMO (multiple not "multi" input/output) gateways hog spectrum and knock out neighbors' reception. This is entirely untrue. MIMO gateways for Wi-Fi, unlike previous range-extending Wi-Fi, are more sensitive receivers not more powerful transmitters.
It used to be that to extend range, you pumped up the volume (increased signal power output), which could interfere with neighboring networks. MIMO uses several antennas to better reconcile radio signals as they reflect off walls and metal objects. This allows the technology to more discretely receive fainter or less clear signals from further away.
There is the danger that a newer form of Wi-Fi, called 802.11n, that will be on the market soon may interfere with older networks in some cases, but Wi-Fi product makers haven't finalized the standard, and it's one of their key concerns.
The other also states that MIMO won't work with free Wi-Fi hotspots. This is entirely untrue. Current MIMO gateways and future gatweays that use MIMO as one piece in a faster Wi-Fi standard are entirely compatible with Wi-Fi equipment sold as long as ago as the first devices in 1999. MIMO devices won't communicate at their highest possible speeds except with compatible devices from the same maker (today) or with the newer standard with any maker (in about 3 to 6 months).
Tim Higgins has reviewed NetGear's RangeMax 240 and found it can top 100 Mbps of throughput, but wipes out nearby 802.11b/g networks: His tests show that the device, based on Airgo's third generation of MIMO chips, doesn't stop using two 802.11b/g channels' worth of spectrum when nearby networks are active. Read more over at our MIMO + N blog.
Airgo announced its next-generation MIMO chips today: Airgo's newest entry in the MIMO field will hit 240 Mbps of raw throughput when communicating among identical devices. The new chips are backwards compatible with 802.11a, b, and g, and previous Airgo-based devices.
Read the rest of the story at MIMO+N News.
Tim Higgins of Tom's Networking offers his exhaustive look at the NetGear RangeMax Wireless Router: This device uses Atheros's Super G technology combined with Video54's multiple antenna approach. The folks at Airgo say that Video54's MIMO isn't MIMO because it doesn't support spatial multiplexing (multiple signals taking different paths over the same frequencies). Video54 says multiple antennas are multiple antennas; they're using a phase-array approach per packet in which each packet can be sent through a different antenna combination. The device has a street price of just $118, far below its "true MIMO" competitors.
Higgins thinks that the device delivers on some but not all of its claims, and that because four different technologies are involved (three from Atheros then Video54 on top) he has some issues with the simplicity of it, too. He doesn't know which technologies need to be turned on, off, or changed in order to achieve the best results with that combination. That's a key advantage for the True MIMO line of products using Airgo chips: it's essentially one technology that wraps around all these ideas while delivering better results.
PC World's advice: go MIMO if you need range: A very sensible array of advice from Becky Waring over at PC World based on testing several of the current MIMO (multiple-in, multiple-out) Wi-Fi gateways and adapters on the market. Waring offers the same recommendation that I have, which is that for homes or small businesses for which the price premium overcomes the cost and/or hassle of installing many individual access points, a MIMO gateway makes a great deal of sense.
I would add that for networks in which throughput over Wi-Fi is a significant issue over short distances (up to about 50 feet), MIMO is the only technology on the market that can increase throughput even with existing 802.11g cards to their highest level at their greatest distance.
If you don't need range or speed and adding access points is not a big deal--you have Ethernet installed throughout a house or office or understand how to configure Wireless Distribution System and can deal with its limitations--then the price premium is probably worth sitting on your wallet as the cost of this technology drops rapidly because of unit sales and competition.
Meanwhile, Mobile Pipeline's editor writes about MIMO's early use in business: It's not ready for the enterprise yet, but even consumer-scale and early small-office MIMO gear has unmistakable benefits in certain cases that Haskin lists.
Tim Higgins exhaustively reviews Linksys's rendition of Airgo True MIMO technology: TIm runs the Linksys unit through its paces, and notes that it does deliver as promised on range and throughput. But in his conclusion he states points I agree with: for three times the cost of a regular extended range 802.11g access point, it's only worthwhile if you need additional range or throughput.
Tim wrote: "At least for now, no matter what moniker it goes by--True MIMO, SRX, Pre-N, VLocity, RangeMax--MIMO is just another non-standard performance-enhancement technology. It doesn't solve WLAN problems caused by an already over-crowded 2.4GHz band and has a snowball's chance of being compatible with 802.11n gear that won't appear until sometime next year. But at least Airgo's True MIMO flavor delivers the goods for unequalled throughput over range performance."\
Tim's more optimistic about real 802.11n gear appearing next year. It's possible we won't see future-proofed 802.11n--devices that can be upgraded to the final standard--until 2007.
Mobile Pipeline says buy MIMO now if it fits a particular need: David Haskin, editor in chief, writes about his experiences with Linksys's new MIMO-based router and PC card. He's very positive about its throughput, performance, and interoperability. But he raises the same three concerns I have about recommending MIMO: price for current performance, future support of its highest speeds, and interoperability among multiple MIMO vendors.
The Linksys unit at $200 for the gateway is particularly high priced, especially compared to Belkin's MIMO which has dropped to well under $150 street price. Haskin notes that people with a compelling reason for MIMO now--greater throughput or greater supported distances--should consider it.
MIMO is cropping up all over: NetGear is the latest to announce a MIMO (multiple-in, multiple-out) product. They're partnering with Video54. Linksys has apparently chosen Airgo. Samsung and Athena announced single-chip silicon yesterday.
The near-term problem with MIMO isn't with the technology itself, but rather the non-standard higher speed modes. No one is claiming interference, but these modes won't be certified by The Wi-Fi Alliance or any other group. That means interoperability, even among devices made by manufacturers using the same silicon isn't assured.
The worst part, in my estimation, is that this generation of MIMO technology isn't what the final 802.11n specification will look like. So purchasing MIMO today except for specific applications in which you need substantially higher throughput and range from a single device over interoperable, certified 802.11g means you're buying a dead-end device.
802.11n might achieve speeds of several hundred megabytes per second, and there's is practically a total certainty that the final 802.11n won't be just a firmware upgrade, but rather a difference in both hardware and silicon compared to today's MIMO devices. | <urn:uuid:c3c90941-f6e1-4ea5-b71e-ccd2df34e792> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://wifinetnews.com/archives/standards/mimo/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943919 | 3,156 | 2.171875 | 2 |
U.S. agricultural exports have shown continued strength so far in 2012, but a rise in imports has narrowed the trade balance somewhat.
According to USDA’s monthly ag-trade summary, the value of U.S. agricultural exports during calendar year 2012 to date totals $23 billion, compared with $24.2 billion for the same period last year. Imports during 2012 so far have totaled $17 billion, compared with $15.3 billion during the same period in 2011.
For 2011, total agricultural exports reached a value of $115.8 billion, while imports totaled $81.8 billion, leaving a positive trade balance of $33.9 billion.
According to the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), February beef export volume, at 87,131 metric tons, was 3 percent lower than a year ago but export value increased 10 percent during the same period to $409 million. Through the first two months of the year, beef exports totaled 176,585 metric tons, a two percent decline from the same period last year, but the value of exports increased 12 percent over the same period last year to $815 million.
USDA’s meat and livestock trade data show these month-to-month trends for beef exports and imports. The data set also shows a decline in imports of live cattle, with a total of 259,696 cattle imported into the United States during the first two months of this year, compared with 344,745 head during the same period last year.
According to USMEF, February beef exports equated to 12 percent of production when including both muscle cuts and variety meat and 9 percent for muscle cuts only. This compares to 12.9 percent and 10 percent, respectively, in February 2011. Export value equated to $208.05 per head of fed slaughter, up 14 percent from last year’s $182.12.
Other highlights from USMEF include:
January and February beef exports to Russia were up 58 percent in volume at 9,297 metric tons, and tripled in value to $38.2 million compared with last year. When adjusted for muscle cuts only, volume increased by131 percent and export value was up 238 percent. USMEF expects beef exports to Russia to benefit from a higher muscle cut tariff rate quota, which was increased from 41,700 metric tons in 2011 to 60,000 metric tons this year.
Mexico was the leading destination for U.S. beef in terms of volume during January and February, at 38,070 metric tons, and value at $170.6 million. This represents a decrease in volume of 6 percent, but a 13 percent increase in value.
Exports to Canada, which was the only $1 billion market for U.S. beef in 2011, slipped 3 percent in volume to 24,072 metric tons but increased 11 percent in value to $136.9 million for the first two months of this year.
January and February exports to Japan – still limited to beef from cattle 20 months of age or younger – were down 5 percent in volume at 19,344 metric tons, but increased 16 percent in value at $123.6 million. | <urn:uuid:29ef6ec9-a552-4389-badf-9073a6d67959> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cattlenetwork.com/cattle-news/markets/beef/monthly-reports/Ag-beef-exports-remain-strong-147377025.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00042-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956219 | 651 | 2.015625 | 2 |
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- adj. Deserving of or subject to discipline: a disciplinable misdeed.
- adj. Responsive to training; easily taught.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- Capable of being disciplined by instruction and of improvement in learning.
- Capable of being made matter of discipline: as, a disciplinable offense in church government.
- Subject or liable to discipline, as a member of a church.
- adj. That can be instructed (by discipline); able to be taught.
- adj. obsolete Relating to discipline; disciplinary.
GNU Webster's 1913
- adj. Capable of being disciplined or improved by instruction and training.
- adj. Liable or deserving to be disciplined; subject to disciplinary punishment.
- From discipline + -able and from Latin disciplinabilis. (Wiktionary)
“And must not this conclusion be strengthened, when they hear ministers of talent and learning declare that the Bible does sanction slaveholding, and that it ought not to be made a disciplinable offence in churches?”
“The Celt, undisciplinable, anarchical, and turbulent by nature, but out of affection and admiration giving himself body and soul to some leader, that is not a promising political temperament, it is just the opposite of the Anglo-Saxon temperament, disciplinable and steadily obedient within certain limits, but retaining an inalienable part of freedom and self - dependence; but it is a temperament for which one has a kind of sympathy notwithstanding.”
“a round vaulted pallate, and a long throte, besides an excellent capacitie of wit that maketh him more disciplinable and imitative than any other creature: then as to the forme and action of his speach, it commeth to him by arte & teaching, and by vse or exercise.”
“I find him soe disciplinable, and soe desirous to repare ye time Lost, yt I make no question but your Lordship shall receive a great ioye. "[”
‘disciplinable’ hasn't been added to any lists yet.
Looking for tweets for disciplinable. | <urn:uuid:1701db43-8c47-4268-8236-be084ad3df3a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wordnik.com/words/disciplinable | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00071-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.915298 | 479 | 2.9375 | 3 |
A few weeks ago the North Carolina General Assembly passed law G. S. 105-134.6(b)(22).
Here is the verbiage directly from the North Carolina Department of Revenue Directive:
This directive addresses a new deduction available for taxpayers who include net business income in federal adjusted gross income (AGI) as reported on the North Carolina individual income tax return. The law allows a deduction of up to $50,000 of net business income included in AGI that is not considered passive under the Internal Revenue Code (IRC). In the case of a married couple filing a joint return where both spouses report a net business income, the maximum dollar amount applies separately to each spouse’s net business income included in AGI, not to exceed a total of $100,000 (maximum $50,000 each). This deduction is available for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2012.
Now that you’ve read the official verbiage – here it is broken down in layman’s terms.
–> The deduction can be for both spouses (husband and wife). So if your spouse doesn’t have any ownership in the business – it may be time to reconsider that. If you both are bringing in business income then you can get a deduction of up to $100,000 total.
–> The deduction is not for passive income. It only applies to your business if your are actively participating in the day-to-day workings of the business. If you are an entrepreneur who owns and runs his own company – this deduction is for you. If you own a business, or part of a business, strictly in a financial sense then you won’t receive a deduction.
–> The deduction is for individuals that OWN a business. Businesses owned by individuals include proprietorships, partnerships, LLCs, LLPs and “S” corporations.
–> The deduction is for NET business income. For example, if you have $55,000 of business income but $75,000 of business losses, you have 0 net business income, and therefore no deduction.
–> A $50,000 deduction does not save you $50,000. The full benefit comes from multiplying the net business deduction by your NC tax rate (up to 7.75%). This means that a full deduction at the top tax rate will save you AT MOST $3,875 per taxpayer ($7,750 per married couple).
If you have any additional questions about the new tax deduction and want to know if you qualify, feel free to give us a call at 919.267.6740. | <urn:uuid:a1613285-0106-48a7-a3a9-334cab745df5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://wolfbridgefinancial.com/blog/category/taxes-2/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952428 | 542 | 1.742188 | 2 |
Bangkok Tourism Guide
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The Grand Palace was once the official residence of Thai Royalty. Today
it is the top tourist attraction in Thailand, drawing over eight
million visitors a year. The large palace complex houses numerous
ornate buildings, including Wat Phra Kaew, the Temple of the Emerald
Buddha. The Grand Palace can be easily accessed via taxi or riverboat
at the Chang Pier, and it is open everyday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
with an admission fee of 300 Thai Baht.
Wat Pho or The Temple of the
This the oldest and largest Buddhist temple in
Bangkok. It is home to more Buddha images than any other Bangkok temple
and it shelters the largest Buddha in Thailand, the Reclining Buddha.
His body is covered in gold plating and he is decorated with
mother-of-pearl inlay on his eyes and the soles of his feet. The
bottoms of the Buddha's feet are intricately decorated with 108
auspicious scenes in Chinese and Indian styles.
One of the world's largest teakwood buildings, Vimanmek Mansion was
built as a royal residence in the first few years of the 20th century.
It was only used for a few years before it fell into disuse and was
practically forgotten until the early eighties. It was rediscovered by
Her Majesty the Queen and turned into museum reflecting the Thai
heritage from the dramatic reign of King Rama V. The structures of the
old Dusit Palace display everything from ancient artifacts of
Thailand's pre-history to contemporary photographs donated by His
Majesty the King. It is now become a large complex of museums where the
buildings themselves form part of the "collection" on display.
Museum Bangkok is home to an extensive and very
informative National Museum, which claims to be the largest of its kind
in all of South East Asia. It serves as a good place to learn about the
full range of Thai culture, history, and of the traditional
significance of Buddhism to the Thai way of life. Many of the
significant remains of the former capitals Sukhothai and Ayuthaya are
displayed here, and if you're planning to go to them, a visit here
first should be rewarding. Depending on your interest, a visit here
could take anywhere between an hour or so up to most of a day.
Despite the name, Jim Thompson's House is one of the best-preserved
examples of the traditional Thai house in the city. Once home to the
American silk entrepreneur Jim Thompson, this remarkable
house-cum-museum accommodates Thompson's vast collection of antiques
and artworks from all over the Southeast Asian region. Don't miss the
headless Buddha figure in the garden, which dates from the 6th century.
This early Dvaravati image is one of the oldest surviving Buddha
statues in the world.
& Thonburi Klong Tour, Walk through the morning
flowers market to explore real Thai lifestyle. Proceed to board on the
long-tailed boat to Thonburi, western part of city, situated on the
right side of the Chao Phya River. Its many canals had originally given
Bangkok the name "Venice of the East." Passing by boat along the canals
gives you a first hand impression of the scenic life along city's
waterways. Also visit the Royal Barges and the Temple of Dawn.
Arun is mostly known as a landmark of Bangkok. It is
classified as a principal class Royal temple. It is an old temple,
built in the days of Thailand's ancient capital of Ayutthaya and
originally known as "Wat Makok". The Main Prang, the most
attractive structure of Wat Arun is the center 79-meter high pagoda or
Phra Prang decorated with mosaic of multi-color Chinese porcelain. The
outer four corners are Prangs which hold statues of Phra Phai (God of
the wind). The most beautiful view of Wat Arun is at sunset if viewed
from the Bangkok side of the river.
Suthat is one of the city's finest temples with its
magnificent, carved doors and gilded Buddha images. Construction of Wat
Suthat got under way during the reign of King Rama I and continued
through the reigns of the next two monarchs. The wooden doors to the
main 'viharn', featuring intricately carved tropical vines, plants and
animals, are thought to have been designed and carved by King Rama II
himself. The 8-meter bronze Buddha statue in the viharn is the largest
surviving image from the Sukhothai period. Notice the varied selection
of pagodas and statues in the temple compound, many of which were
brought from China as ship ballast in the early 19th century.
Giant Swing Right in front of Wat Suthat is the
200-year-old Giant Swing, a bright-red wooden structure that was once
the focus of Brahman ceremonies in honor of the Hindu god Shiva. At one
time, courageous fellows would attempt to grab a pouch of money from a
25-meter stake by swinging higher and higher until they were able to
reach it with their teeth. Accidents and deaths were so common that
this practice was outlawed in the 1930s.
This is the worlds biggest weekend market selling practically
everything under the sun, from the smallest nails, to foods, trendy
fashions, antiques intricate wooden carvings, masks from far-off lands
etc. You can find all this and more at amazing Chatuchak market. There
are almost 9,000 individual booths overflowing with every imaginable
type of wares to catch your fancy. Once inside the market, you will be
caught up in a world of bursting crowds and stalls stretching as far as
the eye can see.
PLACES FOR KIDS
The Snake Farm is set up to produce anti-venom serum for
snake-bite victims nationwide. Venomous snakes including the king
cobra, Siamese cobra, Russell's viper, banded krait, Malayan pit viper,
green pit viper and Pope's pit viper are milked daily for their venom
to make snake-bite antidote. Venom-milking and snake-handling shows are
held daily at 10.30 am and 2.00 pm on weekdays, and 10.30 am on public
Zoo The city's main zoo was once a private botanical
garden for King Rama V. Today, much of the original tropical flora can
still be found and the lush gardens make an ideal retreat from the city
streets. The zoo accommodates a large number of mammal, reptile and
bird species, including some of the rare Southeast Asian animals such
as the Siamese crocodile, gaur, Sumatran rhinoceros, lesser mouse deer
and the tiger. Animals popular with the kids such as hippos, bears,
monkeys and the like can all be viewed.
Safari World is split into two sections covering some 170 acres in
total. The first section is the drive-through safari park with habitats
for animals such as lions, tigers, bears, giraffe, zebra, deer and rare
species such as white pandas. You can either drive through in your own
car or take one of the park's air-conditioned coaches. The second
section is a walk-through marine park with performances by trained
animals such as dolphins and seals.
Park Named after the birthplace of the Lord Buddha, this
park is home to a large variety of mature tree and shrub species, with
large boating lakes and a spectacular fountain. The road that circuits
the park is popular among joggers who come for their exercise in the
mornings and evenings. Watch out for early morning 'tai chi', performed
by the older generation Chinese residents, aerobic dance classes,
singing and dancing, and even open-air weight lifting. Rowing boats and
paddle boats can be taken out on the lake for a few baht.
Bangkok Doll Factory & Museum Traditional Thai
dolls are made and displayed at the Bangkok Doll Factory &
Museum on Soi Ratchataphan (Soi Mo Leng) off Ratchaprarop Road in the
Pratunam area. Both modern and antique items are on display and dolls
are also available for purchase. The Doll Factory is open from 8.00 am
to 5.00 pm Monday to Saturday
World is a new amusement park located beyond Don Muang
Airport at Km 7 Rangsit-Ong Kharak Road. It's quite close to the huge
Future Park Rangsit shopping center. Dream World is a classical
European-style fantasy-land, replete with miniature versions of
legendary sites and modern amusements and game machines - a great place
for all the family.
PLACES OF ATTRACTION
Temple of the Emerald Buddha or Wat Phra Keo (the Thai
name) is an exuberantly colored religious compound built inside the
Royal Palace in Bangkok, Thailand. The temple's architecture is
visually striking and is Thailand's most sacred shrine and the king's
personal chapel. The temple’s most important building is the
Bot (loosely translated as "house of meditation"). Within the Bot
resides the world famous Emerald Buddha (actually made of green jade,
not emerald). This 500-year-old holy statue is perched so high above
the Bot's golden altar and is so small (only 66 centimeters or 26
inches high) that you could easily miss it if you didn't know where to
Boxing should be experienced by everyone even if you are
not so interested in sports. The atmosphere in the stadium is almost
electric as the fights have musical accompaniments and people in the
stands are frantically shouting out bets. It’s not uncommon
to get caught up in the excitement and enjoy your night at the boxing
Trekking Elephants in Sangkhla Buri are raised by Karen
hill-tribes for working purposes. When not working, they are available
to tourists to ride. Some travel agents offer one-day elephant trekking
in combination with rafting tours in the vicinity of Thong Pha Phum and
Floating Markets Several floating markets in and around city offer the
tourist a picture-postcard image of the traditional Thai way of life.
Small wooden boats laden with fruits, flowers, vegetables and other
produce from nearby orchards and communities make a colorful and
bustling scene at market time. The boats are inevitably paddled by Thai
women in blue farmer's garb ('mor hom') and flat-topped conical hats
called 'muak ngob', which are characteristic to all parts of Thailand.
Tha Kha Floating Market, Damnoen Saduak Floating Market and the Bang
Khu Wiang Floating Market are three floating markets within reach of
Dance at Erawan Shrine A visit to city would not be
complete without witnessing Thai traditional dancing. It's worth
hanging around to watch the dancers at the Erawan Shrine as there is
often someone who wants to "make merit" by paying the dancers to dance.
Apparently this is often done as a "thank you" for recent good fortune.
It's quite expensive - several hundred baht for a few minutes, but
chances are if you hang around for a little while, someone will pay and
there's no charge for watching!
Monument Italian-born Silpa Bhirasi, founder of Thailand's
premier institute of the fine arts, Silpakorn University, designed the
Democracy Monument. The 75 cannons arranged at the base of the monument
symbolize the Buddhist year 2575 (1932 AD), while the revolutionaries
are depicted in plaster relief. The four-ton copper tray at the center
holds the Constitution.
Tourism Guide Bangkok
Basic info Bangkok | <urn:uuid:82c69b69-2116-4ff5-9c9e-f9a5556d67d5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.travelpluto.com/bangkok.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00060-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.917725 | 2,688 | 1.773438 | 2 |
It's a simple fact of ecology that the human race cannot continue to grow and consume as it is doing now. The planet just can't support us and the rest of the organisms that are competing for resources on the Earth. If we don't curb our appetites and fertility, we'll eventually eat ourselves out of house and home. And the sad part, in the eyes of many nature lovers, is that we'll probably drive many of the plant and animal species on the planet into their genetic graves before our own population either crashes in a distinctly nasty way or stabilizes.
The human race could theoretically stabilize itself at a global population of about 10 billion (Caldwell 170). This will require vigorous technofixing on the part of our agricultural scientists to provide enough food for the masses. And, because all arable land will have to be used for agriculture, it will also mean extinction for most large wild animals.
And even if (and it's a big if) science and technology can come up with a way to keep the billions fed, housed, and clothed, we'll still be awfully crowded.
Too Little Space
When I think of how crowded the planet would be with ten billion people, I have to think of when we were breeding mice for snake food at the San Angelo Nature Center.
I started out with about four mice, one white lab mouse and three cute little spotted Swiss mice. In the wild, mice are basically annual animals; they don't usually live longer than a year, so they breed as much and as fast as they can. They're good examples of animals with a J-shaped reproduction curve (Smith 366). That is, if they've given the chance, their population grows exponentially until they exceed their carrying capacity. Then there is a massive die-off, and the process starts all over again.
I put a pair of mice each in two 20-gallon tanks, made sure they had plenty of food, and basically left them alone except for tank cleaning. It was winter, so the snakes were eating rarely if at all. In the space of about three months, the two tanks were swarming with mice.
I had no other tanks or other containers to put them in, and I was told by The Management to make do with what I had. I made sure they had plenty of food and water, and I tried to keep the tanks clean, but that part was impossible. The stench from the cages always made my eyes water. And pretty soon, those cute little mice started to get ugly. They stopped grooming themselves. Some of the females stopped breeding, but that didn't help the crowding. Those females that did continue to breed started eating their young, even though they had plenty of mouse kibble a few inches away. The mice started getting into vicious fights, the big ones killing the smaller ones.
Fortunately, spring came, the snakes woke up, and we were able to feed the mice to the serpents.
Flirting With Disaster
We only have to look at the most crowded cities of the world to realize that if we have to live shoulder-to-shoulder with each other, we'll end up just like those mice. We'll be wallowing in filth, and we'll be murdering each other. It won't be a world worth being born into.
Mother Nature has always been in charge of the game, whether we like to admit it or not. Our population will be reduced to manageable levels, sooner or later. If we don't take steps soon, our "later" will involve the death of billions in developing countries through starvation, epidemic diseases (particularly if AIDS mutates or smallpox makes a return as a terrorist bioweapon), violence (both domestic crime and war), and natural disasters in highly populated areas. People in polluted developed countries will experience some of the same misery, but they may also discover that their fertility has been severely reduced by exposure to the estrogenic pesticides and plastics that we've dumped in the environment (Raloff 58).
But despite this and the gloomy outlooks of environmental policy thorists like Lynton K. Caldwell, I don't think we'll drive ourselves to extinction. Let's not forget that our ancient pre-hominid ancestors resembled rats. And we have a lot in common with modern rats (it's no accident that they're our favorite research animals): omnivory, versatility, and hardiness. The rats won't die out, and neither will we. But we're fully capable of sending ourselves into another Dark Ages.
We can avoid disaster, but it won't be easy.
Thinking About Sex
The first and most obvious thing that needs changing is global attitudes toward sex and birth control. Sex is a very basic human need; the urge to reproduce is only slightly less intense than the urge to eat or sleep.
And yet, despite the fact that sex is such a normal, basic activity, people can almost never discuss it in the same way that we discuss other basic human activities. In the U.S., where sexual messages are used to sell everything from Coke to cars, we can't really discuss the subject in the way that it needs to be discussed. We've certainly come a long way from the days when married, pregnant school teachers were fired from their jobs for fear that the students might learn something shameful. But when sex is brought up in conversations, many people still whisper, giggle, or blush. A movie can show a man getting shot through the head and get a PG rating; show that same man having sex with another male, and it gets an R. Parents think that drug education classes are a good idea, but many still object to sex education and condom machines on the grounds that such measures "teach our kids how to have sex."
Despite all the talk shows and sexual self-help books, many Americans still react to sex as if it's something shameful and dirty. Since it's impossible to talk about birth control without talking about sex, condoms and pills are dirty, too.
How did sex become such a taboo subject? Well, most of it stems from old religion and old cultural beliefs, the two being so intertwined that they're almost impossible to separate.
That Old-Time Religion
For starters, let's look at the Bible, specifically the Book of Leviticus. This section of the Bible prohibits, under pain of death and subsequent damnation, homosexuality, witchcraft, promiscuity, and the eating of pork products, among other things.
The laws in Leviticus and the rest of the Bible aren't about morality; they're about economics and power. And so are the laws of the holy texts of other religions (remember Hinduism's caste system in India, which long insured the sociopolitical supremacy of the descendants of the Aryans who started the religion).
Imagine this: you're the leader of a small tribe out in the middle of the desert. What do you want? Well, for starters, you want to maintain control over your people, want to make sure they obey your rules. How to do this? You make the people think that your laws are God's laws, so that if they disobey you, they won't just be risking earthly punishment, they'll be risking eternal damnation. Oh, but the people might start worshipping gods that you aren't affiliated with ... better make switching religions a mortal sin as well: "I am a jealous God ... thou shalt not obey any other gods before me."
Okay, now you've got the tribe in line, but it's still pitifully small. You haven't got nearly as much power as the fat kings in Babylon. What you need is a bigger tribe. You need to get these people to breed, but you also don't want a bunch of abandoned kids running around making a nuisance of themselves. What to do? First, ban homosexuality, because two men or two women aren't going to make any babies to fuel your power. Ban pre- and extramarital sex, because you want to make sure any kids that come along will be taken care of by somebody besides you. You ban masturbation so that people will have no outlet for their urges besides marriage, and they'll get hitched in puberty and start cranking out those babies. And you certainly don't want any of those married folks to stop having kids, so you ban birth control practices and abortion.
To this mass of politically-inspired holy laws against a variety of perfectly normal sexual behavior, add superstition stemming from biological ignorance. To the ancients, pregnancy and birth were truly mysterious, living evidence of God. And after hearing their holy men and leaders tell them that God doesn't like sex except between married men and women, the common people naturally viewed STDs as a form of divine punishment.
After several thousand years of this kind of thinking, it's no wonder that people still talk about sex in a whisper. And it's no wonder that traditional economic theory is steeped in the idea that a constantly-growing population is necessary for a healthy economy (Ehrlich 159).
The Role of Women's Rights
And while most Western countries are slowly severing their mental ties to these old beliefs, the same cannot be said for developing and underdeveloped countries. Political and religious leaders still believe that their power lies in the size of their population (actually, so do U.S. politicians who object to population control on the grounds that it will lead to a Social Security tax disaster, but they ignore the fact that if we control our population size, the standard of living will go up, elderly people will be healthier and will be able to keep working into their seventies). Discussing sex and birth control is still taboo in many developing countries, and, to make matters worse, women are treated like children or property.
Women, being the ones who suffer most directly from pregnancy, childbirth, and even STDs, don't have a say in their own reproduction in many of these countries. Some nations in North Africa and the Middle East have entirely outlawed family planning and contraceptives (Eschen 107). Even when international NGOs have managed to set up family planning services, some national governments prohibit advertising and birth control distribution, and restrict the types of medical procedures that can be performed by health professionals. For instance, competent health professional have been barred from dispensing birth control pills, inserting IUDs or performing mini-lap sterilizations (Eschen 107). In these countries, it is often illegal to provide family planning services to adolescents or to women who don't bring a permission slip from their husbands. For instance, in Niger and Papua New Guinea, women cannot buy contraceptives without their husband's approval (Eschen 110). Also, some countries slap heavy import duties on contraceptives, making them too expensive for the people who need them most (Eschen 107).
Even when national laws don't directly bar women from buying contraceptives, culture makes it almost impossible for women to use birth control. Male-dominated cultures support the belief that female fertility is a male right. Surveys in Zimbabwe and Sudan have showed that most men feel that husbands have the right to unilaterally decide how many babies their wives have (Eschen 109). Women in such countries may be too embarrassed or afraid to bring up the subject of birth control with their husbands and may be afraid that they'll be beaten, abandoned, or divorced if they use birth control without their husband's permission or, heaven forbid, refuse their husband's sexual advances (Eschen 110).
Women in all countries must be given access to birth control and medical help if the world's population is going to be controlled. It's a bit of a Catch-22: women won't be able to use birth control until they're on equal social and economic footing with men, but they'll probably never get any power until they can control their own reproduction. In any case, I don't think the population control movement will make any headway in developing countries until women's rights have been established.
The Need For Better Birth Control
But there's another aspect to the family planning problem in both developed and developing countries: birth control drugs and devices themselves. They're obviously much better than nothing, but they're still not that wonderful. People don't enjoy using them, and for good reason. Condoms can be literally irritating for both partners; with AIDS epidemic in the U.S., more an more people are using latex condoms and some are becoming sensitized to the latex. There have even been cases of people going into fatal allergic shock after they've used a condom or diaphragm. IUDs can cause horrible, potentially fatal pelvic infections. In socially repressing countries, women don't want to touch their own genitals and therefore are unwilling to use barrier methods like diaphragms.
The invention of the Pill and its hormone-controlling descendants Norplant and Depo-Provera have been big steps in the right direction, but if they're the best science can come up with, we're in trouble.
First of all, the Pill, Norplant, and Depo-Provera are for women; men do not pay a physiological price for their use, and males may not even help women pay the monetary cost incurred with their use. Furthermore, these methods alter a woman's body chemistry and may cause illness ranging from a disrupted menstrual cycle to cancer.
And even the mildest side effects, which are often dismissed as irrelevant by health professionals, can dissuade women in developing countries from using hormonal birth control (Eschen 108). In such countries, where women have had little education into the workings of their own bodies, women tend to blame any type of health problem, and especially gynecological problems, on the birth control they've been given. Uneducated women associate changes in their menstrual bleeding or cycles with disease (Eschen 108). Furthermore, disrupted cycles or irregular bleeding can keep women from engaging in socially important religious or cultural activities (Eschen 109).
Science and medicine must address these problems and continue working toward better, safer methods of birth control for both sexes.
And now we come to abortion. Even if everybody used safe, reliable birth control, accidents would happen. Nothing is ever 100% effective. Women who have no desire whatsoever to have a child would still get pregnant.
And on top of that, people, especially young, hormonally-driven people, just aren't responsible all the time. That's just how we humans are; we act on emotions, we act on sexual instinct, and no amount of puritanical lecturing or idealistic hand-wringing is going to change that.
The people and governments of developed countries (read: the U.S.) have got to come to grips with the fact that some abortions will always be necessary if we're going to ensure that the people who are born have a decent standard of living.
And, in the meantime, the governments of developing countries have got to start allowing women access to medically-supervised, safe abortions. Illegal abortions are going on at a great rate in developing countries, and women, children, and the countries' economies are suffering because of it. 99% of the world's women who die because of pregnancy die in the Third World, and it is estimated that 25-50% of these deaths are due to botched abortions (Eschen 105). Furthermore, every year close to two million children are orphaned because of their mothers die, and few of these children survive (Coyetaux 134). And finally, the cost of cleaning up illegal abortions is much greater than the cost of providing women with medically safe abortions in the first place. For instance, Chile saved $200,000US a year in medical costs when that country briefly legalized abortion (Coyetaux 134).
Caldwell, Lynton K. International Environmental Policy: Emergence and Dimensions. Duke University Press.
Coyetaux, Francine M., Ann H. Leonard, and Carolyn M. Bloomer. "Abortion" in The Health of Women: A Global Perspective (Koblinsky, Timyan, and Gay, eds.) Westview Press, pp. 133-146.
Ehrlich, Paul R., and Anne Ehrlich. The Population Explosion. Simon and Schuster.
Eschen, Andrea, and Maxine Whittaker. "Family Planning: A Base to Build on for Women's Reproductive Health Services" in The Health of Women: A Global Perspective (Koblinsky, Timyan,and Gay, eds.) Westview Press, pp. 105-131.
Raloff, Janet. "That Feminine Touch." Science News, January 22, 1994, Vol. 145, No.4, pp. 56-58.
Smith, Robert L. Ecology and Field Biology. Harper and Row. | <urn:uuid:fc873c9c-7ad8-42f8-a647-97f24c4e7da9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://everything2.com/title/population+control | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963767 | 3,436 | 3 | 3 |
UK & World News
Bloomberg: Sandy Power Cuts 'Not Acceptable'
The Mayor of New York has told Sky News that it is not acceptable that so many homes are still without power in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.
Speaking at a gathering of volunteers heading to help the residents of Staten Island, Michael Bloomberg said he had faith in the city's ability to recover from the storm.
"My priority is to tell people help's on the way," he said.
"We've got it all organised and it's going great. All these volunteers are making an enormous difference."
Asked whether it was acceptable for so many people to be without power, Mr Bloomberg replied: "It's certainly not acceptable. We're doing everything we can to make it better."
Mr Bloomberg then visited Staten Island residents in their homes, which were damaged when the storm sure struck on October 29.
Alex and Melissa Tacaronte met the Mayor in their home on Roma Drive.
Alex told Sky News: "He didn't tell us much. He said they're trying to set up some stuff with local contractors to come and help us, but as you can see it's the volunteers here helping us now."
"The only people helping us here is the community."
Melissa added: "I think it was more a photo op that he came for. These are the guys that are here. They'll clear us out, but we still have to rebuild."
"It's better because we have our friends here to help us."
Hundreds of volunteers travelled to the island to help residents. They brought water and food as well as cleaning equipment and shovels.
The debris from storm damaged homes was taken away by bulldozers and dumped at a temporary tip set up in the town's park. | <urn:uuid:f22c74b6-3527-41f7-8947-cf43f117b8e3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://web.orange.co.uk/article/news/bloomberg_sandy_power_cuts_not_acceptable | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00045-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.983283 | 364 | 1.578125 | 2 |
Pella — Just like humans, pets can get diseases that wear their systems down. It's not uncommon for pets to be affected by arthritis, cancer, or diabetis. Depending on severity of the case, there may come a time when a pet owner faces the decision of whether or not to euthanize a pet.
Choosing to euthanize a pet can be sobering. Most pets are valued members of their families and the idea of living without the companion that has shared the ups and downs of life can be heart-wrenching. However, while some animals die peacefully on their own, many animals have strong wills to stick around with their pet parents and may live on despite a poor quality of life. It's in their nature to mask pain and illness, so it may be difficult to determine the extent of illness or failing.
While owners cannot control all of the factors, the one thing you can do is alleviate pain and suffering to a companion animal. In many cases, the decision to euthanize a pet is the most humane option available. So how do you determine if it is time? There are certain questions to ask that may help the decision:
- Is your pet in pain that cannot be alleviated by other methods?
- Does your pet have a terminal illness that has progressed?
- Will more treatment create a poor quality of life?
- Has your pet lost most of his normal bodily functions, such as getting up, walking, going up and down stairs, and relieving himself properly?
- Does the pet still want to eat?
- Are the dog or cat's gums pink?
- Are you putting the pet's best interests at the forefront, or are you simply extending the animal's life for your comfort?
- Can you afford the vet care or further treatment?
Answering these questions might help you make the right decision based on the health of your pet. If you are still having difficulty determining if it's the time to say goodbye, talk with your veterinarian. He or she is in the business of saving pet lives and will not encourage euthanasia if it is not the right time. Most people and vets agree that it is better to euthanize a pet earlier than later so that he or she will not suffer unnecessarily.
Some prefer to make a list of what their pet enjoys, i.e. chasing a ball, being petted, eating, going for rides. Set a minimum that must be reached for quality of life. If the pet falls below this minimum, then euthanasia should be considered. Couples who have a pet may disagree on the time to euthanize. But ultimately the needs of the pet should be put before personal feelings.
Saying goodbye to a beloved pet is never easy for anyone. But euthanizing an animal when his or her quality of life has diminished vastly is often best for the animal. | <urn:uuid:277529b8-c1e8-4663-be08-767cb165645f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://pellachronicle.com/pets/x553406709/Choosing-to-say-goodbye-to-your-pet | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00053-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960741 | 593 | 2.4375 | 2 |
Designers are often faced with two challenges—to create something that looks attractive and serves a purpose. To achieve these ends, designers often rely on research. This includes information about consumers, competition and the environment impacted by a design. Chris Hoyt works as a communications specialist for the research group at Herman Miller, a company that prides itself on “designing furnishings and related services that improve the human experience wherever people work, heal, learn and live.”
“Part of my time is spent working on health care research,” said Hoyt. “When I first came on in 2006, I helped conduct research as we were developing a patient chair called Nala. I, and one other person, took several prototypes of chairs all over the country gathering feedback from caregivers, interior designers and architects. We wanted to make sure all the features and functions were appropriate for the health care environment. That project was a lot of fun because I got to see and assist in the entire design and research process—from the first prototype all the way through to the first production model.
“The Patient Experience is another of my favorite projects. This was an exploratory project to help us understand what happens when a patient comes into the hospital with a heart attack or hip/knee replacement. To gather information, we interviewed nurses and observed a typical patient’s stay.
“It was my job to take that information and create a visual time line that could be quickly viewed and understood. In the past, it would have been a more basic Word document, but with the skills I learned at CCS, I was able to visualize that time line and create a compelling report. We knew it served its purpose when we took it to the hospital and showed it to the nurses. They started arguing with each other about how they conducted care. When they got the chance to step back and hear about care administered during a patient’s three-day stay, they realized that they each did things a little differently.”
Another aspect of Hoyt’s role on the research team is creating awareness about their work by managing the knowledge node in the Design Yard building, which is often toured by customers. This display consists of large, rotating posters that showcase the team’s most recent research as well as six monitors that highlight current trends in demographics, the environment, international, technology and work.
“One monitor displays the introduction while the other five display several facts and questions for each specific category,” explained Hoyt. “It is all done in Flash.”
Creating reports and presentations within the research group are also Hoyt’s responsibilities.
“One of the main reasons I got hired after my fellowship was my ability to take a research report and turn it into a visually appealing report,” Hoyt said. “In the past, after the research was completed, it was turned into a Word document. When I came on board with my ability to visualize information, I was able to make our reports stand out which helped them gain more footing in the organization. Learning how to visualize information and present it cleanly and efficiently at CCS has really helped me in my role at Herman Miller.”
- Graduation Year: 2006
- Employer: Herman Miller (Holland, MI)
- Title: Communications specialist
Designed and created by DDM Marketing & Communications. | <urn:uuid:a04a8d45-d402-46ac-9b8a-a272efe61216> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.collegeforcreativestudies.edu/Alumni/2882/Hoyt/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00070-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973768 | 702 | 1.617188 | 2 |
Posted: Oct 28, 2011 8:19 PM
Oct. 28, 2011 (Orlando, Fla.) -- Vision problems among preschoolers may be more common than previously thought.
That's the conclusion of researchers who conducted two large studies funded by the National Institutes of Health.
Previously, it was estimated that one in 20 preschoolers had vision problems. But the studies show that as many as one out of every four preschool-aged children may have a vision problem that needs attention.
The studies also show that even mild problems left untreated in childhood may lead to permanent vision loss.
The studies were published in the October issue of Ophthalmology andpresented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO).
In addition to the higher than expected incidence of vision problems, the studies also identify several major risk factors for vision problems in preschoolers. Included in those risks were exposure to smoke and poor access to health insurance.
Ten percent of the children had a flaw in the curvature of the eye's cornea, which caused astigmatism. Astigmatism is a problem with focusing that leads to blurred vision.
Together, these problems are referred to as refractive errors. Previous research has shown that children with moderate to severe refractive errors are at an increased risk of more serious problems. The new studies show for the first time that even mild refractive errors raise risk. This is important because refractive errors are correctible with eyeglasses.
Researchers also found more serious vision problems among preschoolers. Two percent of the preschoolers had cross eyes (strabismus). And about 5% had lazy eye (amblyopia). Both conditions can lead to permanent vision loss if not treated during early childhood.
"If not corrected right early in life," researcher Rohit Varma, MD, tells WebMD, "these kids may have vision loss for life." Varma is professor of ophthalmology and preventive medicine at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine in Los Angeles.
Varma says the study showed that young children can outgrow nearsightedness and astigmatism, but not farsightedness.
AAO spokeswoman Anne Sumers, MD, tells WebMD that the link between mild refractive error and serious vision problems surprised her. Sumers is an ophthalmologist in private practice in Ridgewood, N.J. "Early screening is so very important to detect these problems."
Varma agrees. But, he says, "the eye tests given in schools are so minimal that they don't pick up many eye problems."
Varma says the diverse makeup of the children studied means the findings can be applied to U.S. preschoolers nationwide.
One limitation of the study, Varma says, is that the youngsters were only assessed at one point in time. "We need further study to see if kids with refractive errors actually go on to get vision loss and what treatments are best." | <urn:uuid:9b36e950-eeb6-4586-995b-30e6dfea301a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.katc.com/news/studies-vision-problems-in-preschoolers-are-common/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00030-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967226 | 609 | 2.71875 | 3 |
Superfoods are a group of natural, nutrient-dense whole foods that truly are nature’s medicine cabinet. You won’t find these foods created in a processing plant. You probably won’t see them advertised on sexy television commercials either. But if you start to include these foods in your diet, it’s likely you’ll experience improved health and wellness, from the inside-out.
1. Apples. Apples are packed with antioxidants and fiber, so they make a filling and sweet snack.
2. Blueberries. Possibly the smallest superfood on our list, blueberries pack a punch. They’re high in potassium, vitamin C, and healthy antioxidants that can lower your risk of heart disease, cancer, and inflammation.
3. Apricots. Rich in fiber, iron and copper, apricots pack a whole lot of nutrition into each bite. Apricots have also been shown to improve indigestion, earaches, and certain skin diseases.
4. Artichokes. This low calorie vegetable is naturally rich with fiber, vitamins C and K, folate, magnesium and potassium. Artichoke is also versatile and can be prepared in a variety of ways. No matter how you eat them, be sure to eat the leaves and not just the heart!
5. Olive Oil. Our friends in the Mediterranean do it right; olive oil has been proven to improve heart health due to its high content of monosaturated fats. Olive oil is also an anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-microbial
6. Beets. Beets are loaded with fiber, potassium, and folate, and are free of saturated fats and cholesterol. Researchers believe the red pigment in beets – betacyanin – may protect cells against cancer.
7. Cabbage. Just one serving of cabbage contains 15% of your daily fiber, along with vitamins A, C, and K. Eating cruciferous vegetables, including cabbage, has been shown to reduce the risk of cancer.
8. Tomatoes. Tomatoes are high in antioxidants and can reduce risk of heart disease and osteoporosis, as well as minimize UV damage.
9. Bananas. At just 110 calories per serving, bananas are a great way to get in some potassium and vitamin B-6.
10. Carrots. Carrots are filled with beta-carotene which can improve eyesight and slow down aging cell growth.
11. Dark Chocolate. Dark chocolate is full of compound flavanols, which are a type of antioxidant that decreases inflammation, lowers blood sugar, and improves both positive and negative cholesterol levels. Just make sure you eat it dark, not the candy-coated chocolate found in most supermarkets or snack-shops.
12. Beans. Beans are a low-cost high-impact food that are high in protein and fiber and low in fat. .
13. Mangos. Nicknamed the “King of Fruit, eating mangos can improve your eyesight, skin, memory, digestion, and sex drive.
14. Sardines. They may not look appealing, but sardines can help prevent cancer, improve your bone health, and act as an anti-inflammatory.
15. Mushrooms. Mushrooms can help us be healthier, fitter, happier, and live longer. So go make friends with your favorite fungi
16. Pomegranates. A symbol of fertility and health, the pomegranate is great tasting fruit that’s an anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant, and can also help you lose fat.
17. Avocado. Avocados are packed with over 25 essential nutrients: vitamins A, B, C, E, and K, as well as lots of fiber, protein, and healthy fats.
18. Coffee. Benefits of coffee include reduced risk for heart disease, dementia, and skin cancer. It has even been proven to lessen symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
19. Oranges. Eating oranges can help with arthritis, prevent kidney stones, and with ample amounts of calcium, contributes to healthy bones and teeth.
20. Broccoli. Mustard oils found in broccoli have been shown to fight the most malignant cancer stem cells. It’s also high in fiber and phytonutrients.
21. Honey. Honey’s antibacterial properties help guard against bacterial viruses like E. Coli and salmonella.
22. Oats are extremely high in insoluble fiber, and are a good source of low-glycemic complex carbohydrates.
23. Kale. Kale is packed with vitamins A, C, and K, not to mention fiber and calcium.
24. Brussel Sprouts. Brussel sprouts may not have been your favorite food growing up, but there’s a reason your mother made you eat them. These small vegetables can improve your digestion, lower cholesterol, and protect your DNA..
25. Figs. In only one half a cup of dried figs there are 7.3g of both soluble and insoluble fiber. This makes figs the perfect superfood for slowing digestion and keeping you full longer.
26. Bok Choy. This extremely nutritious cruciferous vegetable provides plenty of calcium and potassium, along with carotenoids (such as beta-carotene), which may improve eye health.
27. Pumpkin. More than just a Halloween decoration, pumpkins are a low calorie food with lots of vitamin A and fiber.
28. Oysters. Oysters are a low density, high energy food and a good source of lean protein.
29. Brown Rice. This high-fiber food has a lower glycemic index than white rice, so it will keep you full for longer without causing a dramatic increase in your blood sugar levels.
30. Edamame. These beans include all nine amino acids, as well as lots of vitamins and minerals that improve immune health and battle disease.
31. Salmon. Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids as well as protein, selenium, and vitamin D, making this superfood a must have if you’re interested in protecting your heart’s health and improving your metabolism.
32. Spinach. Spinach is densely packed with nutrients, and although one cup can hold your entire daily dose of vitamins K and A, its only about 40 calories! Spinach can also be paired with most foods on this list in order to really reach maximum nutrient intake.
33. Garlic. From cancer prevention to heart health to immune system boosting, you can thank allicin (the active ingredient in garlic) for these benefits.
34. Tea. Tea has less caffeine than coffee but still performs as an agent against cancers, heart disease and clogged arteries.
35. Ginger. Ginger has long been used for curing ills of all kinds, from minor stomach pains to arthritis, and even migraines.
36. Turkey. Your favorite Thanksgiving meal is a low fat source of protein with vitamins B3 and B6, as well as selenium, which promotes thyroid health.
37. Walnuts. Walnuts are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, and are loaded with monosaturated fats, which can improve your heart health.
Start eating foods that are good for your health.
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Why is common sense so uncommon?
Don’t be shy. Leave me your comment(s) | <urn:uuid:7fdac6f6-6bda-4a9d-b1f2-0e73be7d0e1a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://survivalfarm.wordpress.com/category/gardening/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.926414 | 1,572 | 2.9375 | 3 |
-Mahdollistamme huipulle tähtäävälle urheilijalle joustavan opiskelun ja parhaan valmennuksen-
The mission of Finnish Sports Academies is to assist young elite athletes to pursue their education, while also training and competing at an elite level. There are 19 sport academies in the Finnish Sport Academy Network regulated by the Finnish Olympic Committee. In Lahti region Päijät-Häme Sports Academy (PHUra) was started as a project in 2005 coordinated by Lahti University of Applied Sciences and now it is an independent network association.
PHUra helps regional top athletes to integrate studies and sports, and even work if necessary, together. There are almost 300 athletes, several study counselors and professional coaches in action. The backup given to the athletes by PHUra varies from professional coaching and testing, muscle balance analysis, mental training and sports psychology, sport physician, physiotherapy and massage, training equipments and facilities to study guidance and career counseling. Lectures are also held on subjects such as anti-doping, an athlete`s nutrition, media skills, sport ethics and life management.
The PHUra strategic sports are judo, ski jumping and cross country skiing. Our values are veracity and openness, athlete-driven, co-operation, responsibility and equity. Finnish Sport Academy system helps student-athletes to play and triumph successfully. It makes dreams come true. | <urn:uuid:1c02cbf4-eec9-4ed4-a221-814c34463252> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.phura.fi/in-english/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00037-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.934199 | 308 | 1.773438 | 2 |
From August 1st Professor Antje J. Bäumner will become new Head of the Institute.
We are one of the largest institutes for analytical chemistry in the German-speaking world. Our research covers various areas of analytical and bioanalytical chemistry. In particular, we employ optical, electrochemical, mass spectroscopic, radiometric analysis and interface biochemistry methods. One major goal is to develop new analytical and sensor methods, mainly for bioanalytical purposes, often in combination with microfluidic methods.
We offer our students a comprehensive study program within both our Bachelor’s curriculum and our Master’s program - the latter with a focus on bioanalytical chemistry. Our students learn the fundamentals of modern bioanalytical methods, biosensor and array technology, and analytical screening. We coordinate the EU project “Chemical Bioanalysis” (CHEBANA) along with 12 partner organizations across Europe. We are also integrated with the graduate schools of "Sensory Photoreceptors in Natural and Artificial Systems" and "Electronic Properties of Nanostructures Based on Carbon". Within this framework, we research new bioanalytical methods based on the use of novel materials, including graphenes. The curriculum we offer makes studying chemistry in Regensburg (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) highly appealing, and paves the way to a professional carrier for our graduates.
Regarding research, we are mainly focused on bioanalytical methods. This includes new analytical methods based on the use of enzymes, antibodies and oligonucleotides. It includes the synthesis of novel fluorescent probes and sensors, and the development of new methods of imaging, often in combination with microscopy and primarily for the purpose of medical diagnosis. A second focus is on microfluidic and electrophoretic systems, often in combination with miniaturized electrochemical and mass spectroscopic detection. Electro-analytical research topics include a focus on scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) and the merging of electrochemistry, capillary electrophoresis and mass spectroscopy, and their application to bioanalytical studies. Amperometric and piezoelectric transducers are used to develop biosensors using living cells for monitoring cytotoxicity, and for testing new pharmaceuticals. With the aid of surface plasma resonance (SPR)-based sensors, we are investigating the interaction of ligands with receptors, and the response of cells to chemical, biological or physical stimuli. Other areas of research include the analysis of individual enzyme molecules in femtoliter volumes, as well as the development of novel materials (for example, upconverting luminescent nanoparticles (UCLNPs), which are capable of converting IR excitation into visible luminescence) used as protein markers.
Our scientific papers appear in many high ranking journals. The professors of the Institute are active on the boards of various journals, for example, "Angewandte Chemie". The Springer book-series "Bioanalytical Reviews" is edited by two professors of the Institute.
Our research is supported by the German Science Foundation, the Humboldt Foundation, the German International Exchange Program, the European Union, and other institutions such as the Sensor Cluster Bavaria. In collaboration with the Fraunhofer workgroup "Sensor Materials" in Regensburg, we are developing new approaches towards (nano)biosensing. With this, we offer our students and postdoctoral visitors excellent conditions for their research. We will be happy to answer any questions related to our study program and research. | <urn:uuid:474154b9-bde0-4d7e-a059-3c304b1687e8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www-analytik.chemie.uni-regensburg.de/en/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00056-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.921953 | 730 | 2.046875 | 2 |
The idea that business success is dependent on more than profits alone is underscored by the evident increase in social investment undertaken by Jet, South Africa's number one retail brand.
No doubt, superior performances across a broad range of merchandise categories contributed to the strength of Jet's recently published earnings but for 1.3-million Jet Club members it is more than quality apparel that ensures rock solid loyalty. Member benefits extend beyond the regular special price offers and magazine to reach into area of real need.
Most recently Jet has turned its attention to the housing backlog and the need for public private partnerships to assist government in meeting its delivery targets.
The solution to the housing crisis cannot depend solely on government funds, says Cameron Burt, manager of Jet Club. "The reality is that if the government is to meet its delivery targets it will need assistance from South African corporates, individuals and non-profit organisations."
The innovative, international non-profit organisation Habitat for Humanity offers just such a convergence of stakeholders to assist in mitigating the housing crisis. Jet partnered with the organisation last year to build six simple, decent and affordable houses in Mamelodi, outside Pretoria. Following on from the success of that experience Jet Club have announced that it will be building another eight houses (for Jet Club members) in the next three months on sites throughout the country.
Burt explains: "Every year the Club sets aside a substantial portion of funds for social responsibility projects and we endeavour to use this money wherever the need is greatest and most relevant to our members. The housing crisis in South Africa touches every one of us and through our involvement with Habitat for Humanity we are able not just to contribute funds but actually make a difference by helping to dig the trenches and lay the bricks. Our staff volunteer in such numbers that we overrun the building site."
Ultimately, these houses become a symbol of hope for the future, not just for the new homeowners but also for the community as a whole, who witness what is possible when a few dedicated people come together to make a difference. And for Jet they are evidence of a sustainable approach to conducting business in South Africa. | <urn:uuid:35f7ba23-5661-4dfc-9e82-c7ab23acb211> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bizcommunity.com/PressOffice/PressRelease.aspx?i=125388&ai=6988 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00046-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952913 | 431 | 1.8125 | 2 |
Community Genetics Forum To Bring Ethnic Groups, U of U, NIH Experts Together
In an unprecedented Utah gathering, hundreds of members from the state's diverse ethnic groups will meet with University of Utah and National Institutes of Health (NIH) genetics and disease experts for a Community Genetics and Health Forum on April 30 and May 1.
Apr 23, 2010 1:19 PMSALT LAKE CITY–In an unprecedented Utah gathering, hundreds of members from the state’s diverse ethnic groups will meet with University of Utah and National Institutes of Health (NIH) genetics and disease experts for a Community Genetics and Health Forum on April 30 and May 1.
Sponsored by the NIH’s National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), the forum will bring together members of Utah’s African American, African refugee, Chinese, Hispanic/Latino, Native American, and Tongan communities to discuss the relationship between genetics and three chronic diseases of pressing importance to those ethnic populations: heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. The forum, co-hosted by the U of U’s Genetic Science Learning Center (GSLC) and Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS), will take place in two locations – the U of U’s Eccles Institute of Human Genetics on Friday and the Salt Lake Center for Science Education, 1400 W. Goodwin Ave (1150 N.) on Saturday.
Each year NHGRI sponsors a Community Genetics Forum event in a different region of the country. The goal of these forums is to develop models for community engagement around the topic of genetics and to develop genetics education materials, that can be used or adapted by other communities. The GSLC received the award to host the Forum this year for the southwestern region.
Thomas N. Parks, Ph.D., U of U vice president for research, and Lynn B. Jorde, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Human Genetics, will open the forum and welcome attendees on Friday morning. Eric Green, M.D., Ph.D., director of the NHGRI, also will address the forum by video on Friday and Saturday mornings. “NHGRI launched the Community Genetics Forum program to help the public understand the issues around the use of genetic and genomic information in medical care,” Green said. “We also want to hear from the public about its questions and concerns as we seek to use genomic research to improve public health.”
Louisa A. Stark, Ph.D., director of the GSLC, says the forum not only will give local communities the chance to learn about chronic diseases that affect them but also can help shape the nation’s strategic plan for researching genetics-related medicine for years to come. “This is a unique opportunity for Utah’s ethnic communities to be heard as the National Human Genome Research Institute crafts a new strategic plan to guide genomics research and medicine for much of the next decade,” Stark said. “Along with helping to shape our national policy, these members of our community also will have the chance to learn about chronic diseases of great concern to them.”
Friday’s program will feature panels of NIH and U of U experts discussing topics of increasing prominence in medical-genetics research: the integration of genetics into electronic medical records (8:15-10 a.m.) and the investigation of common diseases, particularly those with rare gene variants (10:30-11:30 and 12:30-1:30). The panelists discussing the integration of genetics into the medical record will include Joyce A. Mitchell, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Biomedical Informatics, Marc Williams, M.D., director of the Intermountain Healthcare Genetics Institute, and Greg Feero, M.D., Ph.D., special advisor to NHGRI director Green. The experts discussing investigating common diseases will be Ken R. Smith, Ph.D., professor of family and consumer studies and associate director of the Utah Population Database, Mark Yandell, Ph.D., associate professor of human genetics, and Teri Manolio, M.D., Ph.D., director of the NHGRI Office of Population Genomics.
Laura Rodriguez, Ph.D., acting director of the NHGRI Office of Policy, Communications and Education, will talk about research policies and priorities at the federal level (2-3 p.m.)
On Saturday, members of seven organizations – the Calvary Baptist Church; Hispanic Health Care Task Force; Indian Walk-in Center; National Tongan American Society; United Africans of Utah; Native (American) Research Center; and a Chinese LDS church ward – will meet at the Salt Lake Center for Science Education, 1400 W. Goodwin Ave. (1150 N.). In 2009, the GSLC gave each of those organizations $5,000 grants to hold programs about genetics and health within their communities. From those gatherings, held during the past several months, heart disease, cancer, and diabetes emerged as three diseases of great concern to these populations.
After welcoming remarks by the NHGRI’s Green and Vence Bonham, Jr., J.D., chief of the education and community involvement for the agency, successive sessions will feature leaders of the seven community organizations relaying brief stories about the focal diseases and the impact on their populations: members of the Tongan and Chinese communities will discuss heart disease; Hispanic/Latino and African American leaders will talk about cancer; and two representatives of Native American groups will focus on diabetes. The forum’s organizers have asked each community to bring 50 members to Saturday’s session.
Leaders from the various ethnic groups say the programs they held with their communities already had an impact on their members.
“From the first meeting, a light clicked on,” said Sylvia Rickard, director of the Utah Breast Cancer Network and Hispanic Health Care Task Force Conference chair. “People are constantly asking questions about genetics and health now. They want to know how genetics impacts them, their health, their families, and their community and how to make life better.”
The Rev. France Davis, pastor of the Calvary Baptist Church in Salt Lake City, said the meetings have prompted some in the African American community to watch their diet more closely and be more prepared when they see their medical providers, including taking written information with them to appointments in some cases. And the meetings have inspired conversations about family health history among African refugees, according to Valentine Mukundente, of United Africans of Utah. “The knowledge and increased conversation of family health history have made the largest impact on our United Africans of Utah communities,” Mukundente said.
Speakers from the various ethnic populations will include: Fahina Pasi-Tavake, executive director of the National Tongan American Society; Sylvia Rickard, director of the Utah Breast Cancer Network and Hispanic Health Care Task Force Conference chair; Harold O. Fields, pastor, Unity Baptist Church; Ed Napia, substance abuse and prevention manager at the Indian Walk-In Center; and Marla Pardilla M.P.H., M.S.W., and epidemiologist Lillian Tom-Orme, R.N, M.P.H., and Ph.D., research assistant professor of internal medicine – both members of the Native Research Network.
Following those speakers, experts from the NIH and the University of Utah will give the latest clinical and research perspectives on each disease. Those presenters will include: Greg Feero, M.D., Ph.D., special advisor to the NHGRI director, and cardiologist Dean Y. Li, M.D., Ph.D., professor of internal medicine and director of the U of U Molecular Medicine Program, speaking about the clinical and research aspects of heart disease and genetics; Jean Jenkins, R.N., Ph.D., senior clinical advisor to the NHGRI director, and Deborah Neklason, Ph.D. research assistant professor of oncological sciences and the U of U’s Huntsman Cancer Institute, speaking about the clinical and research aspects of genetics and cancer; and endocrinologist Donald A. McClain, M.D., Ph.D., professor of internal medicine and director of the CCTS at the University, and Edward Ramos, Ph.D., research fellow and policy analyst at the NHGRI, speaking about the clinical and research facets of diabetes and genetics.
The forum wraps up Saturday afternoon with a question and answer period followed by closing discussion among leaders of the various community organizations.
Schedules for both days are available at http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/forums
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Office of Public Affairs
Phone: (801) 581-2517|
Visit our News Archive for a complete list of previous News. | <urn:uuid:7222ffcb-f005-453d-9739-868a769a8316> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://healthcare.utah.edu/publicaffairs/news/current/GeneticsForum.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.934923 | 1,829 | 1.828125 | 2 |
MILR Concentration: Human Resources and Organizations
The Human Resources and Organizations (HR&O) Concentration focuses on people in organizations, including the roles of line managers, the HR function and HR professionals in contributing to organizational success and employee well-being and such key aspects of organizational life as leadership, decision-making, and conflict resolution. The emphasis is on both theoretical and practical applications. Traditional classroom experiences are regularly enriched by interactions with senior corporate executives and other managers who focus on the real-time challenges they face.
As part of the MILR Degree (which requires a minimum of 48 credit hours, encompassing a least 16 full semester courses), students interested in the HR&O concentration take six core courses, and six specialized courses as well as four additional electives. All MILR students choose a Graduate Field Faculty member as their Special Committee Chairperson, to advise them on course selection and other academic matters. | <urn:uuid:94f0894f-7b4a-423c-951c-ac55acd4a5c7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/gradDegreePrograms/ps/degrees/MILR/hr.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00057-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956914 | 186 | 1.773438 | 2 |
Your owner's manual should recommend the right type of oil to use in your car. Five-w-thirty or ten-w-thirty s-j-c-f oil is used in most modern automobiles. The first set of numbers on a motor oil's label refers to how it should flow in different temperatures. Five –w-thirty should have the viscosity, or thickness, of a five-weight oil in winter and a thirty-weight oil in summer. Many people think the 'w' on the label stands for weight, but it actually stands for winter. If the oil is made for a gasoline engine, it'll have an 's' on the label. If it's for a diesel engine, it'll have a 'c'. The last letter represents a rating of the oil. A higher letter means a better grade. Consult a qualified mechanic in your area and your owner's manual to find out which type of oil is recommended for your car. | <urn:uuid:6c48d4d4-3959-40e0-9bed-852e3cbcf394> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.local12.com/guides/auto/carcare/story/Types-of-oil/EllOBA0Kd0ume9VNEsYGcg.cspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00055-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963428 | 199 | 2.421875 | 2 |
There are reports a former candidate for president in Mexico has been kidnapped, and may even be dead. Scarcely a day goes by without stories about drug lords killing and raping innocent people in Mexico. Naturally, the American media points fingers at Mexico and its drug environment as a symbol of a nation that has lost control of its own security. Rarely, does the media examine the cause of drug lords. It is not Mexico, but the United States of America which has created this drug culture of violence and death. If America ceased making drugs illegal, the entire structure of drug gangs would be faced with collapse or seeking another venue in order to make money. The American appetite for drugs is among the most painful for nations in the world which have witnessed the emergence in their society of gangsters who make money from the American illness.
For a nation that daily consumes countless drugs to create feelings of euphoria, it is ironic that only a few drugs are illegal–the ones which allow drug gangsters to emerge. We forget there were no laws against drugs until the early twentieth century, and Americans survived without need to create thugs. | <urn:uuid:27238658-9270-489d-ab18-5c25185ff4b1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://theimpudentobserver.com/tag/drug-lords/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00055-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975598 | 225 | 2.375 | 2 |
Corporation or LLC
Why Form a Business Entity
Most, if not all entrepreneurs start a business for one simple reason… to make a profit. As your business becomes successful, those profits transform into personal assets and wealth. One of the main reasons for you to form a Corporation or LLC is to protect your personal assets by separating them from your business liabilities.
Separate your assets from your liabilities with a Corporation or LLC
Asset Protection – Forming a C Corp, S Corp or LLC creates a legal separation between you and your business. You work hard to make a living. The last thing you want is to lose your home, your car or child’s college fund due to a business liability such as a creditor or lawsuit. Without forming a business entity, you are operating as a sole proprietor or perhaps a partnership. Either way, you are personally responsible for any liabilities you or your partners create. An LLC or Corporation is treated as an individual by the courts. Therefore, the liabilities fall to the business entity, not you.
Asset protection is not the only reason to operate your business through a Corporation or LLC; there are numerous other benefits as well, including:
Personal Privacy – Identity Theft –The “Digital Age” is creating access to your personal information at an alarming rate. As the owner of a C Corp, S Corp or LLC, you have options that enable your personal, private information to be secure from prying eyes. CenterPoint Corporate Services can provide you with managers, officers and directors whose names become the only ones available through a public records search. This provides you with an additional layer of privacy protection.
Tax Planning* –Doing business as a C Corp, S Corp or an LLC may give you tax benefits that are not available to an individual. You may also have choices as to how your company is taxed. Business expenses like travel and entertainment, insurance, and operating costs can be tax deductable.
Marketability –A company’s image and credibility is increased when it is incorporated or organized as an LLC. “Your Company, Inc.” or “Your Company, LLC” conveys a level of professionalism to the public and creates a level of confidence for your customers and vendors.
Business Flexibility –Whether you are just starting your business or are growing with an infusion of capital, you can create a business entity that will give you the flexibility you need to manage your company in any way you wish.
Raising Business Capital –If your business is going to need outside investment for start-up or expansion, a Corporation or an LLC gives you the flexibility to raise the capital you need.
Continuity –A business has a life of its own. An LLC or Corporation can continue long after you retire. A Sole Proprietorship or Partnership does not.
Fringe Benefits** –Enjoy the benefits of Fortune 500 companies: Retirement planning, deferred compensation, annuities, life insurance, and medical reimbursement plans are just a few of the possible benefits of doing business through a C Corp, S Corp or an LLC.
* Always consult a tax advisor before implementing any tax strategy.
** Your accountant or financial advisor can guide you as to which fringe benefits are best for you and your company. | <urn:uuid:661f28e8-a79f-43e2-9d59-9dca5eda12cc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.centerpointcorporate.com/info.asp | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00072-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947559 | 665 | 1.945313 | 2 |
Argonne — The Senate is on the threshold of an important decision that will help safeguard America's energy future and reduce the threat of nuclear weapons: approval of Nevada's Yucca Mountain repository for disposing commercial spent nuclear fuel and high-level nuclear waste.
Today, used nuclear fuel and defense waste are stored in 39 states. It is safely managed in temporary storage, and there is broad agreement that it would be better to place the material in a central repository. In that vein, the administration has decided to take the first step toward opening Yucca Mountain in 2010 by recommending this site based on sound science and homeland security issues.
The Yucca Mountain repository is an essential first step in managing nuclear waste if the nation is to continue to rely on its 103 operating nuclear plants to provide electricity. Such a geologic repository is also an integral part of the nation's plans for disposition of surplus weapons-grade materials.
Research at Argonne and other Department of Energy national laboratories may well lead to new technologies that can enable more effective use of Yucca Mountain. These new technologies do not minimize the urgent need to open Yucca Mountain as soon as practicable.
The U.S. House of Representatives has taken the first step by approving Yucca Mountain as a repository for high-level nuclear waste; the next decision now is in the hands of the U.S. Senate. Decisive action by the Senate will provide storage and disposal of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste, and a secure energy future for all Americans. | <urn:uuid:31060b8f-c21b-4442-9402-5eb1348ab787> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2002-06-16/news/0206160165_1_nuclear-fuel-nuclear-waste-geologic-repository | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935847 | 308 | 2.734375 | 3 |
Discipline, Islamic Style
Dhaka, Sep 16 (IANS) A teacher in a madrassa in northern Bangladesh cut off the ears of 17 children with a pair of scissors because they were not reading their textbooks loudly.
Angry parents and guardians caught the teacher, Moulana Abdul Majid, from a nearby village in Bogra district and beat him up. Some elders rescued Majid and sent him to a nearby hospital.
The managing committee of the madrassa initially tried to hide the incident, which occurred Tuesday, but later admitted it and sacked Majid, the Bangla daily Prothom Alo reported Thursday.
Some 25 children, aged between five and eight and belonging to poor and middle-class families, study at the madrassa. The school’s only room was used both for classes and as a living quarter.
The children said Majid whipped them mercilessly for not reading their lessons at the top of their voices after afternoon prayers Tuesday.
“But it did not reduce his anger and he cut off our ears with a pair of scissors,” one of the students said.
The students attacked by Majid were taken to a local hospital for treatment. | <urn:uuid:233f98b0-41ab-4d41-9af1-8b6834cd8f9b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=12693 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.981287 | 251 | 1.539063 | 2 |
Environmental Protection Minister Gilad Erdan ended months of speculation about whether he would accept an offer to become ambassador to the UN when he announced on Tuesday that he had decided to remain at his ministry.
Erdan thanked Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman for showing confidence in him by offering him the post. He said that he thought long and hard about taking the UN ambassadorship, but he instead decided to continue what he called revolutions in recycling, composting, decreasing air pollution, and developing metropolitan parks around the country.RELATED:Erdan undecided on UN post, but MKs eyeing his jobErdan praises leaks for showing how much Israel offered
“It would have been an honor to represent Israel at the UN,” Erdan said at an environmental business conference at Netanya’s Island Hotel. “We are facing a serious challenge there in our public diplomacy. I had a difficult time deciding. But in the end, I decided to follow my conscience. The environmental revolution is the most important thing for me, and I want to complete all the reforms I initiated and help Israel become more green.”
Erdan’s decision came at a time when polls find him to be one of the Likud’s most popular cabinet members, which could result in him landing a plum portfolio in the next government.
He would have had to sit out the next election had he taken the UN post.
Sources close to Erdan said Netanyahu wanted him to stay in Israel, where in addition to his role as environment minister, he also serves as the cabinet’s representative to the Knesset and as one of the prime minister’s top defenders. But they said Netanyahu made it clear to Erdan that it was his decision.
“As a former UN ambassador, [I say] Erdan could have been a terrific ambassador, but I respect his decision to remain environment minister and continue the important work he has been doing,” the prime minister said.
Netanyahu vowed to help Erdan advance his environmental agenda and keep it a top priority of his government.
The prime minister and foreign minister are expected to discuss the fate of the UN ambassadorship in upcoming days. Until a decision is made, career diplomat Meron Reuben will remain in the post on a temporary basis.
Officials close to Netanyahu speculated that he might decide not to appoint an ambassador until closer to the annual UN General Assembly session in September.
Netanyahu and Lieberman have had difficulty in agreeing on who to choose for the post.
The State Attorney’s Office intends to decide by the end of the month whether to indict Lieberman, and though he has said he would not quit his post until after a hearing several months later, Lieberman would certainly be weakened by an indictment, which could give Netanyahu more leverage against him.
Netanyahu in the past wanted to return former ambassador to the UN Dore Gold to the post. Other names that have been mentioned include current ambassador to the United Kingdom Ron Prosor and former ambassador to the US Zalman Shoval.
There are also former diplomats who see themselves as candidates for the post and have been lobbying for it, including Eli Avidar, who was a diplomatic adviser to prime minister Ariel Sharon and headed the diplomatic representative office in Qatar, and Yitzhak Ben-Gad, a former consul-general in Chicago and Miami.
Environmental organizations praised Erdan for staying at the ministry.
Amit Bracha, director-general of the Israel Union for Environmental Defense (Adam, Teva, V’din), said Erdan’s decision testifies to his commitment to defending the environment in Israel and internationally. He said this was especially important due to the many environment challenges Israel currently faces.
The Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel expressed hope that Erdan would continue to fight to maintain beaches and free access to nature sites. | <urn:uuid:424e6119-734a-405d-8d5d-c496ee9eedfc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/Erdan-turns-down-UN-post-to-work-on-environment | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00046-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.980101 | 809 | 1.625 | 2 |
- change ups
An Important Issue Is Betrayed
A real problem came to the Grand Rapids City Commission meeting last week, but it is cloaked in dangerous politics and stoked for personal gain. Nearly two dozen southeast city residents attended the meeting specifically to lodge public complaints against city police who are said to be targeting young, black men for harassment and arrest, and thereby "terrorizing" the neighborhood.
While ambushed Police Chief Harry Dolan defended the department and reported specific information about a Jan. 24 incident suspected to be the catalyst for the complaints, Mayor John Logie and Commissioner Rick Tormala promised each complaint would be investigated and addressed at the next Public Safety Committee meeting.
But they did not, nor could not, address the fact that Kent County Commissioner Paul Mayhue, who desires the mayor's office, organized the group for such a protest. It is not the first time a situation has been exacerbated by Mayhue's single-issue: racism in the city. It can be a deadly game when so important an issue is inflamed by rhetoric intended only to make the speaker appear important to potential constituents. Behaving in such a manner might also suggest he is bereft of leadership skills.
There is no doubt that Grand Rapids (and most every city in America) has unresolved racism issues. The debate on racial profiling by police is of national concern and consequence. But there is no doubt that hundreds and hundreds of Grand Rapids community citizens and leaders have organized new bridges to actually act and do something to address racism, rather than inciting showdowns.
The Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, led this year by H&H Metal Source President and CEO Brian Harris, has spent untold hours in discussion on the topic. It also formed the Centers for Healing Racism, which has seen the movement grow to dozens of businesses and public agencies. Grand Rapids Rotary Club joined the march and has organized such sessions, highly touted by every participant, regardless of race.
The annual Summits on Racism, hosted by area colleges, have grown in participation. Similar "summits" have been created of the Grand Rapids model in Holland and several other communities in and outside Michigan.
Mayhue has had years of opportunity to do something as a county leader. Is this issue a problem only for city police and not the County Sheriff's Department?
Where was Mayhue when critical issues regarding health care and minority access were studied? What of the mental health issues affecting the jail population?
If the city wants to make strides in addressing the issue of racism, in a particular department or in the community, it must call on those who have proven themselves to be leaders in making this change.
An outside group of proven community leaders should be called upon to share their expertise, not another city-run committee, and not Commissioner Mayhue, lest it become suspiciously steeped in political rhetoric from both sides. | <urn:uuid:47ab03a8-0a98-4cb4-b142-8cb5a95e2c3b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.grbj.com/articles/59919 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966343 | 590 | 2.0625 | 2 |
Over the past three months a sense of impending crisis has developed over the risk of an Israeli military strike on Iranian nuclear facilities. ORG has previously analysed the nature and possible outcomes of a war involving Iran, including a detailed briefing (Iran: Consequences of a War, February, 2006) and a more recent assessment specifically concerned with possible Israeli action (The Long-term Consequences of an Israeli Attack in Iran, November 2011). It has also examined negotiating options, including the May 2011 paper Talking to the Enemy: Creating New Structures for Negotiations. This briefing is concerned more with the political context of the current tensions, with emphasis on three states – Iran, Israel and the United States.
Iranian political culture is rooted in a view of Iran as a country with a history stretching over four thousand years. It sees itself as a serious regional player with the potential for the further development of its international status and the capacity to become a major economy with a strong technological base, aided by its very large oil and gas reserves. At the same time, an important facet of its political outlook is a history of outside interference. While never colonised by western powers, foreign influence over the last 150 years is seen as evidence of unacceptable external control. Examples include Russian and British involvement in the 19th century, the dominant position from the 1920’s of the Anglo-Persian (later Iranian) Oil Company, Soviet and British intervention in the early 1940s, the foreign fomenting of a coup against the nationalist Mossadegh government in 1953 and U.S. influence over the Shah in the 1960s and 1970s.
Although autocratic and repressive, the Shah’s regime also focused on industrial development, rooted in a strong scientific and technological base. Of particular significance was the decision to commence an ambitious nuclear power programme, an early example of being the Tehran Research Reactor, a 5-megawatt light-water reactor provided by the United States in 1967. In the following decade and prior to the revolution, construction had started on the German-built Bushehr nuclear power plant, but was unfinished by the time of the revolution and only recently completed with Russian assistance.
Iran may be replete with oil and gas reserves but Iranians point to three specific factors in justifying the civil nuclear power programme – Iran has already invested in hydro-electric power, so why not nuclear power, its oil and gas are valuable export commodities, and other oil-rich states, including the United Arab Emirates, are investing in civil nuclear power. Even so, what is actually more important in this context is that nuclear power is widely seen in Iran as a key symbol of modernity and, as such, an important facet of Iran’s overall development and international status. Any external attempt to stop this is seen as an attack on the right of the state to modernise and therefore strikes at the heart of its sovereignty.
Iran claims not to be developing nuclear weapons. There is evidence that weapons research has been undertaken in the past, and there is ongoing external controversy over whether this ceased in the early 2000s. What is clear is that Iran has made great efforts to develop a capability to enrich Uranium to reactor-grade level (about 4%) and has succeeded in doing so, although with many delays and difficulties. It has further enriched small quantities to 20%, for refuelling the Tehran reactor. It may have the capability to enrich to weapons grade (85+%) but there is little or no evidence that it is doing so. The consensus of western opinion is that Iran is developing the capacity to make nuclear weapons but has not taken the decision to do so. If that decision was taken, then constructing a small experimental device might be done quite quickly, perhaps in less than two years, but producing even a small deliverable nuclear arsenal would take much longer.
Iran is politically complex, with competing civil actors, a very powerful theocracy and a security force - the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps - which is independent of the others, has considerable commercial interests and sees itself as the guardian of the revolution. There is much opposition to the government, and there is also a sense that the Revolutionary Guard has lost status. A serious external threat would have value to the government by increasing support for the government. It might also increase the status of the Revolutionary Guard.
Israel and Iran had close diplomatic relations, until the fall of the Shah and the Iranian revolution in 1979 - the year Iran cut diplomatic links. Relations deteriorated in the early 1980’s following the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982 and Iran’s support for the Hezbollah and Hamas’ diplomatic alliance with Syria. The domestic climate also changed in Israel; large scale immigration to Israel from the former Soviet bloc in the 1990s added around one million people to the population, close to a 20% increase in the Jewish population of the state. This large immigrant community came with a sense of insecurity and one major effect has been to move Israel to a rather more hawkish stance, at least in terms of external threats. This sense of insecurity, even in a country with very powerful armed forces, including nuclear weapons, was earlier exacerbated by the experience of the Iraqi Scud missile attacks in 1991, and much more recently by the failure to destroy Hezbollah’s missile forces in August 2006. Indeed, the end of that war, with missiles still hitting Israel right up to the ceasefire, and the scenes of dishevelled Israeli soldiers returning across the border from Lebanon, has had a lasting impact, particularly within the Israeli Defence Forces. This has resulted in a determination to be much more effective in ensuring the security of the state. | <urn:uuid:08a6d754-4dcc-485a-b8ae-5943984f956e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.realclearworld.com/articles/2012/03/16/the_political_context_of_the_iran_crisis_99956.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00043-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967772 | 1,143 | 2.5 | 2 |
Hi I needs some help with this program on formating can anyone help?The details of the program are stated below, thanks.
This program should be an example of how Java lets you format numbers and strings. Write a program which shows real numbers being printed with different widths and precisions. Show how the result of printing 8/3 [eight divided by three] can be printed in different ways (different widths and different precisions). Show how we can left-justify a column of several rows of names, and how we can right -justify them. Show how we can make a column of decimal numbers line up on their decimal points.
If you are facing any programming issue, such as compilation errors or not able to find the code you are looking for.
Ask your questions, our development team will try to give answers to your questions. | <urn:uuid:23575b6d-94b6-471d-a363-025086a60869> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.roseindia.net/answers/viewqa/Java-Beginners/28421-formatting-program.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00068-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942156 | 175 | 3.453125 | 3 |
The three main treatment options for bone fractures are:
- Open reduction, and internal fixation- this involves a surgery to repair the fracture-frequently, metal rods, screws or plates are used to repair the bone, and remain in place, under the skin, after the surgery. This procedure is recommended for complicated fractures not able to be realigned (reduced) by casting, or in cases in which the long-term use of a cast is undesirable.
- Open reduction, and external fixation- this involves a surgery to repair the fracture, and placement of a external fixation device on the limb with the fracture. This device is an external frame which supports the bone and hold it in the correct position while it is healing. This technique is generally applied to complex fractures that cannot be repaired using open reduction, and internal fixation. | <urn:uuid:e1437ab3-4095-4f46-91ed-6f7a262241d3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.umm.edu/presentations/100077_1.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00072-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.924459 | 167 | 2.796875 | 3 |
The country that was long addicted to its aging Minitel national computer information network is also the unlikely market leader in the world of internet TV adoption.
We have recognized that fact for some years now — but France’s lead is getting greater and greater. Now over a quarter of French homes’ primary TV sets receives an IPTV service, according to IDATE and other data crunched by U.K. communications regulator Ofcom’s International Communications Market Report 2012.
That compares with a measly five percent in the U.S. and below one percent in the U.K.
Why is France forging ahead? The relative slow adoption elsewhere is “due in part to the challenges of gaining a foothold in the face of a range of well-established competing digital platforms,” Ofcom said.
That is, many countries beside France already have strong broadcasting ecosystems with major pay-TV operators offering a multitude of content. In France, pay-TV only began over digital networks, which support wider choice, in 2005. But most French ADSL providers offer digital TV through internet-enabled set-top boxes.
Non-Francophones should not fret, however. The French may have more IPTV-enabled main sets — but that doesn’t mean they use internet video more than the rest of us.
According to Ofcom research, only 13 percent of French consumers use the internet to watch TV on a weekly basis. That’s less than 17 percent in the U.S. and almost half as many as do so in the world-beating U.K.
Says Ofcom: “This is probably driven by the popularity in the U.K. of internet TV catch-up services from the free-to-air broadcasters, such as BBC iPlayer, 4oD and ITV Player.”
The gap between France’s leading IPTV penetration and the U.K.’s leading internet TV viewing habit is explained by the relative higher attractiveness of actual internet broadcast content, and because many British viewers are using the web, not TV, to watch internet TV.
As adoption of internet-connected TVs grows, much of that consumption is likely to move from the desktop to the big screen. But whether actual French consumption of internet video grows in lock-step remains to be seen… | <urn:uuid:77ca3892-fede-4e67-8f4d-4c3e60355266> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://paidcontent.org/2012/12/18/why-france-leads-the-iptv-world-but-isnt-winning-the-race/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00037-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940937 | 483 | 1.515625 | 2 |
One of the rarest species in the RX area is the endangered beetle, Limobius mixtus. It is a 2-3mm weevil that feeds on stork’sbill (a fairly widespread plant) growing on sand, but the only modern records in the UK are from Castle Water (? we think). It wasn’t recorded there last year, so I looked for it yesterday and failed, but today Chris found three. The background colour varies, but most have a dark triangle on the midline of the wing cases. For a video of it feeding on a flower bud of stork’sbill …. Read the rest of this entry »
One of the shingle plants not eaten by rabbits is viper’s bugloss… because it is covered in small, sharp, glassy spines - on the stem, the leaves and the flower buds. This also helps to deter people from picking the pretty blue flowers…
Read the rest of this entry »
If your life depends on a rare plant you are vulnerable to its disappearance. The Endangered flea beetle, Dibolia cynoglossi (3mm) is found on and eats red hempnettle (a BAP species), making characteristic scars on the leaf surface (see above). In the last few years rabbit grazing has reduced the amount of red hempnettle and the beetle, but they can still be found in good amounts in and around the rabbit exclosures - especially the small exclosure west of the Mary Stanford lifeboat house.
Click here for a link to the new Environment Agency PlantTracker app which helps to track problem plants. Its only for 3 plants at the moment, including Himalayan balsam and Japanese knotweed but looks like it’s well worth downloading. From Fran Southgate.
Another insect feeding on the flowering biting stonecrop. This time it’s Clanoptilus marginellus, a Notable B malachite beetle (9mm) found locally on coastal habitats. It’s abundant at the moment along the beach, feeding on the pollen of several different flowers.
This nationally scarce shingle specialist has declined dramatically during the last 10 years in the RX area. It used to be common along the Pett and Rye Harbour shore with a few plants at Camber and Dungeness. At Rye Harbour it has declined due to at least two pressures - human feet and rabbits - it is now only common on the seaward side of the tarmac road between the river mouth and the Mary Stanford lifeboat house. It was much more widespread, so I am mapping it this year and would like to know from anyone who finds it outside of the reserve - email me at email@example.com with location and area covered by the plant. | <urn:uuid:175b461e-aa61-4537-a29d-94a17077ac99> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://rxwildlife.org.uk/author/barry/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00043-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944487 | 578 | 2.75 | 3 |
Over the weekend, I read "The Invention of Air: A Story of Science, Faith, Revolution, and the Birth of America" by Steven Johnson.
Basically, it's a book about Joseph Priestley, the 18th century scientist/pastor/political writer who is credited with discovering oxygen. Priestley was born and lived most of his life in England, moving to the United States in 1794 after a mob angry about his writings burned down his home.
I liked it partly because it reads quickly--I've been working on a suitable descriptor for a book that moves along at a fast pace--and is relatively short, at 215 pages. As a reader, I prefer a fast pace. I know plenty of readers who love a slow-moving long book. They might have felt cheated by this one. I mention that pace because one might expect that a book about a historical figure who was a scientist/pastor/political writer might move along slowly.
That said, Johnson diverges fairly often from Priestley's story to take a broader look at his times, and often also the filter of certain themes from which to consider the 21st century. For instance, Priestley was part of a group of London men who often had coffee together, a group called "The Club of Honest Whigs." They talked into the evening on all sorts of subjects, and with them, Priestley was able to articulate and develop his own points of view. This ability to share ideas, to stay in close communication, to build on each others' work, was new to the times. The broadmindedness of the group certainly played into its role in developing ideas, but that ability to communicate was key. Johnson compares that to what the Internet offers to scientists and thinkers to day--unparalleled access to each others' thoughts.
There's something about this era of "amateur" scientists such as Priestley that so clearly is a thing of the past. Johnson reflects on the impact that leisure time had. Priestley was well-educated, curious, and had time. Others, for example, Thomas Jefferson in the United States, showed similar lifelong avocations of science combined with political pursuits. Johnson laments the way that politicians now leave science to others...and perhaps are proud of their lack of scientific understanding.
Johnson places much more emphasis on Priestley's scientific work than on his religious thinking (he's prominent in the history of the Unitarian church) and political writing, but Johnson certainly sees the breadth of his interests as key to Priestley's success.
From time to time, I wondered if Johnson might be standing on some fairly thin ice when pulling the big ideas from this one life and applying them to our time. And yet there is a compelling sense in which it would be easy to imagine Johnson himself around the coffee table with the Club of Honest Whigs, building one idea on top of another, sometimes getting a little beyond himself.
For that reason, I may not recommend this to serious and well-read students of the science of history. But I will recommend it to my reading friends who enjoy history, who want to ponder the big ideas that connect one time with another, and who may not know enough about this intriguing man.
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Support Your Library | <urn:uuid:881573e0-06af-4245-9281-98968c2bb844> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://lincolnlibraries.org/tags/The_Invention_of_Air/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00074-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976905 | 676 | 1.757813 | 2 |
Symptoms of Intestinal Atresia
Symptoms of intestinal atresia may first show up before a baby is born. One sign of IA is finding extra amniotic fluid around the developing baby inside the mother's womb. This condition is called polyhydramnios (pronounced pahl-ee-hi-DRAM-nee-us). It occurs because the baby's intestines don't absorb the typical amount of fluid. This condition sometimes shows up on ultrasound examinations made before your baby is born.
Symptoms of intestinal artresia show up within the first day or two after birth. Babies with intestinal atresia may have one or more of these symptoms:
- No stool passed
- Swollen belly from gas
- Vomiting; vomit may be yellow or greenish in color
- Lack of desire to eat
Intestinal Atresia Diagnosis
To find out if your baby has intestinal atresia, the doctor will ask for imaging tests. Your baby may have:
- A regular X-ray of your baby's belly. Regular X-rays may show signs of intestinal atresia, including bubbles of fluid and air in the stomach and first part of the intestine or no air in other parts of the intestine.
- A series of X-rays called a contrast study. In contrast studies, doctors put a liquid that contains a dye into your baby's large intestine (colon). The dye helps your baby's intestine show up on X-ray film. In some cases, the dye goes in the baby's stomach. Babies either drink the liquid or doctors place a small tube into the stomach to deliver the dye.
Sometimes doctors suspect a baby may have intestinal atresia based on what they see during a routine ultrasound examination made before your baby is born. This is most common with a duodenal atresia. If this happens with your baby, your doctors can work with you before your baby is born to plan for treatment after birth. | <urn:uuid:a467ddcb-f027-4ba9-820a-95ed1580be59> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.seattlechildrens.org/medical-conditions/digestive-gastrointestinal-conditions/intestinal-atresia-symptoms/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00047-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.922125 | 410 | 2.96875 | 3 |
Dear Kids and Parents,
Welcome to FOR KIDS, a special part of the Whitney’s website for artists ages 8 to 12. At the Whitney, we believe that artists can inspire us to think creatively and to see things in new ways. We want to make connections between the ways that Whitney artists made art and how kids today create their own art.
We have developed these web pages so that kids can submit their own works of art and be part of the Whitney too! Here you can learn more about Whitney artists, collect art, do polls and quizzes, add tags, change the pattern on the FOR KIDS pages, and make your own profile page, which you can share with other kids.
Parents may want to take a look at the Collection in this area of the site before letting your young artists visit it, as some people may find some of the content challenging or inappropriate.
We look forward to your comments and suggestions. Please email them to email@example.com.
The FOR KIDS team
This project is in beta! That means we’re still testing it and we’re counting on your participation. Please let us know about any problems you encounter, or feedback you have. | <urn:uuid:0a181916-8fc6-47f1-8f36-f0b93c0f6b73> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://whitney.org/ForKids/Welcome | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00049-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.927216 | 252 | 1.539063 | 2 |
Excerpt taken from the book The Story of French (Ch. 1)
At the beginning of our research, Jean-Benoît travelled to the island of Jersey, a mere sixteen kilometres off the coast of Normandy in the English Channel. The island is a kind of pastoral dreamscape, with small trails criss-crossing a beautifully unassuming countryside of green vales, medieval castles and Celtic stone monuments. At low tide its surface area extends to a grand total of fourteen by ten kilometres. A dependency of the British Crown, Jersey is a tax haven that harbours five times more foreign capital than Monaco. Like Monaco, it won this role thanks to a combination of handy location, beautiful scenery and unusual historical circumstances. Amazingly, over the centuries this tiny island has managed to retain its autonomy: it’s not even considered a part of the European Union. It has managed to hold on to an ancient Anglo-Norman law system that dates back a thousand years, and that financiers and the wealthy find particularly well adapted for sheltering their money.
But Jean-Benoît was there to see—actually, to hear —another remarkable historical relic: the Jèrriais language. The island’s English-speaking majority today calls it “Norman French.” To an untrained ear, the language sounds like mispronounced French, but it is effectively a tongue of its own, one of the last surviving examples of the old Norman dialect—one of the source languages of French—that was exported to English in the eleventh century. Jèrriais has its own phonetics, syntax and lexicon. One of its most striking features is its use of the th sound, which is common in English but nonexistent in standard French. For words such as father, mother and brother, Jèrriais speakers say paithe, maithe and fraithe, rather than the French père, mère and frère.
In fact, roughly three-quarters of the vocabulary and grammar of French and Jèrriais overlap, which gives the two languages more in common than French and Haitian Creole, for example. For a francophone with a good ear and tolerance for variation, most of the conversation is intelligible. | <urn:uuid:699f907d-0e5a-4c69-87be-f89d7e9f1afc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://nadeaubarlow.com/en/the-jerriais-language-norman-french/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00054-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.930695 | 468 | 3.203125 | 3 |
NetWellness is a global, community service providing quality, unbiased health information from our partner university faculty. NetWellness is commercial-free and does not accept advertising.
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Dental and Oral Health (Seniors)
What happens if I don`t have Osseous Surgery?
My Peridontist says the tooth that is attached to my bridge needs the surgery or I will lose more teeth. It will only take a few minutes to do it and replace bone. However, my income for a month is only 1200 and they want 1045 for the procedure. Is this a fair price and have I been given the correct information? Should I get second opinion? I am 75 years old and a CA resident. Thank you.
Bone replacement (bone graft) is a procedure that can save teeth if is done on time. I don't know if this is what you need without a clinical evaluation. My philosophy is that you should always get a second or third opinion. Bone graft is normally an expensive procedure. If you want to save some money go to the closest dental school in your area and look for the periodontics residents or a periodontics residency program. They can do a good job. They are graduate dentist that are doing a residency program. They always work under the supervision of faculty members and you will save at least half of the money.
Alfredo Hernandez, DDS, MS
Assistant Professor of Comprehensive Care
School of Dental Medicine
Case Western Reserve University | <urn:uuid:581f037c-8bc6-46a1-9dc1-5a905082f0b9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.netwellness.uc.edu/question.cfm/61541.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944791 | 310 | 1.601563 | 2 |
Free homework help during the school year! Get assistance with your research assignments and homework from a certified teacher. Computers are available just for students, and you get your first three printouts free.
Assistance for 2009-2010 school year begins September 21, 2009.
Monday-Thursday, 3-6 p.m.
Monday, 4-7 p.m.
Tuesday-Thursday, 3-6 p.m.
Access Through Richmond Public Library:
Find it Virginia
: The Find It Virginia web site includes approximately 20 individual databases, including ones that focus on contemporary literary criticism, biographies, general reference, and a database especially for students.
Learning Express (Learn-A-Test)
: Practice your skills! Courses and tests available online for elementary and middle school skills divided by grade, as well as general reading, writing and math improvement skills.
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BJ Pinchbeck?s Homework Helper
Math and Reading Help for Kids: Created by a cooperative of concerned individuals dedicated to helping children, parents and teachers find appropriate educational information on the web. Here you'll find a wealth of information for reading and math help as well as many other informative articles, and a ?Just for Kids? section. For all ages.
Fact Monster: Online Dictionary, Encyclopedia, and homework help. Includes searchable information related to sports, entertainment, geography, history, biography, education and more.
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ThinkQuest Library: The library contains unique educational web sites that have been created through ThinkQuest competitions and programs. The library currently contains more than 5,000 web sites to search and surf. Built by kids for kids to use and learn. It is also a great place to get ideas for your own project in one of our many programs around the world.
IPL?s Science Fair Project Resource guide
School Science Fairs Homepage | <urn:uuid:9ec7f71b-1425-490e-af3f-b88c16ccd035> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.richmondpubliclibrary.org/content.asp?contentID=20 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00052-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.924828 | 469 | 2.8125 | 3 |
Just curious — could anyone explain the exact meaning of all the connection type symbols in iPhone?
Let's see, wifi and 3G, the fastest connection types, are quite clear, but how about the others: E is probably for EDGE (aka EGPRS), but what does the circle (O) mean? (2G something? GPRS? Or is the latter a higher-level concept in mobile data transfer?) EDGE is presumably the better of these two? (In practice I haven't noticed great difference as both are much slower than 3G.)
Finally, how do UMTS or W-CDMA fit in this picture? And if EDGE is a 3G technology too (as stated in Wikipedia), what kind of 3G technology exactly does iPhone's "3G" refer to? (Also, please correct me if there are more than the four types I could remember.) | <urn:uuid:4e8cbceb-8d5e-456b-9dd6-e2167e4870fd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/22279/iphone-data-connection-types/22282 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00029-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962389 | 184 | 2.109375 | 2 |
Dear Mrs. Munroe,
Just some words of advice about being an edublogger:
- Observe the Golden Rule. We all learned that in kindergarten, and no amount of college training or practical classroom experience doesn’t reinforce the concept. As I’ve learned from my friend and mentor Doug Johnson, praise locally, complain globally, and do it carefully and with tact. Adding my two cents, complaints should be accompanied by suggestions for improvement that are viable. After all, we want to make the workplace (and world) a better place. Instead of tearing down with complaints, let’s build it up with optimism in the form of positive actions.
- Don’t put things into writing (literally on paper or in an electronic format such as a blog) that could be taken out of context or used against you. Be prepared to defend it if you choose to do that. As I’ve been told time and time again, everything you put in writing in your teaching context is a legal document that could appear in court–in your favor or against it.
- If your blog was directed at your seven readers, then make it PRIVATE. Privacy means no chance for parents, community, or media to “stumble” upon it or misinterpret.
One issue I do find troubling has to do with who your target audience is–who the blog in general is for. In your blog you said….(and apologies for possibly taking this out of context)
“….So I took the opportunity for myself and the possible amusement of my friends–since I was content and expected for everything to stay low-key with only my 7 pals reading my ramblings….I was just being pithy when I made that joke.”
You mention Blogger as your platform so I am assuming you are using it, even from your own domain. Even so, all blog platforms have settings to tweak how you want the blog viewed. In Blogger, all one has to do to protect their blog from anyone “stumbling” upon it is in the Dashboard–>Settings–>Permissions. Here it is pictured below:
Notice the options you have as to who can read it. I wonder if you had an awareness of this setting as you set out to blog, and on occasion chose to entertain your friends with specifics from your teaching context? Apologies again for taking the quote from your blog out of context, but I feel you are getting plenty of support and push back alike from educators everywhere, so I choose not to do more of the same.
I have a close friend who though it wasn’t spelled out specifically, lost his job over some blog posts that were less than favorable regarding his teaching context.
What can I say good about this experience? What are the take aways?
- As edubloggers who promote 2.0 tools, particularly blogging as a reflective tool, we now have another example to show (and use as a warning) about the choices made in that endeavor. We can thank you.
- I’m glad you have some down time that may eventually be attributed to just maternity leave instead of administrative leave. You have some time not only to get to know your new baby, but work to gain perspective on the chaos over this fracas, and maybe even do a little damage control.
- If you don’t plan to change the tone or purpose of your blog, then please change the settings for privacy so you don’t run into this again.
Best of luck in working through this. I don’t support what you did, nor do I condemn you for it. I simply hope that all gain insights and learn from it.
Cathy Jo Nelson | <urn:uuid:3c02a2ff-855f-4251-8d5d-55adc0a55283> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.cathyjonelson.com/?p=1735 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00074-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963277 | 777 | 1.820313 | 2 |
Several city departments voiced concerns over the authority’s proposal to fill in part of Lake Ontario near the Billy Bishop island airport.
The proposal includes filling in 8,000 square meters of surface area one meter underwater in a restricted water space on the island’s east side.
The shallower water would deter boats from getting too close to the lakeshore runway, Toronto Port Authority said in their environmental screening report released July 10.
But Toronto Water is concerned the lakefill will impact a water main located 22 meters below the surface in bedrock. The water main supplies drinkable water to the John Street Pumping Station.
“It’s 22 meters below the surface and well into the rock so it is very unlikely to cause any issue,” Port Authority Director of Infrastructure, Planning and Environment, Ken Lundy, said.
Parks, Forestry and Recreation voiced “strong objections” to the proposal because they fear the loss of water will impact the ability of boats to navigate the harbour in the event of emergencies. Boats cannot enter restricted areas without Port Authority permission. However, Mr. Lundy said emergency plans should never take a boat into restricted space due to the dangers posed by aircraft.
City Planning said city bylaws only allow lake filling to stabilize the shoreline, enhance aquatic habitat or improve water quality and access to the water’s edge. Mr. Lundy said the project will improve the lakeshore habitat by turning the hard flat surface into a soft surface with “nooks and crannies for marine life”.
Mr. Lundy promised Friday to look at all concerns and conduct further assessments before moving any dirt.
Topics: Posted Torontoblog comments powered by Disqus
"The province wants money for nothing. They are not going to put out one red cent into the development of a new convention and entertainment complex. The financial risk will be entirely on the private sector; they're not willing to accept a single drop of political risk. Once again, they've asked the council to battle it out so the premier doesn't get her hands dirty."
—Mayor Rob Ford, during a council debate expected to formally kill the possibility of locating a casino and convention centre complex in Toronto.
Powered by WordPress.com VIP | <urn:uuid:6062441a-f235-4c18-8a69-ab2041540ddd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/07/27/billy-bishop/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00029-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942752 | 466 | 1.710938 | 2 |
Minamiza Kabuki Theatre
Kabuki is a traditional Japanese dance-drama known for its stylised take of performance and the elaborate make-up worn by some performers. It is a very old art form, which had its golden age in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Today it is the most popular style of traditional Japanese drama and its star actors can be seen in television and film roles as well as on the stage.
While there are many wonderful places in Japan to view Kabuki theatre, the Kyoto Minamiza Theatre is one of the principal venues for such performances and a major hub for the art form. The building itself is an architectural wonder, built in a traditional style in 1929, on the edge of the geisha district of Gion. Visitors can pay to see individual acts of plays or to see the entire performance. Because the theatre has become popular among tourists, an English voice-over explains the show to foreigners. A trip to the theatre is a fascinating cultural experience and shouldn't be missed by any tourists with an interest in theatre and Japanese culture. For the uninitiated one act is generally enough so it is often best to begin with an individual act and then book for a full performance if you enjoy it.
Admission: ¥2,500 to ¥15,000, depending on if time of day and how many acts seen. | <urn:uuid:3d721499-4412-4f1d-a00f-ad7ba6b8b8f2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wordtravels.com/Attractions/2386 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973629 | 280 | 1.953125 | 2 |
Safe, high-quality public playgrounds lay the foundation for healthy, active lifestyles. Consider equipment selection, placement, and maintenance to limit liability and create a safe and sustainable playground.
Playgrounds are at the center of most neighborhoods in America and play a vital role in the lives of children. Children need access to open areas and facilities where they explore, develop, and challenge themselves as part of their physical, intellectual, creative, and social development. Providing safe, high-quality public playgrounds represents a valuable investment for organizations and society as a whole by laying the foundation for healthy, active lifestyles. Accessible equipment and surfacing is essential, so children have the opportunity to grow and develop through different types of play experiences.
To increase safety and operational effectiveness, key team members in public agencies need to make informed decisions regarding playground location, design, accessibility, equipment, surfacing, and maintenance.
Planners must consider safe access to and from the playground site. Create a barrier such as a fence or dense hedge to keep children within the playground if there are nearby hazards such as roads, bodies of water, or other dangerous conditions. Consider adequate slope and drainage to reduce the loss of loose-fill surfacing materials, limit the potential for standing water that could create health hazards, and prevent rusting or rotting of playground equipment and surfacing. If the site is not naturally shaded, install appropriate plants or shade structures to protect playground users and supervisors from direct exposure to the sun and reduce the potential for skin cancer. Shade also helps to prevent playground components and protective surfacing from becoming hot and causing burns.
Planners need to design a playground based on the ages of the intended users. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission provides guidelines for age-appropriate public playground equipment for three age groups: toddlers (6-23 months), preschoolers (2-5 years), and grade-school-age (5-12 years). Providing playground equipment specially designed for the different developmental levels of each age group can reduce the potential for injuries. For example, a track ride that requires the user to have the upper body strength to hang on while the ride moves is appropriate only for children five years or older. Children younger than five who use it may not have the strength to hold on while gliding over a distance, and could become seriously injured. Creating a buffer zone or physical separation with benches or landscaping between structures designed for older and younger children can help reduce injuries.
Planners must ensure the playground is accessible in accordance with requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The law sets rules to include accessible routes to a variety of age-appropriate components at ground level and in elevated areas, such as those accessed from a transfer station, or platform. ADA also sets the minimum number of individual play components required to be accessible based on the total number of components provided in each play area. Revisions to the ADA standards will become effective March 15, 2012.
While following the standards is essential, planners also must learn from feedback of playground users. For example, Santa Fe Public Schools installed engineered wood fiber in a playground with access to a variety of different play components. The school system was surprised to receive a report that a child was having difficulty moving an electric wheelchair across the ADA-compliant surfacing. After officials further compacted and added moisture to the surfacing material, the child was able to move easily throughout the playground.
Deciding what type of equipment and components to include on a public playground can be overwhelming. Purchasers should select commercial-quality playground equipment that is certified by the International Playground Equipment Manufacturers Association. IPEMA provides third-party product certification for public playground equipment in the United States for conformance to the American Society of Testing Materials International (ASTM) standards.
Providing a wide variety of age-appropriate playground experiences that will stimulate the growth of children and encourage imagination should be a primary goal when planning a playground. A high level of play value in a playground enables children to be engaged and challenged. Agencies should not shy away from including components with moving parts because they wear out more quickly than stationary parts and need to be inspected and replaced more often. Moving components significantly increase the level of user excitement. A child’s sense of adventure is heightened through inclusion of components that rotate, tilt, glide, spring, or provide other types of movement. Although safety is always the priority, the fun or wow factor also must be considered when selecting playground equipment.
Select type and placement of playground equipment that provide open sight lines for caregivers and supervisors, within and between each playground area. Minimize visual barriers between the playground components and surrounding benches. A well thought out playground design can maximize play value, provide barriers between areas designed for different age groups, and still allow parents and caregivers to see what is happening on the playground. Children may love tube slides, but they limit visibility and may hamper supervisor effectiveness. One tube slide could be included on a playground, along with open-design slides to enhance visibility. Open sight lines also are important to reduce vandalism and enable a clear view by security or police personnel, especially those who periodically observe the playground from a nearby road or parking lot.
Signage and Labels
There are a number of safety guidelines and standards regarding signage for each area of the playground and warning labels on each playground component. Signs or labels should designate age-appropriateness, state that adult supervision is recommended, and warn parents or caregivers about the potential for burns due to intense sunlight. Caregivers and supervisors also should be warned about the danger of strings on children’s clothing or items worn around the neck (such as binoculars), which could become entangled and cause strangulation. Planning managers also should consider surface-marking stickers that mark the correct level for protective surfacing.
Buying the right equipment and providing appropriate signage and labels does not guarantee the safety of a playground. Problems with manufacturing, construction, or installation could lead to hazards such as head entrapments, entanglements, or protrusions that could cause injury to users. Ensure user safety and reduce agency liability by installing playground equipment correctly by trained professionals. The International Playground Contractor’s Association pre-qualifies contractors to playground safety industry standards based on criteria such as licensure, liability insurance, workers’ compensation coverage, presence of at least one national playground safety inspector on staff, and factory certification of the equipment to be installed.
After installing the equipment, agencies should conduct an inspection and pre-opening safety audit to establish that the equipment has been installed correctly and is free of hazards.
In a safety audit of a newly installed playground in Southern California, inspectors identified a head entrapment; a tic-tac-toe play panel had been inadvertently left out, which created an unsafe opening in the structure. This simple error might have been overlooked without a complete inspection, but was identified and corrected prior to opening the playground for use. Agencies must use qualified professionals to install and inspect playgrounds to enhance user safety and contribute to effective operations.
Maintenance staff must comply with the manufacturer recommendations when caring for equipment to maintain product liability coverage. Effective and safe operation of playgrounds requires compliance with manufacturer’s installation and maintenance recommendations. Obtain replacement parts and maintenance kits from the manufacturer when the time the equipment is purchased to save time, aggravation, and money in the long run, and reduce the need for non-compliant emergency repairs in the event of vandalism, wear, or breakage. Playground maintenance staff members must have copies of the manufacturer’s recommendations, and perform maintenance and repairs in accordance with those documents; they should contact the manufacturer’s representative if questions or concerns arise regarding the equipment. Based on knowledge of the type of equipment selected and the manufacturer’s recommendations, planners and maintenance personnel can anticipate the ongoing maintenance needs for the playground.
It is critical that planners select impact-attenuating surfacing when planning a safe and sustainable playground. Falls constitute one of the most common playground hazards and can result in catastrophic injuries or death. Placing protective surfacing under and around playground equipment will absorb and disperse the kinetic energy created during a fall and is key to reducing injuries. ASTM, CPSC, and ADA provide protective surfacing requirements for public playgrounds. The depth of protective surfacing required depends on the fall height from the equipment to the surfacing and the type of protective surfacing selected.
The protective surfacing must be installed by certified professionals and tested prior to opening of the playground to assure compliance with safety standards. Test methods simulate and quantify impact of a child’s head with the protective surfacing to verify compliance with performance requirements. Protective surfacing on playgrounds that meets the standards for impact attenuation is vital in terms of reducing the number and severity of injuries to children. The installation of appropriate protective surfacing under and around playground equipment also can provide accessibility and decrease the level of ongoing maintenance required for a playground.
Loose-fill surfacing materials such as sand, engineered wood fiber, shredded rubber and pea gravel are used frequently on playgrounds and meet the standards for impact-attenuation when the correct depth is installed and maintained. Considerations when selecting loose-fill surfacing materials include containing the materials within a border to reduce displacement, the need for periodic loosening to reduce compaction (except with engineered wood fiber), the necessity of routine leveling and periodic replacement to maintain the required depth. Some loose-fill surfacing materials provide an accessible route for individuals with disabilities and some do not. Accessible loose-fill surfacing materials include engineered wood fiber and shredded rubber. Sand, wood chips, and pea gravel do not meet ADA accessibility requirements.
Unitary surfacing requires less ongoing maintenance than loose-fill surfacing materials and may bring long-term savings. Part of the ongoing maintenance requirements for unitary surfacing includes removing debris and contaminants along with regular inspection. Tiles, mats, and poured-in-place materials often meet ADA accessibility requirements. Planners should select playground-surfacing tiles manufactured in compliance with applicable ASTM standards and International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9000 standards. Materials that comply with ISO 9000 standards are manufactured with controls in place for humidity and other production issues.
A combination of loose-fill and unitary surfacing on a playground may be useful in terms of providing accessibility and reducing the maintenance requirements for high traffic areas. For instance, installing a layer of wood chips under a swing will reduce displacement of loose-fill materials, help prevent the mat from becoming dislodged, and provide adequate impact attenuation in heavily used areas of a playground.
Carefully selecting plants, with attention to the level of maintenance required, toxicity, and hardiness will save time and resources over the long run. Plants can be a valuable addition to a playground in terms of providing shade, but planner must include provisions for ongoing upkeep of the vegetation. Areas around, above, and below equipment must be kept clear of plants and debris such as leaves and branches, so plant selection and placement is important to consider.
Good planning of playground design, equipment, and surfacing will pave the way for effective operations once a playground is open to the public. Planning ahead can save time, effort, and money for the agency, and extend the lifetime of the playground. Even high-quality playground design cannot withstand a lack of an ongoing, comprehensive maintenance plan. Normal wear, amount of usage, environmental factors, and vandalism take a toll on playgrounds and create hazards. A systematic plan including weekly, monthly, and annual maintenance is necessary for all playgrounds. Prior to opening a playground, supervisors should design methods for playground maintenance crew members to document maintenance and repairs based on manufacturer’s recommendations. Supervisors also should create a system for storage of and easy access to the documents.
Staff members must receive training specific to upkeep of the playground equipment, surfacing, plants, and other amenities. Well-trained staff members who have the knowledge, tools, and time necessary to responsibly care for equipment, plants, and surfacing are instrumental in providing for user safety and long life of playgrounds. Thoughtful evaluation of the maintenance capabilities of an organization is necessary in the planning stages of a playground. Considerations include the number of playground maintenance staff, types and number of playgrounds, usage, vandalism, and environmental factors (sun, temperature, humidity, rain, and wind).
Planning is Key
In 2000, the City of Phoenix conducted a thorough review of its playgrounds. Based on the analysis, city staff developed a plan for replacement of equipment and surfacing, staff training, and expansion of an aggressive maintenance program to increase user safety.
A concerted effort is necessary to increase user safety, which includes funding operations and maintenance when planning significant capital outlay for any public project, the corresponding need for funding of operations and maintenance for the project must be taken into account. Informed decisions should be made based on knowledge of playground safety standards to create a safe and sustainable playground. Assessment of the capabilities of the agency prior to selection of equipment, surfacing, signage, and plants will enable planners to design a playground that can be well maintained over time. Consideration of other factors such as the environment and needs of users will help ensure success of the project as well.
Planning ahead for safety and operational effectiveness of public playgrounds will ensure that a sound investment is made in the growth and development of children. | <urn:uuid:fcce2704-1e24-437b-824e-8081e7e1457d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.astd.org/Publications/Magazines/The-Public-Manager/Archives/2012/Spring/Designing-Childs-Play-Takes-Serious-Planning.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935369 | 2,737 | 3.515625 | 4 |
UNESCO describes the Site Piedmont and Lombardy Sacred Mounts as follows: The nine northern Italy’s Sacred Mounts
are composed of groups of chapels and other architectural elements built within the end of XV and the end of XVII century and dedicated
to different aspects of Christian Faith. In addition to their symbolic religious meanings, these places are characterized by a
remarkable beauty thanks to the careful integration of architectural elements into the surrounding natural landscapes: hills, woods
and lakes. Furthermore they boast very important works of art like frescos and statues.
UNESCO World Heritage Committee has put the Site on its List for the following reasons:
The realization of an architectural and sacred art’s work into a natural landscape for didactic and religious aims, finds its
highest expression in northern Italy Sacred Mounts and it has deeply influenced following developments of this phenomenon in the
rest of Europe.
Sacred Mounts of northern Italy represent the successful integration into a landscape of remarkable beauty of architecture
and fine arts realized for religious aims during a critical period of Catholic Church history.
UNESCO Site’s Sacred Mounts are mainly located in the Alpine arc, close to lakes or at the bottom of valleys crossed by river Po’s
tributaries and by important old routes. The complexes’ panoramic and prominent locations on hills or mountains and their subdivisions
into chapels, let them become territorial reference points easy to identify; we don’t have to forget that creating sort of territorial
reference points was probably one of the aims for such locations, considering that sacred mountains strategical position marks the
northern limit of the Po valley, which was, at that time, symbolically protected by them, that is by the Christianity itself.
There is an important thread ideally binding these nine Sacred Mounts: the first crib of Greccio, made by Saint Francis of Assisi,
the Holy Representations, the protection of the Holy Land, the Sacred Mounts foundations (first by gerosolimitani then by
counter-reformists) and the Viae Crucis, almost all the above stories in fact tell us about Franciscan fathers who had been
fundamental for all complexes’ building. Some had been the inventors, like Bernardino Caimi in Varallo, Tommaso of Firenze in
Montaione and Michelangelo of Montiglio in Belmonte; some the designers, like Cleto of Castelletto Ticino in Orta, or the preachers
like Giovan Battista Aguggiari in Varese, Fedele of San Germano in Oropa, Gioacchino of Cassano and Andrea of Rho in Domodossola.
More we remeber that between 1731 and 1751 it was again the Franciscan Leonardo of Porto Maurizio who built five hundred and
seventy-two Viae Crucis throughout Italy; we owe nineteenth-century-restoration and renewal of Crea’s Sacred Mount to Franciscan
fathers Costantino Cerri and Giuseppe Latini. Observants or Capuchins, that are disciples of the poor of Assisi, are the
most sensitive and active champions of the theatre-, sculpture- and painting-representations.
Dedications and histories told in each complexe remind both of
pre-existent local devotions and of religious and cultural foundation times. Therefore in Varallo prevails the representation of Jesus
Christs’ life, in Orta of Saint Francis of Assisi, in Oropa of the Virgin Mary, while in Varese and in Ossuccio they represent the Marian
Rosary prayer with its fifteen Misteries. Wishing to follow again the steps of Christ’s Passion, like the Jesus’s Via Dolorosa in
Jerusalem (that is ‘Very Painful Viae’), they modified the Sacred Mount of Crea and built the Sacred Mounts Calvaries of Domodossola
and Belmonte. In Ghiffa instead Holy Trinity’s devotion resulted so difficult and abstract to represent that, in the end, they went back
in part to a much usual and immediate issue: the Via Crucis. | <urn:uuid:457f692d-ab32-46e6-b35c-33b8970d31db> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sacrimonti.net/User/index.php?PAGE=Sito_en/app_storia_3 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.919629 | 894 | 3.21875 | 3 |
Here's how I think about a platform — you work in a platform. A platform is designed for a specific business function like marketing, sales, HR, finance, etc. Platforms connect to other platforms, so integration is key.
The important part of the definition is that a platform is something you use every day, and plays a critical part in the success of your role. For example, the Acquia marketing team lives inside of Marketo, setting up programs, writing emails, scoring leads and analyzing results. Marketo is the first application we open in the morning and the last we close at the end of the day. It plays a pivotal role in making sure we're passing the best leads to sales at the right time, while nurturing our earlier stage prospects. | <urn:uuid:1bbcfebc-2aa1-4a8f-90cd-386a46e47903> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.acquia.com/fr/tags/paas-0 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94113 | 155 | 1.609375 | 2 |
Oct. 18, 2010 Fatalism may prevent women from Latin American descent -- Latinas -- from using cancer screening services, according to Karla Espinosa de los Monteros and Dr. Linda Gallo from San Diego State University.
Their review shows that women who are pessimistic about preventive health practices and disease outcomes are less likely to have been screened for cervical, breast and colorectal cancer. The research is published online in Springer's International Journal of Behavioral Medicine.
Latinas have some of the lowest cancer screening rates in the United States. They are also more likely than non-Latino Whites to believe that cancer cannot be prevented and that death is inevitable after diagnosis. Such beliefs are likely to result in few perceived benefits to screening. Fatalism may therefore be an important factor in explaining the underutilization of cancer screening services among Latinas.
The authors reviewed eleven quantitative studies measuring the relationship between fatalism and Latinas' cancer screening behavior. The aim was to understand how significant a factor this relationship is in predicting participation in cancer screening, over the influence of low socio-economic status and often limited access to healthcare in this group. Eight of the eleven studies looked at cervical cancer screening, seven at breast cancer screening and one at colorectal cancer screening.
To assess whether they were fatalistic, women were asked to what extent they agreed or disagreed with statements such as "cancer is like a death sentence," "cancer is God's punishment," "illness is a matter of chance," "there is little that I can do to prevent cancer," "it does not do any good to try to change the future because the future is in the hands of God."
The researchers found that seven of the eleven studies reported a statistically significant inverse association between fatalism and utilization of cancer screening services. This suggests that fatalism may indeed act as a barrier to cancer screening, taking into account socio-economic status and access to health services. However, the authors caution that additional research is necessary to enhance our understanding of the relationships among socioeconomic and structural barriers to health services, fatalism, and cancer screening behavior.
The authors conclude: "Improving our understanding of the importance of fatalism in explaining underutilization of cancer screening services among Latinas may drive the development of more effective and culturally appropriate interventions to reduce ethnic disparities in cancer."
Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:
- Karla Espinosa de los Monteros, Linda C. Gallo. The Relevance of Fatalism in the Study of Latinas’ Cancer Screening Behavior: A Systematic Review of the Literature. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 2010; DOI: 10.1007/s12529-010-9119-4
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead. | <urn:uuid:53cd3a61-2842-4c24-acfe-e0842ae7cb7b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101018112356.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00056-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946775 | 569 | 2.578125 | 3 |
[I'm at Indiana University, attending the 2009 IGERT symposium on evolution, development, and genomics.]
Patrick gave a broad overview of the past, present, and future of EvoDevo. The central question of EvoDevo is: how do developmental systems evolve? Conversely, we can ask: how does development shape the evolutionary process? Although EvoDevo has witnessed big progress in the last decade, these central questions are unanswered. Patrick consequently said, “[grad students], your future is secure!”
Patrick claims that EvoDevo lacks a central theory. In other fields, there is a unit of study: chemistry examines atoms, biochemistry examines molecules, molecular biology examines DNA, population genetics examines DNA sequences, population biology examines individuals, and community ecology examines species. For EvoDevo, Patrick asserts the unit of study should be (and is) the cell.
Finally, Patrick talked about experimental barriers for EvoDevo. The most significant barrier is that the genotype-phenotype map is still not completely understood. A large proportion of research is focused on simply finding genes, let alone understanding how they affect phenotype. Patrick used Hopi Hoekstra’s work as an example of successful geneotype-phenotype mapping. (Hopi’s lab revealed the genetic mechanisms controlling mouse coloration patterns). Although Hopi’s work is seminal, but we still have a long ways to go towards understanding the genetic mechanisms that control complex phenotypes, such as behavior.
After Patrick’s introduction, PZ Myers gave a talk titled, “Repelled and Fascinated: Coping with the Public Response to Evolution.” PZ Myers authors a famous (or infamous) blog about evolutionary biology, and has lately become a lightening rod for attacks from the creationist and intelligent design community.
PZ started by showing results from pew polls, suggesting that about 50% of the U.S. public does not believe in evolution. Furthermore, about 16% of U.S. high school science teachers don’t believe in evolution [citation: Berkman et al, 2008, PLoS Bio]. Although these numbers are alarming, PZ thinks the public is only nominally creationist and confounded by the loud voices of creationists.
PZ next gave a “pocket guide to creationism” in which he explained the history of the creationist movement. PZ traces creationism’s roots to Archbishop James Ussher, who calculated the age of the earth using dates from the bible. Until the early 1900′s, most of U.S. public was willing to accept the bible as metaphor. The *best* slide from PZ’s talk was a phylogeny expressing the history of creationism. I include it here, but I’m sorry that it’s slightly blurry:
[Note to PZ: if you'd rather I don't share this photo, let me know]
PZ went on to discuss some significant events in the history of creationism: the Scopes trail in 1925, The Genesis Flood in 1961, Edwards vs. Aguillard in 1987, and Kitzmiller vs. Dover in 2005. PZ claims that “scientific” creationism comes from Seventh Day Adventism, but is has been intellectually laundered to hide or sever it’s Seventh Day Adventist roots. The most radical change in the creationist movement has been towards portraying evolutionary biologists as “evil.”
In response to the increasing fundamentalism of the creationist movement, PZ asserts that we (evolutionary biologists) should be more active with our outreach. In particular, we should write blogs! | <urn:uuid:e2d5f36b-5d6e-45d7-924d-fc5f263143e4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://flamingovic.wordpress.com/tag/people/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.924202 | 769 | 2.796875 | 3 |