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Some people are born knowing what they want to do with their lives. They have never not wanted to be an astronaut or a veterinarian or an artist, and they begin working toward this dream at a very early age.
Good for them.
But if you are like most people, you didn’t inhale your life’s purpose with your first breath of air. Many things sound appealing, but nothing really jumps out at you as the one. You feel as if you’re drifting, just waiting for something to happen.
You wonder how some people can be so certain about the life they want and wonder if you’ll ever feel that way about yours.
The good news is you can.
Why Things Get in the Way of Your Happiness
There was a powerful Superbowl commercial a few years ago for job search site Monster.com. Small kids were filmed saying things like, “When I grow up…
For people not working in an ideal job or living the life they wanted, it was a wake-up call to connect with their earlier dreams.
No one wants to be any of those things in the ad, but because we don’t always know what we do want, we have a hard time saying no to the wrong things and saying yes to the possibilities in front of us. Mediocrity drifts in because we have nothing with which to combat it.
Before we know it, this limbo leads to getting sunshine blown up our skirts and working full-time as yes-men.
We get caught up in the status quo, following trends and accepting things as they come to us with minimal complaint. We tolerate things we never thought we would: long commutes, debt, unfulfilling work, and unhealthy relationships.
It’s not all doom and gloom, of course. We can usually manage to live pretty good lives despite our lack of focus. But if you have the nagging feeling things are not as good as they could be – that you are missing out on something, even if you don’t know what that is – today is the day you start moving into focus, going from just ‘pretty good’ to ‘incredible.’
How to Clear the Path to Happiness
This focus results from 2 distinct actions, both the ‘chipping away’ of the negatives and the ‘adding up’ of the possibilities. Both work in concert, clarifying your life down to the essentials so you can see your options more clearly.
This is the sweet spot when your dreams have a fighting chance of making themselves known to you and you have the space and energy to bring them to life.
#1: Chipping Away the Negatives
Like Michaelangelo chipping away at the marble that would eventually become the statue of David, you must also chip away what is not ideal in your life. The things that drain your energy, cause you distress, or add extra work without extra benefit are holding you back from identifying your dreams and making them real.
What would you NOT miss in your life if it magically went away tomorrow?
- Home maintenance
- Unhealthy relationships
- Poor health
Take a piece of paper and list every single thing without guilt. No one else will see the paper but you, and it doesn’t matter if you have 1 thing on the list or 100. There is no judgement here, just a simple exercise to determine the size of the block containing your David. You have to give you chisel some direction.
What bothers you about each thing specifically?
Because we are creatures of habit, we have a tendency to replay things in our lives. You may hate your job and your relationships and your duties at home because all make you feel subordinate to other people’s needs or like people are not listening to you. The irritant might be cleaning house for your entire family every weekend while they relax, but the root problem is feeling unappreciated and not speaking up about your needs.
A great exercise on finding the root cause of your feelings is The 5 Whys. You continue to ask yourself why something bothers you until you get to the real problem, one you may not have even realized in your surface complaint.
The reason we advocate getting to the root is to understand what is really draining your energy and causing you distress so you won’t repeat it with new activities and relationships going forward. It’s like your friend who keeps dating losers. Until he/she figures out why, it will be the same type of mate and the same type of turbulent breakup time after time.
What irritants can you change, reduce or eliminate from your life?
This is where you start chipping away. You have a list in front of you along with the real thing that’s bugging you about them.
Now you see your irritants in black and white, and now you can do something about them.
Brainstorm at least 3 ways you can change, reduce or eliminate each irritant/root cause in your life. Don’t think about how others will react or what is realistic. Just brainstorm the options without thought to judgement. You might be surprised at how many realistic options you have in front of you.
Some things you can do right away, like reducing the irritation of your commute by listening to soothing music, podcasts or books on tape. Others are first steps toward bigger plans, like halting your credit card spending immediately to stop increasing your debt as you begin work to pay it down, leaving the junk food at the store to begin your path back to health, or rebalancing your relationships as you learn to speak up for yourself.
In the instance of the weekend housework, you may discover you are doing more than expected by your family, or that they think you enjoy housework or that their efforts won’t live up to your expectations. A conversation with them about the problem may be all it takes to rebalance the work load, saving you from vacuuming around them with resentment on Saturday afternoon as they surf the Internet and watch movies.
As you start chipping away, don’t try to change everything at once. Focus on one thing at a time, appreciating the space that opens up when you do and how your overall energy level and outlook changes in response.
#2: Adding In the Possibilities
Once you’ve started chipping away at the negatives, you’ll have more space and energy in your life. It’s a good feeling, one that will give you better rest at night, more enjoyable relationships, and more energy to pursue the things you enjoy. You won’t feel the need to crash out on the couch every evening just to recover from your day. So let’s find a place for you to utilize this newfound energy for happiness.
What would you like to add to your life?
Much like you imagined your life without its irritants before, now you are going to imagine the possibilities. This list is sometimes harder than the negatives list because we so easily identify what is not working. Possibilities are often more subtle, and it takes some time to draw them out.
- What new things interest you? Learn a language, fly on a trapeze, dance the tango, make a movie, start a business, etc. Check out the lists at www.43Things.com or see what kind of meetups or classes are going on in your area if you need inspiration. Write down anything that sparks your interest as a possibility.
- What existing things would you like more of in your life? Exercise, friendship, free time, alone time, parties, travel, writing, culture, cooking, gardening, yoga, meditation, etc.
- How would you like to share your gifts with the world? Volunteer for a cause you support through your time, talents, and connections.
What inspires you about each possibility?
Just like we analyzed the negatives, we’re going to find out what energizes you about these possibilities and what needs they fill.
When you know exactly what feeds your soul, you can look for more of it in your life.
Your interests may all feed into one overall interest, like helping other people, feeding your creativity, discovering new things, or deepening your relationships with other people. Perhaps you like diverse things like scrapbooking events, your running group, and book club all for the same reason – you get to do these normally ‘solo’ hobbies with other people.
You can use The 5 Whys for this exercise, too, getting down to the nitty gritty of why you like to do certain types of things more than others. This is the magic, knowing what energizes you and looking for more of it in your life.
How can you add more of these things to your life?
This is where you start adding things to your life. Your list gives you a starting point to try things on and see what fits in the newly opened space in your life.
Make a list of what you want to add into your life and then put checks next to a couple you want to try first.
Some things you can ‘test drive’ almost immediately, like signing up for a class or buying season tickets to your local playhouse. Other things you can begin in small ways, like walking around the block after dinner every evening as you work up to more heart-pounding exercise.
Your bigger goals will take some time, like learning a complex skill, starting a business, or writing a book, but you can start taking steps now to make them happen. The important thing is to be open to new things and to look for the types of relationships and activities that feed your spirit.
If you are looking for direction, an effective strategy is to imagine what an ideal day in your life would look like.
- How would you feel when you woke up?
- What would eat for breakfast?
- How would you spend your day?
- What kind of people would you know?
- Where would you live?
When you have this idea firmly visualized, start thinking of the components that make up this ideal day. For instance, if you imagine yourself hanging out with artists or creative people, you should probably start looking for those kinds of friends now. If you want to be healthier, you’ll have to start exercising and eating better now. If you want to eventually live in a farmhouse, it’s time to stop buying things for your city apartment.
Whatever you visualize as your perfect day can begin to take shape with your actions now.
Creating Your Dream Lifestyle
More than likely, you will be stronger at one of these actions than the other. I am more of a “strip away the negatives” kinda gal and Warren is more of an “add up the possibilities” kind of person. But we both employ each side to create the lives we want, and when we can work together toward those goals it is even more powerful.
The beauty of this process is that it works for everyone on every type of goal. It is fully customizable to YOU. You can create a life with more of what energizes you and less of what drains you, even if you don’t figure out what you want to be until well into your adulthood.
And that, my friends, is the recipe for happily ever after.
Our next big project is all about dreaming and creating opportunity in your life. Click here to sign up for our weekly email message to get behind-the-scenes info as we build it and be part of the creation process. | <urn:uuid:02ca9d60-ddde-4067-94df-47dfae6739ba> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.marriedwithluggage.com/2012/10/07/dont-know-what-your-dream-looks-like-start-here/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00056-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958644 | 2,406 | 1.59375 | 2 |
A fundamental building block of financial markets has always been that within all the options, there's always a risk free asset. Risk free in this case means the investor has no risk of principal. In other words he or she would face none of the following risks:
- Credit risk: no risk that the issuer would default on the obligations.
- Market risk: the price of the asset would not fluctuate.
In classical finance, the asset that would meet that description has historically been the US Treasury bill. The risk of default on a short term loan to the US government was considered to be nil and the impact of changes in market interest rates on a short term bill were generally minimal.
Every other asset's pricing is based off the risk free rate. Investors need to be offered a higher than expected return in order to attract them to taking on more risk either in terms of credit risk or market risk that on a T-bill. Hence the yield differentials between Treasuries and instruments of the same maturity and currency but issued by other debtors, such as corporations. Thus the higher yield in return for taking on the greater risk of a longer maturity or price devaluation, or a combination of the two.
The always perceptive Gillian Tett of the FT has noted that at least for longer term bonds there are some market signals that the credit risk on US Treasuries is actually now greater than that of corporate bonds:
Earlier this week, I pointed out in a column that the cost of insuring the US government against default in the credit derivatives markets is now higher than for many major companies. More specifically, data from Markit shows that no less than 70 US corporate names currently command lower credit default swap spreads than the sovereign contract (currently running at 50 basis points.) A few years ago, there were none.
The credit default swap market may be pricing for a lower credit risk on some top rated corporates but that’s not necessarily the case for the ETFs based on corporate bonds vs. government bonds. The graphs below (click on each to enlarge) show the spreads between corporate bond yields and those on Treasury bonds.
The intermediate term spread of ETFs for corporate bonds vs Treasuries has actually widened of late. It is currently 2.10% for the intermediate term :
For short term maturities it is now at 1.38%:
Why has this occurred? The explanation can be traced to the following major factors:
1. A general “flight to quality” in the investment markets. CDS markets to the contrary, the US Treasury market is still the largest, most liquid market in the world. In periods of uncertainty, investors still flock to Treasury securities. Even if the credit risk on Treasuries may not be much different than that of top-grade corporates, there is still an issue of liquidity. It will always be more difficult to trade a corporate debt instrument than a Treasury. Market participants are willing to “pay” for that liquidity in terms of accepting a lower yield. This is particularly important for fund managers who can have redemptions and therefore cash needs larger than expected.
2. Structural issues. Many market participants are not equipped or don’t have a mandate to own corporate debt. If they liquidate their risky assets they need to park their cash somewhere. Treasury bills are the easiest place. Everyone has an investment policy statement that allows them to own Treasury bills and most can hold other Treasury securities as well.
3. Fed policy: The Fed has made it quite clear that it will not be raising interest rates and in fact the prospect exists that it may take additional action to push intermediate or longer rates lower.
There may not be such a thing as a free lunch, but in terms of the way folks in the credit market look at things, this differential comes pretty close. If you feel that the credit default swap market is on the right track and the credit risk on US corporates is lower than that of US Treasuries, you should be intrigued by this spread of corporates vs. Treasuries. This would be the case even if you simply feel that there is no extra credit risk in investing in investment-grade corporates over US Treasuries.
Based on this analysis, it makes sense to look carefully at these yield differentials in short as well as intermediate maturities. It’s worthwhile to consider developing a preference in the short term for corporate bond ETFs (Vanguard Short Term (BSV), iShares Barclays 1-3 Year Credit Bond (CSJ), SPDR Barclays Capital Short Term Bond (SCPB), Vanguard Short Term Corporate Bond Index (VCSH)) vs. US Treasury ETFs with the same maturity (SPDR Barclays 1-3 Month T-Bill (BIL), iShares Barclays 1-3 Year Treasury Bond (SHY), iShares Barclays Short Treasury Bond (SHV)) and to examine the intermediate term Treasury EFTs (PIMCO 3-7 Year US Treasury Index (FIVZ), iShares Barclays 3-7 Year Treasury Bond (IEI)) to intermediate term coporate bond ETFs (iShares Barclays Credit Bond (CFT), iShares Barclays Intermediate Credit Bond Index (CIU), SPDR Barclays Capital Intermediate Term Corporate Bond (ITR), Vanguard Intermediate Term Corporate Bond Index (VCIT)).
As an individual investor you have the luxury of not having to worry about factors #1 and 2 listed above. You should be able to have a good handle on your personal liquidity needs and you set your own investment policy as to holding some corporate debt. Therefore, you can add some of this relatively higher yield debt to your portfolio without adding much in the way of credit risk.
In the case of my client portfolios, although I am not a major market timer making big moves in and out of specific stock locations, it’s hard to review current conditions and not feel that equities have become more risky in the near term. From my view of risk and return in the current markets I would much rather try to pick up a little in yield through these bond ETFs than add equity risk.
Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours. However, some clients hold positions in VCIT and VCSH. | <urn:uuid:68b9857a-f52e-4bae-b3ea-1b2d65839df2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://seekingalpha.com/article/292314-rethinking-the-risk-free-rate-part-1-free-lunch-currently-available-via-corporate-bonds?source=nasdaq | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954148 | 1,294 | 2.109375 | 2 |
Anti-nuclear activists worry over the safety of the warehouse in Gorleben, where the waste is to be stored while a long-term storage facility is built.
A train carrying nuclear waste was slowed down by activists on Sunday as it continued its journey to a storage site in northern Germany. The highly radioactive transport was delayed by almost two hours early on Sunday, when two activists suspended themselves over the railway tracks, forcing the train to slow down to a crawl.
Other protesters obstructed sections of track and had to be removed by police. Officers detained 16 activists overnight caught with utensils to chain themselves to the railway tracks.
Tens of thousands of protesters remained in the town of Gorleben, the final destination of the consignment. Police said 20,000 people had taken part in demonstrations there on Saturday, in the largest ever protest of its kind.
The train is carrying 123 tonnes of spent radioactive rods from German reactors, which were cooled and fused inside blocks of glass at a reprocessing plant in France.
It arrived in Germany on Saturday, where around 16,500 police officers have been assigned to protect the transport on its 600- kilometre journey to Gorleben.
Environmental organization Greenpeace warned that one of the train’s axles had become noticeably hot on Saturday, according to infrared images. Police said they discovered no anomalies when they checked the train.
Anti-nuclear activists worry over the safety of the warehouse in Gorleben, where the waste is to be stored while a long-term storage facility is built. Nuclear opponents also fear that Gorleben will effectively turn into a permanent storage site for the solid iron containers holding the nuclear waste, and have expressed doubt over government proposals to bury it 860 metres deep in a rock salt formation.
The protest is also directed at Chancellor Angela Merkel’s centre-right government, which decided to extend the life-spans of Germany’s 17 nuclear power stations by an average of 12 years beyond a previous 2022 deadline.
The decision to extend nuclear power generation was passed last week in the lower house of parliament, where Ms Merkel’s coalition has the majority.
Germany has a long history of opposition to nuclear power, dating back to the 1970s and reinforced by the 1986 nuclear disaster at the Ukrainian reactor in Chernobyl.
After at least eight hours of delay, the rail transport is expected in Dannenberg late on Sunday, where the 11 containers will be lifted onto lorries for the remainder of the journey. | <urn:uuid:292205ac-89cd-4df3-a1e1-6cd79b2d17c8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/german-protestors-delay-nuclear-waste-train/article872600.ece | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965847 | 512 | 2.375 | 2 |
Business Leadership: What Type of Culture Are You Promoting?
by petrosianii, Window Shopper
- Created: June 23, 2010, 6:10 am
I learned a hard lesson yesterday, after talking sternly (staff says 'condescendingly') to two of my staff. There may be a distinct difference between corporate decision-making and microbusiness decision-making. Yesterday's argumentd lead me to wonder whether the principles of large, burueacratic leadership found in corporations actually works in smaller organizations.
I'm leaning towards no ...
In corporate life, dictatorial or authoritarian decision-making is often the norm. The free, democratic flow of ideas isn't usually encouraged. Harsh, abrupt, stern - what could be construed as 'demeaning' - ordering about occurs frequently. And employees just 'grin and bear it' b/c, well, they have to.
But I'm no sure this works in a microbusiness environment. It certainly doesn't work in our firm.
So, recent events have led me as director to think seriously about our corporate culture. This involves questions about how we want our staff to be treated; consultative vs. bureacratic decision-making; spelling out codes for 'demeaning or offensive speech'; etc.
What is your company's culture and ethos with respect to how it treats its staff?
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Dinosaurs May Have Made 'Milk' To Feed Their Young
Keep this in mind, though, there's no actual evidence that dinosaurs did make "milk" for their offspring. They aren't mammals (who have breasts and lactate real milk). The link, suggested by Paul Else, of the University of Wollongong, is through the dinosaurs' avian descendants.
The theory was published as a commentary in the February issue of the Journal Of Experimental Biology.
He suggests that duck-billed dinosaurs known as hadrosaurs would have been a good candidate for "milk" producers. These dinosaurs wouldn't have been able to break down plant foods until they grew teeth and acquired the right gut microbes, but they still grew relatively quickly. This could be because of a nutritional milk-like boost from their parents, Else suggests.
Brian Switek, of the National Geographic blog Laelaps doesn't put to much faith into the theory:
... his hypothesis is undermined by the relationships of birds that produce milk-like products.
All of the birds Else mentions in his study belong to a group called Neo aves, and each of the mentioned avian species produce the milk-like substance in different ways. Pigeons generate the fluid in their crop, for example, whereas emperor penguins secrete the liquid from the lining of their esophagus. This hints that the ability to produce such substances evolved multiple times within Neoaves, rather than being a shared feature that goes back to non-avian dinosaurs.
He also says that since alligators and crocodiles don't show this, it's unlikely that the trait comes from their shared ancestor with birds, Hadrosaurs and other dinosaurs — an early archosaur that lived about 249 million years ago.
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Nursery Rhyme Rugs, Children's Rhymes Rugs
Nursery Rhyme rugs bring the wholesome fun of the Mother Goose characters to life. Want your little girl to join Little Bo Peep as she searches for her sheep? Help your kids learn the words to Row Row Row Your Boat. Nursery Rhyme area rugs can be fun for the whole family. Celebrate song and imagination with your children every day with nursery rhyme area rugs. RugSmart carries a wide variety of area rugs in different shapes, sizes and rhymes, so you can choose the perfect Nursery Rhyme area rug for your home or school room.
Related Themed Rugs
Mother Goose Rugs | Humpty Dumpty Rugs | Little Bo Peep Rugs | Mary had a Little Lamb Rugs | Curious George | <urn:uuid:4514c6c4-6564-460b-b3a1-824cad007e97> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.rugsmart.com/themes/nursery-rhyme-rugs.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00046-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.901477 | 176 | 1.601563 | 2 |
Traveling Across International Borders with Your Dog
Every national border crossing is governed by its own set of requirements when you take your dog on holiday. Most countries make such transitions very easy. DO plan for international travel with your dog, but DO gather all the information you need to make the transitions -both leaving and returning- worry-free.
At the least, most countries require a recent rabies shot within one year (at the outside) and 30 days (at the inside) of passage. Speak with your vet about the safest options for rabies shots for dogs that will travel frequently.
Always keep a current rabies inoculation tag on your dog's harness or collar and keep the documents safe with you while traveling. Putting them in a zippered pocket in your dog's carrier is the best way to keep them close to hand should you be asked to present them. And make a few copies in case an official at a point of entry wants to keep the documents on record.
Technically, countries require you to carry a health certificate from your vet done within 10 days of travel. All normal inoculations must be up to date and accounted for. Simply visit your vet, have a check up, and take signed documentation stating that your pup, indeed, is in good health to travel. (Chronic illnesses that are non-infectious do not compromise the health requirement, but always be sure your dog feels well enough to take on the stress of travel. And remember to take a good supply of all regular and emergency meds, carrying them securely in your carry-on bag.)
The Pet Passport was introduced in the UK by the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) to ensure easy passage of pets into the UK. The passport is associated with information on microchipping and other inoculation and health documentation and spares pets going into the UK from having to undergo quarantine. While some other EU countries have adopted the Pet Passport, it is currently not required for entry into most non-UK countries, nor do most countries acknowledge it. The microchip is technically required by many countries. Inconsistently, the chip ID is rarely asked for when entering. If you do microchip, consider it yet one other precaution. Make sure you have memorized the microchip number and microchip-issuing agency call in phone number.
Difficulties and inconsistencies remain when researching how to travel with your dog to various countries around the world. The consulate or embassy office has been the traditional place to get answers on international travel with pets, although actual practices on the ground rarely conform rigidly to the official information you will receive when calling a consulate or an embassy. In actuality, most of the stringent regulations are not enforced consistently, with the exception of the UK, which is a carefully regulated pet border. Immigration Forms do not require you to list pets.
Quarantines exist for the UK (without Pet Passport), some of the Caribbean Islands, Hawaii and several other destinations. As these quarantines can be for much longer than five days, think carefully before casually bringing your pet into such countries. Quarantine conditions can vary widely. Also, in some situations, they can be amended by negotiating a safe isolation facility, but this is an individual negotiation and should never be agreed to without written documentation.
Some countries have signs at the point of entry for "Livestock Inspection." Your dog is not farm livestock and you need not report to those stations. While some countries' regulations are stringent, most are not; traveling with your dog to other countries is usually a wonderful opportunity to take your little global ambassador of friendship on tour. Several topics to keep in mind are: travel style, interactions with local animals, and medical emergencies.
Travel style: When arriving with your pet, have all papers at the ready and make it easy for any official who wants to inspect your pet to do so. Since most officials at borders are concerned about security and safety from terrorists, do not be surprised if your pet is easily waved through. To be honest, the least concern of security officials right now is a well cared for, healthy pooch. Provide information and opportunities to inspect only when requested.
Local animals: The neighborhood dogs, especially in developing countries, may not have been inoculated against rabies and other illnesses. While most street dogs are surprisingly docile and healthy, you will want to have a care for your dog if he meets the local pack. Err on the side of caution. Even in developed countries, local dogs can misbehave. So always be alert.
Medical emergencies: Traveling with your dog requires you to be proactive. In each destination locate the local vet or "animal doctor's" office. In a case of an emergency, you will reduce your panic. May your travel near and far with your dog always be happy and safe.
About the Author: Helen Fazio and her dog Raja blog on pet travel and related topics at www.traveldogbooks.com. In their first book, "The Journey of the Shih Tzu," Raja tells the wolf to woof story of the development of this amazing breed. They are working on forthcoming titles. | <urn:uuid:837df66e-42a5-4073-ae2b-2c0a7163b685> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dogster.com/dog-travel/international-dog-travel | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00064-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946231 | 1,056 | 1.960938 | 2 |
Review to be emailed:
Audience: 2nd Grade - 5th Grade
Victor is amazed at Houdini's ability to do almost anything: escape from a bolted metal box dropped in water, walk through brick walls, or hold his breath for five thousand seconds. When Victor tries to imitate these feats, he's stuck. Not only is he unable to escape even a simple locked trunk, he makes no progress whatsoever in walking through walls. Then, Victor meets Houdini himself, who promises to mail Victor a letter with secrets Houdini cannot tell him in a crowded train station. What secrets will Houdini reveal? This book will be great fun for readers who love the mysteries of magic and those who enjoy lots of pictures with their stories.
Awards nominated: Bluestem 2011
Date read: 6/11/2010
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With all the potions out on the market promising to give us that miracle cure for our skin, it can be hard to navigate what works and what doesn't. ELLE.com sat down with dermatologist Marina Peredo, MD to get her take on the best ingredients for anti-aging. Peredo runs Spatique Medical Spa in New York and her work in laser technology and skin rejuvenation has been featured on The View and the BBC.
ELLE: What are some of the best anti-aging ingredients to look for in skin care?
Marina Peredo: Retinol, which most people are familiar with, is great for rejuvenating skin cells and increasing collagen production. Its also recommended to start using a retinol before signs of aging appear. Vitamins C & E are also great because they help to protect the skin, therefore lessening your chance of further signs of aging. Vitamin C specifically helps boost the production of collagen and improves the appearance of wrinkles. Another great ingredient is honey. It reduces the appearance of fine lines while promoting new tissue growth.
ELLE: What about those that already have signs of aging, what sort of ingredients should they look for?
MP: Retinols are going to be your best bet in this case, too. They smooth away fine lines and help restore the skin to a rejuvenated state. Sunscreen is also a must-have in anti-aging products, especially if you already have lines and wrinkles. One of the main causes of aging is overexposure to sun, so making sure you skin is protected will help alleviate these unwanted marks.
ELLE: What are some great ingredients that work for acne and anti-aging issues?
MP: Salicylic Acid is perfect for someone who is experiencing both acne and aging at the same time. This ingredient acts as an exfoliator which helps unclog pores that create breakouts and removes dead skin cells which can lead to fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging skin. Green tea also helps in this case as it protects from environmental damages which is a barrier both skin types need.
ELLE: If someone likes a more natural approach to skin care, what ingredients should they keep an eye out for?
MP: Products that contain olive oil are perfect for taking a natural approach to skin care. Olive oil provides Vitamin E, which acts as a hydrator that will leave skin feeling smooth. Avocado or fruit enzymes are also great natural alternatives. Both provide antioxidants the skin needs to look rejuvenated and fresh.
ELLE: Are there any at-home ingredients or DIY remedies that you recommend for anti-aging?
MP: Using plain yogurt as a face mask not only softens skin but mildly exfoliates it. Regularly doing this at home will increase your chances of warding off fine lines. Another great one is egg whites under the eyes. Its perfect for tightening skin, which will give off a youthful appearance.
ELLE: What ingredients are the best for adding and retaining moisture and hydration to the skin?
MP: Silicone is a great moisturizer and has active anti-aging properties. Products that contain silicone will fill in lines and leave your skin feeling instantly smoother. Glycerin is another ingredient that is a strong water-binding agent. It retains moisture by capturing water from the air around you and trapping it in.
ELLE: What ingredients work for those with oily skin and anti-aging concerns?
MP: Salicylic Acid will work for oily skin as well. This ingredient helps to rid the skin of dead cells by unclogging pores and bacteria trapped inside. Those with oily skin tend to use products that dry them out, but this can actually cause more harm than good. Drying out your skin will actually make you break out more and make your skin oilier in the long run. Use a product with Hyaluronic Acid that works to lock in moisture and fight signs of aging at the same time. | <urn:uuid:b4f5141d-41e9-4a21-b217-c7af5192714c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.elle.com/beauty/makeup-skin-care/anti-aging-ingredients-for-your-skin?src=global_footer | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949079 | 814 | 1.554688 | 2 |
Mar 28, 2008
March 28, 2008 - CHESAPEAKE BEACH, Md. – Dominion and other supporters of the Maryland Artificial Reef Initiative (MARI) today christened what will be its largest project, the Dominion Reef at the Gooses, by placing oyster shell and oysters on the reef.
The MARI steering committee agreed to name the reef after Dominion in recognition of the energy company’s support of the project.
In addition to providing $250,000 for the reef, Dominion funded the placement of about 75 tons of shell and about 25 bushels of oysters on the reef, with the goal of providing the new ecosystem a jump start. The oysters and shell were spread over a select portion of the 80-acre, man-made reef. Later in the spring, Dominion will have the reef seeded with juvenile oysters, called oyster spat.
"The Chesapeake Bay is a national treasure, and Dominion is excited to be part of MARI and this innovative strategy of using artificial reefs to help protect and restore the bay," said Pamela Faggert, vice president and chief environmental officer for Dominion.
MARI, which has 53 partners, was created one year ago and has built four artificial reefs by recycling more than 80,000 tons of concrete from the demolition of the old Woodrow Wilson Bridge in Washington, D.C. The Dominion Reef at the Gooses is its most ambitious project.
"The Dominion Reef at the Gooses represents a valuable opportunity to enhance the benthic habitat of a site in the Chesapeake that has the potential to be a "field of dreams" for myriad species - from mussels, oysters and anemones to crabs, striped bass and many other types of finfish," said John R. Griffin, Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary. "The ecological benefits will also translate into economic benefits to many local bay communities, including Chesapeake Beach, Deale, Solomons, Tilghman and Kent Island."
The Dominion Reef at the Gooses covers a 220-acre site with about 80 acres of concrete. The reef is located on the Chesapeake Bay about eight miles southeast of Chesapeake Beach and northwest of Dominion’s liquefied natural gas storage facility at Cove Point.
The artificial reef project has been successful in capturing the imagination and the support of the public, watermen, conservation groups, state agencies and fishermen. That support helped MARI to raise nearly $1.4 million to support the reef projects. Dominion was the largest corporate sponsor, providing a total of $275,000 for the Dominion Reef at the Gooses.
Funding for the reef and the shell and oyster placement was provided through the Dominion Foundation, the philanthropic arm for Dominion.
The Chesapeake Bay historically was home to thousands of oyster reefs and billions of oysters. About the time settlers arrived from Europe, the oyster population could filter nutrients and other sediment form the entire bay every three days. The reefs also provided important habitat for grasses, crabs, fish and other aquatic life.
Over the years, harvesting, disease, sediment and pollution have dramatically reduced those oyster populations. The purpose of the artificial reefs is to provide an opportunity to explore methods for creating new reefs in the bay.
Dominion is one of the nation's largest producers of energy, with a portfolio of approximately 26,500 megawatts of generation. Dominion serves retail energy customers in 11 states. For more information about Dominion, visit the company's Web site at http://www.dom.com. For information about Dominion’s charitable giving, use keyword “foundation.”
|Media:||Dan Genest, (804) 771-6115|
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I have waited to see what my media colleagues and the politicians - from pagan to religious - think about Sen. Rick Santorum's (R-Pa.) remarks to a reporter about homosexuality before offering my own.
Santorum was not talking about sex between members of the same gender, per se (though his Catholic faith teaches him the difference between acceptable "orientation" and unacceptable actions). He was speaking about a type of moral domino theory, to which many people subscribe. That theory says if you cede territory on one social or moral issue, it makes it more difficult to hold your position on others. What Santorum did as he spoke of homosexuality, bestiality, incest and bigamy was not to equate such behavior as having similar moral standing. Rather, he believes that if the Supreme Court finds homosexual acts in a private home between "consenting adults" to be protected by the same "right to privacy" it created out of nothing in 1973 to impose abortion on demand, it will be exceedingly difficult to stand against a petitioner who argues that such a right conveys legal protection to all "private behavior."
As I read and listened to Santorum's critics, they seemed to imply there was something wrong with incest, bestiality and bigamy. Otherwise, why would they express shock and, in some cases, disgust, at what they regarded as a comparison of these with homosexual practices? The same tradition, ancient scripture and catechism that proscribe homosexual activity also speak to every expression of sexuality.
Are we repulsed in these extreme areas because we confront objective truth, or is it a matter of social conditioning? If the latter, the Supreme Court might as well strike down all social contracts should they be seen as violating a "right to privacy." Would adultery, then, no longer be grounds for divorce and could a woman not sue her philandering husband for alimony and child support because he had "plowed with someone else's heifer," to quote an ancient Hebrew text? That was Santorum's point.
The central question is at what point should government leave us alone? There is no absolute right to much in our world, except life and liberty (which is different from license). Our government proscribes the use of illegal drugs, even between "consenting adults" in the privacy of their home. One cannot legally operate a house of prostitution (not yet anyway) in the privacy of one's home, even if all participants are consenting adults. Some anti-smoking fundamentalists have proposed making it illegal to smoke at home, or possess a gun, which would violate the Second Amendment, but they're working on that, too.
The debate before the court and before the country concerns the standard that should control us and our lower nature. We have laws because not everyone would do the right thing (whatever that is in our relativistic age) were they not compelled to do so. How many more people would cheat on their taxes if there were no penalties?
This battle to hold the moral line has been lost because the culture is no longer responsive to ancient beliefs and teachings due to our primary pursuits of wealth and pleasure. Among the several problems with this departure from commandments and laws that sustained societies for at least two millenniums is that all things now become not only possible but probable. Having ignored true North, we are unable to tell where we are or to navigate out of troubled seas.
It isn't just homosexuality. I know some very stable, kind and loving homosexuals. I know some dysfunctional, divorced and abusive heterosexuals. Some homosexuals probably make better parents than some heterosexuals when it comes to care, love and support.
But (and this is what Santorum was getting at) who gets to decide moral questions when they intertwine with temporal law and based on what standard? If the Texas sodomy law is struck down (as it probably will be), then it is fair to ask, what's next? To feign outrage that Santorum would mention these other practices because some might find them offensive is to ask on what basis? Would the Supreme Court be wrong to strike them down, too, should they be challenged? If they were challenged, on what basis of law, reason, logic, theology or precedent could any objector then object?
See what I mean about moral dominoes? | <urn:uuid:b6fd5980-2930-4e02-a2a8-23f46edc3060> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://townhall.com/columnists/calthomas/2003/04/30/privacy_and_morals_who_decides/print | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973819 | 875 | 1.507813 | 2 |
President leads tour of Northeastern’s coastal research gem
Northeastern University President Joseph E. Aoun welcomed leaders from the public and private sectors to the Marine Science Center in Nahant on May 3, providing a tour of the facility that highlighted the groundbreaking research being done off the coastal shores of Massachusetts.
Visiting the facility were state Attorney General Martha Coakley, Senate President Therese Murray, State Rep. Ann-Margaret Ferrente of Gloucester, and Roger Berkowitz, president and CEO of Legal Sea Foods. A senior aide from U.S. Sen. John Kerry's office also attended.
Geoffrey Trussell, director of the Marine Science Center, told visitors the facility is focused on research that yields effective solutions to global challenges in areas such as health, sustainability and security.
"We are focused on being a near-shore, coastal marine research laboratory, because we think that those issues are most germane to the economy and the stability of the region," Trussell said.
Neurobiologist Joseph Ayers described the vast research he and his team are involved with in the area of robotics. Ayers has developed the robotic lobster and lamprey, which have multiple potential applications including underwater mine detection. He is also working on a project involving robotic bees that can pollinate crops, and developing a non-polluting mariculture system to cultivate food fish in the ocean.
Meanwhile, Purnima Ratilal, assistant professor in the Department of Computer and Electrical Engineering, described her innovative research that uses Ocean Acoustic Waveguide Remote Sensing technology to detect and capture images of shoals of fish - information that is not only critical to marine researchers but also highly useful to fishermen. The technology is capable of mapping thousands of square kilometers of ocean in a matter of seconds, and it can show how these shoals of fish form and how they move.
President Aoun said this work underscores a key research mission at Northeastern - to pursue use-inspired research that meets societal needs. He also touted not only the research at the facility but also the educational outreach and research opportunities it provides for K-12 students and for students enrolled in the University's innovative marine science program."What we do is impact society," Aoun said. | <urn:uuid:c584200c-779e-47e2-8df1-3b1c907c6e40> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.northeastern.edu/sustainability/news/marine-science-center.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953219 | 463 | 1.851563 | 2 |
News of Ray Briem's death Dec. 11 at age 82 spread fast throughout the broadcast community. "Reasonable, informative, compassionate, great communicator" were used over and over again to describe a man who was a pioneer in Los Angeles talk radio.
Briem loved big band music, but when KLAC went talk in the '60s, he told an interviewer, "I went into it kicking and screaming. I liked playing the music. I realized what a dumb-head I was. I knew very little about politics or the workings of government, and the first year I was an embarrassment."
That would all change on July 4, 1967, when KABC/790 AM hired him for the all-night show. His program delivered high ratings and became so popular it was carried on the ABC Radio Network for eight years. For a time, he also received a percentage of the advertising revenue.
When he retired in 1994, more than 1,000 listeners attended his retirement party, including this writer and my father. Big band music and interviews were always part of the Briem show, and the party featured performances by Frankie Laine, Tony Martin, and the Mills Brothers.
KABC morning drive Doug McIntyre posted on my Facebook page, "Ray Briem was the first broadcaster to put me on the air. I owe my career to him. It was an honor to inherit overnights at KABC from the man who owned overnights. Ray was a great broadcaster and a man of great personal integrity. I miss him already."
McIntyre later e-mailed more thoughts on Briem: "Ray owned overnights in Southern California. His midnight-5 a.m. show was mandatory listening for the night people. Ray was one of the principle architects of the Prop. 13 movement in California, providing Howard Jarvis a regular platform to pitch his historic tax reform measure.
"Years before anyone was talking about immigration, Ray did a broadcast from a helicopter over the Mexican border to report on the then rarely discussed but emerging issue. He was a passionate supporter of the Great American Songbook and regularly featured interviews with music legends. He was invited to Sinatra recording sessions and was in the studio when Sinatra recorded 'Come Fly With Me.'
"While this might seem like nothing today, in the pre-Internet days, Ray had an AP wire service machine installed in his house. He was always on top of the latest breaking news. A ham radio enthusiast, Ray regularly monitored North Korean radio and played propaganda broadcasts from behind the Iron Curtain and he was the first American broadcaster to simulcast with the Soviet Union doing regular features with (Soviet spokesman) Vladimir Posner, who eventually dropped the segment under pressure from the KGB.
"Ray was so beloved a spinster listener left him her house in her will. His career at KABC earned him a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His first broadcast was on VJ Day in 1945 when the local newsman ran out of the studio and got drunk and the news director told 15-year old Ray Briem to read the news.
"On a personal note, Ray had me on his show as a guest to talk about a piece I had written about the Wright Brothers. It was that appearance that led to my own radio career and, amazingly, inheriting overnights on KABC after Ray retired. A lot of what I did on Red Eye Radio (including using 'Come Fly With Me' as the theme song) came from Ray Briem."
McIntyre kept in contact with Briem over the years. A lot of us did, including this writer. He always had a good story to tell, or dispensed good advice. McIntyre described him as a "man of impeccable integrity. "
Do you have special memories of Ray Briem? Email us, and we will share them here next week. Include your hometown.
December is the month the Grinch arrived from Clear Channel Media and Entertainment to deliver layoff notices to on-air and off-air staffers at its Los Angeles stations, most notably KOST/103.5 FM.
Losing their KOST jobs were Christine Martindale, "swing" talent" working various shifts; Stella Prado, program director for eight years and a 20-plus year veteran at the station; Robert Lyles, marketing director who also oversaw sister station hot adult contemporary KBIG (MY/fm); Lindsay Sopp Kovar, "Love Songs" producer; Monica Medina, programming assistant; Doc Bailey, production, KOST and KBIG.
Also out: Trevor Trent, who did mid-days at alternative KYSR/98.7 FM, and Joel Elliott, a board operator for urban oldies KHHT, KBIG, KYSR, and talk KTLK-AM.
As soon as the layoffs were posted, hiring notices went up, but this time some positions were changed to oversee two stations, not one. It's all part of corporate radio these days. No one at Clear Channel responded to a request for comment.
The shocker to me was Prado losing her job. She loved KOST, and the folks at KOST adored her. Shortly before Prado learned her fate, she was interviewed by RadioInfoTV. Prado offered her take on programming and publisher Michael Harrison called her a "bright programming executive." No one knew what was to happen later that week. You can view the interview in the RadioInfo TV box on the RadioInfo.com main page.
Prado took the high road, choosing on her Facebook page to reflect on her three-year wedding anniversary to Brian Kuipers. She wrote, in part, "Amazing how time goes by so fast, when you are happy....Brian, thank you for being my every thing! I love how honest you are, how caring and sensitive you are, you have the most amazing shoulder to cry on and as I cry you still make me laugh. Babe, thank YOU for coming back into my life! You are the greatest gift I have ever received!"
Late word is that syndicated talk host Laura Ingraham has reached a deal with Norm Pattiz at Courtside Entertainment to return to the air with a new program. She left TRN recently at the end of her contract and was courting new partnerships. Her three-hour show D.C.-based show will return Jan. 2, 9 a.m.-noon Eastern time. No word yet on a local L.A. station.
Dec. 16, 1936: Ventriloquist Edgar Bergen and dummy Charlie McCarthy made their radio debut on Rudy Vallee's NBC program, "The Royal Gelatin Hour." Bergen would soon have his own series.
Dec. 17, 1954: Mutual Network broadcast the final episode of "The Shadow," which featured Lamont Cranston, a crime fighter with "the mysterious power to cloud men's minds so they cannot see him." The series had begun in 1937.
Dec. 18, 2004: KFI was knocked off the air for an hour when a single-engine Cessna 182 crashed into the station's transmitting tower in La Mirada, killing the pilot and his wife. KFI went back on the air with an auxiliary tower until the other tower could be rebuilt.
Dec. 19, 1958: President Dwight Eisenhower's voice was heard via the first radio broadcast to be made from space. His pre-recorded Christmas greeting was broadcast from a tape player aboard the Score communications satellite.
Dec. 20, 2002: WRAL in Raleigh, North Carolina, became the first radio station to broadcast on a second channel in HD (high definition) audio.
Dec. 21, 1977: KPFK in North Hollywood broadcast a radio adaptation of Walt Disney's "Pinocchio" movie.
Dec. 22, 1920: WEAF in New York aired the first ringside broadcast of a prize fight. Joe Lynch retained the bantamweight title by defeating Peter Herman at Madison Square Garden.
KSBR HOLIDAY SHOW
Bob Goodman's "Whole 'Nuther Thing" at 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 22 unties the ribbon on his sixth annual holiday special featuring the music of Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, and Dean Martin. More info: www.ksbr.org. Previous shows are available for download at bobksbr.podomatic.com.
DEAN MARTIN ON K-SPA
If you love the music of Dean Martin, join Jeff Gehringer on "Jazz at the Spa" at 4 p.m. Sunday (Dec. 16) on KSPA/1510 AM for a Dean Martin family Christmas, including an interview with his daughter Deana Martin.
Also check out Manny Pacheco's "Forgotten Hollywood" weekly at 3 p.m. Saturdays. More information: www.forgottenhollywood.com, www.thesparadio.com.
KKLA-FM program host Frank Pastore, injured in a Nov. . 19 motorcycle accident, remains in "stable" condition as of Dec. 13.. A message posted at www.kkla.com said, "We have received numerous cards and gifts for Frank, which have been passed along to Gina and her family. Every card is read to Frank and they cannot thank everyone enough for taking the time to send the prayers and well wishes. It means a great deal!"
For latest updates, go to www.kkla.com.
Orange County Register business writer Jonathan Lansner is on KFWB/980 AM at 8:12 a.m. Fridays.
"The Pet Place Radio Show" airs 7:30 a.m. Sundays on K-Mozart 1260 AM. The Dec. 16 show with Orange County host-producer Marie Hulett spotlights Orange County Register columnist Maryanne Dell on the topic of whether it is a good idea to give a pet as a holiday gift. More info: www.kmozart.com, www.petplace.org, and www.facebook.com/PetPlaceRadio.
The 1967 Beatles Magical Mystery Tour is featured on Pat Matthews" 10 a.m. Sunday (Dec. 16) show at www.Beatlesarama.com.
Talaya Trigueros will be at Spaghettini in Seal Beach Sunday (Dec. 16) for KTWV/94.7 FM's "Wave" Sunday Brunch. KTWV is also at The Luxe Sunset Boulevard Hotel. More info on the OC brunch: www.spaghettini.com.
More information: Mari@MariFrank.com.
Contact the writer: Freelance writer Gary Lycan is the Register's radio columnist. Write: Show, The Orange County Register, P.O. Box 11626, Santa Ana, CA 92711. You can follow him on Twitter @radioocr. E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.org | <urn:uuid:c50eb6fb-0c4e-46b8-8e7c-ef3d3807aee8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ocregister.com/articles/ray-380598-dec-radio.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969006 | 2,264 | 1.554688 | 2 |
Mon June 25, 2012
Tropical Storm Debby Saturates Florida
Originally published on Tue June 26, 2012 4:27 pm
AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:
From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Audie Cornish.
MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:
And I'm Melissa Block.
For days, heavy rain from Tropical Storm Debby have lashed Florida. High waves have pounded the coast, tornadoes have roared across the state. Some communities are flooded out. Meteorologists think Debby is weakening.
But as Scott Finn of member station WUSF reports the storm doesn't have to be strong to do a lot of damage.
SCOTT FINN, BYLINE: Some storms, like Hurricanes Charley and Andrew, hit you like a fist and they're gone. But there's another type of storm - slow, plodding and relentless - that's Debby.
DAVID FELTGEN: We hear: Oh, it's just a tropical storm.
FINN: David Feltgen hates to hear that. He's a meteorologist with the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
FELTGEN: Just because you don't have the wind hazard from a tropical storm, such as Debby, doesn't mean you don't have the other three hazards. And we have all three of those going right now - storm surge...
FINN: Five feet above high tide in some areas.
FELTGEN: ...inland flooding...
FINN: More than two feet of rain expected in some parts of Florida.
FELTGEN: ...and tornadoes.
FINN: At least 20 tornadoes on Sunday, one ripped off the roof of a mobile home in central Florida killing a woman, as she clutched her three-year-old daughter in her arms. Debby is being blamed for one other death, a South Carolina man who went swimming in the high surf off Orange Beach, Alabama. So it may be a tropical storm, but Feltgen says people shouldn't ignore Debby.
FELTGEN: Well, the level of preparation they should have should be the same thing as a hurricane.
FINN: In the Tampa Bay area, the historic beach town of Pass-a-Grill was hit the hardest. A tornado damaged 20 roofs, spreading debris among the pastel-colored apartment buildings and beach bungalows.
TONY HOWE: I was sitting in this chair right here, so you can see how lucky I was.
FINN: Tony Howe shows off his apartment. His sliding glass door is gone and tiny shards of glass litter the floor.
HOWE: And then, all of a sudden, I heard this very loud noise like a freight train. And I was trying to get up from my chair, and all my windows blew out and the glass shattered all over my apartment and hit me. And I got lacerations on my body from the cuts from those glass blowing out.
FINN: Gusty winds shut down the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, a major connection over Tampa Bay. But water remains the biggest fear among residents here. On Sunday, flooding forced the evacuation of Mariners Cove Trailer Park, including Pamela Anders. This afternoon, she was sitting at the entrance to the mobile home park with her eight-year-old son, a lot of wet clothes and her cat.
PAMELA ANDERS: And it's probably about waist deep when we were leaving yesterday. There's fish swimming around there. There's turtles. There's shoes floating around - my son actually fell down, floating around in the water somewhere.
FINN: After sitting still for two days, the eye of Tropical Storm Debby is finally headed toward the Florida coast at the clip of a fast walk, about three miles per hour. The heavy rains are expected to continue from coastal Alabama, across parts of the Florida peninsula for days.
For NPR News, I'm Scott Finn in Tampa. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright National Public Radio. | <urn:uuid:57d79327-d33e-4c6c-974c-a8b12c283de9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://kwgs.org/post/tropical-storm-debby-saturates-florida | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962929 | 843 | 1.679688 | 2 |
(CNN) -- You may remember her as the title character from NBC's "Blossom," or recognize her as brainy Amy Farrah Fowler on the CBS hit comedy "The Big Bang Theory."
Mayim Bialik has made a name for herself in the entertainment business, but she's also had a lesser-known career in a similar field as her "Big Bang Theory" character: neuroscience.
Bialik, 35, who will attend her first San Diego Comic-Con next week, studied neuroscience at the University of California, Los Angeles. She's also written a book about parenting based on the science of hormones involved in parent-child bonding, to be released by Simon & Schuster in 2012.
"Not that you need a neuroscience degree to be a good parent... but my reflections on parenting are absolutely informed by my understanding of the hormones of attachment, which were the subject of my thesis," she said.
The daughter of teachers and the granddaughter of European immigrants, Bialik was studious as a teenager and always knew she wanted to go to college, even while on "Blossom."
"I basically walked off the television and onto the UCLA campus," she said.
She earned an undergraduate degree in neuroscience and Hebrew and Jewish studies before moving on to advanced studies. Frat guys would make silly comments sometimes because of her former TV life, but generally her science classmates seemed to mostly keep their noses in their books. "I had to earn my way through based on my intellect and my brainpower," she said.
Her Ph.D. research at UCLA focused on obsessive compulsive disorder among people with Prader-Willi syndrome, a rare condition in which the hypothalamus malfunctions. The hypothalamus secretes the hormones oxytocin and vasopressin.
Her research on these hormones, which are critical to the mother-child bond, helped her understand biological mechanisms involved in parenting.
For instance, while some mothers complain about having to breastfeed their infants about every two hours all night, Bialik appreciates a deeper significance. The hormones that make a mom feel closer to her child get refreshed during breastfeeding. So if babies want milk every two hours, that guarantees a frequent rush of hormones that bond mother and child.
Breastfeeding, sleeping close to your baby and keeping him or her close to you as much as you can are all part of the natural human process, she says. Bialik is also an advocate of "gentle discipline," or not using physical force against children.
"We're starting to see more and more research substantiating that children hurt when you hurt them," she said.
Bialik had originally intended to become a research professor, but she and her husband decided that academic life wouldn't allow them to spend as much time with their children.
For their two sons -- "an almost-6-year-old and an almost-3-year-old" -- she and her husband don't use nannies, babysitters or daycare, and don't even rely on family members to look after their children. Bialik's husband stays at home when she's working, which is about every other week.
And they're considering continuing to homeschool their children. There's a large homeschool community in their area of Los Angeles, so it's not necessarily an isolating experience. There are opportunities to have a structured curriculum with other homeschooled children, she said.
The flexibility of the schedule of homeschooling, and the opportunity to spend time with their children for most of their day, appeal to Bialik and her husband. So does the independence from standardized testing.
"Especially with our kids who are 'late bloomers,' we're happy to watch them develop at their own pace," she said. "We like to know what they're learning and how."
As if it's not enough to be a mom and an actress on a popular sitcom, Bialik designed a neuroscience curriculum for homeschooled middle-schoolers. She taught 10 lucky kids all about the brain two years ago -- everything from the the brain's structure to the spinal cord to how the senses work, in addition to the ideas of the "early heavy hitters" of neuropsychology like Sigmund Freud and Ivan Pavlov.
"I think neuroscience is obviously very esoteric, but I think there are aspects of it that absolutely be brought down to the level of an interested 11-, 12-, 13-year-old easily."
This past year, she taught biology and chemistry to three different classes in the homeschool community for elementary and middle school students.
Sometimes writers and producers on "The Big Bang Theory" ask Bialik questions related to her character's neuroscience background, although the show also has a physics consultant who provides notes on scientific accuracy, too.
"I don't think I've met a smarter group of people who hang out together, possibly ever, even in graduate school, than our writers and producers," she said.
Although many fans are looking forward to seeing Bialik at Comic-Con, she's nervous about the experience.
"I'm a pretty quiet person. I think it's going to be a lot of people. But I think it will be fun. I'm glad to be able to go with the cast. I'm friendly with the people that I work with, which is nice, so we get to do it together." | <urn:uuid:889a25f5-9679-48e5-b3d4-dfe720486673> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/07/15/mayim.bialik.big.bang.theory/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.982633 | 1,112 | 1.828125 | 2 |
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Great insight. The Communists had to mix their disaster with Mother Russia to sell it.
Friedman's speech was contained in the book; on balance, there was much less potential interference with his speech at the book signing as compared with hecklers disrupting Cantor's speaking engagement.His speech being less substantially interfered with, Friedman makes a great rhetorical point about his heckler's repulsiveness, and connects it to economic activity by pointing to the need to free ride on a more popular product.Not that I agree, but if the "local leftist" had any grounding in economics he would have countered that it's merely overcoming information asymmetry in the marketplace of political ideas.In economics and contract theory, information asymmetry deals with the study of decisions in transactions where one party has more or better information than the other. This creates an imbalance of power in transactions which can sometimes cause the transactions to go awry, a kind of market failure in the worst case. Examples of this problem are adverse selection, moral hazard, and information monopoly. Most commonly, information asymmetries are studied in the context of principal-agent problems.wv - "defato" = you are in fact fat, even though not legally classified as such... yet.
Or lie about it.That's how it's been done on college campi for the last 50 years or so.
This doesn't exactly cover Cantor in glory does it? Cancelling because you are afraid someone will try to disrupt your speech? What a wuss.One shouldn't allow the threat of a heckler's veto to be more effective than the real thing. (Now if Cantor were in the Senate, that would be different, because there, they allow the threat of a filibuster to be more effective than the real thing.)
"Cancelling because you are afraid someone will try to disrupt your speech? What a wuss.One shouldn't allow the threat of a heckler's veto to be more effective than the real thing."Assuming someone will try but not succeed and that the threat of a heckler's veto is an empty one.Yes, we all know that the only thing that was going to happen was, during the response pauses built into a speech for applause, the hecklers were going to yell out some political slogans. Then they'd shut up while Cantor gave the rest of his speech.That's why the unnamed English prof at the school could say how sad it was that people fear criticism and contrary opinions, because when the prof pauses in her classes for response, she welcomes a variety of opinions and then continues with her lecture.
Friedman was not giving a speech, he was doing a book-signing at a bookstore. I was astonished at the time that the bookstore did not escort the heckler outside and tell him he could scream and shout all he wanted on the public sidewalk, but not on private property inside. After all these years, I'm less astonished, but just as disgusted.
@EDH--Not to be combative, but I think you've found a poor definition of info asymmetry and an even worse application of it.What private information is held by any of the parties in question at the bookstore that cannot be credibly conveyed to any of the other parties? None, AFAICS.In general, I think people should be very careful in deploying the assym. info. argument. In Akerlof's original article he used it to explain why there's no market for used cars. That should make clear why the argument is problematic.
From Seattle:In a nutshell, lots of people who have supported and camped with Occupy Seattle are getting fed up with a radical, anti-cop contingent of protesters. These folks who have contacted us—including some who slept on the pavement and risked arrest—say these agitators are swooping into meetings and forming a contingent that uses incendiary rhetoric aimed at police (not at banks, not at corruption, not at Wall Street), thereby driving away fellow demonstrators.
Maybe "Homage to Catalonia" should be required reading for the OWS crowd.
Repulsive product ... are you talking about women's razors?Peter
You know, this perfectly explains why there gets to be such a hodge-podge of causes at certain rallies. I was told that there was a lady down here in Albuquerque with a "Don't club baby seals" sign. It explains why communists would show up at anti-war marches.Etc.
How often does President Millstone speak in front of an public audience which attendance was not controlled by democrat operatives?
Chip S. said... What private information is held by any of the parties in question at the bookstore that cannot be credibly conveyed to any of the other parties? None, AFAICS.I'm not sure "cannot be conveyed" is imperative for an information asymmetry to exist; it's simply that one party is without information known by the other party before making a decision.From the "local leftist's" standpoint, in the "marketplace of political ideas," the gloss of free market prosperity in Chile touted by Friedman denied his readers the full context of the cost in human rights resulting from Pinochet's rule.As a result, Americans voted to support a U.S. foreign policy that they otherwise might oppose, but for their lack of information about the secret human rights abuses in Pinochet's Chile. Remember, that's why they called it the Secret Policeman's Ball.FROM CHILE...AN EMBRACE OF HOPE Never seen in the US! Amnesty had wanted to visit Chile as part of the "Human Rights Now" tour in 1988 - but the presence of General Pinochet's dictatorship prevented that. In 1990, Pinochet was finally banished and Amnesty helped the people of Chile celebrate with a two-day music festival in the very stadium where Pinochet's thugs had once imprisoned and murdered Chilean citizens. The festival was headlined by an eclectic lineup including Sting, Peter Gabriel, Jackson Browne, Sinead O'Connor, Wynton Marsalis, Ruben Blades and a newly-politicized New Kids on the Block. Never on home video or DVD anywhere in world. (Courtesy of Amnesty International - USA) Arguably, the "local leftist" was also attempting to "correct" that information asymmetry by "credibly conveying" that information to the voting public through his protest of Friedman's book signing.
EDH said: I'm not sure "cannot be conveyed" is imperative for an information asymmetry to exist; it's simply that one party is without information known by the other party before making a decision.No, credibility is the key to the entire "asymmetric information problem." The original example of the problem (which helped George Akerlof get his Nobel) was this: Suppose the average true value of all used cars of a certain model and vintage is $8K. Suppose further that all car owners know the true value of their cars. No one who owned a car worth more than $8K would offer it for sale, so--in the absence of any credible information about a particular car offered for sale--the logical inference is that the car is worth less than $8K, so no buyer is willing to pay that price.Continue this logic and you'll find that no market in used cars can exist. This is obviously absurd, but why? The main reason is that the true value of a used car can be assessed by a reliable third party, about as well (or better, actually) than it can be assessed by the seller. You can always have car inspected by a mechanic you trust before buying it. Also, used-car dealers engaged in repeated purchases and sales worry about the damage to their reputations from selling lemons, and are able to assess used-car values fairly well. The essential point is that the seller wants to reveal his private information, because if he doesn't then potential buyers will be suspicious. The value of credible information from sources like carfax is why sellers will voluntarily provide it to potential buyers.Now, it's true that a leftist screaming about Friedman and Pinochet cannot convey reliable information about either of those topics, but the leftist's attempt to free-ride off Friedman's book signing isn't going to change that.
Chip S. said...Now, it's true that a leftist screaming about Friedman and Pinochet cannot convey reliable information about either of those topics...Why not? How about John Cleese and Monty Python? Sting? New Kids on the Block?Moreover, what makes you think the problem of information asymmetry is necessarily restricted to private transactions involving zero-sum exchanges of depreciated assets between utility-wealth maximizing actors?Akerlof's "The Market for Lemons: Quality Uncertainty and the Market Mechanism," is the special case of a theoretical model with an "interaction between quality heterogeneity and asymmetric information," which produces the anomalous result that the party with the better information endowment suffers the disadvantage.Asymmetric information applied to U.S. voter political choice and human rights in Chile, however, would involve instead a model of altruism and externalities -- not the direct utility maximizing self interest of the kind you find in zero-sum used car transactions.
EDH, Go ahead and stay ill-informed on this topic. I don't really care.You appear to know as little about Chile as you do about asymmetric information.
Chip S. said... EDH, Go ahead and stay ill-informed on this topic. I don't really care. You appear to know as little about Chile as you do about asymmetric information.Never viewed it as a matter of proving anything about each other's knowledge, but I endeavored to explain and support what I still think was a valid assertion. I'm comfortable letting the thread's readers draw their own conclusions about our respective arguments.
Post a Comment | <urn:uuid:e18a26d9-9972-4aed-8055-09a63896f3bf> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://althouse.blogspot.com/2011/10/when-your-product-is-so-repulsive-that.html?showComment=1319297839693 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9703 | 2,046 | 1.625 | 2 |
Tussionex is used to suppress coughing, pain, and other symptoms of allergies. Tussionex contains narcotic ingredients that are highly addictive, and some patients may become unintentionally addicted. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that 40 people die every day in America from painkiller overdoses. Substance abuse and addiction can cause many long-term health hazards, and one overdose can be fatal. Anyone addicted to Tussionex should get professional help immediately.
Inpatient Facilities vs. Outpatient Clinics
Leading benefit of choosing an inpatient Tussionex rehab center are the professional staff and assistance provided. There are medical professionals and highly trained personnel to help with the battles an addict will undergo throughout treatment. Professionals will assist with the detoxification process and keep the addict safe. An outpatient clinic will require the addict to attend all meetings and sessions. With outpatient treatment, the addict will have to deal with addiction in a community where there is access to Tussionex, and this can be difficult. Both treatment options often require testing and therapy.
If you or someone you love is struggling with drug and alcohol addiction, you may need to find an inpatient drug rehab center. Inpatient drug rehabilitation centers can give you the intensive therapy and tools you need to defeat alcohol and drug addiction so you can get back on the right path and live a successful, happy and productive life.Read More
Do I Need to Attend a Residential Rehab Facility?
A patient who has used the medication only as directed by a physician, and who doesn't misuse the drug, could be successful with an outpatient treatment program. An addict who took the medication more often than needed, or who will do anything to get a large amount of the medication, should opt for a residential program. This prevents access to the drug and the temptation for the addict to purchase it off the streets.
Tolerance vs. Dependence
Over time, the body may accumulate a resistance to Tussionex. Thus, the addict must take more to get high. This is considered tolerance. Dependency is when the body has withdrawal symptoms in absence of the drug.
Are Tussionex Rehabs Private and Confidential?
Private rehabilitation centers are available for patients who want to conceal their true identities. The patient should call in advance to make these arrangements. The patient will use an alternate name throughout the program. Patients can request a private room throughout their stay at a Tussionex treatment center. Visiting guests should be informed of this alternate identity to maintain the patient's privacy. All workers and medical professionals working in a treatment center are required to sign nondisclosure agreements for patient confidentiality. Ask about this policy before choosing a treatment center.
How Long Does Inpatient Tussionex Rehabilitation Last?
The duration of treatment will depend on the addict. All substance abusers are different, and each may choose a different program. Short programs will take from 28 to 30 days. Addicts who need more time for recovery can attend for 60 days. There are 90-day programs and even longer ones for those who need more time. Some addicts will need to extend their time in a Tussionex rehabilitation facility after their first session; others may consider decreasing their time. This will all vary on the progress (or regression) the patient demonstrates.
What Happens During Treatment?
If you or someone you know is battling a substance abuse problem, get help right away.-Rehabs.comThe intake process if the first part of a Tussionex rehab program. The addict will be tested for drugs. This test tells the medical staff if the addict can go straight to rehab or if detox is needed first. Detox will postpone the treatment for a few days. This allows the addict to get clean. The addict will be evaluated, and a treatment program will be chosen. The addict will sit with a mental health professional for therapy and also join therapy groups. Throughout the program, the addict will learn the dangers of addiction, how to fight it, and how to live outside of rehab. At the end of the program, the patient will be evaluated again. More treatment may be recommended.
Paying for Tussionex Addiction Treatment
The cost of addiction treatment at a rehab facility will be different between establishments. Your insurance company may pay for some of the treatment costs. Speak with your insurance provider before entering rehab. Financing options could be a possibility for those without insurance.
Should I Travel or Stay Close to Home?
An addict may want to be close to their members and friends during this time. If this is a need, the addict should stay close to home. If temptation is too much when being around old friends who are also users, the addict should keep a distance from these people during rehab.
I Want to Find an Executive or Luxury Rehab Center
If business-related duties are stopping you or someone you love from looking for care for a drug use issue or behavioral addiction, executive rehabilitation centers may be what you need. By leveraging top-rated substance addiction and behavioral treatments with the flexibility of computer and mobile access, a business person can get assistance in comfort and seclusion.
Often, current illicit substance and behavior addiction treatment clinics furnish the top-shelf amenities you would only expect to find in America's best hotels, with your comfort and health being the areas of focus. From housekeeping services and in-house massage therapy to gym facilities and private rooms, you can get the highest-quality substance addiction and behavioral treatment for yourself or someone you love while taking it easy. For assistance in locating the best-rated luxury treatment centers for Tussionex addiction, dial our no-cost helpline at your earliest convenience at 1-888-716-9806.
What Happens After Treatment?
Many addicts will struggle to stay clean after leaving a Tussionex rehab facility. This is why addicts should continue with outpatient therapy. The addict should check in regularly with health professionals and get support from family and friends.
Is the Addict Ready for Treatment?
Adults have to go to treatment on their own. Only a legal court order or medical incident can force an adult into rehabilitation. If the addict has expressed an interest in changing their life and wants to get sober, that person is ready for treatment. Minors can be forced into rehab by parents or legal guardians.
Learn More About:
- Interventions. Be prepared before you sit down with an addict. You must learn how to handle the addict, how to approach the situation, and how to convince the addict of the problem. A medical professional can help you approach an addict about getting treatment. Providing proof of the addiction is a great way to address the issue. A Brandeis University study has stated that teens are twice as likely to get high from prescription medications than other recreational drugs. Presenting the empty prescription bottles is proof you know of the addiction.
- Assessment and intake. The addict has to be sober to start therapeutic treatment at a Tussionex rehabilitation center. Centers will test addicts as they arrive. Addicts who show drugs in their systems will go into detox. Addicts who are clean will start rehab immediately.
Detox and withdrawal from Tussionex. The detox portion of treatment may be the most difficult for the addict. At inpatient facilities, the patient will be cared for properly. The severity of the detox symptoms will depend on the intensity of the individual's addiction. Detox can produce symptoms such as:
- Severe headaches
- High fever
- Inpatient treatment vs. outpatient treatment. At an inpatient center, the addict can be monitored at all times. There is no access to Tussionex or any other illegal or addictive substances, and there are supportive people around constantly. Outpatient care is a better option for addicts who have already completed inpatient treatment.
- Treatment methods. There are many treatment options for addicts. A program with steps and milestones to work towards, such as a 12-step program, is often a great choice. This gives the addict goals to aim for and a feeling of accomplishment when each step is completed. Others may choose a more holistic form of treatment based on faith and spirituality. Talk with someone at a Tussionex rehab facility to see what programs are offered.
- Creating a sober lifestyle after a Tussionex rehab program. An addict must want to stay sober after treatment. It may be best for the addict to stay with a close friend or relative to be monitored and for support. Outpatient therapy sessions or personal sessions with a familiar health professional can help the patient stay clean.
It's Possible to Turn Everything Around
Tussionex addiction treatment facilities can help anyone get sober. There are many methods that benefit addicts throughout their struggles. If you or someone you know is battling a substance abuse problem, get help right away.
It isn't uncommon to become addicted to a prescription medication. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that the use of prescription medications in America has risen 300 percent since 1999. This leaves many Americans at risk of developing an addiction. Long-term use of Tussionex can lead to a substance abuse problem in people of all ages. | <urn:uuid:aa5f9201-a53e-42ec-9e89-eb5c4abcab1f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.rehabs.com/about/tussionex-rehab/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937474 | 1,859 | 1.695313 | 2 |
In 2010 I wrote about applying mathematics to poker machine regulations and demonstrated that poker machines in Australia could be consider as unfair since important information on the probabilities associated with each outcome is not displayed directly on the machines or could be calculated indirectly through the playing rules (as typically applies to casino table games). I suggested, as an approach towards responsible gambling and to increase consumer protection, to amend poker machine regulations such that the probabilities associated with each payout are displayed on each machine along with information that would advise players of the chances of ending up with a certain amount of profit after playing for a certain amount of time.1
Consider the sample poker machine for a single trial given by Table 1 below. The initial cost (the cost to play) is $1, and the initial cost is given directly on every machine in Australia. The payouts for each possible outcome (column 2) are also given directly on every machine in the form of prices. However, the probabilities associated with each outcome (column 3) are not given on the machine, and this fundamental piece of information is required to calculate the expected payouts (column 4), which enables the consumer to know how much they are expected to lose with each spin of the machine. This expected loss is obtained as $0.10 from Table 1. It can also be readily shown that there is a 13.9% chance of ending up with any profit and a 60% chance of ending with a loss (losing the initial cost of $1 to play the game).
Table 1: The payouts with associated probabilities for a sample poker machine.
Suppose there are 10 spins per minute on a typical machine. Then a player is likely to spin 10 x 60 = 600 spins per hour, and this allows such calculations as the chances of ending up ahead, more than $200 ahead or more than $200 behind after 1 hour of play. This information is represented in Table 2 and shows that even though a player is expected to lose 600 x 0.1 = $60 per hour, there is a 26.2% chance of losing more than $200 per hour and a 8.9% chance of winning more than $200 per hour. This type of information along with the type of information represented in Table 1 could be readily displayed on each machine to enable the player to make decisions as to whether to play a particular machine and how long to play for. Furthermore, this statistical information could potentially be available for table games (e.g. blackjack, roulette etc.) and distributed via computerized information kiosks at the particular gambling venue.
Figure 1 below represents the relevant statistics for roulette given Type of Bet: Red/Black, Initial Cost: $10 and Plays per Hour: 45. These input parameters are used to generate information containing the probabilities for each outcome on a single play, average loss per play, average loss per hour, and the chances of obtaining various payouts after 1 hour of play. The operations of the information kiosk are such that the input parameters (Type of Bet, Initial Cost, Plays per Hour) are defined by the player, and the statistical results are generated accordingly.
Table 2: The chances of obtaining various payouts after 600 spins of a sample poker machine.
Figure 1: Relevant statistical information for the Red/Black bet in Roulette. | <urn:uuid:9451d71c-594d-46b3-9cf3-345c5ab87c4f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.significancemagazine.org/details/webexclusive/1754725/Safer-gambling.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00044-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942794 | 672 | 2.140625 | 2 |
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Session 78 - Unique Objects and Gamma Bursts.
Oral session, Thursday, June 13
Using a new analysis method, we search for narrow energy band, short-lived flares in gamma-ray bursts. Gamma-ray burst spectra are observed to be non-thermal but if the sources are located at cosmological distances, basic fireball models predict thermal spectra. These models are still viable if there are several thermal regions which become optically thin at different times and apparent temperatures giving rise to an apparently non-thermal spectrum. We use time-tagged count data from the BATSE Spectroscopy Detectors to determine the probability that any pair of counts came from the same energy band. If burst spectra are composed of many short duration black bodies, the average correlation between counts should be larger when the counts are separated by small time intervals. We discuss how the correlation between counts is calculated and apply this method to many short gamma-ray bursts.
Program listing for Thursday | <urn:uuid:75864020-d3a4-4887-b86e-d45fc71e7b94> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://aas.org/archives/BAAS/v28n2/aas188/abs/S078002.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.91578 | 205 | 2.40625 | 2 |
Congress extends reduced rate on subsidized student loans
On June 29, 2012, Congress voted to extend the 3.4% interest rate for subsidized federal student loans for one year.
This rate applies only to undergraduate students who borrow subsidized federal student loans for the 2012-2013 academic year.
The Budget Control Act of 2011 eliminated subsidized loans for graduate and professional students, effective July 1, 2012. Graduate and professional students may continue to borrow unsubsidized loans.
A summary of rates for the 2012-2013 academic year can be found below:
Direct Stafford Subsidized: 3.4%
Direct Stafford Unsubsidized: 6.8%
Direct PLUS Graduate (Grad PLUS): 7.9% | <urn:uuid:7c9bd257-23bc-4a54-9eec-7804aafeaf43> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.umaryland.edu/fin/few/subsidizedrates.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00051-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935891 | 145 | 1.578125 | 2 |
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Step 7: Write Your KSAs and Cover Letter15 Comments
“KSA” is an abbreviation for knowledge, skills, and abilities. KSAs are attributes required to perform a job and which are generally demonstrated through qualifying experience, education, or training.
KSAs are used as part of a rating process to determine which candidates are best qualified for a given position. Choose from th...
Premium content is for GovCentral members only. To continue reading, please sign in or create an account — it's free and takes less than a minute! | <urn:uuid:f1a516ba-6eba-4d6c-a568-0d5c2c3e296a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://govcentral.monster.com/careers/articles/18-step-7-write-your-ksas-and-cover-letter | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952366 | 119 | 1.648438 | 2 |
I had the privilege of a complete Catholic education in Minnesota, beginning in first grade for twelve years with the Sisters of St. Joseph through grade school and high school and then on to the seminary where I received another eight years, tuition free, of a Catholic education and then, in 1957, right into the priesthood - back in the days when all priests were Democrats. Even when I went to graduate school for a Masters in Social Work, it was in a Catholic setting. Archbishop Lucey of San Antonio had funded a social work education program so that the Church could better serve the poor. It was the first social work masters degree program in Texas and run by the Incarnate Word Sisters. That whole background explains why I am today a proud liberal, a proud Catholic, and a yellow dog Democrat.
So far as I know, back in the 60’s, all the Catholic bishops supported Caesar Chavez, even at the risk of alienating wealthy titans in the agriculture industry, especially in the lucrative vineyards. Cardinal Mahoney went against his own wealthy Italian wine making family in California to march with Cesar Chavez at the same time Dorothy Day was getting arrested along with Cesar. Perhaps you will recall the photo of our Catholic-educated Bobby Kennedy attending a Mass out in the fields with Dorothy and Cesar.
Yet when the Bushes and Ronald Reagan campaigned openly against the social justice teachings of the Church, Catholics voted for them. They should have known better. They were voting against their own identity.
Beginning with deacons and deaconesses in the Acts of the Apostles right up until the Social Security Act in 1935, which established a safety net for the poor, and crafted in great part by St. Paul’s own Monsignor John A. Ryan, the Catholic Church’s stand for the Gospel teachings of Jesus has always been obvious.
From the beginning of Christianity, it was only the Church which founded schools and hospitals and cared for the poor. In the Middle Ages, when European Catholics first confronted Chinese culture, the Chinese were immediately struck by the compassion found in Christianity and were attracted to it. In every age, our saints have been those who cared for the poor and neglected, whether it was St. Peter Claver or St. Martin de Porres working with African slaves or Bridget of Ireland who gave away all her clothes to poor beggars at her door. Catholics were always taught who came first.
Here is how the world saw us in the first century:
There is something extraordinary about their lives. They live in their own countries as if they were passing through. They play their full role as citizens, but labor under all the disabilities of aliens. Any country can be their homeland but for them their homeland, where it may be, is a foreign country. They live in the flesh, but they are not governed by the desires of the flesh. They pass their days on earth but they are citizens of heaven. Obedient to the laws, they yet live on a level that transcends the law. Christians love all, but all persecute them. Condemned because they are not understood, they are put to death, but raised to life again. They live in poverty, but enrich many. They are totally destitute but possess an abundance of everything. They suffer dishonor, but that is their glory. They are defamed, but vindicated. A blessing is their answer to abuse, deference their response to insult. For the good they do, they receive the punishment of malefactors, but even then they rejoice, as though receiving the gift of life.
- From A Letter to Diognetus (Nn. 5-6; Funk, 397-401)
If American Catholics had only paid attention to the papal encyclicals and the bishops’ letters on poverty, workers’ rights and peace, then Catholic social teaching would be better known today and no longer described as “our best kept secret.” What a shame! With over 30% of the Congress made up of Catholics and with six out of the nine Supreme Court justices Catholic, we have arrived politically. Just think what the Church could do if its social teachings were known and lived by the laity. Now, sad to say, even the most liberal of Catholic Democrats has to run on improving the lot of “the middle class,” without a word about the really poor. Catholics vote like everybody else, forgetting the common good but remembering their pocketbook.
Yet the work of Christ goes on, quietly now, as if the Church has resigned from politics. Parishes everywhere turn their Confirmation classes loose on social justice projects, even sending them on trips to the Third World. There are the Jesuit Volunteers, mostly graduates of Jesuit colleges, whose motto is “We will ruin your life” (i.e., your life of ease, pleasure, comfort and wealth). There are the execution vigils stubbornly carried out in every diocese in Texas, sometimes as many as three times a week, and almost exclusively made up of Catholics (granted those are mostly nuns). There are prison ministries which never garner any headlines but offer encouragement to thousands of inmates. There are the homeless shelters, the soup kitchens, the drop in centers, and the welcoming of illegal immigrants by such simple things as Catholic parishes in border towns leaving their churches open all night and advertising it in their parish bulletins, providing some good places to hide and sleep. It has always been the case that convents and rectories were known as places to get handouts. Even though there was never any formal study to show Catholics to be more generous than others, just ask any hobo where the best place to go is.
Even though the second largest “denomination” in the country is now “ex-Catholic” and, by and large, progressive, don’t count out us guys who still belong to the largest denomination, the Catholic Church. We still go to Mass on Sunday and we still give a damn. | <urn:uuid:ea67e211-97bf-4e16-8fe8-c603193364a5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://theprogressivecatholicvoice.blogspot.com/2009/09/church-is-dead-long-live-church.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00028-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.981014 | 1,235 | 1.96875 | 2 |
Hugging the Coast
These monarchs are roosting a short distance from the Atlantic Ocean. Strong north winds carried them to the southern side of New York's Fire Island on Monday, September 10th. Coastlines are a great place to watch fall migration because the wind funnels monarchs there. Flying along the coast is a monarch's last ditch effort to avoid the dangers of crossing open water.
Image: Barbara Becker | <urn:uuid:41d19f3f-69fb-4865-854c-163a7c95a66e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://learner.org/jnorth/monarch/fall2012/c091312_2.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.914945 | 86 | 2.46875 | 2 |
Guided by three core values - independence, integrity and professionalism - the IBAN strives to be the respected voice of accountability within NATO.
Tasks and responsibilities
- Financial audits of NATO bodies result in an audit opinion on the presentation of the financial statements and on the compliance with budgetary authorisations and applicable regulations.
- Performance audits are carried out to evaluate the economy, efficiency and effectiveness of the activities and operations of NATO bodies.
- NATO Security Investment Programme (NSIP) audits cover the expenditure made by NATO bodies and member countries under the NISP. The audit results in the certification of the final amount charged to NATO.
The IBAN is composed of six Board Members, appointed by Council for a four-year, non-renewable term. Board Members are usually members of their respective national audit institution or government officials with audit experience. They have independent status and report only to the Council.
The Chairman of the Board is appointed by the Council for a two-year term. The Board is assisted by auditors and secretarial staff with NATO International Staff status. | <urn:uuid:ecde1009-f9f9-469d-9ae9-6aab2cd4f358> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nato.int/cps/en/SID-F50E861E-516CDE5A/natolive/topics_55937.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00028-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951704 | 219 | 1.601563 | 2 |
Feminist Illogic: Suing To Compel Violence Against Women in War
In the aftermath of the election, hard-core feminist ideologues are pushing their agenda on all fronts, including the courts. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), representing four military women and the activist Servicewomen's Action Network (SWAN), has filed a San Francisco lawsuit demanding that female soldiers be forced into direct ground combat (infantry) battalions.
This is not the first time that the American Civil Liberties Union has tried to misuse the federal courts to impose their own radical agenda on the armed forces. Previously, the ACLU filed lawsuits on behalf of men who demanded that Selective Service obligations be imposed on young women on an equal basis. In every case, the most recent being in 2003, federal courts have correctly deferred to Congress and the Executive branches of government, which have the authority under the US Constitution to make policy for the military.
The ACLU, apparently, does not understand the meaning of direct ground combat, which goes beyond the experience of being "in harms' way." All military personnel and even civilians in a war zone, regardless of occupation, are serving "in harm's way," and some get injured or killed.
The female plaintiffs in this case deserve respect for their service and the injuries they suffered, which were recognized by the awarding of Purple Hearts. Their wartime experiences, however, do not fit the definition of direct ground combat. "Tip of the spear" Army and Marine infantry battalions and Special Operations Forces, which currently are designated male-only, engage in deliberate offensive action against the enemy. Examples of direct ground combat, such as the liberation of Baghdad in March 2003 and Fallujah in November 2004, are fairly recent in military history.
The book Outlaw Platoon: Heroes, Renegades, Infidels, and the Brotherhood of War in Afghanistan, by former Army Ranger Sean Parnell, describes even more recent battalion-level combat operations in Afghanistan. In May 2006 Parnell commanded an elite 40-man infantry platoon that encountered deadly ambushes and repeated attacks by opposition enemy forces using professional infantry tactics. Vivid passages in the book thoroughly discredit the notion that infantry combat in Afghanistan only involves random improvised explosive device (IED) attacks. Infantry combat also differs from interactions with civilian women by female-only cultural engagement teams.According to numerous studies and tests conducted over the past 30 years, in the direct ground combat environment, women do not have an equal opportunity to survive, or to help fellow soldiers survive. The armed forces are not subject to civil rights laws like private employers. Nor is there any legal right to serve in direct combat. The armed forces exist to defend the country, and mission accomplishment cannot be subordinated to "equal opportunity" rules that apply in civilian employment.
Contrary to allegations made in the litigation, for decades going back to the 1980s, women in the military have been promoted at rates equal to or faster than men. These figures, re-affirmed by the Pentagon in February 2012, reflect strong support for women in the military. Equal gender -based "diversity metrics" in three- and four-star ranks, however, are not likely when female colonels and captains forego the family sacrifices required of generals and admirals.
The litigation has four female plaintiffs who are joined by Servicewomen's Action Network - the same group pushing the Department of Defense to stop sexual assaults in the military. The organization is against violence against women, unless it happens at the hands of the enemy.
SWAN claims to "advocate for all military women," but they do not represent the concerns of uniformed women who do not want to be forced into infantry battalions where they would be at a severe, unequal disadvantage. One of these women, Marine Capt. Katie Petronio, rocked the feminist world with her straightforward article in the Marine Corps Gazette taking issue with the feminist women-in-combat agenda, based on her own experiences in Iraq. None of her concerns matter to Pentagon feminists, who have criticized Petronio for speaking up.
It is very likely that the real point of this litigation is to duplicate what happened when the gay activist Log Cabin Republicans sued the Department of Defense on the issue of gays in the military. After a long delay due to procedural issues that never were resolved, a California District Judge engaged in judicial activism to strike down the 1993 law that Congress subsequently repealed.
If the same strategy successfully eliminates military women's exemption (not exclusion) from direct ground combat, Congress and the American people they represent would be wrongly denied the opportunity to make major decisions affecting military women who want nothing to do with close combat assignments. Civilian women would be affected too, since the ACLU will have removed the obstacle that the Supreme Court and other federal courts have cited in upholding the constitutionality of women's exemption from Selective Service obligations.
All of this would violate the U.S. Constitution, which assigns policy-making power to Congress and the Executive Branch, not to the judiciary - the branch of government least qualified to make policy for the military. The fastest way to weaken the finest military in the world is to treat it like just another "equal opportunity" employer. Before this is allowed to happen, Congress must intervene.
Editor's Note: Elaine Donnelly is President of the Center for Military Readiness. | <urn:uuid:148c07d4-242c-4006-a3ea-428733096781> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cnsnews.com/blog/elaine-donnelly/feminist-illogic-suing-compel-violence-against-women-war | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00030-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961066 | 1,091 | 1.78125 | 2 |
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A month after he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, Doug Maxwell told a Charleston Gazette reporter that he wouldn't say "never" to tackling another mountain.
"When I first got off the mountain, I was saying no way. But now the farther I get away ..., it's a little more appealing," the Charleston man said in a February 2011 article.
By the time fall rolled around, he had signed up for another adventure trip with the tour company Alpine Ascent. In April, he celebrated his 42nd birthday on a mountain in Nepal.
No, it was not Mount Everest, although he could occasionally see it from there.
"I have no desire to summit Mount Everest. I don't have the $70,000 or a year of my life," he said.
Plus, there's a 1 in 4 chance of dying on the 29,028-foot-high Everest, and the odds, he pointed out, would probably be higher for him. Maxwell has an artificial right lower leg and no left arm, the result of a childhood accident.
He did, though, walk about 70 miles -- "more than I ever walked in my life" -- gradually reaching 18,300 feet.
In his tour group of 15 or 16, some were trekking and a few were getting acclimated to the altitude to climb Mount Everest. One of them, Leanna Shuttleworth, set the British record for being the youngest female to summit Everest.
Judging from her May 22 blog post, it doesn't sound like Maxwell missed much. She wrote that she cried on the way up because of the "horrific" sights she saw. The high wind froze everything -- the tops of their water bottles, zippers, oxygen mask valves and even the corneas of one climber's eyes, causing temporary blindness.
"He ..., obviously, had to turn back immediately and made his way down the whole triangular face without being able to see. Luckily his eyesight is completely back to normal and he's doing well," Shuttleworth posted.
Maxwell said a guide from his Kilimanjaro climb with the same tour company was also going on to the summit, as was a Sherpa. It was Lakpa Rita Sherpa's 16th ascent.
Maxwell explained that if you are a Sherpa, your last name is Sherpa. Sherpas are Tibetans who live in the Himalayas and are expert mountain climbers, leading others who attempt to make it to the top of the world's highest mountain.
Kilimanjaro, at 19,341 feet, is the highest freestanding mountain in the world. Of that trip, Maxwell said, "You were there to climb and get off. There was no interaction with the locals."
In Nepal, he said, the hikes took them through cedar forests, farmland and small villages with children on their way to school or playing in doorways. They would stop for lunch at rustic, family-run lodges.
"You got a feeling of what life is like there," he said.
"It's a part of the world that you can't drive to. You have to walk to it. They don't have vehicles up there." | <urn:uuid:2bae213a-44ef-44ec-9f65-0b4a7e65426c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wvgazette.com/Life/201206080235 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.986077 | 672 | 1.609375 | 2 |
Glamorous woman walks into a "modern" 1950s kitchen which has lots of "labour saving gadgets." She walks over to the cooker and checks on something she is cooking in a saucepan. She lifts the lid off an electric frying pan and uses a spoon to baste the joint of meat she is...
Out takes (cuts, rushes) for stories featured in CP 349.
Item showing a baby llama, baby emu chicks, Mastiff puppies and lion cubs.
Young women are taught the ropes of poultry farming.
A clutch of chicks is mothered by a police dog.
An odd friendship - a baby cat and baby hens sit around as best friends.
Dutch breed chicken for export.
Educational film showing the three birds nesting, chicks, flying etc. | <urn:uuid:e375cf9d-0015-418e-9283-5367466df7d4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.britishpathe.com/video/baby-chicks-aka-frying-pan-chicks | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9267 | 164 | 1.609375 | 2 |
How Old Neanderthal Man?
The Neanderthal is an extinct member of the Homo genus known from Pleistocene specimens found in Europe and parts of western and central Asia. The first proto-Neanderthal traits appeared in Europe as early as 350,000—600,000 years ago. These characteristics are generally thought of as disappeared in Asia by 50,000 years ago and in Europe by about 30,000 years ago. Researchers have dated a Neanderthal fossil discovered in a significant cave site in Russia in the northern Caucasus, and found it to be 10,000 years older than previous research had suggested. This new evidence throws into doubt the theory that Neanderthals and modern humans interacted for thousands of years. Instead, the researchers believe any co-existence between Neanderthals and modern humans is likely to have been much more restricted, perhaps a few hundred years. It could even mean that in some areas Neanderthals had become extinct before anatomically modern humans moved out of Africa.
Genetic evidence suggests interbreeding took place with Homo sapiens (anatomically modern humans) between roughly 80,000 and 50,000 years ago in the Middle East, resulting in 1—4% of the genome of people from Eurasia having been contributed by Neanderthals.
The youngest previously reported Neanderthal finds include Hyaena Den (UK), considered older than 30,000 years ago, while the Vindija (Croatia) Neanderthals have been re-dated to between 32,000 and 33,000 years ago. No definite specimens younger than 30,000 years ago have been found; however, evidence of fire by Neanderthals at Gibraltar indicate they may have survived there until 24,000 years ago.
Cro-Magnon or early modern human skeletal remains with Neanderthal traits were found in Lagar Velho (Portugal), dated to 24,500 years ago and controversially interpreted as indications of extensively admixed populations.
Neanderthal stone tools provide further evidence for their presence where skeletal remains have not been found. The last traces of Mousterian culture, a type of stone tools associated with Neanderthals, were found in Gorham's Cave on the remote south-facing coast of Gibraltar. Other tool cultures sometimes associated with Neanderthal include Châtelperronian, Aurignacian, and Gravettian, with the latter extending to 22,000 years ago, the last potential indication of Neanderthal presence.
The new research, directed by the University of Oxford and University College Cork in collaboration with the Laboratory of Prehistory at St Petersburg, Russia, and funded by Science Foundation Ireland is published today in PNAS Online Early Edition. The research centers on Mezmaiskaya Cave, a key site in the northern Caucasus within European Russia, where the team directly dated the fossil of a late Neanderthal infant from the Late Middle Paleolithic layer and a series of associated animal bones. They found that the fossil was 39,700 years old, which implies that Neanderthals did not survive at the cave site beyond this time.
This finding challenges previous claims that late Neanderthals survived until 30,000 years ago in the northern Caucasus, meaning that late Neanderthals and modern humans were not likely to experience any significant period of co-existence.
The new dating evidence throws new light on when the Neanderthals became extinct and why. The research team believes that Neanderthals died out when the modern humans arrived or that they had already become extinct before then, possibly because of climate change, dwindling resources, or other scenarios.
The research suggests that if we are to have accurate chronologies the data needs to be revised, improved and corrected so possible associations between Neanderthal extinctions, dispersals of early modern humans and climatic events can be properly assessed.
For further information: http://www.ox.ac.uk/media/news_stories/2011/111005_1.html
photo source: http://www3.sympatico.ca/davidbscott/home/human4.html | <urn:uuid:0c924493-1d60-4a2e-96f2-e7696109e3e7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.enn.com/top_stories/article/42683 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00045-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952719 | 829 | 4.03125 | 4 |
The fundamental thesis of the Gift of Death is that the experience of the apprehension of death is inseparable from an experience of responsibility. This in itself is nothing new: among the people Derrida himself discusses in his book, Patočka, Kierkegaard, and Heidegger all explicitly say the same thing. Fundamentally, the finitude of existence conditions existence itself. However, Derrida shows, using all these thinkers, that this finitude also implies a certain structure of a relation to infinitude: that is, the apprehension of death is also inseparable from responsibility because infinitude intrudes in this apprehension and in this responsibility.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
This too is not unique, though: Kierkegaard and Patočka also include this explicitly--not to mention the passages from the Bible that Derrida discusses. Where Derrida is perhaps unique is in his elaboration of this dual structure of responsibility and apprehension as a double bind: that is, as a dual structure that, extended to encompass both the implications of finitude and infinitude that split it, in fact rends it apart (i.e. makes the dual structure incompatible to itself) in its being constituted thus. In other words, Derrida rigorously thinks the space between the determining forces of finitude and infinitude qua between, qua difference. And, as he shows, in order for this difference to be rigorously sustained, it must be conceived as différance.
This différance is manifest in the trembling both before God (the infinite) and before death (the finite), in the experience of what Derrida calls a gift of death. | <urn:uuid:973a1463-2bff-4bd7-b9fa-f19c72662377> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://mikejohnduff.blogspot.com/2007/12/thrust-of-gift-of-death.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956677 | 348 | 1.921875 | 2 |
Once upon a time there were another three bears: Daddy Bear, Mommy Bear and Mommy’s Special Friend Bear. Mommy’s Special Friend Bear used to come around to Daddy Bear and Mommy Bear’s den when he knew Daddy Bear was out, usually meeting with other activist bears down at the forest Drop-In Centre where they would organise campaigns about the prejudicial stereotyping of bears and what they got up to in the woods.
Meanwhile, Mommy Bear and Mommy’s Special Friend Bear were busy doing other things in the woods that were fair more sanitary than the things bears are usually presumed to do in the woods, although by the end of it they both usually need to use some soft tissue to wipe themselves down.
However, little did they know that one day their woodland-based activities would come to an abrupt end when, early one morning, Mommy Bear and Mommy’s Special Friend Bear were caught red-pawed by Daddy Bear and his activist friends as they led a protest march through the glade where Mommy Bear and Mommy’s Special Friend Bear were engaged in an activity - involving bondage gear and paw-cuffs - not usually associated with bears, not least outside David Attenborough’s private ursine DVD collection, anyway.
Anyway, as with all these stories they all lived happily ever after, but that was only because Daddy Bear had already, by then, met another Daddy Bear in the activist meetings who liked to do those other things bears do in the woods, but with other Daddy Bears instead of Mommy Bears, which – to Daddy Bear’s surprise, Mommy Bear said she’d always had her suspicions about. She had, she growled, some years ago come to the conclusion that Daddy Bear would be happier in the company of other Daddy Bears, anyway.
So, that was that, even though the protest march never got any publicity for the Bear’s Rights cause, because - as we know – journalists never go down to the woods, not even to cover the Teddy Bear’s Picnic, which is surprising as it is a far more adult affair than we have – up until now – been led to believe. | <urn:uuid:c3fc13e4-f00f-4427-8834-9768a4011db8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://atangledrope.blogspot.com/2012/04/three-bears.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.984266 | 461 | 1.601563 | 2 |
Illustration by Gracia Lam
To mark my husband’s 83rd birthday, we have driven to South-Central Los Angeles (called South L.A. now), to the exact spot where he was almost killed 44 years ago while covering a ragtag protest that blew out of control. What I find astonishing is that we had not done this before. A reporter by training and a naturally curious person, I never prevailed on him to bring me here. I am not sure why. We had come to the area through the years, for a story one of us was working on or a meal, but I had not stood at the intersection of 84th and San Pedro, precisely where, all those decades before, angry young black men came up behind Karl and bashed him on the head. He is standing in the sun now, my aging mate in his winter-weight sport coat—he runs cold these days—pointing across the street.
“There was a liquor store, and someone threw a rock through it, and that was the last thing I remember,” he tells me.
I have seen the newspaper photograph—Karl lying on the ground in a pool of blood, a colleague leaning over him, with the weapon used to take him down, a roughly five-foot plank of wood, at the top of the photo. I half expect to see it lying near our feet even though the day is totally benign. A handful of pedestrians walk across the street, and a few pit bulls tethered in nearby yards bark. The streets off San Pedro are full of small, mostly well-cared-for stucco bungalows with grillwork at the windows. There is nothing to suggest the fear and rage and violence of that era, and yet being on this corner makes the episode more vivid. I can picture the roaming bands of demonstrators, hear the shattering of the glass window, feel the tension Karl says was ever present in Watts. The head of the Newsweek L.A. bureau, he had been in the city for little more than a year. A Southerner, he had spent his working life as a reporter on his native turf. He had covered the major battles of the early 1960s, the church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama, where four young girls died, and the murders of three civil rights workers—Andrew Goodman, James Chaney, and Michael Schwerner—near Philadelphia, Mississippi. He had figured L.A. to be a respite but found a place deeply segregated and white cops as scary and mean as any he had encountered in the South.
“I thought this place would be sunny and easygoing and full of kooks,” he says. “But here was this huge ghetto of black people that nobody knew much about until Watts exploded. It was so different from where I’d been. Down south, the black marches were organized and generally orderly. This place just came unglued. It was like a revolution down here.”
My husband is looking around, seeing a few ghosts, though he is not given to nostalgia or sentiment. He doesn’t dwell on the past—he isn’t one to revel in old exploits or achievements—which may be another reason we haven’t made this outing before. Were you scared back then? I ask. Karl grew up in an orphanage in North Carolina and had learned to defend himself early on. He was a self-proclaimed tough guy, big and handsome and profane—and a fearless, impassioned journalist.
“I was more scared here than on the back roads of Mississippi,” he says. “There were plenty of angry white mobs down there, but you could always take refuge with black people in their houses or in their churches. Here there was no place to hide. Any white person was a honky motherfucker.”
That’s the phrase he heard moments after he came to. He was sure he was dying, and he was angry about it. A silly, demeaning way to go—that’s how he puts it—after all that had gone before.
“I wanted to say, ‘Hey, I’ve always been on your side. You’ve made a mistake here.’?”
As it turned out, he had a broken jaw, a fractured skull, and a few cracked ribs. He pulled through, and within months, on a friend’s tennis court in West Los Angeles, he and I met for the first time. His jaw was still wired up, which meant he was forced to talk through clenched teeth, and he had a crew cut. I had never seen anyone like him, the whole complicated, rough-edged package. He was 38 and I was 16, attending private school with his friend’s daughter at the Westlake School for Girls.
I had been aware of the riots, but in truth, the Watts of that time raised complicated emotions of fear and guilt and frustration among most whites, and the place itself seemed far away from my home on the Westside. South-Central was a locale of myth and mystery. Here was a connection to all that, a living, injured truth teller, if you will, from what virtually felt like a foreign land.
Two years later Karl and I fell in love. We looked like a jazzy if slightly scandalous L.A. couple. He drove a yellow Buick Skylark convertible, and when we went out in it, my long blond hair blew in the wind. We turned heads because of our age difference and—what shall we call it?—?our sizzle. Mostly we hung around with his friends, which made me feel oh so young. Other older men leered at me while their wives glared. The experience was both unnerving and heady. But beneath our transgenerational attraction there was a deeper draw, certainly for me, and it had to do with the broken jaw and Watts and all that Karl had written about. He was the ticket out of my cloistered girlhood, a witness to a dangerous, painful piece of the American story. I was amazed the first time I ran my hand over his head and felt the deep and permanent pleats in his skull left by that piece of wood. Through the years, when I have been upset with him or we have been out of sorts, going our own ways for a moment, I have been able to reel myself back by touching those crenellations. They represent who he is and why we are together and why, within a few years of our marriage, I, too, became a reporter and why we never left this city. We were both bound to it—its natural beauty, its contradictions, its ugly history—I, the ultimate native; Karl, the committed transplant.
Even after what happened to him on this street, he didn’t want to leave Los Angeles. As we drive around the neighborhood, he comments on the absence of hostility and wariness.
“Obviously this area is now probably equally if not more Latino,” he says. “I know there are gangs and gang violence, but in general it’s a much quieter place. A lot of that has to do with the cops. They stopped being an occupying force, and black people could breathe. That’s the biggest change of all.”
Still, the geography of L.A., and the habit of living in separate racial enclaves, remains a defining characteristic of the city. I doubt we’ll be back here. We have done it—a birthday foray, ultimately more meaningful and necessary for me than for Karl. In fact, it has been a big outing for him; his health has been iffy of late. The asthma that came on shortly after he was attacked has worsened; many days, he struggles to breathe. He has also developed a rare blood disease that makes him deeply tired much of the time. Karl had to rouse himself to accompany me. He has been patient standing in the warm sun chatting about what happened and letting me run my imagination.
Maybe he knew all along what I realized when we got home. I took him down there so I could picture him in his heyday, full of passionate anger and excitement. There’s something else, too: Thinking of him lying on that street unleashes in me a respect and a tenderness that, as we navigate our new reality, can elude me. In retrospect that was a big reason I pushed him to come with me to Watts. The birthday was just an excuse. I needed to see him, my old love, in that very spot in order to reinvigorate my kindness. I needed the snapshot. I needed to remember. | <urn:uuid:eb5c6dc3-84f7-45c7-979d-586242177259> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.lamag.com/citythink/opencity/2010/10/01/love-struck1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00066-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.987623 | 1,815 | 1.734375 | 2 |
Reporting Alex DeMetrick
BALTIMORE (WJZ) – If it was your report card, you’d probably be reluctant to show it to your parents.
But, as Alex DeMetrick reports, while grading the bay’s health, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation did find some signs of improvement.
This is how the Chesapeake begins. Over thousands of square miles, water carries runoff from the land. And it adds up.
“The Chesapeake Bay and its rivers and streams are overloaded with nitrogen, phosphorous and sediment. And so that’s where the effort has been placed to reduce pollution,” said Will Baker, Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
How the effort is paying off was revealed in the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Report Card on the bay’s health, which showed grades ranging from Fs to a single A. That one high mark was for the healthy population of rockfish in the bay.
Blue crabs scored a B+. After populations showed signs of collapse, new regulations restricting the catch brought a resurgence.
“We’ve seen more crabs in the Chesapeake Bay since the early years of the survey. We see high abundance of spawning adults. We’ve seen high levels of recruitment in juvenile crabs,” said Lynn Fegler, DNR Fisheries.
Those are the bright spots. At the other end are the low marks.
For water clarity, critical for sunlight to reach growing underwater grasses, the grade is F, although the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water — needed for marine life — did improve slightly.
Hovering between an F and a D, and showing another slight improvement, was a reduction in the nitrogen that feeds algae blooms and triggers dead zones.
“Every state has played a part in the pollution reduction, the habitat restoration, the fisheries management that has led our health index to modestly increase,” said Baker.
This year’s score was 32 points. Seventy would represent a saved bay.
While scores have been slow to rise, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation says the bay’s health has been inching upwards during the past five years. | <urn:uuid:1f76994b-894f-4b1f-9737-ef027cd86f4e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2013/01/03/new-report-card-shows-some-chesapeake-bay-improvement/ | 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 | 0.951676 | 455 | 2.859375 | 3 |
NPI is committed to advancing the idea of the 21st Century Border. The region between Mexico and the United States is fast becoming one of tremendous commerce and job creation not just for states along the border, but for the nation as a whole. Yesterday Arizona Congressman Raul Grijalva introduced the Border Infrastructure and Jobs Act of 2011. Below NPI analyizes the legislation and how it highlights the intermestic relationship between the U.S. and Mexico.
While this legislation’s main emphasis is on Arizona ports of entry, it also has national implications; 80% of trade with mexico enters through land, so investment in Arizona’s ports of entry is an investment for the nation.
The Government of Mexico provides a map showing that approximately 235,700 jobs in Arizona rely on trade with Mexico, that number is 252,800 for Michigan, 249,000 for Nebraska and 119,000 for Ohio – states with jobs that benefit directly from effective transportation and infrastructure at the border.
The bill would:
- Establish the United States-Mexico Economic Partnership Commission (EPC) to strengthen border economic development and commerce;
- Institute a Port Security and Trade Facilitation grant to expand trusted shipper program access to small and medium-sized businesses;
- Provide full funding for the expansion and modernization projects at the San Luis I and Douglas ports of entry;
- Add 500 CBP officers to Arizona’s land ports of entry;
- Establish a Border Small Business Revitalization grant program to stimulate employment opportunities and capital investment in border communities;
- Mandate that at least 30% of labor for any federal contract or subcontract is performed by a local subcontractor.
In the release provided for the legislation Congressman Grijalva noted that:
“American jobs rely on a smart, modern economy with the infrastructure to match. This is a realistic, necessary upgrade to our local and national business model, and there’s no reason to oppose the jobs this would create or the opportunities this would open up. I listened to Southern Arizona when I was writing this bill, and I believe this is the right way forward for our community and our country.”
The border bulletin is a daily roundup of stories from the region, if there is anything that you would like to see feel free to to shoot us an email at (firstname.lastname@example.org) | <urn:uuid:ed631327-dcab-4099-ba97-d3eaa58b7312> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://21border.com/2011/09/27/legislation-that-makes-sense-the-border-infrastructure-and-jobs-act-of-2011/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00054-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937106 | 490 | 1.8125 | 2 |
Kroll: taking aim at the ratings agency oligopoly
Credit rating agencies suffered a barrage of criticism in the wake of the financial crisis for being asleep at the switch. James Kroll, widely known as the godfather of the investigations, intelligence and security industry, decided it was time for a change in the way ratings agencies operate.
So he opened Kroll Bond Ratings.
“When I looked at the financial crisis, it looked to me like this was an area that was ready for change and meaningful reform,” he says. “I think the oligopoly has had a rigged game now for several years.”
Kroll believes the credibility of ratings agencies is in serious need of reform.
“You should judge any rating agency by the accuracy of their ratings over time and with these people who are wrong 40 percent of the time, why in the world would you give them business unless you have no choice…and that’s what we hope to change,” he says. “If you were any other business they [the ratings agencies] would be out of business right now.” | <urn:uuid:3c4bab21-e341-4635-b9aa-ce9e6e76353f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bnn.ca/News/2011/7/15/James-Kroll-taking-aim-at-the-ratings-agency-oligopoly.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.982479 | 230 | 1.507813 | 2 |
March 18, 2012, 7:55 AM — Mobile apps are a privacy nightmare. Some apps are constantly connected to the Internet, and can upload your personal data--such as your private photos or documents--to a remote server without your knowledge or consent. While iOS users can generally depend on Apple's app-curating process to keep their data safe, Android users pretty much have to fend for themselves, left to rely on a cryptic system that doesn't seem to be working.
How Google's Permission System Works
Whenever you download an app from Google Play (the store formerly known as the Android Market), you see an alert that explains what information that app will be able to access once you install it on your phone; for instance, the alert will indicate whether the app needs to access your contacts list, or connect to the Internet. An app cannot use any part of the phone that it does not have permission to access, and the developer sets these permissions when it first submits the app to the Play store.
The Problem With Permissions
While the providing of this information is a good idea in theory, it doesn't work so well in reality. According to Joe Keehnast, a product manager for Norton, very few people actually look through an app's permissions before installing it.
Even if you were to read through the alert, you may not come away with much information: The permissions list can be extremely unclear and unhelpful. An app can request permission to use my network connection, for example, but I'm never sure what it's actually using that connection for. Some security apps, such as Lookout Mobile Security, feature "privacy advisors" that can give you a little more detail as to why an app would request certain permissions. At best, however, that is a workaround for a larger problem. Even with the extra information from security apps, you never see explicit details as to why, say, a browser app wants access to your phone's SMS function.
Confusion aside, the permission system as it is currently designed just does not work. In late February, the New York Times demonstrated an inherent flaw with the Android permission system by building an app that was able to access photos stored on an Android phone and copy them to a remote server. To accomplish that, the app needed only permission to access the Internet. | <urn:uuid:8ae8bb79-25ab-43ef-b00b-b8e4117f4826> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.itworld.com/259762/androids-permission-problems | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00050-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958746 | 474 | 2.265625 | 2 |
June 20 - 29, 2014
Northern New Mexico
Land of Enchantment
Vision Quest, an Ancient Rite of Passage
Ancestors of all races and spiritual lineages
have gone alone into the wilderness.
Sacrificing food and the comfort and companionship of daily life.
Resting their body on the body of Mother Earth.
They went to remember who they were,
to clear their minds and open their hearts.
They did this with the companionship of the natural world.
They returned to their community and families,
with unique gifts, visions that only they could bring.
Given the gift of themselves they gave back.
They gave back their true nature, living their destiny.
Each day, each night of the vision quest is a journey into your past, present and future. There are extended moments when the mental chatter ceases and the internal silence is filled with the present. As your body is emptied you become clearer and a less encumbered future is revealed, reflected upon and sanctioned by the mountainside you sit upon.
The structure of the ten days. The first days are preparation for turning away from the ordinary world to retreat into a time of solitude. When you arrive at the site you will set up your tent at the base camp. Preparation includes individual consultation, ceremony and making relationship with your solo site. Four days are questing and fasting. The remaining time is for reintegration, sharing your story and listening to the stories of the other questers. Guides reflect back and provide interpretation for each story.
SHARING YOUR STORY
In the middle of the circle there is an object called the talking stick. Sometimes, there is a special one made with care and creativity. At other times a twig, branch or stone has found its way into this circle. One by one, each quester goes to the center and picks up the talking stick. Holding it they tell their story and all listen.
Sharing of story is an essential part of this journey. This is a sacred time, the sharing of deep emotions, insights, visions. Your guides listen, pray, reflect and honor your story. The telling of your story often brings a deeper understanding of insights and spiritual imperatives previously unknown or unclaimed.
Read More >
Vision Quest 1 l 2 l 3 l 4 | <urn:uuid:ee85d302-1def-4702-a6e9-da51ffd265e1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.gaianstudies.org/VisionQuest.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941871 | 474 | 1.820313 | 2 |
"Look at me!"
"Wouldn't I look good in your garden?"
Oh, yes! But I have no where to put you!
"You're not going to leave me here, are you?"
"Just look at me again!"
Alright! I'll find a place for you - somewhere!
"Hey, I like your garden! Thanks for the prime location! Sunny mornings, shade late afternoons. Fairly good soil. You could have done a little more to the soil, you know."
"I know I'm one of your favorites! I can tell by the way your eyes get wide when you look at me. And how you come over, and caress my blooms."
Yes, you're one of my favorites.
"It's the color, isn't it?"
Yes, I admit, your coloring is mesmerizing. Pink on reverse, making a beautiful pink bud that opens wider every day until the bloom turns almost white. Just a touch of yellow. Not too much, but just enough to give your coloring a little extra interest. Plus, your bloom is full. You're certainly not stingy with the petals.
"And my foliage?"
Are you just fishing for compliments? Your foliage has been perfect. And you are supposedly disease resistant. Still, I've only had you since spring, so I try not to jump to conclusions. I usually won't evaluate foliage until I've had a rose in my garden for several years.
"I like where you've placed me. I'm next to some moderns, some Austins, some antiques, and of course, I'm a hybrid tea!"
Yes, you're an old hybrid tea. One of the first in that class.
"One of the first in my class? I must be smart!"
Can you see me rolling my eyes at you? Be quiet!
"Aren't you going to tell everyone my name? They might want one for their garden!"
"What?!! I'm also known as Mrs. William Howard Taft?!!"
Well, you were quite popular as that name, during a certain period. Don't be upset! You've been around since 1895! So you've reinvented yourself a few times - so has Madonna! Now be quiet!
"You know, if you were going to show a bush shot, the least you could have done was weed this grass out!"
I'm trying to get to that! Instead I'm having ridiculous conversations with roses! | <urn:uuid:2a9e1b80-7534-44cf-be6c-394587827dba> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://dreamingofroses.blogspot.com/2012/08/yackety-yak.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00035-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.979347 | 520 | 1.507813 | 2 |
America's roads have become an all-too-frequent (and fatal) meeting place for distracted drivers and hard-to-spot runners.
WORK WITH MOTORISTS, NOT AGAINST THEM
Runners and motorists coexist in a fragile ecosystem, which can collapse when they both insist they have the right-of-way. Even before DiNunzio's death, tension between the two groups had been brewing around Frederick. Local residents had called Mount Saint Mary's officials expressing concern that runners from the college were taking unnecessary chances on the roads. In the wake of the calls, Barry Titler, the school's public safety director (and himself a runner), e-mailed students with safety tips—and a reminder to share the roads. And after Joshua Cool was later charged with being at fault for the accident, Frederick County Sheriff Charles Jenkins says his department received criticism from local residents, some who resented that they had to share the roads with runners and cyclists. Jenkins, punching his knuckles, adds, "It's just two worlds butting heads."
Such animosity is not restricted to Frederick. The Runner's World survey found that nearly 39 percent of runners have exchanged angry words with drivers. And some runners have taken measures to defend their turf. Take the case of Gene Bulmer. He was running along a street near his home in Raritan, New Jersey, when he had to leap onto a car that was making a right-on-red turn. The car accelerated and Bulmer realized "I either had to get off or hold on as they gained speed. I was literally pounding on the windshield yelling at the driver to stop." Bulmer proceeded to roll off the hood, but managed to avoid any injury when he hit the pavement. "As she sped away," Bulmer recalls, "I quickly picked up a rock and bounced it off her back windshield. She never stopped."
RUN THIS WAY
Take the lead in promoting road safety, not road rage. "Always be courteous and follow traffic regulations to encourage a positive image of runners to the nonrunning public," suggests another Runner's World survey respondent. "Maybe people would make more of an effort to avoid us if they weren't annoyed at us." Also, acknowledge drivers with a polite wave if they move over to the other side of the road for you. They will feel more inclined to do it again for someone else.
KNOW EXISTING ROAD REGULATIONS
Without federally mandated guidelines, traffic-safety laws can vary by location—leading to confusion, even among those who must enforce them. Consider the DiNunzio case. According to Jenkins, the initial investigation was leaning toward finding fault with DiNunzio for running in the road—a position that outraged her family and Powell, the university president. But after further investigating the case and discussing it with the state attorney general's office, police determined the driver, Cool, had broken state transportation law by not avoiding a pedestrian and by driving negligently. (Cool's attorney, Kathleen English, would not comment on the case.) Cool was fined $390, received points on his license, and may face jail time for driving without insurance. His parents, who owned the truck and allowed him to drive without insurance, were also charged.
"Unfortunately, unless it was a grossly negligent situation where he had been drinking or drag racing or something along those lines, it is basically a payable offense, which is sad," says Charlie Smith, the Frederick County state's attorney.
The arguably light penalty demonstrates the gray legal world governing runner/driver run-ins. In criminal cases, where a driver was under the influence, ran a red light, or was speeding, it is easier to find fault. But in other cases, when simple negligence or road conditions are involved (like sun glare or blind curves), rulings can be more difficult. Runners must prove they exercised "ordinary care"—meaning they didn't jaywalk, or run in the road where a shoulder existed. Often in such civil cases, damages are awarded by degrees of fault, depending on the state. But in four states (Maryland, Alabama, North Carolina, and Virginia) and the District of Columbia, a plaintiff cannot recover any damages if found to be even one percent at fault.
"Runners, you're not going to get a free pass," says Brad Houston, a personal injury attorney in Austin, Texas. "Even if the state that you are in gives you the right-of-way, you're still going to be judged on your conduct."
RUN THIS WAY
Hit by a vehicle and injured while on a run? Of course, your first priority is to get medical treatment. But as soon as possible report the incident to local authorities and a lawyer. Also, write down the circumstances of the incident: where the accident took place, the time of day, the weather conditions, what you were wearing. Such details, attorneys say, can help a judge or jury determine the amount of damages to award. | <urn:uuid:2971f17d-db7c-46fe-9fda-8fc81cab1ff3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.runnersworld.com/running-tips/collision-course?page=3 | 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 | 0.976905 | 1,027 | 1.992188 | 2 |
- Special Sections
- Public Notices
There was an interesting report released this week by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics office.
It listed employment and average salaries for all counties in the state. What was interesting for us is that Los Alamos was far and away the leader in pay.
Something that is of no surprise to those of us here.
But what was somewhat interesting was the fact that our workforce is almost equal to our population.
Bernalillo County led the state in numbers of workers at 337,200 as of December. This is a half-of-a percent increase from 2006.
Bernalillo was the only large county in New Mexico – one with more than 75,000 jobs.
Here, Los Alamos reported 17,487 people working (and remember, our population is around 18,500). This places us at 11th out of the state’s 33 counties.
Santa Fe had a workforce of 66,530, Sandoval was at 28,847 and Rio Arriba had a workforce of 11,171.
New Mexico as a whole had 831,713 people working.
As to wages, well Los Alamos ran away with the prize. The average weekly wage here was $1,222, compared to the state average of $738, ranking the state at 38th among the 50 states.
We were well above the second-place county, which had Eddy and Lea (two oil patch areas) tied at $860.
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If you are new to the award winning Los Alamos Monitor and wish to get a subscription or simply gain access to our online content then please enter your ZIP code below and continue to setup your account. | <urn:uuid:878a72b3-9f79-4a48-8ae0-72256db0225c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.lamonitor.com/content/los-alamos-leads-pack?mini=calendar-date%2F2013-04 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970114 | 409 | 1.625 | 2 |
(CNN) -- Cardiff University may be struck by lightning every day, but it's nothing to do with the miserable British weather.
Deep within the Welsh university's department of engineering is a state-of-the-art "lightning-lab" where bolts of electricity are shot onto aircraft components.
The idea is to recreate the conditions present when lightning strikes a plane at 35,000 feet, testing the fortitude of composite materials and conductor strips found on modern planes.
"There is a lightning strike every second around the world (and) every single aircraft is hit by lightning once a year," said Professor Manu Hadad of Cardiff University's Institute of Energy.
Displaying the charred remains of two recently zapped plane panels, Hadad explains that a thin layer of copper mesh on an aircraft's exterior can drastically reduce the damage caused when lightning strikes.
With support from the government and aerospace manufacturer, EADS, the ultimate aim of the $2 million project is to further refine and increase the working knowledge of how aircraft cope with these elements at altitude.
But while of particular interest to the electrical storm specialists at Cardiff University, lightning is just one of the many extreme weather phenomena encountered by planes when in the air.
The build up of ice and strong winds in particular can also be issues and a host of academic institutions are applying hi-tech techniques to study the impact these conditions can have.
At Cranfield University just outside London a team of engineers specialize in analyzing the formation of ice around engines and on aeroplane wings.
Here, sub-zero temperatures are created and tests carried out in a specially designed "icing-tunnel" with the aim of understanding ice and its aerodynamic qualities.
According to Dr David Hammond of Cranfield's School of Engineering, a large build up of ice can alter the shape and performance of vital aircraft components.
Pointing to a freshly tested model wing, Hammond explains how "the ice that forms (during flight)... can have a big spike that reverses the curvature of the leading (wing) edge and creates unsteadiness."
"In an aircraft we work out which parts are most critical and make sure they're protected one way or another," he added.
Researchers at Cranfield are currently investigating how a wire mesh can act as an effective method of preventing ice build up near fuel tanks.
But Hammond is hopeful that other discoveries on how planes react to extreme weather will arise during the process of the group's studies.
"We're really trying to support the people who design and test aircraft," Hammond said.
"There's always a little bit of efficiencies that we can build in or maybe we can design slightly more efficiently to get performance for the passengers and for the environment." | <urn:uuid:33116ded-87b1-49a4-b5fe-55445c147a43> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/18/travel/business-traveller-lightning-ice-test/index.html?hpt=hp_bn10 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951212 | 559 | 3.453125 | 3 |
Congress reconvened Monday with a host of issues likely to be loudly debated, from jobs to the environment to health care. Let's hope they raise their voices about violence, too.
The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), created to protect women from domestic and sexual violence, has flown through periodic reauthorizations in both houses with bi-partisan support since its creation in 1994.
Sadly, not this year -- yet.
Before recessing in August, and largely off the public's radar, the Republican-controlled House passed a watered-down version that rejects protections for undocumented immigrants, American Indians, LGBT individuals and college students. These groups experience disproportionately high rates of violence.
Among those rejecting the protections were Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan and Missouri Rep. Todd Akin of "legitimate rape" notoriety.
The Senate version, which includes those protections, passed in April, 68 to 31. Now the two sides are stuck, unless they can work together on a compromise. (The VAWA was last reauthorized under a Republican administration in 2005.)
The partisan divide on this one has stunned those in the trenches.
"This has never been controversial," said Donna Dunn, executive director of the Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MNCASA). "It's always been really broadly embraced. It's never been funded to the level everyone would like to see, but there's always been support for the federal government's role in trying to address violence against women."
VAWA provides resources to states to improve training and coordination for police, the courts and prosecutors. It also funds a wide range of victim-services programs, including transitional housing, legal assistance and -- essential if we are to ever break the cycle of violence -- prevention initiatives that engage men and youth.
How has it fared? Quite well, for everyone.
Between 1993 and 2007, the rate of intimate-partner homicides of females decreased 35 percent; the rate of intimate-partner homicides of males decreased 46 percent, said Rosie Hidalgo, director of public policy for Casa de Esperanza, a respected domestic violence program based in St. Paul.
"VAWA really is gender-neutral. Eighty-five to 90 percent of the time, domestic violence victims are women but, regardless, there still are cases where men may be victims. We need to work to end all forms of abuse against all victims."
Joe Biden drafted the original VAWA bill in 1994, and it was reauthorized in 2000 and 2005.
More than 30 Minnesota agencies and programs benefit from its grants, including MNCASA, Breaking Free, the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians, and the Minneapolis City Attorney's Office.
Suzanne Koepplinger, executive director of the Minnesota Indian Women's Resource Center, is understandably offended by the implication that only certain women "deserve" protections.
One in three American Indian women will be raped in her lifetime, according to Amnesty International, the highest rate for any group. "It is an epidemic of violence," Koepplinger said, "which makes Congress' inaction all the more inexcusable."
Advocates for immigrant communities add their own concerns. VAWA protections are essential to protect women and children from sex trafficking, and from abusers who often use lack of immigration status to silence their victims.
Dunn noted that the Senate bill evolved from years of research, engaging everyone with a stake in violence prevention.
"We have all learned so much about what makes a good criminal justice response, what makes a good advocacy response, and how to engage men in prevention," Dunn said. "It's been an extraordinary opportunity to hone our skills and purpose."
Koepplinger, too, has seen heartening progress thanks to VAWA initiatives.
"In Indian country, leadership and great work are being done," Koepplinger said. "We are also seeing more men step forward and say, 'This is our problem.' But they are really dependent on sustained funding. I just hope that people who care about safety for women and children will call their legislators."
No need to call U.S. Sens. Al Franken or Amy Klobuchar, except to thank them. Both Minnesota leaders were on the forefront of moving the Senate bill through.
Franken wrote a new provision making it unlawful to evict a woman from federally supported housing just because she is a victim of violence and another ensuring that survivors of sexual assault are never forced to pay for their own rape kits.
Klobuchar has been actively meeting with House members, law enforcement officials and domestic abuse experts to see the more inclusive bill through to its ultimate passage.
"It will get done," Klobuchar said confidently, "maybe even by the election."
email@example.com • 612-673-7350 | <urn:uuid:49e92578-673f-4bbe-9fa9-4f18833c8e15> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.startribune.com/local/169256736.html?refer=y | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955355 | 998 | 2.0625 | 2 |
The technology of the Twenty-first Century -- the "new media" -- has made it possible for virtually anyone to have immediate access to an audience of millions around the world and to be somewhat anonymous. This technology has enabled and empowered the rise of a new enemy. This enemy is not constrained by the borders of a nation or the International Laws of War. The new media allows them to decentralize their command and control and disperse their elements around the globe. They stay loosely connected by an ideology, send cryptic messages across websites and via e-mail and recruit new members using the same new media technologies.
Responding to this challenge requires changes in our approach to warfare. The one thing we can change now does not require resources -- just a change in attitudes and the organizational culture in our Army. Recent experiences in Iraq illustrate how important it is to address cultural change and also how very difficult it is to change culture: After MNF-I broke through the bureaucratic red-tape and was able to start posting on YouTube, MNF-I videos from Iraq were among the top ten videos viewed on YouTube for weeks after their posting. These videos included gun tape videos showing the awesome power the US military can bring to bear. Using YouTube -- part of the new media -- proved to be an extremely effective tool in countering an adaptive enemy. Here are some areas that our Army will need to address if we are going to change our culture with respect to this critical area:
First, we need to Encourage Soldiers to "tell/share their story". Across America, there is a widely held perception that media coverage of the War in Iraq is overwhelmingly negative. We need to be careful to NOT blame the news media for this. The public has a voracious appetite for the sensational, the graphic and the shocking. We all have a difficult time taking our eyes off the train wreck in progress - it is human nature. Walter Cronkite once said "If it's extraordinary, and it affects us deeply, it's news." Knowing this, we, as a military, owe it to the public to actively seek out and engage the media with our stories in order to provide them with a fuller perspective of the situation. When Soldiers do this, the media is very open and receptive. The public may have an appetite for the sensational, but when it comes to their men and women in uniform, they also have a very strong desire to hear their personal stories. They want to know what it is like, what the Soldiers are experiencing, and how the Soldiers feel about their mission. That is why we must encourage our Soldiers to interact with the media, to get onto blogs and to send their YouTube videos to their friends and family. When our Soldiers tell/share their stories, it has an overwhelmingly positive effect.
Just playing lip service to encouraging Soldiers is not enough. Leaders need to not only encourage but also Empower subordinates. A critical component of empowering is underwriting honest mistakes and failure. Soldiers are encouraged to take the initiative and calculated risk in the operational battlefield because we understand the importance of maintaining the offensive. However, once we move into the informational domain, we have a tendency to be zero defect and risk averse. Leaders have to understand and accept that not all media interactions are going to go well. Leaders need to assume risk in the information domain and allow subordinates the leeway to make mistakes. Unfortunately, the culture is such that the first time a subordinate makes a mistake in dealing with the media and gets punished for it, it will be the last time ANYONE in that organization takes a risk and engages with the media.
Hand in hand with encouragement and empowerment is Education. If Soldiers are better educated to deal with new media and its effects, they will feel more empowered and be encouraged to act. We need to educate Soldiers on how to deal with the media and how their actions can have strategic implications. They need to know what the second and third order effects of their actions are. I believe that most people want to do a good job. There are very few Soldiers out there who would intentionally harm the mission or intentionally do something to reflect poorly on their unit or the Army. When many of these incidents occur, and we have all seen them, it is because they just don't know that it is going to have that kind of effect and cause that kind of damage.
Finally, we need to Equip Soldiers to engage the new media. If we educate them and encourage them, we need to trust them enough to give them the tools to properly tell/share their stories. The experience of trying to gain YouTube access in Iraq and even back in the United States is a prime example. A suggestion for consideration might be equipping unit leaders with camcorders to document operations but also daily life. The enemy video tapes operations and then distorts and twists the information and images to misinform the world. What if we had documented video footage of the same operations which refuted what our enemies say? By the way, that is not enough, we have to get our images out FIRST! The first images broadcast become reality to viewers. If we wait until we see the enemy's images, we are being reactive and we have already squandered the opportunity.
Frontier 6 is Lieutenant General William B. Caldwell, IV, Commanding General of the Combined Arms Center at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, the command that oversees the Command and General Staff College and 17 other schools, centers, and training programs located throughout the United States. The Combined Arms Center is also responsible for: development of the Army's doctrinal manuals, training of the Army's commissioned and noncommissioned officers, oversight of major collective training exercises, integration of battle command systems and concepts, and supervision of the Army's Center for the collection and dissemination of lessons learned.
Update: SWJ Editors Links
Small Step in a Different Direction - Ray Kimball, Military.com
A Message From Frontier 6 - Badgers Forward
Let Soldiers Blog, Post YouTube Videos - Greg Grant, Government Executive
Top General: Let Soldiers Blog - Noah Shachtman, Danger Room
General Supports Milbloggers - CJ, A Soldier's Perspective
Score One for Soldier Blogs - Mike Gilbert, News Tribune
Milblog Buzz - Top General: Let Soldiers Blog - MilBlogging
More War Blogging - Spencer Ackerman, Washington Independent
The World May Be Flat... - An Unofficial Coast Guard Blog
Let Troops Blog - The Raw Feed
Let Soldier's Blog - Retired Reservist
"Let Soldiers Blog, Post to YouTube" - NetAge Endless Knots
Required Reading 01/31/2008 - Michael Goldfarb, Weekly Standard
Discuss - Small Wars Council | <urn:uuid:93a3e585-667c-44f7-86d3-f141ca8ccf94> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://smallwarsjournal.com/blog/changing-the-organizational-culture-updated | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00062-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949474 | 1,360 | 1.742188 | 2 |
On to cover: Global exploration potential, boosted by rising oil prices throughout the past year, kept geologists busy looking for the next big discovery -- wherever that may be. For example, consider our cover photo, taken in north Oman and featuring outcrops of the Cenomanian/Turonian carbonate petroleum system, which contain both the hydrocarbon reservoirs and source rocks in the entire gulf area and southern Mediterranean region. This region, which offers outcrop correlations to two nearby producing oil fields (Natih and Fahud), will be toured in an AAPG field trip, "The Natih Carbonate Petroleum System, North Oman," set March 31-April 3, held in conjunction with GEO/2000. Photo by Franz van Buchem. The inset photo shows a golden view of Istanbul, Turkey, site of the inaugural AAPG regional international conference July 9-12. | <urn:uuid:417b73f5-1f68-4c75-8a7a-3e7e026926ac> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.aapg.org/explorer/2000/01jan/index.cfm | 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 | 0.926552 | 178 | 1.820313 | 2 |
Breast Augmentation Aumento de Senos
What is breast enlargement surgery?
Breast augmentation, or augmentation mammoplasty, is a procedure to reshape the breast in order to make it larger. The procedure can also be performed to reconstruct the breast following breast surgery.
Possible complications associated with breast augmentation surgery
Possible complications associated with breast augmentation surgery may include, but are not limited to, the following:
Infection. Infection is most common within a week after surgery. The infection can be treated with antibiotics or, in severe cases, the implant is removed for several months until the infection is gone before a new implant is inserted.
Oversensitive, undersensitive, or numb nipples. Oversensitivity, undersensitivity, and/or small patches of numbness near the incisions may occur in some patients. The symptoms usually disappear with time, but may be permanent in some patients.
A breast implant is a silicone shell filled with either silicone gel or saline:
Gel-filled implants. The leak or rupture of a gel-filled implant can cause one of two things: if the shell breaks but the scar capsule around the implant does not, changes may not be detected; if the scar also breaks or tears, especially following extreme pressure, the silicone gel implant may move into surrounding tissue. The gel may collect in the breast and cause a new scar to form around it, or it may migrate to another area of the body. The shape or firmness of the breast may change. A second operation and replacement of the leaking implant may be necessary.
Implants are envelopes filled with liquid that are implanted into the breast tissue, and are used to form the shape of the breast. Implants may be filled with saline or silicone gel. Each type of implant has advantages and disadvantages. Your doctor will discuss the types of implants with you and help determine which type is best for you.
There is no evidence that pregnancy or the ability to nurse will be affected by breast implants; however, pregnancy and nursing may affect the appearance of your breasts. If you have nursed a baby within the year before breast augmentation, you may produce milk for a few days after surgery. This may cause some discomfort, but can be treated with medication prescribed by your doctor.
About the procedure
Although each procedure varies, breast augmentation surgeries generally cover the following considerations:
Location options may include:
Anesthetic options may include:
Average length of procedure:
Location of incision:
The method of inserting and positioning the implant depends on the patient's anatomy and the surgeon's recommendation. The incision can be made:
Working through the incision, the surgeon lifts the breast tissue and skin to create a pocket, either directly behind the breast tissue or underneath the pectoral muscle in the chest wall. The implants are centered beneath the nipples.
When the dressings are removed, the patient may be given a surgical bra. Stitches will be removed in a week or so. | <urn:uuid:6daa722c-780c-4659-8cc3-a6670ba81db7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.grhealth.org/GhsuContentPage.aspx?nd=810&type=200&parm1=P01100&parm2=85 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.913532 | 616 | 2.1875 | 2 |
FBI Teams With International Agencies To Target Cyber Crime
- By Henry Kenyon
The FBI is working closely with international law enforcement agencies to fight cyber criminals on their own turf, said Shawn Henry, executive assistant director of the FBI's Cyber Response and Services Branch, at the recent Cybersecurity Conference and Exposition in Washington D.C.
Henry said cyber crime is a global issue that tops the lists of many other nations' threats, which is why the bureau is embedding agents in law enforcement organizations around the world. There are currently FBI personnel working in Estonia, Ukraine and the Netherlands, he added.
This overseas cooperation has netted some major victories. One example is Operation Trident Breach, in which the FBI worked with international law enforcement agencies to arrest a gang of hackers targeting international financial transactions. After an investigation conducted with the United Kingdom and the Ukraine, Henry said, more than 90 people were arrested in connection with the hacking scheme.
Another FBI action was Operation Core Flood, where the bureau worked with the private sector to disable a botnet that infected more than 2 million computers worldwide. The FBI was able to gather the address and domain names of the infected computers and rerouted command messages to effectively put the network to sleep, he said.
The FBI worked with the Estonian police to arrest six individuals involved in the Ghost Click scam, which was generating illicit fees from bogus online advertising.
Partnership with industry and the broad private sector is vital to stopping cyber crime, Henry said. For example, the FBI has worked with the financial sector to look for weaknesses in the industry's computer networks. Based on this data, the bureau released a joint document to alert the industry to threats, he said.
But despite the bureau's efforts, there continue to be major challenges in cyberspace. The FBI is redoubling its efforts to educate both industry and the public about cyber crime. "This is a human issue, and human beings are the solution," Henry said.
Companies must evaluate how they transmit data. Henry said lax security must not be tolerated, adding that many firms have good security policies but do not implement them properly. "If it's not conducted by the leadership of the company, then shame on them," he said.
Firms must also be open with law enforcement when there are illicit intrusions on their networks. Many firms delay when they report an incident out of fear of angering their shareholders. But if companies are timely in their reports, it will put them in better standing with regulators. "Most everyone will be breached at some time or another," he said.
Even if a company is unaware of an intrusion, the FBI will often find out before the company does. This usually happens during the course of an investigation when seized data leads back to companies that had been unknowingly breached. The bureau's first priority in these situations is to alert the victims, he said.
The primary responsibility of the FBI with regard to cybersecurity is to work with private industry to protect commercial networks, Henry said. There are many challenges, including security flaws dating from the birth of the Internet that favor criminals. He challenged industry to develop alternate technology environments with built-in authentication and other defenses because new steps are necessary to counter cyber crime.
"They want our money, property, information, and some even want to physically harm us," he said.
Henry Kenyon is a staff reporter covering enterprise applications. | <urn:uuid:f12543dd-e6e5-4e12-bc28-e304cf16f3ba> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://redmondmag.com/articles/2011/12/13/fbi-teams-with-international-agencies-to-target-cyber-crime_0.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00045-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966212 | 692 | 1.882813 | 2 |
Significance and Use
The primary purpose of the unconfined compression test is to quickly obtain a measure of compressive strength for those soils that possess sufficient cohesion to permit testing in the unconfined state.
Samples of soils having slickensided or fissured structure, samples of some types of loess, very soft clays, dry and crumbly soils and varved materials, or samples containing significant portions of silt or sand, or both (all of which usually exhibit cohesive properties), frequently display higher shear strengths when tested in accordance with Test Method D 2850. Also, unsaturated soils will usually exhibit different shear strengths when tested in accordance with Test Method D 2850.
If tests on the same sample in both its intact and remolded states are performed, the sensitivity of the material can be determined. This method of determining sensitivity is suitable only for soils that can retain a stable specimen shape in the remolded state.
Note 2—For soils that will not retain a stable shape, a vane shear test or Test Method D 2850 can be used to determine sensitivity.
Note 3—The quality of the result produced by this standard is dependent on the competence of the personnel performing it, and the suitability of the equipment and facilities used. Agencies that meet the criteria of Practice D 3740 are generally considered capable of competent and objective testing/sampling/inspection. Users of this standard are cautioned that compliance with Practice D 3740 does not in itself ensure reliable results. Reliable results depend on many factors; Practice D 3740 provides a means of evaluating some of those factors.
1.1 This test method covers the determination of the unconfined compressive strength of cohesive soil in the intact, remolded, or reconstituted condition, using strain-controlled application of the axial load.
1.2 This test method provides an approximate value of the strength of cohesive soils in terms of total stresses.
1.3 This test method is applicable only to cohesive materials which will not expel or bleed water (water expelled from the soil due to deformation or compaction) during the loading portion of the test and which will retain intrinsic strength after removal of confining pressures, such as clays or cemented soils. Dry and crumbly soils, fissured or varved materials, silts, peats, and sands cannot be tested with this method to obtain valid unconfined compression strength values. Note 1
The determination of the unconsolidated, undrained strength of cohesive soils with lateral confinement is covered by Test Method D 2850.
1.4 This test method is not a substitute for Test Method D 2850.
1.5 All observed and calculated values shall conform to the guidelines for significant digits and rounding established in Practice D 6026.
1.5.1 The procedures used to specify how data are collected/recorded and calculated in this test method are regarded as the industry standard. In addition, they are representative of the significant digits that should generally be retained. The procedures used do not consider material variation, purpose for obtaining the data, special purpose studies, or any considerations for the user's objectives; and it is common practice to increase or reduce significant digits of reported data to commensurate with these considerations. It is beyond the scope of this test method to consider significant digits used in analysis methods for engineering design.
1.6 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard. The values stated in inch-pound units are approximate.
This standard does not purport to address all of the safety problems, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
2. Referenced Documents (purchase separately) The documents listed below are referenced within the subject standard but are not provided as part of the standard.
D653 Terminology Relating to Soil, Rock, and Contained Fluids
D854 Test Methods for Specific Gravity of Soil Solids by Water Pycnometer
D1587 Practice for Thin-Walled Tube Sampling of Soils for Geotechnical Purposes
D2216 Test Methods for Laboratory Determination of Water (Moisture) Content of Soil and Rock by Mass
D2488 Practice for Description and Identification of Soils (Visual-Manual Procedure)
D2850 Test Method for Unconsolidated-Undrained Triaxial Compression Test on Cohesive Soils
D3740 Practice for Minimum Requirements for Agencies Engaged in Testing and/or Inspection of Soil and Rock as Used in Engineering Design and Construction
D4220 Practices for Preserving and Transporting Soil Samples
D4318 Test Methods for Liquid Limit, Plastic Limit, and Plasticity Index of Soils
D6026 Practice for Using Significant Digits in Geotechnical Data
D6913 Test Methods for Particle-Size Distribution (Gradation) of Soils Using Sieve Analysis
E177 Practice for Use of the Terms Precision and Bias in ASTM Test Methods
E691 Practice for Conducting an Interlaboratory Study to Determine the Precision of a Test Method
cohesive soil; sensitivity; strain-controlled loading; strength; stress-strain relationships; unconfined compression;
ICS Number Code 93.020 (Earth works. Excavations. Foundation construction. Underground works)
ASTM International is a member of CrossRef.
Citing ASTM Standards
[Back to Top] | <urn:uuid:2846b7c3-a18c-439f-9c40-951ec21dea14> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.astm.org/Standards/D2166.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00075-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.900063 | 1,148 | 2.890625 | 3 |
The last chapter of "Great Controversy", Chapter 42 has 56 key texts in it's 17 pages. All of these texts with their implied truths had been put together by others of the pioneers in their articles of the "Review, Present Truth", or the books they had compiled or written, thus there are no new ideas from Ellen White in this chapter. As will be shown, the ideas that she did have they are not implied or supplied in scripture texts, came from two other writers, March and Melvill. It seems strange, that with all the visions and revelations of heaven and the hereafter that she said she had and all the time that she said she spent being directed around in heaven by angels and faithful Christians of the past, that she could not think of any words of her own to describe what she said was either told her or that she saw would take place in the hereafter.
For many of the bible texts that are used in chapter 42 of "Great Controversy", read James White's "Life Incidents", 1868, Pages 260-265 where, often the same order is used as in Chapter 42. Also see J. N. Andrews book "The Three Messages of Revelation", XIV, 6-12. Particularly "The Third Angel's Message", and "Two Horned Beast", printed in 1860 but taken from his 1855 articles in the "Review". This material was taken without shame by James White and used in his book "Life Incidents" without giving any credit and often without any change, merely following J. N. Andrews' line for line.
Thus it has been shown from this study of the book "Great Controversy" that Ellen White was not the author nor did it come from visions or revelations. Instead it was taken from the works of others by others without credit being given to anyone but Ellen White. It is also plain to see that J. N. Andrews with his many ideas and articles and books, all written before Ellen White wrote or expressed herself in print, was the inspiration for the "Great Controversy". A theme he had amplified long before in his "History of the Sabbath". Ellen merely expanded on the theme using the total concept of the law and the ideas and thoughts and words of others to pad the works she claimed as her own.
I think we have taken away too much of the meaning of these words when applied to heaven for fear that we should make that other state too material. But this spiritual qualification of the meaning of the words is not in the Bible Heaven is a country There the great Shepherd leads his flock to living fountains of waters. The trees bring forth fruit through every month of the year, and their leaves are for the healing of the nations. It has seas clear and placid, like glass, and rivers winding through shaded banks and multitudes walking in the gentle light And we get a new and higher idea of the harmony pervading the universal kingdom between us and the most distant worlds countless worlds that he has strewn though measureless space? Heaven is an inhabited country, where the same ever-active, ever-improving and immortal minds have been building up great works of beauty and delight for thousands of years and the toilers are never weary. They can undertake great and far-reaching enterprises with the certainty of having thousands of years to carry them on and complete them with divine and glorious beauty they toil and rest, they see and hear and know, they are interested in change of scene and diversity of occupation, they have degrees of talent and varieties of taste and personal peculiarities, and the glorious country which they inhabit is developing evermore in riches and beauty and delight.
Heaven is a City. It has streets and walls and gates. The streets are golden, the gates are pearl, the walls are of precious stones. The city is lighted with its own indwelling glory, and it shines from afar like the sun, and ransomed millions walk in its light The inhabitants can beautify their homes with the genius of archangels and with the study of ages. The mightiest of the servants of God, the sainted heroes of all time, may be met in its streets. It receives intelligence from distant worlds swifter than thought travels on the electric wire over the mountains and under the sea and round the world The redeemed of earth are there permitted to look upon the brow that was crowned with thorns for them
Daniel March, Home Life in the Bible, Pages 610-616 - 1873
A fear of making the future inheritance seem too material has led many to spiritualize away the very truths which lead us to look upon it as our home In the Bible the inheritance of the saved is called "a country", Hebrews 11: 14-16. There the heavenly Shepherd leads His flock to fountains of living waters. The tree of life yields its fruit every month, and the leaves of the tree are for the service of the nations. There are ever-flowing streams, clear as crystal, and beside them waving trees cast their shadows upon the paths prepared for the ransomed for the Lord There is the New Jerusalem, the metropolis of the glorified new earth There the redeemed shall know, even as also they are known. The pure communion with holy beings, the harmonious social life with the blessed angels and with the faithful ones of all ages. Every faculty will be developed, every capacity increased. The acquirement of knowledge will not weary the mind or exhaust the energies. There the grandest enterprises may be carried forward, the loftiest aspirations reached, the highest ambitions realized, and still there will arise new heights to surmount.
Ellen White, Great Controversy, Pages 675-677 - 1911
"They need no candle, neither light of the sun," "for the Lord God giveth them light." "I saw no temple therein; for the Lord God almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it" . God is here pleased to communicate grace; the saints shall be privileged with direct and open intercourse thus access to God and the Lamb "Now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then shall I know even as also I am known." We behold nothing but the image of God, as reflected from his works or dealings, which serve as so many glasses or mirrors we are to behold God "face to face; not, that is, by reflected rays, but by direct open vision, standing in his presence, and gazing as it were, on his countenance acquiring knowledge; no longer to be taught through laborious processes of study and research to learn from actual inspection, the mind having the powers of the eye, so that the understanding shall gather in the magnificence of truth, with the same facility There will be no difference between ourselves and the object of contemplation Creation, with all thy bright wonders communication of happiness The sublimest knowledge is made accessible gifted with capacities and privileged with opportunities the ripening of our powers is concerned seems to indicate that our future state, like our present, will be progressive; there is to be a continued communication of light, or of knowledge But he has yet to pass into a scene of greater light the explanation of difficulties, the wisdom of appointments unsearchable indeed and unlimited, but ever discovering more of their stupendousness, their beauty, their harmony the mystic figures of prophecy Then shall redemption throw open before him its untravelled amplitude, and allow of his tracing those unnumbered ramifications which the cross, erected on this globe, may possibly be sending to all the outskirts of immensity give place to adoring reverence for the mysteries of time were exhausted, and redemption presented no unexplored district "passeth knowledge." But if never to be overtaken, it shall always be pursued that the just man will continually be admitted to richer and richer discoveries of God and of Christ, so that eternity will be spent in journeying through that temple and if knowledge be thus progressive, so also shall love be, and so also happiness, admire more, and adore more.
The anthem which is to ascribe worthiness for ever and ever to the Lamb, from ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; what an orchestra for as the Lamb discloses to his Church more and more of his amazing achievement, and opens new tracts of the consequences of the atonement, and exhibits, under more endearing and overcoming aspects, the love which moved Him, and the sorrows which beset Him, and the triumphs which attended Him, we believe that the hearts of the redeemed will beat with a higher pulse of devotion, and their harps be swept with a bolder hand, and their tongues send forth a mightier chorus. Thus will the just proceed from strength to strength; knowledge, and love, and holiness, and joy, being on the increase.
Henry Melvill, Sermons, Volume 2, Pages 332-347 - 1851
In the City of God "there shall be no night." None will need or desire repose. There will be no weariness in doing the will of God and offering praise to His name. We shall ever feel the freshness of the morning and shall ever be far from its close. "And they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light." Revelation 22: 5. The light of the sun will be superseded by a radiance The redeemed walk in the sunless glory of perpetual day "I saw no temple therein; for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it." Revelation 21: 22. The people of God are privileged to hold open communion with the Father and the Son. "Now we see through a glass, darkly", 1 Corinthians 13: 13. We behold the image of God reflected, as in a mirror, in the works of nature and in His dealings with men; but then we shall see Him face to face, without a dimming veil between. We shall stand in His presence and behold the glory of His countenance The pure communion with holy beings, the harmonious social life with the blessed angels and with the faithful ones of all ages who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
There, immortal minds will contemplate with never failing delight the wonders of creative power, the mysteries of redeeming love. There will be no cruel, deceiving foe to tempt to forgetfulness of God. Every faculty will be developed, every capacity increased. The acquirement of knowledge will not weary the mind or exhaust the energies. There the grandest enterprises may be carried forward, the loftiest aspirations reached, the highest ambitions realized; and still there will arise new heights to surmount.
All the treasures of the universe will be open to the study of God's redeemed. Unfettered by mortality, they wing their tireless flight to worlds afar--worlds that thrilled with sorrow at the spectacle of human woe and rang with songs of gladness at the tidings of a ransomed soul suns and stars and systems, all in their appointed order.
And the years of eternity, as they roll, will bring richer and still more glorious revelations of God and of Christ. As knowledge is progressive, so will love, reverence, and happiness increase. The more men learn of God, the greater will be their admiration of His character. As Jesus opens before them the riches of redemption and the amazing achievements in The Great Controversy with Satan, the hearts of the ransomed thrill with more fervent devotion, and with more rapturous joy they sweep the harps of gold; and ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands of voices unite to swell the mighty chorus of praise The Great Controversy is ended that God is love. (Melvill, controversies are ended, p. 33) .It is said by St. Paul of the love of Christ, and, if or the love, then necessarily also of Him whose love it is, that it "passeth knowledge," and if knowledge be thus progressive, so also shall love be, and so also happiness. (p. 344)
Ellen G. White, Great Controversy, Pages 676-678 - 1911
Ellen G. White, Spirit of Prophecy, Volume 4, Pages 490-492 - 1884 | <urn:uuid:28d8bca1-3cc1-4447-9739-37f9392d718f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ellenwhiteexposed.com/rea/gc24.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00069-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960921 | 2,521 | 2.03125 | 2 |
Last week, yet another salmonella scare swept the nation, and as of today, almost 400 people have been affected. Since September, cases have been found in 42 states, but the majority are focused in California, Ohio, and Minnesota. Although Minnesota officials think the culprit in their state may be King Nut peanut butter, they haven't connected this product to the national outbreak.
Investigators discovered the salmonella in a five-pound container of King Nut peanut butter in a nursing home. This company doesn't make its own peanut butter, but instead orders it from Peanut Corporation of America, based in Lynchburg, VA. King Nut then sells to food-service providers that supply food to hospitals and other institutional facilities, so it's not sold in retail stores. For safety purposes, King Nut has voluntarily recalled its creamy peanut butter sold under the names King Nut and Parnell's Pride with a lot code that begins with the numeral 8.
The CDC, Agriculture Department, Food and Drug Administration, and state health officials plan to continue the investigation so they can give the public more details about the source of the outbreak. Since the salmonella was found in an open container of peanut butter, cross-contamination may also be a possibility. For more details, check out the FDA's press release. | <urn:uuid:9b03536a-3a97-4419-b7f9-0c3415546a29> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.fitsugar.com/Peanut-Butter-Spreading-Salmonella-2684068 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00057-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950714 | 265 | 2.625 | 3 |
By Elizabeth Wasserman
The days when social networks were just for teens are long over: Adults now take up social networking for fun and business alike. One entrepreneur, Sheilah Etheridge of Anchorage, Alaska, uses social networks to turn up business leads for her home-based accounting and consulting firm. But Etheridge is selective with what she shares and where. “Everything we post on the Web is obviously out there for all the world to see, and it’s out there for eternity,” she says.
To get the most out of your favorite social networks, it’s important to be aware of how to protect your online privacy. Here’s how to share safely:
Tip No. 1: Don’t fork over too much personal info.
You don’t always know who is viewing even tidbits of your profiles, so think twice before you post sensitive -- or potentially embarrassing -- information, videos or photos on social networks. It could fall into the hands of identity thieves, prospective employers, college recruiters or even potential mates.
“People should assume the content they put online is going to be public,” says blogger Jeremiah Owyang, a former senior analyst for Forrester Research.
Tip No. 1: Review privacy policies before you post.
Some networks, such as LinkedIn, have adopted privacy policies that vouch they’ll never share your information with other users without your consent. Other sites, like Facebook and Twitter, offer online privacy settings that allow you to control who can view certain information and who gets notification when you add friends or Web applications.
But be mindful about the details: On Facebook, for example, your profile and photo privacy settings are separate. Just because you block non-friends from seeing your profile doesn’t bar them from seeing your photos. Make sure your review all your preferences under Account > Privacy Settings.
Tip No. 2: Don’t reveal every step you take.
It’s a freaky thought, but stalkers, jealous spouses and suspicious employers can use social networks to keep an eye on your every move. Many photos and posts are time-stamped, so the date and time you post it is recorded and shared with your network of friends or connections. This means your boss may be able to find out how much time you spend on Facebook while at work.
Facebook also allows you to “Check In” where you are, revealing your geographic location. On Twitter, you can note your location in your tweets and in your profile. If you want to keep your moves and location on the down-low, avoid checking in altogether and tweak your online privacy settings.
Tip No. 4: Be smart with apps.
Most social networking sites are for-profit companies, and advertising keeps membership free. Any time you sign up for a free app or contest on a social network, your private data might be used to target you with online advertising based on your activities.
“The purpose behind social networking sites is supposed to be to enable you to connect with friends and colleagues and do these networking activities,” says John Verdi, senior counsel for the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) , a nonprofit privacy advocacy group in Washington, D.C. “What they don’t say is that ‘our real purpose is to mine your data and sell it to the highest bidder.’”
Tip No. 5: Don’t expect to be able to delete it once you post it.
It’s happened to the best of us: being haunted by your old social network posts that never die. There is an assumption that you “own” your profiles. But that’s not the case.
In the past, Facebook users were not able to completely delete their profiles. Facebook claimed it wanted to store the information in case users wanted to revive their profile, but it has now caved in under pressure from users to allow for easier deleting. MySpace and LinkedIn allow users to delete their profiles too.
But when it comes to posts you leave on others’ profiles -- or content that friends copied off your profile or blog -- it can remain online for eternity. “There are going to be remnants or ghosts,” says Owyang. “Assume that everything you put online is forever.”
The single best thing you can do before you put yourself out there on a social network? “Speak to other users you know and trust before joining some sites,” says Etheridge. In other words, network a bit before you sign up for a network so you can learn more about how the site protects your info -- or doesn’t.
Elizabeth Wasserman is a writer, editor and online media consultant with more than a dozen years of experience reporting on technology, entertainment and the media. She is a contributing editor at Inc. magazine and writes for a variety of online publications.
Cloud computing enables you to connect wirelessly and comes with plenty of benefits. What's your favorite feature? | <urn:uuid:e8bf1406-e1e2-4c28-a476-25d5e3eb2c96> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.everydayconnected.com/hot1005com/play/share_safely/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.928278 | 1,044 | 1.703125 | 2 |
A Reference Resource
Stephen B. Elkins (1891–1893): Secretary of War
Stephen Benton Elkins was born in 1841 near New Lexington, Ohio. After graduating from the University of Missouri at Columbia in 1860, Elkins taught school, then quit his job to serve in the Union Army as a captain of militia in the Seventh Missouri Infantry. In doing so, Elkins would fight both his brother and father, who had joined the Confederate Army. Though he was captured by William Quantrill’s raiders, one of Quantrill’s party, a former classmate, protected Elkins so that he was able to return to Missouri.
Elkins studied law and was admitted to the Missouri state bar in 1864, the same year he moved to New Mexico Territory. Upon his arrival, he began to learn Spanish so he could represent those living in the area. Within one year, the people so respected Elkins that they elected him to the territorial house of representatives. He served in that body from 1864 to 1865, and then worked as territorial district attorney in 1866. In 1867, President Andrew Johnson named Elkins territorial attorney general and charged him with ending slavery in the territory.
Though Elkins was a Johnson appointment, his hard work guaranteed continued service in that position during the administration of President Ulysses S. Grant. From 1872 to 1877, Elkins served as New Mexico’s territorial delegate to Washington, D.C., where he worked for New Mexico’s statehood. Elkins was a leading legal authority in New Mexico, as well as a prosperous businessman who had invested in land and mining, founding and presiding over the First National Bank of Santa Fe.
By 1890, Elkins had moved to West Virginia, where he founded the town of Elkins. He served as vice president of the West Virginia Central & Pittsburgh Railroad before purchasing the Morgantown & Kingwood Railroad, and then merging it with the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad.
Elkins had become a wealthy railroad baron by the 1880s, but he was still heavily involved in politics. He declined the Republican nomination for President in 1888 but was tapped by Republican President Benjamin Harrison to become secretary of war following the resignation of Redfield Proctor. Elkins served from 1891 until the end of the Harrison administration in 1893, during which time he expanded the responsibilities of the Division of Military Intelligence and recommended that the salaries of noncommissioned officers be increased. In 1895, Stephen Benton Elkins was elected to the U.S. Senate, where he served until his death in 1911. | <urn:uuid:9094e1ad-8de5-42e8-9a55-7110d959d96b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://millercenter.org/president/bharrison/essays/cabinet/383 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00062-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.985737 | 532 | 3.171875 | 3 |
Encyclopedia of Jazz Musicians
Howard, David (Russell)
Howard, David (Russell), guitarist, composer, arranger, educator. b. New Haven, Conn. 3 November 1954. His mother is Lenora Yohans and his father is Dr. Russell Howard. His brother is Robert Howard (b.1957) and his sister is Karen Howard (b.1952).
Lived in Hamden Conn. until 1977 when David moved to the Boston Mass. area. Started guitar lessons at the age of 7 in Conn and took them until the age of 14. David became involved in jazz at the age of 15 or 16 in high school jazz groups. David grew up in Hamden listening to BB King, Muddy Waters, Eric Clapton, and Johnny Winters, to Wes Montgomery, Jim Hall, Sal Salvador, and Larry Coryell. By the age of 17 he was playing clubs in the New Haven, New York area.
At 18 he enrolled at the University of Bridgeport where Sal Salvador was his teacher. He earned a BM degree and studied the following year with Larry Coryell. At 25 Dave moved to Boston where he worked as a freelance guitarist and composer / arranger. He worked with the Dave Rasmussin Big Band and performed on the "Autumn Leaves" recording. He was a member of several groups, "Shine" a Boston based jazz/rock group that preformed at music festivals and colleges in the New England area. David was also the guitarist for the "Joe Parillo Ensemble". He has recorded, composed and co-produced three CDs with Joe Parillo "Clouds", "Almost Carefree" and "Block Island Summer" that have received good reviews and airplay in the United States. Dave earned a Masters degree from New England Conservatory in 1990 and studied with Jimmy Guiffre, Bob Moses, George Russell, Mick Goodrick and Charlie Bancos. He performed with Jimmy Guiffre's and George Russell's Big Band during his studies at New England Conservatory.
In 1989 Dave started teaching at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he is currently Assistant Professor in the Contemporary Writing and Production and Guitar Department. In addition to Berklee, he remains active as a solo artist, clinician, sideman and performs a variety of styles throughout the United States, Europe and Canada. Mr. Howard's first recording under his name is "Souvenirs" with Kenwood Dennard on drums and James Stinnett on bass. The "Souvenirs" recording started a series of summer tours of Italy for David. In 1989 (August) David performed a three-week tour in Calabria Italy of various jazz clubs and the Jazz & Vento Festival in Cortale, Italy on August 13th. with European TV and radio coverage. He returns every year since 1998, involved with festivals, clinics, and recordings. David Howard lives in Stoneham, Massachusetts with his wife Vincenza and their two children Gabriella b.1986, Jordan b.1990.
Additional recordings as guitarist and composer/arranger:
The 50th Anniversary Faculty Composer Series (1997); Meditations Of The Heart (1997); Oasis Jazz (2001); Calabria (2002) | <urn:uuid:7f5ff84f-f60c-4857-b8d0-2bd19f719c8a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.jazz.com/encyclopedia/howard-david-russell | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973276 | 667 | 1.59375 | 2 |
Archive for category Canoes
Name: Pat Sutcliffe
As an advertiser on Float Missouri I was wondering if you might consider asking the people who maintain the site to put a retraction on the “real funny joke” they posted yesterday? It is causing tremendous problems.
It didn’t end up being very funny for the canoeing industry in Missouri.
This letter was sent to one of our advertisers after our New Alcohol Law Targets Floaters April Fools post gained, let’s just say, a little attention. Below is my response to Mr./Mrs. Sutcliffe. Read the rest of this entry »
Once you understand the phases of canoe strokes and the proper form for executing the forward stroke and J-stroke, you’re ready to learn the proper form and execution for the draw stroke. Here are some guidelines.
Like the J-stroke, the draw stroke is also used to correct a canoe’s direction while it is moving. The J-stroke can be executed by the paddler in the bow or stern of the canoe as a way to correct or compensate for the direction of the canoe. Also, the draw stroke is one of the most important strokes to know and ironically one that many recreational canoeists don’t use because they’ve never heard of it. You can tell the canoeists who don’t know about the draw stroke’s existence because they’re the ones who keep switching from side to side as they paddle. If they knew about they draw stroke, they wouldn’t have to keep switching sides in order to keep their canoe moving straight and forward. With the draw stroke, you begin by pulling the canoe to the side and as your paddle gets close to the canoe you rotate it into a forward stroke. Read the rest of this entry »
Continued from Part One
While there are a variety of paddle strokes you can employ on your next float trip, the forward stroke, J-stroke and draw stroke are the most commonly used. Here are some guidelines for using these three strokes.
The forward stroke is the primary stroke used by the person sitting at the bow of a canoe. While the forward stroke is viewed by many as the simplest and most straight forward of strokes, proper form is essential and it’s not always as easy as it looks. Proper form includes sitting up straight and proper torso rotation. Read the rest of this entry »
Missouri is blessed to have four seasons but with shorter days and cooler temperatures, there’s no denying the time has come to store your boat for the winter. Each spring many boat owners find their kayak or canoe doesn’t perform as well as it did in years past. This can happen when a canoe or kayak sits improperly stored for 5-6 months of the year. Properly storing your boat is important and you’ll be glad you spent the extra time figuring out the storage method that works best for you when it comes time to take your boat on the next float trip in the spring. Here are some tips for storing your boat for the winter. Read the rest of this entry »
There are many reasons to take a canoe float trip. A canoe float trip gets you out onto the water, allows you to explore the shores and wilderness surrounding rivers, creeks and streams. While many who take float trips go with a large youth group or group of friends, some choose to take a float trip with just their partner or spouse. Certainly there’s safety in numbers, but it’s a smart idea to file a plan with a friend who’s staying behind or a local outfitter. You’ll also want to keep a copy of the plan with you to help you stay on course, on schedule and as a means to prevent you and your party from getting lost. There’s no rule book for making a float plan but there are pieces of information you should include. To create an effective canoe float trip plan you’ll need maps, GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) coordinates for the trip, paper and pen or a computer and printer. Read the rest of this entry »
When you are taking a trip in a canoe there are a few basic requirements you must know to have a good time in your canoe. It does not matter if you are going on a wide, calm lake, a meandering river or in a white knuckle rapids knowing how to guide a canoe to the destination you want is needed. For the beginner, this can be a very slow and delicate process. You must give yourself enough time to be sure you know exactly what to do once in the water. You will find with practice and proper mechanics that steering your canoe will be as easy to you as steering your car. There are a few different strokes that you will need to learn.
Read the rest of this entry »
The average person would not have a hard time finding a canoe that would fit them. When you are a larger person you have to think ahead about these things. There are many types of canoes out there it is just a matter of doing your homework.
One popular choice for a two person canoe is the ten feet nine inch inflatable Colorado canoe. They have freshened up the look and made some valve changes as well. They have also added large motor mount grommets. The weight limit on this is five hundred pounds. This model comes in blue and hunter green. The Rio one person inflatable canoe features the same new look and is nine feet ten inches long and has a weight limit of three hundred fifty. The double person pointer K2 series also can be paddled solo with an optional spray skirt and spray deck attachment system. This canoe is fourteen feet two inches long and has a weight limit of 600 pounds.
Read the rest of this entry » | <urn:uuid:266f4efc-cc1c-4124-a1d7-3f35f391b5cb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.floatmissouri.com/category/canoes-2/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959257 | 1,202 | 2.203125 | 2 |
By David Von Drehle
The Washington Post
When the senior al Qaeda planner of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks wanted to drop a hijacker from the plot because he was ignoring his training, the boss overruled him.
When he wanted to expand the plot to the West Coast and even into Asia, the boss said no.
And when other al Qaeda leaders expressed eleventh-hour reservations about striking the United States using passenger jets as missiles, the boss -- Osama bin Laden -- bulled through the opposition and gave the fateful green light.
This portrait of the terrorist-as-CEO emerges from a chilling report released yesterday by the commission investigating the attacks and is based on interrogations of captured bin Laden associates. Although the report cautions that some evidence is contradictory, the document nevertheless provides the most detailed glimpse yet of bin Laden's management of his war on America and of tensions inside his al Qaeda as the group undertook its most brutal project to date.
The bin Laden revealed by his associates is a hands-on leader, a prod at times and a brake at others, aggressive, audacious -- but not reckless within the warped framework of his murderous enterprise. He has a knack for choosing the right men for a job and demands from his inner circle an oath of loyalty directly to him. The planning and execution of the strikes on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were steered by bin Laden through a process that might be familiar to business executives the world over.
"It does have a corporate quality about it," said Brian Jenkins, a Rand Corp. terrorism expert. "Different individuals specialize in different areas, with bin Laden appearing to be personally involved. He is not just a mouthpiece. . . . He comes across, in this particular account, as a leader reviewing proposals, putting some on the shelf, moving others into the feasibility study phase. He's thoughtful, ambitious, cold-blooded, willing to take enormous risks but at the same time scaling things back to be sure that he succeeds."
The report also details, in spare yet heartbreaking detail, how many times and ways the plot might have gone off track. The original scheme was half-baked, the original hijackers were feckless, bin Laden was at one point willing to settle for a much weaker blow if only he could have it sooner. A key operative appeared to get cold feet. Bin Laden's Taliban allies argued against the attack.
Yet it happened. The killing of nearly 3,000 people began as a perverse twist on an everyday transaction: a pitch from a man with a big idea to a man with the resources to make it happen.
In early 1999, bin Laden was an impresario of global terrorism looking for a bold new plot. Khalid Sheik Mohammed had a terrible vision but needed men and money. Their meeting in the Afghan city of Kandahar was a match made in hell.
This was their second such encounter. Mohammed, a veteran anti-American terrorist, had approached bin Laden in 1996 with a proposal that blended his two obsessions: the World Trade Center and exploding airplanes.
With his nephew and others, Mohammed had tried in 1993 to destroy the twin towers. His attempt to bomb a dozen U.S. jets in flight -- simultaneously -- had recently been foiled by police in the Philippines.
At that first meeting, bin Laden "listened, but did not yet commit himself," the report said.
But a lot changed between 1996 and 1999. Bin Laden was forced from his cozy base in Sudan to a dangerous refuge in Afghanistan. Bouncing back, he helped the Taliban take control of the country and merged his group with the Egyptian Islamic Jihad. On Aug. 7, 1998, al Qaeda pulled off its deadliest strike yet, the bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. President Bill Clinton ordered cruise missile strikes on an al Qaeda camp in retaliation.
Bin Laden "summoned" Mohammed to Kandahar, according to the report. Al Qaeda's chief operating officer, Muhammad Atef, also attended. They told Mohammed that his plan "now had al Qaeda's full support," starting with four potential suicide bombers "so eager to participate in attacks against the United States that [two of them] already held U.S. visas."
Those two -- Nawaf Alhazmi and Khalid Almihdhar -- began training for the plot in the fall of 1999, and in January 2000, they were the first conspirators to enter the United States. The other two initial hijackers could not obtain visas, so Mohammed proposed deploying them in a coordinated attack in Asia. Too complicated, bin Laden ruled.
Alhazmi and Almihdhar were supposed to learn English and enter flight school, but they seemed to lack motivation. Mohammed "was displeased and wanted to remove [Almihdhar], but bin Laden interceded" on behalf of his Saudi countryman, the report said.
But by then, at his Afghan training camps, bin Laden had found better prospects for the plot: four young men from Germany, including Mohamed Atta, whom he named emir -- leader -- of the operation in the United States. One of the four, Ramzi Binalshibh, failed to secure a visa, and became the communications link between Atta and the al Qaeda hierarchy. The other three entered American flight schools.
Bin Laden's attention to detail never failed, according to the report. From the thousands of would-be jihadists pouring into his training camps, he culled the eventual pilot of the Pentagon-bound airplane, Hani Hanjour, and the 14 "muscle hijackers" who would seize the planes and control the passengers. He pressed for a strike on the White House, pushing repeatedly in the spring of 2001 to speed up the plot to take advantage of a visit to Washington by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
Bin Laden sent the man who may have been a backup terrorist, Zacarias Moussaoui, to get flight training in Malaysia in 2000. (Moussaoui, Binalshibh and Mohammed are in U.S. custody, along with other key al Qaeda leaders.) In the end, it was bin Laden who gave the word to strike. He "argued that attacks against the United States needed to be carried out immediately," the report said. "In his thinking, the more al Qaeda did, the more support it would gain . . . and the attacks went forward." | <urn:uuid:85d6c03e-36cd-4324-b52e-d98c75466b7d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.christusrex.org/www1/icons/wpt-6-17-04.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97139 | 1,322 | 1.523438 | 2 |
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Many Jewish inmates adhering to kosher diet standards have not had an ideal transition when it comes to food service in prison. Kosher meals have been a hot topic at prison’s throughout the country, as some states have banned them or placed heavy restrictions on who can be served a kosher meal.
After five years without the option for kosher meals, Florida has reversed its decision and will begin serving kosher meals again throughout all state prisons, although an official date has not been given.
The Florida Department of Corrections cited many reasons for ending the Jewish Dietary Accommodation Program back in 2007, including fairness to other faiths as well as cost. Kosher meals were not the only meals to be “shelved” in the state — halal meals were also not provided to Muslim inmates.
Accommodating faithful and religious Jewish inmates would not be a monumental task, as only 1.5 percent of the 1.9 million men and women in prison in the U.S. are Jewish, according to the Aleph Institute. However, many inmates take advantage of the system in order to receive what they believe is higher quality and safer food. Correctional News ran a story last year about the problem of inmates falsely claiming Judaism in order to be placed on a kosher meal diet.
“There are about 20,000 inmates now, that’s including jail and prison, who are falsely claiming to be Jewish just to get a Kosher diet,” said Chaplain Gary Friedman, chairman of Jewish Prisoner Services International. “They’re not interested in anything else, they just want the kosher diet.”
Friedman has worked with many state correctional departments in order to determine whether suspect inmates are truly Jewish and adhere to such dietary standards. Inmates had to show sincerity of the religion including background information and occasional calls to relatives. Friedman explained that the Chaplain then gives his review and advice to the facility to decide whether or not to provide the inmate with a kosher diet. However, not all jails have the budget to call in Chaplains but are doing everything in their power to take control of the situation.
In Florida, correctional officials stopped the service of pork products in state prison facilities and welcomed Jewish and Muslim inmates to choose a vegan meal option, however, those options did not meet the kosher law. Eventually the federal government sued the state of Florida over the issue and claimed the meal option “forces hundreds of its prisoners to violate their core religious beliefs on a daily basis.”
The decision in Florida can be seen as a victory for the Aleph Institute, which helps those in the Jewish faith with many resources including education, faith and prison services. Among the duties of Aleph Institute is the strong advocacy program — Spark of Light. The religious advocacy program aims to address the constitutional rights of Jewish individuals, including inmates to obtain kosher food and also coordinate work schedules that respect the Sabbath and religious holidays, according to the Aleph Institute.
Rabbi Menachem Katz of the Aleph Institute in Surfside told the Sun Sentinel News that the Everglades Correctional Institution in Miami-Dade County would be the first facility to serve kosher meals under a state plan to serve "every single inmate who is interested in kosher." Jewish men who adhere to a kosher diet would be transferred from other prisons in the state to the Miami facility, he said. | <urn:uuid:1f4b5003-248e-42a2-aec1-86fedb041945> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.correctionalnews.com/articles/2013/02/13/kosher-meals-make-comeback-in-florida | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964085 | 699 | 2.0625 | 2 |
Police in rural Indiana rescued 82 dogs from a woman's home.
She may now be facing animal cruelty charges.
Animal control officers and several deputies used four trucks to take 55 of the 82 dogs to a shelter to be evaluated by vets.
Then the next day they came back for the remaining 27 dogs.
Neighbors had originally alerted authorities because with all the dogs, and all the doggy doo doo, they feared the waste might seep into their water supply.
The woman said she takes care of her dogs and feeds them daily.
Sounds like a hoarder to us.
We'll just have to wait until the police report comes out to find out if any charges are being filed.
[Image via AP Images.] | <urn:uuid:47d94403-335c-46d7-a0d1-a7d6c5a97ad2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://perezhilton.com/teddyhilton/2012-01-14-82-eighty-two-dogs-were-rescued-from-a-rural-indiana-womans-home | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00023-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96351 | 152 | 1.648438 | 2 |
- Life Style
Wednesday’s massacre of Ahly Club fans in Port Said’s football stadium was the latest in a tragic crescendo for young Egyptians who continue to clash heavily with Egypt’s Central Security Forces.
And though the clashes have been continually analyzed since they began in January of last year, in my opinion the most important factor has yet to be discussed.
I believe we are witnessing a natural development in an inevitable conflict between two parties that have found themselves following two different paradigms of life: the paradigm of depression, control and normalization of apathy, versus that of joyful liberation from the shackles of social and institutional norms to create gratifying chaos.
The latter is what I call the politics of fun.
This conflict between two rhythms of life — one so dim it fails to realize its own fragility, stagnation and gradual extinction, and the other so young and full of life that it fails to realize the revolutionary consequences of its actions — is a useful one, and should be allowed to grow.
In fact, the chaos of the ultras, Egypt’s hardcore football fans, may play the role of waking up Egypt’s middle class, which continues to adhere to the myth of stability.
Some experts say that the ultras are a non-political group and their political power remains limited and so the entire phenomenon is not worthy of consideration.
In response, I recall the following:
When the 25 January revolution erupted, observers discovered that the only organized group in Egypt with the combative experience to deal with Central Security Forces and the Ministry of Interior was the ultras, not the Muslim Brotherhood, the April 6 Youth Movement or the National Assembly for Change.
They had mastered attack and defense strategies that helped reduce losses. They knew how to sustain active resistance. This became clear in the prominent roles they played in the battles of Qasr al-Nil Bridge, Ramses Street and the "Battle of the Camel."
Their history of continual confrontation with the oppressive Ministry of Interior was thus proved to be exceptional revolutionary action.
The 25 January revolution was, in essence, a fast moving, intrepid coup against a rigid and dim rhythm of life. It’s true that the Mubarak regime’s failed economic policies and oppression by police forces were the two most prominent reasons behind the popular uprising from a political perspective, but the movement also needed a bold adventurous spirit defiant of social norms to translate the feelings and expectations of the Egyptian people into huge popular protest.
The ultras' politics of fun provided this, and thus shaped the spirit of the Egyptian revolution.
The ultras phenomenon can be analyzed from two perspectives: the development of Egyptian football and sports fans’ traditions, or of youth culture during the last decade.
During the 1980s and 90s, cheering for football teams was simple and primitive. Football fans were either “professional” supporters, characterized as extensions of the football club’s administrative entity or linked with one of the prominent football stars — hence likely to be steered— or the recreational type, who headed to the football match after work or on Fridays hoping for a couple of hours' entertainment.
But the most important feature of the period was that rooting for football teams was detached from any broader emotional, social or organizational attitudes.
The globalization of football in the late 1990s and the beginning of the new millennium marked the birth of a new era for football in Egypt, characterized by the establishment of a broad football viewership with a range of rooting styles and values. This new football industry in Egypt, driven by market demand, also provided high profitability, opportunities for money laundering, advertising, and the circulation of financial resources.
This emerging market was invariably bound to depend on young fans as consumers of the language, behavior and tools of the new globalized football era.
It was in this environment that ultra groups came to life.
Ultras first appeared in Latin America and Mediterranean European Countries such as Italy, Spain, France, Portugal and the Balkans. In the Arab world, they began in Tunisia, and were soon followed by the appearance of ultras for the major Egyptian football clubs, beginning with the Ultras Ahlawy, Zamalek’s Ultras White Knights and Ismaily’s Ultras Blue Dragons, and smaller regional clubs such as Port Said’s Ultras Masry.
The revolutionary significance of the ultras phenomenon did not appear until 2007, when a series of clashes with security authorities began both in football stadiums and on the streets. Vandalism and violence also began to escalate between different clubs' ultras.
The key to understanding the ultras phenomenon is to imagine it as a way of life for these youth — for them, becoming a football fan became a symbolic action that was both joyful and a means of self-expression. But the broader social, psychological and cultural contexts were unable to adapt to the groups’ activities, by virtue of their rebellious nature and their defiance of norms.
Ultras’ contributions to revolutionary efforts
The ultras can be described as having the following characteristics, from which the current protest movement has and continues to benefit:
Rooting for a team is a dynamic process, which includes supporting the team on the pitch, glorifying its achievements and defending it against its opponents. It is driven by a vague emotional code, which encourages an emotional attachment to the team. Winning or losing does not affect the group’s faith or cohesion. For example, the successive victories of Al-Ahly team did not relax the Ultras Ahlawy’s drive, just as Zamalek's successive losses did nothing to discourage the Ultras White Knights. Frustration never gets the best of them.
Organization is at the core of the ultras phenomenon, as practical necessity for managing the movement of fans with their teams to the various cities. Ultras remain proud of their group identity but at the same time members are free to be active in the streets as long as it does not conflict with the group’s purpose. This includes political activism. On 25 January, for example, the ultras did not initially join the protests as a group, but gave members the freedom to join on an individual basis. When it became clear that it was a revolution that involved major confrontations with security forces, the ultras made the decision to join as a group on 28 January 2011, called the Friday of Anger.
3. Positive attitude
Ultras have always taken the initiative while attempting to outdo the cheering activities of the opposing team's supporters. From here came the term“cortege,” which was adapted from the street war terminology of Colombia, Brazil, and Argentina. It means going out in demonstrations as a show of power in the opponents’ areas of influence away from the stadium. Cortege sometimes leads to violence.
4. Refusal of patriarchy and traditionalism
The ultras refuse the tutelage of club heads when it comes to the determining what to do and what not to do. Most football clubs are institutions based on patriarchy and elitism. Ultras youth not only love their clubs, but also are not afraid to criticize a team’s policies. One historic development in Ahly’s case was Ultras Ahlawy’s constant criticism of the policies of the club's board with respect to its contracts with the players, coaches and management team.
The rebellious nature of the ultras also rejects puritanical ethical standards regarding "obscene insults", and the prevention of girls from attending the games. They also adopt unusual clothing and behavior that defy norms.
5. Group mentality
Despite the ultras' popularity and their important role during the revolution, none of their leaders have a media presence. These figures remain anonymous to outsiders. This appears to be a deliberate policy that can be explained by the ultras’ desire to uphold a group mentality (against the mass media’s traditional tendencies to create stars and to deal with representatives of phenomena). This secrecy cannot be compared to that of Masonic lodges — as perceived in some sensationalist cheap media coverage of Ultras — but is more comparable to the libertarian privacy that sets limits for itself against sensational media coverage.
The ultras define themselves as rebellious. Not only do they confront competitors in the form of sports teams and administrations, they also revolt against the sports media, which is permanently and aggressively biased against them.
The ultras also revolt against the Ministry of Interior, which is an organized, oppressive, brutal entity that does its best to ruin their fun for no good reason. The ministry has continually stepped up attacks on the fan groups as they have gained numbers and influence.
Due to the nature of its composition and its military mentality, the Ministry of Interior was not able to accept the idea of an organized group of several thousand members that is capable of mobilizing young people independent of any authority or guidance.
The ultras' insistence on continuing in their ways, despite the growing crackdown on them — which reached the point of imprisonment, arresting people in their homes and excessive inspections on entering stadiums (instigated directly by the media) – only provoked police officers further.
In response, the ultras' actions became more symbolic, their banners including rebellious political statements.
Confrontation was inevitable, and ultras’ found it during the 25 January revolution.
Future for Egypt’s ultras
In the wake of the ministry’s collapse following the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak, the ultras have been the least responsive to media demands to turn a new page with the police forces. On the contrary, the Ultras Ahlawy and Ultras White Knights began writing songs and chants focusing on two things: the overwhelming and humiliating defeat of the Ministry of Interior by the ultras, and criticizing the institution itself by making fun of officers’ poor educational levels and the corruption inside its administration.
Following the 25 January revolution, the Ministry of Interior has again displayed retaliatory tendencies and the ultras have taken them on as an existential battle. Furthermore, the situation was expected to escalate following rumors that the government intends to control the numbers and “types” of fans attending football games.
After Wednesday’s massacre of the Ultras Ahlawy, I wonder about the ultras' future. Today, they and many Egyptians are fuming against national security and the Supreme Council of Armed Forces, who are widely perceived as responsible for the deaths of those joyful and defiant young people. The deaths of so many young football fans marks a turning point in the story of Egypt’s ultras and I wonder whether this tragedy will provoke them to develop their strategies and combat mechanisms so as to play an even more direct political and social role in the future.
Ashraf El-Sherif teaches at the American University in Cairo. This article was originally published in Arabic on Jadaliyya. | <urn:uuid:e1969805-5bdd-4c86-a01b-cda87972eafb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.egyptindependent.com/opinion/ultras-politics-fun-confront-tyranny | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00041-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962471 | 2,214 | 1.679688 | 2 |
Pixar's latest is more traditional Disney than groundbreaking Pixar.
Set in the medieval Scottish Highlands, Pixar’s new film Brave follows Merida (voiced by Boardwalk Empire's Kelly Macdonald) who is, like so many of her Disney counterparts, a princess in her late teens. There's nothing Merida loves more than riding her horse Angus and firing her bow with Katniss/Robin Hood-level accuracy. She's a rough and tumble girl not cut out for the prissy and controlled life of a princess. That’s the crux of her ongoing struggle with her well-intentioned, but overbearing mum, Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson), who is somewhere between a stage mother and a drill instructor.
Merida wants control over her destiny, but Elinor will have none of that. The queen has even arranged for Merida to meet potential marriage suitors – bumbling rival clans voiced by Robbie Coltrane, Kevin McKidd and Craig Ferguson -- in an occasion that’s festive for everyone but the princess. After embarrassing her mother and her suitors at her betrothal ceremony, Merida flees into the woods. There she discovers a Stonehenge-style ruin and encounters some magical beings, including an old witch who grants Merida’s wish to change her mother so that she can then change her fate. Alas, Merida comes home to some startling results and spends the rest of the movie trying to undo her reckless mistake.
Brave excels most on a technical level. If you thought Disney did a stellar job of animating Rapunzel's hair in Tangled then wait until you see what Pixar does with Merida's wild scarlet locks. The movement of and detail in her unruly curls is amazingly life-like. Pixar just keeps getting better and better at rendering textures and elemental effects. Brave is a visually sumptuous experience, and its 3D fully immerses you in its mythic version of old Scotland and its misty Highlands. Patrick Doyle’s score and Julie Fowlis’ Gaelic songs are likewise lush and atmospheric.
Much of Brave’s humor is derived from the brawling, boorish behavior of Merida's Scottish clanfolk, particularly her ogre-sized, doting dad King Fergus (Billy Connolly) and her triplet little brothers, cute mischief-makers with hair as fiery red as hers. Imagine Tangled’s Rapunzel being raised by the Vikings from How to Train Your Dragon and you get the idea. Brave wisely forsakes the well-worn wicked stepmother/stepdaughter, father/daughter and princess/prince relationships in favor of the more complicated, yet loving bond between a headstrong mother and her equally stubborn daughter. And yet despite that smart choice, Brave still never manages to become more than a traditional Disney princess tale. The narrative is surprisingly rote for a studio whose mantra is that story is everything, and it’s chock full of the usual “girl power” tropes and comeuppance moments one would expect. There’s simply not a lot of new ground covered here, and the film isn’t funny or charming enough to absolve these narrative shortcomings.
While a technical marvel, Brave is ultimately a lesser effort from a studio known for breaking new ground with such modern classics as Up, Toy Story, WALL-E and Finding Nemo. One wonders whether Pixar has moved into a new era where they will (gasp!) make decent, but not great movies, not unlike the Disney animation output of the 1960s-‘80s. That Brave will be a success is a foregone conclusion; one trip to any Disney store will illustrate just how many kids already know who Merida is and can’t wait to see Brave. However, there was a time not so long ago when people of all ages were amped for Pixar movies. Grownups will appreciate the artistry that went into making Brave, but they’ll likely leave yearning for the transcendent Pixar they fell in love with. | <urn:uuid:89fb1673-7dfb-49d6-956c-657e509500dc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/06/11/brave-review?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ign%2Fmovies-reviews+%28IGN+Movies+Reviews%29 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00056-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949534 | 844 | 1.585938 | 2 |
The American Insurance Group, more commonly known as AIG, is one of the largest insurance companies in the world.
It was a major player in the Financial Crisis of 2008 because it sold $441 billion in unhedged and undercapitalized insurance on securitized debt, much of it tied to mortgage values. AIG sold many credit default swaps. Normally an insurance company "lays off" some of the risk by taking out insurance with another company. AIG neglected to do this because it never expected the securities to turn toxic, which they did. Either someone paid the insurance or the nation's financial system would colapse, so the government stepped in, seized AIG, and paid the insurance.During the 2008 financial crisis, TARP funds were made available by the Bush administration and the Federal Reserve after facing the prospect of bankruptcy. The government has lent over $170 billion to shore up AIG because it insured big banks against losses from securities that turned out to be "toxic" and lost much of their value.
In March 2009 a firestorm of public protest exploded when it was discovered the U.S. Treasury under Secretary Timothy Geithner had allowed AIG to pay $160 million in employment contract bonuses for work in 2008 to the AIG traders who caused over $60 billion in losses in 2008. AIG's employment contracts were written without factoring in the possibility that credit default swaps could result in losses when borrowers default.
According to a Thomas More Law Center lawsuit, at least a portion of $40 billion AIG reciev ed in TARP funds has been used to support Sharia-compliant financial products. AIG has been using taxpayer money to promote Islam and Shariah law. The government acquired a majority interest in AIG and at least two of AIG subsidiary companies practice Sharia-compliant financing. In addition, the federal government co-sponsored a forum entitled Islamic Finance 101. | <urn:uuid:06b543cc-2bda-4714-aac5-9f7dc40ccb06> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.conservapedia.com/American_Insurance_Group | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00053-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964356 | 388 | 2.359375 | 2 |
In recent months we've seen a spate of articles, reports, and op-eds claiming that peak oil is a worry of the past thanks to so-called "new technologies" that can tap massive amounts of previously inaccessible stores of "unconventional" oil. "Don't worry, drive on," we're told.
But as Post Carbon Institute Senior Fellow Richard Heinberg asks in this short video, what's really new here? "What's new is high oil prices and … the economy hates high oil prices."
We can fall for the oil industry hype and keep ourselves chained to a resource that's depleting and comes with ever increasing economic and environmental costs, or we can recognize that the days of cheap and abundant oil (not to mention coal and natural gas) are over.
Unfortunately, the mainstream media and politicians on both sides of the aisle are parroting the hype, claiming — in Obama's case — that unconventional oil can play a key role in an "all of the above" energy strategy and — in Romney's — that increased production of tight oil and tar sands can make North America energy independent by the end of his second term.
We need your help: Please share this video and help bring a dose of reality to the energy conversation.
Our civilization runs on oil.
It’s the cheapest, most energy-dense and portable fuel we've ever found. Nature required tens of millions of years to make petroleum, and we've used up the best of it in less than two hundred.
A little over a decade ago, eminent petroleum geologists calculated that global oil production would soon hit a “peak” and begin to decline, no longer meeting ever-rising demand. But oil industry spokesmen countered with the message, "Don't worry, there's plenty of oil!" and assured us that everything would be just fine.
So what actually happened? World crude oil production flat-lined in 2005, and oil prices went crazy. Wars erupted in the oil-rich parts of the world, and the global economy went into a tailspin. The term "Peak Oil" entered the lexicon.
The oil industry is now staging another PR counter-offensive. They're telling us that applying "new" technologies like hydrofracking to low-porosity rocks makes lots of lower quality, unconventional oil available. They argue we just need to drill more to produce more. Problem solved!
But wait. What's actually new here? Most of this technology has been around since the 1980s. The unconventional resources have been known to geologists for decades. What's new is high oil prices.
It’s high oil prices that make unconventional oil worth producing in the first place. It takes lots of money and energy, not to mention water, to frack low-porosity rocks. And the environmental risks are staggering.
How does the economy handle high oil prices? Well, it turns out the economy hates high oil prices and responds by going into recession. Which makes energy prices volatile, rendering the industry subject to booms and busts.
So, what’s the bottom line here?
Yes, there's still oil in the ground. We just can't afford it. In broad terms, the peak oil analysts were right. But the fossil fuel industry is winning the PR battle.
What really matters, though, is not who wins the debate, but how we prepare for the inevitable. We’ve got to wean ourselves off our high-energy lifestyle.
We'd be foolish to wait for events to settle the debate once and for all. Let's say goodbye to oil. It's saying goodbye to us. | <urn:uuid:7fe2eaeb-6d75-47c0-ba34-f7667c91661a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://energybulletin.net/print/64129 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96142 | 751 | 2.4375 | 2 |
Last modified: 2007-02-04 by ivan sache
Keywords: cyprus | europe | asia | olive branch | geographic outline | map | copper | constitution | guney (ismet) |
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Flag of Cyprus - Image by Martin Grieve, 7 September 2006
Flag and coat of arms adopted 16 August 1960.
Description: A white flag with a golden map of the island with two olive branchs below.
Use: on land, as the national and civil flag, at sea, as the national and civil ensign.
Colour official specifications (as given in Album des Pavillons [pay00]):
which translate approximately in the CMYK system as follows:
On this page:
According to SAVA Newsletter [sav] #27, the flag of Cyprus was selected by the President of the Republic, Mgr Makarios, in 1960 after a proposal made by a school teacher who brought him a message from the Vice-President Fazil Küçük.
Jaume Ollé, 24 January 2001
The white flag was chosen for the young Cyprus as a sign of peace among the two antagonistic communities living there (Turks and Greeks). The map of the island is golden/yellow, for the sake of easier reproduction of what was originally intended to be a colour of copper (symbol Cu), a metal that got its name from the island name. Most probably, since there is no brownish-reddish-copper colour in heraldry, the map was changed to golden. Green olive tree branches stand for peace, again.
Željko Heimer, 12 November 1998
Quoting Jean Christou, Cyprus Mail, 19 June 2006:
İsmet Guney, the Turkish Cypriot artist and teacher who designed the Cyprus flag is seeking payment from the government, 46 years after Archbishop Makarios chose his design to represent the new Republic of Cyprus.
According to reports in the Turkish Cypriot press yesterday Guney claims that Makarios promised him £20 a year for designing the flag but he was never paid.
He [Guney] now wants his money plus compensation for copyright usage. The total by now would amount to £920 after 46 years.
The reports said Guney had hired a Greek Cypriot law firm to push his case but it did not specify which one. His lawyers have already sent a letter to President Tasssos Papadopoulos giving him ten days to respond and meet the payment. If he receives no reply Guney said he was prepared to take the case to the European Court of Human Rights.
Responding to the reports yesterday, left-wing AKEL spokesman Andros Kyprianou said that if such an agreement existed between Guney and Makarios it should be looked into by the government.
Ivan Sache, 19 June 2006
Cyprus says independent minded flag makers have been adding their own creative touches to the national flag for 45 years and it's time to get it right.
[...] Andreas Christou, director of the government supplies office, says: "It seems every department has been going to local manufacturers and some like the colours lighter, some darker. They like the map bigger or smaller."
Now, flags flying the wrong colour will be replaced by ones with the correct shade of copper, he told the daily Cyprus Mail newspaper.
That shade is neither yellow, nor orange nor red but copper, and to be precise, 144c, to reflect the Mediterranean island's historical attachment to the metal.[...]
Lewis Nowitz, 24 October 2005
Pedersen [ped70] just calls it yellow. Smith [smi77], too. Pedersen's recent book [rya98a] says that copper is the proper colour, and yellow is the usual (my translation from Danish).
Ole Andersen, 29 July 1999
The Ancient Greeks got most of their copper from the island, and
the Romans imported a good deal as well. The Greek word for copper
(from which the English is derived) actually means "Cyprus metal".
According to Petit Larousse Illustré, the French word cuivre is derived from Latin cyprium aes, Cyprus bronze.
Mike Oettle & Ivan Sache, 17 December 2001
The Constitution of the Republic of Cyprus was adopted on 6 April 1960 and is the only one to allow both authorities and private citizens to fly national flags other than its own.
Source: Constitutions - what they tell us about national flags and coats of arms [vap00] | <urn:uuid:3686d3f6-3a1a-4d88-a321-a42e8f0faf49> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.fotw.us/flags/cy.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949703 | 966 | 2.625 | 3 |
Nearly 130,000 Oklahomans are expected to receive help in paying their energy bills this year, up 9 percent from last year, according to the National Energy Assistance Directors’ Association.
The group expects 129,558 Oklahomans to receive LIHEAP aid this year. That’s up from 117,780 last year and 83,503 in fiscal 2008.
Still, that increase is small compared to some other states. Ten states will have increases this year of 25 percent or above. Mississippi’s need is up 68 percent. Washington state’s is up by 42 percent. Another seven states will have increases between 20 percent and 24 percent.
Overall, the group expects 8.8 million people to get energy bill help this year, up from 7.7 million last year. LIHEAP aid is mostly provided by the federal government, though some states also contribute. | <urn:uuid:3440cf8b-cd60-4731-a67f-2be8446c0cee> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.newsok.com/politics/2010/02/23/more-oklahomans-need-heating-bill-help/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944147 | 184 | 1.710938 | 2 |
Most of the plastic parts used in our products are also produced by us. This means that the important know-how and skills remain in the company and we can give our customers expert advice.
Injection moulding technology for thermoplastic materials
- 30 hydraulic and all-electric injection moulding machines with 50 - 1500 kN
- Integrated handling technology
- Transfer technology metal/plastic
- Multi-component injection moulding, e.g. hard-soft combinations | <urn:uuid:58468833-85c5-4be5-b607-476e41f052cf> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.rafi.de/Plastic-Injection-Moulding-RAF.88.0.html?L=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00028-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.905087 | 97 | 1.65625 | 2 |
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Urisino Bore is in New South Wales and is about 840km west-northwest of Sydney (show me). Urisino Bore is at an altitude of about 176m above sea level.
The nearest populated place is the village of White Cliffs which is 140km away with a population of around 220 (show me a map with Urisino Bore and White Cliffs).
The nearest road to Urisino Bore is an unsealed road that is un-named in our database and comes within 623m of the bore.
Do you know what condition Urisino Bore is in? Contribute your knowledge by clicking here.
Do you know what facilities are available at Urisino Bore? Contribute your knowledge by clicking here. | <urn:uuid:206dc9d5-a71e-4744-963b-9ef63f1f07d8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://bonzle.com/c/a?a=p&h=40000&i=554&j=554&nudge=1&x=143.393945477092&y=-29.4172360320865&wnb=49812798&c=1&p=224221&w=40000&mpsec=0 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00050-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948329 | 174 | 1.8125 | 2 |
Older Adults with Behavioral Health Needs
The National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) was a partner in a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and Administration on Aging (AoA) funded technical assistance center on the needs of older adults with behavioral health support needs. Other key partners include the National Council on Aging (NCOA) and the National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD).
The Technial Assistance Center created:
Webinar Series: A series of 8 webinars were offered to the Enhance Older Adult Behavioral Health Services grantees, as well as the broader aging services network and behavioral health community. Taken together, the webinar series constituted a science-based, coherent and integrated review of behavioral health for older adults, with a particular focus on the issues of the prevention of suicide, anxiety and depression, prescription drug misuse and abuse, and alcohol abuse. The webinars were recorded and made available for download.
Fact Sheets/Issue Brief Series: 12 fact sheets/issue briefs were produced to address behavioral health issues that are important to older Americans. The Issue Briefs identified key information and opportunities for action that can improve the lives of older people. The first brief offers an overview of issues, facts, evidence-based programs and practices, partnering opportunities, financing and other resources.
For more information, please contact Roy Praschil at email@example.com or 703-682-5183. | <urn:uuid:f9c32a7a-0754-482c-8fdd-f3a253787530> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nasmhpd.org/TA/olderAdultsTA.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00054-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937942 | 324 | 2.0625 | 2 |
Lambrousi Harikleia reached her breaking point on Wednesday when her boss at the Greek Housing Authority in Athens announced that, thanks to the Greek government’s far-reaching austerity measures, both she and her husband would be losing their jobs. Harikleia and her husband, who have a disabled child, climbed out the window of their office building and threatened to jump to their deaths. “At least if we are dead someone will have to take care of our child,” she can be heard saying from her dangerous perch. After over five hours on the ledge, police were able to coax her to safety, but she still won’t be getting her job back.
Harikleia is one of thousands of increasingly desperate Greeks who cannot see a future under the current Greek austerity measures. The government has squandered its savings and is mired in a debt crisis that is no longer sustainable without help from the EU—which is clamoring for drastic cuts. But it is everyday Greek citizens who say they are paying the highest price for the government’s mishandling of its assets. Youth unemployment has climbed to just under 50 percent, and the future looks bleak. Austerity measures, which have included stinging cuts in wages, pensions and public sector jobs, are being demanded by the EU as part of a massive bailout deal that will or won’t happen in March. If the bailout fails, Greece will default on its loans and face expulsion from the euro, the EU’s common monetary currency.
While frustrated members of the EU debate whether Greece’s attempts to manage its debt are good enough to warrant the bailout funds, many Greeks are either taking to the streets to protest or hitting the road altogether.
In the last year, thousands of Greek workers have left the country. “There is no choice but to get out,” says 24 year-old Kostas Papadakis, who was one of many Greek nationals waiting for the Canadian Embassy in Rome to open on Monday morning. He and his girlfriend traveled to Rome last week after what he says was the last straw. “There is no work, there are no services. What is there to stay for?”
In the last six months since the Greek economic debacle hit its pinnacle, the Rome embassies to Canada and Australia have seen applications for work permits and visas nearly double. Rome embassies process Greek and Balkan country applications for the Commonwealth countries, but instead of working through local consulates in Athens, many Greeks are using their EU travel rights to come directly to Rome to try to get the necessary paperwork to leave. Papadakis says the local consulates are so overwhelmed that they have stopped taking new applications for visas altogether. “I feel like we are the first wave of people who realize just how serious this is,” says Papadakis, who has an engineering degree. “Even if we do find jobs, there is no way to earn a sustainable living any more.”
“There is no work, there are no services. What is there to stay for?”
John Yannitsos, head of the Calgary Hellenic Society, reports receiving hundreds of calls from Greeks with Canadian ties who want to move to Canda. The society can provide them with information, but they cannot offer any financial or placement assistance—meaning once they get there, there is no guarantee they will have a better life. “A while ago, it was in the dozens [of calls],” he told Calgary newspaper Metro. “Now we’re approaching a hundred-plus inquiries, and that’s just in Calgary.”
Would-be Greek immigrants are also flocking to Australia in record numbers. Greeks make up the seventh-largest ethnic group in Australia, and many established family members are sending money to support their families in Greece or bringing family members to Australia to start over. The Australian Greek Welfare Society and the Greek Orthodox Communities of Melbourne and Victoria have formed a special task force to deal with the influx.
Bill Papastergiadis, head of the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne, is lobbying the government to waive visa requirements that prohibit young Greeks from working when they visit the country. “We have to give these young people an opportunity to break the cycle, earn a living and then go back to Greece to invest. Otherwise we risk an end to the Greek culture.”
For people like Greek national Papadakis, returning to Greece is not on the horizon. “I have to get out and make it first,” he says. “And then I’ll have to wait and see if there is anything left to go home to.” | <urn:uuid:0e7f4f0f-2854-46ab-bdef-38d5ae214c5c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/02/16/greek-exodus-workers-flee-to-canada-australia.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00059-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969241 | 970 | 1.84375 | 2 |
National Ocean Council
|By Cassandra Anderson|
|Wednesday, 28 July 2010 20:50|
Thirty states will be encroached upon by Obama's Executive Order establishing the National Ocean Council for control over America's oceans, coastlines and the Great Lakes. Under this new council, states' coastal jurisdictions will be subject to the United Nations' Law Of Sea Treaty (LOST) in this UN Agenda 21 program. America's oceans and coastlines will be broken into 9 regions that include the North East, Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic, the Gulf Coast, West Coast, the Great Lakes, Alaska, the Pacific Islands (including Hawaii) and the Caribbean.
Because of the decades of difficulty that the collectivists have had trying to ratify the Law Of Sea Treaty (LOST), Obama is sneaking it in through the back door, by way of this Executive Order establishing the Council. Because LOST is a treaty, Obama's Executive Order is not Constitutional as treaty ratification requires 2/3 approval from the Senate. Michael Shaw said that the Agenda 21 Convention on Biodiversity treaty of 1992 failed to pass Congress so it was executed through soft law and administratively on local levels, and Obama's Executive Order is a similar soft law tactic to enact the LOST treaty.
In fact, our Constitutional form of government is being completely destroyed because buried in the CLEAR Act (HR 3534) there is a provision for a new council to oversee the outer continental shelf - it appears that this Regional Outer Shelf Council will be part of the National Ocean Council. This means that if Congress makes the CLEAR Act into law, then the implementation of the UN Law Of Sea Treaty, as part of the National Ocean Council's agenda, will be "ratified" in a convoluted and stealth manner, in full opposition to the Constitution and its intent.
The excuse for this extreme action is because of the emergency in the Gulf of Mexico. Obama and Congress have always had the legal and military power to force BP Oil to take all necessary action to stop the gusher and clean the oil spew. While there is evidence that the problems in the Gulf have been a result of collusion and planned incompetence, it begs the question, why in world should America's oceans and resources be controlled by Obama appointees?
NATIONAL OCEAN COUNCIL MEMBERS:
John Holdren, Obama's science and technology advisor, is the co-chairman of this new council. He is also a depopulation enthusiast and advocates sterilization by way of using infertility drugs in water and food as well as forced abortions which he describes in his book "Ecoscience".
Ken Salazar, Secretary of the Department of Interior, and its subagency, MMS (Minerals Management Service) has authority over offshore drilling and responsibility for enforcing spill prevention measures. The Department of Interior's BLM (Bureau of Land Management) is the entity that controls federally managed land extending across 30% of America in 11 western states. Last week, Congressman Louie Gohmert said that Ken Salazar personally prevented drilling on land in Utah, Wyoming and Colorado, thereby also preventing energy independence. In addition, the federal lands have been grossly mismanaged and present fire dangers. The federal government is $3.7 billion in arrears for maintenance of the federally managed lands.
US Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, by way of the US Forestry Service and US Fish & Wildlife Service, has been complicit in the decline of our country's food independence. For example, US Fish & Wildlife (along with the Department of Commerce) shut the water off in California using Endangered Species Act; it was later proven that partially treated sewage was the primary culprit in killing the salmon and delta smelt that was previously blamed on farmers. This is phony environmentalism. The US Forestry Service has also misused the Endangered Species Act to limit farmers and ranchers. Remember that the USDA co-owns the Terminator Gene patent with Monsanto that makes seeds sterile.
Lisa Jackson is the EPA administrator who has threatened to impose 18,000 pages of new regulations to curb global warming which is based on lies, claiming that carbon dioxide is a danger to human health.
Department of Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano: it is unclear how these two federal appointees will enhance environmental 'sustainability' over oceans and coasts. Traditionally, national security threats (like the War on Terror) have been used by the federal government to take control of resources. For example, many years ago when the interstate highway systems were first being built, the Feds got in on the action by claiming that they were building a defense highway system, and they encroached into an area that belonged to the states. Interestingly, there were no overhead structures on highways originally because of the Feds' claim that large missiles would be transported on these "defense" highway systems.
Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, a leading globalist, is likely to plunge our country into international entanglements and subjugation, based on her past performance; an example is her support of the UN Small Arms Treaty, which is contrary to the Constitution.
Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu and Department of Commerce Secretary Gary Locke are logical choices for this destructive council as some of the planned funding for this program will come from permits and leases (oil drilling leases, for example). These agencies will limit America's energy independence.
Click here to see the full list of the 24 member council.
THE SMOKING GUN:
Agenda 21 Sustainable Development is the overarching blueprint for depopulation and total control, and the National Ocean Council is clearly an Agenda 21 program:
The National Ocean Council is headed by John Holdren, an avowed eugenicist which is selective breeding through brutal means like forced abortion.
The National Ocean Council's own report (Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning, pg. 8) incorporates a section of the 1992 Rio Declaration which is an original UN Agenda 21 document!
In fact, the report says that it will be guided by the Rio Declaration
in cases "Where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage,
lack of full scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for
postponing cost-effective measures to prevent environmental
degradation." (pg. 8) This means that regulations will be imposed even
if the science is not understood or if the science is based on global
warming manipulated data.
The National Ocean Council's main objective is to sink American sovereignty through the United Nations Law Of Sea Treaty (LOST) with the intended result of domination by the UN over our coasts and the Great Lakes. LOST originated in the 1970s as a wealth redistribution plan to benefit Third World countries. LOST sets rules for commercial activity beneath the high seas and establishes new international bureaucracies and a tribunal to interpret and apply rules to sea activity. And LOST can proceed with those rules, even against US objections! LOST threatens to complicate deep sea mining. LOST sets a precedent that US rights are dependent upon the approval of international entities. LOST also extends to ocean flowing rivers.
Michael Shaw pointed out that non-elected councils are increasingly expanding their jurisdiction through air quality boards, water quality boards, sewer systems, transportation districts, metropolitan planning, etc. to gain control over resources. Often, large corporations and financial interests form Public-Private Partnerships with the government within these councils.
Breaking areas into regions and placing authority with non-elected councils is a Communist trick used to hijack resources, thereby usurping local and state power by re-zoning the areas that do have Constitutional authority. Appointed bureaucrats are untouchable because their jobs are not dependent upon serving the voting population. And they are usually inaccessible to the public and do not have to face those who are affected by their "insider" decisions. When state and local governments become corrupt, the public is able to confront them eye to eye, but distant bureaucrats can avoid accountability. Regionalism is used as a psychological tactic to intimidate state legislatures into creating the system for a new political and economic order.
Obama's Executive Order that has created the 9 new regions amounts to re-zoning, and his appointed bureaucrats are answerable only to him. In David Horton's testimony in 1978 on regionalism, he said that the State of Indiana made this declaration, "Neither the states nor Congress have ever granted authority to any branch or agency of the federal government to exercise regional control over the states." Horton further stated that Congress holds all legislative power that is granted in the Constitution, as opposed to Executive Orders that are not legislative. Therefore, Obama's Executive Order for re-zoning and appointing a governing body to usurp state and local power is Constitutionally invalid.
The public must become aware of state sovereignty and the Tenth Amendment to demand that state and local governments assert these Constitutional laws and principles.
COASTAL AND MARINE SPATIAL PLANNING REPORT:
This is a general overview of the new National Ocean Council's goals based on its 32-page report that uses indirect language and acronyms in order to confuse the public and local lawmakers. Depopulation advocates, globalists and collectivists, like John Holdren, faced opposition a few decades ago when they clearly expressed their objectives, so now documents are written in complicated and clouded language to fool those they wish to control.
This report states that the Council's jurisdiction will extend from the continental shelf to the coast AND additional inland areas will be involved. The National Ocean Council identifies "partners" as members of each regional planning body that will include federal, state, local and tribal authorities, with a top-down hierarchy of control.
The intentions of the Council are stated on page 8 of the report that include implementing LOST and other international treaties. The report also states that the Council's plans shall be implemented by Executive Orders, in addition to federal and state laws. This section mentions 'global climate change' which is a new term used as a substitute for 'man made global warming' after manipulated data and lies were exposed in numerous global warming scandals. 'Climate change' is blamed for sea level rise and acidification of oceans; evidence exists that these are more global warming deceptions.
The stated goals of the Council include regulating investments, collaborating with unidentified international agencies, controlling public access to oceans and "protecting" ecosystems. This means that commerce and trade will be controlled by the Council, the UN will gain power over American oceans and the Great Lakes through UN subagencies, public access will be limited and the Endangered Species Act will be unleashed, with heavy regulations. Incidentally, the Endangered Species Act is based on 5 international treaties. It has never had a successful result: of the 60 species that have been de-listed, not a single species was saved as a result of any restrictions stemming from the Endangered Species Act!
The targeted areas for Endangered Species Act regulations are the the Great Lakes, the Gulf Coast, Chesapeake Bay, Puget Sound, South Florida and the San Francisco Bay (the Bay Delta is where the irrigation water for farmers was was cut off using the Endangered Species Act, causing food shortages, an increase in food imports and massive economic devastation).
While this report does not clearly outline how the National Ocean Council's schemes will be financed, regulatory permits for all activity on the water and mining (oil) leases will play a part, along with tax increases. The report does indicate that grants and assistance programs will be available so that state, local and tribal authorities will support the Council's "efforts". In other words, the Council will try to buy off the state and local governments to "collectively use" them for a base of support and influence. (pg. 28) Strings are always attached to federal money. The federal government and the Council are reliant on state and local governments for implementation through state and local legal authority, which means that state and local authorities hold the power to implement or refuse the Council's directives, especially under the Tenth Amendment.
However, the report does state that disputes will be settled by consensus, if consensus fails, then the decisions will ultimately be made by the President. He is Commander in Chief of the Navy and has the power of the military behind him. Further, the report indicates that legislative changes and more Executive Orders may be necessary to achieve control.
An important point is made on page 5, which states, "Strong partnerships among Federal, State, tribal and local authorities, and regional governance structures would be essential to a truly forward-looking, comprehensive CMSP effort." This means that the states, local governments and tribes have power. Our collectivist government needs the consent of the state, local and tribal authorities, to implement this scheme, otherwise, the feds wouldn't bother to include these Constitutional authorities. If the state, local and tribal authorities are aware of, and willing to act on their Constitutional authority, then they can limit this federal power grab through the Tenth Amendment.
The report further states that signing onto the Council's plan would be an "express commitment by the partners to act in accordance with the plan...." (pg. 20) Therefore, it is imperative that all of the states be aware of the Council's intended usurpation and carefully protect their Constitutional jurisdictions and sovereignty. There are 30 states that will be affected by this new council. (pg. 12)
The Council's strategy plan will go into effect immediately, fully developing Agenda 21 objectives and undue UN influence within 5 years. Interestingly, one article said that if state, local and tribal authorities choose not to participate in in writing the plans, the plans would be written without them. Therefore, it bears repeating that state and local governments must protect their Constitutional authority when dealing with the Council. The Constitutional authority that states and local governments have can only be taken if the power is given away.
SAVING OUR COUNTRY:
If your freedom is important to you, the most effective action that you can take is to e-mail this article and Michael Shaw's "Understanding Agenda 21 Sustainable Development" booklet to all of your State Legislators, County Commissioners/Superintendents and City Council members.
Tell all of your friends, co-workers and neighbors about Agenda 21 Sustainable Development and how it is destroying our country. The National Ocean Council is detrimental on so many levels and the time to act is now. If state and local officials refuse to stand up against this federal incursion, they must be thrown out of office in favor of representatives who support the Constitution and the Tenth Amendment.
Be sure to check back with www.MorphCity.com on July 30th to watch a special video presentation about how a local official stood up against encroachment by the federal government.
National Ocean Council by Cassandra Anderson | <urn:uuid:b5fd5e49-8196-45af-a32c-3998bf6a2b8d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.freedomadvocates.org/articles/oceans_-_coasts/national_ocean_council_20100729418/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00054-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948348 | 3,020 | 1.953125 | 2 |
Not For Parents: The Travel Book
Cool stuff to know about every country in the world. Everyone knows which is the world’s highest mountain, but do you know which country banned chewing gum? Or what’s the world’s stinkiest fruit? Or who invented roller skates? Or which building leans more than the Leaning Tower of Pisa? Or where can you eat fried spiders as a snack? Here at Lonely Planet we decided to make a book about the world’s countries for children, not parents.
The world is a very big place, and in The Not-for-Parents Travel Book we’ve concentrated on the really interesting bits to create a snapshot of what each country is like. (Warning to parents: these might not be the same “really interesting bits” that you like…where to buy coffee, how many stars the hotel has, what’s the phone number for the airport, blah, blah, blah.)
In this book are the epic events, amazing animals, hideous histories, funky foods, and crazy facts that make the world’s 200 countries so fascinating. Each country has a page to itself—so tiny Tuvalu gets as much space as superpower USA.
* Please note, this title is not available in digital PDF format.
About Book only purchase
We'll send you the physical printed book but you won't be given access to our PDF eBook downloads.
Select "Book + PDF eBook" i you would also like to download a digital version of this book. | <urn:uuid:b2e9fae0-8f9c-4f1e-93be-eba7846a82a7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://shop.lonelyplanet.com/world/not-for-parents-travel-book?lpaffil=lpcom-article | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932418 | 319 | 1.789063 | 2 |
This paper by Pucher and Buehler compares public transport in 16 countries, with a focus on Germany and the USA, and lists five main reasons that make German public transport heavily used (all these reasons resonate with my observations from Switzerland).
- A comprehensive network (88% live within 1km of public transport)
- Attractive fare structures (Perth with the Smartrider could do this so well)
- Intermodal coordination (little waiting…) (… and of course bikes on trains)
- CAR RESTRICTIONS (this will never happen in Perth, but the researchers think that this is the biggest single factor!!!!)
- Land use policies (Spatial planning is integrated with transport planning)
In terms of getting people out of cars and on to sustainable transport, it is relevant to note that countries with high usage of public transport or cycling have comparatively low obesity rates (e.g. 8% in Switzerland vs 25% in Australia and 33% in the USA). Of all the countries examined, Switzerland had the highest number of trips per person, 10 times higher than the USA, and with usage increasing.
And in their conclusion they point out “Without the necessary policies to restrict car use and make it more expensive, American public transport is doomed to remain a marginal means of transport, used mainly by those who have no other choice.” Would this comment also apply to Australia?
There is a discussion on the paper in the Atlantic Cities pages, written by Eric Jaffe
And Alan Davies in the Melbourne Urbanist is also discussing the research. He comments “One of my consistent themes is that a significant shift toward more sustainable travel will not be achieved simply by improving public transport. The cost of owning and operating a car has to increase too.” | <urn:uuid:fb63932f-3778-4643-a970-3b5da7abe2a9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://btawa.org.au/2012/10/08/what-makes-good-public-transport/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00035-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939954 | 364 | 2.578125 | 3 |
Artisan and craftsman David Clark considers himself to be a green and sustainable Window Wright. He is a specialist in restoring wood sash windows in older and historic homes, with a particular fondness for saving the old wavy glass—Clark has a saying, “A Victorian or period home without its wavy glass is like a Lady without her diamonds—and he takes special care to weather-strip both casement and double-hung sash windows to a high degree of performance. Often old windows are the first to go when a homeowner thinks of improving the home’s energy efficiency. While Clark acknowledges there is a time and place to change out windows, he says that current building science shows that addressing the greatest energy losses, through the building shell or its thermal barrier, is generally the most cost-effective step. Simply repairing and weather-stripping existing windows is often a better choice than replacing them. For anyone with an appreciation of older homes, this is the way to go.
In 1979, America was in the throes of the second oil embargo, and Clark was a senior Urban Studies major at San Francisco State University. In October, he saw a Dan Rather/CBS special on energy. On this program, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s Art Rosenfeld presented his House Doctor Project to the nation. The following day, Clark signed up with Rosenfeld’s research team to be a “gofer” to complete his senior internship requirements. He learned about applying building science to the building and retrofitting of homes and began to see the house as a system.
As an urban studies student, Clark was concerned with the wholesale demolition of historic and period structures and the loss of old growth forests. Clark’s uncle taught him how to repair sash windows when he was boy. When he added to this his new-found knowledge on how to apply building science to save existing homes, he started his 30-year apprenticeship in becoming a Window Wright. The benefits of a properly refitted wood sash window include energy and materials efficiency and architectural integrity. With the renewed appreciation of the connection between green building and historic preservation, home performance businesses would do well to hire the next generation of specially trained Window Wrights.
Leslie Jackson is associate editor for Home Energy.
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(Please note that all comments are subject to review prior to posting.) | <urn:uuid:49d0590e-d67d-464f-9f5b-cdd6e156b548> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.homeenergy.org/show/article/magazine/69/page/5/id/753 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958677 | 499 | 2.640625 | 3 |
Climate Change and Poverty
More than 6-in-10 (61%) believe dealing with climate change now will create new jobs and help avoid more serious economic problems in the future. Majorities of every religious group agree.
Nearly 7-in-10 (69%) Americans and similar numbers of Catholics and evangelicals agree that climate change is making it harder for the world’s poorest people to support their families by causing increased drought and crop failure.
Approximately three-quarters of the general public and similar numbers of Catholics and evangelicals favor helping the world’s poorest people adapt to food and water shortages caused by rising global temperatures.
More than two-thirds (67%) of Americans (and 66% of Catholics and 61% of white evangelicals) agree that reducing global poverty would increase stability in the most dangerous parts of the world and make Americans safer.
Sixty-three percent of Americans say the federal government should be doing more on the issue of climate change, as do 63% of Catholics and 50% of white evangelicals. | <urn:uuid:51b11b88-4a85-4ae4-b881-8b571ab3ab1d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.faithinpubliclife.org/poll/climate-change-and-poverty-3/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00072-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945707 | 209 | 2.4375 | 2 |
New Discoveries about Ribosomes Add to the Case for Intelligent Design
As I mentioned last week, several years ago I worked in research and development for a Fortune 500 company. As part of the job, I occasionally visited our manufacturing operations. I always enjoyed getting a chance to see firsthand how our products were made. Through these visits I came to appreciate how quality control checks are some of the most critical and sophisticated steps in any manufacturing procedure. These tasks are deliberately incorporated into the manufacturing operation to remove defective materials from the assembly sequence and ensure that no substandard finished product reaches the consumer's hands.
Quality control measures intervene throughout a manufacturing process. Procedures that simply evaluate and reject out-of-specification finished products at the production process' end are costly and inefficient. The best quality assurance checks step in at points where mistakes are most likely to occur or are the most costly.
Placing quality control checks at critical points in the production process yields manufacturing efficiency by removing a defective product near the point it occurs in the manufacturing sequence. This prevents the waste of resources and time. If not for immediate intervention, faulty materials accidentally generated in the midst of the manufacturing process will be carried through to the assembly line's end, only to be discarded.
Similarly, quality control operations take place in the cell. These activities help ensure that biochemical products like proteins are manufactured properly. As I discuss in The Cell's Design, the quality control operations of the cell suggest that life's chemistry stems from the work of an Intelligent Agent.
Proteins are large complex molecules assembled from amino acids. The ribosome links amino acids together in a head-to-tail fashion to form a chain-like molecule. To a first approximation, the cell uses 20 different amino acids to build protein chains. The specific sequence of amino acids in the protein chains determines the structure and function of the protein. Once assembled, the amino acid chains fold into complex three-dimensional shapes. The shapes of proteins critically dictate their functions.
As I described last week proteins are made when the ribosome works in conjunction with messenger RNA (mRNA) and transfer RNA (tRNA). mRNA molecules contain the instructions needed to assemble the protein. tRNA molecules serve as couriers, ferrying amino acids to the ribosome per the directions housed in mRNA. Some of the most important quality control checks in protein synthesis take place during the processes that attach amino acids to the tRNA molecules and transport them to the ribosome. If the wrong amino acids are presented to the ribosome during the generation of the protein chain, an incorrect sequence will result.
New work by researchers from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine identifies another quality control operation. Instead of focusing on the amino acid-tRNA complex this checkpoint takes place at the ribosome after the amino acids arrive.
It turns out that if the wrong amino acid is presented to the ribosome and accidently incorporated into the growing protein chain, the subsequent amino acid additions to the chain become more error prone. In other words, one mistake begets multiple mistakes. When this happens, it very quickly forces a premature termination of protein production, preventing the generation of faulty proteins. The Johns Hopkins scientists estimate that this one step improves the fidelity of protein synthesis by an order of magnitude (factor of ten). Interrupting protein production once an error has occurred makes sense since it prevents cellular resources from being wasted.
Effective and efficient quality control procedures don't just happen. Implementing these kinds of control systems requires careful planning, a detailed understanding of the manufacturing process and of the product, and the way the consumer will use the product. In other words, quality control procedures reflect intelligence and ingenuity and serve as indicators of a well-designed process. The quality assurance operation that takes place at ribosomes indicates that life's chemistry stems from the work of a mind.
Next week I will describe another new discovery having to do with the quality control operations that take place after protein synthesis and that further advances the case for biochemical intelligent design.
|Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3| | <urn:uuid:6a455924-231f-4925-8649-ea4a8489329d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.reasons.org/articles/proteins-made-by-design-part-2-of-3 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933943 | 827 | 3.25 | 3 |
[This note covers the entire run of Edison Phonograph Monthly.]
Starting with the issue of March 1903, the Edison Phonograph Monthly was a publication of the National Phonograph Co. The monthly issues provided jobbers and dealers with technical, promotional, and other information, including articles on products, matters of corporate policy, and the progress of litigation, as well as lists of new records, available printed matter, current jobbers, and suspended dealers. Each issue printed numerous communications from jobbers and dealers who related their experiences or posed questions regarding the sale of Edison phonographs and records. The publication was continued by Thomas A. Edison, Inc., in February 1911, and it was renamed the Edison Amberola Monthly in 1917.
The archives of the Edison National Historical Park contains a complete run of the Edison Phonograph Monthly. All issues for the period March 1903-December 1910 (volumes 1-8) have been selected. Prior to 1908, the monthly issues are numbered from 1 (March) through 12 (February). Beginning in 1908, the January issue is the first numbered issue. Each issue is individually paginated and contains approximately twenty pages. The volume and issue numbers appear on page one. Each issue contains a table of contents; the contents pages are missing from the 1908 volume. A 20-page index, prepared by the editors, appears in the introductory target for the Edison Phonograph Monthly. | <urn:uuid:4c06172c-31dc-44b4-a06f-4c5c9165e00c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://edison.rutgers.edu/NamesSearch/glocpage.php3?gloc=CA06206 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00053-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952265 | 286 | 1.578125 | 2 |
Migration Day 20
Temps and Headwinds Prevent Progress
65 degrees F. in LaSalle County, IL this morning. Winds from the
south are blowing at 15 mph. For the fifth day in
a row, the weather is against the migration taking off from this
temps are best for migration. Joe Duff explains:
"Cooler air is more dense than warmer air. Warm air can actually
hold more moisture because there's more room for moisture. When air
is dense and compact (when it's cold) it's thicker, so when you breathe
in you get more oxygen. When you do a wingbeat there's more to push
against. When the propeller spins there's more thrust. When the wing
flies there's more lift to it. The aircraft works better, the engine
works better, the propeller works better, the wing works better. And
for the birds, their wings work better; they get more oxygen and it's
easier to cool their bodies. They don't overheat.
"It's just a lot easier to fly in cold air. That's really a big
factor in their endurance. Warm air just wears
them out very quickly. You see them panting quickly. Their tongues
come out. They start to splay their feet to help cool their bodies,
and they just can't fly."
This! Journaling Questions
in your journal why cooler temps make better migration conditions
for both birds and ultralights.
at the migration route map. Through how many states will the
Whooping cranes pass? How many of these states have you been in?
Look at a detailed map of these states and see if you can guess
cities and landforms the cranes will see from above. Why do
think they migrate south into Illinois and then east across
to Indiana, rather than taking a straighter, shorter line to Indiana?
What is the biggest city in any of these states? How might
over a huge city be a problem?)
Journey North is pleased to feature this educational
adventure made possible by the
Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership (WCEP).
2004 Journey North. All Rights Reserved.
Please send all questions, comments, and suggestions to our feedback form | <urn:uuid:743c474e-ad8c-48de-9a36-99a4d1c6bab2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/crane/WCEPHighlight102904.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00054-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.934192 | 474 | 3.140625 | 3 |
Printer Friendly Version
Baby Boomers and Diabetes
Author: Lisa Manna
Source: WBay News, May 19, 2006 05:40 PM EDT
We're talking about an incurable disease that for many could be simple to prevent. But in this Age of Prevention, Baby Boomers can make sure they don't become one of the 20 million people in the U.S. with diabetes.
Eat right and exercise. It's advice we've heard a lot for Baby Boomers but experts say it really is that simple when it comes to diabetes.
"They knew that they should do something but they didn't do it, and now they have diabetes and now they're facing some serious lifestyle changes," says Cindy Pelnar, a registered dietician with St. Mary's Hospital in Green Bay.
Diabetes means your blood sugar is too high and your body can't regulate it.
Pelnar says in the long term, a person with high blood sugar can suffer "cardiac disease, vision problems sometimes even loss of vision, loss of kidney function, circulatory problems -- where we often hear of people losing their toes or legs or whatever."
The symptoms are excessive thirst, having to go to the bathroom a lot, and sleepiness.
"They're not really dramatic symptoms," Pelnar notes, "and that's why so many people go years undiagnosed with diabetes. Something like 21 million have diabetes but a third don't know it."
A simple blood test can tell you if you have the disease.
"When I think about the Baby Boomers, our metabolism slows down as we get older and we have a tendency to put on weight as we get to be about that age, so that's a big risk factor. That's what's increasing the risk at that 40, 50, 60 age level,"
In addition to weight and age, if you have an immediate family member with diabetes or if you're a woman who's had a baby weighing more than nine pounds, those factors also put you at risk. | <urn:uuid:f9449385-d3d0-41f3-97b0-2384852f33d1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.diabeteslibrary.org/View.aspx?url=Article831 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975888 | 418 | 2.53125 | 3 |
The Law Commission has been working for the last
three years on updating insurance law to the modern world.
The latest consultation paper included the
Damages for late payment
Under English law, an insured is not entitled to
damages for any loss suffered through delay in receiving payment of a valid
claim. This differs from the law in Scotland, and appears increasing anomalous.
It sets out proposals for reform.
Insurers’ remedies for fraudulent claims
The law on this issue is convoluted and confused.
It proposes that fraud should not avoid the contract from the start; instead
the fraudster should forfeit the whole claim and all subsequent claims. In some
circumstances the insurer should be entitled to claim damages from a fraudulent
insured for investigating the claim.
There is strong support for retaining the
principle of insurable interest for all types of insurance. For indemnity
insurance it propose to replace the mix of archaic statutes and common law with
a clear restatement of the principles. For life insurance, it proposes to widen
the categories of those who may insure the life of another. | <urn:uuid:b6ecf2e4-3efc-497b-af5c-5164b31db5c3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.privatehealth.co.uk/news/january-2012/insurance-law-reform-36425/?vAction=fntUp | 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 | 0.903599 | 231 | 1.898438 | 2 |
OPENING GENERAL SESSION
FRIDAY, JUNE 22, 4:00 pm - 5:15 pm
The Internet was going to liberate us, but in truth it has not. For every story about the web’s empowering role in events such as the Arab Spring, there are many more about the quiet corrosion of civil liberties by companies and governments using the same digital technologies we have come to depend upon.
Sudden changes in Facebook’s features and privacy settings have exposed identities of protestors to police in Egypt and Iran. Apple removes politically controversial apps at the behest of governments as well as for its own commercial reasons. Dozens of Western companies sell surveillance technology to dictatorships around the world. Google struggles with censorship demands from governments in a range of countries—many of them democracies—as well as mounting public concern over the vast quantities of information it collects about its users.
In Consent of the Networked, journalist and Internet policy specialist Rebecca MacKinnon argues that it is time to fight for our rights before they are sold, legislated, programmed, and engineered away. Every day, the corporate sovereigns of cyberspace make decisions that affect our physical freedom—but without our consent. Yet the traditional solution to unaccountable corporate behavior—government regulation—cannot stop the abuse of digital power on its own, and sometimes even contributes to it.
A clarion call to action, Consent of the Networked shows that it is time to stop arguing over whether the Internet empowers people, and address the urgent question of how technology should be governed to support the rights and liberties of users around the world.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Rebecca MacKinnon works on global Internet policy as a Schwartz Senior Fellow at the New America Foundation. She is co-founder of Global Voices, a citizen media network, and a former fellow at Harvard’s Berkman Center for Internet and Society. She is on the board of the Committee to Protect Journalists and worked for twelve years as a journalist in Asia, including as CNN’s Bureau Chief in Tokyo and Beijing.
Sponsored by Basic Books
4 ALA ANNUAL CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION / PRELIMINARY PROGRAM WWW.ALAANNUAL.ORG | <urn:uuid:ee8a2c36-695a-443e-bddb-6ca0cf4f6427> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hall-erickson/ala_anaheim_2012prelim/index.php?device=mobile&pg=3&cid=email | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00057-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945275 | 458 | 1.859375 | 2 |
MUSIC CRAFTS AND ACTIVITIES
Juice Bottle Jingles
juice bottles with different amounts of water, you can create some catchy tunes!
Here's how to do it with real bottles at home. Get six glass juice bottles or very tall
drinking glasses and fill them with different heights of water to make a six
note scale. (Use your voice or a
piano to see if you're in tune!)
Number your bottles, starting with the one holding the most water.
1. Why do the different amounts of water in the bottles create different notes when the bottles are tapped? Tapping the bottles with the stick causes the glass of the bottle to vibrate and produce sound. The water dampens these vibrations. So, the less water in the bottle, the faster the bottle vibrates and the higher the pitch.
Instead of tapping your bottles, blow into them. Notice anything different? The effect is the exact opposite! The bottles with the most water in them
make the highest notes. This is because you are now making the air (not the
glass) vibrate. Shorter columns of
air will have a higher pitch when you blow, just as shorter columns of water
have a higher pitch when you tap them.
The bottles with the shorter air columns are the ones with the most water
Songs to try:
Mary Had a Little
Lamb Jingle Bells
3212333 222 355
333 333 35123
444 4433 3355421
Little Star This Old Man
11 55 66 5 44 33 22 1 535 535
55 44 33 2 55 44 33 2 345 1 111
11 55 66 5 44 33 22 1 5224321
Musical Phone Numbers
ten identical tall glasses, water, ruler, teaspoon, grease pencil
Hold up a ruler to the side of a glass. Measure the height of the glass,
then subtract 1 inch for room at the top.
Divide this measurement by 10, and with a grease pencil draw lines to
indicate the 10 sections on each glass.
3. Fill the first glass with water up to the first section. Label this glass number 1 with the grease pencil.
Then fill the second glass up to the second section. Label it 2. Fill the next glass to the third section
and label it 3, and so on until the tenth glass is filled with water to the
tenth section. Mark off the tenth
glass with the numeral 0.
After all the glasses are filled with appropriate amount of water, line
them up in order from 1 to 0.
With a teaspoon, gently tap the first glass near the rim and listen for
the sound. Notice the tone, then
tap the second glass. As the
numbers get higher and the amount of water increases, you should hear the tones
Using a teaspoon, have one person tap his phone number on the
glasses. For example, if the phone
number is 555-1234, the student will tap the glass labeled number 5 three times,
then go on to tap 1, 2, 3, then 4.
Listen to the sounds and notice the notes being played. How does it sound?
Give everyone a turn to play his or her own phone number.
Collect an assortment of narrow-neck bottles, such as soda bottles. Have the boys blow across the openings to make tones. Help them figure out that the shape and size of the bottle determines the sounds it will produce. Next, have them add water to the bottles, blow, and notice the difference in tones. Help them figure out that as they add more water to the bottle, the tone gets lower.
Set up five
or six glasses, each filled with a different amount of water, on a table and ask
for volunteers to be in the band.
One at a time, have each boy wet his index finger with water (vinegar
works even better) and rub it along the rim of a glass. Notice the different tones. Then have
the band play together. Can they
play a song?
Materials: cardboard tube from paper towels or kitchen wrap; waxed paper, rubber band, sharp point, such as an ice pick.
Cut a circle of waxed paper, about 5” in diameter. Wrap the waxed paper over the end of the tube, and attach by wrapping a rubber band around it. Have your adult partner help you to punch holes down the side of the tube, 1” apart. Whistle, sing, or blow into the flute while covering various combinations of holes for different tunes.
Soda Straw Oboe
Materials: large soda straw, scissors
Flatten one end of a large soda straw about ¾” from the end. Cut off the corners of the flattened end diagonally. Blow gently through the flattened end. To make a higher note, trim the other end of the straw. The more you cut off, the higher the note.
Pie Pan Tambourine
Materials: aluminum foil pie pans, dry beans, rice or gravel, stapler, crepe paper
Put the beans, rice, or gravel in one pan. Put the other pan on top and staple the rims together. Attach some crepe paper streamers and it will look as good as it sounds.
Materials: toilet paper
tubes, crayons or markers, wax paper, rubber bands, stickers, (optional),
something to poke holes in wax paper
Cubs color and stick stickers on their tube. Make sure to add their names somewhere
on the tube. Cut a square of wax
paper big enough to cover one end of the tube. Use a rubber band to secure the wax
paper onto one end of tube. Use a
pencil or scissors to poke small holes in the wax paper (4-6 holes). They can talk or make noise into the end
of the tube that is not covered.
The sound should be really cool!
Materials: any clean container that has a seal-able cap, rice or beans or small pebbles
Fill the clean container about 1/4 full of the rice (or beans or pebbles). Attach the cap; you may have to hot glue it to keep it closed. Paint and/or decorate the container. Shake them up and shake out a beat! Note: If you make multiple shakers from the same type container, experiment with putting different amounts of rice in each, or use beans instead to make the sound. You should be able to hear different pitches of sound.
Materials: 1 large and 1 small coffee can, with lids; masking tape
Bongo drums are percussion instruments that come in sets of two, each making a different tone when you tap it. Snap the lids onto the cans so they fit tightly. Turn the cans upside down on a table, side by side. Have a friend hold the cans while you wrap two or three layers of tape around them to hold them together. Turn them right side up and they’re ready to play. Place them in your lap. The smaller drum vibrates faster and gives out a higher sound than the larger one.
Materials: Empty Oatmeal box with cover, yarn, pen, 2 pencils, 2 spools, construction paper, crayons
Before beginning, you can decorate the oatmeal box with construction paper and/or crayons for a colorful effect. Place the cover on the box. Use a pen to make a hole in the center of the cover and in the center of the bottom of the bottom of the box. Through these holes, pull a piece of yarn long enough to hang around the scout's neck and down to his waist. For drumsticks, place spools on the end of the pencils and secure with glue, if necessary.
This one is really cool! You will think you're in Europe when you hear what sounds like bells chiming across the mountains and you don't even need to leave your kitchen. Here's how. Tie some string around the handle of a fork. Wrap the long ends of the string several times around each of your index fingers and place them inside your ears. Tap the fork against something (like a pencil or your desk) and listen to the sound. WOW! How does it do that? The string carries the sound waves through the fork, up the string, to your fingers and into your ears.
Rubber Band Strummer
Materials: book, paper cup, rubber band
Place the paper cup on the book with the open end up. Stretch the rubber band the long way around the book and over the cup. Slide the cup close to one end of the book. Strum the part of the rubber band that goes across the open cup. Then strum the stretched part of the rubber band that goes down each side. Each area of the rubber band makes a different sound. Tune your cup to play three sounds you like by moving your cup and testing the sounds. When you hear three notes that sound good together, you’re ready to play.
Crack open a walnut and clean out the insides. Sand the walnut’s end so that you can insert a Popsicle stick and the halves will still go together. Put a few popcorn seeds, split peas, etc. inside one of the halves. Put glue on the edge of one of the halves and one end of the Popsicle stick. Put the walnut together with the stick in between the halves. Put a rubber band around the walnut to hold it together until the glue dries, several hours. You can decorate your maraca with paint or permanent marker or with clear varnish.
Soda Straw Clarinet
Materials: paper drinking straw, needle, ruler, scissors
Pinch one end of the straw to make a smaller neck in the straw. Flatten the short end beyond the neck and trim it in a triangle shape. Put this end of the straw in your mouth and practice blowing hard until you get a low, loud sound. Now use the needle to punch 5 holes in the straw about one inch apart from each other. Don’t push the needle through both sides of the straw. Use a small scissors or wiggle the needle around to make bigger holes. Now place the straw in your mouth and cover all the holes with your fingers. Blow. You should hear the same sound you did before. Beginning with the bottom hole, uncover the holes one by one. Each hole you uncover will make your clarinet play a higher sound.
Materials: plastic bottle, drinking straw, water
Be sure the bottle is almost as long as the straw. Rinse the bottle and fill it three-quarters full of water. Place the straw into the water. Holding the straw in one hand and the bottle in the other, blow a thin stream of air across the top of the straw. You should hear a soft whistling sound made by the vibrating air in the straw. Now move the straw up and down as you blow through the straw. When most of the straw is in the water, only a short part of the tube is filled with vibrating air and you hear a higher sound. When most of the straw is out of the water, the air-filled part of the tube is longer and you get a lower sound. | <urn:uuid:9744040b-6743-485f-8fe0-3af62d7221f2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.boyscouttrail.com/webelos/w2/otherresources/music_activities.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00056-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.910496 | 2,346 | 3.109375 | 3 |
Man vs. Nature and the New Meaning of Drought
Dust storm approaching Stratford, Texas.
CREDIT: NOAA Photo Library, Historic NWS collection
Water, water everywhere, and not a drop to drink. But wait—more than 60 percent of the nation now has abnormally dry or drought conditions, a climatologist says, and there is actually plenty to drink. In the United States the definition of "drought" has become watered down and muddied as policy makers fight over decades-old water rights and homeowners remain largely oblivious to the potentially severe shortages that loom.
Drought has been the standard forecast in the southwestern United States for the past decade, and as global warming dries out this and other regions around the world, and booming populations cause more water shortages, the word is likely to be tossed around even more.
"There is no single definition for drought," according to the National Drought Mitigation Center’s website. It is one of the planet’s most complex natural hazards, and exactly when a drought begins and ends is difficult to determine because it tends to develop gradually.
“Drought’s a matter of perspective,” said Tony Haffer, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service (NWS) in Phoenix. “There’s just a whole bunch of different definitions.”
The meteorological definition seems straightforward enough: a drought occurs when less rain falls in a given time period than usual.
But location matters. Below average rainfall in Miami might still be greater than the average rainfall for Las Vegas. A drought can happen in the semi-arid conditions of the desert when the region sees even less rain than the normal limited amount of precipitation it usually gets. This has been the pattern in the Southwest for most years since the mid-90s.
The average annual precipitation for Phoenix, Arizona, is about 8 inches, but since 1995, the city’s rainfall has been more than 20 inches below normal, according to the NWS.
In the East, where rainfall is generally much more plentiful, drought comes quicker and is declared when rain hasn’t fallen for a few months.
“When it rains, from [the East’s] perspective, the drought is over,” Haffer, the co-chair of Arizona’s Drought Monitoring Technical Committee, said.
By contrast, South Florida is currently in the grip of a severe drought due to less-than-normal precipitation. The region would need an estimated six weeks of steady rain for water levels to return to normal, according to the region’s water management district.
This quick recovery doesn’t happen in the West, where after years of precipitation deficits , one wet event or even one wet winter won’t be enough for reservoirs and ecosystems to recover.
All about us
In the Southwest, even after rains, major reservoirs may not return to their full capacity. An El Niño event during the winter of 2004 brought some relief to the region, “but it still left the big lakes, Lake Powell and Lake Mead, well below normal, and so from a hydrological standpoint, the drought really didn’t end at that time. It just stopped getting worse,” said Kevin Trenberth of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR).
Because many urban areas in the Southwest, with the exception of Las Vegas, have multiple sources of water (from local reservoirs, the Colorado River and groundwater), residents sense that they are virtually immune to droughts.
“That redundancy of supply has gotten the major urban areas through a string of really dry years,” said Gregg Garfin of the University of Arizona, co-chair of Arizona’s Drought Monitoring Technical Committee.
But recent population booms in rural areas, where people often depend on a single source of water, are causing problematic shortages.
“You have this natural component, and then you have this human-induced component as well where you’re increasing the demand,” said Susan Craig of the Arizona Department of Water Resources.
Urban areas may be more in danger in the future if global warming exacerbates the dry conditions and reservoirs—the lifelines for Southwest residents—fall even lower.
And drop they may. Allotments of water from the Colorado River, a major source of water for many Western states, were made during the 1920s, one of the region’s wettest periods this century. So now there are more claims to the water than there is water to go around. So far not everyone has cashed in on those claims, but if overall water levels continue to drop, somebody's going to come up dry.
Bigger changes coming
Water shortages will affect many areas of the United States and the world, leading to “water wars” between states and countries if global temperatures continue to rise throughout the next century, as predicted in reports issued by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change..
Droughts will especially increase in subtropical areas, like the U.S. Southwest, Australia and parts of Africa and Europe, as Earth’s warming causes more evaporation and shifts weather patterns, pushing the paths of storms that bring thirst-quenching rains further north.
According to a recent study, over the coming century the Southwest will essentially transition into a state of “perpetual drought” due to the effects of global warming. This prediction leads to the questions of whether the worsening arid conditions of the Southwest should be called a drought or whether the regional climate is changing.
“The climate has changed and it’s become even a little more arid than it was,” said Trenberth, the NCAR researcher.
Other scientists disagree. According to Garfin, records of the region’s past climate show that multi-decade droughts have occurred many times before.
“I think the fact that we have multi-decade drought and that we’re in one now is not unusual, but maybe the character of [drought] is changing,” he said, referring to massive die-offs of trees and earlier snowmelts (which the parched soil can’t absorb, reducing a critical source of water supplies).
With the off-and-on droughts experienced in the past decade in the Southwest, Craig said that some people may weary of the term. At a recent local presentation, one audience member asked her, “When do we consider that we’re not in a drought, because we’re always in a drought?”
When others, especially in urban areas, hear repeated pronouncements of drought, they may not realize the full impact because they have not felt its pinch. For this reason, Craig said, it is important to educate the public not on exactly how drought is defined, but on what drought does.
“Maybe to some folks it doesn’t means as much when we keep saying it,” Craig said. “But I think if you focus on impacts, it doesn’t really matter what you say.”
Drought has no one meaning—it can be fit to specific places and situations. But no matter where it happens, what causes it or whether you’re tired of the topic altogether, in the coming century, some people will see less of one of our most precious natural resources—water.
MORE FROM LiveScience.com | <urn:uuid:9f636af7-dd72-4c10-9e84-304a4ad6abd0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.livescience.com/1445-man-nature-meaning-drought.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00028-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946357 | 1,556 | 3.53125 | 4 |
I just read an article describing the current horsepower races European (mostly) auto manufacturers are indulging in. I say mostly because it is primarily a European race — the North American manufacturers are a little busy rebuilding these days. So, with the exception of a handful of muscle cars such as the 500- and 600-horsepower-plus Mustangs, Camaros, Corvettes, CTS-Vs and the next-generation Vipers, the domestic Big Three are pretty much staying out of it.
The trend by the European companies is to develop smaller and smaller engines that put out more and more horsepower. So, while horsepower is increasing, the engines’ displacements are decreasing — as are the number of cylinders these engines employ. Many engines produce in excess of 600 hp, which has replaced what was once the Holy Grail of 500 hp. And both Ferrari and Lamborghini are planning on 700-plus-hp cars. Of course, the Bugatti Veyron puts out more than 1,000 hp, but it’s an exception.
This is all well and good, but a little stupid in some cases. For instance, while a 600-hp Lamborghini is pretty cool, is a 600-hp BMW sedan really necessary? Do you need that much power in order to sit in traffic jams every day, because that is what sedans are for. BMW has even bragged that its 600-hp cars are everyday cars, while exotics are not. Let’s face it, an engine producing 600 or 700 hp needs to be in a car that looks like a McLaren, Lamborghini, Ferrari or some other über-exotic. A 600-hp Mercedes, Audi or BMW coupe or sedan — not so much.
Another mistake exotic manufacturers are making is reducing the number of cylinders in their engines. If they look at a little history — most of it their own — this becomes glaringly apparent. Ferrari made a series of eight-cylinder cars during the 1980s. Those cars have never really appreciated much. Most Ferrari aficionados look down their noses at a 308 or 328 as they crank up their 12-cylinder sports cars.
Maseratis and Lancias were never taken seriously because of their little engines.
Even older cars are valued on the number of cylinders they possess. I recently saw a Lagonda 12-cylinder roadster sell for more than $1-million. I can buy almost the same car with a six-cylinder engine for around $100,000.
A 1930s Fleetwood Cadillac Roadster will sell for around $70,000 with an eight-cylinder. The same car with a 12-cylinder can make more than $200,000. But a 1932 Cadillac with a V16 can sell for between $500,000 and $1-million. Funnily, the eight-cylinder car is just about as fast — or maybe even faster — than the V16. I once drag-raced a 1930s V16 Cadillac with an eight-cylinder 1934 Bugatti and kicked its ass.
Lotus, my favourite automaker, has always created pure drivers’ cars. But, it puts small, incredibly enthusiastic four-cylinder engines in them and, while as fast as their 12-cylinder rivals from the continent, they are far from investor cars. A fire-breathing Lotus V8 Esprit — a definite Ferrari killer in its day — can be had for about the same price as a nicely restored VW Bug, maybe less.
Jaguar shot itself in the foot in the early 1990s with the creation of the magnificent XJ220 supercar. I recently had one and it is an exceptional car — the fastest in the world in 1992 and still ranked today in the Top 10. It was also one of the most exotic cars I have ever driven, with looks that stopped traffic dead when I passed by. It was the only car I have ever driven that soiled the armpits of my shirts. All this and more, yet it was a spectacular failure.
When it was originally designed, it was supposed to have a V12 engine. Problems with that powerplant saw Jaguar installing a six-cylinder racing engine in its place. This engine was a monster, a really superb twin-turbo masterpiece. Still, dozens of pre-orders with their deposits disappeared overnight. Some customers sued. It was a real mess resulting in only a few more than 200 cars being produced — all because it didn’t have enough cylinders to keep high-end buyers happy. Not one of them cared that the twin-turbo V6 put out more horsepower, that its top end was unbeatable or that the car’s styling was truly among the greats. Nope, not enough cylinders.
So, if I was Ferrari or Lamborghini, I would stick with 12-cylinder engines — as should Mercedes — and only put them in cars that seat two people. Maybe BMW should stay with its V10 cars, but, again, no dogs and no kids unless they are sitting up front. Let’s face it, high horsepower, a lot of cylinders and such is all about ego, not common sense. Common sense is a nice little Kia, Fiesta or Cruze.
Then again, maybe GM should stuff a 16-cylinder engine in the Cruze and go out and kick BMW’s butt. | <urn:uuid:8f70a782-1c23-4c94-a44a-5db9c6878687> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.driving.ca/calgary/research-car/news/Sports+cars+need+horsepower+sedans/6524465/story.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96993 | 1,121 | 1.875 | 2 |
Posted July 23, 2012
An Op/Ed from Jack Janda, chair of the Mason County PUD No. 1 board of commissioners and Linda Gott, chair of the Mason County PUD No. 3 board of commissioners.
Mason County’s two public utility districts, PUD 1 and PUD 3 proudly serve their customers with safe, reliable electrical service at the lowest reasonable cost. Both districts are concerned about a recent policy statement from the US Department of Energy that, if allowed to proceed, could have drastic impacts on wholesale electricity rates. Further, it could erode the very basis of public power in the Pacific Northwest: local control.
US Energy Secretary Steven Chu recently issued a memo to the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) and other similar power agencies across the country that appears to foreshadow a big government takeover of many regional programs relating to renewable energy, energy efficiency, and new technologies.
Since nearly all the electricity used by Mason County customers is marketed through BPA, any additional responsibilities ordered by the federal government would most certainly be felt locally in the form of higher rates.
In the Pacific Northwest nearly all the goals of the memo are already being addressed. In fact, many of the region’s programs are nationally recognized for their innovation and effectiveness. Both Mason County PUDs and other utilities across the region have promoted and successfully achieved energy efficiency for years. PUD 1 customers saved 200,529 kilowatt-hours of electricity in the 2010-2011 biennium. PUD 3 customers cut their consumption by 13,701 megawatt-hours of electricity per year during that same period.
The region has made great strides in developing and melding new renewable energy resources into the mix of energy that powers customers’ homes and businesses. Nearly 4,500 megawatts of wind energy flows into the BPA system. So much wind energy has been brought online and melded into the system that there is more than our region needs.
All this begs the question: If the Pacific Northwest is already doing what the energy secretary says he wants all regions of the country to pursue, what is his underlying purpose?
In addition to cost, we are concerned that the secretary’s proposal would shift energy decisions from local control to a federal agency in the other Washington. Public utility districts were founded on the principle that local communities are the most appropriate managers of critical resources, such as energy. Utilities throughout the Pacific Northwest work closely with BPA to determine the best way to manage the electricity that powers the region. Directives from nearly 3,000 miles away cannot, and should not replace this collaborative, regionally based process.
The energy secretary should reconsider his proposals and listen to the voices of public power customers, the local PUDs that serve them, and the 166 members of Congress, including members of Washington's delegation, who sent a letter to the secretary expressing their discontent with his plans.
Together, we ask customers in both Mason County public utility districts to contact their members of Congress and US Senate to thank them for supporting us and to encourage them to stay vigilant in the fight to head off this latest effort to wrest local control from the region. | <urn:uuid:7c392214-da91-40bf-90d7-35acc6521486> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.masonpud3.org/newsdisplay.aspx?NewsID=1062 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960736 | 648 | 2.125 | 2 |
ABOUT THIS BOOK
In 1856, Mrs. Kelly, a young widow who is unable to provide for her children, makes the ultimate sacrifice: She sends Frances Mary, Mike, Megan, Danny, Peg, and Petey to the West on the Orphan Train, hoping that they will be adopted by families who can give them what she cannot.
It's 1861, and although Mike Kelly is far younger than the legal age of sixteen, he dreams of fighting with the Union Army. Mike and his best friend, Todd, secretly train to become army drummer boys and join up with the Second Kansas Infantry. But Mike's dreams of glory end when he's wounded at the bloody Battle of Wilson's Creek and must begin a dangerous adventure behind enemy lines.
ABOUT THIS AUTHOR
Joan Lowery Nixon is the author of more than 90 books for young readers. The only four-time recipient of the Edgar Allan Poe Award for the Best Juvenile Mystery, Nixon knows what interests readers and delivers it to them without fail. A native Californian and a transplanted Texan, Nixon lives in Houston, where she is hard at work writing more books for her legions of fans.
The Orphan Train Adventures are set in the latter half of the nineteenth century. Display a map of the United States and trace the route of the Orphan Train.
The Kelly children come from New York. What attitudes toward slavery might we expect from them? In the books, the children are sent to Missouri. What attitudes might they encounter that are different from their own?
The Orphan Train Heritage Society was established to assist the thousands of men and women who came West on the Orphan Train in locating members of their families. Ask a representative of the Orphan Train Heritage Society to speak to the class. Before the visit, have students brainstorm questions to ask the speaker.
Throughout all the novels in The Orphan Train Adventures series the Kelly children experience struggles. Some struggles are unique to the historical period in which the books are set while others are struggles that children of today also face. Discuss which struggles cross time and which are bound to the Civil War era.
Letters among the main characters play an essential role in each novel. Though the reader never sees the actual contents of these letters, the contents are conveyed through the main character. Have students write a letter which could have been sent by one of the Kelly children to another.
Have students locate passages in the books that summarize a character's convictions. Let them debate whether the characters stand firm or waiver in their convictions. Here are some examples of such statements readers might find:
"Every man has a past. ...What counts is his future." (Caught in the Act p. 31)
"Part of being a woman is making decisions and accepting responsibility for them, whether they're right or wrong." (Keeping Secrets p. 156)
Throughout the series, students meet characters who are either victims of discrimination, the discriminators themselves, or against discrimination. For example, there are characters who are made to feel they are outcasts because they come from another country and characters who treat people differently because of the amount of money they have. There are characters who support slavery and those who work to stop it. Discuss these characters and situations in a themed unit on discrimination.Family and Relationships -- The children in The Orphan Train Adventures are siblings who work hard to stay close, even as they are sent far from each other. As they are placed in new families--some good, others bad--each child learns that what makes one a member of a family is not sharing the same last name but rather caring for one another. The importance of family makes this series a must read for a unit on family relationships.
Have students discuss the difficult decisions the Kelly children make. In A Family Apart, Mike steals in order to provide food for his family. Is he right to do so? Who else in this story knowingly breaks a law? Is one person more guilty than another? Mike knowingly steals again in A Dangerous Promise. Are these acts crimes? In another book, Mary Frances had the opportunity to work directly against slavery as she assisted runaway slaves along the Underground Railroad route. Was she breaking the law? Let students debate whether or not these people should have been punished. Is it ever right to break a law? If so, then what good are laws?
The Orphan Train Adventures are as full of mystery as they are of adventure. For example, in Caught in the Act, Mike believes his foster parents, the Friedrichs, are hiding something, and he must uncover what it is. In In the Face of Danger, Megan must discover the real meaning behind the gypsy's curse. In Keeping Secrets, Peg must find out if her new friend Violet is a Confederate spy. The mystery in each of these books makes this series a natural tie-in for any unit that has students thinking about mysteries.
The concept of "sacrifice" is developed throughout The Orphan Train Adventures. Let students look for specific places in A Family Apart where the word is used and find events where sacrifices are made. What do students learn about sacrifices from these books? Have students discuss how the willingness to make sacrifices is a part of accepting responsibility.
The train trip West was a harrowing one for the Kelly children, who had never before been out of their New York City neighborhood. Have students construct a three-dimensional relief map of the train's route across the United States. Discuss the geographical changes the Kelly children encountered as they made their way West.
Several historical figures appear within the pages of these novels. Some of the most important historical figures are Abraham Lincoln, Buffalo Bill Cody, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and William Quantrill. Have the students use a reference source to find out more information about each person. Ask them to discuss why the author included them in the novel.
These books take place during the Civil War. Have students create a time line of the major events preceding, during, and immediately following the Civil War.
Some people say history repeats itself. Others say history doesn't repeat itself, people do. Have students identify events in these books that have occurred at other times in history. Discuss whether they are also occurring now, and predict if they will occur in the future. Discuss wars from the past, as well as present wars, and hypothesize if war will occur in the future. Have students discuss mail-order brides and how men found wives at other times in history. These novels are chock full of events to consider, including slavery, secession, abolition, underground railroads, and orphan trains.
Let students review the books looking for passages that discuss illnesses and the treatments for them, noticing how different the treatments were then compared to now. Generally, the treatments were based on home remedies that used herbs and other plants. Research what scientists and doctors of today have to say about those kinds of cures. Do any cultures today still depend on home remedies?
Vocabulary/Use of Language
Joan Lowery Nixon uses words and phrases in The Orphan Train Adventures that were common in the 1800s but are less common today. As students read the books, have them note those words and phrases, and share their examples in small groups. They should decide what the words/phrases mean, discover how (or if) they are used today, and--for fun--hypothesize what the words or phrases might mean in the future. Here are some: In In the Face of Danger, Emma offers to get mustard seed to make a "poultice" (p. 78) and Megan checks to see if there are plenty of "cow chips" and if the "crock" is filled before she begins cooking (p. 118). In Caught in the Act, Mike angrily refers to Gunter as "a stinking barrel of tallow" (p. 33). In A Place to Belong, Danny holds on to his "hard-earned coppers" (p. 3). In Keeping Secrets, Peg remembers seeing "painted ladies" (p. 126).
Teaching Ideas prepared by Teri Lesene, Ph.D., and G. Kylene Beers, Ph.D. Lesene teaches at Sam Houston State University. Beers teaches at several Houston area universities.
Review Highlights for The Orphan Train Adventures
A Family Apart
"As close to perfect a book....The plot is rational and well-paced; the characters are real and believable; the time setting is important in U.S. history; and the values all that anyone can ask for."
In the Face of Danger
"This exciting and touching novel projects an aura of historical reality."
--School Library Journal
A Dangerous Promise
"Her characters are finely drawn and multifaceted, the plot is lively, and the details are well chosen. This is history come to life."
--School Library Journal
"The tension and danger are palpable. . .readers won't be able to put this one down, as the suspense builds steadily to a dramatic but startling conclusion that may require a hanky or two." | <urn:uuid:c376c997-c638-4031-b164-a33b8d061365> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.randomhouse.com/teens/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780440219651&view=tg | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00055-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952732 | 1,859 | 3.390625 | 3 |
Google has announced that all Gmail sessions are now secured using SSL/TLS by default, rather than as a choice each individual user had to make in configuration settings. The previous default setting encrypted user logins to Gmail - as Google secures all logins - but left the content of sessions in the clear. The default encryption may be manually disabled.
Problems with offering in-the-clear webmail sessions were clear years ago, because your messages could be intercepted on public networks, such as Wi-Fi hotspots. The ante was raised in 2007, however, when a security researcher showed that the token that Google placed in a browser cookie to identify the user after login could be "sidejacked": intercepted by a local user, and used to take over a Gmail session. (See "Sidejack Attack Jimmies Open Gmail, Other Services," 27 August 2007.)
There was a workaround to use SSL at that time, where you could enter a different URL, but Google didn't expose this option, and average users would have been unaware of the consequences. In mid-2008, Google added an option to use SSL/TLS as the default, but each user had to make this setting change to activate it. (See "Google Gmail Adds Secure Session Option," 28 July 2008.)
Finally, in mid-2009, many prominent security experts asked Google in an open letter to secure all sessions for Web applications to avoid sidejacking, interception, and other issues that could allow identity theft and access to private information. (See "Security Experts Urge Google to Secure All Sessions," 19 June 2009.)
Google said then that it was concerned about latency (the delay in handshaking of transactions before data is actually sent) and additional overhead for people who don't have broadband. Apparently, Google has now tweaked its system to balance the need for speed for some users with security for all. | <urn:uuid:c64f8ae1-a721-4300-ac2a-d0cf7ca7cbc1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://tidbits.com/article/10911 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961175 | 384 | 2.1875 | 2 |
For a couple of years now it seems as if Facebook was going to continue its unparalleled success unchecked but figures have now shown that in a couple of major developed countries, it’s losing millions of users every month.
Facebook has almost 700 million active users worldwide and continues to grow its numbers each month. However a closer analysis of the figures show that in the UK, US and Canada at least, millions of people are leaving the social network. The first fall in active users in the US occurred in May with almost six million less people using Facebook at the end of the month compared with the start of the month. While losses in the UK and Canada are less – around 1.5 million and 100,000 respectively – it will be the trend of losing customers that will worry the executives at Facebook. In total, by the end of May, there were 687 million active users around the globe with six countries growing their numbers by over one million in May alone.
The largest growth, as would be expected, is seen in developing countries – such as India, Mexico and Brazil – with 11.8 million new users joining last month overall. However this is well down on the 20 million average monthly growth seen last year. These figures come from Inside Facebook, which tracks Facebook for developers and marketers, and because they are third-party figures, need to be taken with a pinch of salt but it does appear as if there is a slow down in the growth of Facebook, which was always inevitable. However, what will worry Facebook heads will be the loss of six million users in the US alone. There was no reasons given why these people have gone off Facebook in the US and UK and the company will want to put a stop this trend.Of course Facebook will reach the 700 million mark soon and there are many areas in the world – most notably China – where it has not made much of an impact so far and the potential for massive growth is still there but whether or not they reach the one billion user mark is now open for debate.
Source: Inside Facebook | <urn:uuid:bd3b4eec-bd08-4b39-aac4-3578983cd447> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.trustedreviews.com/news/facebook-user-figures-fall-in-uk-and-us | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00068-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975869 | 415 | 1.804688 | 2 |
The success of "The Purpose Driven Life" in Rwanda is a provocative sidebar to the popularity of Rick Warren's book. In a partnership with Rwandan President Paul Kagame, Warren has promoted his book since 2005 throughout the country, and Warren is part of Kagame's Presidential Council advisory board. Stating that he wanted to turn Rwanda into a "purpose driven country," Warren has held numerous rallies in Rwanda, and considers Rwanda to be his "second home."
Warren's relationship with Kagame is interesting, given Rwanda's troubled history and the Rwandan genocide. Kagame was wary of religious leadership, but "The Purpose Driven Life" presented him with an alternative blueprint for change, without a traditional religious structure.
Warren's participation in Rwanda is not much different from the 19th-century ministers who were sent to Africa to "Christianize" African people. Instead of the Bible, "The Purpose Driven Life" is now the text that changes the nation.
While their partnership may create unease in some circles, Kagame and Warren's alliance has important implications for how Christianity is shared not only as a belief, but a capitalistic endeavor. While it still too early to say if Warren's popular tome has indelibly changed the nation, it is an interesting coda to Rwanda's troubled history.
The opinions in this post are solely those of the authors. | <urn:uuid:aefef0f8-f5c4-4ef8-9425-05b6254571a4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.news8000.com/lifestyle/Short-Takes-Gauging-the-impact-of-Purpose-Driven-Life-10-years-on/-/342/17609524/-/item/1/-/nd9m0xz/-/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972752 | 280 | 1.78125 | 2 |
February 1, 2010
About a year and a half ago, as my first post on Dinosaur Tracking, I wrote about the discovery of a tiny, termite-eating dinosaur called Albertonykus. It belonged to one of the strangest groups of dinosaurs recognized to date. Called the Alvarezsaurids, these dinosaurs were covered in feathers, had stout forelimbs tipped in an enormous claw, and appear to have been the dinosaur equivalent of anteaters. But how do these creatures relate to other dinosaurs, and how did they evolve?
Described last week in the journal Science, the dinosaur Haplocheirus sollers has provided scientists with an idea of what the progenitors of the later Alvarezsaurids looked like. Discovered in 159- to 161-million-year-old rock in the northwestern corner of China, the strange new dinosaur was represented by an almost entirely complete skeleton, an extraordinary find since Haplocheirus is over 60 million years older than any previously discovered alvarezsaurid. Given such a wide time gap, though, it is not surprising that Haplocheirus is very different from its later relatives, and its appearance may help scientists understand when the ancestors of birds appeared.
As is presently understood, the alvarezaurids were maniraptoran dinosaurs, a diverse group that contains a variety of forms from birds to the herbivorous therizinosaurs. Many of the most well-known, and bizarre, members of this group have been found in Cretaceous strata, but if all the disparate types were truly related then they should have had ancestors stretching back into the Late Jurassic. For the alvarezsaurids, at least, Haplocheirus confirms that this is true. It lacks some of the specializations seen in its later relatives, such as the stubby arms adapted for digging, and instead looks like a more generalized maniraptoran dinosaur. Furthermore, it suggests that the alvarezsaurids diverged from their maniraptoran cousins relatively early, meaning that the “bird” traits seen in later alvarezsaurids were evolved independently.
Like many other dinosaurs recently discovered in China, Haplocheirus has answered some questions and raised entirely new ones. This new dinosaur confirms that early maniraptoran dinosaurs were already present in the Jurassic, but the huge gap between it and its Cretaceous relatives means that there were many other as-yet-undiscovered forms. Scientists are constantly working to fill in these gaps, and it will be exciting to find out what sort of creatures connect the early bird-like dinosaurs with their specialized descendants.
Choiniere, J., Xu, X., Clark, J., Forster, C., Guo, Y., & Han, F. (2010). A Basal Alvarezsauroid Theropod from the Early Late Jurassic of Xinjiang, China Science, 327 (5965), 571-574 DOI: 10.1126/science.1182143
Sign up for our free email newsletter and receive the best stories from Smithsonian.com each week. | <urn:uuid:b022f004-bee3-483b-9f59-b1157389f759> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/dinosaur/2010/02/new-bird-like-dinosaur-solves-evolutionary-puzzle/ | 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 | 0.956345 | 638 | 3.796875 | 4 |
On June 28th the Supreme Court ruled the Affordable Care Act constitutional and will be upheld as a law. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the bill, and the total was 5 for and 4 against. Immediately after the final decision was announced, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, a Republican from Virginia, announced the Republicans will be scheduling a vote to repeal health care reform on July 11th. This allows the House a recess before voting on the controversial bill.
“The Supreme Court’s decision to uphold ObamaCare is a crushing blow to patients throughout the country,” said Cantor. “ObamaCare has failed to keep the President’s basic promise of allowing those who like their health care to keep it, while increasing costs and reducing access to quality care for patients.”
The Republicans currently hold the majority in the House, giving them a strong possibility to repeal the health care reform bill if all Republicans vote in favor.
This bill has been an extremely controversial case, drawn along partisan lines with not one positive comment resounding from the Republican Party. President Obama’s campaign itself has publicly announced its dissatisfaction with Chief Justice Roberts’s decision to rule the individual mandate as a tax rather than a penalty.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), often referred to as “Obamacare”, is the major health care reform law passed in 2010. The case before the Supreme Court specifically examined whether the individual mandate portion of the legislation was, in fact, constitutional.
The individual mandate is one of the most contentious provisions of the bill. It requires all individuals not covered by employer or government-sponsored insurance plans to maintain minimal, essential health insurance coverage or else pay a penalty, unless exempted by religious beliefs or financial hardship. Without the individual mandate, many consider health care reform to be impossible to implement without substantial increases in health care fees.
There are multiple reasons why a Republican individuals want to vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act, ranging from the traditional anti big-government and disagreement on social programs to specific clauses in the bill. Many are claiming that despite the President’s claims, the bill would not actually allow patients to continue using the same doctors as before as promised. Others claim that not everyone can afford the universal health care system and that it would put American in financially weaker positions.
Then again, others don’t really care about this debate, at all. A recent study just put out by Pew Research Center said that the politically aware all across the board as dull and annoyed with this year’s election and that independents overwhelmingly want to move on from the issue.
“The number of respondents finding the election “dull” increased in June, too. Many find the campaigns too long, albeit important,” said IVN Editor Kym Bays.
For topics as important as universal health care, why is the American population so apathetic? Because partisan bickering helps no one, and as evidenced by polling data, Americans are uninterested in such behavior. When neither party is ever happy with the outcome of a law, maybe its time to stop fixing the legislation and start fixing cross-party collaboration. | <urn:uuid:3d7785e2-14d1-41ad-8811-795cf644e7da> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ivn.us/2012/07/07/republicans-vow-to-repeal-health-care-reform/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958789 | 647 | 2.28125 | 2 |
Prep the Potatoes and the Soil
Start with certified quality seed potatoes from your local nursery or gardening center. These are not true "seeds" but are modified stems called "tubers." You can try using potatoes from the grocery store, or from last year's crop, but the risk of getting an inferior crop is much higher.
Potatoes may be planted in early spring, as soon as you can start working the soil. The soil should be worked well, with organic material deeper than the actual plants. The organic material may induce disease if placed directly on the potatoes, but will help the root system to grow. Do not use manure, as it may cause scab. If your soil is heavy, try planting in raised beds.
Do not waterlog your potatoes or the soil around your potatoes at any time — this causes potato rot and will compact your soil.
One or two weeks before you intend to plant, set your seed potatoes out in a warm, dry place where it will reach 60 to 70 degrees. This will help them to begin the sprouting process. One or two days before planting, cut the potatoes into squares about 1 1/2 to 2 inches across, with one to three "eyes" to each square. If your seed potato is small, just use the whole thing. Make sure the potatoes have formed a hard callous where you cut them — this will help prevent rot when they're planted in the ground.
Plant the Potatoes
There are two ways to plant potatoes. The first method is in mounds, which works well if you have a smaller planting area. Dig a hole 6 to 8 inches deep, with a diameter of 3 to 4 feet. Plant 6 to 8 potato seeds in this area cut side down. Cover with 4 inches of soil (at this point, you'll still have a hole in your garden).
When the sprouts grow about 6 inches tall, cover them with another 3 to 4 inches of soil. Your potatoes will grow in this space between the seed and the surface. When the sprouts grow another 6 inches, it's time to add another "hill" to the mound, adding about 4 more inches of dirt. A good rule to follow is to "hill" whenever your sprouts reach 4 to 6 inches, stopping when they begin to flower.
Over the next few weeks, it may be necessary to add 1 or 2 more inches so the potatoes don't peek out of the ground. When exposed to the sunlight, potatoes can turn green, which is toxic. Don't cover up too many of the sprouts — leave enough on the top so that it gets energy to grow.
The second method is to grow rows of potatoes. Follow the same instructions as the mound method, but place your seed potatoes apart every 15 inches. The row method demands quite a bit of space.
Water your potatoes well during the growing season, but especially when flowers appear on the plants. This is when the actual potatoes are forming. Water the plants early in the day so they have a chance to dry during the day.
Harvest the Potatoes
Harvest your potatoes two to three weeks after they've finished flowering (the stems get yellowed and brown). Stop watering at this point to give the potatoes time to dry. Carefully dig up the tubers, especially if you're using a shovel. Give them a chance to dry for two to three days in the dirt or in the garage/gardening shed. This will allow the potatoes' skin to thicken so they store better.
Due to pest control, it's best to move your potato crop every year. You can re-plant an area every three years. | <urn:uuid:23065482-e554-4bb0-9357-09a23ce5af22> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.diynetwork.com/outdoors/tips-for-growing-potatoes/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00064-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948338 | 751 | 3.5625 | 4 |
Julius of Goa
|Oriental Orthodox (Non-Chalcedonian) perspective, which may differ from an Eastern Orthodox (Chalcedonian) understanding.|
St. Julius of Goa, better known as Alvares Mar Julius or Alvares Mar Yulios, is a saint of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church who lived in the 19th and early 20th centuries. St. Julius is commemorated by the Diocese of Brahmavar of the Malankara Orthodox Church on September 23.
Early life and ordination
St. Julius was born Antonio Francisco Xavier Alvares on April 29, 1836 to an aristocratic Roman Catholic family in Goa, a small region in India then part of Portugal and now a state of the Republic of India. In 1869 he was ordained to the Roman Catholic priesthood to serve the Roman Catholic Church in Goa. Fr. Julius served in this capacity for 18 years, during that time becoming known for his philanthropy as well as his belief in a Goa free of foreign occupation. His patriotism and work to improve the life of the poor in Goa led to the development of a large following around St. Julius, who eventually left Goa in 1887 for nearby Brahmavar (in the modern state of Karnataka) so that he could serve his flock freely without interference from the representatives of the Portuguese government in Goa.
Conversion to Orthodoxy and consecration
In the same year that St. Julius left Goa he was received into the Syriac Orthodox Church in India by Metropolitan Mar Gregorios of Parumala, later glorified as St. Gregory of Parumala, who also elevated him to the monastic rank of ramban. A year later St. Julius returned to Brahmavar to receive his disciples there into Orthodoxy and organize them as a mission of the Church of India|Malankara Orthodox Church. Although united to Orthodoxy, St. Julius and his followers continued to follow the Roman Rite, thus becoming one of the first Western Orthodox communities to return to the Orthodox Church.
On July 29, 1889 Ramban Alvares was consecrated to the episcopacy as Metropolitan Alvares Mar Yulios of Goa, Ceylon, and India outside Kerala by St. Gregory and Metropolitan Pulikkottil Mar Joseph Dionysius II and returned to continue his missionary labors in Brahmavar, which with the help of a deacon from Kerala soon spread to other parts of what today are the Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra. After setbacks experienced following the repose of St. Julius, the Brahmavar Mission today consists of a college and five parish churches using Malayalam, Konkani, and Kannada under the Diocese of Chennai (Madras).
In 1892, St. Julius participated in the consecration of an Old Catholic priest from France, Joseph Rene Vilatte, to the episcopacy as Metropolitan Joseph Mar Timotheos. Vilatte was sent to the United States to reconcile Old Catholics and Roman Catholics to the Orthodox Church, but soon separated himself from the Church of Antioch and began single-handedly consecrating bishops for various Old Catholic schisms.
In 1913, St. Julius returned from Brahmavar to Goa, where he suffered a great deal of persecution under the Portuguese. He nonetheless spent the remainder of his life in Goa ministering to its poor, particularly lepers. On September 23, 1923 he fell asleep in the Lord in Panaji, Goa, and was buried in the municipal cemetery of St. Ines. Due to the opposition of the Portuguese government St. Julius did receive any sort of Orthodox Christian funeral.
Although St. Julius' missionary labors had resulted in the development of a sizable Western Orthodox flock in Goa, Karnataka, and Ceylon (modern day Sri Lanka), lack of care from the hierarchy of the Malankara Orthodox Church after the Saint's death led to the eventual disintegration of all these communities, with only the church in Brahamvar, St. Mary's Cathedral, surviving thanks in large part to the service of Fr. Roche Lopez Nuronah, who had been received into Orthodoxy with St. Julius.
In January 1967 St. Julius' tomb was discovered there by Metropolitan Mathews Mar Athanasios. On October 5, 1979 Metropolitan Philipose Mar Theophilos had his relics translated from the cemetery to St. Mary's Orthodox Church in Panaji. In the meantime his old parish in Brahmavar was assigned a new priest in 1986 who replaced its Roman Rite services in Konkani, Kannada, and Latin with West Syrian Rite services in Konkani and Kannada. In 2010, the parish was made the seat of a diocese under Metropolitan Yakub Mar Elias. | <urn:uuid:8c0f35f9-5a04-472a-b322-df73ae43fa03> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=Julius_of_Goa&oldid=98779 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968932 | 998 | 2.46875 | 2 |
The Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Branch (APPB) works to reduce the incidence of unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among teens in Alabama. This is made possible through federal grants awarded to the Alabama Department of Public Health. Through these grants, funding is made available to local community organizations to assist in these efforts in their communities. The APPB also partners with The Alabama Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy (ACPTP) and other organizations throughout the state in a collaborative relationship to promote healthy decisions among young people.
Adolescents are in a unique period in the life cycle between childhood and adulthood. Developmentally, they face many challenges, including choices that impact them for a lifetime. One such choice is the decision to become sexually active, which may lead to pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS. Many of these lifestyle choices are affected by physiological challenges that can make healthy decision making difficult. Read more about Adolescent Health. | <urn:uuid:3d12942c-f18a-46bd-ad37-2dbfd1188859> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.adph.org/teenpregnancyprevention/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961687 | 192 | 2.890625 | 3 |
From Uncyclopedia, the content-free encyclopedia
|More Jewish stuff|
Jehovah is known on Earth as "the first typo." It was uncovered by a group of door to door salesmen who mistakingly thought that the unpronouncable name for God was pronounced "Jehovah." God was quoted later, saying "No it's not, you moron."
The door to door salesmen, however, were too stubborn to say "we were wrong" or to revert the name of their organization to something else. Thus, they have placed the word sic after their name at all times. While this is considered a gesture of good grammar by some, others believe they should just "fix the damn typo already."
In actuality, The Name is pronounced as "Java" instead.
edit From Mythical Volcano god to Personal Name of G-D Himself
- Psalm 18
- 18:6 In my distress I called (collect) to the LORD; I had the wrong number. I had to call my sister in DeMoines to get the number from her. Then I ran out of minutes, and had to top up my account online.
- 18:7 It was, like, an hour later, and then finally shit started to go down. The earth heaved and shook; the roots of the mountains trembled; they heaved because he was angry. I'd called too early, maybe?
- 18:8 Smoke ascended from his nose; fire devoured as it came from his mouth; he hurled down fiery coals.
- 18:9 He made the sky sink as he descended; a thick cloud was under his feet. Man, was he pissed. Hey, if you dont want to be called at 4am, turn your ringer off, jerk-ass.
- 18:10 He mounted a winged angel and flew; he glided on the wings of the wind.
- 18:11 He shrouded himself in darkness, in thick rain clouds.
- 18:12 From the brightness in front of him came hail and fiery coals. A bit too dramatic for my tastes.
- 18:13 "What the hell? Who calls at 4am? Get a life! I work in the morning, asshole! Is it reallllly that important?"
Then came Moses, who was chosen by the real God, who gave him The Law from Him directly, from on top of The Mountain that thundered and was dangerous to climb. When Moses asked how to address him, He decided to use the name of Volcano god Java, which was so respected by the ancient Arabs He led the Arabs through the desert with a pillar of smoke and fire, eventually cultivating what would eventually be known as "Jello", a rugged, disciplined people who worship nothing other then the Form of Good (until after the Diaspora, of course).
edit The above is too damn religious
Those of you who don't believe in God have probably lost interest. I can't blame you. Jehovah is not God, but God's evil step-twin's half-cousin twice eaten by Bizarro Jesus. God and Jehovah used to be the same guy, but God insisted on leaving his crap on the floor. This was the last straw for Jehovah, who immediately decided to turn into a comet and crash on a planet full of silly haircuts. God refused to make a comment on the incident and has since been secluded from his natural environment (the hell away from Britain).
Jehovah actually means 'pothead' in Simlish, and he was well known for his habit. Yellow air in the 1800's? It wasn't the industries. Renowned throughout Europe for his anti-Jewish campaign, he was generally supported until Hitler decided that this asshole was stealing his spotlight. Soon after, Jehovah disappeared. This coincided with the new exhibit at the Berlin Museum 'How to kill your Jew'
edit Door to door domination
Today Jehovah's Witnessnes door to door trying to get people to help build a giant fighting robot to destroy all of the Christian floats at the parade. Their project is called J.E.H.O.V.A.H.
It stands for:
Jesus Eradicating Humanoid Optimized for Violence And Harm
This information was released by Jesus freak Kirk Cameron, who is determined to stop the creation of the robot J.E.H.O.V.A.H.
Rumor has it they have completed to construction of it's left foot. | <urn:uuid:ed0f5da7-2d35-4032-bc84-41f6d0086b79> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/Jehovah | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00072-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.982293 | 937 | 2.09375 | 2 |
Is it a religion of violence or of peace?
There is no consensus on the nature of Islam.
Some state that Islam is a religion of peace and moderation, "which
is tolerant and encourages inter-religious dialogue for the benefit of
humanity:" 1 For example:
||The President of the United States from 2000 to 2008, George W. Bush, has emphasized that "Islam
is Peace" on a number of occasions. 2 This was both before and after the 9/11 terrorist attack.|
||A sizeable percentage of North Americans view Islam in a positive
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press conducted a public
opinion poll among 1,500 adults on 2001-NOV-13 to 19, about two months after 9/11. Americans, particularly "conservative
Republicans" repudiated an unfavorable view of Islam. The survey found that:|
|The percentage of Americans with a favorable view of Muslims rose
from 45% in May to 59% in November.|
|The percentage of conservative Republicans with a favorable view of
Muslims rose from 35% to 64%! 3
||John L. Esposito, one of America's foremost authorities and
interpreters of Islam, rejects as far too simplistic the concept that
Islam is a militant, expansionist, and rabidly anti-American religion. In
his book: "The Islamic Threat: Myth or Reality," he demonstrates the diversity of the Islamic resurgence -- and the mistakes our
analysts make in assuming a hostile, monolithic Islam. 4|
Others, ranging from evangelical Christians to Atheists, believe that Islam is a religion of hatred and warfare:
|Jerry Falwell said that "...Muhammad was a terrorist. I've read
enough of the history of his life written by both Muslims and
non-Muslims, that he was a violent man, a man of war."
That particular comment triggered a riot in India which killed at
least 14 people.|
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) singled out
leading evangelical Christian Franklin Graham. He allegedly claimed:
is part of 'mainstream' Islam and that the Quran, Islam's revealed text,
'preaches violence.' Graham also called Islam an 'evil and wicked
CAIR listed two additional leading conservative
-- Pat Robertson and Chuck Colson -- who, they say:
"... have echoed
Graham's Islamophobic smears."
CAIR listed a number of
socially conservative commentators such as William
Lind, who suggests that American Muslims
"...should be encouraged to
leave [the U.S.]. They are a fifth column in this country."
listed Ann Coulter, Jerry Vines, and Paul Weyrich.
Bill Maher, who is known for his attacks on all forms of religion, said:
"What it comes down to is that there is one religion in the world that kills you when you disagree with them. They say, ‘Look, we’re a religion of peace and if you disagree we’ll cut your f---ing head off." 8
Conservative Christian author and radio pastor Dave Hunt claims:
are more than 100 verses in the Qur'an advocating the use of violence to
spread Islam. In the Qur'an, Allah commands Muslims, 'Take not the Jews
and Christians as friends....Slay the idolaters [non-Muslims] wherever ye
find them.... Fight against such...as believe not in Allah...' (Surah
5:51; 9:5,29,41, etc..). Though most Muslims would shrink from obeying
such commands, this is official Islam and it cannot change without
admitting that Muhammad was a false prophet and murderer." 5
Dave Silverman, president of American Atheists posted a message on his facebook page saying:
"Never give up a right without a fight. I will defame Islam if I want to. It doesn't mean I hate Muslims. It means Islam is a sh---y religion that worships a pedophile as morally perfect." 9
Which point of view is right?
They both are.
Islam, like Christianity, is not a homogenous religion. It is divided into many traditions,
the main ones being Sunni, Shi'ite, and Sufi.
A very small, radical,
hate-filled, extremist, fundamentalist, terrorist wing does exist. Many of its followers follow a fundamentalist version of Islam called Wahhabi. However, Islam also has a much larger
peaceful, moderate wing. Unfortunately, the former seem to capture all the
media's attention, while the latter is rarely heard from or discussed by non-Muslims.
It obvious that no one individual speaks for
all Muslims. Islam has
no single central human authority, comparable to the pope and Vatican for the
Roman Catholic Church, or to various General Assemblies and the
Lambeth Conferences for the Anglican Communion. Rather, it is divided
into many traditions and schools.
The spread of terrorism within Islam appears to be due to the presence
and interaction of a number of factors:
|A general renaissance of the religion of Islam throughout North
Africa, the Middle East and parts of Asia.
||The after-effects of previous colonial oppression of Muslim countries.|
||The presence of American military bases in predominately Muslim countries. This appears to have been the main factor motivating Al Qaeda to organize the 9/11 terrorist attack.|
||Authoritarian dictatorships in the Middle East -- many of which are
artificially propped up with American foreign policy -- with their
depressing record of corruption, civil rights violations, and low standard
of living. This results in rage and a loss of hope among their public.|
|The lack of separation between religion and the state in Muslim
Three main conflicts:
- One of overwhelming importance in the Middle East
is between Jews and Muslims. It involves Israel, the Gaza Strip, the occupied territories, the future of Jerusalem, and the right of return for Arabs and other Muslims who fled when the state of Israel was declared by the United Nations in 1948. The eventual terms of settlement are obvious to all commentators and politicians. However, it cannot be agreed to by the groups involved because each side would first have to give up more concessions that their own public will currently tolerate.
- One in Sudan between the predominately Muslim north and the predominately Christian and Animist south. This conflict has resulted in the deaths of at least two million persons and a major flow of refugees. However, a path towards peace is being implemented and a plebescite in the south of the country was successfully conducted in early 2011. The resultant separation of Sudan into two countries has resulted in a lessening of violence.
- One between Hindus and Muslims in in Kashmir. This is a state claimed by both India, a predominately Hindu country, and Pakistan, a predominately Muslim country. Both countries have nuclear weapons and long-term animosity towards each other. Again, the solution is obvious: to allow the people of Kashmir to determine their own future through a plebescite. Options would be to join India, to join Pakistan, to become an independent state, to split Kasmir along the existing Line of Control -- or a line to be negotiated -- and have one part join India and the other join Pakistan. However, polls currently show that a plebiscite would have Kashmir join Pakistan. Thus, India will not agree to a vote.
Books about Islamophobia:
Nathan Lean, "The Islamophobia Industry: How the Right Manufactures Fear of Muslims," Pluto Press, (2012). Read reviews or order this book safely from Amazon.com online book store Available from Amazon.com in paperback for $10.85 plus postage, or $9.88 in Kindle format.
From the foreward by John L. Esposito:
"Nathan Lean’s The Islamophobia Industry could not be more timely or critical. This is an extraordinarily important and groundbreaking study. It exposes the multi-million-dollar cottage industry of fear mongers and the network of funders and organizations that support and perpetuate bigotry, xenophobia, racism, and produce a climate of fear that sustains a threatening social cancer."
Peter Gottschalk & Gabriel Greenberg, "Islamophobia: Making Muslims the Enemy," Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, (2007). Read reviews or order this book safely from Amazon.com online book store Available from Amazon.com in hardcover for $13.01 plus postage, or $12.36 in Kindle format.
From Amazon's book description:
"The term 'Islamophobia' accurately reflects the largely unexamined and deeply ingrained anxiety many Americans experience when considering Islam and Muslim cultures. Historically, Americans have seldom given voice to these anxieties since they have had, until the last half-century, few connections to Muslim cultures and a small domestic Muslim minority. However, in times of crisis, such as the Iranian hostage situation or, most recently, the September 11th attacks, the long-simmering resentments, suspicions, and fears inherited along with a Christian European heritage manifest themselves most directly in conditions that appear to affirm Americans' darkest concerns. Like a vicious cyclone feeding off of its own energy, Islamophobia takes uncommon events as evidence fitting its worst expectations and turns these into proof that perpetuates those ill-informed expectations."
- "UN 1st Millennium Peace Summit: Uzbek President Islam Karimov
honors Shaykh Muhammad Nazim & Shaykh Hisham Kabbani," 2000-SEP-8,
- " 'Islam is Peace' Says President: Remarks by the President at
Islamic Center of Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C.," 2002-SEP-17,
- "U.S. Muslims' Image Gains, Poll Finds," Associated
Press, 2001-DEC-7, at:
http://www.latimes.com/news/ The poll's margin of error is within 3
- From a review of the book by John L. Esposito, "The Islamic
Threat: Myth or Reality, 3rd Edition," Oxford University
Press, (1999). Read
reviews or order this book safely from Amazon.com online book store
- Dave Hunt, "A Moment for Truth," The Berean Call, 2002-SEP,
- Program "60 Minutes," CBS-TV, 2002-OCT-6. Jerry Falwell was
interviewed by Bob Simon.
- Jan Russell, "Falwell is America's hate machine," Seattle
- Chris Stedman, "Atheists Ignore Islamophobia at their Peril," Religion Dispatches, 2013-AUG-29, at: http://www.religiondispatches.org/
- Facebook posting, 2011-DEC-13, at: https://www.facebook.com/
Copyright © 2002 to 2013 by Ontario Consultants on Religious
Originally written: 2002-SEP-9
Latest update: 2013-JAN-31
Author: B.A. Robinson | <urn:uuid:7c882477-bd22-4951-8734-bde09c002a07> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://religioustolerance.org/isl_war.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.923652 | 2,301 | 2.375 | 2 |
Despite sweeping reform of food safety laws intended to make what we eat less dangerous, the number of Americans falling ill or dying from contaminated food has increased 44% since last year, according to a report released Wednesday.
Tainted cantaloupe, unsafe mangoes, meat and the recent peanut butter recall -- which so far has infected 25 people, mostly children, in 19 states -- has left consumers struggling to keep up with the dizzying list of ever-changing toxic edibles.
Approximately 48 million people get sick from eating tainted food each year, the report's authors, the U.S. Public Interest Research Group said, arguing more must be done to protect Americans from unsafe food.
The report says there were 718 illnesses directly linked to food recalls in 2011. There were 1,035 illnesses from January to September 2012 -- an increase of 44%.
Two years ago, President Barack Obama signed into law the Food Safety Modernization Act, a vast piece of legislation giving the Food and Drug Administration, among other things, more power to be proactive holding food suppliers responsible for foodborne illness outbreaks.
But while some parts of the law have been enacted, the vast majority of the law's regulatory framework remains in limbo, sitting in the White House Office of Management and Budget, with no clear timetable for implementation.
When asked about the delays, OMB spokeswoman Moira Mack told CNN, "We have taken key steps, including putting out a food safety rule cracking down on salmonella in eggs and expanding E. coli testing for beef. We are working as expeditiously as possible to implement the food safety legislation we fought so hard for. When it comes to rules with this degree of importance and complexity, it is critical that we get it right."
The report also takes issue with the delayed response and plans in Congress to cut FDA funding.
"In February, the president's budget requested $4.5 billion for the Food and Drug Administration. But budget proposals in both the Senate and the House fall below this target, coming in $600 (million) to $700 million below full funding, which the Office of Management and Budget has called 'harmful' to food safety regulations," the Public Interest Research Group says.
The group's report also says the FDA hasn't been able to keep up with increased demands for inspection of imported foods. Nearly 15% of food consumed in the United States is imported, and the FDA's own data indicates two-thirds of the fruits and vegetables on American's dinner plates are from foreign food suppliers. | <urn:uuid:b1e619e6-8770-412b-b4ad-1e5f0ca6596e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wbaltv.com/news/health/Report-Unsafe-food-putting-lives-at-risk/-/9379230/17111444/-/fnwu2wz/-/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959205 | 516 | 2.5625 | 3 |
Factors associated with age at natural menopause in a multiethnic sample of midlife women
Department of Medicine, Division of Preventive and Behavioral Medicine
Adult; Age Distribution; Aging; Continental Population Groups; Cross-Sectional Studies; Demography; Educational Status; Female; Health Status; Humans; Life Style; Menopause; Middle Aged; Multivariate Analysis; Proportional Hazards Models; Risk; Smoking; United States
Obstetrics and Gynecology | Preventative Medicine
An unprecedented number of women will experience menopause in the next decade. Although the timing of menopause affects long-term disease risk, little is known about factors that affect this timing. In the present 1995--1997 cross-sectional study, the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation, the relation of demographic and lifestyle factors to age at natural menopause was examined in seven US centers and five racial/ethnic groups. All characteristics were self-reported by women aged 40--55 years (n = 14,620). Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the probability of menopause by age. Overall, median age at natural menopause was 51.4 years, after adjustment for smoking, education, marital status, history of heart disease, parity, race/ethnicity, employment, and prior use of oral contraceptives. Current smoking, lower educational attainment, being separated/widowed/divorced, nonemployment, and history of heart disease were all independently associated with earlier natural menopause, while parity, prior use of oral contraceptives, and Japanese race/ethnicity were associated with later age at natural menopause. This sample is one of the largest and most diverse ever studied, and comprehensive statistical methods were used to assess factors associated with age at natural menopause. Thus, this study provides important insights into this determinant of long-term disease risk in women.
Rights and Permissions
Citation: Am J Epidemiol. 2001 May 1;153(9):865-74.
This document is currently not available here. | <urn:uuid:6d81a0d2-8e5f-4e7b-bf37-bcdddbb235e4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://escholarship.umassmed.edu/wfc_pp/20/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.927722 | 426 | 1.882813 | 2 |
Israeli officials are investigating the recent cyber-attack that resulted in the theft of thousands of credit card numbers. At least one Israeli government official has promised to retaliate against the perpetrators of that attack that he described as "comparable to a terrorist operation."
officials are investigating a recent cyber-attack that resulted in the theft
and exposure of thousands of credit card numbers belonging to Israeli citizens.
The attack was
a "breach of sovereignty comparable to a terrorist operation, and must be
treated as such," deputy foreign minister Danny Ayalon told BBC.
using the name 0xOmar leaked details of thousands of credit card numbers
online, according to a Jan. 2 statement on PasteBay. 0xOmar claimed to be
affiliated with Group-xp, a known hacking group based in Saudi Arabia. Israel's
data protection agency is investigating the incident and is considering asking
Interpol for assistance, Yoram Hacohen, head of Israel's data protection agency,
told the Associated Press Jan. 6.
information came from multiple Israeli sites and supposedly contained names,
addresses, Israeli ID numbers, phone numbers and credit card information,
including expiration dates and three-digit security codes. Furthermore, 0xOmar
claimed to have collected information on almost 1 million people and said he would
publish it all.
has active capabilities for striking at those who are trying to harm it, and no
agency or hacker will be immune from retaliatory action," Ayalon told BBC.
governments have been considering ways to retaliate against those who commit cyber-attacks.
Early last week, reports emerged that the Japanese government had contracted
with Fujitsu to develop what was described as a "good virus" that was
capable of seeking out computers behind a cyber-attack and disabling them from
conducting further attacks.
the United States Department of Defense explicitly
stated that it has the right to retaliate with military force and launch a
physical attack in the event of a cyber-attack against defense systems. The
threat of military action would deter people who think they can carry out
"significant cyber-attacks directed against the U.S. economy, government
or military," the Pentagon wrote in a 12-page report to Congress.
The House and
Senate agreed, giving the U.S. military the power to conduct "offensive" strikes
online, including clandestine attacks, according to a provision in the
military's 2012 funding bill. Both houses have already passed their versions of
the funding bill and are expected to approve the "conference" bill,
which reconciles the two versions into a single bill.
affirms that the Department of Defense has the capability, and upon direction
by the president may conduct offensive operations in cyber-space to defend our
nation, allies and interests," according to the reconciled bill.
The United Kingdom also discussed improving its
military's defense capabilities without actually committing to use military
force in its Cyber-Security Strategy released in November.
claimed to have disclosed information belonging to about 400,000 Israelis, the Bank of Israel's banking supervision department
said Jan. 3 that only 15,000 active accounts had been exposed. Another 11,000
credit card numbers were dumped online Jan. 5, but credit card companies
claimed only about 6,000 of those accounts were active.
credit card companies reported that they have identified the cards of the
customers whose details were exposed on the Internet, and the cards have been
blocked for use in Internet purchases and telephone purchases," according
to the Bank of Israel statement.
There are reports
that 0xOmar is a 19-year-old person who is currently in Mexico. | <urn:uuid:24f6aff4-8ffa-46cc-9f6d-b47eb5b4a148> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Security/Israel-Likens-Credit-Card-Breach-to-Terrorist-Act-707325/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960766 | 758 | 1.617188 | 2 |
The staff at The Rochester Public Library is on edge because of the encounters with the paranormal, but they've kept the supposed hauntings a secret- until now. Tonight the Ghost Hunters take on this 1934 building, which has some tragic deaths in its history. Let's hope TAPS can close the book on this case!
The activity has been going on for at least 15 years, and most seem to have started after the library underwent a reconstruction, says client Christine Ridarsky. Since then, staff reports dark shadows, voices, footsteps and eerie moaning. A security guard saw a head and shoulders peeking out of the shelves. The door to an empty office slammed shut and a dark black shadow came out and floated away. Motion alarms have gone off and books are tossed from the shelves after hours.
The video evidence caught by security cameras is most alarming! It shows a door opening on its own, with no one around and no explanation. Whoa.
Years ago, a young woman drowned and was found in aqueduct area beneath the building. And long-term librarian Frank suffered a heart attack at the library and later died. Could one of these souls still be lingering in these halls? The building is made of limestone, by the way, and there are 2 sources of water nearby. All of those factors could serve as catalysts for the activity!
Ms. Ridarsky wants to know if the building is haunted or just old, so that she can inform the public of the occurrences.
Britt and K.J. are quickly able to debunk the shadow figure in the stacks, and further debunking by Steve and Tango prove that light play on tall bookshelves can easily confuse people. But Jason and Steve encounter a voice, moaning and footsteps walking by them as they try to figure out what opened that door.
While Ashley and Adam are in the stacks, they hear a cart squeaking and catch a clear recording of a voice with them!
K.J. and Britt chase some sounds of books being taken off the shelves and moved around. Britt speculates that perhaps it's Frank, doing the job he had done for so many years.
Down in the aqueduct, Britt and K.J. fight the spiders and overall creepiness in order to capture some activity, but come up empty.
Jason and Steve take a break from the investigation to pull Ashley aside and discuss her performance so far, based on feedback from the team. They recommend that she go back to her local TAPS family in California to get more experience and training. It's bittersweet for Ashley, who looks forward to the education.
After analyzing the footage, Jason and Steve present Christine with the personal experiences. But most importantly was DVR footage of a shadow peeking out from behind a shelf- but it did not appear on the thermal imaging footage. Jason believes that it is an age-old spirit whose energy is dissipating so it is not strong enough to leave a heat signature.
Overall, TAPS' experiences and solid evidence were enough to confirm the experiences of the staff. Only further investigations will be able to answer the questions about who these spirits might be!
Watch a sneak peek of the next all-new episode of Ghost Hunters, Wednesday at 9/8c.
Check out the introduction to Britt's Gear Guide as he takes you on a tour of the TAPS gear room.
Learn what made Adam the Ghost Hunter he is today. | <urn:uuid:9fd8f679-6731-41b0-9c6c-1d43c150481f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.syfy.com/ghosthunters/episodes/season/8/episode/25/due_date_with_death | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969439 | 705 | 1.546875 | 2 |
How to Make a Tinkerbell CakeEasy instructions for making this Tinkerbell cake:
Bake a sheet cake the size that you need. With an icing filled bag and round tip, size #4 or #5, draw Tinkerbell on the sheet cake. Refer to the second Tinkerbell Cake picture below for the outline.
Cut cake away from the drawn shape of Tinkerbell. Use the cut pieces of cake to form the flower.
Make a dark pink icing and a light pink icing. Using a star tip, size #18 and dark pink icing, cover alternating petals of the flower. Cover the remaining petals with light pink icing and the same size tip.
Using round tip, size #5, make piping line in center of each petal using opposite colored icing (light pink on dark pink petal, dark pink on light pink petal).
Next, cover the wings of the Tinkerbell cake in a light blue icing and star tip, size #18. Outline the wings in a darker blue icing and round tip, size #5.
Make a flesh colored icing by using very small amounts of red and yellow coloring to achieve the flesh color. Using star tip, size #18, cover the skin area leaving room for the eyes. See the picture below for reference.
Use white, blue and dark chocolate icing and round tip, size #5 making sure you slant the eyes enough. Put eyelashes in and eyebrows, marking for nose and outline of mouth.
Outline all skin areas of the Tinkerbell cake in flesh colored icing and round tip, size #5.
Next do the shoes and dress using star tip, size #18. The balls on the shoes are the same color blue as the wings and outlined in a darker blue the same as the wings are.
The dress is a very bright green. To make this bright green color, make green icing and add yellow until you have the bright green color that Tinkerbell is noted for.
Outline the dress and shoes in the same green and round tip, size #5.
The hair is done in yellow icing and star tip, size #18. outline the hair in light brown icing and round tip, size #5.
Finally, pipe the ribbon in the hair using the darker
blue icing that you used for the wings and round tip, size #5.
Make sure you check out these other popular pages too!
Share Your Tinkerbell Cake!
If you have made an tinkerbell birthday cake that you would like to share, please submit your cake here and let us know how you made it! We would love to feature your cake on our site. Please make sure to include a photo of your cake and a description of how you made it, so that we can all share ideas and learn from each other!
See Tinkerbell Cakes That Were Submitted By Others To This Site!
Click below to see other tinkerbell themed cakes from other visitors to this page...
Tinkerbell Teapot Cake
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3D Tinkerbell Cake and Cupcakes
The Tinkerbell cake and cupcakes are frosted with whipping cream and for all the decorations I used gum paste fondant.
Fondant Tinkerbell Cake
This Tinkerbell cake was made from buttery yellow cake and vanilla buttercream frosting. The fondant was Wilton's dyed green, purple, yellow, and pink …
Tinkerbell Doll Cake
to make this Tinkerbell cake, I made a chocolate base case to form the skirt, using a glass pyrex bowl. I turned the cake upside down and then decorated …
Tinkerbell Three Tier Cake
For this Tinkerbell cake, I made three tiers round. Each is two layers with buttercream in the middle. The top has my duaghter's birthday picture with …
Tinkerbell Fairy Cake
To make this Tinkerbell cake, I used 2 8" round cakes and a pyrex bowl to make this cake. I joined the cakes by frosting each layer and cut the bowl cake …
Tinker Bell Cake
I made this tinker bell cake for my daughter's 4th birthday. She wanted tinker bell. I made two round cakes. One was an 8 inch, and the other was a 10 …
Tinkerbell Doll Cake
This Tinkerbell doll cake was a homemade cake. I decide to practice before my daughter's birthday to see how the cake would look like. But to my surprise, …
Tinkerbell 5th Birthday Cake
This cake was made for my daughter's 5th Birthday. I started out by making royal icing flowers and "rocks". Do this a few days before so that they …
Tinkerbell Birthday Cake
To make this Tinkerbell cake, I just made a vanilla cake mix and covered it completely in purple frosting. Then I traced out Tinkerbell from a coloring …
I used white vanilla cake mix. I covered the cake with my homemade frosting. I drew the Fairy by looking at a Tinkerbell picture which I found. I …
Layered Tinkerbell Cake
This Tinkerbell cake was super easy! 12 inch and 8 inch layers. I used an icing press for the script and vines. I used royal icing drop flowers that I …
My Tinkerbell Cake Not rated yet
For this Tinkerbell cake, I used a 2 x vanilla butter cake that came with frosting. I made up to the instructions on the back then poured it in to a greased … | <urn:uuid:4a0d1e7c-4440-43e3-a50e-ad6986d18e0e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.easy-birthday-cakes.com/tinkerbell-cake.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.914156 | 1,205 | 2.109375 | 2 |
Sea-squirts, tunicates or ascidians
The ascidians constitute a class of the subphylum Tunicata. which are chordate animals related to the vertebrates. The adults of ascidians are sessile but the larvae of most species are motile forms, known as tadpole larvae because of their shape.
The exact relationship of this class of chordates is obscure and the chordate nature of the ascidians is more apparent in the notochord and dorsal central nervous system of the larva than in any adult character.
- Order Enterogona
- Family Ascidiidae
- Genus Ascidiella | <urn:uuid:9be94d9b-3de2-40c5-93ee-3f910ee90a24> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://species-identification.org/species.php?species_group=Tunicata&menuentry=groepen&id=2&tab=classificatie | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.916802 | 135 | 3.0625 | 3 |
- Category: LGBT Issues
- Published on Friday, 04 May 2012 17:54
- Written by Lara Landis
- Hits: 545
Schools often punish bullying victims for defending themselves, rather than taking steps to prevent the problem from getting out of hand. A Gay student in Indianapolis carried a stun gun into his high school, test fired it and warned his tormentors to back off. Officials at his Indianapolis High School knew the problems he was having. Arsenal Tech High School officials told Darnell Young to not be openly Gay if he wanted to stop being the target of the bullies’ attacks.
People may think that this will turn into a rant against bullying, but it is rather a rant against school district policies. Many schools let the tormentors abuse an individual day after day. As long as the tormentors do not cross the zero tolerance policies on school grounds, they do nothing. When the victim finally lashes out at the perpetrators, the victim is the one who gets punished.
Nothing Young did would have been illegal if it had taken place off of school property, he posesed a firearms license, and he were over eighteen years of age. His story would probably not have made the papers if it were not for the extreme reaction of the schools.
When six students surround someone and threaten physical harm, it is an individual’s right to defend themself. Zero tolerance policies benefit no one. They do not even achieve their claimed goals. Society has to allow people to fight back if they are harassed. Robert A. Heinlein perhaps has the best quote in this particular situation. It works because we do not live in the world that many of the people who promote these policies would like.
"An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life,” wrote the science fiction author. There are limits to this idea, particularly when alcohol or drugs have flowed freely, but Young did nothing that requires him to be punished. There are those who would say that Young should have gotten a teacher or an authority figure, but the teachers and authority figures failed Young miserably.
I think stun guns are an extreme overreaction for school violence, but I know that when I went through school, there were times when the administrators would look the other way for a few seconds if they knew someone was standing up to a bully. If things got out of hand, then both parties would get punished.
Young may have violated school policies, and indeed he violated Indiana's law regarding the possession of these devices by minors. I believe the mitigating circumstances should remove or greatly lessen any punishment he might receive.. | <urn:uuid:8628666b-8e99-4ebd-b119-3fe430d20d94> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://asexualnews.com/index.php/lgbt-issues/1292-darnell-young-should-be-allowed-to-defend-himself | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.983057 | 543 | 2.265625 | 2 |
Transfer of learning traced to areas of the brain
Practice makes perfect, but a question that still remains a mystery is why it is so difficult to transfer learning from a trained to an untrained task? Why are we no better at remembering faces when we have been training our memory for words? Scientists at Umeå University and Karolinska Institutet in Sweden now show in the journal Science that the answer lies in the brain areas activated by each task.
The scientists studied the brain activity of healthy subjects as they performed a task that was part of a training program and two untrained tasks. Their performance on the trained task and one of the untrained tasks improved. What these two tasks had in common was the activation of the striatum, a cluster of neuronal nuclei in midbrain.
The study involved a group of older (over 65 years) and younger (20-30 years old) subjects, who were asked to participate in a training program to update information in working memory. After five weeks, both groups showed clear improvement on the trained tasks. The transfer effect was limited, but in the younger group transfer was observed to another test involving memory updating.
To examine the neural systems involved, the scientists studied their subjects' brains using functional magnetic resonance imaging before and after training. During scanning, they performed a verbal updating task from the training program, a non-trained numerical task, which also required updating, and a non-trained task that did not require this skill. All tasks activated areas in the frontal cortex before training. In the younger group, the striatum was also activated during the updating tasks. After training, the striatum was activated during the trained task in both groups, and during the non-trained updating task in the younger group.
Altogether, the findings show that transfer is possible when both the trained and the non-trained tasks engage specific and overlapping brain systems, which is something to be borne in mind when developing and running training and rehabilitation programs. The striatum is a critical region in the updating of the working memory, and age-related changes here can inhibit the effects of both training and transfer.
The study was a joint project between scientists at Umeå University and Karolinska Institutet under a network (Nordic Centre of Excellence in Cognitive Control) financed by the Joint Committee for Nordic Research Councils for the Humanities and the Social Sciences (NOS-HS). The work is being done at the Umeå Centre for Functional Brain Imaging (UFBI) and the authors of the paper are Erika Dahlin (Department of Integrative Medical Biology, Umeå University), Anna Stigsdotter Neely (Department of Psychology, Umeå University), Anne Larsson (Radiophysical Unit, Umeå University), Lars Bäckman (Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, KI) and Lars Nyberg (Department of Integrative Medical Biology and Department of Radiation Sciences, Umeå University).
Transfer of Learning After Updating Training Mediated by the Striatum
Science 13 June 2008 320: 1510-1512, DOI: 10.1126/science.1155466 | <urn:uuid:7f2f3b4f-4250-424e-8a83-d7f1065b2a3f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ki.se/ki/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=130&a=57789&l=en&newsdep=130&newsdep=130 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953927 | 647 | 3.015625 | 3 |
recently, there has been a lot of discussion on a moms list i’m on about FluMist — whether it’s better to get a flu shot or let your older-than-two year old sniff up that misty stuff. as a mom who has a daughter who wildly hates shots, this is something near and dear to my heart. (in fact, i’m embarrassed to state that BC has not had a flu shot yet this year, thanks to her performance when she hid under a desk. it took two nurses, a doctor, and me to get her out. but i’m going to get her there.)
my kids cannot have Flu Mist, and it’s all my fault. see, Flu Mist is a live vaccine. you shed that yummy influenza germy goodness once you get it, and if you’re in the vicinity of a person who has a weakened immune system, you can make them deathly ill. so it’s shots for them, all the way. (we also have fun thinking about other live shots. i just try to make sure they get it right after i’ve had my IVig so that i have maximum infection fighting power in me, should i get sick. don’t know if it would actually work in reality, but it’s the only thing i can do. those kids are not going without their shots. period.)
i do get nervous about FluMist, though — there are a lot of grandmas and grandpas, for example, who may be exposed to their recently-misted grandkids. and they may get really sick because of it. and we’re not talking just a simple cough or sniffle.
still, at least i guess they’re getting vaccinated. it just reminds me of the situation with antibacterial soap and gel: someone devised it, thinking it will be an exceptionally easy way to kill even more germs than regular soap. what it does now is make those bacteria stronger and more antibiotic-resistant. but progress is all about making things easier for us, and this soap and gel was supposed to be emblematic of progress. and it is: progress gone awry. and now, we’re so damned frightened of making our kids have a few seconds of pain that we crave another solution, even if it might mean a public health problem for others.
i wonder whether ours is the first generation to wuss out over shots, as a friend put it. we do not remember the polio epidemic; we cannot recall smallpox. we don’t know how horrible certain illnesses can be. heaven forbid our children have moments of pain, as if the pain is worse than the medical issue it’s meant to stave off. and some vaccines aren’t perfect; people sometimes get chickenpox even after receiving the vaccine. but the vaccines help more than they don’t; and i feel very strongly about immunizations.
that’s why i am sick to my stomach about a homeschooling network that exists specifically to homeschool because they do not want to give their children immunizations. i find this repugnant. while i have learned a lot about homeschooling since shooting my mouth off awhile back; and while i have a new respect for some who have chosen that path; this, to me, this particular thread is an outrage. this is not about education; this is a public health issue. to me, it’s tantamount to child abuse: these kids are sitting ducks for measles, polio, and other horrible illnesses. and no, it’s not just a week in bed and they’re better again, people.
and what will you do then — pray that they get better? exhaust your healthcare (if you have it) or else exhaust tax dollars (if you don’t)? all because you didn’t want them to get a shot?
i get really sick and tired about parental paranoia over the government. our government isn’t perfect. duh. but people talk about federal agencies as if they are composed entirely of automotons. guess what, folks: government agencies have just as many mindless people as you do in your office. there are people who care, and people who don’t. but mostly, and especially in the health sector, they do. people stake their careers on getting the info right. they know they have other peoples’ lives on the line. they’re not advocating immunizations because they think it’s a fun thing to do: they do it because they think it’s the right thing to do. and not just for your child — they’re thinking more globally. that’s what public health is all about.
so just as i will get extremely pissed at parents who let their babies swim in pools without plastic pants on (they put them in huggies swimmers and then marvel that their poop gets through, closing the pool down for fear of an E coli experience), i get extremely pissed at the parents who don’t immunize. oh, you say, you can’t trust the government. you don’t want the state telling you what to do with the precious children you’ve been entrusted.
i wonder who the hell entrusted you with those babes. if it was G-d, She must have been having a day off and you lucked out and squeezed through anyway. | <urn:uuid:0381f88a-269a-4c70-9b68-0dfd78869f5f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://wrekehavoc.wordpress.com/2008/10/22/misty/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00020-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966804 | 1,135 | 1.617188 | 2 |